Proverbs
Notes on Proverbs – Chapter 21
Proverbs 21:1
The King’s Heart
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
Introduction:
1. This proverb makes one main point: God is absolutely sovereign.
2. God is ultimately in control of everything: even the king’s heart!
The king’s heart
1. The expression, “the king’s heart” includes both his mind and heart. It includes his thoughts and his emotions.
2. But it is even deeper than that.
a. It refers to all the inner thoughts, imaginations, inclinations, intentions, plans, desires, and goals of the king.
b. And everything a king DOES stems from the thoughts and intentions of his heart.
c. Out of his heart flows everything that he does… all the wars he engages in… all the laws he writes… all the bridges he builds… all of the countries he invades… all the taxes he levies… all the schools he establishes… all the people and programs he promotes…
d. Matt. 15:19 – out of the heart also flow all kinds of EVIL. This is true of all men, including kings.
e. Actually, all the good AND all the evil that a king does flows from his heart… his inner man.
3. All of that comes from the heart of the king.
a. In fact, the whole country is moved and directed from the heart of the king.
b. A king has power to control the direction of the entire country.
c. All that guidance and direction flows from his heart.
d. A king could have it in his heart to turn his nation back to God. Several kings of Judah did just that… and brought about great revivals.
e. A king could also have it in his heart to lead his country into idolatry. We have too many examples of that in Israel’s history.
f. An idea can arise in the heart of a king or ruler, and it could change the course of world history!
• An idea popped into the heart of the Japanese emperor and his military rulers to invade Pearl Harbor… and that a brought us into war.
• A judge made a decision in the Brown v. Board of Education and segregation in public education was outlawed.
• Charles Martel made a decision to fight against the Muslims at the battle of Tours in 732 and halted the Islamic expansion of Europe.
» Otherwise, Europe would have been a Muslim region rather than having been influenced by Christianity all these centuries. What a different world we would have!
• George Bush decided to invade Iraq and that changed the course of our nation dramatically.
4. Kings have incredible power.
a. A king or ruler could devise a plan in his mind, pass the legislation, and it could change the way we live!
b. It could affect our freedom… our finances… our culture…
c. They can make one decision which could change the direction of their country…
d. An idea could pop into their minds and it could change the direction of world history.
e. Much power resides in the heart of the king.
f. As a king himself, Solomon knew that first hand.
• His decision to tax the people heavily in order to carry out his ambitious building projects affected the way the Jews lived for decades.
• Many other things arose in his heart that affected the nation for years too (like his desire for 700 wives)!
• Solomon realized that nothing more than a thought that arose in a king’s heart and mind could affects thousands upon thousands of people for generations to come.
1. Now Solomon states that while there is much potential for good or evil in the heart of a king… and while it is true that a king is sovereign over his land and people… there is someone much higher than he: Jehovah God!
2. The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD.
a. The king (in a sense) is sovereign over the people.
b. But God is sovereign over the king… even over his thoughts and the intentions of his heart!
c. To be “in the hand of” speaks of being under the control of.
d. God not only has the king under His eye; God has his heart in His hand!
3. This is quite a thought to contemplate: the king’s HEART is under God’s complete, sovereign control.
a. God controls the thoughts of kings.
b. God controls the intentions of their hearts… their motives.
c. God controls the plans, purposes, programs, and goals of a king.
d. Of course, this thought does not violate man’s free will.
• The king has the freedom to think what he wants… and he does.
• The king has the freedom to come up with his own plans and purposes… and he does.
• Our puny minds are not able to fathom the depths of this apparent dilemma: God’s sovereignty and man’s will.
• But the fact that we cannot reconcile the two does not mean they are irreconcilable. It is no problem for God. After all, His understanding is infinite!
e. God allows kings the freedom of will.
• BUT God controls the entire universe.
• He controls all the circumstances surrounding that king.
• He controls all the events in life that serve as a backdrop to the king’s thoughts… that shape and mold the king’s thoughts.
• Prov. 16:33 – “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.” When a coin is flipped, the outcome is really in the hands of the Lord—the One who causes the earth to rotate… the One who controls the wind and air currents… the One who is sovereign over the tiniest details in this universe… all of which affect the outcome of the coin flip… OR of the casting of a lot… OR of a thought that pops into the mind of a king!
• He’s got the whole world in His hands!
4. Ecc. 9:1 – God controls the WORKS of men as well.
a. He controls not just their inner intentions, but their outward works too.
b. He controls not just thoughts but deeds.
c. God providentially orchestrates events and circumstances such that the thoughts, desires, intentions, and plans in a man’s heart are ABLE to come to fruition… able to materialize into actual deeds.
d. This is certainly true of kings too.
1. Solomon takes that thought of God’s sovereignty a step further.
a. The king’s heart is in God’s hand: God possesses sovereign control.
b. Here Solomon states that God actually uses that sovereign control over the hearts of earthly kings in order to accomplish His will and His purpose.
2. As the rivers of water
a. Solomon uses the illustration of water to illustrate the EASE with which water can be made to change directions.
• Some readers might think that it is quite difficult to turn the heart of a king.
• Solomon says, “Not so.” God can turn his heart as easy as turning the direction of water!
• Water is chosen to illustrate the EASE with which God is able to turn the heart of the king.
b. Water changes direction very easily. It doesn’t take much to channel water in a different direction.
• Men do it all the time.
• Men redirect rivers, streams, and canals.
• You can change the direction of a stream of water with a pile of rocks.
• In fact, even a little beaver can change the flow of water, and they often do!
c. God is able to turn a king’s heart with the greatest of ease. It is not a problem at all for an omniscient, omnipotent, and sovereign God.
3. He turneth it withersoever He will.
a. Men often change the direction of the flow of water for their own purposes.
• They might build a dam to create a lake.
• They might build a dam for hydroelectric power.
• They might reroute a section of a river to avoid having to build a bridge… or create a lake…
• When men channel a river in a different direction, it is to accomplish their own purpose.
b. Solomon states that God turns a king’s heart to accomplish His own purpose too.
c. Thus, without violating their own free will, God works sovereignly and providentially in the background in such a way that guarantees that as the king chooses of his own free will, the choice he makes is the exact choice necessary for God’s own plan and purposes to come to pass.
d. Proverbs 16:9 – A man—even a king—may make plans, but God ultimately directs his steps…
4. There is a perfect example of this in Isaiah 10.
a. In this chapter we see the sovereignty of God TURNING the heart of the King of Assyria to carry out God’s purpose.
b. Vs. 6 – God’s plan and purpose was to use the Assyrian king and his armies in order to inflict judgment upon His own sinful people, Israel.
c. Vs. 5 – God refers to the Assyrian as the “rod of MY anger.” God was going to USE the King of Assyria and his armies as God’s ROD to punish Israel.
d. Vs. 15 – God speaks of Assyria as:
• An axe in God’s hand! God is USING Assyria to accomplish His purpose.
• A saw in God’s hand who is shaking it…
• A rod and God is the one lifting it up… to use it to strike
e. Vs. 7 – Howbeit, the Assyrian king didn’t see it that way.
• It was certainly not the Assyrian’s king’s intention to be used as TOOL in the hand of the God of Israel! Israel was an enemy of Assyria.
• The Assyrian king certainly had no intentions of being used to accomplish God’s purpose!
• He never would have believed you if you told him this either.
• Vs. 7b – It was in his mind to destroy Israel (and others).
• Vs. 13-14 – It was in his mind to ROB and get rich.
• Thus, the king operated in his own free will. He chose to attack Israel for his own purpose: treasures!
• But God USED that king… and God USED even his depraved intentions to accomplish God’s purpose for Israel.
• God was the One who providentially and sovereignly arranged political circumstances behind the scene, which opened up the doors of opportunity for this attack to occur… knowing that the king would choose to attack under the right circumstances.
5. God had the Assyrian king’s heart right in the palm of His hand… and God turned that pagan king’s heart as easy as water to accomplish His divine will.
6. And it wasn’t just that one king.
a. Pharaoh (Ex. 10:1-2) – God hardened his heart to bring judgment upon Egypt and redemption for Israel.
b. Cyrus (Isa. 45:1-4)
c. Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:1-8) – To allow Nehemiah to return to rebuild Jerusalem.
• Ezra 7:27 – “Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.”
7. God providentially and sovereignly controls the movements of American presidents too.
a. He turns their hearts and allows them to make “choices” which God incorporates into His eternal plan for the ages.
b. Yes, God is still on the throne.
c. What a mighty God we serve!
d. We don’t have to worry that world events are swirling out of control. They are in perfect control… all being orchestrated to fulfill God’s will…
e. That’s the kind of God we can trust.
f. The king has the power to think thoughts, make plans, and execute those plans at will… and change the lives of thousands… and change the direction of his country. He can even change the direction of world history!
g. Kings can be quite powerful and frightening!
h. But God holds that king’s heart in His hand… and can turn it at will. God can turn the thoughts… the intentions of his heart… and change his plans… and thus his actions in order to bring GOD’S will to pass.
i. Fear God; not man!
Proverbs 21:2
Every Way of Man
Introduction:
1. In verse one of this chapter, Solomon spoke of God’s sovereignty in the life of the king. God holds the king’s heart in His hand and turns it whithersoever He will.
2. Now Solomon extends God’s involvement in the lives of men to include, not just the heart of the king, but the hearts of ALL men.
3. This includes you and me too!
1. The way of man.
a. Way = literally: Road; pathway.
b. The term is most often used in a figurative sense as a metaphor for the pathway of one’s life; course of life; manner of life; habit.
c. Proverbs speaks of various WAYS.
• The way of wisdom.
• The way of darkness.
• The way of the Lord.
d. The term is similar to the New Testament metaphor describing a man’s life as his “walk.”
• But there is a difference.
• Walk implies step by step process. It looks at one’s life as a series of steps, choices, or decisions.
• Add up all those steps and you have the WAY of a man.
• This term takes a step back and looks at the broader picture: the whole course of one’s life… the road he is headed down… the whole direction of his life, rather than the process of step by step.
• The figure of a road implies also the destination. A road leads to a predetermined destination.
• If you are headed down a road, you are going to end up where that road takes you.
• Roads lead to a particular place.
2. Men choose their own WAYS in life.
a. God gives us all the will to choose which pathway we want to travel in life.
• Whatever roadway you and I are traveling down, it is a road of our own choosing.
• Some might argue this point because they feel trapped on the pathway they are headed down now. They want to reverse direction, but find it virtually impossible.
• But even in that situation, we find ourselves there because we made decisions which brought us to a place of few options.
• Most often however, there are ways to reverse direction, IF we are willing to bite the bullet and pay the price.
• Reversing direction after walking down a roadway for many years, may take a long time to make up for lost time going down the wrong street… but it CAN be done!
• Whatever road we are on—the course of our lives—has been a course that we carved for ourselves.
b. There are countless pathways available too.
• There are various career pathways:
» There are lots of different trades that will set you down a certain job pathway… the kind of school you attend… the kind of training you receive.
» There are various pathways in the medical field; computer related businesses; finances; manufacturing; etc.
» Some will give their lives to full time Christian service—in the ministry or mission field.
» Choices that we make (usually early on in life) will set us down a pathway for many years to come.
» And of course, those pathways CAN be reversed, but it could be costly and might interrupt your life.
» It might involve re-training in another field—but it can be done.
• There are various moral and spiritual pathways available too.
» Whether we receive Christ and are saved or remain lost!
» Some believers choose to live a carnal Christian life… (They are saved, but they live for self and the world.)
» Some choose to live a mediocre Christian life… (They read their Bible and go to church… but that’s about it.)
» Some choose to put their all on the altar… and be sold out for Christ. (These folks are true servants who will receive a well done though good and faithful servant.)
» Mark 4:20 – “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.”
» Jesus spoke of a few different spiritual pathways that believers choose: different levels of dedication to Christ and thus varying degrees of reward.
c. All of us have chosen a pathway in life.
• And each pathway is headed in a predetermined direction with a predictable outcome.
• That is the nature of ways or ROADS. A road take you in the direction that road was built.
• We are all on “a road” and it is the road of our own choosing.
• We will all end up wherever that road leads.
d. Unfortunately, when we decide to travel down a particular road, we don’t always THINK ahead, about exactly WHERE that road will take us!
• We SHOULD think ahead, but we don’t.
• Prov. 4:26 – PONDER the path of thy feet!
• Sometimes we only consider how easy the road is; how smooth; how many hills or obstacles there might be; how comfortable the ride; who else is traveling that road.
• Sometimes we as believers hop on a road in life without consciously thinking about where it will actually take us.
• Sometimes we are afraid to take a stand for the Lord and to be different.
• Usually we make those kinds of decisions because we think like Esau—the here and now is our only concern. Esau was not concerned about the ultimate consequences of his choices in life. He was concerned about having warm porridge NOW… and not to worry about a future birthright.
• We are often earthly minded rather than heavenly minded.
• And thus, with earthly, temporal values, we make choices that head us down a particular pathway in life… without considering WHERE that road will take us.
3. “Right in his own eyes.”
a. Solomon’s MAIN point in the first part of the proverb is to highlight the ARROGANCE that often accompanies those choices… which road we decide to head down.
b. We (like Esau) come up with excuses for choosing a pathway that may not be the best spiritually.
c. We convince ourselves that we are RIGHT and deceive ourselves.
d. We can be ingenious in putting a good face on our bad behavior.
e. We judge ourselves with a different standard than we use on others. Let’s face it—none of us are exactly “impartial” judges of our own actions.
f. Luke 18 – the Pharisee and the publican: “O Lord, I thank thee that I am not like other men…” He put the best construction on his own actions… but God had a very different estimation.
g. Once we convince ourselves that our pathway is the RIGHT one, and after we have been walking down it for some time, and we have sort of “committed” ourselves to that route, and we realize that turning around now would be difficult and humbling… there is a selfish incentive to continue to FEED that arrogance… and try to justify our choices.
h. Of course some pathways ARE the right ones, and we shouldn’t change direction.
i. But Solomon seems to imply here that NOT ALL are.
j. Even though it may be the WRONG pathway, we convince ourselves that we are right…
k. And we are right “in our own eyes.”
• Everyone else may easily see how WRONG we are…
• But we can be blind and not see what is so obvious to others.
• We like to PROVE ourselves to be right… even in the face of wise counsel to the contrary… even in the face of some obvious application of Scripture.
• The book of Judges ends with the words, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”
• It was not a way of saying “they lived happily ever after.” It was a picture of anarchy and chaos. And there was a price to pay.
• Prov. 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to man, but ends in death.
• What folly—to convince ourselves that we are right… even if the direction we are headed in leads to death.
• That is the utter blindness of pride. It would rather die than admit it is wrong… and have to repent and change direction.
l. As Solomon observed human behavior, he noticed this sort of thing time and time again: proud men convince themselves that they are headed down the RIGHT road, even though it is obvious to others that they are not!
m. I’m sure we all know folks in this condition.
n. The sad part is that this kind of pride REFUSES to listen to counsel.
o. Prov. 12:15 – “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”
p. Isa. 55:7 – God challenges men to forsake their wicked ways (lest God be forced to intervene).
1. We as men may not always ponder the path of our feet, but the Lord does.
2. And the Lord is pondering us even BEFORE we take a step. He ponders the thoughts, intents, and desires of our heart even BEFORE we make a choice or take a step.
3. Ponder = Measure, estimate, ponder, balance, weigh out.
a. The Lord is measuring and weighing out all the thoughts in our heart…
b. He not only knows what steps we will take… but WHY we take them. He knows all the thought that went into our choices in life.
c. God is observing… measuring… and will judge us on that basis.
d. Psalm 1:6 – the Lord KNOWETH the way of the righteous (and the way of the ungodly shall perish).
4. Prov. 16:2 – All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
a. This proverb is nearly identical to 21:2.
b. Man’s ways are CLEAN in his own eyes.
c. But God looks deeper than his outward ways.
d. God looks at the heart… the spirit… the inner man.
e. This ought to cause us all to stop and think.
• It is possible to be walking down the right road.
• We may be outwardly doing that which is good.
• Our lives may appear to be heading in the right direction.
• But God always looks deeper than outward appearances.
• God weighs our heart. He considers motives… intentions…
• We could be doing the right thing the wrong way.
• We could be going in the right direction, but with the wrong motives.
• Remember the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee was doing many things right outwardly. He tithed, he prayed, he gave to the poor. BUT it was for selfish reasons: to be seen of men… out of self righteous pride!
• The Lord sees the heart motives before they are ever put into action.
5. This thought OUGHT to have an effect on us as believers.
a. It should cause us to make sure that our thoughts are in line with His Word… and our steps as well.
b. We should learn to immediately cast down any thoughts that are not in harmony with His word BEFORE we ever take a step in the wrong direction.
c. Don’t be satisfied that our ways are right in our own eyes. We should be concerned to discover if they are right in the eyes of the Lord. That’s what counts.
Proverbs 21:3
Better than Sacrifice
1. It is God’s will for His people to do justice and judgment.
a. These two terms appear together 23 times in the Old Testament.
b. The two terms are very similar in meaning.
c. One of the reasons why David was considered to be a man after God’s own heart was because in II Sam. 8:15 it says that “David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.”
d. If people feel they are not getting a fair shake, they will revolt. Thus, judgment and justice are essential for any people.
e. In Israel’s theocracy, these were pillars of the national government.
f. They were necessary to hold the nation together. They are essential for our government too.
2. Justice:
a. The term appears 157 times in the Old Testament.
b. Definition: Justice; righteousness; that which is right either before the law or before God.
c. This term speaks of the CONCEPT of justice.
3. Judgment:
a. This term appears 421 times in the Old Testament! It is an exceedingly important concept in God’s mind.
b. The term is closely related to the term “justice.”
c. It speaks of judgment in the sense of a law or ordinance; also of the act of deciding a case; or of the sentence or execution of the law (penalty).
d. Thus, while the term justice spoke of the CONCEPT of justice, this term speaks of the APPLICATION of justice.
4. Consider some of the passages where the two concepts appear together:
a. The character of God:
• Isa. 30:18 – God is a God of judgment. It is used to describe the very character of God.
• Ps. 89:14 – Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne:
b. The character of the Messianic Kingdom of God
• Isa. 9:7 – Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.
• Jer. 23:5 – Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
c. The desired character of young men in the nation of Israel
• Prov. 1:3 – One of the reasons Solomon wrote the book of Proverbs was so that young men would learn justice and judgment. He wanted these concepts drilled into their hearts.
• Solomon wanted his sons and the young men in his country to do that which was RIGHT, fair, and just.
• And obviously he was not interested merely in them being “instructed” in justice and judgment.
• He was more interested in the actual “practice” of those principles.
• As Solomon wrote in this proverb: to DO justice and judgment.
• It is the practice of the principle that matters. It is OBEDIENCE to the laws of God which are based upon justice and judgment.
d. Violation of the principle
• Ecc. 5:8 – “If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.”
» God takes note when a nation ignores these principles.
» Judgment and justice are not being executed when the poor are oppressed.
» Judgment and justice are not being executed when violence reigns in a nation and there is no justice.
» Those who pervert justice to their own benefit DO often seem to get away with it… but not in the long run. God sees all.
» Ultimately, justice and judgment WILL reign supreme… if not in this life, at least before the judgment seat of God.
1. In this section of the proverb, God places side by side two significant principles of Jewish life and worship: justice/judgment vs. sacrifice.
a. Both are given significant places in the Old Testament economy.
b. Both were clearly God’s will for the Jew.
c. Both are integral parts of the Old Testament revelation.
d. Both were required by God.
e. But one was MORE important than the other.
2. DOING justice and judgment is more important and more acceptable to God than sacrifice.
a. This fact is mentioned several times in the Old Testament.
b. I Sam. 15:22 – And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
c. Isa. 1:11-17 – “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.”
d. Hos. 6:6 – “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
e. Micah 6:7-8 – Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
f. Mark 12:33 – “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Jesus told this man that he was “not far from the kingdom of God.”
g. Matt. 23:23 – “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Both are important. Both needed to be attended to. But one was “weightier” than the other.
3. The REASON doing justice is more acceptable than offering sacrifices.
a. It is possible to offer all the right sacrifices and keep all the right feast days… and at the same time be trampling over the poor… and “buying” off the judges… and ignoring justice and judgment.
b. It is possible to offer sacrifices from a wicked mind and heart.
c. Prov. 21:27 – The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
d. Religious activity in Israel was of little value unless it was accompanied by OBEDIENCE to the law.
e. Ungodly kings in Judah often offered the proper sacrifices, while at the same time they perverted justice in the land.
f. Ungodly merchant men often offered the proper sacrifices, while at the same time cheating their customers. That was not just.
g. Ungodly poor men often offered the proper sacrifices while at the same time they cheated other poor men.
h. Ungodly wealthy land owners could offer the proper sacrifices, while at the same time they unjustly kept back the wages of their workers. (James 5!)
i. Religious activity is not a good gauge of anything.
j. Religious activity tells us very little about a man’s character.
k. That was true in Old Testament times, and in the church age too.
l. Religious activity in the Roman Church during Medieval times flourished—while corruption and injustice flourished as well. The priests and monks all went to mass, genuflected at just the right time, took communion… while at the same time they were persecuting believers who refused to bow to Mary. There was plenty of religious activity—but not much justice.
m. Think of the religious activity that took place in the bigoted Southern churches during slavery. They all dressed up and went to church. They sang their hymns. They put money in the plate. They taught Sunday school classes. Then they went home and mistreated their slaves. There was plenty of religious activity, but not much justice.
n. And in our day, the same kinds of things occur. We have religious men all over the country going to church, reading their Bible, even coming to prayer meetings… yet they cheat on their taxes… they make thousands on unjust business practices…
o. Religious activity has never been a reliable gauge of a man’s character… in any age.
p. That’s the main point of this proverb.
q. The REASON doing justice and judgment is more acceptable than religious sacrifice is that religious sacrifice is often abused and used as a CLOAK to cover bad character… bad behavior… and make self LOOK good.
r. God is very much aware of that ancient ploy.
4. Notice that DOING justice and DOING sacrifices are external works.
a. One work is better than the other… but both of them can be done perfunctorily and without any heart involvement.
b. We have seen how easy it is for men to be engaged in religious activity without any heart involvement.
c. But men can also DO DEEDS of justice—with the wrong motives.
d. A man could treat others justly and fairly—in order to be seen as a fair and just person—selfish motives.
e. A judge might work in the courthouse and make wise and just decisions based on the law—but only be doing it for the money… or to advance his career.
5. The New Testament highlights a more important principle than DOING: the heart!
a. For the believer today, just and righteous DEEDS are the natural result of an abiding relationship to Christ.
b. DOING deeds of righteousness is better than empty sacrifice.
c. But even doing deeds of righteousness can be done with the wrong motive.
d. The Lord rebuked the Pharisees for praying, fasting, and for their righteous and good DEEDS—because the motive was all wrong. They DID deeds of righteousness and justice, but they did them in order “to be seen of men.”
e. Doing deeds of justice is better than sacrifice; but doing deeds of justice with the right motive and empowered by the Holy Spirit is better than them all!
f. Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
g. Sacrifices are good; deeds of justice are good; but the REAL sacrifice and the REAL deeds of righteousness are the ones that are sourced in a broken spirit… and from a contrite heart.
h. This truth ought to cause us to be continually examining our hearts. Our deeds may be in line with the Scriptures. We may be active in our religious duties. But how is our heart?
6. This proverb teaches that the inward heart of obedience is far more important than the outward ceremonial.
a. On certain occasions the Lord has bypassed the outer ceremonial as long as the inner obedient heart was right.
b. David ate the showbread that outwardly and ceremonially was reserved for the priests.
c. God has accepted the inward obedient heart without the ceremonial. But He has never accepted the outward ceremonial without the inward heart.
Proverbs 21:4
Pride
1. Heart – The inner life; mind; heart; soul; inner self life.
2. Proud: Big; broad; wide; spacious; enlarged.
a. The term is sometimes used in a good sense.
• The word of God is exceedingly broad. (Psalm 119:96)
• Today we use the term “He has a big heart” in a positive sense – he is kind… generous… compassionate.
b. The term is not used in a positive sense in this passage.
• That’s not what the term implies here.
• Solomon is using it in an evil sense: this man has an enlarged heart because he is full of himself…
• His heart is FULL—but it is full of evil things…
• His heart is enlarged because it is swelled up in pride… puffed up in pride…
c. Matt. 15:18-19 – Jesus described what the heart is FULL of.
• The fact that something is FULL or large, does not necessarily imply good.
• A cesspool can be large and full.
• Our hearts can be full of sinful desires and intentions…
d. Prov. 21:24 – Proud men are often scorners and angry men.
e. Prov. 28:25 – The proud of heart often stirs up trouble.
1. When the inwardly heart is full of pride, it will eventually manifest itself outwardly…
a. This is what Solomon describes in this expression.
b. A heart that is enlarged – full of self and pride can be SEEN in a person’s countenance
c. The heart of pride will manifest itself as a “high look.”
2. High = Height; elevation; above; used of pride: Unwarranted assignment of high status to self.
3. Look = Eye; face; visible surface of the earth; (Used here of a man’s face or countenance.)
4. The man with a “high look” is an arrogant man whose pride is visible on his face… on the surface.
a. You don’t have to dig down very deep to discover pride in this man: it’s written all over his face… in his body language. He is dripping with pride.
b. Prov. 10:4 – “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.” His inner pride shines right through his countenance.
c. This is the man who thinks himself to be above others… and he looks DOWN his nose at others with disdain.
d. This is a self righteous man whose heart is full: full of himself.
e. Consider the proud Pharisee and the publican…
f. A “high look” is an outward sign of the inward pride of the heart.
g. You can see pride in his face… you can hear it in his words.
h. The man himself might not see it. He probably thinks that he’s humble. But everyone else can see it.
5. Prov. 30:12-13 – “O how lofty are their eyes!”
a. Prov. 6:16-17 – God HATES this haughty, arrogant attitude.
b. Psalm 101:5 – David would not tolerate those kinds of associates. Godly people ought to hate that attitude as well.
c. Isa. 2:11 – The Lord will one day tear down those lofty looks at His coming in judgment.
d. The only way to get rid of a high look (an arrogant countenance) is to deal with the proud heart out of which it arose.
