 Proverbs 15:25 The LORD will tear down the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow.
One of the quickest ways to cause God to act in judgment is to mess with widows. By the way the corollary to this is that messing with orphans is not very smart either. Probably the second quickest way to incur the disciplinary action of God is to be proud and arrogant. Therefore the ones’ warned in this proverb are facing the proverbial “double-whammy” because of their actions. The first thing we see is God’s promise to “tear down” the house of the one who is proud. The Hebrew word for this tearing out is frightening because it has the idea of tearing out or tearing down. God is promising the proud man that He Himself will tear him out of his home – and tear down his entire house. The word house here is more than just someone’s domestic address. It actually means God will destroy an entire family. One’s house meant more than just the physical structure in which one lived. It meant the house, the land, the businesses, the children, and even the future generations of a family. As God has warned before in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” The New Testament says the same thing in James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 – God is opposed to the proud – He arrays Himself as an army ready for battle to fight them. But the reason for this warning has something more to it. Their source of pride seems to be a house built on the backs of widows. This proverb is a single unit – the pride mentioned here is due to the abuse of widows. Widows did not have very many rights in the times of the Bible. Israel stood out among other nations and other religions because of God’s concern for the rights of widows. The right God is protecting is that of their right to the land of their family. We need to remember that Israel was an agrarian nation – a people of the land. The two chief occupations in Israel were those of farmers and shepherds. To either of these groups land was indispensible. Permanent markers measured the land that God had established when Israel was given the land. So important was this gift of the land that God made it clear that the land was His, not theirs. Every 50 years God decreed a Jubilee. At this time every family would return to its land – and the land would return to them. God gave land to them and fully expected His boundaries to be honored – perpetually. Now we come to the second part of this proverb. God will establish the boundary of the widow. Since God set up the original markers by decree – to move them was a grave sin. To move the boundary of a widow was even worse. Some, who were arrogant towards God, would move the boundaries of widow’s land so that they could enlarge their holdings at the expense of a widow who had few if any legal rights. To say that God would be displeased by this is a massive understatement! He would be furious. Destruction would come to the prideful, arrogant person who would do this. God also would fight to establish the actual boundary for the widow. The arrogant man who would do this would forfeit not just his illegal land grab; he would face destruction for his entire family. So what can we learn from this proverb for today? First of all we learn that only a very prideful (and I might add stupid) person messes with widows. But since we don’t have the same problem of moving boundary stones among our crimes today – how do we interpret and apply this to our lives? Second, we need to defend the rights of widows and orphans. This is an absolute for us as Christians. If I may add something here – we also need to fight for single moms. There are women who were faithful to their husbands who were divorced because of infidelity or just because the guy didn’t want to be committed to his wife. We need to stand up and defend their rights. Unfortunately I’ve had to sit in courtrooms where horrific injustice was committed because an ungodly man had an ungodly lawyer who helped him get an ungodly settlement that left his wife high and dry. We need to fight against such injustice. Church discipline is one way to do this – making men take responsibility for their actions. Another way is to learn more about those running for or being appointed to positions as judges. Such actions may cost us in our communities – but the favor of God in these matters is worth it.
