The Wrath of a Fool

A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
Proverbs 27:3 MLV

An interesting comparison is made in this proverb, an equation if you please, that mathematically would look like this: stone + sand < a fool’s provocation. In this comparison, it takes something metaphysical and compares it to the physical, but what physical image is being conveyed? Let’s have a look at this verse in two parts: the first will be the physical picture being conveyed, and the second, that to which it is being contrasted – a fool’s provocation.

The physical image is a composite of two things: stone and sand. The word for stone is referring to a rock such as one would use in a sling. It can also be something as large as to cover the mouth of a well, but in those cases, it’s generally referred to as a ‘great’ stone to emphasis it’s size. It’s worthwhile to also note that the stone here is a singular object. It’s noted for being heavy, that is, as compared to other items appearing in the natural world, a stone is amongst the heavier items per the space it takes up.

The next item is sand. Unlike the stone, sand is actually not singular. It’s a composite of many small grains. It’s not referred as being heavy, but rather, weighty, coming from a word related to burden. It’s here that the question arises: how much sand is required to become burdensome? The immediate answer is that it depends how much sand is present. In the right quantity, it would be impossible to bear.

Now what happens when we combine the two? If we take the singular item of the stone where the emphasis is on the weight and combine it with the sand in which the emphasis is on the plurality to create the weight, what do we get? A plurality of weight. Hundreds and thousands of stones – not grains – stones. All coming together onto one’s self to bear. Such a burden is unbearable. It would be intolerable.

This brings us to the second part of the verse: a fool’s provocation. It is for the word ‘provocation’ that I used the Modern Literal version, as it is more accurate than the KJV or other versions that use the word ‘wrath’ or ‘anger’. Provocation means ‘the act of provoking’. It’s one does that makes another angry. In that sense, it is linked to anger, but not as anger itself, but rather, the cause of the anger.

By implication, if the provocation here is that of a fool, it then means that there other people may have provocation as well. The difference is in how bearable it is. Proverbs 9:9 tells us that a wise man when taught, will be wiser. That is one of the key differences between the wise and the fool. It’s also what makes a difference in the bearableness of the provocation that they cause.

A wise man, when he provokes someone to the point that they speak up, will learn from it to change his behavior so as to have a more productive relationship with that person. On the other hand, the foolish man when provoking someone to such a point, will not understand why nor seek to understand, but rather, continually add to each provocation with another provocation to till it becomes unbearable.

The examples of a fool’s provocations is best exemplified for us by the nations of Israel/Judah (2Ki23:26, 2Ch34:25). The nation is made up of individuals. For the nation to provoke God to a point of no return in His anger, it literally means, the nation was filled with a majority of people who were fools. They provoked God continually until their provocation was unbearable – it was a fool’s provocation. The end result was death.

We can see an example of a wise man’s provocation as well: both Moses and David had moments in their lives where God was angry with them. What made the provocation different? When God responded with instruction and judgement, both men would rapidly humble themselves and change to fit to God’s will. The end result was life.

If one so chooses, you could see each act of provocation as a stone. On it’s own, perhaps not the greatest weight for one to bear, but as you add one upon another, just as the sand is weighty due to all the tiny grains combined, it eventually becomes intolerable.

Perhaps you’ve had such an experience where you’ve mentioned something to someone about something they were doing that was egregious, and they ignored what you said. Not only that, but now they do something else, then something else, then something else. Perhaps you can deal with the one little annoyance. Maybe two, or three, or seven. Eventually, however, add up all the little things, and it becomes too much to take. That there, is the provocation of a fool.

For our own purposes, what is most important for us to note is that WE do not exhibit such behavior particularly with God, for though He is long-suffering, if we push the grace of God far enough – if we put enough provocations together, we may well find ourselves in a place where God finds it intolerable. Doubt it? Consider the words of 2 Kings 23:26 after Josiah had begun one of the greatest revivals ever seen in the kingdom of Judah: Only, Jehovah did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath, with which His anger was kindled against Judah (read, the majority of the individuals that comprise the nation), because of all the provocations with which Manasseh (a previous king) had provoked Him.
Here was a people in the midst of revival, yet, it was not enough to turn back the coming judgement for the sins of the past. Not enough people had truly repented. It was too little, too late. The past and present fools of the generation were too numerous, their provocations too many.

Oh that when God speaks, we would have the ears to hear and the wherewithal to act so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past in heaping provocations against God together until He will no longer tolerate it.
May we be found in His favor through the blood of Jesus Christ and the word of our testimony.