4c And the plowing of the wicked…
1. This expression is translated two different ways.
a. Some translations translate the word “plowing” as “light.”
• It is not a textual issue, but a translation issue.
b. The KJV translates it as plowing—which makes perfect sense in this passage.
2. Plowing.
a. Plowing = a field or ground that needs to be plowed or tilled; hard soil that needs to be broken up.
b. It does not refer to the act of plowing, (verb) but to the ground that needs plowing (noun). (A plowing or a tillage; fallow ground.)
c. Prov. 13:23 – The same term indicates the literal farming land, property owned that lies unplowed.
• Fallow ground has much potential for fruit.
• BUT—it has to be plowed… broken up… and sown with good seed.
• Here the term “plowing” is used of a literal field… with hard, untilled soil.
d. Hos. 10:12 – The same term is used figuratively of the hardened, untilled attitudes of the people of Judah and Israel that required repentance.
• The people were challenged to break up the hard soil of their hearts through repentance… AND to bring forth the fruits of repentance by sowing seeds of righteousness and mercy.
• If they did, God would respond with showers of blessing to cause those seeds to grow and be fruitful!
• But apart from repentance, their hearts would remain hard—like fallow ground… and in need of plowing.
3. Solomon uses the literal concept of fallow, hardened ground in a figurative sense to describe the wicked.
a. The wicked have hard hearts—like hardened claylike soil.
b. Like hardened soil, seeds do not penetrate and are not able to germinate and produce good fruit.
c. This is similar to the parable spoken by the Lord of the four kinds of soils. One type of soil was the pathway… it was hard as a rock from the constant traffic. NO seed could penetrate… and the birds ate up all the seeds that landed there.
d. Hard soil speaks figuratively of a heart condition that needs repentance… but is unwilling to repent.
e. Pharaoh hardened his heart… and so do countless other wicked people.
f. Solomon states that this condition is their fault. It’s not “just the way they are.” It is the result of a choice… like Pharaoh.
g. The wicked are blind to spiritual truth because they chose to close their eyes.
h. The wicked are hardened to spiritual things because they chose to harden their hearts. (Eph. 4:17-18)
a. Solomon mentions three aspects of the wicked—and he states that they are ALL sin (sinful).
• Their arrogant look;
• Their proud heart.
• Their hardened condition.
b. Everything about the wicked is sinful!
• Prov. 21:4 – The plowing of the wicked is sin.
• Prov. 21:27 – “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination.”
• Prov. 2 8:9 – “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.”
• Prov. 15:9 – “The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord.”
• Prov. 15:26 – The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination unto the Lord.”
c. Nothing wicked man can DO is pleasing in the sight of the Lord.
• Nothing good can come from an unclean fountain.
• All that comes forth is polluted in God’s sight. They are full of sin themselves, and what they do is sinful.
• They are so full of sin themselves, all that they do is sinful… self centered… either ignoring or outwardly in rebellion against Gods’ authority…
5. Prov. 16:18 – Pride and arrogance leads to a spiritual fall.
a. Dan. 4:30-33 – Consider the arrogance of Nebuchadnezzar and how God dealt with him!
b. Prov. 8:13 – Therefore, God fearing people should HATE pride and arrogance… and every manifestation of it.
c. I Pet. 5:5-6 – “Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”
• God knows how to chop us down to size.
• Don’t put Him to the test… don’t make Him have to do it!
• How much better is it to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God… and HE will exalt us… in His way and in His time.
• There is a lot in the book of Proverbs about pride. There is a good reason for it: we are full of it! We NEED to be reminded of our pride. It is our nature… it is an ever present enemy…
• Those who exalt themselves shall be abased… destroyed… punished… knocked down! We need these reminders.
• Pride is such an insidious sin. It creeps in even when we are doing our best to serve the Lord.
• Spurgeon said: “Say much of what the Lord has done for you. Say little of what you have done for the Lord.”
Proverbs 21:5
Diligence vs. Haste
Introduction:
1. In this proverb, Solomon speaks about a subject often mentioned in this book: the value of diligence and hard work.
2. King Solomon contrasts two different kinds of people: the diligent and those who make haste.
3. He also contrasts the results: riches or poverty.
1. The diligent.
a. Diligent defined: The word means industrious, diligent, referring to diligent or industrious persons.
b. Solomon has much to say about the diligent in this book.
c. Prov. 6:6-8 – Solomon uses the ant as an example of diligence.
d. Ecc. 9:10 – we are challenged to be diligent in all that we put our hand to do.
2. The thoughts of the diligent.
a. Thoughts defined: Thought; device; plan; purpose.
• Ex. 31:4 – Translated “cunning” (well thought out.)
• Ps. 33:10 – The “counsel” of the wicked. (purposes; plans)
• Esther 8:3 – Haman’s “device” (plan; plot) that he had devised against the Jews.
b. Solomon uses the term in Prov. 21:5 of the plans and purposes of the diligent.
c. Diligent people make plans to accomplish their goals.
d. They prepare to get their responsibilities done.
e. They think about how to perform all their duties.
f. Diligent people are like the ant… who prepares his food for the winter ahead of time.
g. He is diligent, not slothful.
h. He thinks; he plans; he prepares; he rolls up his sleeves and dives into the work to get it done; he doesn’t procrastinate.
3. The results of his diligent planning: “Tend only to plenteousness.”
a. Plenteousness: Pre-eminence; abundance; profit; superiority; advantage; profit; i.e., an abundant accumulation of hard work, so as to have sufficient amount.
b. Diligent planning results in profit… abundance… that which is superior.
c. A diligent person who is diligent in his planning will also be diligent in his DEEDS.
• Prov. 14:23 – In all labour there is profit.” (same word = plenteousness)
• Prov. 10:4 – The hand of the diligent maketh rich. (diligent in deeds)
d. The thoughts of the diligent are as important as the hand of the diligent… but BOTH are necessary.
• Doing without thinking leads nowhere.
• Thinking without doing leads nowhere.
• Both are part of being a diligent person.
4. This principle is especially true in the spiritual realm.
a. Like anything, the Christian life requires diligence in our part.
• We are to LABOR to enter into His REST!
b. Diligence in our walk with God leads to plenteousness.
• It leads to an ABUNDANT life… plenteous in fruit…
• It leads to an eternity plenteous in rewards.
c. The thoughts of the diligent are as important as the hand of the diligent in the spiritual realm too… but BOTH are necessary.
• Doing without thinking leads nowhere. The flesh loves to DO, but acting in the flesh results in spiritual loss ultimately.
• Thinking without doing leads nowhere. Faith without works is dead.
• Both are part of being a diligent person.
• We are to be HEARERS of the Word… and THINKERS of the Word… but we must not forget to be DOERS of the Word too!
The Thoughts of Those who Make Haste
1. “Every one that is hasty.”
a. Hasty: To press; hasten; hurrying or running without purpose.
b. It was used of the taskmasters in Egypt who expressed urgency upon the Jews to make haste in making their bricks (Ex. 5:13)
c. Solomon uses the term in this proverb to speak of someone who is always in a rush… in a hurry to get things done.
d. But note that HASTE is used as the OPPOSITE of diligence.
e. Normally we think of slothfulness as the opposite of diligence, but here Solomon speaks of being “hasty” as the opposite of diligence.
f. The hasty man hurries to get things done, because he is not diligent enough to do it the right way.
• He cuts corners in his haste.
• He takes the cheap and easy way.
• He is in a hurry, and therefore does not want to bother taking the time to do it right.
• He doesn’t have time to think it through so that he might do the best job he can. He’s in too much of a hurry.
g. He puts everything off until the last minute, and then doesn’t have time to figure out how to do it the right way.
• Therefore, he rushes the through the job, just to get it done… and not to do it well.
h. The hasty man often hastens to be rich… but he likes easy riches… quick money. And that often involves something dishonest or shady.
• His quick road to riches usually leads to poverty instead…
i. Some men are hasty and impetuous.
• They jump right into things without thinking.
• They hastily make commitments they cannot keep.
• They hastily fall for the line of a salesman and buy things they cannot afford.
• They hastily make a decision assuming the grass will be greener on the other side, without even taking the time to look over the fence.
• They hastily make a credit card purchase without thinking about how they will pay for it.
• They are hasty to abandon relationships whenever the relationship is strained, whether with a spouse, a church, a job, a friend… they are hasty to quit…
j. The diligent man does not behave this way.
• The diligent man is slow and steady.
• He does jobs when they need doing.
• The hasty man is like the hare that runs as fast as he can for a little while, and then stops. He quits.
• But the diligent man is slow like the turtle, because he takes the time to do things right along the way.
• It takes longer, but he makes REAL progress.
• The diligent man is a man of industry who perseveres through difficulties and diligently finishes what he sets out to do.
2. Though not stated, it is implied that Solomon is speaking about the THOUGHTS of the hasty here.
a. It is his thoughts (plans and purposes) that are described as hasty.
b. The contrast is between the thoughts of the diligent and the thoughts of the hasty man.
c. But because this man is hasty, he doesn’t put much thought into his doings!
• The hasty man doesn’t bother taking the time to think ahead and plan.
• He doesn’t bother taking the time to read the directions.
• He is in too much of a rush to get it done… so he can head off to hang around on the corner… or go to some fun event…
d. He makes hasty decisions. He jumps hastily into action… without thinking it through. And there is a price to pay.
3. The result: WANT!
a. Want: need; poverty; lack; a scarcity of something vital.
b. The man who is hasty will find himself in great NEED… lacking essential things.
c. It’s much quicker to build a house without bothering to take the time to make a firm foundation… but when a storm comes, you might be lacking shelter!
d. It’s much quicker to do a book report by reading only the cover flap… but you find yourself lacking a good grade.
e. It’s much quicker to just paint over the rotten wood… but you might find yourself in need of replacing the whole wall.
f. The hasty way of the hasty man leads to trouble down the road. Instead of leading to plenteousness, it leads to WANT… lack… that which is insufficient…
g. Prov. 6:11 – To the lazy man he says, “so shall thy poverty come.”
h. Prov. 14:23 – But the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. (same word) Instead of making plans and getting things done diligently, this man sits around wasting time chatting.
i. Prov.13:4 – The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
• The lazy man WANTS… he desires… but he has nothing.
• He has nothing but unmet needs.
• Solomon says here that it is nobody’s fault but their own.
j. Haste results in a great LACK. Remember the Lord taught that the seed that grew up in haste soon withered up. Some things you cannot rush. It takes time. The hasty man doesn’t want to wait… and that often leads to ruin.
4. And of course, the same is true in the spiritual realm. Haste leads to great spiritual lack… in our walk with Christ.
a. Haste in our time in God’s Word… leads to a superficial knowledge of Christ: His word and His will. That can bring ruin to a life.
b. Haste in our attendance at church (I’m too busy this week).
c. Haste in our attention to details at home. We don’t bother taking the time to deal with problems as they arise. It’s easier and quicker to brush them under the rug.
d. Haste in attention to our kids… our spouse… so that we can have more time for self. That can lead to spiritual ruin.
e. Heb. 12:1-2 – When it comes to running the Christian life, we are not to run with haste, but we are to run with patience… patient endurance…
Proverbs 21:6
Dishonest Treasures
A. The Getting of Treasures
1. Treasures:
a. The term is used in two different ways:
• A treasure-house, treasury, storehouses, a place where valuables are stored.
1. Neh. 13:12, 13 – Here it refers to the storehouses where the treasures are kept.
• OR riches, wealth
» Solomon is speaking of the actual wealth itself—that which would be placed in a storehouse.
» He is speaking of treasures in general… wealth and valuables of every sort.
2. The Getting of Treasures
a. Getting: work; deed; doing; acquisition; accumulation; i.e., the obtaining of something, implying an effort.
b. Thus, Solomon is speaking about obtaining wealth… acquiring riches.
c. And he makes a moral judgment on the subject.
d. However, the proverb is not making a moral judgment with respect to obtaining or storing riches.
e. Rather, this proverb makes a moral judgment with respect to the MANNER in which they are obtained.
f. This proverb does not teach that obtaining treasures is a vanity tossed to and fro of them who seek death.
g. That would be out of harmony with the rest of Scripture on the subject.
h. Wealth is a morally neutral matter.
• It doesn’t make a bit of difference morally or spiritually whether a person is rich or poor.
• It doesn’t matter to God whether a person obtains treasures and wealth or not.
• Rich people and poor people can live for God and glorify Him. That has always been the case.
i. The “getting of treasures” was normally considered a “good thing” in Israel.
• Deut. 28:1-4 – For the Jew, wealth often indicated God’s blessing.
• As a nation, their blessings were earthly riches for obedience.
• Prov. 10:4 – The hand of the diligent maketh rich. The Jews were encouraged to be hard working, industrious, and diligent. They were taught that “riches” were a reward for that diligence.
• David and Solomon amassed HUGE treasures in the House of the Lord… and they did so for the glory of God.
• Thus, the getting of treasures in Israel was not normally to be understood in a negative light. Normally, it was a good thing.
B. By a Lying Tongue
1. The point Solomon seeks to make in this proverb is not about acquiring wealth, but is about the MEANS of acquiring wealth.
2. Obtaining wealth itself is not a moral issue… but obtaining it through a lying tongue is. It is sinful!
3. Lying = deception or falsehood.
4. It is possible to accumulate wealth by dishonest means… through deception or falsehood.
a. This is what Solomon exposes in this proverb.
b. Men routinely LIE in order to deceive others for their own personal profit.
5. There are many examples of men in the Bible who obtained wealth through lying and deception.
a. II Kings 5:20 – Gehazi
• Elisha’s servant was upset that his master healed Naaman the Syrian and did not take any payment for it.
• Gehazi went back to Naaman and lied, saying that Elisha sent him to receive the gifts.
• The servant DID receive the treasures by wickedness.
• Ultimately, they did not profit him, for he was smitten with leprosy! (v.27)
b. I Kings 21:4 – Ahab & Jezebel – obtained wealth through lying.
• Through murder and robbery, he stole the vineyard of Naboth.
• His wife Jezebel wrote a letter and sent it to the elders of the city. They were instructed to lie about Naboth, and falsely charge him with blasphemy, and stone him… which they did.
• Ahab then obtained the vineyard he desired.
• But along with the vineyard came a message from God: (v.17-19)
• I Kings 22:28-29 – Ahab did a lot of building of palaces and accumulating of wealth through wickedness… but with no profit.
6. Getting treasures through lying is practiced in the modern world… and brought to new levels.
a. Imagine how many lies will be told… how much the truth will be stretched for men to obtain a piece of the bailout pie?
b. People LIE on their taxes in order to wrongfully obtain money that belongs to the government.
c. People LIE about their products they sell. Have you ever bought a product that did not do what they claimed it would do?
d. People LIE on their resumes in order to obtain a high paying job.
e. Even politicians LIE (stretch the truth) in order to bring home the pork.
f. You can often make a lot of money by lying and deceiving others.
g. This is an ancient art.
1. Vanity defined:
a. Strong’s: Vapor; breath; vanity.
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Meaninglessness emptiness; futility; uselessness.
c. Futile; lacking in content; empty.
d. Used 5 times in Ecc. 1:2 – “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”
2. Tossed to and fro:
a. Strong’s: “Driven to and fro” once, and “tossed to and fro.”
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Blow away; scatter; i.e., an action of the wind, with a focus on the fleetingness of the action. (used of wind blowing away the chaff)
3. Vanity tossed to and fro can be interpreted in two different ways.
a. If the word “vanity” is understood as breath or wind, then Solomon is saying that obtaining wealth is as fleeting as a passing wind… or a breath… a puff of air. Now you see it, now you don’t.
• The emphasis is on how short-lived it is.
• The earthly treasures obtained through deceit might appear to be heavy, valuable, and weighty, but in reality, they are but a puff of air… short lived… not very lasting.
• Prov. 10:2 – “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing.”
• Prov. 13:11 – “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished.”
b. If the word “vanity” is understood as emptiness or futility, then Solomon’s point is that seeking to obtain wealth through deception is an empty pursuit that has been kicked around for ages.
• Prov. 20:17 – Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
• It is not ultimately satisfying.
• There IS something satisfying in hard work… diligent labor… and the enjoying the FRUIT of one’s labors.
• But when bread is obtained deceitfully, there is no satisfaction. It tastes sweet initially, but eventually is like a mouth full of gravel.
4. “Them that seek death.”
a. Seeking to obtain riches through dishonesty or deception is equal to seeking death.
• Those who seek to obtain wealth dishonestly (bank robbers) often end up dead.
• This expression is something akin to saying that drug addicts are really seeking death. It is a death wish.
• It is a pathway that ultimately leads to death… sometimes physical death… always spiritual death.
• Prov. 8:36 – “But he that sinneth against me (Lady Wisdom) wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.”
• This is destructive behavior.
• Jer. 22:13 – He may bring upon himself the wrath of God!
• It results in bringing upon their own heads the ill will of the men they deceive… and of the Lord Himself.
b. Prov. 9:17 – “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
• Compare verse 18 – Her guests are in the depths of hell!
c. Quick money and instant gratification isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
• That which initially seems so sweet often has various long lasting consequences: guilt, shame, a jail sentence, a mouth full of gravel, and emptiness… no satisfaction… nothing but remorse… and eventually death.
d. It is not a good course to pursue. Crime doesn’t pay.
Proverbs 21:7
The Robbery Of The Wicked
Introduction:
1. Several themes in the book of Proverbs have been repeated with slight variations.
2. This passage includes one of those repeated themes: you reap what you sow.
3. Solomon has applied this principle in many different settings. In this passage the theme is applied to violent thieves.
4. They too will reap what they have sown.
1. Robbery:
a. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: a state of physical force exerted against another; loot, plunder, i.e., goods that are taken by force, implying violence in the taking of them.
b. Zodhiates: The primary meaning of this word is violence or destruction.
c. The term often implies robbery, but the emphasis is on the force and violence of the act.
d. The expression is broad enough to include the following:
• looting in a time of riot
• soldiers looting the dead after a battle
• armed robbery; bank robbery
• gang violence
• thugs mugging someone on a dark city street
• This could include everything from the petty robberies and muggings to the more extreme gang violence and mafia brutality.
• The term Solomon used here could be applied to many of the stories we hear every night on the six o’clock news.
2. The wicked
a. Here is an old familiar term from Proverbs. The term appears nearly 90 times in this book.
b. Wicked Defined: Criminal; guilty one; one guilty of crime.
3. The robbery of the wicked
a. In this expression the wicked are the ones who COMMIT the violent acts of robbery… not the ones being robbed. It is the robbery BY the wicked.
b. This expression speaks of the violent looting, mugging, or plundering of innocent victims by evil, guilty, criminals.
c. Yet every time I see them on the six o’clock news, we hear from their mother that “my son would never do this” or from a friend, “He was a nice guy; a good neighbor. They must have the wrong person.”
d. It is part of human nature to want to turn a blind eye towards those who are wicked and violent.
• We blame society or the system.
• We blame his violent crime on poverty, a lack of education, or on his sixth grade teacher, or some form of abuse in his past.
• We don’t like to think of someone we know as being “wicked.”
• It is certainly not a politically correct term… because it focuses on the individual responsibility rather than society.
• We like to think that “it takes a village” to bring up our youth, and if the youth fail, the fault lies with the village—the society.
• However, the terminology the Bible uses implies personal responsibility.
• Men are wicked sinners… and their violent looting is one example of it.
• God refers to them as guilty wicked men… not victims of a failing society.
e. God proves this point from time to time by raising up some real gems from the very worst of environments.
f. And He also raises up some ungodly rebels from the most affluent, privileged segments of society.
g. Violence, looting, muggings, robberies, and such crimes occur because men are WICKED… not because of their social environment.
• Environment can have an influence… but it is not the cause.
• The sinful, wicked, fallen heart of man is the cause.
h. God clearly blames the individual for his sin. Men who do such things are referred to as wicked, guilty criminals… sinners.
i. We do no one any favors by trying to spread the blame around… and treat the perpetrator of a violent crime as if he were a victim of society.
j. As believers, we need to emphasize personal responsibility.
4. The consequences of their actions.
a. “Shall destroy them.”
b. Destroy: an interesting term.
• to drag, drag away
• linear motion of an object by grasping and pulling or pushing along
c. Hab. 1:15 – The term is translated “catch” like a fish caught in a net… a drag net…
• Solomon’s point in the proverb is that sooner or later, the violent criminals will be dragged in… caught… trapped.
• That kind of crime and violence inevitably leads to being captured… dragged in to justice… and punished!
• Once a fish is caught in a drag net, life is not so good for that fish any more.
» His days of swimming about in the sea doing his own thing are OVER.
» That fish is going to get chopped up and fried! He won’t be such a big fish any more.
• The same is implied here concerning the violent criminal. Once he is dragged in to justice, his life is destroyed.
» He may spend the rest of it behind bars.
» There are long lasting consequences to wicked behavior.
d. In other words, you reap what you sow!
• They sowed violence; they reap destruction.
• Crime doesn’t pay. It may seem to in the short run, but not in the long run.
• Eventually violent criminals are dragged into justice.
• Prov. 26:27 – “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.”
• Those who plunder and loot others will find that the same kind of actions will be returned to their own head.
• Sin has a tendency to boomerang…
1. In the second half of the proverb Solomon gives the reason WHY criminals are eventually dragged into justice and their lives destroyed: because they refuse to do judgment.
2. Judgment:
a. Definition: Justice; righteousness; that which is lawful;
b. In other words, they refuse to do what is RIGHT.
c. They refuse to live according to the law; according to righteousness.
d. The wicked don’t think that the law applies to them.
3. They refuse to do judgment.
a. Refuse: Resist; i.e., be in a state of rebellion and defiance against authority.
b. This is clearly not a matter of ignorance.
• They KNOW what the right thing to do is.
• They KNOW what justice involves.
• They KNOW the right way to treat people.
• They KNOW what the law says and how to obey.
c. But they REFUSE to do it. Their criminal acts of violence are willful.
d. When you refuse to do what is RIGHT, you end up doing that which is WRONG… like robbery… violence… etc.
4. This is WHY they are dragged into the net, captured, and “destroyed.”
a. They refuse to play by the rules. It will eventually catch up to them.
b. Isa. 1:20 – “But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” (Refuse = same word as in Prov. 21:7.)
c. Refusing to submit to authority eventually leads to being devoured… especially when GOD is the Authority!
d. Violent criminals continue to dig holes for others to fall into—they will sooner or later fall into that pit themselves.
e. You can only play fast and loose with the rules for so long before you are caught and brought to justice.
5. This reason implies that IF they DID judgment (if they followed the rules and lived by the law) they would NOT be destroyed.
a. Thus, if they suffer destruction, it is because they brought it upon themselves.
b. They have no one to blame but themselves.
c. Their behavior is destructive, and that is why destruction is returned to their heads.
d. Vs. 6 – Those who get money through lying and cheating are similar to those who get money through robbery and violence are BOTH engaged in destructive behavior. Both seek death. They shall be destroyed.
e. Vs. 5 – How much better to accumulate wealth and “plenty” through diligence and hard work! This behavior is blessed.
Proverbs 21:8
As for the Pure…
Introduction:
1. This proverb is an antithetical parallelism: the two parts of the proverb speak of opposites: sinful man and a pure man… and their opposite ways/works.
2. This proverb simply makes an observation about human behavior… and it leaves us to draw our own conclusions.
A. The Way of Man
1. MAN
a. Here Solomon is speaking about mankind in general.
b. He is referring to men as fallen sinners before a holy God.
c. It speaks of a frail man as opposed to a holy and omnipotent God.
2. The WAY of man…
a. Here Solomon (as he so often does) gives us an inspired appraisal of human nature.
b. Defined: Way; path; journey; direction; manner; habits; a course of life; moral character.
c. Solomon is speaking in broad terms here of the whole manner of life of mankind… the lifestyle… the direction of one’s life…
d. Throughout the whole course of human history, the way of man has been pretty uniform.
e. The way of man speaks of the ways of man apart from God.
f. Perhaps we could think of this as the broad way… the broad road that leads to destruction. (Matt. 7:13-14)
• Unsaved men like to think of the ways of man as being wide… numerous… with many roads…
• We like to think of the world as being diverse with many various ways… many lifestyles… many religions… many philosophies…
• In fact, there are not many ways of man. There are only two roads: the broad way and the narrow way.
• The wide diversity of thought, the philosophic pluralism, and the many roads in life that men THINK they see, are really but ONE.
• While the road may be BROAD… and there may appear to be great diversity on that road, from God’s perspective, they are really all on the SAME road, headed in the same direction… with the same destiny.
g. The many ways of man around this globe are here called in the singular: the way of man.
• And even though different nations and cultures seem to be headed in different directions, they are really treading down the same broad road to destruction.
• From man’s tunnel vision approach to life, we see just how truly BROAD the road is. It seems to include many different ways… but that is due to our earthly tunnel vision.
• From heaven’s vantage point, God can see the whole picture. He can see clearly that all of mankind (except for a remnant of His own) is really on one very WIDE road.
• Eph. 2:2-3 – That is because Satan is the god of this world… and he is leading the whole world away from God.
• He doesn’t care how many various philosophies they adhere to, or how many various religions they cling to.
• All of those philosophies, world views, and religious views are really ONE: anti-God… anti-truth.
3. Solomon uses two terms to describe the WAY of man.
B. The Way of Man Described
1. Froward
a. Defined:
• Strong’s: crooked, perverted;
• Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Pertaining to actions in life that are not right or straightforward, with a possible implication of deception.
• Zodhiates: Denoting something crooked, perverted, devious. It describes the winding, crooked, serpentine path of a guilty person.
2. Strange
a. Defined:
• Strange does not mean odd or unusual as it does in English.
• Strange does not mean “foreign” as it often does in the Bible.
• The term used here literally means to be burdened with “something.”
• Strong’s: Guilty, burdened with guilt.
• Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Pertaining to a person that has violated a standard, implying a moral corruption.
3. Solomon here describes the way of mankind in general.
a. That is because mankind in general is guilty… they carry around a heavy burden of the guilt of sin.
b. This is the way of the world… how they live day in and day out.
c. It is the way of the ungodly… those who do not know the Lord in a saving way.
d. It is the way of life for all those on the broad road that leads to destruction.
e. How does God describe that “way” of life?
• For them, life is a winding, crooked, serpentine path, burdened with the weight of guilt because of inward, moral corruption.
