Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, do not pass by it; Turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; And they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. Proverbs 4:14-16

Consider with me for a moment how many films glorify wicked men.  There are hundreds of films that take a wicked man and glorify his life by romanicizing the things he did - and not really showing us the heart behind his actions.  His riches and power are shown to us - his stuff is paraded before our eyes - but his end is often kept from us.  The father in Proverbs wants to warn his son against following the lifestyle that these men lived.  He does so by giving us a far more accurate description of how these evil men live and make choices. 

Good advice is not to ENTER the path of the wicked.  If we do not ever start on the path and lifestyle of the wicked - we will not have to worry about being a wicked or evil man.  I know that sounds like "University of Duh" information, but how often do we want to just dabble - or walk a few steps in that way and then come back?  The path mentioned here is from the Hebrew word "orah" and it describes the path of an individual or the course of their life.  This word is used often to describe the characteristics of their lifestyle - whether they are good or evil, righteous or wicked.  This means that we are not just looking at the supposed rewards this wicked man receives during his lifetime - but we are gazing deeper into the way that he lives.

The second word that is used here to describe the wicked man's choices is again one that speaks of his entire lifestyle.  The second word is "derek" which means the way that he walks.  This word speaks more to his daily choices - that lead towards a lifestyle.  The warning here is not to "proceed" in the same daily choices that evil men make.  To "proceed" here means to go straight on, to advance forward.  It speaks of following a straight path that involves a way of understanding or the direction that comes from the heart.  The father is warning his son that choices lead somewhere - that as a wise man said - thoughts lead to choices - and choices to habits - and habits to a lifestyle - and a lifestyle to a destiny.  Don't allow the reasoning that fills the minds of evil men - to fill your mind. 

The father's counsel is clear in verse 15 - avoid it - don't pass by it - and turn away from it and pass on.  Avoid it means to leave it alone and neglect it.  Do not pass by it means to set your life in such a way that you do not go in a direction that would come near it.  The father knew that these were important things to do, but that there still would be times when his son would come into contact with it.  That is why he also added the command to turn from it and pass on.  This would cover those times - and remind the son that he should not linger thinking about an evil path - but move quickly from it.

Finally, the father reminds his son that evil men love their evil - and want to influence others to walk in the same way they do.  He lets his son know that these men lose sleep if they are not able to do their evil.  They love not only doing their evil, but helping others stumble in the same way.  Romans 1 speaks of the perversion of humanity by sin in these same terms at the end of chapter one when it uses these words.  ". . . and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." (Romans 1:32)

These are the ways of wicked and evil men.  They have existed in the world ever since the fall - and will continue to exist until Christ comes again.  Wise fathers need to warn their sons against such men - and against the paths they take in life. 

Do not fret because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked; For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out. Proverbs 24:19-20

Ever watch what is going on in the world and wonder if the evil and wicked are winning the day?  It is difficult at times not to fret and become angry (even at God) when we watch the evil men and women of this world seemingly prosper and succeed during our lifetime.  But the wise man knows the Word of God - and knows that God promises that He is just, and knows that in the end it will not go well for the wicked.  His lamp may burn brightly for a season, but in the end his lamp - his influence - his power will be put out. 

We are warned against two things in this passage.  The first is that we do not fret because of evildoers.  The word "fret" here actually does not refer to worry but rather to anger.  The word for fret is the Hebrew word, "nahar" which means to burn, to be kindled and glow, or to grow warm.  It refers to someone becoming angry.  It was the word that was used of Potiphar's anger when he thought that Joseph had raped his wife.  It is also used in Joshua 23:16 of God's anger toward those who disobey His Law.  Here, we are being warned against becoming angry at God - because we watch evildoers prosper in this life.  David struggled with this very thing in Psalm 73.  The more he looked at the wicked and the evildoers in this present life - the more his anger was being kindled.  He reached the point in that psalm where he said that he almost betrayed his generation until he entered the sanctuary and saw the latter end of this wicked people.  His betrayal would have been the things he said about God and His justice.  David would have allowed his fretting to be manifested toward God.  But he saw that all at once these prospering evil people fell - that they faced God's wrath with no recourse.  He saw that they thought all was well until death or calamity crushed their world.  Since they were only living for the here and now - that meant that their entire world was destroyed.  David's fretting ceased - and instead he felt compassion toward them - and awe and fear toward God in his "ULTIMATE JUSTICE." 

We are also warned not to become envious of the wicked.  This second warning comes because we will watch the shrewdness of the worldlings as they use graft and corruption to gain wealth in this world.  We may watch them seemingly succeed in regard to money, sex, and power.  But once again we must see things from God's perspective.  As they gather power, sex, and wealth to themselves - they are also storing up wrath for disobeying God's commandments and laws as well.  Their supposed prosperity comes at an eternal price tag.  In the end their future will be horrific - not blessed. 

That is what these two verses in proverbs deals with in the second verse.  We are told that there will be no future for the evil man.  The word future is our old friend "acharith" which means the end of the matter.  Though the wicked does all his evil desires, and seemingly prospers in them - he is not seeing long term.  He may enjoy the moment - but the latter end of his life will be devastating.  There is NO future - NO latter end - NO prosperity eternally.  He will be damned for his rebellion and destroyed utterly for his wickedness.

