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 more criminal 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. A wise principle to follow in this is to seek to imitate God's speech - so that holiness is our goal rather than just being better than the world around us. 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 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. When it does come - it will be devastating and will be in keeping with 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 a terrifying 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, God has something important to say. 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 punishment due for his words, plans, and actions will come suddenly. So let us, unlike those to whom Revelation 22:10-12 is addressed. Let us 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.
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A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will perish.
Proverbs 19:9 The battle had not gone well that day. Many of Israel's fighters had fallen on the field. A young Amalekite watched as the king of Israel struggled to stay on his feet. It was evident from the shafts of the arrows sticking out of his body that he had been hit by the archers and would not survive the day. As the events unfolded before his eyes - he watched as Israel's king then took his own sword and fell upon it - then he watched the king's armor bearer do the same. He was horrified as this took place - knowing that this battle was about to be lost badly. But he also saw an amazing opportunity as his eyes became fixed on the crown that lay only inches from the king's fallen body. He quickly rushed to the king and scooped up the crown - put it in his satchel and fled to the rear of the conflict. As he ran that day visions of grandeur filled his mind. He knew exactly where he was going. He headed for David's camp - for he had heard many speak of David's exploits. "This one will be king some day, mark my words!" Those were the words he had heard from a commander of a hundred who had later defected to David. He smiled a wicked smile as he weaved a web of deceit that would tell the king how he himself had helped the king - and now was bringing his crown to the heir apparent. His plan was completed in his head just about the moment that he reached the outskirts of the camp. He immediately was stopped by a sentry who asked his business. "I have news of the battle for David," was his reply. He did not miss that the sentry noticed the crown just inside his satchel. Seeing that expedited the process whereby he could see the future king. His mind raced with all that would be done for him. He would be rich and influential at last. All it would cost him was one little lie. He related his story to David. Israel had fled in battle, defeated before the Philistines. Then David asked of the welfare of the king. He related his falsehood - making it seem that he was being merciful by killing Saul in battle. Now he had come to bring David the crown. David's response was anything but what he was expecting. He was horrified by the defeat of his nemesis. Wasn't Saul the one who was chasing him around the wilderness? Wasn't Saul the one who supposedly threw a spear at this young man - more than once. The Amalekite's horror was far worse though when he heard David ask why he was not afraid to stretch out his hand against the Lord's annointed? Before he could answer, one of the young men who attended David unsheathed his sword and came toward him. His lie did not yield him riches or position - unless one meant the wealth of pain and the position of a fool as he felt the glinted steel pierce his chest. He was not exalted for his news - but struck down. As his life ebbed from his body he felt the dust from his fall settling around his face. The only reward he had received was that of the death of a fool who thought he could advance himself through lies and deceit. Solomon surely heard this story from his father, David. Punctuated by this very truth he knew that a false witness will be punished. He will be punished when the web of his own deceit is exposed. How often had he seen this before his very eyes as he experienced it himself - and watched others caught by their own web - rather than catching the ones they intended to mislead. The liar will pay the penalty of his lies. And if he persists in them - if he continuously lies to others, as this proverb states, he will perish. The one who remains a liar - whose very life is defined by being a false witness - will spend eternity along with the one whose main descriptor is "the father of lies." Lying will get you somewhere. It will get you destruction and devastation for all eternity with the devil himself - the ultimate false witness - the ultimate liar. She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner. Proverbs 7:12
