Proverbs 24
BBCProverbs 24:1
24:1, 2 It is not wise to be envious of the success of evil men or to desire their company. They have a way of dragging others down to their own levels. And what is that level? Their minds are always planning violence and their conversation centers on troublemaking. 24:3, 4 The house here may refer to a man’s life. A great life is not built by wickedness but by godly wisdom. Wickedness wrecks a life but understanding gives it solidity. Wickedness leaves it empty; true knowledge fits it out with precious and pleasant furnishings. 24:5, 6 A wise man can wield greater power than a strong man, and a man of brains is mightier than a man of brawn. War can be waged through wise counselors, and the more wise counselors there are, the better. 24:7 Wisdom seems to be forever beyond the grasp of a fool. He can never speak with authority, like the elders at the gate of the city do. 24:8, 9 The one who uses his God-given faculties to invent new forms of evil earns the title of “master schemer.” The devising of foolishness is sin, and the arrogant scoffer who is brazen in his wickedness earns the contempt of others. 24:10 One test of a person’s worth is how he behaves under pressure. If he gives up when the going is rough, he doesn’t have what it takes. Christ, if ever my footsteps should falter, And I be prepared for retreat; If desert and thorn cause lamenting, Lord, show me Thy feet. Thy bleeding feet, Thy nail-scarred feet, My Jesus, show me Thy feet. O God, dare I show Thee My hands and my feet? Amy Carmichael24:11, 12 When innocent people are being led off to gas chambers, ovens, and other modes of executionwhen unborn babies are destroyed in abortion millsit is inexcusable to stand by and not seek to rescue them. It is also useless to plead ignorance. As Dante said, “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in a time of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality.” Does this have a voice for those of us who are believers and who are entrusted with the good news of salvation? Men and women are dying without Christ. Jesus said, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields: for they are already white for harvest” (Joh_4:35). Dare we remain neutral? See the shadows lengthen round us, Soon the day-dawn will begin; Can you leave them lost and lonely? Call them inChrist is coming! Anna Shipton24:13, 14 Honey is used here as a symbol of wisdom. Both are beneficial and sweet to the taste. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; if you have found it, there is a prospect, and your hope will not be cut off. In other words, the man who finds wisdom is assured of a bright future and the realization of all his hopes. 24:15, 16 The unscrupulous person is warned against trying to dispossess a righteous man of his home. Maybe the latter has been overtaken by temporary hardship, and the wicked man is ready to pounce on his property. A righteous man may fall into trouble or calamity seven times, but he will recover each time. The wicked can stumble to his ruin in a single misfortune. 24:17, 18 A man of good character should never rejoice when trouble catches up with his adversary, or be happy to see him stumble. If the LORD sees anyone harboring a gloating, vindictive spirit, He will consider that spirit more punishable than the guilt of the enemy. 24:19, 20 Once again we are warned not to get all upset over the apparent success of evildoers, and not to envy the wicked. This time the reason given is that the prospects of the ungodly are very bad. They have nothing good to look forward to. Instead the light of their life will be extinguished. 24:21, 22 This proverb inculcates reverence and respect for the LORD and also for the king as His representative. It also warns against those who are out to change divine institutions or to overthrow civil governments. Both types of rebelliousness will bring sudden and unimaginable calamity on the guilty ones. The Christian is taught to obey human government as long as he can do so without compromising his loyalty to the Lord. If a government orders him to disobey the Lord, then he should refuse and humbly take the consequences. Under no circumstances should he join any plot to overthrow the government.
Proverbs 24:23
B. Further Sayings of the Wise (24:23-34)24:23-26 Here begins a new section of sayings that belong to the wise, extending through verse 34. It is a despicable thing to show partiality when judging matters of right and wrong. The judge who blurs moral distinctions by acquitting the guilty will be cursed by the people and hated by nations. On the other hand those judges who rebuke sin will be rewarded by God and blessed by men. Those who render honest and just verdicts will win the kiss of approval from the people. 24:27 Just as a man must clear away the trees and cultivate the land before building a house, so he should get his own life in order before having a family. Thus, the proverb may be a warning against rushing into marriage with all its responsibilities before a person is spiritually, emotionally, and financially prepared. 24:28, 29 Under no circumstance should anyone bring false accusations against his neighbor or spread lies about him. Even if the neighbor has done those very things, there is no excuse for returning evil for evil. 24:30-34 The writer passed by the sluggard’s vineyard and saw that it was all overgrown with thorns. Plants with stinging hairs or nettles were everywhere to be seen. The stone wall was in ruins. There was an object lesson in this. When anyone asks for just a little more sleep, a few more winks, a few more yawns, you can be sure that poverty will overtake him like a highwayman and like an armed robber. When we succumb to laziness in spiritual matters, our life (vineyard) becomes infested with the works of the flesh (thistles and nettles). There is no fruit for God. Our spiritual defenses (the wall) are down, and the devil gains a foothold. The result of our coldness and backsliding is poverty of soul.