The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath.   Proverbs 11:23

What do you want?  That is a pretty general question - but it is the one that is addressed in today's proverb.  The thing is that we are looking at what people want from the perspective of God, not just what people or the "market" wants.

From God's standpoint we are oing to watch Him put boh the righteous and the wicked man into the balances, weigh them and their choices, and state what each deserves. First we see that God places the righteous into the scales.  He says that the righteous man's desires are only good.  This coincides with what Jesus says in the Beattitudes.  In Matthew chapter 5, we read the following, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."  God not only is pleased with those who hunger and thirst for what He says is right - He promises wonderful levels of satisfaction for those who do.  There is also another statement made in the Psalms that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart.  It is so important to know that when we are living for righteousness and pursuing what is right - God cuts us loose to enjoy as much as we want.  That is why He says here that these kind of desires are "only good." 

The wicked, though, have no sch guarantee.  We read that the expectation of the wicked in wrath.  It is helpful for us to see that word "expectation" here.  The reason it is so important is because often what the wicked desire will give them an immediate positive feeling.  The person who abuses alcoholic drinks has an immediate positive response as he feels better and is much more free in his expression of himself.  But he can expect problems later.  Having been a drunkard before I was saved I can concur with God's statement here.  The expectation of the drunkard is only wrath and bad consequences.  There is the hangover that comes in the morning.  There is also the realization that the supposed freedom that you felt the night before took away your natural defenses against saying something stupid.  Can't tell you how many times a Friday night bender led to a whole week of consequences with friends and aquaintences.  Another area I want to address here is that of sexual immorality.  The person who is sexually immmoral loves the immediate pleasure provided by it.  Unfortunately, the crisis pregnancy, the positive STD test, and the broken relationships are not so pleasurable.  The pornography may give us a temporary high feeling and sense of thrill as we look at it, but later the bondage that results, the pull into deeper perversion, and the way it leads people to treat the opposite sex as an object can be devastating. 

The Word of God speaks of God's "judgments."  These are things that God has said concerning certain behaviors in life.  When we choose to disobey God and embrace our lfleshly lusts we do so because of the promise of pleasure and immediate satisfaction.  The problem is that God has said what His response will be to such things.  These are His judgments.  He says that problems will result - disasters are on the horizon - and blessing will be forfeited.  These judgments WILL COME upon those who choose to disobey regardless of what God says.  They can expect the wrath of God when they rebel.  God has made this very clear when He said in Romans chapter 1, "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness ofmen who suppress the truth with their unrighteousness."  God's attitude and actions toward ungodliness and unrigteousness have been settled from eternity past.  Those who reject Him and His Word need to know that He has amply published the results of such behavior - and it has never been good.  Therefore the truly wise man knows that blessings await those who embrace righteousness - but for those who chose a wicked lifestyle - only wrath awaits them.

Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered. Proverbs 11:21

Punishment is something people do not want to discuss.  We live in a day when we are uncomfortable talking about people being punished.  Yet Scripture makes it very clear that God is going to bring judgment upon the wicked and the evil.  Today's proverb addresses these things.

The proverb starts off with an interesting Hebraism.  The proverb says, "hand in hand" as it begins.  This phrase means that though people join hand in hand.  It speaks of those who are evil.  There are many evil men and women who feel that if they join hands - their evil can prevail.  One of the most famous of biblical examples of this is the people who joined together together to build the Tower of Babel.  They did this so that they would not be scattered.  They constructed the tower in rebellion against God.  Their thought was that together their project would prevail against God's will.  But this is why the verse opens up with this statement - assuredly.  Thus we know that even though every wicked man and woman on the planet were to join hands to stand agaisnt God - the fact is that they will not go unpunished.  God's judgment WILL prevail - and His authority and power will prevail over any who choose evil.  The evil man will be punished - end of story.

But there is more - because God promises that the righteous will be delivered from the wrath of God.  He promises that there will be deliverance for the seed of the righteous.  God is going to destroy the wicked - but His grace will cause the righteous to be delivered from that judgment and wrath.  The righteous here are not those who are self-righteous - but rather those who are righteous by faith.  They have believed on the lamb of God who was slain from the foundation of the world.  Their righteousness was not based on their own works - but rather on the work of Jesus Christ.  This is what will deliver the righteous from the judgment of God.  They are delivered because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  That is what speaks for them before a holy God. 