• That’s the way the whole world LIVES. That’s what the man of the world IS.
• That’s the way immoral, violent criminals live. If they have not yet seared their conscience, and thus they are burdened with the guilt of their deeds.
• That’s the way moral men live. They too struggle with guilt… the guilt of unforgiven sins.
• That’s the way the religious world lives.
» Religious men also carry around a load of guilt.
» Deep down inside, they know that their works cannot really take away their sins.
» They can never experience rest or peace with God.
• That’s the way we ALL lived before we came to know Christ.
• It is a pretty fitting description of life in the world apart from the Savior.
f. What a contrast to the believer in Christ who is trusting in the Lord.
• This believer is not carrying around a heavy burden of sin.
• He has taken his sin to the cross.
• There he has experienced forgiveness of sin… and the weight and burden of past sins are GONE.
• The believer’s conscience is not weighing him down. Rather, he is singing the gospel song: Burdens are lifted at Calvary!
• His conscience has been purged… cleansed… and he is experiencing the JOY of the Lord… not the guilt of sin.
g. But Solomon’s description of the way of mankind in general is not a very encouraging or flattering description.
• It is quite pessimistic, but it is a picture of spiritual reality.
• Psalm 14:2, 3 – Here again we have a broad picture of humanity from God’s heavenly perspective.
• Ecc. 9:3 – There is one event for all: all men live evil lives. (In varying degrees of evil, but all are evil… in the sense of rejecting God.)
• Ecc. 7:29 – But this is NOT the way God made them. The way of mankind today is the result of rejection of God and rebellion against His ways.
h. Solomon teaches that the way of the guilty mankind is crooked. His statement could hardly be argued… and really needs no comment.
1. The man who is pure PROVES himself to be such by his works… his fruit. By their fruit ye shall know them.
2. Prov. 15:26 – The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
3. Pure: Pure, clean, righteous, pertaining to an upright and innocent state, free of guilt.
a. The term is used substantively of a person who is clean and pure.
b. Purity is the result of regeneration… a life justified by faith.
c. Acts 15:8-9 – “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
d. This is the supernatural work of the Spirit of God in cleansing and transforming a dirty heart into a pure heart.
4. Work:
a. Works, deeds, labor or the product of labor.
b. This term “works” stands in contrast to the “ways” of man.
c. A man’s “ways” consist of his works…
d. Works done day in and day out BECOME our way of life.
e. Our daily deeds, over time, demonstrate our character… our lifestyle… our WAY of life.
5. Right:
a. Straight, upright, correct, right, level… what is morally innocent and proper according to a standard.
b. This man’s works are RIGHT.
• They are not crooked—they are straight.
• They are not off kilter—they are on the level.
• They are not twisted—they are straight as an arrow.
c. A man’s works are a pretty good gauge of his life.
• They are not a perfect gauge. Religious men can put up a mighty good front… they can clean the outside of the cup.
• But in general, by their fruits (works) ye shall know them.
• If a man’s works are right… it often indicates that HE himself is right… righteous.
d. Of course, God examines more than just our outward works. He also examines the inward motive and intentions behind our works… things that are hidden to us as mere human onlookers.
e. If a man is PURE on the inside, his works will be RIGHT
f. Hos. 14:9 – “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.”
g. Consider Daniel: His way was pure… open… honest…
• His enemies “could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.” (Dan. 6:4)
• His life was pure… his ways were pure.
• This too was because of regeneration.
• Solomon makes a clear contrast between man by nature (crooked; guilt ridden) and man by grace (pure and his works are right)
6. As Christians, our WORKS are important to God.
a. They add nothing to salvation, but they are important.
b. We are to be ZEALOUS of good works… of works that are right in God’s sight… works that are the result of the Spirit of God working in us… the fruit of the Spirit, not of the flesh (righteous outwardly and inwardly)
Proverbs 21:9
A Brawling Woman
9b A brawling woman in a wide house
A. What is a Brawling Woman?
1. Brawling defined: Strife; dissention; quarrelsome; the source or object of contention.
2. The brawling woman is not a woman who gets in barroom brawls. She is not a lady wrestler. (She may be that too, but that’s not what the term implies.)
3. The brawling woman is a wife who is constantly arguing or quarreling over everything.
a. She argues over money.
b. She argues over the kids.
c. She argues over fixing the house. (He doesn’t do it)
d. She argues over her to do list that never gets done.
e. She argues over how loud her husband is.
f. She argues over the fact that he buys stupid things and wastes money.
g. She argues over him leaving dirty socks on the floor.
h. She argues over how he squeezes the toothpaste.
i. She argues over how he never says “I’m sorry.”
j. She argues over how he never buys her presents.
k. She argues over how lazy he is.
l. She argues over how he doesn’t spend enough time with the kids.
m. She argues because he doesn’t read his Bible enough.
n. She argues over how he lets the bills pile up.
o. She argues over the mistakes he makes in the checkbook.
p. She argues over all the broken things around the house he never fixes.
q. She argues that he spends too much time outside the home… with his golf club and baseball league… and hunting buddies. (He may not even like golfing or hunting!)
r. She is constantly correcting him… pointing out his faults… reminding him of his failures… shortcomings… sins…
s. She argues over her husband’s personality, his attitude, his sloppiness, his language, his lousy driving… and the list goes on endlessly.
4. This is the brawling woman.
a. She is a fighter. She complains bickers, argues, and is full of contention.
b. Anything and everything that is not up to her standards is a cause for another fight… more nagging… more complaining, until she gets her own way.
c. Brawling is her nature. She is contentious by nature.
d. Some people actually ENJOY fighting… they enjoy making life miserable for others. It is a sadistic kind of joy.
e. The brawling woman is not a happy person, so the only outlet she knows is to make those around her unhappy too. Misery loves company.
f. If her husband isn’t presently doing anything she can complain about, she will dig up OLD sins out of the closet, and beat up on him for that.
g. She LOOKS for things to fight over… silly, unimportant things that a sensible woman would ignore. She makes mountains out of molehills.
h. Solomon was a keen observer of human nature.
• Evidently he saw many examples of brawling women, and decided to write a proverb about it.
• And when you consider Solomon’s home life, he may well be the world’s premier expert on the subject: he had 700 wives and 300 concubines!
» Without question, some of those wives were contentious.
» In fact, that polygamous household BREEDS contention. It was never God’s original plan.
» Thus, Solomon lived in an incubator of contentious women.
» That polygamous environment BRED contention. Read in the Old Testament about all the family squabbles and contentions among wives in those situations. (Sarah & Hagar; Hannah and Peninnah; etc.)
» Imagine trying to keep 900 women happy? Well, it is probably impossible… and that is because it was never God’s plan.
» Solomon wrote about something with which he was personally familiar.
• In fact he wrote at least five proverbs about contentious wives!
• This issue is nothing new. It existed in Solomon’s day, and it exists in our day too.
• It has existed ever since SIN entered into the Garden of Eden and ruined the perfection of the original world and the original husband-wife relationship created by God.
• Sin ruins everything… including marriages and home life.
• Sin will ruin your marriage and mine too if we let it.
5. Two other proverbs speak of the CONTINUAL nature of the contentions of a brawling woman.
a. Prov. 27:15 – A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.
• When it rained, the rain would saturate the flat, sod roof.
• Thus, during heavy rain, the roof would leak. Drip, drip, drip!
• And because the roofs were often sod, long after the storm was over, and the clouds were gone, the saturated roof would CONTINUE to leak… drip, drip, drip!
• A contentious wife was like that roof. She nags and nags. And even after the fight is over… she keeps on bringing it up again… drip, drip, drip!
b. Prov. 19:13 – the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.
c. The point of these proverbs is the relentless nature of her nagging and contentions. They are endless.
d. They drive her husband away. They live in a beautiful, comfortable, wide house with lots of space and amenities, but he wants OUT.
e. But she follows him all around the wide house—arguing and nit picking and complaining and everything under the sun.
f. The wide house doesn’t provide him with what he really needs: a place to get away from her!
6. In this proverb, Solomon lets us know that there IS such a thing as a contentious, brawling woman.
a. The proverb serves as a warning to women: don’t BE one!
b. The proverb serves as a warning to men: don’t MARRY one!
1. The scene Solomon paints is one of a contentious woman, through continually nagging and fighting, drives her husband away.
a. Solomon is not endorsing divorce or separation in this passage.
b. He is simply stating it as it is, not the way it SHOULD be… not the way God WANTS it to be… not the way it OUGHT to be, but the way it is.
c. Nagging wives drive their husbands away.
d. They can’t take it anymore, and end up seeking some other place to live.
2. In this case, the husband moves up on the roof!
a. This might sound odd, except for the fact that the roves of those homes were usually flat.
b. On the flat roof there was often an extra room and/or a patio, where you could sit on a warm night to feel the breeze.
c. The contrast in the proverb is between the WIDE house, and the small space up on the roof.
• The term “wide” is variously translated as “wide” or “shared” or “association.”
• It may simply refer to a house that is “shared”… implying more space perhaps.
d. The husband of the nagging wife would rather live up there on the roof, than have to contend with his wife in his wide, comfortable, shared living spacious home below.
e. Having a nice, comfortable home is not very comfortable if you are arguing and fighting all the time.
f. This man decided to build himself a room on the roof rather than stay in the house and argue all the time.
3. To the man who is sick and tired of fighting, this is BETTER.
a. It is preferable than the alternative.
b. At least up there on the roof he can have a little peace of mind… a respite… a retreat away from the constant bickering.
c. Rather, he is warning wives what NOT to do… by showing them the results of such behavior.
d. If you want to keep your husband and not drive him away, then don’t BE a contentious wife… don’t be a brawling woman.
e. NOT fighting is better than fighting.
4. Prov. 21:19 – It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
a. This seems more serious.
b. In vs. 9, the husband of a contentious wife moves up on the roof.
c. In vs. 19, the husband doesn’t even want to be anywhere NEAR her. He flees for the wilderness.
d. He prefers to live with the wild beasts than a contentious wife.
e. It is the same situation that drove this man away. It simply drove him FURTHER away.
f. Perhaps this man isn’t coming back.
g. One proverb may be speaking about a miserable marriage that is just barely endured… they remain married, but separate.
h. The other proverb speaks of a miserable marriage that ends… perhaps in divorce… or desertion.
5. Solomon also wrote a couple of other proverbs that consider the question of HOW to deal with contention.
a. Prov. 26:20 – Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. (same word as brawling)
• When there is constant fighting, one sure way to END the fighting is put an end to the FUEL.
• If you stop throwing wood into the fire, the fire will die out… eventually.
• If you refuse to add FUEL to an argument, it too will eventually die out.
• Even a contentious wife will grow tired of fighting with a husband who refuses to fight back.
b. Prov. 18:18 – The LOT causes the contention (same word) to cease.
• Another suggestion that Solomon offers to constant fighting (especially over silly things) is to cast a lot… or flip a coin.
• It is not the BEST way to settle arguments, but it is better than an unending fight where neither side gives in.
• When both sides are unbendable, inflexible, stubborn, and unwilling to make any compromises, then flipping a coin isn’t such a bad idea.
• If you want to buy a Ford and your wife insists on a Chevy, then flip a coin. End of argument!
• You’d be surprised how well that can work… and how quickly the argument can end.
c. Of course under GRACE, we have a much better method of dealing with contention in the home. (Phil. 2:1-5)
• We are to esteem others BETTER than ourselves.
• We are to demonstrate the LOVE of Christ.
• We are to manifest the MIND of Christ… who was willing to sacrifice SELF for the good of others.
• We are to manifest the LIFE of Christ in our homes.
• When that is the case, it’s mighty hard to keep a fight going.
d. Life can be MISERABLE with a brawling wife.
• Men, be thankful for the wife God gave you!
• Be appreciative of a godly Christian wife who makes home a place you WANT to be…
Proverbs 21:10
The Soul of the Wicked
Introduction:
1. This proverb makes a statement about wicked men. (Women and children too.)
2. Solomon tells us about the SOUL of such a person… what they are like on the INSIDE.
3. Thus, while there is no command or exhortation made, clearly the proverb sends up a red flag—a warning to us all:
a. Watch out for such people!
b. Be aware that they exist.
c. Be wise in dealing with them. They may be your neighbor!
1. The first part of the proverb speaks of the SOUL of the wicked.
a. Consider how Strong’s defines soul: soul; self; life; creature; person; appetite; mind; living being; desire; emotion; passion; the man himself; self; person or individual; seat of the appetites; seat of emotions and passions; activity of mind.
b. In other words, it is a very broad term… that speaks of the inner life of a man… and sometimes is used of the person himself.
c. Dictionary of Biblical Languages lists 21 definitions for the term.
2. Here Solomon seems to be using the term to describe the whole inner life of this person.
a. It refers to the person himself.
b. This includes his emotions, the way he thinks, his desires, his will, etc.
3. The soul of the WICKED refers to the inner life of a wicked man.
a. This is a very common term in Proverbs. We have seen it often. (vs.7)
b. Defined: guilty; criminal; evil; unrighteous; guilty of violating a standard; transgressor.
4. The soul of the wicked refers to the inner machinations of a guilty, evil, criminal.
a. This refers to the inner life… the inner thoughts… of a criminal.
b. Many plays and novels have been written on this theme—on the criminal mind. Shakespeare wrote about it.
c. Investigators enlist the help of forensic psychologists in order to understand the criminal mind.
d. You can earn a degree in criminal profiling.
e. There is a whole field called criminal psychology… the study of the criminal mind.
• This field seeks to discover what makes serial killers tick? Is it genetic, hormonal, biological, or cultural conditioning? Do killers have control over their horrific behavior?
f. For years, psychologists have been trying to discover what makes the criminal mind tick.
g. They seek to discover the root cause in hopes of “curing” the disease of criminal behavior.
h. It is blamed on many factors: environment; poverty; unstable family life; drugs and alcohol; child abuse, etc.
5. Serial killers have devised a number of excuses for their behavior.
a. Jeffrey Dahmer said that he was born with a “part” of him missing. (birth defect)
b. Ted Bundy claimed pornography made him do it.
c. Herbert Mullin, Santa Cruz killer of thirteen, blamed the voices in his head.
d. John Wayne Gacy turned the blame around and boasted that the victims deserved to die.
e. We tend to think that such people must be insane — what normal person could slaughter another human, for the sheer pleasure of it?
• Yet some psychologists have reported that most chilling fact about serial killers is that they are rational and calculating.
• As the “British Jeffrey Dahmer” Dennis Nilsen put it, “a mind can be evil without being abnormal.”
f. I don’t find myself agreeing with serial killers, but this serial killer hit the nail on the head: a mind can be evil without being considered insane.
g. Many violent criminals know exactly what they are doing. They DELIGHT in evil.
h. Obviously, some of them are insane, but not all.
i. Others are simply evil… evil through and through.
j. Some psychologists have a hard time with this concept. They believe that men are born good or at least neutral, and that something must have “happened” to cause this evil behavior.
6. Let’s consider what Solomon has to say on this subject… under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
a. Solomon tells us that the soul of some wicked men desire evil.
b. Desire: long for; lust after; to covet; to crave.
c. This term is used in either a good or evil sense.
• Isa. 26:9 – It is used of longing after God…
• Ex. 20:17 – It is used of a sinful lusting after thy neighbor’s wife or property.
d. Prov. 21:25-26 – Lazy people DESIRE all day long because they desire things that hard working people possess.
• This is an evil desire—the result of their sin: laziness.
e. Prov. 4:14-16 – Wicked men CRAVE to commit wickedness. They can’t sleep unless they have caused some sort of mischief.
f. Ecc. 8:11 – And because they have not yet been caught, their hearts are fully set in them to do evil!
• (fully set = full; complete; wholeheartedly set).
• They are DETERMINED to do evil.
• They are not just “wishing” they could. They are determined to commit evil acts.
g. Note also that Solomon puts the blame on the man himself.
• It was the SOUL of the wicked that desires evil.
• This evil desire arises out of the man’s soul.
• It is not to be blamed on society, environment, abuse, or other factors, although they may be influencing factors.
• The evil desire arose from an evil soul… and evil mind… and evil heart.
• This harmonizes perfectly with what Jesus said in Matthew 15:19 – “For from the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies, etc.
• This is a lust (craving; desire) which conceives and brings forth fruit unto sin.
7. Perhaps Solomon wrote these words for our generation.
a. In his own day, it was common knowledge that wicked men desire evil… that men are evil… that it is human nature to be evil.
b. But that is not common knowledge today. It is disputed on many levels.
1. The second part of the proverb simply reinforces the point.
a. The criminal desires evil… and even his neighbor finds no favor in his eyes. They are equal opportunity haters!
b. Because it is his nature to be evil, even his next door neighbor does not escape his evil design.
c. In other words, evil men are evil everywhere… even in their own neighborhood.
d. His own neighbor is not able to extract a little kindness from this guy.
e. He is not even able to PRETEND to be a nice guy.
f. The average sinner may commit evil from time to time. Even we do as believers.
• When a believer commits evil, he says, “What I hate, I do.”
• But the wicked DESIRES evil. He delights in it.
g. However, the average sinner does a pretty good job of covering it up. They can put on a good front before their neighbor.
h. Solomon says that some men are so wicked—rotten to the core—that they can’t even cover it up—or don’t want to cover it up, at home and in the neighborhood.
2. Thus, Solomon WARNS us about the existence of such cold hearted criminals.
a. Beware! They’re out there!
b. They may live next door to you… or down the street… or anywhere.
c. There are sex offenders out there—perhaps in your neighborhood.
• If you have young children, you should look at the sex offender register to see if any live next door to you.
d. There are violent criminals out there too… and thieves.
e. They stay up at night planning and plotting who, where, and when to strike next.
f. Thus, we should be vigilant… and even though we don’t live in the inner city, and wicked men may be less of a problem, we should not be so foolish as to think that there are none nearby.
g. This proverb is not designed to cause us to live in fear or to panic, but it is designed to warn us that we might be careful.
h. Teenagers tend to think that they are invincible and that nothing will happen to them.
• Solomon warns you otherwise. If they don’t spare their own neighbor, don’t think that they will spare you either.
Proverbs 21:11-12
Wisdom through Observation
Introduction:
1. Proverbs 21:11-12 deals with one main issue: the fact that wise men become even wiser by observing the ungodly.
2. For that reason, we are going to look at both verses here.
Wisdom Obtained by Observing the Scorner (vs.11)
A. When the Scorner is Punished
1. Scorner defined:
a. Strong’s: To be inflated; to scoff; to mock; arrogant boaster.
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Speak words which show no respect for the object, and make fun of the object
c. Zodhiates: To express utter contempt.
2. Solomon is describing the loud mouth… the clown… the arrogant boaster… the immature wise guy who makes fun of everything and everyone (usually behind their backs).
3. The scorner is also spoken of in Proverbs as the one who refuses to listen to counsel and advice.
a. He scorns it—ridicules it because he arrogantly thinks himself above such counsel. (Who are you to tell me what I ought to do?!)
b. Prov.13:1 – a scorner heareth not rebuke.
• The scorner may be headed in the wrong direction, and it is obvious to his acquaintances and to onlookers.
• They may offer helpful assistance and advice… even rebuke, but the scorner mocks their advice.
• He refuses counsel. He doesn’t respond well to rebuke.
c. Prov. 14:6 – Having refused counsel and rebuke for heading down the wrong pathway, but he continues to seek for wisdom… and never finds it.
• This is not a contradiction to what Solomon wrote in chapter two (those who seek wisdom shall find it.)
• It is not a contradiction because Solomon qualified his previous statement: those who seek wisdom “with their whole heart” as a man seeks after gold will find wisdom.
• However, while the scorner seeks after wisdom, he doesn’t find it, because he refuses to LISTEN to wisdom when he is confronted with it.
• Thus, he arrogantly seeks his own brand of wisdom—which is in reality folly!
• Oftentimes we seek after wisdom, but we seek after counsel that is what we want to hear, rather than what we NEED to hear.
• The scorner MOCKS Lady Wisdom when she says what he needs to hear… and he continues seeking after wisdom… and never finds it.
d. Prov.1:20-25 – Lady Wisdom cries out to this man, but he is a mocker and a scorner.
• Thus, he never listens to real wisdom.
• He is a scorner. Instead of taking the wise counsel, he makes fun of the one giving it; he ridicules the advice; he shows no respect for the one trying to help him.
• He is a scorner and a fool.
• If he later decides he needs wisdom and seeks after it, Lady Wisdom has nothing more to say to him (vs. 28-29).
4. Punished: (Prov.21:11)
a. Defined: Punish; fined; penalized.
b. There is a penalty for scorning wisdom; there is a price to pay for being a scorner.
c. Scorners are punished for their folly.
d. Prov.1:25-27 – Fear, destruction, desolation, distress and calamity are right around the corner.
e. This is the punishment for the scorner.
f. Sometimes the punishment is the result of being caught in his sin or crime and suffering under the law. (fines; jail; etc.)
g. More often his calamity is simply the result of reaping what he has sown. He is condemned to live with the mess that he has made of his life.
h. Perhaps you told him to be careful with the use of his credit cards, but he mocked you as being old fashioned and old school… and now his punishment is that he is in a huge financial pit that he dug for himself.
i. Perhaps you warned him to be careful about his big mouth in the office, and after mocking and scorning your advice, now his punishment is that he is losing his job.
j. Scorners refuse to listen and end up paying a price. They are punished.
B. The Simple is Made Wise
1. The simple: Inexperienced; (often a youth); naïve.
a. Being “simple” is not sinful. Young people are born simple… but over time learn through observation and are able to become wise.
b. The simple in Proverbs are inexperienced, but often they are spoken of as being open minded… teachable. Such is the case here.
2. Solomon’s point here is that when the arrogant scorner is punished, younger, inexperienced people OBSERVE his behavior.
a. Perhaps they observe their older brother (who is a wise guy with a big mouth) get punished for scorning his parent’s advice.
• They also observe the punishment that he gets and they learn from that.
• Thus, by observing the scorner, the simple is made wise.
• When he gets advice he TAKES it… because he is now aware of the consequences of scorning that advice.
b. A little later in life, that simple youth gets his first job, and discovers that there is a scorner at his new job too.
• The wise guy at work is constantly ridiculing his boss and scorning his instructions.
• The wise guy thinks all the rules at work are stupid and useless and that he doesn’t have to follow all those instructions.
• There are too many safety rules, too much paperwork, too many time restrictions, etc. So he mocks and scorns it all.
• The simple youth observes his scorning… and observes his punishment: the scorner eventually got fired.
• The simple youth learned from this punishment too.
• He learned by observation NOT to scorn… not to complain and mock or ridicule all the requirements at his new job.
• As a result, he got promoted… while the scorner was fired.
c. Vs.11b – “When the wise is instructed, he RECEIVETH knowledge.”
• The simple, inexperienced youth learned wisdom through observing the scorners and the consequences of their scorning, and also by receiving knowledge.
• The scorner wouldn’t receive the knowledge, instruction, or advice. He thought he was above it. He thought all those instructions were silly.
• But the REAL sign of wisdom is when a person is willing to RECEIVE knowledge… without scorning… without ridiculing… without mocking.
3. Prov. 19:25 – Smite a scorner and the simple will BEWARE.
a. Simple men with open minds observe human behavior and the various consequences of human behavior.
b. And they LEARN from it. They are aware of consequences… and take heed personally so as not to be “smitten” like the scorner.
c. There are different ways to learn.
• The way of wisdom is to learn by teaching.
• The way of the simple is to observe and learn through fear.
» It is not shame to learn from fear. Fear is a legitimate emotion… for our good.
» Psa. 119:119-120 – The psalmist observed God’s judgment on the wicked and learned fear. That fear was good for him.
• The way of the foolish scorner is arrogantly scorn and do it YOUR way… and end up getting punished… learning the hard way—if at all!
d. The simple learn by observing the anguish of punishment, but the wise learn by teaching.
• They both learn… but learning by taking heed to teaching is preferable.
• And they are both preferable to learning by experiencing the anguish of punishment!
Wisdom Obtained by Observing the Wicked (vs.12)
1. This proverb teaches a similar lesson.
a. Vs. 11 spoke of the simple man observing the scorner and learning from his punishment.
b. Vs. 12 speaks of the righteous man observing the wicked and learning from the consequences of his wickedness.
• Righteous: some translators and commentators understand this “righteous” one (man is italicized) to refer to God; others to a righteous man.
• It makes sense either way, but seems best to stick with the KJV and consider this a reference to a righteous man.
• This fits perfectly with the thought in vs.11…
• The verb “overthroweth” has no subject.
» The KJV inserts “but God” as the subject of the verb “overthroweth”. (note italics)
» That is possible.
» Others have understood it to refer to the righteous to refer to God OR to a righteous man who observes his house (such as a judge; magistrate; policeman).
» Because the original requires something to be inserted after righteous and before the verb, filling in those blanks becomes a matter of interpretation.
» The terms inserted by the KJV make perfect sense here… and fit well with the subject of vs.11.
c. The righteous man observes the house of the wicked in the same way that the simple but wise man in vs.10 observes the scorner and learns from what he sees.
2. The righteous man “wisely considers the house” of the wicked.
a. Consider: To be prudent and to act with insight; to ponder and then to act prudently; to pay attention to something and respond properly.
b. Solomon was a righteous man who wisely considered the house of the wicked.
c. He is challenging us to do the same… so that we might LEARN by observing the consequences of their wickedness… AND to respond properly.
3. What will he SEE when he observes the house of the wicked?
a. The prosperity of the wicked (Ps. 73:3)
• A righteous man will observe the house of the wicked and will not envy—even when he sees their prosperity.
• A righteous man will WISELY consider what he sees.
• His wisdom will look beyond the luxury of the here and now and will see the future of such a man. (Ps. 73:18-19)
• The righteous man will see that one day his house will be overthrown by the Lord… though he seems to do so well today.
• The righteous man will wisely consider the house of the wicked and see the shallowness of the outward pomp.
• He will look at his house and his lifestyle from eternity’s perspective. That sheds a whole new light on the subject.
• From heaven’s vantage point, the righteous man will not see the wealth and earthly prosperity, but he will see the eternal value of what he has: that which will one day be overthrown by God.
