What We Must Do
[Proverbs 24:10–20]
Everyone, do you remember the little boy who was sitting next to Elder Yoo last week? That little boy is the grandson of Missionary Yoo and his wife. Apparently, Elder Yoo read the Bible to him and prayed with him at home before he went to sleep, and asked him what he remembered from the message I preached at the Wednesday prayer meeting. The boy responded, "Wisdom is better than weapons." Haha. That phrase is from Ecclesiastes 9:18a, which we meditated on.
Does anyone here remember anything from Proverbs 24:1–9, which we meditated on during last week's Wednesday prayer meeting? I know it may not be easy for all of us, so let’s briefly review three lessons we learned over the past two weeks from that passage, about how a wise person behaves:
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A wise person does not envy the prosperity of the wicked (v. 1).
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A wise person builds their house firmly (v. 3).
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A wise person fights with strategy and wins (v. 6).
Today, based on Proverbs 24:10–20, I would like to share six lessons on what we must do with the wisdom God gives us. I pray that as we receive these six lessons, the Holy Spirit will give each of us insight and the grace to put them into practice.
First, we must not be discouraged in times of trouble.
Look at Proverbs 24:10:
“If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!”
[Modern Translation: “If you become discouraged when facing difficulties, you are truly weak.”]
While living in this world, there are times when we face hardship and feel discouraged. Especially when the trouble is so overwhelming that we cannot bear it alone, and even after asking for help from those around us, no help comes — we may feel deeply disheartened. At that point, we realize there is no one we can rely on except the Lord, and we cry out to Him. But even after praying, when it feels like there is no answer from the Lord, we can fall into even greater discouragement (Luke 18:1). As we become more and more discouraged, our strength weakens, and we may become emotionally and physically exhausted, to the point of giving up entirely.
In 1 Samuel 17:32, we see David, a shepherd boy, saying this to King Saul:
“Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
Here, “this Philistine” refers to Goliath of Gath, who was stirring up the battle (v. 23). David told the Israelites — all of whom were terrified of Goliath and running away from him (v. 24) — “Do not be discouraged because of him,” and then said that he himself would go and fight Goliath (v. 32).
What do you think of David’s words? If you or I had been there, hearing David speak, do you think we could have avoided being discouraged by Goliath? When everyone around us was terrified and fleeing, could we have stayed unafraid, refusing to run away or lose heart?
So how was David able to face Goliath without being discouraged and even offer to fight him himself? Look at Saul’s response in verse 33:
“You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”
Logically speaking, the battle between the experienced warrior Goliath and the young boy David was hopelessly mismatched. And it is only natural for people to avoid such battles, knowing defeat is inevitable. That’s why people easily become discouraged.
But why didn’t David lose heart or fear? I found the answer in verse 37a:
“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
David believed in the God who saves. He trusted that God would deliver him from Goliath’s hand, just as He had saved him from lions and bears. Because David had this assurance of God’s salvation, he was neither afraid nor discouraged.
Everyone, the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 6:9:
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Even though we may become discouraged while doing good because of hardships and weariness, we must not give up or lose heart.
Instead, like the psalmist, we must proclaim to our own souls and pray to God (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5):
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
Like the young David who defeated Goliath, we must wholly rely on and trust the Lord. Therefore, rather than being discouraged, we must face even Goliath-sized trials with faith and overcome them with courage.
I pray that all of us may move forward with boldness and confidence through faith in the Lord (Ephesians 3:12), becoming people who do not lose heart, but press on courageously in the Lord.
Second, we must rescue those who are unjustly being put to death.
Look at today's main passage, Proverbs 24:11:
“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.”
[(Contemporary Translation) “Rescue those who are being put to death unjustly, and do not hesitate to save those being dragged away by the hand of a murderer.”]
You may already be aware of this news. On April 15 of this year, in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, the Islamic extremist militant group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 female students. Since then, several have escaped, but it is reported that about 219 are still being held captive. As far as I know, the Nigerian government has still not managed to rescue those 219 girls. However, according to an online news article dated July 9, Nigerian authorities announced, “There will soon be good news.” Godswill Akpabio, the chairman of the Nigerian National Council — a body made up of former presidents, governors, and parliamentary leaders — told reporters that “security forces had a good grasp of the girls’ location,” which he found reassuring. He also stated that the key issue was how to rescue the girls safely (Internet source).