8 Comments
Like a madman who throws Firebrands, arrows and death, So is the man who deceives his neighbor, And says, "Was I not joking?" Proverbs 26:18-19
I like to call this the, "Practical Jokes" proverb. That is because it describes what can happen when practical joking gets out of hand. Unfortunately, I've watched a few of these in my day and they can get ugly in a hurry. The proverb speaks to us of a certain madman. This guy is out of control. He is throwing three things in his insanity. The first is firebrands - which are akin to something like a flaming arrow. This crazy guy is also shooting regular arrows. The third thing he is dealing in is death. The first two are easy to understand, but this last one is a little more cryptic. I see the final thing in light of what happens due to the deception. He is throwing around these things that hurt physically - but he is also throwing something that hurts emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. He is throwing "death" - he is killing relationships and injuring people so that they are dead to him emotionally. His actions are hurting things and killing someone's ability to be around him - interact with him - and receive anything from him. So we see three pretty rough things going on here. All three are destructive and can cause great harm. The interesting thing is that since he is a madman - his aim may not be the best. From how this is stated, it seems as if a rather random pattern is being followed in how these things are being shot and thrown. Thus he will not hit everyone, but when he does, it is going to hurt badly. It might even kill someone. What could this be describing? Let's look, because the answer is given in verse 19. Verse 19 tells us that the comparison is to a man who deceives his neighbor - then tells him he was only joking. First of all we need to see that this man does these things to his neighbor. The term here implies more than just a casual relationship. Some passages imply a relationship as close as a close friend or even a lover. What he is doing to his neighbor is that he is "deceiving" him. The word here is "ramah" and it means to intentionally deal craftily with someone. Other ways it is used is to indicate lies, betrayal, crass jokes, and even pulling a trick on someone. That is definitely the case here in Proverbs 26:18-19. What is going on is that a trick or a crass joke is being played on a person by his neighbor, which is pretty much the definition of a practical joke. If we did not know the nature of this proverb through the word "ramah" - things become much clearer as we see that after this man deceives his neighbor - he eventually lets him know about it by saying, "Was I not joking?" There it is - a practical joke, pure and simple. But why is this such a strong statement? Is God adamantly opposed to all practical jokes? From what I read here I cannot say one way or the other. This is just a warning about consequences. A day is coming when the practical joker is going to play a joke on someone and it is going to blow up in his face. He is like that madman randomly shooting arrows. Most will fall relatively harmless to the ground. They won't hit any real target. But every once in a while he will strike something - actually someone. When that happens - problems are coming. In some cases real harm comes to someone in a practical joke. Somebody gets physically hurt - and at times it is a bad injury. In other situations the pain is much worse - because it is emotional and relational. I've actually watched relationships broken forever or for a long time because of a practical joke gone bad. These are very sad things to watch because the joke was meant to be funny (at least to the one doing it - and to everyone watching the person humiliated). But at times the humiliation breeds anger. That is why God warns us about it. In all honesty - when I consider that most practical jokes are done to humiliate someone - or at least to laugh at their expense - I think that a wise man should probably avoid them. He knows that such an action may result in an offended brother. And from other proverbs he knows that if this happens that brother will be very hard to win back. That is why the wise man decides against such actions. But before you think I am a 'stick in the mud' on this issue - you should know that I have been the mark of many practical jokes. How do I respond them? I laugh with those who did them . . . sometimes threaten retaliation . . . and usually end up forgetting them and thinking, "You got me good!" It is good to have a sense of humor - and an ability to laugh at yourself. Just remember that some won't - and when that happens - it's going to be bad - very bad. He who digs a pit will fall into it, And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him. Proverbs 26:27
This is not a proverb that explains why bad things happen to Wylie Coyote - even though at first glance it might. It is actually about those who plan to do evil to others. Those who set traps to catch others and have bad things happen to them are warned in this proverb that what they do will eventually happen to them. Let's take a look at what this means - and also see an example or two. Those who dig a pit do so to catch someone in it. In biblical times people would dig pits and cover them for the purpose of catching more than just animals who would fall into them. These pits would be dug and covered with camouflage as well as wetted down on the sides so that whoever was caught in them would not have opportunity to escape. Those who caught the person would then either take them captive as a slave - or kill the one who fell into the pit. The reason a stone would be rolled is to be put on a steep hill so that it could then be rolled down to kill or badly injure someone who was coming through the valley. This was a tactic of thieves who wanted to steal what travellers would have as they went through valleys and along roads that were next to hilly or mountainous areas. The idea with a pit or with a stone was to injure or kill someone for evil purposes. God warns that those who do such things will fall into a pit themselves. God also warns that the stone that is rolled with come back on them. This is not a reference to an actual pit or an actual stone rolling on them - but was a warning that God was going to hold them responsible for their wicked actions. A good example of this would be the story of Joseph and his brothers. The brothers threw Joseph into a pit with the original intention of killing him because