Listen To The Story Of The Poor Wise Man

Personally, I enjoy the story with the modal nuance. Without the modal nuance the story would say that he saved the city but that no one remembered him, whereas with the modal nuance it says, that he could have saved the city but they were destroyed for not listening. It seems like there is more consequence for ignoring wisdom with this approach, but either way, the wisdom of the poor is despised by the world. What do you think will happen if you keep disregarding his message (Proverbs 29:1 NET)?

¹³ This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me: ¹⁴ There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it. ¹⁵ However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man. ¹⁶ So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice. — Ecclesiastes 9:13-16 NET

g. Ecclesiastes 9:15 tn Or “he delivered.” The verb וּמִלַּט (umillat, from מָלַט, malat, “to deliver”) is functioning either in an indicative sense (past definite action: “he delivered”) or in a modal sense (past potential: “he could have delivered”). The literal meaning of זָכַר (zakhar, “to remember”) in the following line harmonizes with the indicative: “but no one remembered that poor man [afterward].” However, the modal is supported by v. 16: “A poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.” This approach must nuance זָכַר (“to remember”) as “[no one] listened to [that poor man].” Most translations favor the indicative approach: “he delivered” or “he saved” (KJV, RSV, NRSV, NAB, ASV, NASB, MLB, NIV); however, some adopt the modal nuance: “he might have saved” (NEB, NJPS, NASB margin).

God Has Told The Poor To Boast That Their Faith & Spiritual Standing Are Greater Than Those With Wealth

It’s time for you to recognize that Christ (Mt 8:20) & the Apostles were poor, beaten, and were brutally treated and eventually murdered. If you flaunt your wealth in pride or believe in the false health & wealth prosperity Gospel, you are lost or being taken advantage of. This happens from a lack of understanding about biblical teaching, God does not look at things the way the world does (Isa 55:8-9; 1 Sam 16:7; James 4:4).

⁹ ·Believers [Brothers or sisters] who are ·poor [in lowly/humble circumstances] should ·take pride [boast] ·that God has made them spiritually rich [in being raised up; in their exaltation; in their high position]. ¹⁰ [^L But] Those who are ·rich [wealthy] should ·take pride [boast] ·that God has shown them that they are spiritually poor [in their humiliation; in their lowly state; Jer. 9:23–24]. [^L Because] The rich will ·die [pass away; wither] like a ·wild flower in the grass [or flower in the field]. ¹¹ [^L For] The sun rises with ·burning [scorching] heat and ·dries up [withers] the ·plants [or grass]. The flower falls off, and its beauty is ·gone [destroyed]. In the same way the rich will ·die [L wither away] ·while they are still taking care of business [in the midst of their pursuits; L in his journeys; Ps. 49:16–17; 103:15–16; Is. 40:6–8]. — James 1:9-11 EXB

⁵ Listen, my ·dear [^L beloved] brothers and sisters [^C fellow believers]! ·God chose [^L Did not God choose…?] the poor in the world [1 Cor. 1:26–29] to be rich with faith and to ·receive [^L be heirs of] the kingdom God promised to those who love him [Luke 6:20]. — James 2:5 EXB

So, will you listen? Lean not unto your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), just listen to Christ (Lk 13:3; Mt 4:17). It’s time to stop fighting against scripture. Surrender to the Lord of Destiny (Ac 17:30; 1Jn 2:4).

Isaiah 53

¹ Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
² For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
³ He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
⁹ And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; (cf. Ac 2:23)
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
¹¹ Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
¹² Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.

— Isaiah 53 ESV