In chapter 7 of Proverbs we are examining the adulterous woman. As we do this we are learning to contrast her actions and lifestyle with what the Scriptures call a godly woman to be. This particular verse may wind up being controversial in what it teaches us. But that is only because we don't teach what the Scriptures say to the women in the church any longer due to the effect of the doctrines of the women's liberation movement. Now that I've opened the proverbial can of worms - let's take a look at today's verse in Proverbs. One of the descriptions of the adulteress is that she is not at home, but instead is all over town. She's in the streets, the squares - and then we read that she "lurks" by every corner. First let's deal with the fact that she is all over town. The Scriptures teach us that a godly woman is a "worker at home." In Titus 2 we read that the older women should be teaching the younger women to love their hustands, love their children, to be sensible, pure, kind, and workers at home. The church has moved away from such teaching because the women's lib movement has made enough noise to make such teaching uncomfortable in today's society. We are considered "out of touch" if we teach such things. We are told that we should realize that a woman can do anything a man can do - and that she should be liberated from her enslavement to the dungeon of the home. What I find fascinating is that Paul begins this section of his letter to Titus by saying that he is to "speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine." This is not a matter of cultural preference - but a matter of sound doctrine. When we do not teach these things in the church - in the way specificed by Paul (i.e. the older woman teaching the younger women) the end will be that the Word of God will be dishonored. The other thing I find fascinating is that for all the so-called liberating that has been done for women - they are still finding that they desire husbands and children. They still find the greatest satisfaction (as well as the greatest challenge) in loving a husband and loving their children. Where this is happening we are also finding that there is the greatest stability provided for children and society to flourish. The adulteress is not for this lifestyle of staying at home - or at least seeing her life's work there with her husband and her children. The Hebrew here is so descriptive. With short phrases we read that she is now in the streets - then now in the squares - and as she lives this jet-setting life all over town - she tends to lurk by the corners. What is being said is that she is not content being in the home. She wants her own life and her own way. Hopefully we are learning from Scripture that the worst thing for us is to constantly "get our way." This woman does not want the home-based life - the family-based life. She wants to be out and about - doing and being everywhere. She's in the streets and in the squares - and we should note that it seems that nothing of any real use is being accomplished. She's just hanging out - out of the home. This is NOT good for a woman - or - for a man for that matter. Now before someone begins to protest that I'm suggesting that a woman be a slave to her house - I want to offer a few comments here on the godly woman. Proverbs 31 presents to us the godly woman. When you read that passage you come away with anything BUT a woman enslaved to her home. She is out and about at times - but not without a purpose. She is out and about doing things for her family. She is out and about serving her home. You would probably see her in the streets and squares as well - but not just "lurking" about by every corner. She is accomplishing things - buying and selling - getting things for her husband and her children. She is overseeing servants who work with her to make her house into a home. The problem is not being out of the house - it is being out of the house for no real apparent reason. We've got far too much "hanging out" going on in our society. Too often our men, women, and children are living their lives to "hang out" rather than to accomplish something. Ever notice that those who are "hanging out" tend to get into far more trouble than those who have a purpose and are "getting out" to accomplish that purpose? This is the fundamental problem with the adulteress. She is "lurking out" rather than "living out." Let me explain. When we "lurk out," we are wasting our time with no real purpose in view. Actually those who "hang out" and "lurk out" are saying that they are either looking for something to do - or - they don't have anything to do. Because this is their situation, they are going somewhere to "hang out." Believe me that when this is your normal mode of life - you will eventually get into trouble. An idle life is the devil's/flesh's playground. Spend enough time with no purpose and no place to go - and the flesh or the devil will begin making suggestions. Live like this and the world system (which is under the devil's control) will offer a direction - and it is a bad one. For the adulteress woman (as well as the fool she seduces) her time spent "lurking out" looking for something to do - it ends in the sin of adultery. We need to "live out" our days. What I mean by this is that we learn to live in God's will - fulfilling His purposes for our lives. This is a life spent seeking to know God - and follow what He desires for our lives. When we live like this, we will go out like everyone else. But the time we go out will be spent accomplishing the things God desires for us to do. There will be a purpose to our going out. We will be "living out" the will of God. We will be living to bring glory to God as we take the time He's given us and put it to good use. In the end His purposes will not just keep us out of trouble - they will be lived out to where we have a life filled with purpose and meaning. This is a far better way to live than just "hanging out" or "lurking out" to see what the world, the devil, and our flesh bring us to do. Wisdom is living a life. Wisdom is a life lived on purpose. Just hanging out will turn to just lurking out - and just lurking out will be a life lived for the wrong purposes. Be wise and live life on purpose - God's purpose. He who sows iniquity will reap vanity, And the rod of his fury will perish. Proverbs 22:8