of their jealous hatred of him. Joseph and his stinking varicolored coat reminded them every day that their father loved him more than them - so why not teach the little runt a lesson. Of course killing your brother is a little intense. In the end they decided just to sell him into lifelong slavery (their sibling rivalry was way more intense that what I remember with my brothers). They covered their tracks by dipping the hated coat in blood and telling their father that a wild animal killed Joseph. But the pit they dug - and the rock they rolled was going to come back on them one day. The first "pit-experience" was when their father almost died from grief. Then there was the famine that came and caused them to have to go to Egypt where they had to ask for food from . . . wait for it . . . their snotty little brother who was now the second ruler of Egypt. What was very good for them was that their brother had far more mercy on them in their pit that they had on him when he was in theirs. They had rolled their stone on him - but he refused to roll his on them. He chose forgiveness rather than revenge. The varied pits that you can fall into are as numerous as the ones you dig for others. It is amazing as I grow older to see all the various pits that people have fallen into after they've dug ones for someone else. It is a fact of life that what goes around comes around. That is the simple, one-sentence way to define this particular proverb. I just hope that we all remember that the next time we grab our shovels and start digging for someone else. The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm. Proverbs 11:17
There is a way to live that will guarantee that we will be greeted with good from others. There is also a way of living and interacting with others that may give us an advantage in the short term, but in the long term will do us tremendous harm. The difference between these two lifestyles is found in how they treat others - especially when someone has done something wrong to them. Our proverb begins by introducing us to someone called "the merciful man." This is the man who is gracious to others when they wrong him. He is called the "merciful man" because he delights in showing mercy to others. Mercy is best described this way. Not getting what we deserve. That may not sound all that great until you realize that the context for mercy is when you do something wrong, or act in a way that merits punishment. The man who shows mercy to others is willing to endure beging wronged. He does not always demand "fair" treatment when it comes to himself. He does not demand his pound of flesh whenever he is wronged. By doing this the Bible says that he does himself good. The literal Hebew here reads, "he does good to his own soul." There are actually two benefits to being a "mercy-man." The first benefit is that others who receive mercy from you are far more likely to show you mercy as well. Jesus, in the Beattitudes, said this same thing. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." When we show mercy, others are more apt to show us mercy as well. The second benefit is one we receive inwardly. The passage says that we do our souls' good. When we react with anger to every supposed slight and wrong, our spirit and our emotions are in a constant turmoil. That is not healthy for us - because stress levels will be elevated all the time. But when we learn to show mercy (and not take ourselves so seriously in the process) it will do wonders for our stress level. The end of today's proverb deals with the problems that the "cruel man" brings upon himself. We read that the cruel man does himself harm. The Hebrew word for "cruel" here means someone who is fierce and who lacks any kind of sensitivity, compassion, or mercy towards others. Since we have an example from our news, I will use it to illustrate this. Ghadaffi was the leader of the nation of Libya. He was a living example of a "cruel man." He ruled with an iron fist over his people. He was not known for his wonderful acts of mercy, but rather for his horrible acts of cruelty. The day came when he no longer had an army to protect him. The media informed us of his last moments on this earth. He hid in a drainage pipe, hoping to escape those who were hunting him down. When they found him they treated him just as he had treated others. I won't go into detail as to what was done to him, but it was a horrible end. His cruelty was the example that was set for the people of his country. No wonder when he was caught he was subjected to the same lack of compassion and kindness he was known to use upon others. The way we respond to others will prepare the way for our own treatment in life. That is why the man who chooses to show mercy will have good come upon him for his choice. The cruel man has a much different end. Having chosen a lack of compassion throughout his lifetime of interaction with others, he has nothing except the overflow of his own cruelty awaiting him in this life - and the full measure of God's wrath in the next. Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. Proverbs 3:31-32
Ours is a society that is enamored with violence. We glorify it daily in our entertainment mediums - movies, television, magazines, books, and newspapers. It is interesting that we also try to sit in judgment on cultures like Rome, saying that they were barbaric in their gladiator games and other forms of public violence. Yet, if we were to look at what we do and how we consume it - there is little difference in our two cultures. God says not to envy a man of violence or to choose any of his ways. The word for violence is very telling in this passage. It is the word "hamas" in the Hebrew - and it means to do violence or wrong. The word implies not just violence - but also cruelty, damage, and injustice as well. We are to stay away from people who are like this - who are violent - and whose violence is manifested in being cruel, unjust, and in doing damage to that which belongs to others. The reason some might "envy" this violent man is because of the gain that it brings him in the short term. Think about the people who in history have gained money, influence, and power because of their violence. Many of the world's most heinous dictators used violence to their advantage. But Scripture tells us not to choose ANY of the violent man's ways. This is because everything these men do is tainted by their violence. This is why I've included verse 32 with verse 31. There is another reason to reject the ways of the violent man - which is