TRUNEWS with Rick Wiles - Morning Manna - Nov 25, 2025 - Proverbs 17:1-2 - Better Dry Crust with Peace: Wisdom for Households

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

Proverbs 17:1–2 contrasts two powerful realities: the quiet strength of a peaceful home and the disruptive force of strife, even in houses filled with abundance. A single dry crust with peace is better than a feast soaked in conflict. And wisdom elevates a servant above a shameful son, showing that God honors character over position. In today’s Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart uncover these timeless truths, calling listeners to cultivate peace, pursue wisdom, and recognize that God exalts the faithful—regardless of status or circumstance. 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

Well good morning everybody welcome to morning manna as you see we're back in our physical reality yesterday we tried our virtual reality and we had some technical glitches a new software that were testing out as we get ready to go on faith tv in February of 2026 so over the next few weeks you know you're going to see us testing there may be some some bumpy roads you know some glitches from time to time appreciate your patience with us as we work things out but we we only have about a month to get it worked out so today we're we're back in physical reality tomorrow we may be in virtual reality so we'll see we'll see how it goes on Wednesday I think on Thursday and Friday which is a holiday here in

United States Thanksgiving Day doc you know if we can we'll probably put you know two of the maybe parable teachings you know on the platform tomorrow you know not the ones that we just shared but something different so okay we'll have we'll have something there for you if you want to watch the class at 8 a.m. I'll take you. Today we begin again we began a new study chapter 17 book of proverbs and we're going to be looking at the first four verses verses one through four let's pray and then doc will read the word and we're going to dive in and look for the the golden nuggets in these four verses father our father in heaven

And Father, we thank you for this wonderful, beautiful day. Father, we gather here in this virtual Bible study class to be taught by your Holy Spirit. So we humble ourselves before the spirit of a living God and ask the Spirit to lead this class and teach all of us so that we would be brighter lights, saltier witnesses, more loving people. in this earth as witnesses for our king Jesus Christ in his name Jesus we pray amen amen and once again welcome morning manna today we're privileged to have you here with us no matter where you are in the world stretching from Switzerland and France today in Europe to Philippines Malaysia Australia today in Japan and then across the US and Canada welcome we are starting chapter 17 in Proverbs today

I'm reading verses 1 through 4 from the King James. Read along with me please. Better is a dry morsel and a quietness therewith than a house full of sacrifices with stride. A wise servant shall rule over a son that cause a shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. Verse three, the finding pot is for silver and the furnace for gold. Let the Lord tryeth the hearts. And then verse four, A wicked doer giveth he to false lips and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue God bless the reading of his word today verse one the Septuagint translation better is a morsel of bread with pleasure in peace than a house full of many good things and unjust

sacrifices with strife what does this mean particularly a house full of sacrifices with strife well better is a dry morsel we'll begin with this better is basically saying better it's better to have just bread crust to eat in peace than to have a four-course meal in strife right a dry morsel represents the simplest most humble bare sustenance you know plain bread without oil with without any spices no butter just plain bread okay a dry morsel it's it's it's representing you know a minimalist lifestyle simple humble living daily dependence on God it's telling us that wisdom elevates the spiritual atmosphere of a home above the material abundance of the home yes it's telling us doc that peace is more valuable than prosperity that God values the peaceful

of our home more than the physical prosperity of our home it's teaching us that spiritual quietness is food for the soul that contentment nourishes us better than a feast why because when when you are living a humble simple life in peace you are expressing gratitude trust reliance on god it's um you know it's contrary to to modern consumerism yes because yeah doc in our you know in our life today consumerism is is exalted it's like this is the greatest thing that you have right we are this is um Tuesday before Thanksgiving here in in America and Thanksgiving day has that for me has always been my third favorite holiday behind Christmas and resurrection day