The other day something truly amazing happened. I had planted a batch of tomato seeds, and after a couple of months I went out and harvested a whole bucket full of orages from the vines that grew there. Now if you are someone who is even the least bit familiar with agriculture, you know that this last statement was false. If I planted tomato seeds into the ground - the only thing I will harvest from them is tomatos. There is an unbending principle at work here - whatever you sow is what you will reap. That principle is what is at the core of what is taught in today's proverb. Here we have a man who is sowing iniquity. The word used here is a pretty tough word. It means unrighteousness, injustice, or wrong. This doesn't sound too bad until you begin to look a little deeper into the word and its usage. It is used to describe violent injustice and outright wickedness. Keil and Delitasch state that this word means, "unsympthizing tyranny, cruel misconduct toward a neighbor." It describes the actions of one who wants the person who feels his wrong to feel the fury of his anger. The second half of this proverb makes that clear. The iniquity that he is sowing is manifest in the "rod of his fury," which is felt by those unfortunate enough to be his victims. These kind of actions are usually those of a despotic king - or a person who is misusing their authority. When one sows like this - they are going to reap vanity. The word for vanity here is the Hebrew word "aven" which means emptiness or nothingness. It can also mean sorrow, trouble, evil, or mischief. The idea here is that this despotic individual thinks he is going to reap the power of his authority - when in reality he is going to reap nothingness. The thought behind this nothingness is that of utter destruction. We've watched as this has happened right before our eyes. Saddam Hussein thought he was building an empire - but what he received in the end was a rude awaking in a hole - and the end of a hangman's noose. The Word of God warns in Galatians 6:7 that God will not be mocked - whatever a man sows he shall also reap. If he sows to the flesh, as he is here, he will from the flesh reap corruption. No one can outrun the hand of God and the principles upon which the Lord has founded this world. The wicked man thinks that the rod of his fury will make others bow down and obey him. He rules only with fear - and trusts that fear alone will bring him the results that he desires. But the proverb tells us that this man - after all his furious tiraids - will perish. All his fury will do for him is ensure that his place in history is set as a terrible ruler or leader. His memory will not be blessed - men will curse it and use it as a byword. They will remember him not as a wise man - but as a fool. There lies the man who thought he could rule the world through wickedness and through fear. No one fears him now - and what awaits him is the utter vanity for which he worked. Having spent his life living for himself and for his own arrogant pursuits - he will die facing the fury of the One before Whom he will stand and give an account for his actions. Having rejected His love and His offer of mercy and grace through Jesus Christ, unfortunately for him, the fury of God will never cease. Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will. Proverbs 14:9
How a person views and deals with sin determines whether they are wise or they are foolish. Here we have Solomon teaching us the important lesson that how a man views the whole concept and reality of sin is vitally important. If we miss this - and decide how a person sees sin is not really important to us - we will find ourselves in the company of those who are fools. We will find ourselves allowing those who think sin does not even exist - be those who counsel us as to how we should have a sound mind. The fact that we are bypassing this issue - especially when it comes to our worldview - is wreaking havoc on the church. Let me explain for a moment, because this issue is absolutely vital to us today. How a man views sin will ultimately either bless or corrupt everything he does. Most philosophies actually reject the idea of sin. They see our problem as a lack of education - or a lack of opportunity for people. Some even see the problem as believing that there is truth upon which we define and state whether actions and choices are sinful or not. They reject the very idea of sin - and consider guilt as a root problem for all people. The way they deal with this is to make truth an issue of individuality. Your truth is your truth - and you are free to live however you want based on what you consider to be true. Thus, if your truth states that there is no sin - that guilt is a bad thing - then that is true for you. This denial of sin goes further because it asserts that no one has the right to call your truth falsehood. You can imagine the problems this makes for a society in which everyone is a free agent, determining what