 Proverbs 28:28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves; But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Here is a proverb dealing with what happens when the wicked come to positions of public power and influence. Such was the case when wicked king Ahab and his equally horrible wife, Jezebel ruled over Israel. Just as this proverb states, men began to hide themselves. This was especially the case with godly men. They knew that under Ahab and Jezebel's rule godliness would not be tolerated. Thus the prophets of God hid in caves. It seemed that only Elijah was speaking out - and he eventually ran from the death threats of Jezebel and hid too. It is difficult to speak out in such an environment - as honestly - many of us already know. Let's take a closer look at the "wicked" mentioned in this proverb. The word used here is "rasa' which means someone who is wicked, guilty, criminal and a transgressor of God's Law. Let's take a closer look at each aspect of this definition. First off let's be honest about this word, "wicked." It is a word that we don't care for - especially if it is used to describe us or those with whom we agree. The word usually refers to those who are disobeying God's laws - or who are opposing God by their actions. This is why the "righteous" hide from them. The righteous are those who follow a moral and ethical path in agreement with God and His Law. So we learn that the wickedness of these who rise up is defined by how they view God's Law - and submission to God's way. The truth spoken here though is that while these wicked men rise up and take their stand, the righteous will hide themselves. In any society where ungodly choices are exalted - even enshrined into law - godliness and righteousness will have to go into hiding. The sexual revolution in our nation has both exalted and now enshrined into law behavior that has perverted the sexuality God originally gave to us. As this turning away from God's plan continues (in the political realm as well as the realms of news, entertainment, and education) those who hold to what God calls right hide themselves more and more. We see this in the contentious debate in our culture - and especially in online discourse. It is difficult to write or speak what God calls sin and what He calls righteous, because to do so will yield almost instant censure from a majority culture who no longer views the sexuality taught in the Scriptures as right or relevant. We may try to speak out or write - but soon the general condemnation of such views relegates us to silence (at least in any social media format). So what are we to do if (or in our current situation - when or as) this happens? First of all we need to realize that a more public discourse on biblical righteousness will become increasingly difficult. Another part of this will be that fewer and fewer will be willing to even speak out publicly. As the proverb states, such a situation will cause the righteous to hide themselves. But we do not have to completely abandon God's law - nor should we. The second thing we will need to realize is the value of more private, one on one conversations. Build honest and real friendships with those who disagree with you - and then share the truth with your friends over time. It would be wise to follow Scriptural guidelines in doing this. We are told to "speak the truth in love," as well as to speak with "gentleness and respect" toward those who listen to what we have to say. There is also a third thing I'd like to suggest - and I imagine it may cause some who are conservative Christians to cringe a little. Be careful that your conversations come from a loving gospel motivation - and move toward a gracious gospel presentation. It is too easy to find ourselves locked into very contentious political conversations in such days. That is one problem the early believers really did not have , as they lived under king/caesar/dictatorship rule rather than a representative republic. Yet, regardless of what system of government we find ourselves under, we should remember that we are to be "gospel-people" first - and political-folk second. I can possibly win an argument for my political view and yet seriously lose the honor of gaining a hearing for the gospel . It is true that as the wicked rise - the righteous will want to hide themselves. It is also true that when they perish - the righteous will increase. We've live in times when the majority culture was far more in agreement with biblical morals - at least in reference to sexuality. But the "facts on the ground" now are that our culture is not moving that was presently. That will mean less public support for morals and ethics based out of Scripture. It also means though that those of us who still desire to give a reason for the hope that is in us - will have ample opportunity to do so. We need to embrace this role - even if it means we, at times, have to engage in "hide and speak" as we do so.
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 Proverbs 3:21-26 My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.