Always love Thanksgiving Day because the original purpose of it was to stop for a day and to give thanks to God for all the blessings in our lives. And I just saw it as just a, you know, a beautiful holiday that our country has, has followed for hundreds of years. and I have very, you know, good memories of thanksgiving days in my childhood. You know, they're very Norman Rockwell-like paintings in my mind. The extended family gathered together in my grandparents' home. uncles and aunts and cousins and great uncles and great aunts i mean just huge gathering they would come to get um a good time of the year just really enjoyed thanksgiving day but look what it's become today right it's become a day for football um and then even worse the

next day Friday unrestrained consumerism idolatry it's idolatry the next day I don't know why do they call black Friday I never liked that term black Friday I don't know what that means is that because it puts the retailers in the black I think it is I think that's exactly what it means so okay but you know what you know what the news is going to be on Friday fights in stores yes flash mobs people fighting and hitting each other over stuff over TVs yeah it's sad it's just really sad i don't like it um but remember you know christ is our role model yes he had nowhere to lay his head and yet he offered himself his living bread

Praise God. Well, now, Rick, in our country today, in our world today, everything is excessive. You know, we live in a culture of excess. So when we talk about that dry morsel there, it goes back to the very simplicity of faith. It's a voluntary simplicity. And this is the understanding that less can be more. if it fosters a closer relationship to the Lord. So understand here that when we talk about this morsel,

this dry morsel, it's not some sort of glorified poverty, but actually a symbol of peaceable, simple living where just because you don't have something shouldn't breed resentment or envy of others. You know, it's all that concept of keeping up with the Joneses or if one kid has one toy, then every kid has to have that same toy. But rather, this is the teaching that even with the simplest of thing in peace with God. So oftentimes our own spiritual growth takes place in those periods of time where we lack.

So oftentimes spiritual richness often grows in those times where, you know, we just don't have things. you know i remember my grandparents and your grandparents as well rick telling stories when they're growing up in in the depression and how they would take the simplest things and do miracles with them for meals or come up with innovative ways to scrape up some money these periods of time actually taught believers how to be submissive to the lord and to rely strictly on him for supply it's not in these times of abundance where we learn about the lord's supply but in times of lack and one of the greatest examples of this is the lord's supper the holy communion two very simple elements bread one that's it not not a feast not a spread not we're not a golden corral or

anything like that but rather bread and wine two very simple elements yet when they're received they're received by faith so this whole idea rick is revealing god's heart god delights in us when we find joy in him and not in our circumstances and not in the material things that we have so we're challenged today here's a challenge would i trade peace for plenty would you would you trade uh your material goods to have peace in your home well the scripture here teaches that the wise would choose the dry morsel the crust of bread with quietness every time over material blessings in their life that's a very profound statement doc because if if you are living in a home filled with strife and

division and you have no peace in your home you're better off to leave and and go somewhere where you eat a dry piece of crust in peace and quietness. This is saying God prefers that you eat humbly if it's just bread, dry bread. He prefers that if that's all you have, that you eat it in peace, then to sit in your home and have plenty of food, but there's arguing and strife around you. oh boy yes you know doc when you were talking about the communion reference to a communion a memory jumped in my head i i don't recall who it was i i heard a an american um veteran and i don't recall if it was the korean war or the vietnam war but he was a p o w

prisoner of war and he said that he and the other P.O.Ws had Holy Communion inside their prison cell and

all they have was, you know, was you know, crones, red crones and you know, whatever they had for a liquid but he what i remember him saying is that one of the prisoners of war who was weak and could not stand up that they used his stomach as the communion table wow i've never thought forgot about that how

humbling that was that they went to the lord's supper in in a prison with the barest you know elements to worship the Lord so the next part of this says and quietness therewith quietness peace it refers to harmony inner calm freedom from conflict and what this is teaching us is that quietness in your home is more precious than any abundant feast the feast is the quietness a feast with strife is poverty right so this quietness is an environment where prayer praise gratitude flourish Even if there is just the minimal material things in the home, say, God says, this is far more valuable to him.

But you're living in a home of peace and quietness where you can, you're free to praise him. There's no demonic spirits moving about in your house with strife and argument and division that is squashing your spirit's desire to praise the Lord it's very difficult to praise God in a hostile environment it's just very difficult so God desires us to have peace where love forgiveness self-control silence the voices of of argument and strife and division okay remember peace is a choice we choose to forgive we choose to speak gently we choose not to retaliate

peace is a choice so a home without peace is a prison amen no matter how much is on the table no matter how big the house if there is no peace there it's a prison so doctors it's speaking of a speaking of a home where relational conflicts in the people in among the people in the home has evolved to the point it's beyond disagree it has moved into entrenched open warfare disruptive contention that tears apart the home you cannot live in such an environment that's right if you are if you are living with a contentious argumentative person no matter how strong you