is right or wrong for themselves. Actually it is not much different from the book of Judges where there was no God and every man did what was right in his own eyes. In this kind of society rules are constantly shifting like blowing sand. The end of this is a state in which a growing ungodliness and lawlessness begins to take root. By the way - this eventually leads to a culture of corruption and violence that is out of control. The people begin calling for someone to rise up and restore order - which in turn gives rise to a dictator who then re-establishes "order" according to "his rules." If you would like to know when this has happened in history, take a look at the Weimar Republic - which gave rise to Hitler's Germany. It has also happened in numerous examples of dictatorships of every stripe. Mankind is best ruled by God's law established in their hearts by the work of His grace. But until men come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ - it is so necessary for a Law to be established because of the wickedness of man's fallen heart. Here we see why it is so important to define sin - and define it according to God's Word. If God has revealed Himself in the Bible, then we know how to define righteousness - truth - and what is and what is not sin. This becomes the bedrock of laws that are established in a nation. But the best thing - which our founders realized - is that men's hearts be ruled according to God's law. Our founders knew this - and thus were pinning their hopes on a heart initially ruled by God's 10 commandments. This set of God's laws would restrain so much sin and ungodly behavior - that then a society could be ruled by fewer laws. But where there is no law - there is no sin. Since our nation has rejected the 10 commandments as an illegal document by which to rule our nation, then we are left to the shifting sands of public opinion and man's evil heart to govern us. Is it any wonder that our laws continue to degrade - allowing just about any conduct to be considered legal - but not just legal - acceptable. In the end the Bible tells us where this will go - as men call good evil and evil good. Watch closely, dear saints, as more and more Biblical positions will be considered illegal by those who mock at sin. But there is even a greater evil that is foisted upon us by mocking at sin. When sin is mocked - when the whole idea of guilt is abandoned - then there is no real reason for a Savior. The second half of this proverb states that among the upright there is "good will." The word used here for "good will" means "the favor of God." When the concept of sin is rejected by the philosophies of this present world - then there is no need for any kind of redemption from it. If we are not guilty of anything before God, then it seems pretty arrogant of God to call for the death of His only Son to pay for . . . "nothing." Follow where your philosophy ultimately leads you. If you mock at and deny guilt and sin - and this is where it leads. That is why we have modern day preachers in the church calling the death of Christ, "divine child abuse." Without sin and guilt - there is actually no wrong behavior. But a corollary to this doctrine is that without wrong behavior - neither is there any real "upright" behavior either. All things become neutral - and the matter of individual hearts. You have no business in that society stating your view on anything. To do so is to risk the danger of being called "judgmental." The problem is that there IS WRONG BEHAVIOR! We all know it in our conscience. The only way to rid ourselves of this is to sear our conscience as with a hot iron. The fact is that there is sin - whether men mock it or not. There is a guilt that comes with breaking God's Law. That guilt and that offense is real - and it poses a serious problem. According to God's Word, sin and guilt require accountability and punishment. There is an earthly punishment meted out by men in the governmental sphere (Romans 13) - but the real problem is the divine retribution for rebellion and sin. The good will - i.e. grace - that the upright know is one given not by works, but by grace through faith. God has provided the way through Jesus Christ - His death, burial, and resurrection. That is given as a gift to those who respond when God grants knowledge and conviction of sin, repentance, and faith to the sinner through the gospel. When we look at the amazing thing God has done for us - and His infinite mercy in granting it to us - we have to come to the same conclusion that our proverb states to us today. Only a fool would disdain this grace . . . only a fool would disregard the wonderful work of God's conviction by the Spirit . . . and mock sin. By doing so, he also mocks the grace that is freely given to those made upright by it. He mocks the gospel. She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home; Proverbs 7:11