If you have ever lost a night's sleep due to fear or worry, you know what a blessing it is to have a sense of security and peace as you go to bed. That is what God promises to those who base their lives upon His wisdom and Word. Since so many have trouble sleeping, let’s take a closer look at what God says will bring us a sleep that is sweet. To get the full story on God’s secure, sweet sleep you need to go back as far as verse 21. The first thing we learn is that we need to keep sound wisdom and discretion with us. Solomon uses the picture of wearing such things like a necklace around your neck. What are these things? Sound wisdom is a word that means to have wisdom that is applied to your life. This applied, sound, wisdom brings a continuing success in walking in God’s ways. Added to this is discretion, which means to have a purpose or plan that guides you in all that you do. It refers to having a worldview or a plan for life that is based on the wisdom of God’s Word. How do you get such things – this sound wisdom and life plan or purpose? You get them by being often in God’s Word – reading and learning from God to see things the way that He sees them. Thus the Word of God and the wisdom of God become not just a quick answer to a question. You get the answer then move on to life on your own. No, this sound wisdom is a lifestyle of following after God and His Word. The result of this is blessings on the inside, thus the comment on our soul receiving life. When we hold fast to God’s wisdom there is a life given to our soul. Our mind, will, and emotions are helped by God’s wisdom. Our mind is instructed, our will commanded, and our emotions are quieted by God’s wisdom. These are all things that would help contribute to sweet sleep. There are also outward blessings. The concept of the neck is interesting. When someone is “stiff-necked” the Bible is referring to him or her being disobedient and rebellious. When others are honored – they are said to receive a necklace around their neck. This was a symbol either of victory or of authority. There are also promises of walking in our lives safely and not stumbling as we walk. Having such promises again help to encourage a sense of security and safety with God guiding our lives. The next verse is our focus verse – promising sleep that is sweet. This happens to us because we are no longer “afraid.” This is an interesting word (pahad) and it means to be in dread or a bad sense of awe of something or someone. Deuteronomy 28:66 uses this word in the following context. “So your life shall hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life. "In the morning you shall say, 'Would that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, 'Would that it were morning!' because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see.” Deuteronomy 28:66-67 This “dread” is because you have “no assurance of your life.” This speaks of someone who thinks that blind fate is responsible for whatever happens next. Someone sees the difficulties and disasters of this present world and as a result have no confidence – so much so that they dread when morning comes, wishing instead that it were evening – or wishing is was morning when it is evening. For the person who doesn’t understand God’s omniscience (knowing all things) and omnipotence (power over all things) and loving providence – life is terrifying. And that dread and terror makes it difficult for them to sleep at night. Isaiah 33 also speaks of this kind of fear and dread. “You who are far away, hear what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might." Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?" He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.” Isaiah 33:13-16 God speaks to Isaiah about sinners who are terrified about being confronted by God. They will not submit to Him – and as a result they eventually see that they shall stand before Him and give an account of their lives. This makes them tremble – because they have not chosen righteousness. Yet God’s word to the righteous is that they will dwell on the heights – with God as refuge – and with Him as an impregnable rock for their protection. Peace with God is something that people mock, and yet it should never be underrated. Knowing peace with God gives one a peace that according to the New Testament “surpasses understanding.” What gives us sweet sleep in life? God has revealed that it is not a pill or some secret meditation or calming that is self-taught and self-empowered. Instead it is the wisdom of God infusing the soul. It is God’s Word in meditation and contemplation, giving us God’s perspective as well as keeping us in His way. There is no source that can rival a peace one has from Him. It is a peace that cannot be taken away by earthly powers. It is the kind of peace that allows us to sleep sweetly in the arms of His love because we know He watches over us. We sleep sweetly because we know that even death itself cannot separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Such confidence breeds contentment. Such contentment breeds peace. Such peace results in sweet sleep. Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD
