TRUNEWS with Rick Wiles - Morning Manna - Dec 10, 2025 - Proverbs 18:1-4 - Isolation, Contention, and Understanding

Episode Date: December 10, 2025

Proverbs 18:1–4 uncovers the dangers of self-seeking isolation and the destructive force of unrestrained speech. The one who separates himself rejects sound wisdom and pursues selfish desire, while the fool erupts in quarrels and despises discernment. Yet a wise person’s words are like deep waters—refreshing, steady, and life-giving—and the fountain of understanding becomes a source of strength to all who hear. In today’s Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart explore the contrast between reckless independence and God-shaped wisdom, calling listeners to walk in community, guard their words, and drink deeply from the well of understanding. Teachers: Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart You can partner with us by visiting FaithandValues.com, calling 1-888-519-4935, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961. MEGA FIRE reveals the ancient recurring cycles of war and economic collapse that have shaped history for 600 years. These patterns predict America is now entering its most dangerous period since World War II. Get your copy today! www.megafire.world Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves! www.AmericanReserves.com It’s the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today! www.Amazon.com/Final-Day Apple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books! www.books.apple.com/final-day Purchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today. www.Sacrificingliberty.com

Good morning, everybody. Welcome to Morning Manna for this Wednesday, December 10, 2025. The semester is coming to a close, Doc. Yes. And our next Friday, December 19, will be our last lesson for 2025. We'll take a two-week break. And when we come back, we won't be faith in values. we will be Manna Nation. So there's a new platform that's going to appear.

Manna Nation.com. Right now, if you go there today, it's just a landing page that says coming soon. But manna nation.com will go online later in December. It's the first phase of a new platform that we're building. We're not finished constructing a new platform. But we are going to have a temporary platform ready for Manna Nation. But the full complete Manna Nation, well, I don't know, Doc, if it will ever be full and complete

because it will be an ongoing project of new content and new features. But it will start to take shape in late January of 26th. So our new home will be Manna Nation.com. There will not be a subscription. Some content on manna nation.com may have a fee, like a pay-per-view for a documentary or an audio book or something like that. It depends on the content owner and producers. We may have to financially compensate some people for their content, but Morning Manna will be free. Okay. And if you're if you're somebody who's paying a monthly subscription, that comes to an end in December.

Right. And it will be free in 2026. So what happens to faith and values at the end of the month then, Rick? Well, the platform fades away. It rolls over. It becomes, if you go to faith and values.com, it will just roll over to manonation.com. Okay. All right. Again, we're not going to have all the features that we have right now at faith and values, but we will be adding them throughout 2026. And I know chat is a big thing, and I'm pushing very hard that we have chat available by January 1st. Let's hope that we have it. I don't know. We're working hard at it, okay? But it's our new home, manna nation.com, and we will be adding new content throughout 2026. Okay, so today we start a new chapter, chapter 18.

Amen. And we're going to be looking at verses 1 through 4. Proverbs 18, 1 through 4. Let's invite the Holy Spirit, then Doc is going to read the word. Almighty God, we come to you in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and we request the presence of your Holy Spirit to teach us your Word, to enlighten us, illuminate our hearts and minds, and make us stronger disciples for our Savior, Jesus.

In His name, Christ, we pray. Amen. It's always a privilege to read the Word of God and I ask you to join with me, no matter where you are in the world today, anywhere from the four corners of the earth and across the U.S. and Canada, welcome here to our daily Bible study where we explore the Word of God together.

We are in Proverbs 18 today, starting in Proverbs 18. and we're focusing our attention on verses one through four and so read along with me if you will through desire a man having separated himself seeketh and intermedleth with all wisdom a fool hath no delight in understanding but that his heart may discover itself when the wicked cometh then cometh also contempt and with ignomy reprope the words of a man's mouth are as deep waters and are the well-spring of wisdom as a flowing brook now i know for some people some of these verses may seem a bit confusing and seem a bit what is it really saying there? But we're going to dive in each one of these verses, segment by segment, and help you to understand each of these verses today. Yes, there's a lot.

There's a lot to understand in these verses. So let's start with verse 1, 181. The King James says, through desire, a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermedaleth with all wisdom. I don't know, Doc, if I've ever used the word intermedal of. I don't think I ever have, except from reading the scripture. The Aramaic Pashita says, he who separates himself seeks his own desire

and quarrels against all sound wisdom. Right. And the English translation of the Greek Septuagin says, A man who wishes to separate from friends seeks excuses, but at all times he will be liable to reproof. Right. This one takes, you get to ponder this way. You have to research and explore to figure out the meaning of this proverb.

but it's not easy. It's not a quick surface level understanding. Okay, so the first half of the verse, through desire, a man having separated himself. Okay, so let's first identify the type of separation, the type of isolation. Some people are separated, isolated, isolated because they are introvert

who just naturally shy away from group activities there's nothing wrong with it nothing evil it's just their nature they're not comfortable in group settings they may be comfortable in us a setting of just a couple people two or three people a larger group makes them anxious

okay so that's that's a type of isolation separation. That's not what we're talking about. Other people separate themselves from the world in order to enhance their spiritual growth, such as a sabbatical. Somebody, like a religious leader may go on a sabbatical. Go away for two or three months. Get away from Jesus, when Jesus went off alone. Yes. He would separate himself. This verse is not talking about the kind of separation. Some people are victim of isolation and separation. They've been cut off and kept away from family, friends, coworkers, by people who secretly desire to harm them,

to inflict pain, to reduce their influence, to sabotage them, to demoralize them. That's not what we're talking about here. Isn't that like holding someone hostage, Rick? It is. It's an emotional quarantine. It's emotionally putting somebody in solitary confinement. Okay.