• The wicked often seem to live the good life in the here and now, but eventually, they will be overthrown. (Ps. 73:4-5)
• Ps. 37:35–38 – Sometimes it takes years of observation before the lesson is truly driven home.
b. A house full of calamity.
• Sometimes the wicked seem to be living the good life in this world… but that is not always the case.
• More often than not the wicked lead miserable lives in the here and now.
• Because of their wicked ways, they make many enemies… who cause much trouble for them.
• Because of their wicked ways, they often do much damage to their own bodies… and have to live with the consequences.
• Because of their wicked ways, they are often brought to justice in this life and end up in prison.
• Or because of their wicked ways, they leave a trail of misery, trouble, and destruction behind them wherever they go… and there are countless consequences of their wickedness in THIS life.
4. The righteous man will WISELY consider the ways of the wicked… and LEARN from his evil ways… and learn from the awful results of such a lifestyle.
a. Prov. 4:14-15 – The righteous observer will learn to AVOID those wicked ways.
Proverbs 21:13
The Cry of the Poor
Introduction:
1. The book of proverbs is designed to give wisdom and discretion to young men (and young women).
2. One of the major ways in which Solomon teaches wisdom is by pointing out the consequences of our actions, as he does here.
3. It is the old “you reap what you sow” theme that has appeared in many different settings in this book.
4. Here Solomon speaks about the consequences of being a heartless, stingy scrooge… a selfish miser who ignores the plight of others.
5. This proverb doesn’t tell us to DO anything… it simply sets forth the consequences of actions.
6. The application is not stated because it is obvious: don’t do it! Don’t be like the man in this proverb!
A. The Cry of the Poor
1. Cry:
a. Outcry; cry of distress; crying out for aid or help; a cry of distress because of war; destruction; pestilence; or poverty.
b. Theological Workbook of the Old Testament: A cry from a disturbed heart, in need of some kind of help.
c. It is a cry for help, but it is also an expression of need.
2. Poor: Lowly; poor; weak; needy; oppressed.
a. Solomon is speaking of a poor man who is suffering great need.
b. This poor man not only has a need, but he is crying out loud for help.
c. Perhaps he is hungry and cold. Perhaps he has no food for his children…
d. Perhaps he has been injured and is unable to work—in the days before workman’s comp. and unemployment checks.
e. Note carefully that Solomon’s description of this man is that he is poor.
• He is not described as being lazy. I think it is assumed that poverty is his real problem—not laziness.
• He is not described as being an alcoholic. There is no hint here that the reason for his poverty is a drug or alcohol addiction.
• II Thess. 3:10 – That is a whole different picture. For those folks Paul gives us some good advice: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”
• Prov. 21:25 – The desire of the slothful kills them. There are consequences for such behavior.
• Prov. 23:21 – The drunkard and the glutton SHALL come to poverty. That is God’s plan for such behavior.
• Prov. 21:12 – Consider what we just saw in the previous verse in Proverbs: There are serious built in consequences to wicked (lazy) behavior, and the righteous would do well to observe and take note!
f. As Christians, we should be discerning in giving to those in need.
• Not all those who are suffering from poverty SHOULD be helped.
• Some will only learn by experiencing the painful consequences to their behavior.
• However, we can’t always KNOW the real reason for a man’s poverty… although sometimes it’s obvious.
g. The kind of person Solomon is describing in verse 13 appears to be a man who is simply “poor.”
• No reason for his poverty is given.
• However, in light of what Solomon says elsewhere in the book about laziness and reaping what we sow, it can be assumed that this man is poor… and it is not his fault.
• Honest, hard working, diligent men CAN become poor!
3. We should not automatically assume that a man is poor because of his sin.
a. It is true that the book of Proverbs lists a whole host of SINS that result in poverty. We are warned against becoming poor by engaging in those sins.
b. But that does not mean that ALL poor people are therefore engaged in those sins.
c. We should be careful about that kind of attitude, because in this economy, any one of us could end up poor!
d. Prov. 19:1 – The poor can be godly and upright: Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
e. Prov. 28:11 – The poor can be wise: The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.
f. Jas. 2:5 – The poor can be rich in faith: Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love Him?
g. Mark 12:42 – The poor can be generous in giving: The widow who gave her last mite.
4. Thus, some poor men may CRY OUT in their poverty, crying out for help… for compassion…
a. This seems to be what Solomon had in mind in this proverb.
b. Solomon pictures a man in genuine need. He is poor, and perhaps hungry and cold.
c. He is crying out for help.
B. Whoso Stoppeth His Ears At the Cry of the Poor
1. Stopping one’s ears.
a. To not listen and respond to a visual or audible situation; to refuse to listen to…
b. It is used figuratively to mean “to ignore”…
c. Acts 7:57 – Here men stopped their ears.
• But notice that these men KNEW what Steven was saying.
• They blocked their ears because they did not want to hear any more.
• This implies that they blocked their ears out of conviction.
• Steven spoke truth and they didn’t want to hear it… so they ran to SILENCE the truth by killing him.
d. Solomon is speaking of a man who HEARS the cries of the poor, but (figuratively speaking) puts his fingers in his ears to prevent him from hearing any more.
• They are crying out for help… perhaps requesting food or money… and he resolves NOT to give them a hearing… he turns them away.
e. Thus, this proverb speaks about being directly confronted by poverty… face to face… and hearing the cry… the appeal to help them in their need.
• He is not talking about poverty in general—the problem of world poverty.
• He is speaking about a man who comes across the path of a poor man as he goes about his daily business.
• This is a situation similar to the men whose pathways intersected with a man who was beaten and robbed, in the story of the Good Samaritan.
b. Luke 10:30-34 – The Good Samaritan helped this man.
• The man was beaten and robbed. He is poor now!
• A priest saw him and stopped his eyes.
• A Levite saw him—maybe he even heard him groaning—and stopped his ears from the cry of this poor man.
• But the Samaritan looked, listened, and HELPED!
• He DID something for this poor man.
• And notice that he did not set out to cure world poverty.
• In God’s Providence, the Lord arranged circumstances such that their paths crossed that day.
• These three men heard the cries of this poor, suffering man.
• He was weak, suffering, beaten, and had no money.
• The Good Samaritan did what he could to help.
• The other two men IGNORED his plight.
f. What kind of man would stop his ears at the cry of the poor?
a. The kind of man James describes!
b. Jas. 2:15-16 – Be warmed and filled!
• Here is a man who is directly confronted with a poor man in his need.
• He has the ability to help… he hears the cry for help…
• But he does nothing other than to say, “Be ye warmed and filled.”
• This man ignored the poor man’s plight.
1. In the second part of this proverb, Solomon speaks about the consequences of “stopping one’s ears.”
a. There are consequences for NOT doing something in this case.
b. Here God states that there are consequences for the selfish miser who ignores the plight of others.
2. The consequence of demonstrating a lack of compassion:
a. He shall cry one day and not be heard.
b. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the man will become poor and cry out for food or clothing.
c. But it does state that he will have a NEED some day… a deep need, and will cry out for relief… but relief shall not be found.
d. In other words, you reap what you sow.
e. Matt. 7:2 – we are judged according to the standards with which we judge others.
• Those who cold heartedly judged that those in need are “on their own” will be judged by that same standard.
• He will discover the hard way that that is not the best standard for dealing with those in need!
3. Deut. 15:7-11 – the Law of Moses required Jews to help a poor brother, just as the New Testament requires us to help a poor brother. (I John 3:17-18)
a. The Jew in Solomon’s example will be judged for not helping the poor man whose cries he ignored.
b. This was done in defiance of the revealed will of God… it was contrary to the Law of Moses.
c. This was no sin of ignorance… but was calculated and deliberate. (You don’t stop your ears by accident!)
4. Of course the opposite is true too. Those who ignore the poor shall be judged; and those who DO give to the poor shall be rewarded.
a. Prov. 28:27 – He that giveth to the poor shall not lack.
b. God rewards gracious generosity with gracious generosity.
5. It is not our responsibility to resolve world hunger.
a. Both Testaments state that the poor we will always have.
b. Poverty will never be cured until the Kingdom.
c. But it IS our responsibility to help those in need whom God sovereignly brings our way… and intersects their need with our ability to help… especially the brethren.
d. Col. 3:12 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness…”
e. This is the robe of the new creature in Christ.
Proverbs 21:14
Gifts and Rewards Work
14a A gift in secret pacifieth anger:
A. The Terms
1. A gift:
a. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Present; i.e., an object given freely to another as a token of relationship and good will.
b. Its basic meaning is something given.
c. Various forms of this verb appear in the Old Testament some 2,000 times (give; something given).
d. Therefore, it has quite a variety of meanings depending upon the context.
e. Sometimes the term clearly means a bribe. (Ex: Prov. 15:27)
f. In Num.18:11 it is used of a gift given to God as an offering.
2. Secret:
a. Strong’s: Hidden; covered; secret place.
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: covering; veil; i.e., that which covers something to make it secret from another; concealed; not publicly known.
3. Pacify anger:
a. Pacify: Sooth; subdue; pacify; calm; appease.
b. Anger: Literally the term means “nose”; but it came to be used of anger, wrath, resentment, hot-tempered.
• It was a graphic “picture” of anger as seen in one’s flared nostrils…
• The term was used figuratively simply of anger and wrath.
1. Reward:
a. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: (3 usages)
• Gift; present; i.e., something given without an explicit quid pro quo, but implies a relationship of favor.
• Tribute; i.e., a gift given as a political instrument between governments (1Kings 15:19)
• Bribe; i.e., a gift given to influence an outcome or hire services, usually with a specific quid pro quo (Ex. 23:8).
b. Each definition of this term implies (to varying degrees) a gift given… that is not purely gracious.
c. The term is used most often of outright bribes.
2. A reward in the bosom
a. This is a gift placed in someone’s bosom… in the place on the body where a person would be embraced.
b. It implies a gift that someone would hold affectionately near their heart.
3. Strong wrath.
a. Strong: Of great force fortified; intense; fierce; harsh.
b. Wrath: Hot displeasure; indignation; burning anger, rage.
• This is a more intense term than anger in the first part of the proverb.
4. Notice that there is no verb in the second half of the proverb. The verb from the first half of the proverb is implied here.
a. In other words, “A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom PACIFIES strong wrath.”
b. This is a Synthetic parallelism – a poetic form in which each part of the proverb BUILDS upon or expands the thought in the previous section.
The Problem of Application
1. This proverb is a bit problematic, because the terminology Solomon uses sounds like he is talking about bribes.
a. He states that they work… they pacify anger and strong wrath.
b. If Solomon IS talking about bribes in this proverb, note that he is not endorsing them.
c. All he does is make a statement about them: They work! They pacify anger.
2. However, in light of what he wrote elsewhere, it is not possible that he is encouraging his readers to use bribes!
a. Prov. 15:27 – He that hateth gifts shall live.
b. Prov. 17:23 – A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.
c. Prov. 29:4 – The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
d. Ecc. 7:7 – Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
e. Solomon had a lot to say about bribes. The use of money and gifts to purchase political favor did not begin with Chicago politics… and it won’t end there either. It has been around for many centuries.
f. Because of the many warnings AGAINST the use of bribes, it seems unlikely that Solomon would encourage their use in Chapter 21.
4. The situation Solomon has in mind here is one in which someone is facing the ANGER from another person.
a. In case you haven’t noticed, this happens a LOT—in all kinds of settings.
b. When someone is really angry at you, Solomon states that gifts work! They can appease the wrath. They can disarm the anger… and defuse a potentially nasty situation.
c. Of course, this is not the ideal way to deal with wrath.
• A gift never gets to the heart of the problem that caused the wrath in the first place.
• But for the immediate—a gift often works to sooth the wrath… to pacify the angry person.
• Perhaps after the soothing has taken place, then some profitable conversation can be had that really does get to the root of the problem.
d. That’s another issue. All Solomon says here is that gifts work. It’s hard to remain angry at someone who brought you a nice gift.
5. Solomon’s point here is that a gift given privately, pacifies anger… it sooths an angry person; it appeases their wrath.
a. Gifts were very much a part of Oriental culture.
b. Gifts came in all different sizes; they were given with various motives; they sometimes came with strings attached; some were purely gracious in nature; others were outright bribes; some meant “I’m sorry.” Others meant “I owe you for what you did for me.” Some were tit for tat. Some gifts were nothing more than a payment of a debt.
c. The reasons gifts were given varied widely: from the purely gracious to the downright crooked bribes… like Chicago politics.
d. I Chron. 18:2 – And he (David) smote Moab; and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts. (Defeated nations don’t bring birthday gifts to the one who conquered them. These gifts were required taxes.)
3. The difference here is the PURPOSE of the gift.
a. The same terms are used to describe outright bribes (which Solomon clearly condemns) and innocent gifts given with a right spirit.
b. The terms used might be the same; the gift itself might be the same, but the purpose behind the gift could vary greatly.
c. But regardless of the purpose, gifts are effective ways of influencing people.
• Prov. 17:8 – Gifts DO influence people. They “prosper.”
• Prov. 18:16 – They can influence a person to “promote” one to a higher position. (brownie points)
• Prov. 19:6 – Everyone is a friend to one who gives gifts. (Not genuine friendship—but a gift is an effective tool nonetheless)
4. Some gifts were given out of common courtesy in Bible times.
a. I Sam. 9:7 – Considered essential on all visits of business.
b. Some gifts were given on special occasions. We give gifts on birthdays and on Christmas. The Jews gave gifts on a special day they called Purim—in the book of Esther.
c. Some gifts were given as a way to say “thank you.” (As today, we sometimes give small gifts as a thank you for hospitality extended or for some other act of kindness.)
5. But what Solomon describes in this proverb is a gift that is given to PACIFY anger.
a. Here the motive is not purely gracious.
b. This gift is given with a specific purpose in mind.
c. We have some examples of this type of gift in the Bible too.
d. Gen. 32:20 – “And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.”
• Here we have the example of Jacob pacifying the wrath of Esau.
• Esau was angry at Jacob for (in his mind) robbing him of his birthright when he was starving.
• He had a point! Jacob was kind of slippery and dishonest towards his brother.
• Now the two are about to meet after Jacob having been away for decades.
• To “appease” his wrath, Jacob sends a large and valuable gift from his herds.
• Clearly this was done to pacify Esau and soften him up a bit.
• This was not a birthday present; it wasn’t given out of pure grace.
• It was a way for Jacob to say, “I’m sorry. Please don’t hold that against me. Let’s make up and be friends.”
e. I Sam. 25:27,28, 35 – The example of Abigail pacifying the wrath of David against her husband, Nabal.
• In this account, Nabal had refused to provide any food for David and his men after they had been treated so well by them. (Flocks protected.)
• David was so angry, he determined to fight against Nabal and kill him and his men.
• Abigail hearing of this, decided to PACIFY David’s anger by bringing him a gift—a large and generous supply of food for him and his hungry men.
• It worked. In fact, it worked so well, David ended up taking her as his wife—after Nabal died.
6. This is the sort of gift that Solomon describes in Prov. 21:14.
a. It is a gift that is given with the intention of INFLUENCING a person. Though it is not a gift given out of pure grace, it is also not a bribe.
b. You are not trying to influence them to do something illegal or immoral.
c. Rather, it is a gift designed to persuade or influence them (in a good sense) to be calm… and to put away their anger… to make up and be friends again.
d. Solomon’s point is that they WORK. They DO pacify anger and strong wrath.
e. They worked for Jacob and Abigail. They have worked in countless other situations too.
f. They might work in your house too.
• Sometimes a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates can be used to appease the anger of a wife upset with her husband… for something dumb, mean, or thoughtless that he did or said.
• Diamonds work even better, but they are very expensive!
• Sometimes a gift is a great way to say, “I’m sorry. I should not have said what I said… or did what I did. Will you forgive me?”
g. Even between friends, there might be a time when a small gift will go a long way in letting someone know that you want peace… sort of like a peace offering…
7. Of course the gift is just an immediate stop gap… a temporary solution.
a. Once the anger has been appeased… and emotions have settled down, then we should take advantage of the temporary cease fire to discuss the issue that cause the anger in the first place!
b. Getting to the heart of the problem is the real goal.
Proverbs 21:15
The Joy of Justice
1. Judgment:
a. Judgment; justice; law legal verdict; sentence in a court of law.
b. In this context, the term could have a wide range of meaning.
• Doing what is right in daily life… (treating people fairly)
• Receiving justice in a court of law…
• Justice legislated nationally… (just and fair laws)
• Equitable treatment in the workplace…
• Doing justice before God… (Walking in obedience to His righteous character.)
c. Judgment and justice are qualities that can and should be demonstrated and lived out in all settings.
2. The Just:
a. Just: A righteous man; a justified man.
b. This is an expression that speaks of those who are born again; those who have been justified by faith, like their father Abraham.
c. People were saved in the Old Testament. They were called the “just.” They were saved exactly as we are today: by grace through faith.
d. The term could also refer to a person’s character in a secular sense: a righteous, law abiding citizen who is just before the Law.
e. Thus, the term doesn’t necessarily imply salvation, but it CAN.
3. People who are just and righteous LIVE that way.
a. They DO judgment. They practice judgment.
• In their daily lives they DO what is right.
• They obey the laws of the land.
• They delight in seeing the laws of the land upheld and obeyed.
• They are dismayed to see people trampling over the rule of law in the land… and openly disobeying the laws of the land. That is disturbing to the just…
b. Those who are just also DO what is just and right according to the legal system of the land.
• They do not put themselves above the law, but abide BY the law. They DO judgment.
c. Those who are just also DO judgment in the workplace.
• They treat everyone fairly and justly.
• There are no backroom shenanigans wherein those who are on the “inside” get treated one way, and those who are on the “outside” of their little club are treated differently.
• Everyone gets a fair shake. There is no respect of persons.
d. In the spiritual realm, they obey the Law of the Lord.
• They delight in the righteousness and justice found in God’s Word.
e. Those who are just DO (practice) judgment and justice.
4. The MAIN point of this first part of the proverb is that the just LOVE doing justice!
a. It is a JOY to them.
b. Joy: A cause of happiness; delight; gladness; cheerfulness; pleasure.
c. Nobody has to FORCE them to do what is right.
d. They don’t need their arms twisted to do the right thing.
e. They practice justice because they LOVE justice.
f. Doing what is right brings joy to their hearts.
g. Psa. 112:1 – Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.” (which are righteous)
h. Rom. 7:22 – “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.” The true believer has JOY and delight in the righteousness found in God’s Word.
i. Jesus said, “I delight to do thy will O God!”
5. Note the connection between the act and the character of the man.
a. A righteous man will practice righteousness.
b. A just man will practice justice.
c. They do so because they love it… it is a joy to them.
d. They do so because it is part of their character.
e. Justice, truth, and righteousness can all be practiced in the daytime… in the light… for all to see. There is nothing to hide.
f. But injustice and unrighteousness are very different. Unjust men have to HIDE their unjust deeds so no one will see… and so they won’t get caught.
g. Unjust men practice injustice because it is their character to do so. Just men practice righteousness… justice.
h. You can tell a lot about the character of a person by observing what they practice… how they live… what they DO.
6. Birds of a feather flock together.
a. A just man is very comfortable in the realm of justice.
• He sees injustice and wants to change it.
• Where he sees injustice that won’t change, he avoids it.
b. An unjust man is uncomfortable in the realm of justice.
• He doesn’t want to fix or change injustice; he thrives on it!
• He seeks to take advantage of it.
c. We see examples of this in the local church setting too.
• Most often unsaved people feel uncomfortable in a Bible preaching church.
• John 3:19-20 – Darkness shies away from the light.
• Teaching from a just and righteous book makes unjust and unrighteous men uncomfortable. It is painful.
• Even believers who are not walking with the Lord feel uncomfortable in a local church where righteousness is preached… and even more so if it is LIVED out.
• Those who are not practicing judgment (righteousness; justice) will receive no JOY from righteous living.
• It will be convicting to them. Something to be avoided at all costs.
d. But those who DO practice judgment will want to flock together.
• They receive joy from it.
• It is not a burden for them, but a delight.
• They are not uncomfortable around others who practice judgment. They enjoy their company.
• It is a JOY to the just to do judgment.
1. In the second part of this antithetical proverb, Solomon speaks about those who are NOT just and who do NOT do righteousness.
a. Those who WORK (practice) iniquity are contrasted to those who DO judgment (justice; righteousness).
b. Thus, Solomon divides men up into two distinct groups: those who practice justice and those who practice iniquity.
2. Iniquity: Trouble; sorrow; evil; mischief; calamity.
a. This term is quite broad in its meaning.
• Evil comes in innumerable sizes, shapes, and forms.
b. Of course ALL men are sinners. All men commit iniquity.
c. But once again, Solomon is speaking “character” here.
• Some men’s lives are characterized by working iniquity.
• The lives of all unsaved men are characterized by iniquity.
• But those who are born again CANNOT (habitually practice) commit sin. (I John 3:9)
3. Those who work iniquity are contrasted with those who do judgment in another sense too: in the consequences of their character.
a. Those who practice justice have JOY.
b. Those who practice iniquity have DESTRUCTION.
c. The contrast between their characters couldn’t be clearer. (righteous; iniquitous)
d. The contrast between the consequences of their lifestyles couldn’t be clearer as well. (joy or destruction)
4. Destruction defined and described.
a. Defined: To be broken; destruction; undoing; hardship; ruin; terror.
b. Prov. 21:12 – God overthrows the wicked.
c. Thus, wicked men do NOT like to see justice and judgment in the land… for it means their soon destruction.
d. Justice is their undoing.
e. Prov. 21:10 – The workers of iniquity get no joy from justice. They get their joy from evil things. (They desire it; it is the desire of their heart.)
f. Prov. 15:21 – “Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.”
g. But the pleasures of sin don’t last very long. They get old in a hurry. (There is pleasure in sin “for a season.”)
h. There is JOY in doing what is right. There is nothing but MISERY and destruction in doing that which is unrighteous.
• The workers of iniquity discover that while sin promises pleasure, its pleasures are very short lived.
• Eve was tempted with the pleasurable aspects of the forbidden fruit. But in the end it meant destruction… and misery… and sorrow… grief beyond measure.
• Titus 3:3 – those who live for the pleasures of this world discover that it is deceptive… and it results in being a servant (slave) to lusts… a miserable lifestyle.
• It promises pleasure, but results in slavery… and destruction.
i. The workers of iniquity also discover that instead of experiencing joy from doing what is right, they have to deal with guilt, shame, discouragement, defeat, and much regret.
j. A life of iniquity means destruction of one’s life… slavery…
5. Matt. 7:23 – And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
a. Ultimately, the workers of iniquity will face eternal destruction in the Lake of Fire.
b. That’s probably not what Solomon had in mind in his proverb.
c. The proverbs seem to look at life in THIS world primarily… and the wisdom needed for living on earth.
d. But some of the principles are certainly applicable in the eternal realm as well.
6. Thankfully, VICTORY is provided through faith in Christ Jesus.
a. Rom. 5:1 – Being JUSTIFIED (made righteous) by faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
b. By simple faith, God regenerates a man and changes him from a slave to sin and lust to freedom in Christ.
c. By simple faith, the worker of iniquity is transformed into a righteous man… a just man…
d. And as such, he is then equipped to live a righteous life… DOING what is right before God… walking in the straight and narrow way.
e. He will then discover that it is joy to the just to do judgment.
Proverbs 21:16
Wandering Out of the Way
16a The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding
Wandering out of the way of understanding…
1. The way of understanding
a. This expression is translated variously:
• The way of wisdom
• The way of good sense
• The path of understanding
b. Understanding: To have insight; wisdom; gain understanding; be prudent; be skilled; i.e., have a capacity for understanding; the ability to discern.
c. Way: This term speaks figuratively of a way of life… a pathway in life… a manner or habit of life…
d. The way of understanding is a pathway of life, or a manner of life that is characterized by wisdom and discernment.
e. Prov. 1:3 –Instruction of wisdom (Same word as understanding.)
• The proverbs were written so young men might receive the instruction of wisdom (understanding)
• In a sense, the purpose of the book of Proverbs is that young men might learn walk in the way of understanding… that the young and inexperienced might make the way of wisdom a habit of life.
• It is also valuable for those of us who are NOT young to be reminded about the importance of walking on the pathway of wisdom, discernment, and prudence.
• That’s good for everybody!
2. Wander:
a. To err; wander aimlessly; go astray; stagger.
b. To be deceived.
c. The term is used of a literally wandering…
• Job 12:25 – To stagger like a drunken man.
• Ex. 23:4 – Wandering like an ox or a donkey.
d. Most often it is used in a figurative sense of wandering off morally or spiritually.
• Prov. 7:25 – Wandering in the way of the strange woman. (This would be a wandering in the moral sense.)
• Isa. 28:7 – Strong drink causes men to wander out of the way (morally).
• Ps. 95:10 – Israel erred (wandered) in heart. This would be a combination of moral and spiritual wandering.
• Ps. 119:110 – Erring from God’s precepts.
» When one begins to wander in heart away from the Lord, there is a corresponding wandering away from His Word.
» One wanders away from reading it… then it degenerates into wandering away from where it is taught or preached…
» Ultimately, a wanderer in heart will attempt to block it out of his mind.
» And it is possible to do all this inward wandering, and still appear to be a faithful servant of the Lord in the local church.
» As believers, we know how to cover it up… how to hide the fact that we are wandering on the inside.
• When we have erred from God’s precepts, and have erred in our hearts, we leave ourselves wide open for MORE wandering… deception… seduction… led astray.
» Prov. 12:26 – Wicked men attempt to seduce others (cause them to wander; deceive).
» II Kings 21:9 – Manasseh caused Israel to wander
» Jer. 50:6 – Their shepherds led them astray (deceived them).
• Ps. 119:176 – To wander like a lost sheep.
» When we have wandered in heart and have wandered away from the Word… it will eventually manifest itself in our outward behavior.
» Isa. 53:6 – All we like sheep have gone astray.
» This is our nature. We have ALL wandered away.
• Ezek. 14:11 – Going astray from God.
» This is the real danger. Any deviation out of the straight and narrow path takes us AWAY from God.
» When we wander away from God, we are always headed in the wrong direction. (Idols here – perhaps the world in our lives… or materialism… or some other idol…)
» That’s why we need a Savior…
→ To initially save the unbeliever from the condemnation of sin.
→ Then as believers, we need the Savior to continue to save us from the power of sin in our daily lives.