What kind of lady do you want to be drawn to in life? For the women who are reading this - What kind of woman do you want to be - or do you want your daughters to become? Hopefully, this passage in Proverbs 7 will have a little bit of wisdom for you today. The woman described here in this verse is the one mentioned in verse 10. This is the adulteress - the woman who dresses as a harlot - and who has her sights set on a very foolish young man who has decided to stray into her web. She is described in three ways in this passage - and I would dare say that these are traits that woman would do well to avoid. First of all we read that she is boisterous. The word for boisterous means to growl, roar, or howl. It means someone who is loud - who is very tumultuous. This is interesting to read because Peter encourages the women in the New Testament to be women whose beauty if from the "inner man of their hearts" (a reference to the fullness of Christ within them) - and adds - a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth to God. (from 1 Peter 3:4) This woman is not either of these things. She is neither quiet or gentle. Her boisterousness manifests itself by the fact that she is out confronting young men - initiating to them. She is out seeking sex and as she does - she is loud and bold in her actions and words. Here we come to an interesting thought. God desires women to be the gentler sex. He sees great worth in a quiet and gentle spirit in a woman. We are not stating that women should never speak - that is a over statement of this principle. It also does not mean a woman cannot laugh or enjoy herself - but that she must be stoic and quiet as a mouse. The passage here and in 1 Peter is saying that a woman ought to have a tranquil heart - and not have to be the center of attention and the life of the party. There is another thing we need to see here. She is not just boisterous - but boisterous and rebellious. Her loudness comes packaged with a rebellious heart as well. She doesn't want to submit to her husband -or to the proper way to carry herself in public. This is evident by the fact that she is seeking an adulterous partner in the streets at night. Most of all she is not willing to submit her life to God and His Word. She desires to run her own life - do her own thing - and say and act however she wants. Men, such a woman is NOT a good woman to marry. Ladies, such a character is NOT wise for you to adopt - and neither is it wise to allow your daughters to be influenced by such women. The third and final description of the adulteress in this verse is that "her feet do not remain at home." This is literal first of all as we watch her leave home and seek out a sexual partner other than her husband. But it is also evident in other aspects of her life. Titus speaks of having the older women teach the younger women to be "workers at home." I'm sure I'll hear about this - but I do not think it is the wisest choice to have women out in the workplace. That will most likely be received as a statement made from the dark ages - but actually it is made from Scripture. The more women have been liberated from this Scriptural principle - the more they have actually been enslaved to the problems that come from it. Women's liberation movements have tried to tell us that a woman should abandon her maternal instincts and leave home to do what men do. The results of this social experimentation have been nothing short of disastrous. As women have embraced being like men - they have also encountered the sins of men as well. It has helped to disintigrate the family and the institution of marriage. When a woman's feet do not remain at home - the protection the Scripture speaks of will be lost to them. I know that I've said some pretty controversial things today. Most likely I'll get some pretty negative comments from this posting. But the facts of Scripture are the facts. Boisterousness, rebelliousness, and women who leave home to pursue their own agenda are not those who are held up and honored in Scripture. I'm not saying that all women who are this way will end up in adultery. But I am saying that the wise woman reads such a passage and leans heavily to the opposite of such things. May God grant to all those who read this His wisdom to see the role that He has for women in this world. Contrary to what the NOW and other feminist organizations will say, such a role is not demeaning to women. It exalts them to the place of their greatest effectiveness and power. Women who have lived out such lives know this. They know that being a women of godly character, graciousness, and sacrificial love - will bless them - and will bless the many generations that will know the love of a godly mother - a godly wife - a godly woman. May God multiply their number in the church once again in our day! By transgression an evil man is ensnared, But the righteous sings and rejoices. Proverbs 29:6
Snares are usually set by a hunter for an animal. They are set with great care and caouflaged so that the animal is unaware of their presence. The goal is for the animal to think everything is fine - and suddenly be caught in the snare and trapped. This normal situation with snares makes this proverb all the more interesting to us because God is warning us that certain behaviors and choices that we make actually set snares - not for another - but for ourselves. The way that an evil man sets a snare for himself if by his sin. The word transgression here means rebellion. The word speaks of rebellion against God and His laws. So the snare that the evil man sets for himself to be caught in is his own choice to rebel against God and His laws and principles. This ensnares him - it sets a trap for him and is bait for him as well. The word "ensnare" here means more than just a trap. The word actually speaks more of the bait that is in the trap. The bait here is the whole idea of living life