shown to us in verse 32. The violent are also "devious." The word devious here is the Hebrew word "luz" which means to be crooked or perverse. God is telling us here that when a man is a violent man - he will also be a perverse or crooked man as well. The idea behind this word is that being crooked and perverse is what a person is trusting in - as a way of walking through life. This word is used in Scripture to describe those who are wicked, perverse, and who reject God. They reject His ways - things like righteousness and truth - and choose instead to twist the truth to their advantage. When someone wants to trust devious and violent ways - they do not have a heart to seek God - or to learn from His Word. They do not want to walk with Him. That is why God says that these devious ones are an abomination to Him. This is because they utterly reject Him and His ways. We should also note the word, "for" that begins verse 32. This links what is said here to the previous verse. The devious are the violent ones - and the violent ones are those who function with a devious and God-rejecting mindset. They choose violence and deceit because they do not want to trust God with their plans and purposes. Since they do not have God's power at their disposal, they have to trust their own thinking (which is fatally flawed due to sin) and their own power. The last thing said in this verse is that God is "intimate" with the upright. What a wonderful thought this is for us - that God is intimate with us when we walk in His ways and choose His paths. The word "intimate" here actually means intimate counsel - and has the idea of being brought into a kind of inner circle where God shares His wisdom with us. So God is promising us that if we reject the violence and deceit of this present world's ways - that God will bring us into the inner circle with Himself for the purpose of teaching us. This particular proverb is one we should consider - especially when we consider the way our current society is so enamoured with violence. We see it in just about every form of entertainment we consume daily. When there is not violence in a movie or television show - it is almost completely ignored. We are inundated with violence - and the tendency is for this violence to more and more graphic in nature. This is happening at a time when we are watching a corresponding decline in our desire for intimacy with God. Is this just a coincidence - or - is it exactly what God is trying to get us to see in this proverb? The more we embrace violence - the more we will embrace deception and a rejection of God and His ways. The more we embrace violence - the less we will embrace God Himself - and with this we will also place a lesser value on the counsel of His Word. May God bring to us a return to Him and a corresponding turn from loving violence. Remember Jesus' name is the prince of peace - and His Word tells us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9, NASB) 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. A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. Proverbs 12:10
Finally, a proverb dealing with animal rights! Now we can blast all those who choose to wear fur as a covering for themselves! Oh, but wait a minute - God covered Adam and Eve with the skins of animals. Oh, snap - we've got another problem because John the Baptist wore a leather girdle - the hide of a cow. So, what exactly is God speaking about here when He advocates having regard for the life of his animal? A righteous man regards the life of his animal. He is concerned for it - and cares for it. Even though we cannot biblically justify the extreme of the animal rights movement - we can see that God is not pleased when we treat animals cruelly. Yet in the worship of God Himself - there were required sacrifices of animals. But there is a difference between rearing animals for the purpose of meat and clothing - and someone just being cruel to an animal while it is alive. God does not forbid us to eat meat. Many of the men He used greatly were shepherds. Their purpose and job was to work with livestock and raise it to be a food source for their family and for other families. So we can rule out the idea that God is against all killing of animals for the purpose of eating meat - and creating clothing. But, we cannot look at this passage and justify someone treating their animals with cruelty and indifference. Someone who would beat an animal just because they want to - or because they are angry - will not find justification for their actions from the Word of God. God desires for us to treat our livestock as well as our pets with the kind of compassion and kindness that is indicative of His own nature. When we become cruel and unkind to animals - that displeases God. What we read about the wicked though, is that even their compassion is cruel. This is an interesting oxymoron. Compassionless compassion is what we can expect from the wicked man. The wicked don't care about animals - and will whip them mercilessly. It is a sad thing to watch a wicked man abuse an animal. I remember when we were given a beautiful Labrador Retriever. We did not know the people who gave it to us - and were truly grateful for the dog. But soon after receiving him, we could tell that they were abusive toward the dog. Any time we would even approach him, he would cower and yelp - fearing that he was about to be hit. We loved him - and eventually he knew that we were not going to strike him. Still it broke my heart to think how cruel someone had to be to get a dog to respond like that. The true believer realizes that all creation belongs to God. Thus as we walk through this life we want to treat what is God's respectfully. That does not mean that we don't use nature as God intended (which means that hunting and fishing, and raising livestock is not evil). It does mean that we are not cruel and evil with it. Those kind of actions are reserved for those who are wicked, and who do not fear God. |
 Proverb a DayEach day, we'll take a look at a verse from the chapter of Proverbs for the day. Our hope is to gain wisdom each day - and from that wisdom - to have understanding to make godly decisions in the throes of everyday life. 
Thank you for visiting our website! Everything on this site is offered for free. If, however, you would like to make a donation to help pay for its continued presence on the internet, you can do that by clicking here. The only thing we ask is that you give first to the local church you attend. Thank you!
Archives
August 2018
|
RSS Feed