But that's a less it or another topic. That's not what this is talking about. The isolation or separation described in verse 1 of chapter 18 is for a different purpose. the desire to be left alone is not driven by a longing for quietness and solitude, but a selfish craving, a self-will pursuit that disregards others. It's a very selfish desire. So the man or woman who separates himself is not for, devotion increased holiness

but to avoid accountability to do what they want to do without anybody questioning them okay that's the purpose of it it's a tool of self-indulgence withdrawing from social activities

to fulfill private agendas that's that's heart of this verse okay it reflects a heart that refuses fellowship refuses counsel refuses partnership refuses relationship refuses relationship with others that would give them a different point of view okay um the the Hebrew words here right it says through desire all right Let's go back to look. What does the verse say? Through desire, a man having separated himself.

The Hebrew words for through desire literally means according to his craving. Through desire means according to his craving. Yes. The craving is the root motive for this. The separation, it's a selfish longing. That's what's driving the separation, okay? So having separated himself, he deliberately withdraws and is able to pursue his craving, okay?

You can see this off with someone that lives a double life. they're around people and then suddenly they disappear yes nobody knows where they go they come back and they're back in the group again okay there's that is that is

a self-imposed isolation but it's done not for the purpose of they desire to be alone to pray to seek the Lord to read or work on something no there They're living a different life, okay?

They're pursuing a craving. So the verse is teaching that selfishness is the engine of this type of isolation. The person is saying, I want what I want, and no one will stop me. Yes. I will get what I desire, what I'm craving for. So there are different types of separation. There's a separation under God, again, for prayer, for devotion, for reading the word, a sabbatical rest, so forth. But then there's also a sinful separation unto self, which is, I'm just going to go away, you know, and go do what I want to do.

You have people who do this. Well, they'll take a vacation somewhere, and it's really a pursuit of. of a secret life. And so that's what it's warning about. It's saying that this kind of isolation that's driven by selfish desire is spiritually dangerous. It's morally corrupting.

And it will eventually lead to great trouble for that person. Right. Well, it's interesting, Rick, that Hebrew word that she used for, you know, for separating, separating himself, is the very same word that's used for the scattered nations at the Tower of Babel. Isn't that interesting? That the very same prideful separation that Solomon is talking about here is that prideful separation that God placed on the people at Babel as a curse.

And so it's the very same word. I just find that fascinating. So, When we're talking about this isolation here, once again, we're not talking about a godly separation, a godly time of setting yourself apart. But this is a separation that's due to, really, that word desire really doesn't give the whole picture. It really is a lust for selfishness. Satan loves to get us alone, Ray. He loves to get us alone. And so, and I may be addressing some people here that are watching or listening today. Loneliness is an issue for a lot of people.

But I would have to say that chronic loneliness is often a heart issue, not necessarily a personality issue. There are some people who prefer, you know, to be alone, but they're not lonely, okay? they don't separate themselves from other people. They just prefer, you know, different company at times. But there's a chronic loneliness that sometimes gets in the spirit of people. And the Bible is speaking about this and speaking that this is something that really leads to sin. This self-willed isolation often arises, believe it or not, from pride. the belief that one needs no input, they don't need any rebuke or any guidance at all from anyone else.

And this is a danger today for a lot of believers who are in what we call the de-churched community. Maybe they've had some issues with belief systems in the modern church, but the Bible is clear for sake, not the assuming of yourselves together. And this verse speaks directly to that. So a man isolating himself to pursue desires, he knows would not stand under scrutiny by other believers. So this verse is depicting that withdrawal as rebellion. Rebellion. A refusal to live within a God-ordained community.

And really, Rick, a lot of times this chronic separation, this separation awful, often is masking a moral drift, a desire to pursue sin without having anyone tell them it's sin, without any kind of witnesses or resistance. So isolation is cutting a person off from sharpening influences. You know, the Bible says iron sharpens iron. And it leaves people open to deception. And that's a problem with the de-churched community here in the West. A man rejecting the safety

of community preferring the illusion. Well, I'm on my own. I'm standing against the tide and everything. Well, why don't you stand arm and arm with others against the tide, hand in hand with others against the tide? You don't have to do it alone. I like to joke around her that even

the Long Ranger had Tonto. And so he wasn't even alone. So this proper pair of this very first verse is teaching us that ungodly isolation isn't a strength. It's surrender to selfishness. But you know, Doc. And your prayer is repentance. The lone ranger's true self was behind a mask.

That's true. So he had tons and he had silver. And he had a mask. He hid behind a mask. Doc, while we're on this topic, you know, I'm sure there are people in our class right now, and you are suffering from chronic loneliness, and it may be a loneliness that you did not seek or desire or build, but other people and circumstances constructed prison rule that isolated you from others. This is what I desire you to know. You've got to get out of it as quickly as possible. Satan will use it, even though your heart is for the Lord.

Satan will use that loneliness. He'll use that isolation to mislead you, to lead you astray. And if you listen to his voice long enough, he'll snag you. Okay. So break free of it. And do what you got to do to be free of any kind of, whether it's self-imposed isolation or isolation that's been imposed upon you through other people or circumstances, break free.

And if other people are the ones who created that isolation, then you've got to create new relationships that does not involve the people that created the isolation, the main thing for you to do is break free of the isolation. It is a dangerous spiritual trap from the enemy. So Rick, what does this all have to do with wisdom, though? What this is teaching us is, now we're talking about self-willed isolation. Right. or the person

chose to be isolated it's rooted in pride and if it's rooted in pride its origin is in hell okay that's all there I mean that's the bottom line it is a

determination that says counsel advice guidance from other people are unnecessary right I don't need it, okay?

