I. “DO NOT’S” AND “DO’S” (24:1-22).

 A. Do not’s.
  1,2:   Be envious of evil men.
  8,9: Be involved in any stage of sin.
  10: Fail to develop strength.
  15,16: Be against the righteous.
  17,18: Rejoice in the calamities of sinners.
  19,20: Be envious of evil men.

 B. Do’s.
  3,4: Link wisdom, understanding, knowledge.
  5,6: Seek and accept wise counsel(lors).
  7: Exalt wisdom.
  11,12: Accept opportunities without excuses—God is watching!
  13,14: Love the sweetness of wisdom.

 C. Both.
  21,22: Do have reverence to Jehovah and the king.
   Do not fellowship the “changers.”

II. RESULTS (OF “DOING” AND “DOING NOT”; 24:23-34).

 A. Respect of persons (23-26).
  23: It is not good.
  24: Calling the wicked “righteous.”
  25: Rebuke the wicked.
  26: Give right answers.

 B. Preparation (27-29).
  27: Prepare your work.
  28,29: Prepare your words.

 C. Laziness (30-34).
  30,31: Observe his “work.”
  32: Learn from what you saw.
  33,34: Apply it to yourself.

1.    Why should we not be envious against evil men nor desire to be with
       them (vv. 1,2)?
2.    Through what is a house built, established, and filled (vv. 3,4)?
3.    Who is strong (v. 5)?
4.    In what is safety (v. 6)?
5.    Who is a mischievous person (v. 8)?
6.    Does an act have to be committed in order for it to be sin (v. 9)?
7.    How can we tell if our strength is small (v. 10)?
8.    Who (besides ourselves) knows if we do not do what we can do to
       deliver the innocent from death (vv. 11,12)?
9.    To what is honey compared in verses 13,14?
10.  Perhaps verses 15,16 have given rise to the popular saying, “You can’t
       keep a good man down.”
11.  Should we be happy when our enemies stumble and fall (vv. 17,18)?
12.  Should we fret (worry) about evil men (vv. 19,20)?
13.  Whom are we to fear (v. 21)?
14.  Who shall be abhorred by people, generally speaking (vv. 24-26)?
15.  What does verse 27 mean?
16.  Does the Old Testament warn against the concept of the individual
       seeking “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (v. 29)?
17.  What did he see when he went by the field of the slothful (vv. 30,31)?
18.  He said: I ______
                    and (I) ____________________ it well:
                    I ____________ upon it,
                    and (I) received ______________________ (v. 32).
 
 

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