Proverbs 1:20-33
20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,
behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,
behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
I think that generally, this whole passage speaks to me. I am the Simple and the Fool, ignoring Wisdom's public cries and outstretched hands. I constantly refuse to take hold of Wisdom and abide by it. I keep digging myself graves and getting into extremely dumb situations where I would not find myself in if I didn't make a dumb decision --- to sin or otherwise.
This is why it's so important for me to delve into God's word. It not only lets me learn more about God and His heart, but it's also full of wisdom for me to follow and fill my mind with, so that when I am tempted again, I will be able to counter it and choose to follow God.
The warning that Wisdom gives about ignoring her are all terrifying. But I've encountered those fears so often as a result of my own stupidity.
In looking at the MacArthur Study Bible commentary, Verse 20 describes the downward progression of sin represented by three classes of sinners: The Simple, The Scoffer, and The Fool. I've reached the class of the Fool before and it is not great there. The fear and terror at my own sin, as well as the absence of God, it's more than I can bear. Proverbs apparently speaks mostly to the first class, the Simple, which I still am. I keep trying to live by my own terms, and ignore God. But this is why I am delving into God's word with more fervor, because I am at such a lack of wisdom and concern for God's word. I need Him.
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