And so that man or woman pulls away to protect what he or she knows cannot stand the light of scrutiny. Right. Again, this is self-imposed isolation, okay? And so the separation hides an inward drift away from God, giving sin, room to. to grow and to grow without witnesses or resistance, okay? Right. And they're cut off from other voices. So the only cure for that kind of isolation is repentance,

return to the flock, submit to the shepherd. That's the solution. That's the only answer, the only cure for this kind of isolation. The second part says, seeketh, the king James, seeketh and intermedaleth with all wisdom. I know what metal means, the metal or something, but I don't know what intermeddling means. But there are other translations here, okay? We'll go back here and we look at the Septuagin says.

but at all times he will be liable to reproach. The Pashita says, and quarrels against all sound wisdom. The English, modern English says, enrages against all wise judgment. It gives us a broader definition of what this word intermedalith means. So instead of humbly seeking

wisdom. The self-isolated man or woman intermeddles. It means that they stubbornly strive, strive, fight against sound judgment. They actively fight it, talk. They seek an intermedal with all wisdom, okay? They're seeking, right. They're seeking wisdom, in a way, but the intermedal with it. Would you call

them truth seekers, Rick? Oh, that would fit a big class of people. They're seeking their own version of truth. Right. Isn't that what they're really seeking? Yes. A lot of them. They're seeking their own version and definition

of truth. the fool believes his or her isolation is a quest for deeper understanding. That's how they justify it. Right. And in that, Doc, is a pride that says, I'm so superior

that if I get around other people, they won't recognize my superiority. Wow. So I'll just stay away from them And be superior. Yes. That's the thinking. Okay, this is very narcissistic.

Narcissus have a high sense of superiority. But Rick, what happens when they encounter true wisdom? What's, what, how do they respond to true wisdom when it comes into their life? There's confrontation. Yes. There's friction. There are quarrels, rages, violent opposition. to godly wisdom.

There's an explosion, anger, angry outburst, arguments, quarrels, contention, strife. It's just a discussion of godly wisdom. Just a mention of godly wisdom will provoke an angry outburst. That's right. It sure will. And what's driving that angry outburst?

Pride. Yes. A sense. a sense of superiority is saying I am so superior I do not have to submit to God's will yes I can believe in God but I don't have to submit to God this is where a lot of people are at Doc yes there's a lot of people in churches that have bad at it's now they'll never say it. They're never going to stand up and say, I'd like to confess that I have a superiority complex and I will must submit to God. Nobody's going to say that church. But that's the attitude.

You ask them, do you believe in God? Oh, yes, of course. Do you believe in Jesus? Yes, of course. But now I ask them, have you surrendered your will to Lord Jesus? And now you're going to get the angry real verse. That's right. They're going to shut down the conversation because they can't go there. Right. Because I have to confirm the truth of the situation. Yes.

They just can't go there. All right. So this verse is teaching us that the self-imposed isolation produces delusion. The fool mistakes his or her opinions for revelation. they'll actually think that they have spiritual revelation and it's actually delusion yes so it's a rage against all wisdom

that's what it says against all wisdom they intermedal with wisdom okay with all wisdom okay it means every source of godly advice and judgment and counsel is rejected if it does not fit their narrative their opinions they reject it they shut it down

they will not discuss it okay it's like a it's like a lunatic fighting shadows yes boxing shadows it's like he's convinced that he

alone can see the you know see the object that he's striking at right and the irony is when you're boxing shadows one you never lose but you also never win either do you right and and your your adversary just keeps moving around in the darkness okay but this kind of person becomes angry at advice angry at biblical correction i say biblical they get angry at biblical correction they do not want you to quote scripture They'll become very angry if you quote scripture.

They become defensive towards truth. They want to be the ones who define truth. Or they want you to accept somebody else's definition of truth that is not biblical. But they become angry and combative and defensive when scriptures are quoted. Yes. that'll shine a light real fast yes when somebody

presents their viewpoint and you and you say well let me tell you what the what the scriptures are there is they get angry and bitter and furious there's a spiritual problem there a major deep spiritual problem and at the heart of it is rebellion

agreed yes and at the heart of Billion is witchcraft. How do I know that? Bible says, I'm quoting, I'm quoting what the scriptures say. That's what makes people mad. So, you know, Doc, this is, you know, it's like the Pharisees,

the one that prayed, you know, Jesus said, I thank thee that I am not as other men. Like that guy. I'm smarter than him. Yeah. It's the arrogance, okay, rejecting all of God's wisdom. So I'll let you take it. Sure.

Well, that Hebrew word yagala, where it's talking about raging or intermedaleth, like the King James says, uses the same Hebrew word word as to uncover something. Okay. In other words, what's happening is all restraint is being lifted. He's a God to himself. He's a Messiah to himself. He doesn't have to answer to anybody because he knows all the answers. And so, you know, the Bible in the New Testament. So we're in the Old Testament here with Proverbs, but in the New Testament, there is a character that fits this description to a T. And so the Apostle John, John, John, The love apostle, the one who rested on Jesus's breast the night of the Passover, the love apostle, had these words to say in the third epistle of John, 3rd John, verses 9 and 10. So listen to what the love apostle said. He said, I wrote unto the church, but deotrophies, who loveth to have preeminence among them, received us not.

Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds, which he doeth, praiding against us with malicious words, and not content therewith, neither doth he himself received the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. And so here we have, now you've gotten on the love apostle's bad side here. It took a lot to get John worked out. That's right. And so this is a New Testament.

example, and we're talking in the Christian era here, that people can isolate themselves and become an authority to themselves. And how do they do that? By not being accountable to others in an assembly. So, you know, this intermedalith, you know, this gala in Hebrew is not just curiosity. No, it's to fight, to contend with. A isolated man, the self-willed isolated man will will fight against wisdom rather than receiving it. And so, as you said, it reveals that pride, wisdom becomes an enemy. When you say truth to them, it threatens their existence, threatens their autonomy. He'll quarrel with instruction, he'll resist reproof, he'll reject the discernment of godly people,

and that rebellion is going to lead to blindness, spiritual blindness at some point. He becomes wise in his own eyes. And so the separation from wisdom really is a separation from God. And it exposes foolishness. It exposes temptation and ruin. The isolated man becomes his own worst counselor. And Rick, in this era of social media, where everyone should be connected and have, you know, have the opportunity to connect with other people, do we see a trend toward more isolation?

with people. Yeah. Social media has made people unsociable. Yes. And we're now starting to see governments around the world banning social media for children and teenagers. Yes. Because it's causing problems. I'm glad you brought up third.