→ He is our Good Shepherd… and the Good Shepherd seeks to keep us from wandering outside the fold…
3. Here Solomon acknowledges that it is possible for a young person who was at one time IN the way of understanding (for various reasons) to wander OUT of the way.
a. It is possible for those who seem to be heading in the right direction to be led astray.
b. They can be given false information and be led into error.
c. They can be tempted and seduced and thus, led off course.
d. Or, through neglect, they can just begin to wander aimlessly… and head out of the way of understanding.
e. Wandering is part of our nature.
f. If we are not diligently running the race, keeping our eyes on the Lord Jesus… and our heart filled with His Word… then wandering will occur.
g. The purpose of this proverb is to WARN us about wandering… and its dangers.
4. The danger nature of wandering is that it happens so gradually.
a. It starts off with a few wandering steps… that don’t take you too far away… but headed in the wrong direction.
b. And as time goes by, you find yourself drifting farther and farther away.
c. Before you know it, you are gone… way off track.
d. And the way back may not be so easy… or even visible!
1. Those who wander OUT of the way of wisdom, discernment, understanding, and discretion are turning their back on wisdom.
2. This is similar to the picture Solomon painted in Prov. 1 wherein Lady Wisdom was calling out to young men, and they were headed in the opposite direction. They WOULD not listen.
a. Vs. 20 – Lady Wisdom calls out to them… to walk in HER way. (The way of wisdom and understanding.)
b. Vs. 24 – She called but they refused.
c. Vs. 29 – The reason? They hated knowledge and discretion.
d. Vs. 31 – Therefore, they shall eat the fruit of their OWN WAY. (They left the way of wisdom… and there are consequences.)
e. Vs. 32 – They TURNED AWAY from the way of wisdom. And in that turning is their DEATH. It shall slay them.
f. This is basically what Solomon means in Prov. 21:16 when he states that those who wander from the way of understanding end up in the congregation of the dead.
g. The end of that road is death. Sin leads to death ultimately. Death is the END of that road.
3. The congregation of the dead may well refer to the assembly of spirits in sheol (hades) who died without being saved and went to hell… awaiting the resurrection of their bodies, at which time they will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever… the second death.
a. Solomon may have included in this congregation those who are still alive physically, but are spiritually dead… and are walking on the broad road that leads to eternal destruction.
b. The fool who wanders OUT OF the way of life and righteousness and wisdom… has only one other road to follow: he ends up with this crowd…
c. And the broad road is crowded with those who are spiritually dead… and being deceived and led down the wrong pathway in life… the end of which is spiritual condemnation.
4. However, the proverb serves as a warning about the CONSEQUENCES of wandering out of the straight and narrow way… the way of understanding.
a. There are earthly consequences too.
b. When you depart from the way of life, you leave the company of those who are alive (unto God) and end up in the company of and fellowship with the dead (those who are dead to God and spiritual things).
c. That fellowship can have a numbing effect spiritually.
5. Of course the good news is that there is always a way back for those who wander.
a. Gen. – Abraham wandered down into Egypt for a while.
b. What seemed to be a gain was actually a loss spiritually. (Cattle caused division with Lot; Hagar; etc.)
c. But there was a way back for this wanderer… and that way back began by coming back to the altar… at the very place he left… to start over again…
Proverbs 21:17
The Road to Poverty
Introduction:
1. This proverb is a synonymous parallelism. Both sections of the proverb say basically the same thing. It is reworded to drive home the point.
2. This proverb warns that the love of pleasure and luxuries is a sure road to the poor house.
Things That Result in Poverty
1. Prov. 6:9-11 – laziness.
a. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth
2. Prov. 11:24 – stinginess; hoarding
a. There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
3. Prov. 14:23 – Talking, when you should be working.
a. In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
4. Prov. 21:5 – Being “hasty” to get things done; cutting corners; doing things the quick, cheap, and easy way.
a. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want
5. Prov. 23:21 – being a drunkard or a glutton
a. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty.
6. Prov. 28:19 – following vain persons
a. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
7. Prov. 21:17 – Two more reasons for poverty are given:
a. A love for pleasure and a love for luxuries.
b. Hedonism and Epicureanism.
1. Pleasure: Joy, mirth, gladness; a state of happiness, with a focus on sensory input to the body which gives entertainment to the senses.
a. The term is quite the same as our English word for pleasure.
b. In some contexts it can have a positive connotation, (mothers get great pleasure from their kids) and in other contexts a negative connotation (My boss seems to get pleasure out of seeing people suffer.)
2. The positive side of pleasure.
a. God does not expect us to live the life without any pleasure. That is wrong concept of holiness.
b. Godliness is not the same as being a Stoic.
• The term Stoic originally referred to a member of an ancient Greek school of philosophy that asserted that happiness can only be achieved by accepting life’s ups and downs as the products of unalterable destiny. The school was founded around 308 B.C. by Zeno.
• A Stoic came to mean somebody who is unemotional, especially somebody who shows patience and endurance during adversity.
• This is not part of the Christian world view.
c. God is not opposed to pleasure.
• II Tim. 6:17 – God has richly given us all things to enjoy.
• Ps. 104:27 – These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.”
• Ecc. 5:18-19 – God gives us the fruit of our labors to enjoy.
• There is a need for pleasure, and there is a place in life for pleasure.
• We need a day off during the week. We need to get away on a vacation every once in a while.
• God made parts of ordinary life pleasurable: food; relaxation; the physical relationship; hobbies; sports; entertainment.
• There is a need for pleasure in all of our lives.
• It is good for body, soul, and spirit.
• Pleasure is good in its place.
3. The negative side of pleasure.
a. But in this proverb, Solomon isn’t speaking about the positive, healthy side of pleasure.
b. Solomon is writing about the spiritually unhealthy side of pleasure.
c. Like so many things in life, a good thing can be taken too far.
d. Solomon is not speaking about a man who experiences pleasure from time to time, when appropriate.
e. Solomon is speaking about a hedonist: one who lives for pleasure. One who loves pleasure.
f. Pleasure is his goal in life… “Life’s a beach” is his motto.
4. Loving pleasure.
a. Pleasure is not a bad thing.
b. However, the LOVE of pleasure is.
c. Money is not a bad thing either, but the LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
5. Love: To have affection for; to be attracted to; to have a desire for; to have a preference for one thing over another…
a. Pleasure is fine in its place. But it ought NOT to have the place of preeminence in our lives.
b. Pleasure is fine in its place, but we should not LOVE it… in the sense of being dedicated to seeking it.
c. Col. 3:1-3 – Our affections are to be set on things above, not on the things of earth.
d. The things of earth may be USED by God’s people, but they ought not to be ABUSED.
e. I John 2:15 – We are not to LOVE the world or the things of the world. We are to love God with ALL of our heart.
f. II Tim.3:4 – Love can mean to have a preference for one thing over another. Paul writes of those who are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
g. Pleasure is fine in its place, but it CAN (if we allow it) take the place of a god in our lives. It can have the preeminence, which belongs to Christ alone.
h. That’s where pleasure becomes sinful. It’s not a line we can accurately draw for others, but it is a line we can accurately draw for ourselves… because of the indwelling Holy Spirit. He lets us know when enough is enough.
6. Solomon himself knew something about the dark side of seeking for pleasure.
a. Solomon dedicated a portion of his life to seeking pleasure.
b. He did so as a philosophical experiment, to see if pleasure was really worth it… if it was all it was cracked up to be… what it produced… if it was in fact worth pursuing.
c. And as an extremely wealthy king, he was ABLE to carry this experiment out to the fullest.
d. Ecc. 2:1-2 – Solomon put “living for pleasure” to the test and concluded that a life dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure is vanity and madness!
• Vanity: Meaninglessness emptiness; futility; uselessness.
• Mad: Insanity
• It is an empty, worthless pursuit.
• It doesn’t satisfy the soul.
• It doesn’t accomplish anything of lasting value. (What doeth it?)
• It can be a colossal waste of time and money.
e. It seems that half the world is engaged in that same experiment… seeking to satisfy the soul with pleasure, only to discover as Solomon did, that all is vanity!
f. There really is no need to keep on repeating that test. The test has already been made, and the conclusion has already been arrived at.
g. We would do well to BELIEVE God’s Word on this point, rather than waste a portion of our lives on the same empty pursuit.
7. In Prov.21:17, Solomon concludes that the man who pursues pleasure will end up POOR.
a. The end of that road is poverty… the poor house.
b. The lusts of sensuality are extremely expensive… for they are never satisfied, but constantly require more and more… bigger and better…
c. One commentator named Wilmington reworded the thrust of this proverb in a cute little rhyme: “Love pleasure, lose your treasure.”
d. The prodigal son learned this lesson the hard way. He didn’t want to work on his father’s farm. He wanted his inheritance NOW so that he could seek out pleasure. He wasted his substance with riotous living and ended up poor: eating with the swine!
1. Here Solomon speaks about the man who loves wine and oil.
a. These represent luxury items.
b. They were good in their place, but they were not to be LOVED.
c. Pursuing a life of luxury often leads to the opposite: poverty!
2. Solomon is describing an epicurean in this part of the proverb.
a. An epicurean one who is devoted to sensual pleasures and luxury, especially good food.
b. He wants the best food always… and it is but one outward trait of an inner desire for pleasure… to experience the best.
3. The man or woman who always has to have the best often ends up POOR… because he or she cannot always AFFORD the best.
a. He wants to go to the best restaurants (even if he cannot afford it).
b. He has to drive a big, expensive car… and live in an oversized house… and wear the most expensive clothes.
c. This is a person with very expensive taste.
d. That kind of person often ends up poor.
e. He is constantly splurging on himself… spending more than he makes… and before you know it, he’s in debt up to his ears.
f. Expensive, luxury items are ok if you can afford them.
g. But Solomon observed people buying BEYOND their means and noted that their love for luxury was leading them to the poor house!
h. This was a needful warning in his day; but it is a pretty good warning for Americans in the 21st century too.
i. Credit cards make living beyond our means so easy… but it is deadly. It will put you in the poor house.
j. And how timely a reminder… especially as our country and world experience a terrible economic downturn.
4. Hedonism (love of pleasure) and Epicureanism (love of luxuries) ought to be replaced with a love for the Lord and learning to be CONTENT in whatever state we find ourselves. (Phil.4:11)
a. Those who indulge in carnal pleasures will not become rich in this life; but also they are usually not too rich in spiritual things either.
Proverbs 21:18
Ransom for the Righteous
The Meaning of the Proverb
1. This proverb is not saying that wicked men shall REDEEM the righteous.
a. This concept of the ransom in this passage is not soteriological: it has nothing to do with atonement for sin or salvation.
• This proverb has it backwards with respect to a ransom for sin.
• A ransom for sin involved an innocent victim offered instead of the guilty party.
• Christ, the sinless Lamb of God was a ransom for our sins… we who are guilty sinners.
b. According to man’s justice the guilty are punished and pay a price for the sake of the righteous… that the righteous may be delivered.
• When a lawless criminal breaks into the home of an innocent family and does much damage to the home, if he is caught, the “wicked pays a ransom” for the righteous.
• He may go to jail. He may have to pay restitution.
• In a court of human justice, the wicked and the transgressors are the ones who are to pay the price.
• The guilty criminal is punished, and the innocent is cleared… delivered… “ransomed” by the guilty.
c. Divine love is the opposite. The just pays the price for the unjust!
• I Pet. 3:18 – “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.”
2. But in our proverb, Solomon is not talking about love which results in a ransom price for sin, but he’s talking about justice.
a. And Solomon noted that sometimes in God’s providence, wicked men who seek to harm the righteous become themselves the victims of a strange sort of providential justice.
• Here Solomon speaks of the wicked as a ransom for righteous. (Sometimes the unjust pays a price for the just—backwards.)
• This is not a ransom for sin or salvation.
• We know it is not because God does accept the sacrifice of the wicked as a payment for sin.
• Prov. 21:27 – The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to God.
• A proper interpretation of this verse must define “ransom” as something other than a “ransom for sin.”
b. Solomon seems to be using the term “ransom” in a generic sense. Sometimes the term simply means “a price paid.”
• Sometimes the term was used for shekels paid by each male to prevent divine judgment.
• It was also used of money used to buy off enemies (to prevent them from invading).
3. The proverb states that (sometimes but not always—remember, this is a proverb) the wicked pay a price on behalf of the righteous.
a. Sometimes, transgressors end up paying a price on behalf of the upright.
b. There are times when the wicked (who often persecute the righteous) end up paying a price which “sets free” the very righteous people they have persecuted.
c. In ordinary, everyday life, the wicked often cause the righteous to suffer. That’s the way things normally happen in our sin cursed earth.
d. But here Solomon notes an exception to that rule. There are times when the wicked end up paying a price that benefits the godly and the upright.
4. Prov. 11:8 – Here Solomon speaks of times when the wicked plan evil devices to trap the righteous… but the evil are taken in their own traps.
a. Thus, the wicked became their ransom, in the sense that they have become the ransom or substitute for the righteous.
b. The trap was planned by the wicked to cause havoc for the righteous.
c. Maybe you have experienced this.
• Perhaps some hateful person you know planned an elaborate (or maybe a simple) scheme in hopes of doing you harm.
• It could be a verbal trap;.
• It could be that they led you down a pathway they knew would do you harm.
• Or perhaps at work they plotted to make you look like a fool before the boss, and to make themselves look like a geniuses.
d. Sometimes when they plan a trap for the righteous, “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.”
e. Sometimes the evil plans of wicked men against the righteous backfire on them.
f. The wicked end up paying a “ransom” which brings deliverance for the righteous.
5. In the end, one way or another, the wicked will pay; if not in this life, in the life to come.
a. It seems like the wicked get away with murder in this life.
b. The wicked prosper in the world and the righteous often suffer.
c. But in the end, the wicked will pay because the wages of sin is death.
d. Sooner or later this truth will catch up with the wicked, and in God’s time, the righteous will be delivered. (ransom)
e. It may be in this life, but not necessarily. It may be in the life to come… but eventually, justice will prevail.
f. However, in this proverb, Solomon seems to hint that often even in THIS LIFE, there are times when God turns the tables on wicked men… and they become a ransom for the righteous…
The Illustration of the Proverb
1. Haman was hung for (in the place of) the righteous Mordecai.
a. The book of Esther is full of intrigue.
b. In God’s providence, a Jewish woman, Esther became queen in Persia; yet her identity as a Jew was not known.
c. During those days another man rose to prominence: the wicked Haman. He hated the Jews.
d. What really caused him such hatred was the fact that Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, would not honor him and bow before him.
e. To take out his vengeance against Mordecai and his people, the Jews, Haman devised a plot to have all the Jews slaughtered throughout the entire Persian Empire.
f. To make his plot complete, Haman had gallows built on which he planned to have Mordecai hanged.
g. But his evil plot backfired. The king turned against Haman and favored Mordecai.
h. Esther 7:9-10 – In God’s providence, Haman was hung on the very gallows he had built to hang Mordecai.
i. Mordecai and the Jewish people were delivered, and the wicked Haman was hung. This was more than just poetic justice in a story line. This was real justice!
j. Prov. 11:8 – The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
k. Or, in the words of our proverb tonight: The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
l. The wicked transgressor Haman ended up as the ransom that delivered Mordecai, Esther, and the Jewish people.
2. Achan was stoned as a ransom for the camp of righteous Israel.
a. Here we have another historical illustration of this principle.
b. As the Jews invaded Jericho, they were specifically commanded NOT to take any booty.
c. Josh. 7:21 – But Achan violated his orders. He stole some expensive Babylonian clothing and some gold bars and hid them.
d. As a result of Achan’s sin, after defeating the larger city of Jericho, the Jews were defeated by the small city of Ai.
e. Achan’s sinful actions put the whole nation of Israel at risk of Divine wrath and judgment.
f. Josh. 7:1 – Notice that it says that “the children of Israel committed a trespass” in the accursed thing FOR Achan took of the accursed thing.
g. The sin of Achan was imputed to the whole nation. The whole nation was held accountable for his sin.
h. And if they did nothing about it, the whole nation would have been judged for his sin.
i. Sin was found in the camp… and the camp would have to pay a price.
j. Joshua 7:24-26 – Achan was judged for his sin. The wicked sinner was executed… and he became (in a sense) a ransom for the rest of the camp.
k. “The Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger.”
l. “The wicked (Achan) shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
3. Sheba was beheaded as a ransom to deliver an innocent city.
a. In II Sam. 20, we have the account of Joab’s army chasing a man named Sheba. He was a rebel against David.
b. Now he is being hunted by David’s military leader, Joab.
c. Sheba entered the city called Abel. The city was laid siege, and all the people stood the risk of being starved to death or being killed.
d. II Sam. 20:16-22 – An old wise woman of the city called over the city wall for Joab.
• Joab explained to her that the wicked Sheba was hiding in the city… using them as human shields… hiding behind them.
• The wise old woman realized how serious Joab was. Her beloved city might be destroyed!
• Thus, she promised Joab that she would have Sheba’s head thrown over the wall… which is exactly what she did.
• As a result, Sheba paid a price (his own head) which delivered an innocent city.
e. “The wicked (Sheba) shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.”
f. His head became the ransom price for the righteous.
4. Sometimes the wicked suffer in the place of the righteous. In that sense, they are “like” a ransom for them.
Proverbs 21:20
Saving vs. Spending
Introduction:
1. This is a simple proverb, comparing the actions of the wise and the foolish.
2. In particular this proverb speaks of finances: handled wisely or foolishly.
3. It is an antithetical parallelism – contrasting two opposite views in the scope of one short proverb: saving vs. spending
4. Perhaps we should send a copy of this proverb to the chairman of the Federal Reserve, and our treasury secretary… and to congress and to the White House.
Treasure Saved
1. “Treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise.”
a. Treasure:
• Defined: Storehouses of supplies; treasure (gold, silver, etc). or supplies of food or drink.
• Solomon is obviously speaking about earthly treasures here: Supplies; money; food supplies; etc.
• And the term is used in a positive sense. Having a treasure here is spoken of as good.
• The proverbs are intended to be very practical for everyday life.
b. Oil:
• Oil here spoke of olive oil. It was a basic commodity.
• It was relatively expensive, but it was needed for cooking, anointing, cleansing, medicinal, and other uses.
• It was often used figuratively to represent expensive luxury items… riches and plenty. That seems to be case in this proverb.
c. Desired: These items were desirable.
• Desired: to desire; covet; take pleasure in; delight in.
• Solomon seems to be using this term in a positive sense too.
• He is not speaking about sinfully coveting or lusting after luxury items.
• Rather, he is speaking about the desirability of having a storehouse of goods, supplies, and money for the future.
• The point is not about hoarding selfishly, but rather planning wisely for the future.
2. The first part of the proverb speaks of the WISE man and his concept of prosperity.
a. It is the WISE man who has a storehouse of goods accumulated and saved for a rainy day in his dwelling.
b. Prov. 6:6-8 – Solomon earlier used the ant as an illustration of this same thought.
• The ant gathers food in the summer.
• Summer represents a “good economic time” when goods are easily available. It is a time of plenty.
• But summer is also a time when some like to relax and take it easy. It is so nice out… why work? Let’s go to the beach!
• But not the ant. The ant is busy when others are relaxing, gathering in her goods for the long, hard winter, when supplies are not so readily available.
• Winter represents an “economic downturn”—something that hardly needs explanation nowadays!
• The winter is harsh and cold. When that time comes, the ants need to be sure that they have enough in store to last through the winter.
• The ant here speaks of being diligent, hard working, frugal, planning ahead for the future, and one who SAVES during good times to have enough for the bad times.
• The ant is our friend… and a great example for us all.
c. The wise man’s view of prosperity is through saving.
• The wise man has a storehouse of treasure in his dwelling because he (like the ant) saved it up.
• He put some aside for a rainy day… for hard economic times.
• When Joseph was made prime minister of Egypt, this was exactly the economic advice that he gave to the Pharaoh.
» He warned the Pharaoh that there would be 7 years of prosperity followed by 7 years of famine.
» His advice was that they should store up during the good economic years in preparation for the bad times.
» That was wisdom in operation, and it saved the Egyptian Empire, perhaps from total collapse.
• The Lord Jesus also taught His disciples to be frugal.
» The Lord fed the multitudes fish and bread.
» That was surely a “good day.”
» But He told the disciples to gather up the left overs that they did not waste any.
d. The wise man’s view of prosperity is through the making of long range goals… planning ahead for the future.
• The wise man did not live lavishly for the moment.
• He had long range goals in his planning.
• Because he salted some away during good times, his dwelling place continually had a stockpile of the goods and funds he needed.
e. His view of prosperity is to portion out today’s income in order to salt some away for tomorrow.
• He was frugal today so that he will have enough for tomorrow.
• He pinched his pennies in order to make them last.
• He didn’t spend more than he made.
• He didn’t borrow more than he could pay back.
• He didn’t live above his means.
• To use today’s vernacular: he didn’t buy more house than he could afford!
• Nobody had to bail him out.
3. The end result of the WISE man’s view of prosperity: he has enough treasure and oil to get by for now and he has enough for the future.
a. The desirable items are found in his house because he was WISE.
b. There is s direct connection often in the Proverbs between wisdom and having our needs met.
c. Of course, these are proverbs and do not cover every possible scenario.
d. Remember that Solomon also wrote that time and chance happen to all men.
e. Sometimes wise planning and frugal living leave men in poverty—especially if the entire economy fails… or a new, unforeseen invention makes his business obsolete.
f. There are lots of exceptions to the truth in this proverb, but the general truth still stands: all things being equal, wise planning and frugal living results in a house full of desirable treasures.
g. Also note here the term “dwelling.”
• This term simply means abode; a personal dwelling place; a home; also used of a pasture for sheep.
• The point to note is that Solomon is not speaking about a palace where one finds great treasures.
• He seems to be speaking about the average home… (some translated it cottage).
• The kind of wise, frugal, living and planning Solomon describes here works for paupers as well as kings.
• Those who are relatively poor can be wise and plan ahead. They will normally have enough for today and tomorrow.
Treasure Spent
1. Next Solomon describes the other side of the coin: “But a foolish man spendeth it up.”
2. Note the two main contrasts here:
a. Wise man and a fool
b. Saving (treasuring up) and spending.
3. Spend: To swallow down, swallow up, eat up, devour, consume, (Jonah was swallowed up by the great fish—same word.)
a. The wise man is a saver (treasures up); the foolish man is a consumer (spender).
b. The foolish man spends money as soon as he gets it.
c. Money seems to fall through holes in his pockets.
d. When good times come economically, instead of saving for bad times which will eventually come… he decides to blow his money on having a good time.
4. But the expression “spending it up” is much deeper than a financial matter.
a. It’s not JUST that he’s not good with money.
b. The deeper issue is one of the heart.
c. It demonstrates a heart attitude of “living for today”… a “here and now” mentality.
d. It is similar to the thinking of Esau. He was hungry and wanted his porridge NOW… and didn’t care if it meant a loss in the future (he lost his birthright).
e. The fool cares only about feeding his desires NOW; he cares only about experiencing pleasure NOW.
f. Prov. 20:17 – The fool loves to SPEND.
g. It is shortsighted thinking that Solomon describes in this portion of the proverb… and it is foolish.
h. Another example is the prodigal son.
• He took his inheritance early. He wanted his goods NOW.
• And he did not use it wisely. He spent it up quickly and foolishly on riotous living.
• And then we are told that a famine struck the land (bad economic times).
• During the economic downturn, the prodigal son had nothing. His house was not full of treasures and oil. His cupboards were bare.
• He ended up eating chaff and husks with the swine… not a very flattering ending to his spending spree.
5. The obvious point of the second part of this proverb (though not stated) is that the fool loves to “spend it up” and as a result there is nothing left!
a. He ends up poor. He doesn’t have a storehouse of goods and supplies. He has nothing.
b. He loves to spend his money on pleasure. He loves to consume all his wine and oil. He’s a big spender.
c. Prov. 21:17 – “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
d. Prov. 23:20-21 – “Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty.”
Proverbs 21:21
Following Righteousness
21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Introduction:
1. This proverb makes some basic assumptions about the human psyche:
a. Everyone desires a good life.
b. Everyone also wants justice – to be treated fairly.
c. Everyone also seeks honor and respect from others.
2. These are some core goals that all men everywhere desire. They are universal aspirations of mankind.
a. They transcend political, financial, social, racial, and even religious boundaries.
b. Everybody aspires to living a good life, to have others treat them fairly, and to be respected.
c. From an earthly perspective, a good life might be defined as being able to raise a family, have friends, and have basic physical needs met.
d. It is possible to live a good life like that in virtually ANY political environment… any set of social conditions… and regardless of how well the stock market is doing.
e. These basic human aspirations have nothing to do with politics or finances.
3. We are not talking about a spiritual life here, but rather, Solomon is speaking about normal earthly life for the citizens of his country.
a. It is possible for these goals to be achieved in ANY country—regardless of the circumstances.
b. A country or a people would be in mighty good shape (humanly speaking) if its population believed that they had a good life (basic needs being met), if they believed that they were being treated fairly – with justice, and if they were respected (and not being trampled over).
c. Even if the economy completed tanked, and the people felt that their leaders were treating them fairly (the leaders were not living in opulence while the general population was starving), IF the people felt they were treated fairly and those in power respected them and were not taking advantage of them—that nation would handle their economic woes WELL.
d. If that was NOT the case—and the people felt they were being abused or not treated fairly, there would quite likely be an uprising… riots… mob violence.
4. As a king, and as a keen observer of human nature, Solomon KNEW the importance of these universal aspirations to the general populace.
a. If those goals are obtained, it makes for content citizens and for a peaceful country.
b. Life, righteousness, and honor for Solomon’s kingdom might be compared to seeking after “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in America.
c. They are almost like basic human rights for every citizen.
5. In this proverb, Solomon tells us the somewhat surprising MEANS by which those goals are achieved.
Life, righteousness, and honour.
Once again we note that EVERYBODY wants these things: life, righteousness, and honor. But NOT everybody has them.
