The Bible Study podcast, episode 485. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the book

of Proverbs with chapter 23.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. We're continuing on with

chapter 23, we've got 35 new proverbs, but they're all part of that 30 sayings of the wise.

We're going to be doing sayings seven through 19. And I'll read them as saying.

Saying seven goes, when you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you,

and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony, do not crave his delicacies for that.

Food is deceptive. This is not a proverb that is really encouraging you to commit suicide.

What it's saying, though, is there is some danger here when you are sitting

with a ruler, when you're sitting with somebody who's rich, you have this temptation to crave,

to desire what they have, to basically think that the most important thing is to be like them

to have the kind of money they have or the kind of power they have.

We still have that.

Today, it might be that we are picking up the gossip magazines because we want to be like that rich and famous or powerful person.

But it's saying there's a trap there.

And in terms that we use elsewhere, that is not the right path for us necessarily.

Saying number eight, do not wear yourself out to get rich. Do not trust your own cleverness.

Cast but a glance at riches and they are gone, for they surely will sprout wings and fly off to the

sky like an eagle. And that's why, in saying number seven, we're supposed to not be,

not crave the delicacies of the riches, that riches are fleeting. Riches can go away.

It's not where you put your trust, nor do you put your trust in your own cleverness,

but we should put our trust instead in God. Saying number nine, do not eat the food of a grudging host.

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