John 9 and 10. Listen again what John said about deophanphes. He loves to be first. There's the pride. There's the arrogance, okay? Will not welcome us? Showed no hospitality to an apostle. A person who lived with Jesus Christ for years.

would not welcome John. Yeah. How arrogant can you be? Exactly. So here's mild-mannered, peaceful, loving, kind, gentle John. And he's saying here, when I come, I'm going to spiritually lay him out. That's what he's... Listen to what he said.

so when I come I will call attention to what he is doing spreading malicious nonsense about us not satisfied with that he even refuses to welcome other believers

he also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church right the office means was a devil yes folks there are times when you just have to just be

really tough with people who claim to be Christians but their works are of the devil amen you just have to be tough and see the modern concept here in America at least in the American

churches is oh you got to what would Jesus do what would John do okay you got to be Christ-like Christ threw people out Yeah

He chased him out of the temple He overturned tables Made a whip Set under a tree and made a whip He didn't go buy a whip Or fine well he made it Okay Here's John saying when I come to town

I'm going to deal with those teofferces I got him on my list And I am going to read him the riot act Okay Like I said it takes a lot to, it took a lot to get John ticked off. But John was ticked off for this guy. Yes.

Because of his pride, his arrogance. And Doc, what was he doing? He was isolating people. Look at what he said. Yes. He will not welcome us. Go away. He doesn't want to have the apostles' influence in his life.

Yes. He didn't want the apostles' influence. He would not welcome us. welcome the apostles, and he will not welcome other believers. He's isolating other believers saying, you're not welcomed here. You're isolated. He also stops those who desire to welcome people into the church. And those people, he kicks out of the church.

Because they don't agree with him. That's right. Sounds very much like John Nelson Darby. Yeah? Oh, Darby, nobody was good enough for Darby. Okay, let's get down here. We'll take a look at the commentators. Matthew Henry said he that separates himself from the communion of the wise

seeks only to gratify his own corrupt inclinations. Yes. Charles Bridges said the self-seeker breaks, from wholesome restraint, only to plunge into warfare with all sound wisdom. Presbyterian Albert Barnes said, this is isolation for self-indulgence, not solitude for devotion. It ends in hostility towards all counsel. Yes. Adam Clark adds this, separating from others, he follows his own desires, and this contends

with reason, righteousness, and even God himself. Baptist Alexander McLaren said he withdraws, not to seek God, but to escape the voice that would restrain him. Yes. Charles Spurgeon, eloquent as always, when a man will hear no voice on his own, he soon hears the voice of a fool. All right, let's go to verse two. A fool have no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

So this is tied to the previous verse. Would you agree? Yes. Yes. The Septuagin says a senseless man does not delight in understanding, but only in disclosing his own mind. All right. So we'll begin with the first segment.

A fool has no delight in understanding. We know what, you know, I mean by the, we're in the 18th chapter of Proverbs. We know by now the definition of a fool is, right? This is not a low IQ person. This is not a dumb person, and this is not a dull person. This is a person who is willfully blind and resistant to wisdom. They can have a high IQ.

They can be highly educated. yet they can still be a fool because they are willfully blind and resistant to wisdom and the divine order of things. It is voluntary ignorance of blindness chosen because light exposes darkness. What did Jesus say, Doc,

in John chapter 3 people choose to be in the dark. They reject the light. Yes. All right. They find no delight no pleasure, no desire, no taste for

wisdom and understanding. It's boring to them. It's actually distasteful to them. It goes beyond being you know, hey, I don't like it's boring food. I don't like that food. Now, this is something that's repulsive to them. Godly wisdom and understanding. They have no

desire for it. Absolutely no desire, no hunger. Okay. The understanding, we know what that is. Understanding is the practical application of wisdom. Okay, you got wisdom. Well, how to use it. It's like you have a tool. How do you use the tool you know i gotta read instructions doc yes why something's like well what i how do operate this thing that's understanding the tool is the wisdom the the instructions are the understanding okay it's the ability to discern to apply truth the the fool rejects it as a waste a waste of his her time and energy. So this is not a person with intellectual deficiency.

It is not a low IQ person or an uneducated person. It's moral aversion. He or she hates understanding. Why? Because it threatens their self-will. And now you come back to rebellion. A refusal to submit. to God's will.

That's right. Don't just be honest with you. I think a lot of people and I'm talking about people in the church that refuse to surrender to Christ refuse to submit to his will I'm just going to tell you,

I think they're demon possessed. Well, they're certainly demon influenced if nothing else because only at Yubble would rebel against God. Yes. They can confess God all day long, they want to, but if you don't submit to him, your confession means

nothing. Correct, yes. Okay, you have to submit. You submit to his counsel, his word, you accept his word as the final, he's got the final say, his word, that's the final say. And you have to accept it. Again, if you quote the word of God to fold, there'll be an explosion of anger they'll refuse to listen they'll get up and walk out right

okay um so the fool the fool is not neutral the fool actively hate the very thing that would save him

amen that's the That's this crazy thing about it. So you got to recognize that opposition to the truth, even indifference, meaning I just don't care, but opposition to the truth, okay? I mean, these are the symptoms of a fool's disease. But the first symptom is indifference. Indifference will later grow into outright rejection of wisdom.

truth. So the word delight always is connected to desire. If you delight in something you it means there's something you desire that makes you happy. Right. All right. Um, so the fool does not just merely fail to understand. He or she does not desire to understand. He or she does not desire to understand. You got it. You got to get to the heart of it. They don't desire to understand. They have no. Okay, it goes back to superiority. Inside, deep inside of them, they believe they are superior. That's at the core of it. And they can have all kinds of mask that they're wearing. But inside a decor, they believe they are superior. and they're not going to submit to God or His Bible

or anyone representing God in His Bible, okay? They believe they're superior. That's at the core of their pride and arrogance and rebellion. It's a sense of superiority. And what else would prevent you from submitting? You only submit to someone else who is superior. Right. Right?

