Jesus� Second Coming

I just lovvvvved that, David. I want to play too, let me have more.

Those whom our text refers to as dogs and swine are those who scorn the truth and will hate you for reproving them. There is a difference between those who have not heard the truth and those who know but scorn the truth. Watch what it says in PRO 9:7-8, "He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee."

We must beware of the person who scorns God and holiness. Christ commands us not to cast holy things before him. Does this mean that the scornful person is never to be reproved? No. It means that when you see a scornful atmosphere, attitude, or spirit, quite often in God's own people, you must be careful what you say, when you say it, and how you say it lest you make them hate you. I've seen times that it was impossible to reprove one of God's dear children because they were in a wrong attitude. Quite often you must wait for the right time to reprove them.

We must be able to receive reproof as well as give it. Those who hate reproof are fools because God's Word commands us to reprove one another. You cannot reprove a fool because, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise," PRO 12:15. When you and I cannot be reproved, we are acting foolishly because we forget that in a multitude of counsel there is wisdom. When we are so set in our own ways, and that way seems so right in our eyes, that we can't be told a thing, we are acting foolishly. Those who listen to counsel are wise.

PRO 15:5 says, "A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent." We are not to reprove those "fools" who despise instruction. We are not to cast that which is holy before such a person. "Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words," PRO 23:9. That does not mean we just turn them over to Satan without seeking and finding an opportunity to speak a word in season. "A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke," PRO 13:1. PRO 15:32 says, "He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding."

However, we don't answer a fool according to his folly. We don't answer a fool in such a way that we make him feel he is justified in his ways. ECC 7:5 says, "It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools," in other words, the boasting of those who are wise in their own ways.

Those dogs and swine spoken of in our text are those with whom you cannot share your pearls of self-knowledge as David spoke of in Psalm 51 because they would take your humble confessions and judge you vocally, going about as a barking dog, slandering your name. Remember, we considered Psalm 51 in the last sermon of how David's heart was prepared. He prayed that the Lord would give him an understanding of his own heart so he would be able to be a good reprover. When you come to those who would vocally judge you, in other words, going about as a barking dog slandering your name, you are to "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs..." You do not speak to a person in such a spirit the way David was speaking in Psalm 51. They would trample on it as happened to Mary Magdalene. She was humble and weeping over her sin, a contrite, loving sinner before Christ, but the Pharisee stood in his self-conceit, with a self-righteous beam in his eye, passing judgment.