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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : On Envying the Wicked - Proverbs 3:31-35 - Thoughts from Matthew Henry's Commentary

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Oracio
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Joined: 2007/6/26
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Whittier CA USA

 On Envying the Wicked - Proverbs 3:31-35 - Thoughts from Matthew Henry's Commentary

"31 Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; 32 For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. 33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just. 34 Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools."-Proverbs 3:31-35

Commentary: "We must not envy the prosperity of evil-doers, v. 31. This caution is the same with that which is so much insisted on, Ps. 37. "Envy not the oppressor; though he be rich and great, though he live in ease and pleasure, and make all about him to stand in awe of him, yet do not think him a happy man, nor wish thyself in his condition."

My comments: Psalm 73 deals extensively with this issue of envying the wicked, and shows clearly that it is not worth it in light of their final doom. This temptation of envying the lost seems to be common among true believers. I know it's been something I've struggled with at times throughout my walk with Christ. The temptation is to ask, "Why do wicked people prosper in so many ways while humble believers in the Lord suffer so much in comparison? It seems that those in open rebellion against God are blessed with so many blessings here on earth. Why?" Yet as God's Word shows so clearly, the final doom of those that die in their sins is horrible beyond measure. For many people this is all the heaven they will experience. God, in His mercy, allows them to receive temporal blessings here which they do not deserve, and afterward gives them the just punishment they do deserve in hell. When we see things from an eternal perspective it causes us to feel sorry for prosperous lost people instead of envying them. Besides, God never promised us earthly health, wealth and prosperity in this world (though we do receive temporal blessings, some of us more than others), but he does promise suffering and persecution if we truly follow Him. We must count the cost of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

Commentary: "Choose none of his ways; do not imitate him, nor take the courses he takes to enrich himself...Now, to show what little reason saints have to envy sinners, Solomon here, in the last four verses of the chapter, compares the condition of sinners and saints together (as his father David had done, Ps. 37), sets the one over against the other, that we may see how happy the saints are, though they be oppressed, and how miserable the wicked are, though they be oppressors. Men are to be judged of as they stand with God, and as he judges of them, not as they stand in the world's books. Those are in the right who are of God's mind; and, if we be of his mind, we shall see, whatever pretense one sinner may have to envy another, that saints are so happy themselves that they have no reason at all to envy any sinner, though his condition be ever so prosperous."

My comments: Another temptation is to think that earthly prosperity is to be used as a measuring stick as to who is and isn't blessed of God. We see this type of "judgment" or "assessment" among many Christians, even those who supposedly reject the false prosperity gospel. For example, we see a church that has a large building with many members and programs and we automatically assume it is blessed of God based on those outward appearances. Let us remember, this is the mistake Job's accusers made and God rebuked them for it. Jesus said, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."-John 7:24

Commentary: "For, 1. Sinners are hated of God, but saints are beloved, v. 32. The froward sinners, who are continually going from-ward him, whose lives are a perverse contradiction to his will, are abomination to the Lord. He that hates nothing that he has made yet abhors those who have thus marred themselves; they are not only abominable in his sight, but an abomination.

My comments: That is something we seldom ever hear these days. Yet God's Word clearly teaches that God not only hates the sin but the sinner as well. Scripture declares that God's wrath(His righteous, fierce anger) remains on those who refuse to repent. Not only do the lost make themselves enemies of God in their minds through wicked works(Col.1:21), but they make God their enemy as well. It is the sinner, not the sin, who will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Commentary: "The righteous therefore have no reason to envy them, for they have his secret with them; they are his favorites; he has that communion with them which is a secret to the world and in which they have a joy that a stranger does not inter-meddle with; he communicates to them the secret tokens of his love; his covenant is with them; they know his mind, and the meanings and intentions of his providence, better than others can. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do?"

My comments: True believers have an intimate relationship with Almighty God. What better blessing can there be than to be a true child of the living God, to walk with Him and talk with Him day by day, moment by moment? What better gift can there be than to have Christ Himself, and have all our sins washed away by His blood? What better prosperity than to receive so many spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and to be seated with Him in heavenly places? In Christ we have an incorruptible inheritance that does not fade away, and no thief, no devil or demon in hell can steal it from us! Glory!!!

Commentary: "2. Sinners are under the curse of God, they and their houses; saints are under his blessing, they and their habitation, v. 33. The wicked has a house, a strong and stately dwelling perhaps, but the curse of the Lord is upon it, it is in it, and, though the affairs of the family may prosper, yet the very blessings are curses, Mal. 2:2. There is leanness in the soul, when the body is fed to the full, Ps. 106:15. The curse may work silently and slowly; but it is as a fretting leprosy; it will consume the timber thereof and the stones thereof, Zec. 5:4; Hab. 2:11."

My comments: Another good point by Henry, and another good reason for us not to envy the lost. Even though lost people may be prospering in health and wealth and outward circumstances in general, inwardly their soul is rotting more and more. They are becoming more and more corrupt and hardened toward God. They are, as Peter says in Acts 8:23, poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. Yes, the Bible describes the spiritual condition of lost souls in terms that are not a pretty sight to say the least. They are spoken of as being blinded by Satan and held captive to do his will, dead in trespasses and sins, haters of God, being swift to shed blood, having no fear of God before their eyes.

Commentary: "The just have a habitation, a poor cottage (the word is used for sheep-cotes), a very mean dwelling; but God blesses it; he is continually blessing it, from the beginning of the year to the end of it. The curse or blessing of God is upon the house according as the inhabitants are wicked or godly; and it is certain that a blessed family, though poor, has no reason to envy a cursed family, though rich. 3. God puts contempt upon sinners, but shows respect to saints, v. 34. (1.) Those who exalt themselves shall certainly be abased: Surely he scorns the scorners. Those who scorn to submit to the discipline of religion (true Christianity), scorn to take God's yoke upon them, scorn to be beholden to his grace, who scoff at godliness and godly people, and take a pleasure in bantering and exposing them, God will scorn them, and lay them open to scorn before all the world. He despises their impotent malice, sits in heaven and laughs at them, Ps. 2:4. He retaliates upon them (Ps. 18:26); he resists the proud. (2.) Those who humble themselves shall be exalted, for he gives grace to the lowly; he works that in them which puts honor upon them and for which they are accepted of God and approved of men. Those who patiently bear contempt from scornful men shall have respect from God and all good men, and then they have no reason to envy the scorners or to choose their ways. 4. The end of sinners will be everlasting shame, the end of saints endless honour, v. 35. (1.) Saints are wise men, and act wisely for themselves; for though their religion now wraps them up in obscurity, and lays them open to reproach, yet they are sure to inherit glory at last, the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They shall have it, and have it by inheritance, the sweetest and surest tenure. God gives them grace (v. 34), and therefore they shall inherit glory, for grace is glory, 2 Co. 3:18. It is glory begun, the earnest of it, Ps. 84:11. (2.) Sinners are fools, for they are not only preparing disgrace for themselves, but at the same time flattering themselves with a prospect of honor as if they only took the way to be great. Their end will manifest their folly: Shame shall be their promotion. And it will be so much the more their punishment as it will come instead of their promotion; it will be all the promotion they must ever expect, that God will be glorified in their everlasting confusion."

My comments: I guess I can't really add much to those great insights from Henry at this time. May we appreciate our eternal inheritance all the more. And may we gratefully and gladly serve our Master in these bodies while it is day, for the night is coming when no one can work.


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Oracio

 2013/5/27 16:18Profile





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