will be exalted. The proverb for today is one that I know quite well. It is one of the sins that is a very real stumbling block for me. Fearing man is something I've done too often in my life - and just as this proverb says, it is always a baited snare or trap that I trigger in the process. It is not hard to remember one of the very first principles of wisdom, which is that fearing God is how wisdom begins. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:8) With that as our backdrop, let's take a look for a few moments at the opposite, the fear of man - and the problems and traps that come with it. The first thing we need to take note of here is that the word fear here is different than the one used in Proverbs 1:8. Proverbs 1:8 uses the Hebrew word "yirah" which is a positive word for fear because of its use in connection with fearing God. The word speaks of fearing to displease God and has with it the connotation of respecting and honoring Him. This fear acknowledges God's good intentions in His commandments and therefore motivates us to delight in them and in so doing Him. This fear is identified with wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding and helps the one who has it to judge things properly and most of all restrains us from sin and rebellion against God. The word for fear in today's proverb is the Hebrew word "haradah," which speaks of a trembling, quaking, or shaking with fear. The word was used to speak of a physical shaking of Israel's enemies when God began to fight for them. It is not a good fear - but rather a shaking and trembling that come before someone flees or surrender's to another. The context in which this fear happens is men. Proverbs warns against trembling and shaking in fear of mere men this way. Scripture tells us that we are not to fear the ones who can kill the body, yet do nothing to our souls. The One we are to fear is the One who when our bodies are dead can take our soul and cast it into hell. That rules out ALL men. Yet we fear and tremble before men. What does this tell us? I will equate the things we are "falling for" as the bait of a trap. That is what the word "snare" here means in the Hebrew. It referred to the trap and the snare that caught animals - but the reference was to the bait that was in the trap more than the trap itself. The trap would never be effective unless the animal was deceived by the bait. So what "bait" are we being deceived by in stepping into the trap of the fear of man? First, we take the bait that our life consists of our possessions. We fear man because we think that man can take away our stuff. We think that ultimately our stuff defines us. That was the case with the rich farmer - who thought his life consisted of his possessions. He did all he could to protect his bumper crop so that he could retire securely. The problem for him was that he would die that very night - and all his stuff was gone anyway. All he was left with was how he had prepared for his meeting with God - for which he was eternally unprepared. You are not defined by your stuff - but when men make you think they can control your stuff (or your ability to earn so you can buy stuff) you will be tempted to fear them instead of God. When you do that, you've taken the bait - and stepped into a snare. Second, we take the bait that men control our lives rather than the sovereignty of God. Some fear man because they think men control their destiny. Here is where I was guilty of the fear of man. I thought men controlled whether I was pastor or not - and feared their power. The fact is that God is ALWAYS ultimately in control of our lives - and to fear men is to put yourself into a very dangerous position. You begin to listen to men more than God. You can wind up lifting the thoughts of man above the Word of God. These are the traps you fall into when you take the bait that men control your destiny rather than God. I will only go into a third bait that we often take when we fear men instead of God. That is that how men think of us is what is important. That is a lie - and one that controls the behavior of billions. Fashions and all aspects of culture function off of this lie. Immorality becomes acceptable because we fear what men will "think" of us if we hold to a biblical morality and standard. Our culture has embraced almost every and any kind of sin because they value what men think above what God thinks. We call sexual immorality - both heterosexual and homosexual - normal because we've valued what men think above what God says. We've embraced materialism, racism, as well as perverting sexual roles of men and women because we exalt current culture above God's eternal Word. We are told that the cure to the fear of man is to trust in the Lord. That one, we are counseled, will be exalted. We trust the Lord when we read Scripture and value what God says, even if it has violent collisions with our current cultural norms. We trust the Lord when we realize that God moves the hearts of kings (and everyone else for that matter) wherever He wants them to go. We trust the Lord when we are willing to leave everything for the sake of God's will - knowing that the eternal eclipses the physical and temporal in life. Trusting the Lord is simply valuing God's view of things above that of anyone else's. That, by the way, is also the definition of wisdom - seeing things the way that God sees. That view of things will bless us - and - protect us from buying the lie of the bait that blinds us to the trap in which it is sent. What the wicked fears will come upon him, But the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. Proverbs 10:24-25
There is a fear that the wicked have at the end of their lives - and it is a fear that will come upon them. Though they spend their days mocking God and living as they choose, they come to the end of their lives facing the same reality anyone does. That reality is that they are going to die - just like anyone else. They forget this during their youth and even in their adult years - but then sickness and the day of their death comes near. It is in these moments that we see that even the most strident atheist or agnostic have to face their fears concerning death. We read of the wicked, that what they fear WILL come upon them. They are going to die - and there is a fear of what is on the other side of death. This begs the question, "What is on the other side of death?" For the wicked man, he is hoping either that God is as immoral as He is or that God does not exist at all. For the tolerance-god the hope is that whatever god there may be that he or she has no standards. This god usually only has one intolerance - and that is for anyone to have intolerance. Everyone makes it into the afterlife. The other option is that there is no god - and that when we die - we just die. There is nothing after death. We just cease to exist. If either of these scenarios are true - the wicked man has nothing to fear. But we read that