LIFE
1. Solomon is not speaking about life in the literal sense of biological life.
a. Rather, he is using the term as he often does to speak of “a life worth living”—a good life… an abundant, full life.
b. Prov. 3:18 – Solomon spoke of wisdom as a “tree of life” for those who practice wisdom. (A fruitful life.)
c. Prov. 4:13 – Instruction is spoken of as “life.”
d. Prov. 4:20-22 – Keeping and attending to the words of wisdom in the book of Proverbs would be “life” and “health” for those who find them… and keep them.
e. Prov. 8:32-35 – One who finds wisdom finds “life.”
2. The term “life.”
a. In each of the examples above, Solomon uses the word “life” to refer to a good, wholesome, healthy, fruitful, upright life worth living. (And who doesn’t want a life worth living?)
b. It means more than simply possessing biological life; it is used also of the experiencing of living life… a good, healthy, prosperous life lived to the fullest.
c. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament defined life this way: “Life is the ability to exercise all one’s vital power to the fullest.”
3. All men hope to find “life.”
a. Men who already possess biological life seek to have a fruitful, happy, prosperous, abundant, meaningful life.
b. By the good life he is not necessarily speaking of becoming rich, powerful, and famous—just having basic needs met… having friends and family…
c. This kind of life is what all men everywhere aspire to.
d. This proverb states that such a life IS obtainable!
RIGHTEOUSNESS
1. Defined: This term means righteousness, truthfulness, justice, innocent, free of charge—free of guilt.
2. People want to be TREATED righteously, fairly, justly.
a. Deut. 24:12-13 – A poor man may be forced to give his outer garment as a “pledge” or security to buy food for his family. It was an act of “righteousness” for the lender to give him his pledge back at night—for that is what kept him warm. It was his sleeping bag.
b. It would be considered cruel and unfair if the wealthy took advantage of the poor to such a degree that they took the very coat off their back and held it as collateral for a loan… and forced them to sleep out in the cold.
c. All people want justice – fairness in the way others treat them.
3. Kids want to be treated fairly by their parents. (No favorites; they want their parents to keep their word; etc.)
4. Spouses want to be treated righteously… fairly… justly. Nobody wants to be mistreated.
5. Workers also desire to be treated fairly. Who likes to see preferential treatment for unqualified workers who are related to the boss… or string pulling… or outright discrimination?
6. Nobody’s happy when the CEO’s of AIG are getting multimillion dollar bonuses for bankrupting the company and losing billions of their customers’ dollars. That’s not fair.
7. Citizens of a country want to be treated fairly too. When a citizen obeys the rules, follows the law, and sees others who do NOT getting preferential treatment, it destroys the unity and cohesiveness of that nation.
8. Everybody wants righteousness… justice… to be treated fairly.
9. Unfortunately, around the globe, not everyone IS treated fairly.
HONOR
1. Defined:
a. It sometimes means glory and splendor (used of a king or God). That does NOT seem to be the way Solomon uses it here.
b. The term also is used in the sense of honor, dignity, respect.
2. The average citizen in a country or kingdom has no delusions of grandeur… of ever becoming crowned with royal glory and splendor.
3. But the average citizen DOES expect to be treated with dignity and respect.
a. The average citizen expects to be treated as a human being, and not just a number… or a customer… or a statistic… and not just as one of the meaningless “little people” to be used and discarded at will by the aristocracy.
4. People ARE made in the image of God. There ought to be respect shown because of that—if for no other reason.
5. There is something in the human breast that longs for—almost NEEDS to be treated with honor, dignity, and respect.
6. Everybody wants it—but not everybody gets it.
7. Everybody wants a good life worth living; everybody wants to be treated fairly; everybody wants to be treated with dignity and respect.
a. This is a universal aspiration that Solomon hones in on in this passage.
b. But not everyone OBTAINS that which his heart desires.
c. There are a lot of unhappy, unfulfilled people in the world.
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy
1. Solomon not only puts his finger on the pulse of the core needs of the human psyche, but he also tells us HOW those things are obtained.
2. In the Bible, things are often NOT what they might at first appear.
a. For example: The way up is down! The way to be exalted is to abase oneself.
b. He that is first shall be last.
c. There is that scattereth yet increases.
d. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
e. God’s ways are not our ways… and this proverb is yet another example of that principle.
3. We might ASSUME that if we want life, righteousness, and honor, then we ought to seek it, demand it, fight for it, be assertive, pushy, aggressive, etc.
a. After all, that’s the American way! If you want something bad enough, do whatever you have to do to get it!
4. But Solomon says that the man who obtains life, righteousness, and honor, actually seeks something ELSE in order to obtain them.
5. Follow after righteousness.
a. This term appears twice in this proverb. It is the very same word each time.
b. Solomon now commands his readers to FOLLOW after righteousness.
c. Follow: Follow after; pursue; persecute; run after; strive after; chase after.
i. This is much more than a casual interest in something.
ii. This is an all out pursuit… an ongoing quest…
d. What does it MEAN follow after righteousness?
i. It means to seek to DO that which is righteous.
ii. It means to TREAT others fairly and justly.
iii. Micah 6:8 – O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
iv. This is one of the basics of a God honoring life.
e. In other words, if you want to be TREATED fairly, justly, and righteously by others, then make following righteousness an ongoing pursuit in your life!
f. This is basically the same principle Jesus mentioned: Do unto others (following a life of treating THEM righteously) as you would have others do unto you (treating you fairly).
g. And as a general rule (that’s what a proverb is), if you treat people fairly, they will reciprocate and treat you fairly.
h. Of course there are exceptions to this rule. There are ingrates, and evil men, and self centered men who will not respond properly.
i. But over all, if you have a reputation for treating others fairly, they will respond in treating you fairly.
j. This works at home too! It works with your spouse, your kids, and even your mother in law!
k. It works in the office too. If you follow righteousness and it characterizes your life… and if you have earned a reputation for being fair and just… for the most part, people will respond by treating you fairly.
l. So if you want people to treat you fairly and justly, don’t seek to FORCE them to do so. Don’t DEMAND it of them.
m. The right way to FIND it is to LIVE it.
n. He that follows after righteousness FINDS righteousness.
6. Follow after MERCY.
a. Following after mercy is the means by which a man will FIND life, righteousness, and honor.
b. If you want to live a good, fruitful, abundant life worth living, then don’t follow after THINGS that you might think will cause you to have a rich life.
c. Follow after MERCY.
d. MERCY: Goodness; kindness; faithfulness; loyal love; devotion.
e. To follow mercy implies a life of showing mercy to others… a lifelong pursuit of showing kindness to others… and of demonstrating loyal devotion.
f. Micah 6:8 – “What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
g. If you walk with God (by doing justly to others and loving to show mercy to others, you WILL have a rich, meaningful, honorable life!
7. The one who diligently follows after righteousness and mercy will FIND life, righteousness, and honor.
a. He will find that which the heart of man longs after…
b. He will find that which all men aspire to find—although most men look in the wrong places… and seek after it the wrong way.
c. FIND: Discover; uncover; find; find out.
d. The proverb almost implies a sort of surprise in finding life, righteousness, and honor…
e. It sounds a bit as if the man was seeking to BE righteous and merciful to others, and lo and behold, to his amazement, he made a discovery!
f. In his pursuit of following one thing (being fair and kind to others), he actually discovered something else: a worthwhile life… the meaning of life… a rich life… and he discovered that he himself was treated fairly… and that others honored and respected him!
8. A rich, meaningful life, being treated fairly, and being honored, and respected are the things that all men WANT… but they cannot really be pursued directly.
a. You can’t FORCE people to respect you. You can’t demand it from others.
b. And a rich, meaning, fruitful life is not obtained by force either. You can’t buy it. And you can spend all your days selfishly trying to OBTAIN such a life too, but it will be elusive.
c. It is only obtained, by means of selflessly SHOWING mercy to others… and by BEING fair and just with others… and by dedicating your life to being KIND to others.
d. Then, at the end of that road, the man who followed after righteousness and mercy will look back and discover that his life really was fruitful… meaningful… and honored and respected.
e. Matt. 16:25 – Jesus applied this principle to the spiritual life: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
Proverbs 21.22
Wisdom is Greater than Strength
22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
The City of the Mighty
A. What it represents
1. The city of the mighty speaks of a strong, fortified city.
2. It would be a walled city with high walls that protect the city against invaders.
3. The walls would have high towers on them too—for watchmen to stand watch and warn the city of anything threatening that was approaching.
4. The walls might also be equipped with powerful catapults to fire rocks and other artillery against the enemy.
5. Babylon actually had a two walled system. Invaders who made it over the first wall would then be sitting ducks for those posted on the first wall. It was considered to be doubly safe.
6. The city of the mighty would also have strong fortresses (forts) built at strategic locations around the city.
7. In addition, such cities (city/states) would also have a mighty army, complete with powerful weapons, armor, chariots, spears, shields, and thousands of young, trained soldiers.
8. Thus, those who dwelt in that city (especially within the walls) felt safe and secure.
B. Its strength
1. Mighty: Strong; powerful; pertaining to physical strength.
a. Prov. 30:30 – The lion is said to be the “strongest” (mightiest).
b. Gen. 10:8, 9 – It was used of Nimrod. He was a “mighty” hunter. He was a physically powerful leader and hunter (of men?).
c. It was often used of soldiers (mighty men of war).
d. However, the term ascribes strength and might; it does not imply anything other than physical strength.
e. Nimrod was mighty, but not spiritual.
f. Lions may be the strongest, but not necessarily the wisest beast.
g. The average soldier may have been strong in battle, but not necessarily skilled in military strategy.
2. This term speaks of raw physical might, power, and strength.
a. The mighty city had stone walls; brass shields; stockpiles of ammunition; a trained army; stone fortresses; towers; etc.
b. And certainly from a human perspective, (all other things being equal), a mighty city is far better than a weak city.
c. A strong army is better than a weak army.
d. A walled city is better than an unwalled city.
e. A city protected by a fort is safer than a city without a fort.
C. Its confidence
1. Confidence: A state of trust; reliance or confidence; object of trust, what one believes in or has confidence in.
a. Ezek. 29:14-16 – Egypt had become the “confidence” of Israel. They trusted in Egypt to protect them against invaders instead of the Lord. They put their faith and trust in Egypt. It became their confidence.
b. Thus, the term is used of anything or anyone which serves as the object of trust… faith… confidence. It speaks of what man is relying upon.
2. In this proverb, Solomon speaks of the MIGHT of a city as their “confidence.”
a. In other words, the inhabitants of the city had placed their confidence and trust in their military might, the city walls, fortresses, and catapults to keep them safe.
b. Their physical might IS their confidence… the source of their security.
c. This thought is captured well in the NASV: “A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.”
d. Because of the high walls and towers, they believe that their city is impregnable.
3. Strong, fortified cities put their confidence (faith) in their strength (walls, fortresses) for their protection and safety. They TRUST in their walls and forts to keep them safe and secure.
a. And humanly speaking, this is quite sensible and logical.
The Wise Man
A. The wise man scales the city
1. Wisdom is not afraid of strength. The wise man goes for the jugular!
2. The wise man SCALES the city of the mighty.
a. He uses a clever tactic to overcome his lack of physical strength.
b. Scaling the city speaks of finding a way in. Perhaps he actually climbed the city walls at night and opened the gate, undetected.
c. Perhaps he snuck in some other way.
d. The exact tactic is not the point.
e. The point is that by employing wisdom, he overpowered the powerful!
B. The wise man casts down its strength
1. Mental strength is stronger than physical strength.
2. The weaker man who sharpens his ax can cut wood faster than a stronger man who has a dull ax… even though the force of the strong man’s blow is much greater.
3. Thus, Solomon states here that although a city might be strong and powerful, yet it CAN be cast down through something even MORE powerful: wisdom.
4. There are examples in the Bible of wisdom defeating strength.
a. David defeating Goliath.
b. Petra felt impregnable, but it is uninhabited today.
C. The wise man casts down its confidence
1. When a wise man casts down the strength of a city (knocks down its walls; invades the city; destroys its fortresses; captures its army) he has cast down its CONFIDENCE, i.e., that in which the inhabitants of the city trusted and placed their confidence in.
Wisdom is Superior to Physical Strength
A. True Wisdom
1. True wisdom is the fear of the Lord.
2. True wisdom is God-fearing, godly character.
3. True wisdom is trust and confidence in the Lord.
4. When this kind of wisdom is employed, it is greater than mere brute force. Wisdom is superior.
B. Similar Proverbs in English
1. We have a similar proverb: “The pen is mightier than the sword.”
a. A truly wise man can win the hearts and minds of the people without a sword. He can conquer them (so to speak) by strength of reason and the logic of his arguments.
b. Good diplomacy (wise words spoken) to a mighty city (a powerful enemy) can sometimes deter a war… and prove more powerful than the military.
2. Here is another similar proverb: “Right is better than might.”
a. A right argument (a wise argument that is upright and true) can be more powerful way of winning the hearts of men than a mighty, invading army.)
3. There is yet another proverb with similar meaning: “Brains are better than brawns.”
a. This is a point not missed through the ages.
b. There have been countless examples of it in both Biblical and secular history.
C. The Superiority of Wisdom
1. “Wisdom is better than strength.”
a. Ecc. 7:19 – Solomon’s point here is that wisdom “strengthens” a man in one sense. Not physically, but it enables him to overcome physical strength. In fact, it is 10 times better!
b. Ecc. 9:13-18 – Evidently Solomon KNEW of a particular example of this truth.
• Vs. 13 – Solomon marveled at the value of wisdom here.
• Vs. 14 – The situation: a little (weak) city besieged by a GREAT (mighty; powerful) king who built bulwarks around it. This little city didn’t stand a chance—humanly speaking.
• Vs. 15 – But this little city had something within its walls that was MORE powerful than the great king with his mighty army.
• This little city had an old, poor, wise man. This poor, wise man with his wisdom delivered the little city.
• His wisdom proved mightier than the strength of the great king and his army.
2. Prov. 24:5 – Wisdom has a strength all of its own.
a. A wise man IS strong. Maybe not physically, but what he has is more powerful than physical brute force.
b. Brains are better than brawn.
c. Brains are better than brawn, but WISDOM is better than them both.
d. It is possible to have brains, (great intellect; high IQ) but not possess true wisdom.
e. Having brains does not necessarily mean that he has the wisdom to implement his intellect in the proper manner… to use that information in a right way.
f. Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.
g. Note that Solomon says the WISE man is strong—not necessarily the smart man.
h. Smart men CAN be foolish.
i. Smart men can be as foolish with their intellect as a mighty man is with his might.
j. “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me…” – Jer. 9:23–24
k. As paradoxical as it may sound, the real strength of wisdom is acknowledging how WEAK we are—both physically, intellectually, and spiritually. In that is our true spiritual strength. That is TRUE wisdom. (As Paul said, “For when I am weak, then am I strong.)
3. Prov. 22:19 – God wants our trust (same word as confidence in Prov. 21:22) to be in HIM. (Not in OUR might or even OUR wisdom or intellect.)
4. In fighting spiritual battles, we should be aware that our enemy is much more powerful than we are.
a. However, we have the wisdom of God on our side.
b. We have the WORD of God on our side… but to implement the Word and experience the benefit of it, we must KNOW the word.
c. We have the Spirit of God on our side.
d. We have the armor of God on our side.
e. Wisdom teaches us to TRUST in what God has provided for us.
f. It is our wisdom NOT to rely on human strength or might, but to rely upon the Lord and HIS wisdom and strength.
g. By God’s wisdom we can experience victory over our enemies who are much more intelligent, more numerous, and more powerful than we are.
h. II Cor. 10:4 – Our weapons are not carnal, but are mighty THROUGH GOD.
i. As we walk with God, trusting in Him along the way, we can “scale the city of the mighty” and experience victory over our enemies day by day.
Proverbs 21:23
How to Stay Out of Trouble
Introduction:
1. This is a very simple proverb.
2. There is nothing ambiguous about it—as is the case in many of the other proverbs.
3. Basically it means, keep your mouth shut and you will stay out of trouble!
4. The problem is that while everybody knows that it is true, keeping our mouth shut is easier said than done.
23a Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue
Keeping one’s Mouth and Tongue
1. In this passage, the term mouth and tongue are used as synonyms and they both refer to SPEECH. That is the topic of this proverb.
2. Keep: To keep; preserve; protect; guard; watch; be careful; be secure.
a. Gen. 2:15 – This is the term used to describe the fact that Adam and Eve were to “keep” the garden. (Take care of it; protect it; care for it; watch over it.)
b. I Sam. 26:15 – The term was used of a body guard. David gave orders for soldiers to “keep” Absalom (keep him safe and secure).
c. Psa. 121:7 – The Lord preserves us from evil.
d. I Sam. 17:20 – The term is used of “keep” sheep (guarding them; protecting them.)
e. II Sam. 22:24 – David kept himself from sin and iniquity.
3. Keeping one’s mouth and tongue means to GUARD and WATCH over what a person says.
a. To be careful about what comes OUT of the mouth.
b. To watch the words that roll off our tongues.
4. As Adam and Eve kept the garden, we are to keep our mouths.
a. They lived in a perfect environment, but the plants in the garden still needed attending to.
b. Their job was to trim and prune and arrange plants to make the garden even more beautiful than it already was.
c. They were to exercise their God given talents and creativity to continually improve the conditions in the garden—for the glory of God.
d. By way of application, we are to attend to our mouths and tongues.
• We need to trim and prune our words to improve our speech. This is an ongoing project. It never ends because no one can tame the tongue.
• The Garden of Eden was created beautiful by God… but God expected Adam and Eve to be creative and improve conditions there. We may not curse or swear… but we can always make our speech more gracious. That’s a command in Eph. 4:29. (We are only to speak that which is good to the use of edifying and that ministers grace to the hearers.)
• And as a gardener has to trim and prune useless growth, our speech probably has some words, phrases, and expressions that would be better if trimmed and pruned off.
5. The term “keep” was also used of the work of a body guard – in protecting the person guarded.
a. Rom. 6:13 – Our tongues and mouths are instruments of righteousness unto God.
b. We are to “keep” them in a way similar to the way a body guard “keeps” the person he is responsible to protect.
c. We are to protect these instruments from danger… to watch over our mouths from anything harmful.
d. We are to protect our mouths from the enemy who would harm us.
e. What is harmful to our tongues and mouths? SIN!
f. Sin has a corrupting and defiling effect.
g. It ruins the instrument of righteousness and turns it into an “instrument of unrighteousness unto sin.”
h. When that is the case, our old enemy SIN has taken captive (for the moment) an instrument of God… when WE were supposed to be on duty GUARDING against that from happening.
i. You might think of guarding our mouths like a guard at the entrance to the White House. His job is to carefully watch and monitor who comes and who goes. No one goes through that gate without proper identification as one who has been approved for entrance. He is to be on constant alert that some who seeks to enter that gate have evil intentions.
j. So too with our words. We are to keep or guard our mouths for every word we say. No word is to travel through the mouth gate unless it has been approved… and its intentions are good.
6. We are to KEEP our mouths and tongues because it is commanded of us MANY times in the Scriptures.
a. Matt. 12:36 – As guardians of our mouths and speech, we will one day give an account for every idle word that proceeds out of our mouths.
b. This thought should cause us to think twice before we speak… or at least THINK before we speak!
c. Somehow, every word we speak is recorded (or remembered) by the Lord. And one day each word and its motive will be examined, evaluated, and either burnt up as worthless or rewarded.
7. The Bible tells us that the tongue no man can tame.
a. However, the way we can control the tongue is to keep our hearts with all diligence…
b. Matt. 15:18 – The things that proceed from the tongue come forth from the heart and defile a man.
c. Therefore, our responsibility is to keep (guard) our heart.
d. If the heart is kept clean and sin confessed, the mouth will take care of itself. If the fountain is clean the streams that flow from it will be clean also.
Keeping one’s Soul from Trouble
1. The soul.
a. Defined: Soul; self; life; creature; person; appetite; mind; living being; desire; emotion; passion; heart; the inner self.
b. This is a difficult term to define in both Old and New Testaments.
c. The Dictionary of Biblical Languages gives it 20 definitions… all similar, but with varying shades of difference.
d. It speaks of life… of the person himself… and often of his emotions and passions…
e. Man is tripartite and some have distinguished the three parts this way:
» Body – the world conscious part of man.
» Spirit – the God conscious part of man.
» Soul – the self conscious part of man.
f. There is overlapping however, and it is not easy to distinguish between the soul and spirit. (The Word of God is able to pierce and divide asunder the soul and spirit. That tells us how difficult it is!)
g. The soul here seems to be referring to the self conscious part of man… his inner thought life and feelings.
2. Keeping the soul.
a. Keeping here is the same term as used of keeping the mouth.
b. Thus, the one who watches over, attends to, and protects his speech is also watching over, attending to, and protecting his soul.
3. Trouble.
a. Defined
• Strong’s: Straits; distress; trouble.
• Dictionary Of Biblical Languages: Calamity; anguish; i.e., a state of very unfavorable circumstance, with a focus on the emotional pain and distress of the situation.
• Zodhiates: Time of extreme discomfort; an affliction.
b. Deut. 31:17 – The term is used of the troubles that befell Israel for their sin in the form of chastening.
4. Keeping the soul from trouble.
a. The one who guards his mouth will protect his soul from all kinds of distress… calamity… unfavorable circumstances… and from emotional pain, distress.
b. The one who guards his mouth will protect his soul from enemies of the soul… from worry, fear, anxiety, guilt, shame, bitterness, and all kinds of other internal emotional forms of distress and painful memories.
5. Troubles we can avoid.
a. Prov. 10:19 – In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.
• Jas. 3:5 – And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.
• We can sin with our mouths. (Lie; gossip; slander; mislead; brag; boast; curse; deceive; etc.)
• Solomon notes in this verse that the more we talk (multitude of words) the better our chances of sinning.
• Solomon also tells us that it is wise to refrain our lips, tongues, and mouths (if we talk less, we will sin less.)
• By speaking too much we can turn people off and lose friends.
• By multiplying our words, we multiply our chances of offending someone… hurting someone’s feelings… misleading… or gossiping. (Sin!)
• This often backfires on us and leads to all kinds of self inflicted trouble.
b. Prov. 12:13 – “The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.”
• Transgressing lips are a snare… something that traps you…
• Solomon is saying that when we sin with our lips, we get CAUGHT in a trap of our own making!
• If we sin with our lips, sooner or later, those words will come back to haunt us…
• If we are careless with our tongues, and speak without thinking… we are setting TRAPS that will BITE us… and cause trouble for us—eventually.
• Those who lie discover that their words will come back to bite them.
• Those who gossip and slander discover the same thing.
• Eventually our sin will find us out… and it will cause much trouble (embarrassment; to loss of friends; loss of a job; or worse!)
c. Prov. 13:3 – “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.”
• II Kings 5:20 – Gehazi, Elisha’s servant said that Elisha sent him to Naaman to receive a gift.
• This was a boldfaced lie—in order to get silver for himself.
• Gehazi was snared by the transgression of his lips.
• He lied and at first was successful—for he did get the silver.
• BUT—he was smitten with leprosy! He was snared… he faced destruction.
• He could have AVOIDED this trouble by keeping his mouth.
d. Prov. 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
e. Prov. 15:1 – grievous words stir up anger.
• The one who does not guard his lips will be continually offending, insulting, hurting feelings, and getting people mad at him.
• Words really do stir up anger.
• The man who refuses to guard his mouth will stir up anger wherever he goes…
• As a built in punishment—he will have to live his life in the midst of contention, arguments, and unhappy circumstances. (A trap he set for himself.)
f. Prov. 18:6-7 – Contention, strokes, destruction, and a snare for his soul.
• A fool’s lips enter into contention.
• In other words, whenever he opens his mouth, he starts an argument or contention. His words PROVOKE arguments and fighting.
• His big mouth is constantly getting him into trouble.
• Note also that STROKES await him. He deserves a whipping.
• In other words, there are consequences for this kind of behavior.
• If you are such a fool who stirs up contention with your big mouth—expect some backlash.
• Our proverb tells us that we can AVOID all this trouble by keeping our tongue and mouth. Be careful about what we say.
6. All of these troubles will have a debilitating effect on the believer.
a. It will not leave us in any frame of mind to serve the Lord.
b. It will leave us frazzled and torn.
c. It leaves a storm of controversy and contention wherever we go.
d. It is sin and ruins our relationship with both God and man.
e. It leaves us with an uneasy, troubled, distressed heart… full of guilt and shame… embarrassment… a loss of friends… and a miserable life.
f. In other words—a life of TROUBLE.
7. All of this trouble can be AVOIDED by simply watching our mouth… keeping our big mouth shut!
a. I know it’s easier said than done, but we SHOULD make it a matter of prayer… and we should keep our heart with all diligence.
Proverbs 21:24
Proud Wrath
The Man who Deals in Proud Wrath
A. The Terms Used
1. Proud
a. Strong’s: pride, insolence, presumptuousness, arrogance.
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: the concept of an inflated view of oneself, self-willed and not humble, as a moral failure; scorn, lack of respect,
c. Zodhiates: Presumptuous pride.
d. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament: A sense of self-importance, which often is exaggerated to include defiance and even rebelliousness.
e. This term for pride is often associated with presumption.
• The two concepts are related.
• Because of a man’s pride, he presumes too much in his own favor.
f. Usages:
• Obadiah 1:3 – The pride of the Edomites who wrongly presumed that they had a safe place in the cliffs. This was due to an inflated view of themselves and the security they provided for themselves.
• Deut 18:20; cf. v. 22 – A false prophet is one who speaks presumptuously because of PRIDE.
• Deut 1:43 – This proud presumption is also associated with rebellion.
• Ps. 119:78,122 – The proud are also seen opposing God and God’s people.
2. Wrath
a. Strong’s: excess, fury, wrath, arrogance, outburst of rage
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages – A state of intense displeasure, implying outbursts as actions of anger.
3. Solomon is describing a man, a proud man who, because of his pride, is given to outbursts of rage and anger.
a. This man would be a good candidate for a series of classes in anger management.
b. We all know people like this. They blow up easily. At the slightest insult or rebuke and they let off steam. They are volcanoes just waiting to explode at the slightest tremor.
4. The man Solomon describes DEALS with this behavior.
a. Deal:
• Strong’s: fashions; makes; prepares; maintains
• Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Do; cause; make; bring about a state or event; to behave or to conduct oneself in a particular way.
• It speaks of a lifestyle; one’s daily practice; a way of life.
b. The point is that this is more than just an occasional failure.