without any responsiblity to God and to His Word. It is a life free from restraints - and free from serious responsilibity to God. We don't have to worry about God and His authority. We don't have to worry about accountability for our moral choices. We're free to do what we want. This is the most effective bait available to Satan. He catches thousands of people who don't want to be accountable to God - and who think that they truly can live however they want without consequences. The truth is that such living places us squarely in a trap. We cannot get past God's commandments. We will not sidestep them - we will trip over them and fall. Just like the proverb says, we will be ensnared when it is all over. The righteous though sings and rejoices. This is interesting to consider because it runs so contrary to the opening statement. Why do the righteous sing and rejoice? Since most proverbs present two opposing sides we can look at how that would help us understand what is being said here. Transgression ensnares and is bait for the evil man - and yet is a motivation for the righteous to sing and rejoice. When we look at the idea of a man being righteous we know that biblically this only happens by faith. We are made righteous by a gift of God's grace, given because of what Jesus Christ did through His death, burial, and ressurection. So whereas sin ensnares the evil man - the righteous one sees it and has an opposite reaction. The righteous man sees sin and does not see an opportunity to live how he wants. He does not desire a life free from the constraints of the Law of God. He sees a completely different picture. First he sees that God is not constraining him except from doing something that will hurt himself. Every prohibition of the Word of God is there because we need protection from the ravages of sin. He sees the love of God at work - whereas the evil man sees God trying to rob him of pleasure he should rightfully have. When the righteous see the love of God in His commands, he sings and rejoices! What a wonderful, loving God he has who has marked out all the things that bring pain and destruction! There is something else that the righteous see in the Law of God. He sees himself. At first this will not be a reason to sing and rejoice because what he will see is rebellion. He has rebelled against God and done evil as he has disobeyed God's commandments. That is painful at first to realize - but in the end it is a reason for glorious rejoicing and singing. It is only when we see our sinful rebellion against God's Law that we come to grasp why we need Jesus Christ. As Galatians 3:24 tells us, ". . . the Law is given to us as a tutor, to lead us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith." In our sinfulness we no longer are deceived and think we can be right with God on the basis of our own works. We are led to Christ to be declared righteous by faith in what Jesus has accomplished on the cross. There, dear ones, is the reason to sing and rejoice! The evil man sees sin as an opportunity to live out his demented ideas of freedom. He thinks he is free and that he will not have to be ultimately accountable for his actions. Too bad that he will find out in eternity that such thoughts were only the bait of Satan to damn his soul for eternity. The righteous sees sin as a reason to run to the cross of Christ for redemption and forgiveness. He sees his sin as proof that his works are worthless in making himself acceptable to God. This revelation from God is reason enough for him to turn to God in faith for the only righteousness that will stand in the judgment. Knowing this is absolutely fantastic! It is glorious and definitely turns our hearts to singing and rejoicing because of the manifold grace of God! A fool's lips bring strife, And his mouth calls for blows. A fool's mouth is his ruin, And his lips are the snare of his soul. Proverbs 18:6-7
Our mouth can be a source of blessing or our downfall. For the fool the latter is more the case. His mouth is a means of trouble, strife, and eventually ruin. Let's try to learn from him today and avoid the things that happens when a fool is speaking. First we learn that a fool's lips bring strife. The idea here is that when a fool opens his lips to speak - along with his speaking comes strife. Evidently the fool is itching for a fight because that is what takes place after he speaks. His mouth calls for blows. The fool is the one who always has to have the last word - and that word is usually highly offensive to those who hear it. You watch the fool escalate his statements from offensive to provocative. He provokes those around him to the point where their anger is boiling over. He enrages people with the way he speaks - and the end of it all is blows - a fist fight. Rather than walk away from a growing tension, the fool throws gasoline on the fire and stokes it in every way he can. He does not have the ability to let an insult go - and just walk away. He has to one up the person who insulted him by offering an even greater insult. Actually, the fool usually is the one who starts all this - almost as if he or she is wanting the fight. At the core of all this is pride. The fool is filled with it. As I said earlier he can never let something go. Anything said requires his provocative response. He loves contention and controversy. He loves quarrelling and disputes. He thrives on hostilities and