Aside from this case, there are many people in this world today who are unjustly kidnapped and living in confinement under evil people. One such example is the boys and girls being sold as sex slaves in various parts of the world. According to International Justice Mission Australia, based in Sydney, they began a focused ministry in 2006 to prevent the sale of young girls and boys into sexual slavery in the Cebu region of the Philippines. As a result of their five-year collaboration with the Philippine government, police, and prosecutors, they helped rescue 220 children sold into sexual slavery, and over 90 adults who exploited those children were arrested (Internet source).
Another example is people in the United States who are serving prison sentences after being wrongfully convicted. According to a U.S. media report dated May 21, 2012, a study conducted by the University of Michigan Law School and Northwestern Law School, analyzing court records, found that over the past 23 years, more than 2,000 individuals were found to be innocent and exonerated while serving time for crimes they did not commit (Internet source).
As we can see, there are many people in this world who suffer unjustly — not only those who are unjustly about to die, but even more who have already died unjustly.
Looking again at Proverbs 24:11, the writer of Proverbs urges us not to hesitate in rescuing those unjustly facing death. In other words, we are called to act swiftly to save them. I have meditated on this verse in connection with verse 10, and I thought about the situation from the perspective of those who are being dragged to death at the hands of murderers. They are likely to feel utterly disheartened and hopeless (verse 10). If we were the ones being unjustly led to death, wouldn’t we fall into despair and feel tempted to give up completely?
In such a state, we may realize just how weak and powerless we are. And if you and I were among those helpless people being unjustly led to death, wouldn't we desperately hope for someone — anyone — to come and rescue us quickly? If we were unable to save ourselves, trapped in despair and resignation, merely waiting for death, wouldn’t we long with all our hearts for someone to come and deliver us?
If we think from that perspective, then shouldn't you and I strive to rescue those unjustly condemned to death without delay?
Let’s look at Proverbs 24:12:
“If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it?”
[(Contemporary Translation) “Do not try to avoid your responsibility by saying, ‘I didn’t know.’ God knows what is in your heart and sees everything you do. He will repay everyone according to what they have done.”]
What does this mean? It means we have a responsibility to rescue those who are being led to death. And the Bible clearly tells us not to avoid that responsibility.
Then what is this critically important responsibility we must not ignore?
Let’s look at Ezekiel 33:7–9:
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.”
When I reflect on this passage, it sounds to me like God will hold us accountable for the blood of those who die without knowing Jesus, if we fail to take responsibility for sharing the gospel with them.
Of course, if we do share the gospel and they still do not believe and die in their sins, then our own lives will be spared.
Dear brothers and sisters, our God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. Rather, He is pleased when the wicked turn from their ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11). Therefore, we too should rejoice when someone who was walking the path of eternal death hears the gospel through us, believes in Jesus, and turns from the way of death to the path of life.
Friends, we have a responsibility to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must not avoid this responsibility. God sees our hearts and knows every excuse and justification we try to make. We must not forget: God will repay everyone according to what they have done (Proverbs 24:12).
I pray that you and I will faithfully fulfill this calling to share the gospel — a responsibility entrusted to us — and that we may receive praise from the Lord.
Thirdly, we must gain wisdom.
Let us look at today’s passage, Proverbs 24:13–14:
“My son, eat honey, for it is good; yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like this for your soul: if you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”
[Contemporary Version: “My son, eat honey—it is good. Especially honey from the comb—it is even sweeter. In the same way, wisdom is sweet. So seek wisdom. Surely, you will have a bright future, and your hope will not be cut off.”]
Do you like honey? Sometimes my wife gives me ginseng tea made with honey instead of sugar, and I drink it. But do you happen to know how beneficial honey is for your body?