I mean, would you submit to a moron? But lots of people do, Rick. Yeah. All right, that's another lesson. Okay. All right. So, Doc, let's talk about what does understanding require? If you're going to develop understanding, what does it require?

Well, first of all, understanding. requires listening. It requires, first of all, submission like you were talking about before, but also self-examination. Disciplines at the fool absolutely despises. The reason he recoils from wisdom is because wisdom forces him to confront his own crookedness, his own perversity. Fools prefer the ease of life over truth. In other words, I don't want to be challenged with the true word of God, the true wisdom of God. So fools actively avoid understanding because it'll break down their illusions. They cling to fantasies that protect their pride.

Matthew Henry had this to say about it. He says he has no delight in understanding. He would rather be ignorant than instructed. So this verse is portraying that psychology of sin. The fool finds delight, not in reality, but, in maintaining his chosen narrative. And so in biblical terms and biblical categories, understanding requires, first all, a teachable heart.

And that should be one of the hallmarks of every believer to have a teachable heart. The fool has allowed his heart to be hardened against any kind of instruction. And it's really sad, Rick. It really is. It's a tragedy, a spiritual tragedy, because the fool. has never truly tasted the joy, the freedom, or the peace and stability that divine understanding brings. So this proverb, in the end, is teaching that folly is not just ignorance. It's an attitude of treating God and his wisdom as an enemy. And so this is, you know, when a person

gets to this point, you know, it's hard to bring them back. So it's really a sad situation. So the second part of his verses, but that his heart may discover itself. Yes. That his heart may discover itself. Discover itself means to pour out, to reveal, to broadcast, your own heart.

The fool delights, not in learning, but in speaking. They have no interest in learning, but they really desire to speak, right? You know, and you know why? Because there's a superiority complex. You have to listen to me. People with in this attitude of superiority dog, their speech is heavily influenced by imperatives you must you will you shall these are the imperatives when they speak to you you must you will all right or you won't

I dare you see these are the this is the imperative speaking style and that's driven by superiority. I will tell you what you're going to believe. I will tell you what you're going to do. You're right. I will tell you what you're allowed. See, this is the imperative way. And usually the finger is there. Okay. Yes. They're wagging the finger to tell you you must. You shall. How dare you? You, I, you know, I dare you to do this. Okay. It's an imperative mindset that's rooted in superiority, which means that you are inferior. And the reason you have to do what they say is because you're inferior and they are superior.

Right. But they desire to broadcast this. They want everybody to know it. Okay? That they're superior. And so they're speaking out. And it's always this imperative language, okay? it's like every word says

listen to me obey me do what I say right again that's imperative speaking Matthew Henry said he only desires to reveal his own heart he is in love with his own sentiments

yes and Spurgeon said that the fool's heart is like a peacock always streton its feathers I like that Charles Bridges said he speaks that his heart may be laid open he is his own idol I get the we get the understanding here what this first means right you know in today's social media environment you've got TikTok you got YouTube you got X you've got all these different social media platforms and they are they are populated

by self-talk theologians that have never spent time with God, had never spent time in the Word, and yet they're experts on every aspect of doctrine and belief and everything else. And it shows. It shows many times in their arrogance, in their, there's no humility. There's none at all. They speak with an authority that is self-generated. It really is, you know, it's a telltale sign of the last days here.

It really is. Yeah. Doc, just to summarize what this verse mean, this part of the verse, but that his heart may discover itself, it means that the full places higher value. on his or her opinions, then God be wisdom, the Word of God, God's will,

God's divine plan. And he or she lifts up and esteems his or her own thoughts and opinions as superior to God's. Right. Okay? I mean, this is really what it comes down to.

If you refuse to study the Word of God, if you refuse to listen, to the word of God being quoted, you are saying your opinions are superior to God's opinion. Correct. It's an

arrogance of self-expresses this view that he or she speaks not to seek truth, but to display himself. for herself, that the reason for speaking is not to proclaim truth, but to proclaim what that

person believes to be true, right, to get an audience. But they are declaring what is true. They're living a delusion, their whole life, they're living at a delusion about it. In their false self, they believe that their narrative about reality is true. And they will not listen to anybody else. And they certainly will not read and study and submit to the Word of God. Amen. Because the Word of God will challenge.

I mean, if you're not being challenged by the Word of God every day, you're not really seeking it. Because every single day that I apply myself to studying the scriptures for these lessons, I have to come under conviction. Amen. That's the difference. Yes. See, you're constantly submitting to the word. But if you don't study the word, you don't have to submit, do you? That's right. And I can honestly say, you know, over the several years now that we've been doing Morning Manor, I've changed my thoughts on a lot of things, a great deal of things.