what he fears comes upon him. What is he fearing? The wicked man fears that there is a God - a holy God like the one presented by the Scriptures. He fears that the urgings of his conscience were right - that there are standards he is breaking. His ultimate fear is that there is indeed a recompense for these wrongs. These fears will be realized. That is what our proverb today tells us. Later in the next verse we read that when the whirlwind passes - the wicked is no more. The whirlwind is a testing. What it is testing is what foundation a person has. We would call a whirlwind a tornado in Arkansas. When this whirlwind comes - the foundation of the wicked man will reveal that he cannot stand that testing - that judgment if you will accept it. This passage has a counterpart in Scripture - and in all honesty it is one that is terrifying when you realize it. In the book of Job a conversation was going on between Job and three of his friends. They said that Job was wicked and that was why his troubles came upon him. Job held fast to his righteousness - but made the mistake of questioning God's wisdom in what was happening to him. In the end, God Himself came to address Job personally. When God did this guess how He chose to reveal Himself? If you guessed in a whirlwind, you guessed right. God came to a moment of truth with Job by coming in a whirlwind. He then questioned Job extensively about the whole idea of wisdom. When it was over Job withdrew all of his comments and repented in dust and ashes. God then blessed Job for his faithfulness - and called his friends to account for their rash and improper words about Job. Now, let us bring this event into focus on our proverb today. When the whirlwind comes - the wicked are no more. The judgment will reveal their faulty foundation - and they will be swept away in judgment. If a godly Job could not stand when the whirlwind came with God's presence and His withering questioning - what hope do the wicked have of being able to stand in that day. The proverb for today leaves a wonderful hope for the righteous though. Their desire will be granted - and their foundation will stand. This begs another question. What is that desire? What is that foundation? Biblically the only man who will be righteous is the one who gets this way by faith. Righteousness is not given to a man by his works. The only way a man can be righteous before God is by faith in what God will provide, from an OT view, and what God has provided, from a NT one. God's promise in the Old Testament was that Messiah would come. He would come first as a suffering servant - as the lamb slain for sin. In the New Testament we meet Messiah. He is Jesus Christ, Who came to pay for our sins to make us righteous in God's sight. The hope of the righteous is that God will fulfill His promise. The desire of the righteous will be realized as his foundation stands firm. As the sand foundations of this world crumble – the foundation of Jesus Christ, crucified, buried, and resurrected from the dead will stand. So the final question for today is simply this, “Are you resting on that foundation?” Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:25-26
Sudden fear, dread, terror that comes suddenly - all these are things that wisdom will protect us from in our lives. Now please do not misunderstand that this passage is not saying that bad things will never happen to good people. We all know that we've grieved over godly people who have been killed in car accidents and in other disasters. But what is promised here is that the godly - those who build their lives on wisdom - who are guided by the north star of God's Word - will not have the "onslaught of the wicked" when they are punished for their wickedness. Let me quote several passages of Scripture to help us grasp this concept of the Word. Psalm 121 tells us of the protective care of the Lord. Verses three and four are especially comforting to us. "He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep." (Psalm 121:3-4) God promises great peace and protection to those whose lives are guided by His wisdom. But for the wicked God promises that this thing called, sudden terror and sudden fear will come upon them. Proverbs 1:26-27 speaks of a "dread" that comes upon the wicked. It says that dread, calamity, and distress will come like a storm and like a whirlwind. Then again in Psalm 49 we read of the foolish and those who approve their foolish words this terrifying statement made by the Lord, "As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation." (Psalm 49:14) The above passages instruct us as to the end of the foolish who ignore and mock God's wisdom and Word. They will have a sudden end that will overtake them. In Psalm 73 David struggled with why the wicked often seem to have it so good in their lives here on the earth. He came to the point of almost losing his faith and betraying others who followed God with all their hearts. Then he said that he came into the sanctuary and saw the latter end of these who walk in wickedness and foolishness. He spoke of how suddenly they fall and are destroyed. No matter how good anyone has it here on the earth, they will one day face God in the judgment. No matter how awesome they have it now - there is a latter end for them when all their deeds will follow them to that place of ultimate payback or reward. The wicked who will not turn from their sinful ways will face this ultimate dread - but the godly who order their ways according to God's wisdom will not have this happen to them. We are told in verse 26 that Jehovah will be our "confidence." The Hebrew word for "confidence" here is fascinating because of what is points to spiritually. The word is "kesel" and it means a sense of confidence and security. It also points to an area of the body - the midsection or specifically the area where our kidneys are located. The reason this is fascinating is because in Leviticus 3:4,10,15; Leviticus 4:9 and Leviticus 7:4 this exact same word is used of sacrifices that were made before God. In Leviticus 3 it is used of the