According to the Dongui Bogam by Heo Jun, honey regulates blood sugar levels, relieves fatigue, contains calcium and magnesium, and is highly effective for insomnia, neuralgia, and arthritis. It is also good for various inflammatory conditions (like pus-related infections). (Source: Internet)
Additionally, ancient physicians such as Hippocrates and the 12th-century Jewish philosopher Maimonides, in his Treatise on a Long and Healthy Life, considered honey to be the best medicinal tonic. They said it is good for constipation and excellent to drink after bathing when you feel thirsty.
Why is that? Because honey is pre-digested by bees, making it easier to absorb. Unlike other sugars, it doesn’t irritate the stomach lining or kidneys, which gives it a calming effect on both body and mind. Also, it contains six times more calories than milk, and it's an alkaline food rich in minerals like calcium, zinc, and copper (Internet).
One website summarized the benefits of honey into 12 points (Internet):
(a) Detoxification: Helps eliminate toxins and reduce swelling.
(b) Bowel regulation: Good for diarrhea, dysentery, and chronic constipation.
(c) Pain relief: Helps with chest pain, muscle pain, toothaches, mastitis, etc.
(d) Cough suppressant: Useful for coughs and bronchitis.
(e) Calming effect: Helps with neurosis, shock, insomnia, and bedwetting. Also useful for children with emotional instability, eyelid or lip twitches.
(f) Tissue regeneration and anti-inflammation: Promotes new tissue growth, useful for boils, tonsillitis, otitis media, and pharyngitis.
(g) Impotence treatment: Addresses erectile dysfunction.
(h) Skin moisturizing: Beautifies the face and treats conditions like eczema or pediatric erysipelas.
(i) Women's health: Used for difficult childbirth and excessive vaginal discharge.
(j) Stomach protection: Improves digestive function and protects the stomach.
(k) Longevity: A study in the USSR found that many centenarians (110–120 years old) either came from beekeeping families or regularly consumed honey.
(l) Antibacterial: Destroys bacteria such as diphtheria and paratyphoid. Bacteria cannot survive in honey: diphtheria bacteria die within 48 hours, paratyphoid bacteria in 25 hours, typhoid virus in 5 hours, chronic bronchitis bacteria in 4 days, and amoeba causing dysentery in 10 hours (Internet).
Now, in today’s passage—Proverbs 24:13–14—the modern translation says:
“My son, eat honey—it is good. Especially honey from the comb—it is even sweeter. In the same way, wisdom is sweet. So seek wisdom…”
The author of Proverbs encourages us to eat honey because it is good, but he specifically mentions “honey from the comb.” He says that this honey is sweeter, and compares wisdom to comb honey—sweet and desirable—so we should seek wisdom.
“Comb honey” refers to the honey freshly extracted straight from the hive. It is the purest, sweetest form of honey, completely untainted (Internet). That’s why the writer compares wisdom to comb honey—because it is the sweetest, purest, and most unblemished form of knowledge.
Why is wisdom as pure and untainted as comb honey? According to the Bible, honey comes from the rock. Look at Psalm 81:16:
“But I would feed you with the finest of wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
Just as honey flows from the rock, wisdom comes from Jesus Christ, the Rock. Therefore, that wisdom is also the sweetest, purest, and most untainted kind.
This is why the writer of Proverbs says in chapter 4, verses 5–7:
“Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme—therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”
We must gain wisdom just as the author says. We must obtain wisdom (discernment) even at the cost of sacrifice—because wisdom is that important.
To do this, we must first love wisdom. If we love wisdom, we will consume the Word of God like we eat honey. That is, we will long for the pure Word of God (Proverbs 30:5), keeping it by our side all our lives, reading and meditating on it day and night.
We must never forget or ignore the Word of God.
Dear brothers and sisters, why must we consume the pure Word of God and gain wisdom, just as we eat honeycomb? What is the reason? Let us look at the second half of Proverbs 24:14:
“… If you find it (wisdom), there is a future for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”
The reason we must gain wisdom is because if we do, we will certainly have a bright future and our hope will not be cut off.
Doesn’t this remind us of what we already meditated on in Proverbs 23:17–18?
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.”
What does this mean? It means that wise Christians who always fear God have hope in the life to come.
