Proverbs 28:11 says; “The rich man is wise in his own eyes, but the poor who has understanding sees through him.” The “riches” of the poor is that they can have the Spirit of Understanding to see through the emptiness of the one who appears to have it all.

 Proverbs 28:16 says, “A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.”

Ecclesiastes 10:12-17 says, “12  Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; 13 the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. 14 Yet the fool multiplies words. No man knows what will happen, and who can tell him what will come after him? 15 The toil of a fool so wearies him that he does not even know how to go to a city. 16 Woe to you, O land, whose king is a lad and whose princes feast in the morning. 17 Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time—for strength and not for drunkenness.” The implication here is that a lad for a king, with the exception of Josiah, is one who lacks understanding.  In the ancient near east judgments were rendered and executed in the morning at the gates.  If a king or prince, who also has the responsibility to make a judgment, is “feasting” in the morning, this is an idiom meaning he is drinking or drunk and incapable of rendering judgments. Jeremiah 21:12 says, “O house of David, thus says YHVH: “Administer justice every morning; and deliver the person who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor, that My wrath may not go forth like fire and burn with none to extinguish it, because of the evil of their deeds.”

A confirmation to this concept is found in Isaiah 5:11.  It says,  “Woe to those who rise early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink, who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them! In order to be clear and above reproach, Peter, in Acts 2:15, says to the masses, “For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day;” This would be 9:00 in the morning…the Spirit was given at the appointed time of the morning offering/prayers which were gifts to Elohim.  In converse, Elohim gave the gift of the Holy Spirit back to His people. Only the foolish rose up early to pursue strong drink, and these believers, who were just filled with the Holy Spirit, were not among those who did that. So Peter wanted them to know that this was a manifestation of the Spirit and not strong drink.

The Spirit of understanding is not fitting for the fool or irresponsible.  May we be found among the saints that are FILLED with the Spirit of Understanding and behaves responsibly.

Have a blessed and shalom filled day!!

Tammy

Courtesy of
River of Life Tabernacle
Tammy McLendon
Great peace have they who love Your law. Psalm 119:165a