You know, that challenged me. I had go back in and say, you know what? The Bible says something different than I believe. I have to adjust a belief system to the Bible. The arrogant person to fool says, I know better than the Bible. I don't care what the Bible says. This is what I think. And, Doc, how many times over these years, are you being with me, have your, let's say, your previous minister friends and Bible college classmates? How many times have they contacted you and said, Dr. Burkart, what's happened to you?

tried to rescue me yeah what what's gotten into you you've you've rejected everything that we believe i i started to really reading the bible that's what happened and it got in me that and i can honestly say that um you know there i had a lot of friends that really have just gone another direction in their life they would not have anything to do with me now because of what i read in the Word of God and how it challenges the norms today. But I still believe the Word of God, Rick. I still believe. The bottom line here is that the fool's heart becomes his or her authority.

Yes. Not God. That's where they're at. Their heart, their mind, their beliefs are their authority, not God and not God's word. Right. And so they're rejecting wisdom. They're rejecting everything that is godly and they're putting their self on the throne.

And then pretending to be holy and righteous and religious and everything. I mean, like I said, the churches are full of them. Yes. It's really sad, but they're, They're unwilling to be in submission to God. The bottom line is they're not willing to be submitted to God. I will look at Albert Barnes says,

his object is not to learn but to display. Speech to him is not a search for wisdom, but a theater for pride. Right. And Adam Clark says that he reveals his own heart before seeking understanding proclaims his folly or his foolishness. Charles Spurgeon, or no, Alexander McLaur, I said, the fool hunger is not for light, but for utterance. He prefers self-expression to self-control.

Once again, Charles Spurgeon, I can hear shouting this over the congregation. The fool's part is a fountain of nonsense, and he's never weary of letting it flow. Verse three, we've got two more verses here, three and four. verse 3 chapter 18 when the wicked cometh then cometh also contempt and with dishonor comes reproach the subtuagin says when the ungodly man comes into the depth the depth of evil he despises everything dishonor and reproach come with him the world english bible says when wickedness come contempt also come and with shame

comes disgrace there's a lot packed in this one right when wickedness comes in the door contempt is right behind it anybody going oh I can think of people

I can think of people I don't know okay let's let's start out the beginning when the wicked come then comes also contempt okay the wicked who are the wicked well you know the typical modern image of the wicked is you know a witch a warlock George Soros George Soros pedophiles

all kinds of really wicked evil people okay no the wicked are morally perverse who are in opposition to God's divine order they're wicked right

they know that they're in opposition to God's order It's one thing to be ignorant. You know, before I was saved off, when I was as a young guy, I didn't know I was lost. I didn't know that I was in opposition to God's order. I didn't know that. I wasn't, but see, it wasn't, it wasn't an active opposition. This was talking about people who actively oppose God's divine order.

Deep down, they know it. they know it and why do they do it because of rebellion and pride and arrogance and superiority this is a god order a divine order rejecting person a divine order rejecting person on the surface they're not going to say they reject god Oh, I believe in God. I believe in Jesus, yes. I gave my heart to Jesus, yes. I mean, they'll do all the religious stuff.

But they reject God's divine aware. Okay. It's a person that's not just merely flawed, but they're defiant. They're rebellious. They're arrogant. They have a sense of superiority. And that's where that contempt comes from. There it is, dog.

See, I see narcissism throughout the book of proverbs. Narcissists are contentious people. They have contempt for other people. Yes, I agree with you on that. Yes. They have contempt for other people. Okay. It says when the wicked comes,

when the wicked comes into a house, when the wicked comes into a church, When the wicked comes into a community, when a wicked person comes into a club meeting, when the wicked comes into the workplace, his or her presence changes the atmosphere. Right. It's almost as if they're allowed to come in. Isn't that the sense here? Yeah, well, because good people who know better allow them to come in. we don't block the door and say hey your kind's not welcomed here

well that wouldn't be Christ like oh yes it would be yeah when when the little girl died and Jesus was led by her father to the house he kicked everybody out of the house do you understand that go read go read the story before he held before he raised that little girl from the dead. He kicked everybody out of the house. Yeah, and he only brought in a couple of disciples with it. That's it. Not the whole tribe, not the whole group of disciples, just to come.

That's right. It got rid of all the mourners, got rid of all the relatives, got rid of all the folks bringing over cass rolls, all that stuff going on because this little girl had died. Because there's an atmosphere, there's a climate that comes with. Yes. Yes. Yes. And there's an atmosphere that comes with unbelief and doubt. Absolutely. And then it can go to another level, contempt. Absolutely. There's unbelieve, there's doubt, there's negativity, but then you get over into contempt. Almost a mocking of faith. Yes. Right. That's what it is, Doc. So it's telling us that when a wicked person, person arrived. He or she carries with them a climate and atmosphere, not just a presence,

but contempt follows him or her in the door like a shadow. Yes. How many how many people do you know or have known in the past that the moment they came into the room, the whole atmosphere changed? And it can be for positive or for bad. Yes. Because you can carry light or you can carry darkness. You can carry hope or you can carry despair. You can carry love or you can carry anger. But Doc, that presence, I'd be very blunt about this.

If there's a presence following you and it's not good, it's a demon. you're being followed by demons and they're following you because they're familiar spirits with you you're familiar with them you feel comfortable with them you're at home with them and you take them everywhere you go

and you walk into home and suddenly fights break out walk into a meeting suddenly there's division and argument you know people like that stay away from them they've got demons just being blunt they have demons

you can't reform a demon you can't save a demon you can only cast out demons the only thing a demon is good for is to be cast out what does that mean though now you tell them to leave in the name of Jesus Christ that they're not welcomed but that's why John said hey when I come to town