What is the hope of the afterlife that we Christians hold on to? It is that the Lord will receive us into His glory (Psalm 73:24).
Therefore, the latter part of Proverbs 14:32 says:
“The righteous has a refuge even in his death.”
May we become people who, like consuming honeycomb, diligently consume the pure Word of God and gain wisdom.
Fourthly, we must rise again, even if we fall seven times.
Let’s look at today’s text, Proverbs 24:15–16:
“Do not lie in wait, you wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place, for though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.”
Brothers and sisters, while we live in this world, we who are justified by faith in Jesus through God’s grace may suffer and fall because of the wicked. But I believe it’s not only the wicked who cause us to fall.
As we live in this evil world, there are many things that can make us Christians stumble—not just one or two. For example, we may fall in the struggle against ourselves. We may fall due to the temptations of this sinful world, becoming discouraged after falling into sin.
Asaph, who wrote Psalm 73, almost stumbled when he envied the prosperity of the wicked. I believe we, too, can easily find ourselves in such a situation. We see the righteous suffering while the wicked live well, eat well, and prosper—and we may stumble in envy.
At the church’s 34th anniversary Bible conference, on the second day, the guest preacher gave a sermon titled “Witnesses of Salvation” based on Matthew 16:21–25. Let’s revisit verse 23, where Jesus says to Peter:
“… Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
This shows that Satan was the one trying to make Jesus stumble.
Now, is Satan only trying to make Jesus stumble? Of course not. Satan also tries to make us, the Church of Jesus Christ, stumble.
How is Satan trying to make Christians fall today?
Like Peter, he is trying to make us focus not on the things of God, but on human things. Satan tempts us to turn away from the narrow path of the cross and walk the broad road of the world.
He tempts us to forsake God’s will and live according to our own desires, persistently drawing us away from the Lord’s purpose.
Satan is trying every possible way to make us Christians fall—not only us individually, but also our families and churches.
What must we do? While many lessons can be drawn from various parts of the Bible, today I want to focus on just one: Proverbs 24:16.
First, we must recognize that Christians can fall.
In other words, because of Satan’s attacks, we may fall—not just once, but seven times, even countless times. When that happens, we may be discouraged, disappointed, or tormented by guilt.
Second, what we must remember, as today’s verse says, is this:
“Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.”
Because I believe this, I believe that the life of a Christian is like a roly-poly toy (a tumbler doll).
Just as a roly-poly may fall when struck but soon rights itself, we Christians—though struck down by Satan or evildoers—must believe that we will rise again.
How does a roly-poly rise even when it falls?
It is because its heaviest part is at the bottom. Even when the top leans to the side, gravity pulls the heaviest part downward, and it naturally stands upright again.
From this, we learn a lesson: the center of gravity must be low for stability. Even if we sway momentarily due to outside forces, we can regain our balance and stand firm.
I believe that the “center of gravity” that allows us Christians to rise and stand again is none other than the Lord, our Rock.
The Lord is the God who raises us up again.
Even if we fall countless times, He will raise us again—countless times.
The same Lord who raised up the fallen Elijah will surely raise us up again and help us complete our calling.
The Lord restores our discouraged souls through His perfect Word and lifts us up.
May He stretch out His mighty right hand and lift us up by holding ours.
Fifth, we must not rejoice when our enemy falls.
Let us look at today’s main passage, Proverbs 24:17:
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.”
[Modern Translation: “Do not be happy or rejoice when you see your enemy ruined.”]
How do you feel about this verse?
Our natural instinct is to feel secretly pleased when our enemy falls, isn’t it?
Isn’t it our instinct to feel good and rejoice inwardly when someone who caused us to stumble is the one who falls?
When we see our enemy ruined or hear news of it, we may even think, “God is a just God—He has avenged me,” and feel glad.
But the Bible tells us not to rejoice or be glad in our hearts when our enemy falls.
Why is that?
I found the answer in Ezekiel 33:11:
“… I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live…”
The Bible clearly says that God does not delight in the death of the wicked.
When we apply this to Proverbs 24:17, we can better understand why Scripture says,
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.”