• We ALL lose our tempers on occasion.
• We have all blown up at one time or another. Perhaps many times over a period of years.
• But Solomon is not talking about someone who has a normal struggle with anger.
• The man he describes here has a REAL problem with anger… with proud wrath.
• He DEALS with proud anger. He conducts his life this way. It is part of his lifestyle. It is how he deals with anyone or anything that crosses him.
• If you do something he doesn’t like, you will experience his proud wrath.
c. Prov. 13:10 – This kind of proud wrath continually leads to contention. This man LIVES in the midst of contention because he brings it with him everywhere he goes.
• We all know this man—we’ve all met this type.
• Sometimes we get angry back at them. In reality, we should rather PITY them. They are pitiful, wretched, unhappy creatures.
• They are constantly losing their friends and their jobs. Because they have no control over their anger, they blow up at everyone. Theirs is an equal opportunity wrath. They blow up at enemies and friends. They blow at the policeman who dares to stop them for speeding. They blow up at the teacher who has the audacity to call them on their behavior. They blow up at their boss… and the president of the company.
• It’s not a happy life they live.
• At the root of it all is PRIDE.
d. Prov. 25:28 – I’m sure the psychologists have a fancy name for this syndrome or disorder.
• The Bible simply says that this man has no control over his spirit.
• This man is a slave to his proud wrath. This is an ongoing issue with him.
• It is really kind of a pitiful condition to be in. It makes for a very miserable life.
HIS THREE NAMES
Introduction:
1. After describing this “syndrome,” Solomon gives it three “names.”
2. Psychologists may refer to this as disorder, making it a medical issue that often requires medication.
3. The Bible describes it differently—with three terms describing three different SINS.
A. Proud
1. This term is in the same family of words as the word “proud” in the second part of the proverb.
2. It means: Arrogant; proud; insolent; presumptuous.
3. Perhaps it is repeated to emphasize the point: Behind these outbursts of wrath and anger is deep-seated, entrenched PRIDE.
4. Prov. 11:2 – When this kind of pride comes, it is inevitably followed by shame.
a. The man with no control of his spirit blows up easily.
b. Initially, it feels good to blow up and let others have it… to get it off your chest.
c. It only takes a few seconds to blow up.
d. However, the ripples of that outburst go on and on and on.
e. And living with the ripples brings shame.
f. He may be ashamed of his uncontrolled spirit.
g. He may be ashamed of treating others so cruelly.
h. He may be ashamed of making such a fool of himself.
i. He may be ashamed of burning all his bridges behind him.
j. He may be ashamed of losing so many friends.
k. He may be ashamed of causing so much contention.
l. He may be ashamed of all the messes he’s left behind.
5. Yes, we can call this man PROUD.
B. Haughty
1. Defined:
a. Strong’s: Proud; arrogant; haughty.
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Pertaining to being proud and high-minded, as a moral failure.
c. Zodhiates: It is used to define a person who is insolent, prideful, and narcissistically self-centered.
d. A haughty person believes he is the greatest and that the world revolves around him… or at least that it should, if it were functioning properly.
e. For this man, life is able about me, myself, and I. Those are his three best friends. (Usually his only friends!)
2. I John 2:16 – Haughty is what John describes as the “pride of life.” It does not originate from the Father, but rather finds its source in the fallen, sinful, proud heart of man.
C. Scorner
1. Defined:
a. Strong’s: To scorn; make mouths at; talk arrogantly; mock.
b. Dictionary of Biblical Languages: Talk big; i.e., speak words which show no respect for the object or person.
c. To express contempt for…
d. Mocking is also related to pride and arrogance. It indicates that the person mocking feels superior to those he mocks.
e. Prov.16:5 – Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD.
f. This is not an innocent disorder that the man caught… as one might catch a cold. This is SIN which God hates.
2. Usage:
a. Prov. 3:34 – God Himself scorns the scorners. God will mock them! God will show disrespect to them. Sooner or later, they will get a taste of their own medicine…
b. Prov. 9:8 – It is pointless to reprove a scorner and try to talk sense to him. He will simply hate you. He can’t handle anything negative directed towards himself—even though he has no problem blowing up towards others and mocking them.
c. Prov. 9:12 – If you scorn, you will BEAR it. You will have to bear the consequences of your ungodly behavior. You can’t just talk arrogantly against others and expect no repercussions!
d. Prov. 19:29 – Judgments are prepared for scorners.
e. Prov. 22:10 – What’s the best way to deal with an irascible, unrepentant scorner?
• Cast him out! Tough love is required with this “syndrome.”
• Why so harsh? Because he won’t listen.
• The only thing this person will listen to is having to deal with the pain and suffering that he brings on himself.
• Don’t coddle him. Don’t bail him out. Cast him out.
• That’s God’s cure for this disorder.
3. Solomon’s MAIN point in this proverb is this: beware of this kind of mocking, scorning, arrogant, haughty pride.
a. It leads to explosive behavior… proud wrath… a lack of control over one’s spirit… and this “syndrome” and its ripples, you may have to DEAL WITH the rest of your life!
b. Men who deal with proud wrath get a very bad name… a bad reputation as a proud and haughty scorner, and that follows him everywhere. The name is well deserved.
4. The way of victory is not Prozac or valium… or a 12 step program.
5. The way of victory is the filling of the Holy Spirit which results in the FRUIT of the Spirit, namely, temperance: self control.
Proverbs 21:25-26
The Desire of the Slothful
25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
Introduction:
1. We are going to look at both verses 25 and 26 together here, because they really go together.
2. In this passage, the verse numbering breaks it up into two separate proverbs, which is unfortunate, because it is really one.
3. It is one antithetical proverb in which two things are contrasted: The slothful man who covets and the righteous who gives.
4. Dividing the proverb up into two separate proverbs obscures the contrast Solomon intended here.
The Slothful Man
A. The Slothful Man
1. Slothful defined:
a. Slothful, sluggard, lazy,
b. Slow to take any action, suggesting a lack of discipline or initiative, as a moral failure.
2. Solomon has mentioned the slothful man several times in this book.
a. Solomon is describing a person whose life is characterized by laziness.
b. However, this stands as a good warning to ALL of us, because we can ALL be lazy at one time or another…
c. And while we may be diligent in most things, there may be one area of our life where diligence is lacking.
• We may be diligent in the upkeep of our home, but we don’t take care of the car.
• Or we may be diligent in keeping the inside of the house clean, but let the outside go to weeds… or vice versa.
• We may be diligent about paying our bills on time, but not so diligent about setting money aside for taxes.
• We may be diligent about reading the Word, but are slothful when it comes to prayer… or witnessing… or vice versa.
d. Hence, this proverb (and others like it) can be like a GOAD to stir us up into diligence in a particular area concerning which the Holy Spirit may be convicting us.
B. He Refuses to Labour
1. The particular area that Solomon seems to focus on here is being lazy concerning that four letter word that Maynard G. Krebs could only spell: w-o-r-k.
2. Note that Solomon is not describing a man who IS not working, but the man who REFUSES to work.
a. Often men are unemployed because they cannot find a job… or they were laid off.
b. Others are unemployed because of an injury.
c. They would love to work, but due to circumstances beyond their control, they are not presently working.
d. That is NOT the situation described here.
e. Solomon speaks of a man who is ABLE to work, but he refuses.
3. REFUSE: Resist; i.e., be in a state of defiance or rebellion; the rejection of an offer; to utterly refuse. It is a strong term.
a. This is not the person who is lacking energy one day and is having a hard time kicking into gear.
b. II Thess. 3:10 – Here Paul states that if “a man WOULD not work, neither should he eat.” (He was able, but unwilling).
c. This is a committed, dedicated, defiant sluggard.
4. LABOR: This is kind of a broad term which means to do, to make, to accomplish, to complete.
a. It speaks of the man who refuses to DO virtually anything. He doesn’t like action. It’s too tiring. He prefers to sleep.
b. It speaks of a man who refuses to MAKE. This is the guy at the widget factory who refuses to make widgets. This is the carpenter who refuses to make the tables he’s supposed to make.
c. The term speaks of the man who refuses to ACCOMPLISH anything.
d. He refuses to COMPLETE anything. He may start a few projects, but never brings them to completion.
e. He refuses to labor, to work, to do or finish almost anything.
5. While the author probably had in mind laboring with his hands at the farm or at the factory, application can easily be made to other areas life as and to our spiritual lives as well.
6. Slothfulness isn’t restricted to our 9-5 jobs. Laziness is a blight that can settle in on ANY area of life… especially our spiritual life.
C. His Desires Kill Him
1. Desire:
e. Strong’s: Desire – either in a good or evil sense; a good desire: Wish, longings of one’s heart—or an evil desire in the sense of lust; appetite; covetousness (bad sense).
f. The term is a bit ambiguous, since it can be used of both good and evil desires.
g. Solomon may well have intended for its use to be a bit ambiguous here… to cause us to stop and think.
h. The slothful man would have a natural desire for good things like food; shelter; clothing; good health. He may have a desire for a nice family with well trained, well groomed, well educated children. He may have a good desire for friends and a social life.
D. He Covets Greedily all the Day Long (vs.26)
1. In verse 26 Solomon implies that the lazy man also has a desire for that which is not good and wholesome, but is pure covetousness.
2. He COVETS
a. This is not the same term as is translated “desire” in verse 25.
b. This term means: Desire; covet; wait longingly; wish; sigh; want; be greedy; to crave; to long for; lust after (of bodily appetites).
c. This is the term used in the 10th commandment “Thou shalt not covet.” (Exodus 20:17)
d. Clearly this term is used in an evil sense in verse 26.
e. The slothful man covets what other hard working people have.
f. He sees the nice family they have; the well trained and well groomed kids. He sees their well maintained homes and yards. He sees their large herd of camels, and their bounteous harvests.
g. He sees it all, and covets it. He wishes that HE had all that for which they labored.
h. His hands refuse to labor, but his heart continues to desire the fruit of such labor.
3. GREEDILY: This is a form of the same term in verse 25 translated “desire.”
a. In other words, he covets their goods and things with a great longing desire of his heart.
b. It is a bit redundant, but is added for emphasis.
c. He longs for what they have. He wishes he had it too.
d. He lusts after it. He sighs because he does not have it.
4. All the day long…
a. Here Solomon notes that the slothful man does not have just a passing thought every once in a while that it would be nice to have what his neighbor has.
b. We have all seen beautiful, stately homes… or fun mountain chalets and thought that it must be nice to own such things.
c. We have all had such passing thoughts… but then the Lord convicts us and we return to being content with such things as we have.
d. Not so with the slothful man. These are not just rare, occasional, passing thoughts. This is the covetous desire of his heart ALL DAY LONG! Day after day!
e. He is never content. He is never happy. What a miserable life. All day long he greedily covets and is never satisfied.
f. I can’t help but thinking that Hell must be like that… burning in desire for that which others have… for that which could have been obtained… but is now beyond reach. That is a life of torment!
5. It kills him… (vs.25)
a. This is the normal term for kill, murder, cause to die.
b. Again, this term is also a bit ambiguous.
• It could refer to a literal death. The lazy man may starve to death.
• It may also refer to a figurative death – in a sense similar to our expression today, “The price of gas is killing me,” or “It’s killing me to see what’s happening to my country.”
• We don’t mean that in the literal sense, but in a figurative sense.
• What we mean is that “it is torture… it is agonizing… it is painful…”
c. The laziness of the sluggard could literally kill him. He could starve to death… or freeze to death.
d. The laziness of the sluggard could also (in a figurative sense) condemn him to a life of inward agony and emotional torture as he watches what others have and he cannot have them.
e. Greedily coveting after those THINGS all day long results in one miserable life.
f. Prov.13:4a: “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing.”
• He COULD have something if he went to work!
• He could improve his lot in life if he wasn’t so lazy.
6. And it is all because he refuses to work.
a. FOR his hands refuse to labour. (vs.25)
b. His life of misery and torture could be avoided… but he still refuses to do anything about it.
c. He would be so much happier if he simply got up and went to work!
d. Yes, going to work does involve a certain amount of pain and suffering.
e. But Solomon’s point in this proverb is that the pain and suffering involved in going to work is FAR LESS than the amount of pain and suffering involved in not going to work and greedily coveting what others have!
7. Apply this to our spiritual lives.
a. There are men who LONG to have self control.
• They see others who manifest temperance and covet it… long for it for themselves.
• Their lives are miserable because they DON’T have it.
• Prov. 25:28 – His life is miserable because he does not have it.
• BUT—he’s too lazy to read the Scriptures… to come to Sunday school… to study the Bible on his own… too lazy to become a DOER of the Word and not a hearer only.
b. Those are believers who LONG for a happy home life…
• But are too lazy to DO what the Bible says is necessary to obtain it: love your wife as Christ loved the church — obey and reverence your husband in everything…
c. There are many believers who want to win a crown…
• But they are too lazy to give their all in running the race.
• They want a crown, but are not willing to give up anything in this life in order to obtain it.
The Righteous Man
A. The Righteous Man
1. A righteous man is one who does that which is RIGHT.
a. Here we have an interesting contrast.
b. Normally the righteous man is contrasted to the wicked man.
c. And we would normally expect that Solomon would contrast the slothful man with the diligent man.
d. However, here the contrast is between the slothful man with the righteous man.
e. The implication is clear: the slothful man is the doing the opposite of that which is RIGHT.
f. Laziness is not only the opposite of diligent; it is also the opposite of righteous.
g. It is WRONG and unrighteous to be slothful.
h. This is not just an innocent difference in personalities. This is a MORAL failure.
i. The lazy man is morally wrong.
2. Of course, this also implies that a righteous man will NOT be lazy, but will be DILIGENT.
a. Because the Bible commands us to be diligent and hard working, being lazy is a moral issue.
b. It is outright disobedience… defiance against God and His Word… rebellion.
3. Interestingly, Solomon doesn’t even mention the fact that the righteous man is hard working.
a. It is however IMPLIED in the passage.
b. The righteous man does that which is RIGHT.
c. He OBEYS God’s command to be diligent and hard working.
B. He Gives and He Spares Not
1. Here is the FRUIT of his labor.
2. He is righteous not only because he works and earns money and provides well for himself and his family.
3. He is righteous also because of what he DOES with his goods.
4. He is GENEROUS. He gives and spares not.
5. This stands in stark contrast to the lazy man.
a. The lazy man covets and wants things for himself.
b. The righteous man works and gives things to others.
6. And keep in mind what the Lord Jesus said: “It is more BLESSED to give than to receive.”
a. Of course Solomon did not have that revelation, but he did know the truth of it.
b. He was aware of the contrast:
• The lazy man who greedily covets things for himself all day long is miserable and unhappy!
• Solomon also knew that true satisfaction, happiness, and blessedness come from working hard, and sharing with others.
c. The lazy, greedy man is miserable.
d. The diligent generous man is blessed and happy.
Proverbs 21:27
The Sacrifice of the Wicked
27a The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination:
The Sacrifice of the Wicked
1. Sacrifice: Sacrifice, an offering killed and presented as an act of worship or propitiation to a deity.
2. The wicked: Wicked; criminal; guilty person; transgressor; evil; ungodly.
3. The sacrifice of the wicked is a religious offering presented by an ungodly person to the Lord.
a. This expression is an oxymoron – these are terms one would not expect to find together. The terms “sacrifice” and “wicked” seem contradictory.
b. We don’t normally expect wicked men to offer sacrifices to God.
c. And if it is a true sacrifice, it is unusual that a wicked person is offering it.
d. Something is wrong with this picture. That is the purpose of this expression. It is designed to arrest our attention.
4. However, this occurs all the time.
a. The religious world is full of wicked men and women who feign religious piety.
b. Psalm 50:7-14 – God didn’t need their sacrifices (as if He were hungry). What He wanted was their hearts – offerings of praise and thanksgiving coming from repentant and grateful hearts.
c. The Lord Jesus had most of His harshest words and battles, not with the outwardly wicked, but with the religious leaders in Israel… men who prided themselves in offering sacrifices to God.
d. Wicked men offer sacrifices to God in hopes of BUYING Him off… and securing salvation.
e. This is done of course in defiance of the written Word of God.
f. Wicked men offer sacrifices to God in order to be accepted in society… or to “appear” to be righteous.
5. God calls it an abomination.
a. Abomination: a disgusting thing; a detestable or repulsive thing; that which is loathsome and abhorrent; it speaks of something especially offensive.
b. Not many things are called “abominations” in the Bible. The list includes: Idolatry; child sacrifices; unclean foods; homosexuality; and here, religious sacrifices offered by wicked men.
c. These things are especially offensive to God.
d. Prov. 28:9 – Even this man’s prayers are an abomination to God.
e. If his heart is wicked, it doesn’t matter how much he prays or how much he offers unto God.
f. Prov. 15:8 – Solomon mentioned this in a previous proverb. There he contrasted this hypocrisy with the prayer of the upright. God DELIGHTS in that.
g. Thus, we can either delight the Lord OR we can be repulsive to the Lord in the way we worship, sacrifice, and serve Him.
h. Which will it be?
i. Isa. 1:11-15 – Here the prophet speaks of God’s HATRED for the sacrifices and offerings of the children of Israel. They made Him sick, not because God opposed the concept of sacrifices (He required them!), but because of the heart attitude of the offerer.
6. The sacrifice of the wicked is the ultimate form of hypocrisy.
a. His mind and heart belie their actions.
b. His actions demonstrate piety, worship, reverence, and holiness.
c. But his heart is full of wickedness. That’s the kind of person he is in reality—not the religious, pious man he feigns himself to be.
d. This is what is so abominable to the Lord.
e. It’s bad enough that he is a wicked man; but pretending to be something else makes it much worse!
f. Matt. 23:25-28 – the Lord strongly rebuked the Pharisees for this very thing: Pretending to be holy and pious, but inwardly, they were vile and unrepentant.
g. The Lord offered mercy to those who were inwardly full of uncleanness and iniquity and admitted it.
h. But He rebuked severely those who were inwardly full of uncleanness and iniquity and pretended that it wasn’t so… those who tried to cover it up with religious pretence… sacrifices, offerings, etc.
i. Hypocrisy may fool men, but it never fools the Lord. (And it doesn’t always even fool men. Oftentimes it is easy to spot.)
Brought With a Wicked Mind
1. Wicked Mind:
a. This expression (wicked mind) is just one Hebrew word.
• It means: a plan, device, an evil or wicked plan, mischievous purpose; evil intentions.
• A general wickedness with a focus on the thought processes that occur in plotting wickedness.
• It is translated “mischief” a few times in Proverbs.
• It speaks of wicked intentions… evil design.
b. Prov. 15:26 – Here Solomon uses a synonym for the term “wicked mind” (Thoughts: Intentions; devices; active thinking, planning, devising.)
• We learn here that even the INTENTIONS are abominable in God’s sight—regardless of whether they are carried out or not.
c. Prov. 24:9 – The THOUGHT of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.
d. Heb. 4:12 – God CARES about that which is on our minds and hearts, not just our actions.
• The Word of God is able to dig deep to discern the thoughts and intents of our heart and we are judged accordingly.
• The intentions of our hearts may be good or evil… God knows.
• Evil intentions in our heart can turn an otherwise good sacrifice into an abomination.
2. The wicked man BRINGS the sacrifice with a wicked mind – mischievous purposes… with evil intentions.
a. Brings – to bring in; carry in; to bear.
b. The point is that the wicked man brings a sacrifice to be offered—or engages in worship with EVIL intentions.
c. He has a plan that he is attempting to pull off, and he is using God and sacrifices as a means of accomplishing his evil desire.
d. As Matthew Henry put it, “Holiness is pretended, but wickedness intended.”
e. That is the hypocrisy that God hates.
3. “How much more”
a. The first act (namely hypocrisy) was repulsive—and abomination.
• Some wicked men might offer sacrifices to God out of ignorance… or because they are deceived… or because that’s the way they were brought up.
• That is all bad.
b. But this is even worse!
c. The man or woman who brings a sacrifice to God or worships God with mischievous intentions is far worse.
• It’s one thing to cover up one’s own sin and shortcomings.
• It’s far worse to come to God with sinister intentions up your sleeve.
4. Examples of sacrifices brought with evil intentions.
a. I Kings 21:9-12 – Jezebel proclaimed a fast – a time to be pious and think about the Lord. But she did so with evil intentions. Her real goal was to put Naboth to death so that she could steal his land and give it to Ahab! This was all done “in the name of God” under the false pretence that she was offended that this man Naboth blasphemed God!
b. II Sam. 15:7-9 – Absalom said he wanted to go to pay his vows to God… when he was merely using that as an excuse to steal the kingdom from his father, David. His sacrifice to God (paying vows) was brought with evil intentions.
c. Matt. 6:1-4 – Consider the Scribes and Pharisees. Their real purpose in praying and doing good works was to be “seen of men.” God hated that!
d. Matt. 23:14 – The Pharisees made long prayers in order to devour widows houses. They feigned holiness in order to take advantage of vulnerable widows in their time of grief. God was not impressed with their long and flowery prayers. He was disgusted with their wicked mind… their evil intentions.
5. This is certainly applicable to us today.
a. God is not delighted just because we go to church, read the Bible, pray, put money in the offering plate, and pass out tracts… not if our PURPOSE in doing so is wrong.
b. This makes me wonder what the Lord must think about the gospel of success groups today—like Joel Osteen.
c. Clearly most of those folks are coming to God in hope that God will make them rich and successful in their business. I would call those sinister intentions… a mischievous purpose… “to get” rather than to give… Clearly the purpose is to use God for their own self interest… reducing God to a genie in a bottle.
d. Politicians of all stripes offer worship and sacrifices to God in order to get votes from the religious crowd.
e. Salesmen often attend a church and offer sacrifices of praise to God verbally in order to expand their customer base.
f. Not everyone who offers the sacrifice of praise to God today does so with good intentions.
g. Solomon warns here that some do so with EVIL intentions – with a wicked mind.
6. John 4:24 – For worship to be acceptable to the Lord, it must be in spirit and in truth.
a. The sacrifices and worship described here are offered with the wrong spirit.
b. And certainly there is no truth in it. It is a lie… hypocrisy… deception—as if they could deceive God!
c. Matt. 15:7-9 – Drawing nigh to God with flowery words or with offerings does not constitute acceptable worship if the heart is far from God!
7. Heb. 11:6 – In order to please God, FAITH must be involved. There is no faith in hypocritical sacrifices.
Proverbs 21:28
A False Witness Shall Perish
Introduction:
1. This proverb makes a couple of contrasts:
a. The false witness vs. the man that heareth.
b. Perishing vs. speaking constantly.
2. The problem in interpreting this proverb is that the contrast is not apparent. At first glance it is hard to determine exactly what is being contrasted.
a. Contrasting the false witness with a man who speaks truth is obvious, but contrasting the false witness with the man who hears is not so obvious.
b. Contrasting perishing with living or flourishing is obvious; but contrasting perishing with speaking constantly is not so obvious.
c. The contrast was probably MORE obvious in the days in which it was written.
d. But we are separated from Solomon by language: ancient Hebrew vs. modern English—and by a culture and ancient society that is quite foreign to us.
3. Another problem interpreting this proverb concerns the meaning of a couple of the terms in the second part of the proverb.
a. I am going to give three slightly different views of this proverb tonight, because they all make sense in the context, and I am not able to determine with any certainty which meaning Solomon had in mind.
1. This part of the proverb is short, clear, and easy to understand.
a. The meaning of the terms is not disputed.
b. Nothing is ambiguous.
c. And in fact, it is a subject that Solomon deals with extensively in this book.
2. False witness:
a. Witness: A testimony; i.e., a person which gives verbal testimony and provides information about a situation; the giving of evidence in a formal legal setting.
b. False: a lie, untruth, falsehood, deceptive thing.
c. What Solomon describes here is a LIAR… a perjurer.
d. It may be a liar who falsely accuses a person of a crime OR a person who perjurers himself in a courtroom situation before the judge.
3. Solomon states that such liars (false witnesses in any situation) shall perish.
a. Perish: Destroyed; ruined; annihilated; exterminated; wiped out; die; to reduced to some degree of disorder.
b. In one form or another, the perjurer shall experience destruction.
c. He may suffer loss; his life may be ruined; he may be reduced in one way or another; he may be executed.
d. The term is broad enough to include all kinds of destructive forces that the liar may have to face.
e. But however you slice it, the liar does not face a good future. Bad things lie ahead for him.
4. The false witness is the subject of many proverbs because lying is such a part of fallen human nature.
a. Prov. 6:19 – A false witness was one of the six deadly sins that God especially hates.
b. Prov. 12:17 – A false witness shows deceit.
c. Prov. 14:5 – A false witness utters lies.
d. Prov. 19:5, 9 – “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”
• Repeatedly Solomon speaks of the consequences of being a false witness.
• That seems to be the main point of the first part of Proverb 21:28.
• The false witness will perish; he will not be unpunished; he shall not escape punishment.
• That part is very clear.
This part of the proverb is NOT so clear. There are a couple of possibilities in interpretation.
The First Possible Interpretation
1. The “man who hears”
a. Hears:
• This term is sometimes used in the sense of hearing a legal case; i.e., give a legal hearing (Deut. 1:16).
• It is possible that the “man who hears” this perjurer refers to the judge who “hears” his testimony (false witness) in a court of law.
b. In this interpretation, the contrast is between the perjurer and the judge who hears his perjury in court.
2. The judge who hears the case of the false witness “speaketh constantly.”
a. Constantly = endurance in time; perpetual; continual; unto the end; everlasting; an unlimited duration of time, implying permanency.
b. Thus, the contrast would be the following:
• The perjurer who speaks forth a false witness perishes, and his lies perish with him. His words cease.
• On the other hand, the Judge who hears the case, and judges righteously, CONTINUES to speak forth. His words do not cease.
c. The point of the proverb (according to this interpretation) is that truth triumphs over lies.
• Sooner or later, justice catches up to the liar.
• Sooner or later, his perjurer is discovered for what it is.
• The false witness and his false words perish.
• But the one who speaks truth (the judge in this case) continues. He speaks constantly.
• Justice marches on. Truth triumphs.
• And the message to the perjurer is “be sure your sin will find you out!” (Num. 32:23)
• Long after the false witness has been silenced, the Judge who heard the case continues speaking… and ferreting out more perjurers.