I'm going to deal with some problems okay I'm going to clean up this mess because old the office sees he had some he has some buddies following him doc and he took them right into the church right

so a contempt is scorn the wicked despise godly authority they despise righteousness they despise godly correction they even despise God himself it's scornful

and when a person has contempt for a Christian I listen to me when a person has contempt for a Christian they despise the anointing that's on that person they despise the calling that's on that person they despise the presence of God that's with that person that's what they despise that's what they hold in contempt be very very direct and honest about this it's not a disagreement. It's not a two personalities conflicting. No, no, that person is rebellious and is

contemptuous of God's presence in that other person's life. Right. And Rick, contempt spreads. One scorner can turn a room full of people cold toward righteousness. It's like a spiritual leprosy. Okay. I mean, it just gets on everybody. Unless you deal with. You've got to deal with. Contempt is spiritual leprosy. It spreads. It defiles. The sin is covenant breaking. It despises what God's honors. It's the facial expression of hell itself. Talking back during the COVID lockdown days, how many churches were willing to quarantine themselves and, you know, wear masks and make, they, they had some. They had seating where, you know, where there were, what, 50 feet between groups of seats, and they did all

that kind of stuff, okay? And yet, they would not take that kind of extreme action to cast the scorners out of their church. That's right. They wouldn't. They won't quarantine them. And say, get out of here. You're contagious. But if you wouldn't wear a mask, you wouldn't be welcomed. You wouldn't be welcomed into church, okay? so contempt is despising and treating as worthless what is holy and honorable that's the core of it yes it's a contempt for God and God's calling and anointing on another person goes back to the superiority complex this rebellion I am not going to submit I'm not going to submit to God and I'm not going to submit to a person

who is in submission to God. See, the godly person's submission to God makes the rebel angry. Doc, they're angry because you have submitted and they won't. Therefore, they've got to attack you. They've got to hold you in contempt. And they treat you with scorn.

They're cruel to you. They slander you. they lie about you why because they're angry that you have submitted to gun and they won't and they're rebels

is this helping anybody out there in manna nation land am I helping you understand some of the people you're dealing with some of the people you're dealing with are devils and the Bible calls them wicked

and you've got to come to the place where you just recognize they're wicked and that's not easy sometimes yes but the wicked person's heart is a factory for contempt that man or woman scorns God's divine order we're back to the same theme the divine order the contempt the The contemptuous, wicked person holds in contempt everything that is godly, God's divine order in the home, in the church, in the workplace, in government. There's a divine order in the home. And there are people who will not respect and submit to the divine order. Feminism was born in hell.

But male chauvinism was born in hell, too. Amen. Okay. Because what you got, you got a male and female button heads. Okay. And there's no peace and order in the home. And it won't be until they both submit. To who?

To what? Lord. To the Lord. To the Lord. To the Lord. And his divine order. Right. Okay. Same thing in the church.

If there's rebellion against the leadership, sedition against the church leadership. There's going to be disorder. Same thing in the workplace. The people who gather around the coffee maker to whisper things about managers and supervisors. They're working against the divine order. And of course, in government,

government is just open season. You can just say whatever you want to say, mean and nasty, ugly about government leaders. But you're actually speaking against the divine order. And, and Doug, that convicts me for years of things I said on true news. And God was convicting me saying, Rick, you're being sarcastic and critical of people I put in power. Yeah. Okay.

Why I'm not doing true news is why I'm doing morning manor. Right? Because I want to be flowing in the divine order. Amen. I want to be flowing in the divine order, okay? How do they show the scorn, this contempt? Mockery, sarcasm, rolling the eyes, okay, disdainful speech, all that eye roll thing.

I can't tell you, Doug, it's the way I see somebody rolling their eyes. I'd like to unroll them for them in Jesus' name let me unroll those eyes it does irritate me I've got to tell you but you have to you have to restrain yourself

and say that was that eye roll was meant to provoke me I'm not going to let it happen right because what they're doing what what what is why does eye rolling provoke you because it's mockery that's right it's disregarding what you're saying or what you're doing it's saying you're uh that your input your opinion your thoughts on this are of no value to them yes if somebody rolls their eyes they're saying oh brother what an idiot yeah that's what they're saying okay so it's it's mockery is to is scored as contempt but the bible connects this to wickedness yes i hope there's a

major decrease in eye rolling today in the man-a-nation tribe you keep your eyes from rolling okay you keep your tongue under control you keep your eyes under control if you got a problem with your eyes rolling. Buy some blanks, then you got to get some anchors for them, put some weights on them, you got to do something. Stop his eyes from rolling around, okay? But there's contempt in the

wicked person's language. It flows fluently, Doc. And so one just one person, full of contempt. One squander can turn a whole room cold. Just turn it cold. You know, you could just kill the atmosphere.

One scorner, one contemptuous person. And the atmosphere changes. Okay. I think you already said it. The sneer is the facial expression. of hell of Satan it's a sneer it's near

he's contemptuous when somebody just stares at you it's like that woman on the elevator she held me in contempt all right she would just stare at me it was like you're freaking me out what are you doing

you know I don't even know your name you just but do you know what it was she could discern she could feel the presence of Christ in me yes and the devils in her were getting agitated that's why she would have that sneer all right and stare okay anyhow let's um let's uh move on down uh doc we we I think we've covered this You know, one, one bad apple, you know, can destroy the whole barrel. Because it's going to spread.

It's going to undermine everything else that's right. Let's look at, let's see, I have another. We have done the other segment of it. Yeah, for God. We've been talking so long in the first part. The other, the second part, and with dishonor comes reproach. When an evil man comes, contempt comes with him. With dishonor comes reproach, okay?

The reproach refers to shame, public dishonor that arises from dishonorable behavior, okay? It's the natural harvest of a wicked life. It says that the evil person's reputation becomes a stench. Yes. The reputation becomes a stench, okay? the person's lifestyle becomes self-reveilling. They can't hide the stench forever, okay? Eventually it comes out in public.