Only someone who sees with a ridiculous short term vantage point would trade a few years of pleasure for infinite pain and suffering.  God's Word refers to this life on earth as a mere breath while there is no end to our state in eternity.  The other warning to us here is that the lamp of the wicked will be put out.  As I said earlier, he may burn brightly for a little while - for a breath or two - but his light will be extinguished.  Consider all the terrifying dictators of the past - Hitler, Ghengas Khan, Sadaam Hussein, Stalin, Lenin, Mao, Pol Pot - and a host of others throughout history.  For a brief moment they seemd to have a bright light burning for themselves and their regime.  Yet all are viewed as horrible men who committed disgusting crimes against humanity itself.  God assured that these men do not live on as famous - but as infamous.  So also will be the legacy of all those who oppose God and live out their wickedness.  Their lights will go out - snuffed out by God Himself.

The wise man does not become angry with God over such men and women.  He certainly does not envy them.  What we should do is pity such men.  We should pity them and pray that they would repent and turn to God.  We should also realize that God is showing them great mercy by not consuming them instantly in His wrath.  He is offering them another day of mercy during which time they have opportunity to hear the gospel and repent.  But know that beyond any shadow of doubt the day is drawing near for them to be judged according to God's law.  Envious?  Angry? - no . . . we should pity them - and we should tremble before the awesome, exact justice of our holy God.  And as wise men - we should depart from their ways and fully embrace those of our Lord.

The soul of the wicked desires evil; His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.   Proverbs 21:10

Have you ever considered the thoughts and desires of a very wicked man - who seems to truly consider nothing other than himself.  I realize that theologically we all are wicked and we all are consumed by our own selfishness.  Yet God in His mercy has blessed us with societal restraints and parental restraints - and even conscience-driven restraints that keep us from fully manifesting our wickedness.  But there are those who whether by searing their conscience as with a hot iron - or by giving themselves to every wicked impulse of their hearts - have unlocked the depths of wickedness in their hearts like no one else.  They may be the mass murderers or the wicked rulers of a nation - or just someone who seems to not have an ounce of mercy in their being.  Whatever it is - it is truly terrifying to think what it is that brings someone to that level of having their wicked desires rule their thinking and their heart.

The wicked man has a soul that desires evil.  That means he desires it at the level of his mind in his thinking, at the level of his will in how he chooses to live his life, and in his emotions in that he truly delights in evil and in what is contrary to God's Word.  It should be no shock to us then to see that his neighbor finds no favor whatsoever in his eyes.  He has no proclivity to show grace and favor to anyone except himself.  Ultimately his desire is for himself and what he wants.  If it looks like he is showing favor - it is only because that is what will get him what he wants in the end. 

Wisdom realizes that we need to shun evil - and have nothing to do with it.  The reason that this is so is because evil will never be neutral in our lives.  If we give in to it, evil will seek to expand its influence in our hearts and minds - and ultimately will work its ways in our wills.  You cannot choose to do evil and have evil be sequestered to only that area of your life.  Evil will expand - evil will grow - and left undealt with - it will eventually dominate our lives.  This proverb should be sufficient to remind us that this is true.  That the wicked man's appetite for evil will end with there being no favor for anyone or anything except that which will support the expansion of evil in his doings.  Steer clear of evil - reject it - hate it - that is the course of the wise.

The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked goes out. Proverbs 13:9

Here is one of a number of proverbs that we have to understand with the Hebrew mindset in order to get what it is saying.  It is imperative to grasp what the words light and lamp mean to get what is being said here.  But before you get discouraged and decide to read a different proverb, this one can be understood through a song I learned as a child.  The song is sung after sticking your index finger up into the air.  If you haven't figured out what song I am referring to, it is the song, "This Little Light of Mine."

The light of the righteous rejoices.  To a Hebrew light referred to the posterity and prosperity of one's life.  These things also were what pointed to the favor of God upon them - by which they enjoyed their prosperity of soul - and by which God guaranteed them a posterity (memory and children) that would be blessed.  The righteous man has a light that rejoices.  It is a light that shines on and on into the future.  This man's life shines brightly with the favor of God.  That favor is granted to him because of God's grace - and because he continues in it to choose righteousness rather than sin and godlessness.  One older Hebrew writer compared the flickering, dancing light of the candle to this passage.  The light of a candle dances as it lights a room - flickering and jumping to offer its illumination to all those around.  So also the righteous man joyously walks through life regardless of his circumstances.  He shows such a wonderful prosperity of life - and rejoices in all that God does in his life - whether it is what the world would call good or bad circumstances.  Paul describes it this way in Romans.  God works all things together for good to those who love Him and who live according to His purposes.  He rejoices because God has predestined this man to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ!  No matter what happens he knows that this process will continue till He sees His Lord.  That is the joy and the delight that exists in any disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The wicked though do not know such prosperity.  Proverbs tells us that their lamp goes out.  What is interesting to note here is that for the Hebrew a lamp meant more a testimony of their life than anything else.  We read of the lamps of the seven churches - and the Lord speaking of their lampstand being removed.  Here the wicked are shown to have the most ignoble of ends.  They face their lamp going out.  They may shine for a while on earth - but in the end there is no light whatsoever.  Whereas godly men and women leave a light for years and generations afterward - all the wicked leave us is the legacy of their darkness.  Think of the wicked leaders like Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin.  Think of their legacy.  They ruled for years - but died horrific deaths.  Now their very names reek of darkness and evil.  This is what awaits those who live for wickedness.  One of the most terrifying thoughts is that they will be cast into a lake of fire that will burn for all eternity.  But even though it will burn like fire - it is described as outer and utter darkness.  The smoke of their torment will go up forever - and yet no light whatsoever will be manifest.  Truly their lamp goes out - not just for a moment or a season - forever.

Wisdom embraces a life of righteousness and light.  Wisdom realizes that such a life, even with its difficult moments far outshines the momentary brightness of the wicked in this world.  For us the Scripture holds true.  The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter till the full day.  That, dear saints of God is our future!