Remember this . . . one man will face punishment - while another will be delivered from the wrath of God.  One embraces evil - the other what is right.  In the end the one who chose righteouensss made the truly wise choice.  For no matter how many hands were gathered together - they will never stand before a holy God.  All that will matter in that day is whether we have the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  

It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.  Proverbs 16:19

Humility is something to be embraced by God's people.  It is not usually considered a great thing because often to be humble means that you will not be on the top rung of things.  Here where Solomon tells us it would be better to be humble in spirit with the lowly that truth comes out.  The humble man is the one who is to embrace a low social position.  The humble man does not seek great things for himself.  The sense of this Hebrew word is that one is not only humble, but they are also meek (strength under control) and they are contrite (they know their sin and greive over it.  The humble also associate with a group most people would shun - the lowly.  The lowly are those who are poor, afflicted, and usually crying out for help to the Lord.  These people are often absued by the rich and by oppressive leaders.  When you associate with such people, it means that you most likely will not be among the movers and shakers of society.  Yet it is better to be here among the lowest of the low than to be with those who suffer from pride.  Something that will prove helpful in understanding the second part of this proverb is the reality that the humble are not seeking advancement for themselves.  They serve God and look to Him for their advancement and their victories. 

We are warned that it is better to be with the lowly and to be humble with them - than to divide the spoil with the proud.  The proud (Hebrew word "ge'eh") are not just proud and haughty - they are those whose pride is bringing the Lord Himself to a point of desiring to judge them.  Granted, they are getting the spoil - which meant money and things - but at what cost?  The idea of spoil means that they are fighting or warring against another.  The spoil was what was left over after they had wiped out their enemies.  The proud conquer their opposition, and then rise up and take their stuff afterwards.  Their advancement does not come by trusting the Lord - but by dominating and destroying their competition.  They leave in their wake a large number of people who are either ruined or are so dominated that they surrender what is theirs to their conquerors.  True, they may have a lot of money, a lot of stuff, and victories to their credit - but they also have God as their adversary.  God watches all this and burns with anger - responding to their pride and arrogance by promising a recompense that may not come today - but it is surely coming.  When you consider this, seeing that even though they have victories and spoils, they come at far too high a price, the judgment of God - you also see why it is better to be with the humble and even oppressed than with this crew who are one day going to face the wrath of God.

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.

Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; He who hates reproof will die. Proverbs 15:10

What happens when we depart from God's ways?  According to this passage in Proverbs there is a very serious consequence for us when we do this.  Even worse is what awaits us if we go even further than this and reject God's reproof after we've left his ways. 

What is at stake here?  Well, what drives this particular proverb is the idea of "forsaking the way."  "The way," refers to God's way - the way of his commandments.  Several times the phrase, "the way of the Lord" is used to refer to this.  If you want to understand it better you can turn to the 119th Psalm which calls it by various names like, "the way of righteousness," "the way of Your testimonies," "the way of Your precepts," "the way of Your statutes," as well as what we've already said as the way of God's commandments.  This way is the commands and the things God calls us to be and to do in His Word.  When we "forsake" this way, we are doing the following.  We no longer listen carefully to God's Word - we don't pay heed to it or obey it.  But the core idea here is no longer listening or paying attention to someone.  That Someone here is God.  In case you do not know what this means - it means as you listen - you do so in order to respond and obey God.

What happens when we forsake God's way?  The Word here says that we face "grevious punishment."  The word translated for this is the Hebrew word "ra" - and it simply means, bad things!  When you no longer walk with God, listen to Him, or obey Him - bad things are going to eventually happen in your life.  This is the case no matter whether you are His or not.  If you take a close look at the progress (or regress) of the world around you, you can see that ignoring and forsaking God's ways has never led to a world of peace and blessing.  By its very nature this world works best when God's ways and paths are followed.  When they are ignored - or worse - shunned, things go bad.  This is a fait accompli - an established fact! 