are eventually it will wear you down and it will it will it will it will change you you'll find yourself doing and saying and acting in ways you never would do with if you were not around that person that's right it's so any any spouses habitual contentiousness poisons the home right well uh and the home it's the home it's the primary foundation of society if you can't find peace in the home I'm gonna find peace outside the home so when I was growing up Rick we had some neighbors two houses down from us we called them grandma and grandpa Adams and but they were Plymouth Brethren folks okay they were the only Plymouth Brethren folks in

our little town and they would have a little house church on Sundays people would drive in for services maybe about 15 20 people But among this, and I don't know if it's the whole Plymouth Brethren movement or not, but their particular branch of Plymouth Brethren, they would not speak on Sundays unless it was during the church worship service. They wouldn't speak all day. They kept silent at home and throughout the rest of the day. They took it as a literal day of rest, not just rest from work, but rest from speaking as well.

And so, yes. And so many people know the, may have heard the name of the actor, Larry Hagman. He played on I Dream of Jeannie and he was JR on Dallas and stuff. But his grandparents were also playing with brethren, and he on Sundays would not say a word on Sundays. And so that often caused problems with him in making movies and doing TV. shows because he refused to speak on Sundays. He kept his mouth quiet, and he did that all his life. So there's a principle that, you know, that people practice now that quietness, even if for one day a week, can make a dramatic difference. So that quietness with just a morsel emphasizes that idea of the fear of the Lord, that reverence for God brings harmony among people. And when we talk

about quietness we're not just talking about silence but we're talking about calm okay it's like jesus speaking to the storm peace be still he needs sometimes to speak that to our own hearts in the lives we may not be saying anything out of our lips but our inner hearts are in turmoil and so that quietness is a reflection of this whole learning of wisdom where that still small voice where that quietness and that calmness allows us to hear the voice of god above everything is happening all around us so as disciples our goal should be to have homes that are peaceful that's a tough thing today i mean that's really tough today uh but we need to have peace even if there's nothing in the cupboard rick we need to have peace even if it's just a little table

for two people. So it's the idea of that simplicity for God. God's presence can turn lack or scarcity into abundance in a sacred space. Jesus said, peace I live with you. He left peace with us. He left it with us. That was his promise. And that's a gift greater than any earthly inheritance that we could achieve anyway. Jesus gives us peace. He gave us peace when he left. And he's the prince of peace. And so he offers a quietness that no feast, you know, no fancy restaurant can buy. Even a dry morsel, a crust of bread, becomes a foretaste of that banquet that we're going to share in heaven. Amen. You know, Doc, I don't know if it's just me or if it affects other people. but a a television set that's on upsets me I don't mean I get you know I'm not verbally angry about it I'm just saying there's something about television that causes a an uneasiness in me and I'm like what

what are you people transmitting you know that you can't it's like your spirit feels it i don't know if anybody else has experienced this but just being in a room where a television set is on and the noise of the tv is on it it disturbs my peace i've got to get out of that room or i got to turn the tv off i don't like it all right um because it's it's the noise of the world I just don't like it and it's it's disturbing my piece I love quietness and or and if an environment that has soft music playing you know you you can you can change your environment yes changing the soundtrack just change the soundtrack

play quiet soft music play music that glorifies god there's a lot of so-called contemporary christian music that absolutely does not in no way leads me into the presence of god it's just it's just nightclub music with different words yes but there is There's music that will usher you into the presence of the Lord. Now, the next part of this verse, and we're still at first, is more than a house, than a house full of sacrifices with strife. So what is a house full of sacrifices?

Well, the word sacrifices really means feasting. Right. but is speaking about lavish religious or social meals abundance without peace abundance with bitterness abundance with contention think of the hypocrisy of of people holding a religious feast and there's no peace yes the that they would gather and in the ancient times the the the Jews would gather for this you know peace sacrifice and yet their home was ripped apart with contention and strife they're different than it is today with other people right but it's telling us that religious meals and religious rituals without harmony is empty they're it it's hollow and that god rejects these offerings he rejects them so strife and contention and division and argument inside the house turns the blessings of

god into curses he's not pleased with it yes see the house full then a house full a house full of what wealth status things technology gadgets okay and yet it's empty of God's peace right what good is that home there's the home is filled with division and strife and so anything offered to God inside of at home he's he's not receiving it because of the contention and you know so so doc it's um i guess what he was a bible called unjust sacrifices yes yeah the uh subtugent talks about unjust sacrifices that you know the rest talk about household sacrifices what does it mean that unjust sacrifice the that Septuagint talks about. Well, it's talking about these offerings

that are tainted by sin. What does that mean? That means that God desires mercy and not sacrifice when hearts are divided. Just because there's abundance, does not mean that there's peace with God. So in this passage here, we've got two different homes. We got one poor, but peaceful.