What pleases God is when the wicked turn from their ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11).
In other words, God is pleased when our enemies repent and return to Him.
He is not a God who delights in the ruin or destruction of our enemies (Proverbs 24:17, Modern Version).
So then, what should we, the children of God, do?
Our joy and gladness should not come from our enemies falling or being destroyed,
but from their repentance and return to the Lord.
If not, Proverbs 24:18 warns us:
“Lest the Lord see it and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.”
What does this mean?
If we disobey God’s Word and rejoice at the downfall or ruin of our enemy,
then God will not be pleased with our reaction.
Why wouldn’t God be pleased?
Because it shows that we do not reflect the heart of our Heavenly Father—
a heart that rejoices when the wicked repent and turn back,
not when they perish.
Furthermore, Proverbs 24:18 implies that if we rejoice at our enemy’s downfall,
God may remove His wrath from them.
What does that mean?
It means that those who rejoice in the fall of their enemy may themselves fall and face God’s judgment (according to internet sources).
That’s why we also read in the second half of Proverbs 17:5:
“He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.”
Brothers and sisters, the teaching of the Bible is clear.
Look at Matthew 5:44:
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
And Luke 6:27–28 says:
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
The Bible teaches us to love our enemies.
In that context, when we consider today’s passage, Proverbs 24:17,
we must follow the writer’s instruction:
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.
Sixth and last, we must not become angry because of evildoers.
Look at today’s main passage, Proverbs 24:19:
“Do not fret because of evildoers, or be envious of the wicked.”
Don’t you feel angry when you see someone persecuting, harassing, or making your life difficult?
Don’t you feel a surge of rage when someone causes your loved one to cry or deeply wounds their heart?
Don’t you get truly angry when you see wicked people?
Don’t you get upset when such truly evil people seem to live well and prosper?
And at the same time, don’t you feel even a little envious when you see the success of the wicked while you're burning with anger?
I believe this is our natural, instinctive response.
When we see the wicked prospering in this world, we may indeed become very angry.
At the same time, we may secretly envy their prosperity.
However, in today’s passage, Proverbs 24:19, the Bible tells us not to be angry because of evildoers or to envy the prosperity of the wicked.
We have already been instructed in Proverbs 24:1:
“Do not envy the wicked, do not desire to be with them.”
Also, Proverbs 23:17 says:
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.”
So, the writer of Proverbs repeatedly warns us not to envy the prosperity of the wicked, and in today’s verse (Proverbs 24:19), he also tells us not to harbor anger because of them.
Why is that?
Look at Proverbs 24:20:
“For the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.”
Friends, the wicked have no future.
They have no bright future, and their lamp of hope will be extinguished.
Although, from the world’s perspective, it may seem like they live well and have a promising future,
and it may appear that their lamp will never be put out,
the Bible clearly states:
They have no future, and their lamp will be extinguished.
But, as we already meditated on in Proverbs 23:18,
those who do not envy the prosperity of sinners but always fear God
will surely have a future, and their hope will not be cut off.
Also, in today’s passage, Proverbs 24:14 says
that those who gain wisdom, which is like honeycomb, will certainly have a future, and their hope will not be cut off.
So, who are those with an unshakable hope and a guaranteed future?
They are those who acquire wisdom and fear the Lord.
And those who fear God with wisdom do not become angry because of evildoers,
nor do they envy the prosperity of the wicked.
I hope and pray that both you and I will not be angry at evildoers,
and that we will not envy the prosperity of the wicked, whose future holds no hope.
Dear brothers and sisters, there are things we as Christians ought to do.
As people who have been saved by God’s grace and received eternal life, there are duties we must fulfill.
For example, in 1 John 4:11, the Bible says:
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
In today’s passage, Proverbs 24:10–20,
we have learned six things we ought to do:
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We must not lose heart in times of trouble.
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We must rescue those being led away to death unjustly.
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We must acquire wisdom.
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We must rise again even if we fall seven times.
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We must not rejoice when our enemy falls.
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We must not become angry because of evildoers.
May you and I, by practicing these duties with the wisdom God gives,
become people who bring greater joy to the heart of God.