Now a second warning is also issued at this point - and I think it is a reminder that God's rebuke and reproof are proofs of His love - not hate.  When we forsake God's way, we will face bad things, but when we go further and ignore His loving reproof of those ways and continue in rebellion - we are headed toward death.  It is God's great mercy and love that arrests us in our rebellion with disciplinary action.  He allows difficulties and problems to come to us to turn us from the insanity of abandoning His ways.  But when we are too stubborn to listen - we are moving toward death itself.  What is terrifying is the warning in 1 John that there is a sin leading unto death - a point at which a disciplinary measure from God involves having a person die.  Wisdom tells us to respond to His discipline and His reproof quickly - so that we will not have to go that far.

One last comment on this passage.  These two truths are just that - truth.  But they had their most astounding fulfillment in the cross of Jesus Christ.  It was there that we saw the most grievous punishment imaginable.  It had nothing to do with the Roman scourage or the nails in the hands of our Savior.  It had little or nothing to do with the agony of the cross physically as Jesus gapsed for air as His torn and bruised body slowly died on the cross.  But it had everything to do with why Jesus sweat blood the night before in the garden.  It had everything to do with the agony of the wrath and judgment of God upon sin.  Calling it a grevious punishment seems too small in light of what it truly cost Christ to pay for our sin before His holy Father.  That is why we should never take sin in our lives lightly.  Yes, our sin was paid in full by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross - but we should always view that truth with both trembling and a sense of honor to God for what He did for us.  Otherwise we will take sin too lightly - and risk thinking that forsaking His way really is not that bad - and it really won't cost us much.  There is foolish talk that reaches to the heavens themselves - and the kind of talk that will give rise to actions that will in the end yield that grevious punishment and stinging rebuke.

A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11

When a man is in rebellion against God he is seeking only evil in his life.  What a fascinating statement this is - and yet, because it is Scripture, we know that it is true.  So let's learn some lessons from the rebellious man so that we will not find ourselves visited in the same way that he is visited in this proverb.

The rebellious man is the one who is obstinant - stubborn - and rebellious.  But there is one very important thing about his rebellion.  It is against God and His laws and ways.  The term was used often to describe the way that Israel was determined to go their own way - stubbornly refusing to obey the precepts and laws that God gave them in His Word.  It is used also of Saul's reusal to carry out the Lord's command concerning the Amalekites.  This man wants nothing to do with what God desires and calls for from us.  Thus he sets himself in a direction that only agrees with what he wants.  We read here that this man, while in this sad spiritual condition, seeks only evil.  Until he comes to the place where he will submit himself to God and to what God says in His Word - it matters not what he does - because it is evil.  Turn from God and you turn from anything that is truly good.  Turn from God and you will ultimately turn away from anything useful - at least in eternal matters.  And since everything in this life and this existance will be destroyed with fire in the end, anything not laid up in eternity will be first consumed by moth and rust - but in the end it will be destroyed by fire. 

A promise is given to the rebellious man - one that is pretty frightening.  God says that because of his rebellion, this man will receive a messenger from the Lord.  We read that a "cruel messenger" will be sent against him.  The word for cruel here is "akazarty" and it means someone whose cruelty is contrasted with a person who is merciful and righteous.  What God is saying here is that a messenger who knows no mercy is going to come against the rebellious man.  There is coming a day for the rebellious man - a terrifying day.  God refers to such days in the prophets of the Old Testament.  He calls such a day, "the cruel day of the Lord. 

Isaiah 13:9 tells us of such a day when God says, "Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it."  In order to grasp what is said here - and what kind of things will come with this cruel day I want to take a few moments and exegete this verse for us.  The "cruel" day of the Lord is described for us in five ways here.  Each will help us understand better the cruel messenger that is going to be send against the rebellious man.

1.  Cruel - this day is going to be one that is "cruel" The Hebrew here - akazary - means lacking mercy or kindness.  This is the day - the day Jehovah removes mercy from the scene - in other words, man is going to receive what He deserves.  He has deserved such cruelty - but God has withheld it - even pouring it out upon His Son for forgiveness to be given - but now - only cruelty is left.  This word was used to describe the utter savagry of the cruel warriors of Babylong - now - that savagery is returning upon their head!

2.  Fury - Hebrew is "ebrah" meaning an overflowing fury, wrath, and anger.  God is overflowing with wrath.  He has withheld it for the most part - but now, no longer.  It is released - and like a dam breaking - it comes with power - crushing all that is before it.

3.  Burning Anger - The word here means a fierce anger that is like an uncontrolled fire burning and consuming all that is before it.  God is no longer holding back this fury and wrath - now it burns in all its measure upon the wicked.