his words invite them constantly. A wise man knows how to calm people with his responses. The fool only inflames them. No wonder that in the end we watch him punching and being punched as the fight erupts. The next verse continues this thought. The fool's mouth is his ruin - and his lips are continually snaring his soul. The word ruin is the Hebrew word "mehittah" which means destruction, ruin, and terror. The root word for "mehittah" is "hatat" which means to be broken or afraid. The fool thinks he is bringing himself honor or at least respect when he won't take anything from anyone else. He thinks he is standing up for himself and that all others will know he is not someone with whom you want to tangle. But the opposite is true. His mouth is not bringing him respect, it is bringing him ruin. His mouth is a continuous source of terror for his life. He is constantly in danger because of his big mouth. He keeps opening it and getting himself in trouble. He says that he wants to stay out of trouble - at least that is what he tells the officer each new time he is arrested - at least that is what he says when he stands before the judge again and again - but his mouth is a snare for him. He speaks out for himself and in doing so sets another trap directly in front of himself to step into. We would consider a man the ultimate fool if he set a bear trap and then stepped into it - but that is what the fool does with his mouth all the time. Let me offer an example from real life. We read of sports figures who are constantly getting in trouble. It seems that they go from one altercation to another - in and out of a courtroom as if they were walking through a revolving door. Why does this happen? A lot of it happens because they have the mouth of a fool - and they use it in the company of other fools. Where do they go regularly? They go to bars and clubs. What happens to them - they run into other fools whose minds are dulled by alcohol. When they do some fool (either one at the bar or they themselves) opens their mouth in typical drunken arrogant fashion. Feeling "dissed" they then "bow-up" in pride and let their foolish mouth run free. Of course when you get two drunken fools like this together the escalation is not only going to happen - it is going to happen quickly. More foolish words are exchanged as they trash talk one another and, you got it, a fight breaks out betwen them. In recent years we've added to the fist fights - fools who carry guns with them into bars and other places - and someone becomes angry enough to shoot someone else. Then we get the court case where any normal person would be send away for their crime - but in the case of the rich, spoiled athlete - some deal is cut to let him continue to entertain us with his physical prowess. We never think about the damage done to our children who unfortunately are taught to idolize these fools - and who follow in their footsteps. Our mouths are incredibly powerful things. James says that our tongue's can set the course of our lives on fire - and that they can be set on fire by hell itself. That is why we need to learn things like humility, patience, and restraint. It is also why we need to be wise and to avoid the company of fools whose mouths continually snare their souls. Let your mouth be filled with the Word of God - with gracious and kind words - and with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let your mouth become the instrument that brings you blessing - not the tool which the devil, working unhindered through your flesh, uses to bring you to ruin. The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot. Proverbs 10:7
What kind of memories come to mind when you hear the following names. Take a moment and remember Billy Graham. Now take a moment and remember Adolf Hitler. That brief exercise has just proven the proverb that we will examine today. Proverbs tells us that the memory of the righteous is blessed. God is not saying that the righteous will have a great memory - but rather when people remember the righteous they will do so with a smile on their face and good things in their heart. Godly people not only die well - they also are remembered well. Billy Graham is nearing the day when he will go to be with the Lord. I can promise you that on the day our brother goes to be with Jesus, the memory of who he is and what he has done in the Lord will be a blessing to millions. I remember a scene from the movie, "Chariots of Fire." It was at the very close of the movie. Two men are remembered for the lives that they lived. The first was Harold Abrahams, a sprinter who won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics. He was a determined man who lived for that medal. When he died some rememebered him as a great sprinter - but Abrahams was not known for his graciousness or great soul. The second man was Eric Liddell, a scotsman, who won gold in the 400, a race many thought he would compete in poorly. Liddell was supposed to be in the 100, but chose not to compete as it would make him do so on a Sunday, something that was against his own religious convictions. After the Olympics Liddell went to China as a missionary where he was dearly loved by the Chinese during his ministry there. The movie spoke of the day Liddell died with these words, "All Scotland mourned." When that godly man went to be with the Lord - all of Scotland mourned his death - and remembered