peace offering that was made before God. In Leviticus 4 it was the sin offering and in chapter 7 it spoke of the guilt offering. When we consider this word and its usage it paints a beautiful picture for us of what Christ does for us. These were all pictures of how these sacrifices would take care of sin and promise peace to those who confessed their sin and brought them to God for a payment for that sin. They were all precursors of what Jesus Christ would do through His death and resurrection. Thus the idea here is that our confidence is not in ourselves but rather in our Lord. That is exactly what this verse says - that Jehovah will be our confidence. We are also told that our foot will not be caught in the snares of the wicked - in the things which their lifestyles bring upon them. Our foot will be firmly planted on a rock - the Rock Christ Jesus. We will have our lives firmly planted in the Word of God - which is the rock upon which the house that did not fall was built. The sand of the world system and its shifting views of truth and godliness will not stand in that day. Instead they will face the sudden fear and sudden onslaught of God's judgment in the end. But for those of us who love the Lord and live according to His wisdom, our ultimate fears are gone - taken away by the grace of God and the "kidneys of Jesus Christ" which were offered on our behalf as a peace offering, a guilt offering, and a sin offering which brings us into God's favor and protection. Learn to delight, not in yourself and your own strength, but rather in God who freely has given us forgiveness and grace in Christ Jesus our Lord! When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3:24
If you have ever lost a night's sleep due to fear or worry, you know what a blessing it is to have a sense of security and peace as you go to bed. That is what God promises to those who base their lives upon His wisdom. So today as we look at our proverb of the day, we will look at how wisdom grants us that peace and ability to lie down and have a great night's sleep. The first thing we see here is that there is a promise given to us that we will not be afraid as we lie down at night. Why would we fear though? How does God's Word and Wisdom keep us from having fear in our hearts? According to first John 4:18 fear has to do with punishment. The one who lives according to God's wisdom does not have to fear punishment becasue he knows that God's grace has removed it from us. This as true in the Old Testament in the sacrificial system, and in the New through the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world. Therefore we know that the worst case scenario has been solved by the work of Jesus Christ. There are other ways in which we know God's wisdom will watch over us. Much of the wisdom that we read of in the book of Proverbs deals with making wise decisions and staying away from things that are harmful to us. We are warned again and again in Proverbs that certain choices and certain paths will not be blessed. They may look good at first - and even bring pleasure initially, but in the end they are very harmful and dangerous. That is why when we give ourselves to walking in the wisdom of God that we will be able to lie down and not be afraid. We will be able to lie down and have sleep that is sweet. Basing our lives upon the Word of God - especially taking the advice and counsel of the proverbs that God has given to us truly will yield a peaceful life filled with His blessing. I'll close today's post with a quote from the book of James, "Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:13-18) There it is for us in full view. When we live our lives by the wisdom that God gives to us - we will live a life that will be filled with the "peaceable" fruit that such wisdom brings to our lives. The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!" Proverbs 22:13
Ah, the things a lazy person will do to keep from working. The imaginations of his own mind - which does little else than making up new things that will keep him from work - run amok when the thought of actually getting up and doing something threaten. The sluggard always sees the imminent danger - no matter how ridiculous. This keeps him from having to go outside and work or do something profitable. Ever notice that the world will give you a thousand reasons NOT to do something. If we actually listened to all the "dangers" that are out there - we would do nothing but sit in our homes (which we've learned lately can be just as dangerous as going outside) and be concerned with a thousand imagined dangers that lurk just outside our door. The wise man seeks the Lord to discover what is dangerous. He does not live in fear of the supposed evil that lurks everywhere behind every new turn. Instead, he looks to God for direction for each new day - then walks out the door to work hard as unto His Lord. I'm not making light of the real dangers that are out there - but too often we learn everything is bad for us - everything is dangerous - and everything is harmful to our health. If we actually listened to all this - we'd be like the sluggard who looks for any excuse not to be doing something valuable. The real danger in all this is that we will become so consumed with the imagined dangers of life that we become good for nothing. The sluggard does this to keep from having to ever work. Here's my encouragement for each day from this verse. Seek the face of God each morning - listen to what He has to say through His Word and through His Holy Spirit. After you do this - strike out into each new day energized by what God has to say. This will give you a passion for your life - and for the work He has for you to do each day. It is His will that you work hard - doing something valuable each day. It is His will that you go out and be a change-agent in this world. The fact is that we will all die of something before this life is over - just don't let it be laziness! |
 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. 
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