4.  Desolation - The land is now a desolation - a waste - a horror to behold.  Those who would look upon it would do so with a sense of being appalled! 

5.  A Day of Extermination of Sinners - The end of this is to "exterminate" the sinners from it.  The word means to destory, eraditcate, exterminate - to totally or utterly destroy or wipe out.  That is what is awaiting those who grieve and anger the Lord of the universe!

When we read these words, the wise among us tremble in fear of God.  We also do all that we can to abandon any way that God would describe as rebellious.  We want nothing to do with the rebellious man - or his ways.  He is truly a stupid man for living in this way.  Some might accurately go as far to say that he is close to insane for living in rebellion against God.  Others (actually the rebellious themselves) will laugh all this off - rejecting God's warning and His holiness and justice. 

It is sad to say that the cruel messenger that will come to them to awaken them out of their spiritual lethargy and rebellion will be death.  In that moment they will move from rebellion to terror.  But in that day it will be too late.  God will have already sent His final message to them - and what a cruel, absolute message it will be.  No mercy will be available in that day.  Just the opposite will be true.  Having rejected God's mercy all their lives, these rebellious fools will have only the fiercest of the wrath of God as the reward for a life that sought only evil during the few brief years given to them.  May God give us grace that we will reject such a stupid and foolish choice.  May we look at rebellion and rebellious ways toward God as we would look at a vile of beubonic plague - as that which will bring certain death and destruction.

A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, 13 Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers; 14 Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife. 15 Therefore his calamity will come suddenly; Instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing. Proverbs 6:12-15

There are certain things that identify for us a wicked person.  Proverbs takes four verses and describes for us in an expanded way what a wicked person looks like - and what his future entails.  Let's take a look at this today in a a little longer version of our look at Proverbs. 

First of all a wicked person is described in two ways.  First he is called a "worthless person."  The word used here is very descriptive for it is the Hebrew word "beliyaal" which is one of the terms that is used to describe the devil.  His minions are described in Scripture as the sons of Belial.  The word means a worthlessness which has its major emphasis on the moral aspect of life.  Thus the word came to mean a wicked person.  The word is used to describe the hard-hearted in Deuteronomy 15:9 and 1 Samuel 30:22.  These are also those who promote rebellion against the authority of God.  The wicked therefore are those who hold a moral standard that is worthless for it encourages them and others to rebel against God's authority and choose to be hard-hearted toward the Lord and toward His commandments. 

The wicked is also described as being - well - wicked.  He is referred to as a wicked man.  The word for wicked (awen) means someone who is troublesome, who causes sorrow by his bent toward evil and mischief.  He seeks after nothingness and loves falsehood.  Strongly embedded in this word is the reality that this man or woman commits iniquity and intentionally misses God's mark of godliness.  Once it has been established what kind of person is being spoken of here - Solomon begins putting forth a list of things the worthless and wicked man does.  He is not called wicked due to some prejudice - but simply because of the choices that this man makes.  Because of the large number of descriptions of his actions, I will number them as we define them.

1.  He walks with a perverse mouth - He has a mouth that is filled with perversion and deceitfulness.  He has a mouth that speaks without integrity or truth, but rather embraces immorality and deception. 

2.  Winks with his eyes - This refers to a winking or blinking of the eyes which was always done with a mocking, malicious, or deceitful intent.  Proverbs 10:10 says that this is done to devise trouble, while Proverbs 16:30 tells us that a man does this to devise perverse things - and is usually done in combination with a mouth that is speaking of evil and seeking to bring evil to pass.  These are signals to others so that they will either join in an evil plan - or that they will know that they are not to interrupt as this wicked man is using his perverse mouth to bring scorn on the godly or upon godly, holy things. 

3.  Signals with his feet - This literally means he scrapes with his feet.  In the Middle East this was a sign that was given from one to another - and it was used among the seamy aspects of society.  This is clearly a sign used by the wicked so that others will join with them in some evil plot.

4.  Points with his fingers - Again a reference to a sign used for no good.  These are all the kind of things that are used by someone who is planning trouble.  The idea here is that this wicked, worthless man is up to something.  These things are done for some wicked purpose.