his life with great joy. The memory of the righteous is blessed! That is the case with men like Liddell - but it is also the case with much lesser known men. Being a pastor, I've watched it again and again at funerals. My third funeral, after I did two for lost people, was for a precious 90+ year old woman who loved the Lord with all her heart. She never raced in the Olympics or went to China as a missionary. She just lived in a small Arkansas community and loved Jesus and those around her all her life. When she died it was such a precious thing to hear from all those who knew her. They spoke glowingly of her commitment to Christ and the way that she lived for God's glory as she gave herself to those around her. Indeed her memory was blessed that day - and many afterward. But let us turn to Mr. Hitler. Just that name causes people to cringe. Over the years - the rot of that name continues to cast a putrid shadow over history. Adolf Hitler's name will rot throughout all time. He was a wicked man who lived for his own power and conquest. After World War II we learned of his horrific efforts to exterminate an entire race of people. There are few if any who have any kind thoughts toward this man - and those who do usually share his twisted philosophy of a master race. His name will live in infamy and shame for what he did. So, what kind of memory will you create when your days are done? Will you live for righteousness and godliness? Will you live for Christ and His kingdom with a selfless, self-emptying passion that drives you to bless all those around you? Or will you give yourself to more selfish and self-centered pursuits. Will you embrace wickedness instead of righteousness. What you choose in life will determine how you will be remembered in death. Choose life - choose godliness - choose the path of the righteous that is like the light of dawn, shining brighter till the noon day. If you do this you will leave a memory that will delight the hearts of those who think of you and your works - even long after you have left this life for life eternal. One who plans to do evil, Men will call a schemer. The devising of folly is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to men. Proverbs 24:8-9
There is a foolishness that leads men to plan evil and devise ways of running after foolish things. We are warned against such things here in Proverbs. The term "plan" here means to think up things, to mull them over in your mind and to consider something extensively before doing it. The wicked man's mind is set on his evil - he plans it and considers it - thinking through the things he is going to do. Every wicked man is given to doing evil - everyone who has not been redeemed by the work of Christ on the cross is set in this direction - but there are those who take it to another level. They actually sit and make serious plans to act out their evil. Proverbs tells us that men like this will become known as a "schemers." What is a "schemer?" The term here is literally, "lord of mischief." He becomes a master at doing things that are wrong - things that are just plain evil. The word here is "ra" and it means evil, misery, and wickedness. It is not just that the schemer is planning mischief like you would see from a bunch of young men who plan pranks. This is a man who is planning and scheming about evil and godless things. And anyway - who wants the title, "lord of mischief" anyway? This is not exactly a title that brings great respect with it, except among those who glory in evil. The next verse expounds upon this even further. We read that the devising of folly is sin. There it is as plain as we can make it. When you become known as the "lord of mischief" you are sinning. When a person begins to "devise" folly - they are planning, purposing wickedness, lewdness and sin. The Hebrew word used here almost never pertains to any kind of good intention. It is reserved for the plotting of the wicked and the thoughts of foolish people. This word also is used heavily when describing sexual sins like prostitution, adultery, rape, and incest. This is NOT a good word at all - and when we are planning and purposing to do such things - we are walking in gross wickedness and sin. That is why this word for planning and purposing here is stated as sin itself. When we are devising foolish things like this - we are sinning. There cannot be any clearer statement than this made to us and given as a warning to us. This is also why when someone begins walking in this way, they become a scoffer. They scoff at God's Word with its warnings and its prohibitions of such lifestyles. They hate it - and mock it because it points to their actions and says plainly that they are sinful and wicked. In fact - this particular scoffer is so godless that God tells us that he is an "abomination to men." This is sinking to the lowest of low points. We have someone who has decided to plan and to map out their life for the purpose of evil, godless scheming, being the "lord of mischief," walking in folly, sinning, and scoffing at God's ways and morals. This is not a path the wise want to take. It is a warning to us to abandon even the smallest of sins - and to deeply abhor departing from the Lord. We do so because we do not want to displease or dishonor the Lord in any way. |
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!
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