We've got one rich and abundant, but fractured. And so what does wisdom choose? Wisdom should choose peace, poor but peaceful. So when we have these conflicts, strife often reveals a heart that's a long ways from God, where your own interest overcome love and turning fellowship into fighting and faction. So a house filled with strife is a battlefield.

Oh, yeah, and you can sometimes even feel the tension when you walk into the home, where wounds become, words become weapons to wound people. Where trust is eroded, children, they learn fear instead of faith. And so as disciples, we're reminded that we're on the front lines of this war and part of that battle is maintaining peace in our home.

We may not live in a fancy palace. We may not live in the Ritzis area of town, but God, values a peaceful home on the bad side of the tracks more than he values a fractured home up on the hill. So a house with strife is really, even though it may be palatial in size, is really poverty.

So the soul is starving amid plenty. Imagine you have all this abundance of material blessings and food and everything else. And yet you can't enjoy it because there's no peace. peace really and what what do rich people really strive for rick they're looking for peace they don't want to deal with things in the world they don't want to they're looking for that perfect island that perfect sunset that perfect whatever it is but what they're really looking for is peace isn't it so no amount of food no amount of spiritual blessing no amount of ritual can can substitute for that and so

the church is a reflection of this too. You know, we have about 300 people online here today, but there are millions of believers in the world, maybe over a billion believers in the world. And yet it's these small gatherings together like this that really reflect that, you know, it's better just have a small morsel in peace among us than a huge, large megachurch where you're lost and their strife. And so, disciples, are called to repentance we've got to lay down our wordy weapons we've got to forgive people and we've got to allow peace to rule that doesn't mean a dormant but that means being peaceful and peaceable and to have a peaceful attitude and allow christ to reconcile all the strife in our

life amen um so what are we learning here um choose a dry morsel with quietness. God says peace is his true treasure that he's given to us. Reject the modern lie that Moore fixes everything. There's a truth that strife poisons everything. Cultivate a spirit, an attitude of gratitude, thanksgiving you know realize that a crust tastes like heaven in a peaceful home yes guard your table don't allow any strife or or division or

argument at the table um doc let's just take a look at the at the commentators uh um We need to move on here. It's all right. We've spent a lot of time in his first verse. Well, I've got a quote from Matthew Henry here. Matthew Henry said that it is better to have a little with love than much with strife. So that pretty much sums up the verse there, Rick.

What did John Gill have to say? He said a quiet mind is better than a full table with discord. i like what adam clark said in his commentary he said a crust with love is better than a stalled ox with hatred i like that it's better than a porterhouse steak rick with hate yeah stalled ox is meaning you you got a big fat ox in the stall that's right so gay he's canning get out the stall yeah albert barnes said you go ahead yeah go ahead no go ahead one of the things our Albert Barnes said was that the sweetest meal that is eaten is eaten in peace well that's true mr. Barnes also said quietness is the crown of a home

right I like that and then another one of our commentators and Alexander McLaren said love makes a crust a feast I like that yeah G Campbell Morgan the secret of happiness is not in abundance but in harmony right our friend Charles Spurgeon said the best table is that where love sits as the head waiter how about that where love is the servant so very good one very good okay let's well really oh yeah one last trail in this verse you know this want to stress this day your home should be a peace palace it really should that's the first line of defense that we have for the gospel your home and you know part of the reason that god

established a home back in the garden he established a home in the garden of eden that was a family a home was the first level of government that was established by god and oftentimes home are a battleground and a sign of warfare. But God desires there to be peace. And we should strive as believers to do everything we can to make sure that we're living in a peaceful environment, not just for our sakes, but for the sakes of our spouses and our children, our grandchildren that they can see reflected in us the peace of God. They're not going to be receptive to the gospel if all they see is arguing and fighting and backbiting and uh trying to hurt one another with words uh they just can't be receptive to the gospel message if they see that rick