• The perjurer may be silenced through execution. (One who was found guilty of falsely accusing someone in court was to experience the same penalty that would have been inflicted on the innocent party. Sometimes that penalty was death.)
• He may be silenced through imprisonment.
• Hopefully his lies will be silenced because he learned his lesson and decided to tell the truth from now on!
The Second Possible Interpretation
1. Another way to read this proverb is to understand the contrast differently.
a. Instead of seeing this as a contrast between the perjurer and the judge who hears the case, one might see the contrast between two different witnesses in a court of law.
b. One witness is a false witness… the other one is not.
2. The false witness shall perish. (This part of the proverb is clear)
a. False witnesses in court shall not ultimately succeed.
b. They shall perish… and be destroyed.
c. Their false testimony will cease—thrown out of court.
3. But at this point the interpretation varies.
4. In this second view, the “one who hears” is not the judge, but is another witness.
a. However, this is not a false witness.
b. This witness “hears.”
• This witness is not a false witness.
• A false witness isn’t interested in hearing the facts of the case.
• A false witness has an agenda to push… namely, his lies.
• He is not interested in “hearing” truth. He wants only to speak forth his lies and perjury.
• But on the other hand, the true witness WILL hear. He keeps his ears open. He observes.
• When the true witness speaks, he is speaking out of knowledge because he LISTENED to the facts.
• Thus, his testimony lines up with the facts.
5. The true witness “speaketh constantly.”
a. Here too a slightly different meaning is given to the word “constantly.”
b. It can mean “continually.”
c. It also can mean “consistently.” If we understand the term to mean consistently, then the man who hears (all the facts of the case) speaks consistently with the facts, namely, TRUTHFULLY.
d. He speaks the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That is being consistent… constant… nothing but the truth.
e. The WORDS and testimony of the one who “hears” are consistent… reliable… faithful…
f. They are not like the false witness.
• His words are not consistent. They are inconsistent.
• There is something crooked about his words.
• They are not consistent with the facts of the case.
• They don’t line up with reality… with truth.
The Third Possible Interpretation
1. The third possible interpretation exists because the word translated “speaketh” has two distinct meanings in Hebrew (just as do many English words).
a. So far, we have been considering the meaning as translated in the KJV: The Hebrew word da·bar means to speak.
b. But it also has another meaning: to kill or destroy!
c. For example, the term is translated destroy in II Chron. 22:10, where Athaliah “arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.” (She killed them all!)
2. If we accept this meaning, then we arrive at yet a third legitimate and possible interpretation:
a. Then it would mean that the false witness shall perish, and all those who “hear” him (accept his word) will be destroyed too.
b. Both the false witness and the crooked judge who accepts his false testimony (and any others who go along with the perjury) will also perish.
3. In one sense, all three interpretations are similar in this one point: true testimony does not perish. It continues to speak.
a. Ultimately, the truth prevails.
b. Thus, (whichever view we take) we are encouraged to be like Christ. Consider how He is described in the book of the Revelation:
→ Rev. 3:14 – The “faithful and true witness.” (Rev.3:14)
→ Rev. 19:11 – And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True.
Proverbs 21:29
Stubbornness vs. Thoughtful Consideration
Introduction: Here Solomon contrasts the wicked man with the upright man from yet another angle.
1. Wicked:
a. Defined: Evil; a criminal; guilty one; one guilty of crime; hostile to God.
b. Solomon mentions the wicked man 89 times in the book of Proverbs.
c. This is a major theme in Proverbs: describing the wicked man and contrasting him with the righteous or the upright.
2. Hardens his face
a. Harden:
i. Show yourself strong; make firm; make bold; being fixed; determined in a course of action; belligerent.
ii. Prov. 7:13 – It is used of a harlot’s face in her arrogance; a shameless countenance. She is boldly and shamelessly determined in her course of action.
b. Face:
i. It is sometimes used in the literal meaning of face.
ii. Most of the time this word is used in a figurative sense or as an idiom.
iii. Face can be a substitute for the entire person; or it can be a reflection of the person’s mood or attitude; (joyous, or defiant, proud, etc. depending upon the context and the adjectives used with it.)
iv. It seems to be used of the person’s mood or attitude here.
c. A hardened face
i. This describes the person whose attitude is belligerent; fixed and determined in a course of action;
ii. He is defiantly and arrogantly determined to do what he wants to do.
iii. His bullheaded determination even shows on his face!
iv. This person is not interested in hearing anyone’s opinion or advice.
v. He will not listen to reason.
vi. Do not confuse this with the tenacity, determination, and endurance of a godly man pursuing a good course of action. Solomon is describing the WICKED man here.
vii. There is something admirable and noble about resolve and fortitude in good things. That is not what is being described.
viii. Solomon is describing bullheadedness; an unreasonable inflexibility; ungodly stubbornness.
ix. This bullheaded determination might come from pride and arrogance: “I’m right—don’t confuse me with the facts.”
x. This bullheaded determination might come from a sense of vengeance. He may be so angry that he has determined to make others suffer. Vengeance drives him to pursue a course of action that might be disastrous, but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care about the consequences of his action. He is determined and no one is going to change his mind.
xi. This bullheaded determination might stem from frustration. He has tried to accomplish something that is beyond his ability to achieve, yet he is determined to do it… even though deep down inside he knows that it is futile. He will not listen to advice of friends… so he plows ahead. He is determined to do it and to prove them wrong.
xii. This bullheaded determination might stem from many different sources… in various situations… and express itself in many different ways.
d. Prov. 29:1 – Here we also see the stubborn man again.
i. The figure of speech is a bit different (hardening one’s neck as opposed to hardening one’s face), but the meaning is quite the same.
ii. They both speak of obstinate stubbornness.
iii. Being hard necked is an illustration that comes from dealing with oxen or mules. They sometimes stubbornly stiffen their neck so as to make it difficult to put the yoke on them… because they refuse to work…
iv. It is used of men who refuse to submit to God. They stubbornly refuse to submit to His yoke.
v. They stubbornly refuse to listen to advice.
vi. And as a result, there are consequences to bear. They shall be destroyed (broken; maimed; hurt).
e. This is a good warning for us all: If our faces, our necks, or our hearts are hardened, then God is not able to direct our paths. We are too stubborn and fixed in our OWN ways and will to consider God’s will and His ways. That is a dangerous road to travel.
3. The WICKED man behaves this way.
a. He arrogantly and defiantly hardens his face.
b. He boldly and shamelessly pursues his wickedness.
c. He is determined to accomplish his wickedness and is not interested in listening to reason.
d. He may attempt to COVER up his wicked intent by leading others to believe that his “hardened face” (bullheaded determination) is really “godly resolve or faithful steadfastness.”
The Upright Man Directs His Way
1. Upright:
a. Defined: Straight, not crooked; upright; correct; just; morally right; according to the standard.
b. This term is used in Prov. 3:6 – “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.” (He shall make your path upright; straight; according to His standard…)
2. Directeth:
a. This term is variously translated because of a textual issue.
b. Defined: To discern; understand; to perceive; to observe; to pay attention to; to consider diligently.
3. His way:
a. The term is most often used figuratively of one’s journey in life; one’s course of life; the road of life one is pursuing; a manner of life.
4. The upright man pays close attention to his course of life.
a. He diligently considers the direction or course of action he is pursuing.
b. This man doesn’t FORCE his will and his way. He directs his way according to understanding and wisdom.
c. He thinks before he acts.
d. He directs his thoughts, his emotions, his mind, and his will… and thus, he directs his way carefully and cautiously.
e. Prov. 11:5 – “The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way.”
i. Here Solomon speaks of another man who directs his ways.
ii. Only this time he exchanges the word “upright” for “perfect” (mature). A spiritually mature man will be upright in his practice.
iii. His righteousness (a character of life that is consistent with God and the Scriptures) causes his ways to be directed.
iv. He thinks through his actions. He considers his way. He ponders the path of his feet. He moves cautiously.
v. By way of contrast, the wicked do NOT behave that way, and as a result they FALL because of their wickedness.
vi. But the righteous man, the upright man, directs his ways. He thinks and plans ahead.
vii. He takes into consideration that following a certain course of action might lead to a FALL… and he decides not to travel down that road.
f. Psalm 119:59 – The upright man is like the psalmist: “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
The Contrast:
1. The wicked man is obstinate and bullheaded; he just plows through life determined to do whatever he wants regardless of the consequences.
a. He won’t listen to reason. He doesn’t consider others. He is determined to do what he’s going to do even if the results are disastrous.
b. The wicked man who hardens his face is so determined to do what he wants to do that he throws caution to the wind.
c. He brazenly strikes out on his own to do his own will no matter what.
d. He’s like the stubborn man who is determined to cut down the huge oak that is right next to his house and is leaning towards the house. All his friends advised him to hire professionals, but he was determined to cut it down himself. You can picture the outcome of that scenario!
2. On the other hand, the upright man carefully considers his way.
a. This upright man may also have a huge oak tree leaning over his house. He also may want to cut it down. But he listens to advice. He carefully considers the real possibility of it falling on his house and chooses not to demonstrate bullheaded determination. He thinks it through and decides to call the professional tree removers.
b. He is open to suggestions and to advice.
c. He is an upright man and he wants to do things right.
d. He is open to advice. He thinks things through.
e. He carefully considers the possible outcomes and makes wise choices.
f. He gives much thought to his course of action. He doesn’t brazenly rush into things.
g. He takes his time and is methodical.
h. Prov. 4:26 – He ponders the path of his feet.
i. He wants to follow the straight and narrow road and not swerve off course.
j. Ps. 119:133 – He seeks God to order his steps in His Word.
k. Ps. 37:23 – The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” God is delighted in his way because he considered his way and thought it through.
Proverbs 21:30
There is No Wisdom Against the Lord
Introduction:
1. This simple proverb makes one statement.
2. There are no contrasts; there are no comparisons; there are no parallel thoughts; there is no first and second part of the proverb.
3. Proverbs 21:30 makes one simple point… and it is without dispute.
4. The proverb is NOT saying that no wisdom, understanding, or counsel against the Lord EXISTS.
a. That would not be true.
b. There are whole realms in the universe that stand opposed to God and to His will.
c. There are myriads of fallen angels who oppose God.
d. Satan opposes God.
e. And whether conscious of it or not, the world of unsaved, fallen men also oppose God day in and day out.
f. The proverb is not saying that no wisdom opposes God.
5. Rather, it is saying that no wisdom can successfully stand against God.
a. It’s not that it does not exist; it’s just that it will not prevail.
b. The Bible abounds with examples of so-called wisdom that DARED to oppose God… but none successfully.
c. Such an attempt is the height of folly and pride!
d. Sinful men and fallen angels are unable to prevail against Divine wisdom and knowledge.
e. No creature can ever successfully oppose God.
f. Nobody can devise a plan to defeat God.
g. The wisdom, understanding, and counsel of men can never avail against Almighty God.
The Three Terms
These terms are similar in that they all deal with the mind; they all deal with a believer’s capacity to think, to know, to understand, and to reason. But they each have a slightly different shade of meaning.
1. Wisdom: Wisdom; prudence; shrewdness; skill; experience.
2. Understanding: Understanding; intelligence; insight; knowledge; reasoning; logic; debate; discernment.
3. Counsel: Counsel; advice; purpose; plan; plot; scheme.
1. Jer. 9:23 – Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom…
a. Man should never GLORY in his own puny wisdom.
b. Human wisdom is nothing to brag about.
c. What we SHOULD glory in is the fact that we know the Lord!
d. As Christians, we know Christ – “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col.2:3)
2. To think that our wisdom is superior to that of the Lord is preposterous!
a. It is unimaginable that anyone could think such a thing… yet our hearts are SO deceitful that it does occur.
b. Many of the great philosophers of the world have opposed the wisdom of God and referred to it as “foolish,” “archaic,” etc.
3. God’s wisdom is the TRUTH. Nothing can stand against the truth.
a. II Corinthians 13:8 “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.”
b. Men might attempt to fight and kick against the truth, but they will always be on the losing end.
4. In the early chapters of Proverbs, Lady Wisdom is seen crying out to the young, the simple, and the inexperienced. (Prov. 1:20-21)
a. Yet the simple rejected God’s wisdom.
b. They felt they had a superior wisdom… or that they did not need God’s wisdom.
c. Prov. 1:31-33 – There are dire consequences of making such arrogant defiance against the Lord.
d. You will be defeated by God. Your wisdom does not stand a chance.
5. Jonah 1:13 – Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not.
1. The second term used is “understanding.” This is the term that means intelligence; insight; knowledge; reasoning; etc.
2. Could you imagine anyone so foolish as to think that they could match wits with God?
a. Ps. 147:5 – Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite.
b. Our understanding is no match for God.
c. In fact, compared to God, there really isn’t much of a difference between the guy who dropped out of the sixth grade and the guy who finished top of his class at Harvard.
d. The gap between ANY man’s understanding and God’s is infinity.
3. Here is where a great divide is drawn between those who believe and trust in the facts recorded in God’s Word and those who trust the intellectual writings of men.
a. Scientists: Evolution vs. creation.
b. Psychologists: Man is born a sinner vs. man is born as a blank slate.
c. Liberal Theologians: Belief in the miracles of the Bible vs. belief only in observable scientific fact.
d. Higher Critics: Inspiration and infallibility of the Scriptures vs. the Bible as a book on par with any other book written by man.
e. Unsaved men may lean on their own understanding and defy God’s understanding in this life… but eventually their opposition shall not stand.
f. They may win debates because of a superior intellect and greater debating skills, or because of a golden tongue… but their understanding will one day be exposed as a lie… a deception that they were silly enough to fall for… because they had no wisdom from above.
4. Rom. 9:20 – Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
a. Men reply against God all the time.
b. Men oppose God’s written words; they oppose His will, His plans, and His intellect.
c. Paul speaks of the arrogance and audacity of such rebellion.
d. Imagine clay questioning the reasoning or the understanding of the potter?
e. This is used to demonstrate the folly of a man (who is but clay; dirt) daring to question or reply against God!
f. It sounds like the height of folly, but we all do it!
g. We think God should act in one way, and He acts in another. Sometimes that makes us discouraged, puzzled, resentful, and even angry.
h. We would do well to humble ourselves, and remind ourselves of this proverb: our understanding of matters cannot successfully stand against God.
5. Job 38:4 – Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
a. Job had many questions. He was perplexed by what God allowed in his life. He began to question God.
b. He began to think that perhaps God was misguided… or made a mistake… or didn’t understand what was actually taking place in Job’s life.
c. God put Job (and us) in his place by rehearsing how God with His great wisdom and understanding created the universe… held stars in their place… created earth… the waters… the heavens… and that He holds it all together.
d. Then, in a bit of pointed sarcasm, God says, “Where were you when I created all this?”
e. That was the end of the argument for Job. It was the end of questioning God.
f. The cure is to consider once again that God’s understanding is infinite. There is no fact that He ignores or is unaware of.
6. Isa. 55:8-9 – God’s thoughts are infinitely above our thoughts. What folly to challenge Him to a debate… or question Him…
a. We would do well to let this truth really sink into our heads… and change our attitudes and hearts.
b. Let God be true and every man a liar.
c. If there is any discrepancy between what we think and what God’s Word says – God’s Word ends the debate.
d. If there is any discrepancy between the truth of God’s Word and what the scientists, psychologists, or philosophers tell us… let God be true and every man a liar.
e. If we truly BELIEVE in His omniscience… this will settle MANY questions for us.
f. We can then REST in truth, rather than be torn between two opposing world views.
1. Prov. 19:21 – There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
a. Devices: Plans; thoughts; purposes; inventions; schemes; counsel.
b. Every one of us has devices or plans and purposes in our hearts.
c. Sometimes they are good; sometimes they are evil.
d. But regardless of what kind of plans that are lurking in our hearts, God’s counsel shall stand!
e. Stand: To stand; to stand up; to endure; to be fixed; to be valid; to be proven; to be fulfilled.
f. Man can plot and scheme all he wants in hopes of undermining or overthrowing God’s counsel, but it will never happen.
2. The book of Isaiah gives us many examples of this type of human arrogance: attempting to oppose the counsel of the Lord.
a. Isa. 7:5-7 – Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying…
• In this section, Isaiah predicted that the Messiah—Immanuel—to be born would bring deliverance to Israel.
• Therefore, God told the Jews that they need not fear the evil counsel of their enemies.
• Their counsel shall NOT STAND against the Lord!
• Believing this brings peace and rest even in times of turmoil.
b. Isa. 8:9-10 – Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought.
• Though Judah would almost be defeated by the Assyrian invasion, they need not fear because GOD is with Judah!
• In this passage God mocks the plans and the counsel of the invaders.
• They can make their best plans, but they will come to nothing.
• Nobody can successfully oppose God.
• Regardless of how well organized, armed, and trained the opposition might be, their counsel shall come to nought.
• Thus Judah was SAFE as can be!
c. Isa. 14:27 – For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
• Again, we see how SURE God’s counsel, purposes, and plans are.
• He defies anyone to attempt to disannul His plans.
• Who shall turn it back? Nobody! Ever!
d. Isa. 46:10 – Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.
3. Rev. 17:14 – These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.”
a. And yet, men DO defy the Lord… and oppose His plans and purposes for the ages.
b. Imagine thinking that their plans were superior to God’s?
c. It seems so foolish to us as believers to think that anyone would ever dare to oppose God, yet one day the nations will.
d. Yet in spite of their self confidence, the Lamb shall OVERCOME them.
e. God wins because of who He is: King of kings.
4. Psalm 2:1-3 – God sits in heaven and laughs at such foolish scoffing and opposition. (Like an ant attempting to fight with an elephant.)
5. Psalm 33:10-11 – The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect…
a. Balak desired to curse Israel, but God overruled!
b. Pharaoh sought to harm Israel, but God overruled!
c. The wise plan of the Roman soldiers to guard the tomb of the Lord Jesus was brought to nothing.
d. The plots to trap Jesus in His words were foiled time and time again.
e. Even the crucifixion of Christ was planned by Satan and wicked men; but that wicked plan was not successful in defeating God. In fact, the cross GLORIFIED the Lord like nothing else could!
6. This truth is HELPFUL to us all.
a. In practical terms, it means that since God is for us, no man can successfully be against us; no plan of man will ever succeed against us unless the Lord allows it for His sovereign purpose.
b. No man can ever defeat God; and we are resting safely under His wings.
7. Our proverb tonight reminds us all of who God is… His omniscience… His infinite understanding… His wisdom… His counsel. They are all perfect.
a. Trying to outsmart God? Don’t bother!
b. Do you think that you are not in need of counsel from His Word? Think again.
c. Do you think you already understand spiritual things… the deep things of God? There’s much more. Our understanding is puny.
d. Do you dare to defy God? Do you think you could prove Him wrong?
e. There is no contest here. It is dust against omnipotence.
f. His understanding is infinite.
g. We are but dust; grass that is soon mown down; a vapor;
h. The sooner we learn this lesson the better!
Proverbs 21:31
Safety is Of The Lord
Introduction: This is a simple proverb and its meaning is obvious: regardless of our preparations and effort, ultimately, safety is from the Lord. He is the Sovereign Lord.
1. Solomon uses the example of preparing for battle.
a. Prepared defined: To be firm; be stable; be established; be secure; be enduring; be prepared; be arranged; be settled; made ready; built up.
b. The horse was the tank of its day. It was a major military vehicle… it was a valuable piece of military equipment.
c. It provided much safety and security for the ancient armies.
d. It enabled them to rush into a village and gave them the added element of a surprise attack.
e. If the battle was not going so well, it enabled them rush back home too!
f. A soldier with a horse stood a much better chance of survival than a foot soldier.
g. And a cavalry is by far superior to an army of foot soldiers. (Remember the old cowboy movies when the Indians were about to destroy the wagon train, and then at the last minute, the cavalry appeared on the horizon to save the day!)
h. Thus, a soldier who wanted to survive would prepare his horse for the day of battle.
2. We should prepare for battles: Whatever kind of battle we might face.
a. Soldiers should prepare for war. They should seek out the very best battle plans. They should seek out the best equipment.
b. Businessmen should prepare for the battle of the business world. Make the best plans you can. Use the best and most efficient machines to punch out your widgets. Prepare your advertisements and your promotion to the best of your ability.
c. The farmer should prepare his fields. He has to plow them, and break up the fallow ground. He has to make sure the soil is well drained, weeded, watered, fertilized, etc…
d. If you are sick, make the best preparation you can to deal with your illness. Seek good medical help. Follow the doctor’s instructions. Take the prescribed medications. Do the proper exercises.
e. Students should prepare for the battle in school too! Read the homework assignments. Do all the exercises. Study for the exams. Follow your teacher’s advice and counsel.
f. There are countless other kinds of struggles, trials, and battles that we face as believers in which preparations are required.
g. We are to put our best effort into preparing to face the battle… and to come out victoriously.
h. Like the athlete in I Cor. 9:24-27, we are to put in our best effort… lay aside anything that would hinder us from winning… keep our body under subjection… keep our eyes on the crown… and keep on running… keep on striving.
i. This proverb is NOT teaching us that we should not strive for victory. It is NOT teaching that effort on our part is unnecessary.
j. There is a common expression often used that is most misleading: Let go and let God. It is only half right. Of course, we should let God have His way, but we should NEVER let go!”
k. When we let go there is no safety and no victory.
l. Don’t ever let go of your thought life. We are (by God’s grace) to control our thought life.
m. Don’t ever let go of your emotions. Our emotions are to be under control of the Holy Spirit.
n. Don’t ever let go of the steering wheel of your life and hope that God will steer FOR you. He will not. You will wander aimlessly and may drift very far away.
o. God doesn’t work INSTEAD of us. He works IN and THROUGH us.
3. The horse SHOULD BE prepared for battle.
a. Preparations for any kind of battle are good and necessary.
b. It would be foolish indeed to face the battle WITHOUT proper preparations.
c. That is not faith, it is presumption.
d. Prov. 20:18 – “Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.”
• Be prepared for war… plan ahead… think things through… make all the necessary arrangements…
• Get counsel; get advice; and act accordingly.
• Be ready, equipped, and have a battle plan.
e. FAITH prepares for battle. When God sent the Joshua and the Israelites into Canaan-land, he told them to gird up their swords and be ready for battle. Repeatedly we read that the Lord delivered the enemy into their hands, but the Jews had to slay them with their swords.
f. Faith prepares but it also TRUSTS in God for safety and victory.
g. Ps. 127:1 – “Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it.”
• Faith labors to build the house, but acknowledges that the labor is vain apart from the Lord.
h. Jas. 4:13-15 – “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
• FAITH makes good business plans, but does not ignore the will of the Lord.
i. Whether we are facing a literal battle, a business battle, or any other kind of struggle, human effort, labor, and striving are necessary, but they must be accompanied by TRUST… because our efforts alone are vain… fruitless… futile.
4. Ecc. 9:11 – I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
a. God is sovereign over time and chance.
b. Plans, equipment, counsel, preparation are all good and necessary, but they do NOT guarantee victory or success.
c. Providence can overrule any time God sees fit… no matter how strong the army, how well trained the runner, how wise the business plan, etc.
d. Preparation is good, but it is only one side of the coin.
1. Safety:
a. Safety = salvation; deliverance; victory.
b. Men can make the very best of plans and preparations, but ultimately deliverance, salvation, safety, and victory comes from the Lord.
c. This proverb deals with two sides of one coin: man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty.
d. Both are in the Bible and both are true.
e. Safety is of the Lord.
f. Zech. 4:6 – Not by (human) might, nor by (human) power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
2. Deut. 17:16 – For this reason, God commanded Jewish kings NOT to multiply horses.
a. God did not want Jewish kings to trust in their military might, but to trust in HIM.
b. If they trusted in the Lord, a very small army would be able to defeat a much larger army.
c. Israel’s history is replete such examples.
→ I Sam. 17:45-46 – David fought against Goliath and won. Goliath trusted in his size, strength, and equipment. David trusted in the Lord.
→ I Sam. 14:6 – Jonathan and his armourbearer fought victoriously against a larger garrison of Philistines. Jonathan was trusting that there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.
o Jonathan didn’t see the battle as one between himself and a much larger garrison of soldiers.
o He saw the conflict as being between the infinitely powerful Jehovah God and the weak, mortal dust of the Philistines.
3. It is foolish to trust in our own preparations and ignore the Lord.
a. Ps. 20:7 – Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
b. Ps. 33:17-21 – An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
c. Superior equipment does not guarantee victory.
• Consider the horses and chariots of the Egyptian army in the Exodus.
• Consider the six day war in Israel.
» The Six-Day War in 1967 was a war between Israel and the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
» The Arab states of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria also contributed troops and arms to the Arab forces.
» Egypt amassed 1,000 tanks and nearly 100,000 soldiers on the Israeli border
» Tiny Israel was completely surrounded by hostile nations, and it seemed that she was about to be wiped off the map.
» On June 5, 1967, Israel launched a Pre-emptive attack against Egypt’s air force.
» Divine Providence gave Israel an incredible victory… in just six short days.
• Matthew Henry wrote: God can save without armies; but armies cannot save without God.
d. Prov. 21:30 – Human wisdom is also useless against the Lord. Human effort and human wisdom are extremely limited, but God is not. How much better to trust in HIS wisdom and strength?!
4. God DELIGHTS in those who trust in HIM.
a. Ps. 147:10-11 – Trust in the Lord… not in horses.
• What an insult—for men to trust in a dumb horse over God!
• It is equally insulting to God for us to trust in modern technology. (Trusting in man’s devices to save us on the battle field or on the operating table is wrong!)
• Vs. 5-6 – God has infinite power and wisdom. He chooses to lift up the MEEK and those who fear Him… not those who appear to be strong and trust in their own arsenal.
b. Isa. 31:1 – Trusting in horses (or men with horses… with powerful equipment and human help) is the opposite of trusting in God.
• It is one or the other, not both.
• God can tell the difference.
c. Read Psalm 3:1-8 – Whole psalm about God’s safety.
• Whatever kind of struggle, trial, battle, or foe YOU have to face, remember this proverb: safety is of the Lord!
d. Jer. 9:23-24 – Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD.
• God wants ALL of the glory in any victory, however small or great. The glory should never go to our own strength, wisdom, equipment, or plans.
• Salvation is of the Lord.
