Mat 7:24-27 | KingComments | STEP | In these verses, the Lord Jesus makes the difference clear between someone who is wise and someone who is foolish. These are the final words of the sermon on the mount. Of course, these concluding and summarizing words do not only apply to what He said in the sermon on the mount. They apply to the whole Word of God. Who is wise and who is foolish? A wise man is one who hears the words of the Lord Jesus and does them. A foolish man is one who hears the words of the Lord Jesus and does not do them. The difference is not in hearing and not hearing. Both the wise and the fool hear the Word of God. The big difference is doing or not doing. The Lord illustrates this difference with the example of building a house. The difference is not in the houses. Both will have been built with sound materials. The big difference is the foundation on which the house is built. In the parable, the Lord shows that a test will show whether someone is wise or foolish. The test will show whether someone hears and does and is therefore a wise man, or whether someone hears and does not do and is therefore a fool. The test is performed in different ways. There is the “rain”. In this we can see a sudden trial, like in the life of Job. One rain has only just finished its devastating work, and the next rain falls down in all its intensity upon Job’s house of life ( ). Yet the house of his life remains standing. This is because he does not give up his trust in God ( ). There may also be “floods”. That speaks of continuing and increasing pressure. David knew this, for example in the long time he was hunted by Saul who wanted to kill him. Sometimes it became so heavy that he would almost give up courage ( ). But he did not give up his trust in God either ( ). And then “the winds”. We can think of all kinds of “wind of doctrine” ( ). Timothy is warned of “deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” ( ) who do their utmost to enter into the lives of men to erode and destroy their faith. This happens frequently in Christianity. Paul tells Timothy that the Word is trustworthy and that he must place his hope in the living God ( ). All these elements go against someone’s house of life and will clearly show on what foundation it is built: on the rock or on the sand. No one who claims to hear escapes the test. The Lord Jesus uses the word “slammed” for the test ( ). Here we hear how much the enemy, with the effort of all his strength, is doing his utmost to make this house fall. What is the result? It doesn’t fall! The fool has also heard the words of the Lord ( ). Only, he does not do them. He doesn’t build on the rock, but on something else. Whatever it may be, it is sand and therefore offers no strength at all. That makes the man foolish. The test brings this to light. The house does not just fall, its fall is even “great”. What is the house of our life built on? Are we wise or foolish? No one will say of himself that he is foolish. But the test comes and the proof of what we are will be provided unambiguously. It’s about believing what God says, accepting what God says, and doing what God says. We cannot manage it with less. We observe that a lot is being built on the wrong foundation. Many listen to God’s Word, but do what they think is best with it. That is building on sand, where the fall is inevitable and great.

‏ Matthew 7:24-27

Two Foundations

In these verses, the Lord Jesus makes the difference clear between someone who is wise and someone who is foolish. These are the final words of the sermon on the mount. Of course, these concluding and summarizing words do not only apply to what He said in the sermon on the mount. They apply to the whole Word of God.

Who is wise and who is foolish? A wise man is one who hears the words of the Lord Jesus and does them. A foolish man is one who hears the words of the Lord Jesus and does not do them. The difference is not in hearing and not hearing. Both the wise and the fool hear the Word of God. The big difference is doing or not doing. The Lord illustrates this difference with the example of building a house. The difference is not in the houses. Both will have been built with sound materials. The big difference is the foundation on which the house is built.

In the parable, the Lord shows that a test will show whether someone is wise or foolish. The test will show whether someone hears and does and is therefore a wise man, or whether someone hears and does not do and is therefore a fool. The test is performed in different ways.

There is the “rain”. In this we can see a sudden trial, like in the life of Job. One rain has only just finished its devastating work, and the next rain falls down in all its intensity upon Job’s house of life (Job 1:13-19). Yet the house of his life remains standing. This is because he does not give up his trust in God (Job 2:10).

There may also be “floods”. That speaks of continuing and increasing pressure. David knew this, for example in the long time he was hunted by Saul who wanted to kill him. Sometimes it became so heavy that he would almost give up courage (Psa 69:1-3 ; 15). But he did not give up his trust in God either (Psa 69:30-36).

And then “the winds”. We can think of all kinds of “wind of doctrine” (Eph 4:14). Timothy is warned of “deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” (1Tim 4:1) who do their utmost to enter into the lives of men to erode and destroy their faith. This happens frequently in Christianity. Paul tells Timothy that the Word is trustworthy and that he must place his hope in the living God (1Tim 4:9-10).

All these elements go against someone’s house of life and will clearly show on what foundation it is built: on the rock or on the sand. No one who claims to hear escapes the test.

The Lord Jesus uses the word “slammed” for the test (Mt 7:25). Here we hear how much the enemy, with the effort of all his strength, is doing his utmost to make this house fall. What is the result? It doesn’t fall!

The fool has also heard the words of the Lord (Mt 7:27). Only, he does not do them. He doesn’t build on the rock, but on something else. Whatever it may be, it is sand and therefore offers no strength at all. That makes the man foolish. The test brings this to light. The house does not just fall, its fall is even “great”.

What is the house of our life built on? Are we wise or foolish? No one will say of himself that he is foolish. But the test comes and the proof of what we are will be provided unambiguously. It’s about believing what God says, accepting what God says, and doing what God says. We cannot manage it with less. We observe that a lot is being built on the wrong foundation. Many listen to God’s Word, but do what they think is best with it. That is building on sand, where the fall is inevitable and great.