so that's right having a peaceful home is one of the first witnesses of the gospel that's right i just had a flashback of my grandparents you know my grandmother died i think she was about 84 my grandfather lived about 902 but doc I just had a flashback of just seeing my my grandparents walking holding hands in their 80s you know they still had that that bond and love for one another you know that in their 80s they were holding hands taking a wall and people would comment about it it you know how sweet it was verse 2 17 verse 2 our wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren now this this is an important proverb to understand the Septuagin says a wise servant shall have rule over a son that calls a shame and among brethren he shall divide the inheritance okay so it's in a nutshell this proverb is teaching us that god exalts

character and faithfulness above family birthright correct and that god favor is on the humble and the diligent and the faithful not on their their their lineage their family position so the wise servant let's start with the wise servant so the wise servant is not a member of the family the wise servant not just a servant but a wise servant right so okay so in in today's world I mean you know we don't have servants we know but think think of of employees of people who are working for and a business a fan let's say a family business so this Let's use the analogy, a family-owned business.

So a wise servant, in this case, would be a man or woman who works as an employee for that family business. Not just an employee, but a wise employee. Faithful, diligent, humble, God-fearing. And this person is wise. they're good stewards of their time they finish their task they do their work with excellence they're an excellent employee so god sees both the heart and the hands of this person and what this is teaching us is character always trumps pedigree amen because that family business could have an unfaithful son or daughter

right who's just coasting just living off of the family enterprise doing nothing maybe wasting the resources just assuming hey i'm in the family i'm going to inherit i'm going to inherit this business right that's but what this proverb is teaching us is that's not the case that God can promote a faithful employee above an unfaithful son or daughter. So the bottom line is God is not a respecter of persons. Right. He promotes faithfulness. Yes, and that faithfulness and that wisdom that the servant has is

fear of the Lord based, oh, you know, not, you know, just obeying for the opportunity to advance or to put themselves in a position of influence, but rather to be obedient, even in the shadows, even in the secret places. But that's going to be honored in the light one day. And so what it's teaching us here, Rick, is that faithfulness in small things, even the smallest things qualifies for rule in greater things and jesus referred to this you know in luke chapter 16 so this phrase rebukes the idea of just the idea of just sheer entitlement birthright without righteousness really is forfeited so and god gets a kick he delights in reversing human order he likes to flip the table flip the script if you will he says the

The last shall be first, and the first shall be last. This is a perfect example of this. And so in our own lives, every single one of us, we're a servant. Our master is watching. And we don't obey just so we can get ahead of the air of the sun. We obey because that's what a wise servant does. Just like Joseph, just like Daniel, just like Jesus, a faithful son. and a faithful servant with the understanding that our Heavenly Father, our master,

is watching everything that we do. So, Doc, what I just heard you say is that the things that Jesus taught in the gospel were not new things. No. He simply rephrased the things that God had said in the old covenant. Right. that's the first shall be last the last shall be verse

so forth that you had to be faithful over the least all right the next part of this proverb says shall have rule over a son

that calls us shame so a wise servant shall have rule over a son who causes shame the rule over means authority over

oversight not just influence but actually they'd be placed into a position of authority over the son or daughter right so the the son that causes shame the son or daughter who is heir by birth but their lives are marred by rebellion laziness in morality they they call shame to the family so this is public shame that the family name is dishonored by the behavior of one of the heirs how many times we read this in the news you know some son daughter grandson granddaughter some famous wealthy person or heir to some dynasty you know and they go completely you know bunkers ruling their lives i mean this happens every year in modern society so what we're seeing here is that god's justice in his in his court of justice he demotes the unfaithful and he promotes the faithful um

this reversal. See, it's not cruel. It's not cruelty. It's correction. Right. He's saying the house must be preserved by the faithful. Yes. The emphasis on the faithful, not the family lineage. Doctor, are there any examples in the scripture of this being played out in biblical examples? The two prominent examples that we see in the Old Testament, One is Esau, who gave up his birthright for a bowl of stew. I mean, he had no understanding of the value of his birthright. Or if he did understand it, he squandered it. Another one, and this is a pretty dramatic one, this is Absalom, David's son.