Right. And, Doc, you know, God warned the Hebrews. He sure did. He warned the Hebrews in Deuteronomy. Yes, in Deuteronomy, 2037. He said, and now he was speaking about when you've turned away from him, when you've decided to go your own way, when you're doing your own thing,

when you decided that your desires are greater than my moral law, he says, and thou shall become an astonishment, a proverb, a byword among all nations, wherever the Lord shall lead thee. Well, I mean, you'll basically be at some point forgotten. Yes.

Which verse did God? tell he told the he told the jews poet he was a second chronicles well actually he's in second chronicles it's in jeremiah he said you're going to become a hissing in jeremiah 18 this is this is his warning to the jews he said to make your land desolate and a perpetual hissing Everyone that passes thereby shall be astonished and wag his head. Right. I mean, this is the punishment that comes upon. People are going to hiss when they see you.

Just you can just hear it. All right. So, yeah, so, Doc, you know, they shall become an astonishment. Like, if you're astonished, you're like, what happened that's horrific okay

he's saying this is the kind of shame that comes upon the disobedient and the rebellious that they crown themselves with this shame this hissing it's their own crown

that they put upon their heads it's a reproach that that follows them all right They do not get through life without some form of judgment. Reproach will follow a proud, arrogant, contemptuous, rebellious person like a bill collector. And you know something about that, don't you? Yeah, I was one for my first years of marriage.

I could tell some really funny stories someday. Doc knows some of them. But, you know, the creditor can delay payment, but he can't escape judgment. Doc, if you owe money, you can avoid the bill collector, but one day that bill collector is going to go to court and get a judgment. You may ignore the bill collector, but not the bill. That's right.

the judgment will come on you okay and that's what this is teaching us okay let's move on to uh i get down to the verse four getting past our time here the words of a man's mouth are as deep waters in the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook okay now we shift okay we did that comparison of the wicked and his foolish male, and now King Solomon, he's providing a solution. Yeah. Deep water, okay,

telling a... Words arise from hidden depths of the soul. Okay? And this actually can be positive or negative, godly or ungodly. He's saying words comforts, from deep waters.

Yes. Okay, so deep waters, okay. You know, one person can dive into a lake or a river and swim below the surface and look at all the beauty, the fish, and the turtles and coral and everything. And then another person can go into the same deep water and drown. He's saying that words come up from deep waters, deep waters in your heart, that your speech reveals the inner life, the thoughts, the motives, convictions, okay? And, you know, look, the good thing is you can flush out deep waters.

That's the good thing, Doug. Yes. You're going to have deep waters. You're going to have deep waters. But what I'm saying is you can flush out in pure water. and clean it with pure water. You're not stuck with impure water. You can flush it out.

It's teaching us that our thoughts and our words come from deep waters in our heart. That is the major message of this thing. And up your speed shapes relationships. It directs decisions. It influences influences destinies of people

how you talk what you say is it's coming up from your soul I want to go down to the second part and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook yes

so now wisdom is portrayed as a wellspring but you got deep water, and you have a wellspring. Wisdom is expressed in speak, let me say this again, wisdom that's expressed in your speech is refreshing, it's life-giving,

it's continually renewing, it's a wellspring. You got deep waters and you have a wellspring. The well-spraying should be pure. It should bring nourishment, renaled, it should be clean. A flowing brook represents clarity, clean water.

Okay. In the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook, okay? wise speech that flows like a brook uplift people, encourages people, calms, situations, it's wise. It's flowing water, okay? It's the water flowing from the heart of a wise person. Doc, let's go, let's take a look at the quotes from the commentators and then we'll wrap this up. We're over our time while I've been here today.

Wow. We've gone an hour and 23 minutes so far. I love these verses. There's so much to talk about. There's a lot here. Matthew Henry, a man's words are deep waters and where the wellspring of wisdom flow flows there is cleansing and refreshing.

Yes. Charles Bridges had this to say. He said deep waters may hide danger, but wisdom like a flowing brook spreads goodness wherever it runs. Albert Barton said words indicate the inner state. From the wise, they come clear and life-giving as living stream. Adam Clark adds these thoughts, the heart is the fountain, the tongue is the stream.

If wisdom dwells within, the utterance must be healthful. Alexander McLaren. The brook of wisdom runs clear because it is fed from a bee. pure spring. Yes. Charles Spurgeon, Wisdom's speech is a perpetual benediction

a brook whose waters fail not. I like that. And last one, John Calvin. True wisdom flows freely being derived from God alone and it sheds grace by its very nature. Praise God. All right, thank you so much.

Thank you for staying with us over our normal time on it. And I appreciate you giving us your time nearly an hour and a half today to teach these four verses. Think about that, Doc. We spent nearly an hour and a half on four verses of the Bible. We could have gone longer if we wanted to. Yes, yes. We were rushing ourselves. We had so many notes that we were rushing ourselves to move faster on these verses. But this is what we're doing. We're mining precious metals. Yes. Okay. That's what Doc and I do. We're mining precious metals. Looking for

that well spring of water. We're panning for gold, Doc. That's what we're doing every day here. We're panning for gold. All right. We're shaking the dirt out and looking for the gold specs. We're trying to find the gold and precious metals. And, you know, where do you pan for gold at at a flowing stream? Right? If you're going to pay for gold, you've got to go to a flowing stream. Yes. That's carrying gold. Just think about that.

All the wisdom and that. All right. Be blessed. No, again. Friday, December 19 is our last class for 2025. We will return on Monday, January 3rd. There will be a new platform, Manna Nation, that's going to appear late in December. It's just the beginning. It's not going to be the perfect platform that we are

building, but it's going to be there. We're going to have something. We're still going to have morning, morning manna. I promise to that. We're going to have morning matter. And we will have morning again tomorrow morning, Thursday morning, and we'll continue our study in Proverbs 18. That's right. Take care. Love you. Bye. God bless. Thank you.