5.  He continually devises evil - This guy is always thinking of some scheme or some way to do his evil - or walk in some kind of evil plan of his own making.  Note also that this is done with "perversity in his heart."  This guy is always in to perverting situations, perverting people, or as I've seen in some - speaking of something perverse at all times. 

6.  Spreads strife - He is sending out strife - causing serious problems for people in how they relate to one another.  Wherever he goes - there seems to be relational problems that follow after him.  Paul warns us to stay away from a factious man - a man who spreads strife like this.  The mark of the sons of God is that we are peacemakers - not peace-destroyers.

I feel the need to offer a note at this point.  Twice in this passage it is said that the wicked are perverse.  There is a tendency among Christians, and it is a trap I've fallen into as well, to be tiptoeing around the edges of perversity in their speech.  It is unfortunately gaining more acceptance for a believer to have a more perverse mouth.  This is true even in pulpits.  This is not a good thing - but something that we need to gain control of individually in our lives.  Our society is getting more and more coarse in how they speak.  We in the church honestly do not need to follow suit by staying a few steps behind them (so that we are not as bad as they are in how we speak).  We should be those who shun perversity in our lifestyles, in our actions, and in our speaking.

What happens to the worthless/wicked man?  Well, it might surprise you to see that God does not promise that the moment he does these things that he will be judged.  There may be a period of time where he may even prosper.  We learn from Psalm 73 that at times the godly may struggle because this is so.  But just like we learned from this Psalm, we will learn here in Proverbs that trouble and calamity is coming.

What happens to the wicked man is that calamity comes suddenly upon him.  He may continue in his rebellion for years thinking that everything is fine.  He may even come to the false conclusion that God does not see his evil - or is unable to stop him in it.  Nothing is further from the truth.  What is happening is that this man is storing up wrath for himself - that will be revealed one day when his calamity comes - but will truly be meted out on the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

We learn here that in an instant this wicked/worthless man is going to be broken.  Jesus spoke of how men can either fall on the Rock and be broken before God - or - one day that Rock will fall upon them.  On that fateful day they will not be just broken, they will be crushed.  Here we read that this instant breaking will be one from which this worthless/wicked man cannot be healed.  He will face destruction that will bring terror to him. 

Saints of God, know this for certain.  The wicked will continue to act wickedly, the godless will continue to be godless, and the judgment of God will continue to build until its breaking point.  The reason I say this is because God said this after revealing Himself in one of the most terrifying books in the Bible.  Revelation 22 closes the book with this warning.  After men have read about the judgment of God - after they have read of a day where earth and heaven will flee from God in all of His glory - as He is revealed in His mighty, terrifying judgments.  After all of this - John knows by the Spirit of God most will continue in their wickedness.  They will not heed the words of warning given in this Revelation of Jesus Christ.  So he says these words which he hears from the angel of the Lord, 

"And he said* to me, 'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. "Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.  Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.'" Revelation 22:10-12, NASB

The worthless/wicked man will continue in his perversity.  He will continue to speak his perverse words, make his perverse plans, create strife with his perverse ways.  But there will be a moment - an instant when the judgment of God and the due for his words, plans, and actions will come suddenly.  So let us, unlike those to whom Revelation 22:10-12 is addressed, take heed - and order our ways so that the reward we receive is the one given for those who are good and faithful servants of the Lord who shun perversity, perverse words, perverse plans, and a perverse lifestyle. 

Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Proverbs 2:8

Why is it so disheartening to see a judge or a police officer break the law and be guilty of criminal activity?  The reason is that we look to these individuals to be ones who guard justice in our society.  When they are guilty of injustice - it shakes our confidence in the system.  It also leaves us without a guardian over issues of justice and righteousness. 

Here we are told something in Proverbs that should bless us greatly.  The ultimate guardian of justice is not a man.  The ultimate guardian of justice is God Himself.  Don't worry too much about the paths or the way of justice - at least to the point of thinking it won't exist any longer.  Such thoughts are false.  God Himself is the One who guards the paths of justice.  He watches over them and will one day bring every injustice to light - and each will receive the due penalty of their error.  That should both comfort and terrify us.  It should comfort us to know that this world is not spinning out of control.  God has been watching over it - and will continue to do so until the end of the age.  No one is going to "get away" with anything in the end.  God will call all men to stand before Him and give account for the deeds which they have done in their bodies.  Each will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  Justice will be fine and will be swift in that day and hour. 