And by all accounts, before the situation that occurred with Tara, Absalom and David had a great relationship. They, I mean, Absalom was going to inherit the throne. I mean, there was no doubt about it. And yet there was something that happened within Absalom. And he rebelled against his father and rebelled against the court and the kingdom. And so, once again, a privilege squandered. And I find it ironic that Absalom, even though he was due to wear a crown, you know how he died?

he died when he was riding through a forest and his hair you know he had long hair full of pride and his hair got tangled up in the thorns and the trees and he hung himself so he ended up with a crown if you will a crown of thorns on his head when he could have had the crown of the kingdom so absalom's a perfect example of this so So, faithfulness from the servant is something that we really, really need to consider here. Because order is restored with faithfulness. Order is restored with faithfulness. And sometimes, you know, in this world, and we see it written over and over again in the scripture,

sometimes excessive material goods can lead people astray. Some people can't handle it. Solomon was one. I mean, you know, but this indulgence, this interior blessing often breeds shameful sons. And so, but understand that any time a son falls, it's self-inflicted. It's wisdom being refused and shame being embraced. You know, in Absalom's case, he took on the offense of his sister his sister had been raped yes and he blamed his father not for the rape but he blamed his father for not executing the rapist and so he was

offended on behalf of his sister right her what happened to her what happened to her was an injustice there's no doubt about it and everything but absalom took it apart he took it to heart and he blamed his dad that the rapist was not executed okay and and he took on his sister's offense and now he's offended at his father and that that father's son relationship was was severed because absalom became offended on in other words he became the defender of his sister right which on one hand sounds good it's that sounds good on one end doesn't it yeah but it destroyed him because it became um again there was an offense that built up in his heart that then became bitterness

and then it and then it became hatred or he hated his father it's a real it's the story of absalom and david is one of the saddest stories in the bible it is it's sad it's it's painful to read but it's a reminder of what happens in families been going on for thousands of years you know but the bottom line here what we're being taught is a character not bloodline determines your destiny in god's kingdom um the next part of this verse is and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren this is talking about the wise servant the wise employee shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren so there's a complete reversal the faithful outsider becomes the full family member and a co-air of the family's estate

right over the son or daughter who was supposed to receive it but but canceled themselves out by their attitude of behavior see part of the inheritance legal adoption a full share treated as a son not a slave not a servant not an employee now this person has become a member of the family and what got them there their faithfulness right God elevated them and brought that young man or woman into a family and said you are now a member of this family among the brethren all right accepted as co-equal not an outsider equal on an equal so doc what I see here I mean this is God's this is an example of God's grace where the faithful are grafted in and what does that make us think about the gentiles being brought

into israel yes we become coer so unfaithful sons and daughters Jews who rejected Jesus lost their inheritance and gentiles were brought in and made heirs to the promise right praise god for that. You wouldn't be here today if this principle wasn't applied. That's right. And so God is rejecting any sort of chosen class, chosen status. It rebukes racism. It's not colored your skin.

It's not who your mama was or who your daddy was. His kingdom, his family is based on character, character alone. And so when we think of ourselves, being grafted in. It's talking specifically about Gentiles being grafted in. So thank God that we're grafted in. And it's not even faithfulness on our part. It's the faithfulness that God grants us to live for him. And so this inheritance, if you will, has always been based on covenant, not family lineage. From all the way back in the garden, the inheritance of God has always been based on covenant. It's faithfulness that receives what grace provides, Rick. And so the wise

servant, he shouts, God can make a servant a son. God can make a servant a son. Praise God for that. We identify with Christ, Christ, the ultimate servant, and yet by identifying with Christ as a servant, we become heirs and sons of the kingdom as well. Doc, this verse refutes the fallacy of Christian Zionism, which teaches that Jews are the God's chosen people, and the Christians are, I don't know, second class members. Right. No, no, this verse tells you,

God elevates this faithful servant into a position of full membership in the family. And that a son or the family heir can lose the inheritance. Yes. I mean, this obliterates Christian Zionism. Well, let's go down. Let's see what our dear old friend Matthew Henry had to say about this one. somewhere around the year 1706 yes uh matthew henry said a wise servant may come to be an error and divide the inheritance with children just as eleazar was like to have done in abraham's family

elizar is one of my favorite characters in the scripture rick he's one that i've studied i mean think about this really if if eleazar had had an evil heart he could have inherited everything that him had. Really and honestly, because Abraham gave Eleazar a task, go find my son a wife. Because Isaac couldn't inherit Abraham's wealth and everything unless he was married. He couldn't receive it. And so Eliezer was sent on a mission by Abraham, go find my son a wife. Well, if he hadn't found Isaac a wife, guess who would have received that inheritance? Eleazar and yet he went and found Abraham's son a wife. And so to me that's one of the greatest examples of character I've witnessed in scripture in that he was faithful when he could have

taken advantage of the situation. Human flesh would have taken advantage of it. But I always found him to be absolutely fascinating Rick. John Gill had some things to say about this too, didn't he read he did and and he wrote these words in 1763 in his bible commentary he wrote this about proverbs 17 verse 2 wisdom exalts even a servant above a foolish son praise god and adam clark he summed it up like this wisdom is better than birthright rick wisdom is is better than birthright i mean this is a really powerful principle in the bible that by being faithful you god can elevate you and place you in another position to bless you simply because you're faith

Albert Barnes, Presbyterian, he wrote this in the year 1832, wisdom prevails over folly. Amen. Wise people will triumph over fools. That's the principle. Eventually, wisdom will win over, defeat folly. Amen. And God, according to Charles Bridges, God honors wisdom and not birth.

He'll arrange birth, but he honors wisdom above birth. Think about that. This is the powerful spiritual principle in this verse. God honors wisdom and faithfulness more than birthright. Alexander McLaren, he wrote this in 1904. This is a year before he died. character determines destiny right it's a powerful three word sentence character determines destiny g campbell morgan said he shall have part of the inheritance what that means is character

determines position your character determines position uh in relationship to the king yes Charles Pershing wrote in 1875 a wise servant may rule over a shameful son and divide

the inheritance with the brethren better a wise servant than a foolish air yes and my friend William R. Not back in the late

1800s wrote God rewards the faithful servant with the son's place wow what a verse that would have commented this this really should be comforting and encouraging to everybody and all you have to do is be faithful develop wisdom be faithful and god himself will elevate you and he may move you into a very influential prosperous family enterprise yes there are many family-owned businesses in this country and around the world but you know there's

something tragic when you have a family business and the son doesn't inherit i know it's it's like it's out of order it's like it's not it's not natural it should be a man or woman build something and they are building a you know a legacy and inheritance and they want to be able to say to a son or a daughter, you know, follow my vision. Yes. But there's something troubling in the world when a son is not accepted of the father's vision or rejects the father's vision. It can be painful, can't it? Yes.

I was watching a podcast last week. Financial advisor that I respect a lot. And I don't think he's a Christian. I don't want to judge. I don't think he's a Christian. But he made a comment. There was a young man who was participating in the podcast with him. And he looked at him and he said, you know, I consider you my son.

It really took the other guy by surprise. Apparently he had never expressed that. that sentiment before and then he made a comment he said nobody none of my sons and daughters care to be in my business with me if I there it is there's a sadness you know there's a sadness and so literally in that moment he was I when I heard it I saw it I thought he's going to he's going to give the business to this young man that that was a moment that that that aging businessman I think anointed that young man and said you're you're the you're my successor I'm gonna give it to you happens all the time

then that happens all the okay hey you know we only got two verses we're over the hour I'm gonna say versus three and four for tomorrow okay we might be we might be in our kitchen tomorrow we might be in a patio we might be on a mountain top I don't know what we're gonna y'all at the beach and so you know we might be in recliners I don't know what we're going to do we'll see what the technology if it works for tomorrow all right God bless we love you very much hey make your home a peace palace today I hope that sticks in your mind make your home a peat a palace of peace but wouldn't you like to rule a

palace of peace and there's just that's what I'm taking away from our lesson today and that faithfulness counts. Faithfulness counts in the inheritance. God bless you. We love you. Oh, go ahead. I'm sorry. No, no.

God will elevate and promote a faithful, wise son or daughter. Amen. All right. Well, we love you very much. We invite you to join us again for the next edition of Morning Manna, which is tomorrow morning Wednesday. God bless you and we'll see you then.