But what about that nefarious enemy of justice - nepotism?  We've all watched as a relative or close friend is rescued from justice without any of the consequences of it being experienced.  The only ones punished in that scenario are those who had the unfortunate providence of working with the relative or close friend.  In the end justice is skewered and cooked on a spit - and all those watching have their faith in a truly just judge or official shaken.  There is where we can be assured that God is the true guardian of justice.  If there ever was a time when He would have decided to lapse into nepotism, it would have been with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  When He became sin - the entire universe watched with their breath held at what the Father would do.  True to His nature and His holiness - and the fact that He is the guardian of justice - God brought justice to bear on His Son, when He became sin for us.  Thus, we see that God was just - but because of His actions and the sacrifice of His Son - He was also the justifier of those who believe in Jesus. 

God also is known as the One who preserves the way of His godly ones.  This literally means He is watching, guarding, and protecting the course of their lives.  The descriptive language used here with the words "way" and "paths" has the idea of where we are going.  It also gives us the picture of a map of our lives laid out before us.  That map is known by the Lord - and He is watching over it.  When we choose to be one of His godly ones - and concern ourselves with justice as well - He watches over us.  That is not a promise we will never have problems - but it is a promise that nothing will happen to us that does not first come through God's purposes and plans for our lives. 

So don't fret over justice.  God, who watches over the paths of justice will deal with all matters on that great and glorious day when all men will have to stand and give an account for their lives and their choices.  Know also that as you live a godly life - that He is watching over you as well.  Your confidence in such things can be overwhelming - and hopefully your peace will be sufficient in every situation.

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death. Proverbs 11:4

If you asked most people if they would rather have riches or righteousness - most likely most would answer that they would like riches.  That is due to two facts.  First it is due to the fact that mankind is lost and ignorant of their true position before God.  Second, it is due to the fact that the rich man in the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man - has not yet had his message broadcast to the world as he would have wanted.

Proverbs tells us that riches do not profit us in the day of wrath.  If riches are all that we have - we are seriously in trouble.  Note that we read here of the day of wrath.  This refers to the day that God releases His wrath on those who have rejected His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  That will be a sobering day indeed for the rich.  They have stored up their wealth when they should have used it for the glory of God and the advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  On that day, their riches will mean nothing.  Honored on earth among men - riches are despised in heaven - unless they have been used for the glory of God. 

Two men would love to testify to this fact.  The first is the rich man who did nothing to alleviate the pain and suffering of a poor beggar named Lazarus.  He lay at the rich man's gate, his only ministers dogs that licked his sores.  HE longed to be fed with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table.  He received nothing from him.  On the day of God's wrath - the rich man was cast into hell and Lazarus was taken into Abraham's bossom - to await the day he would be taken to heaven.  The rich man - suffering miserably - asked that someone be sent to tell his brothers of this place.  He knew that riches would not deliver in that day - only righteousness would do.  The second man who would love to testify  would be the rich farmer who thought he had it made because he had a bumper crop.  Faced with filled barns already, he wondered what to do with his wealth.  He decided to build bigger barns, fill them and then say to himself that he was set for life.  He trusted riches, not righteousness.  He lost.  The Lord called this man a fool and told him that he would die that night - and what would he do for his own soul.

Riches will not profit us in that day when we face the judgment of God.  Only righteousness will do.  Actually, only a certain kind of righteousness will do too.  That is the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  That alone will stand in that awful day.  Nothing else will matter except that we've repented and turned in faith to Jesus Christ.  What He did on the cross will pay for our sins - what He did will allow us to be credited with a perfect righteousness that will cause us to be accepted before God.  Only what He did - only His righteousness will matter.  It will save us from death. 

In light of this truth - what are YOU trusting in on the day of God's wrath?  You may think it is not coming - that God is too nice to judge anyone.  The fact of Scripture is to the contrary.  God will judge - He will call us to an accounting - and He will accept only one thing on that day to make us acceptable in His sight.  Oh that we would be wise and run to the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.  Oh that we would open our eyes and be aware of the horror of that day for those who trust anything other than the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.  It alone can deliver from death.  Any other thing will fail eternally.  Now let me ask the question . . . On the day of God's wrath what do you want to have - riches or righteousness?