Proverbs 29

Proverbs 29:1

29:1 A man who continues in sin, in spite of repeated warnings, will suddenly be destroyed, . . . without hope of any further opportunity. The people who lived before the flood refused to listen to Noah. The flood came and they were destroyed. An acquaintance of mine who had repeatedly rejected the gospel invitation met a Christian lady who had prayed for him often. She said, “Don’t you think it’s time you turned to the Lord?” He answered, “What has He ever done for me?” That weekend his life was snuffed out in a mysterious mishap. It was one of those accidents that couldn’t happenbut did! 29:2 The character of a nation’s rulers affects the morale of the country. When the righteous are in authority, that is, in numbers and in power, the people rejoice. A wicked ruler causes widespread mourning. 29:3 A son who loves wisdom, who lives a dedicated, separated Christian life, brings joy to his father. But the son who lives in immorality wastes his father’s money. The prodigal son, you remember, squandered his father’s substance in riotous living. 29:4 By acting with justice, a king brings his country to a position of strength. The one who accepts bribes to pervert justice is undermining the stability of the government. 29:5 The flatterer imperils his neighbor by refusing to tell him the truth or by praising him for things that are not true. Also he encourages pride which leads to a fall. 29:6 An evil man is often snared in the net of his own sin. The righteous man is happy because he does not have to fear the consequences of transgression. He sings and rejoices.29:7 Righteous people take an active interest in the cause of the poor. The wicked are not interested in showing any such concern. 29:8 Scoffers set a city aflame. They create turmoil by arousing tempers, agitating the people, and creating divisions. Wise men seek to avert discord and promote peace. 29:9 This proverb may have two meanings. The more probable is this: When a wise man argues with a foolish man, the fool will only rage and laugh (NKJV, RSV, Berkeley). He will never be persuaded, and there will be no peace. The other interpretation is that when a wise man argues with a foolish man, whether the wise man uses severity or humor, it doesn’t make any difference. Nothing positive is accomplished. 29:10 Again there are two possible interpretations. One is set forth in the ASV: “The bloodthirsty hate him that is perfect; and, as for the upright, they seek his life.” Here the bloodthirsty are the wicked aggressors in each case. The other meaning is found in the NKJV, JND, and Berkeley. Here the bloodthirsty are found destroying life in the first line, but the upright are seen seeking to preserve and protect it, in the second line. 29:11 A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back. Adams counsels: The idea of allowing anger to break out in an undisciplined manner by saying or doing whatever comes into mind without weighing the consequences, without counting ten, without holding it back and quieting it, without hearing the whole story, is totally wrong. 29:12 The thought here seems to be that if a ruler wants to be pampered, flattered, and comforted by pleasant news, then all his servants will treat him exactly that way. They will lie and flatter. 29:13 There may be a great gulf between the poor and the oppressor in human society, but they meet on a common level before God. It is the LORD who gives light to their eyes. 29:14 In judging a ruler, God is especially interested in whether he treats the poor considerately and without prejudice. If so, He promises to establish his throne . . . forever. Actually we know only one such ruler; His name is Jesus. 29:15 This proverb flatly contradicts many modern specialists who advocate “permissive democracy.” The rod is corporal punishment; rebuke is verbal correction. These two forms of parental discipline impart wisdom. They do not inhibit a child or warp his personality as the “experts” say. 29:16 When the wicked grow more numerous and powerful, the crime rate rises. But the righteous will live to see their downfall. Of course there are exceptions, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule. 29:17 A child who has been disciplined properly will bring delight and rest to his parents instead of anxiety and heartache. 29:18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law. Here revelation means prophetic revelation, hence the Word of God (see 1Sa_3:1). The thought is that when God’s Word is not known and honored, the people run wild. The ones who obey the law, that is, the Word of God, are the truly blessed ones. 29:19 This verse seems to describe the obstinate, intractable attitude of many a servant. Oral orders are not always enough. They may understand the master’s instructions but they don’t always carry them out. They just remain silent and sullen. Jesus said, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luk_6:46). 29:20 Of all the subjects dealt with in Proverbs, our words come in for a lion’s share of attention. Here we learn that the man who speaks before he thinks is more hopeless than a fool. This puts him in the same class as the man who is wise in his own conceits (Pro_26:12). 29:21 If you pamper and spoil a servant he will forget his proper position and will soon expect you to treat him like a son. Undue familiarity in the employer-employee relationship often breeds contempt. The word translated “son” in the second line is of very uncertain meaning. 29:22 Most of us have met these two men at one time or another. The angry man stirs up all kinds of trouble, and the passionate or furious man commits plenty of sins. 29:23 A proud man can be sure of being brought low. It is the humble man who is elevated to a place of honor. Professor Smith was climbing the Weisshorn. When near the top the guide stood aside to permit the traveler to have the honor of first reaching the top. Exhilarated by the view, forgetful of the fierce gale that was blowing, he sprang up and stood erect on the summit. The guide pulled him down, exclaiming, “On your knees sir; you are not safe there except on your knees.” Life’s summits, whether of knowledge, of love, or of worldly success, are full of perils (Choice Gleanings). O Lamb of God, still keep me Close to Thy pierced side; ‘Tis only there in safety And peace I can abide. With foes and snares around me, And lusts and fears within, The grace that sought and found me, Alone can keep me clean. James G. Deck29:24 An accomplice of a thief acts as if he hates his own life. Why? Because when he swears to tell the truth, that is, when the judge puts him under oath to tell all he knows, he reveals nothing, that is, he does not testify, and thus perjures himself. Under the law of Moses, a man who heard the judge putting him under oath and yet refused to testify, was counted guilty and was punished accordingly (see Lev_5:1). There was no such thing as “pleading the Fifth Amendment.” 29:25 The fear of man results in yielding to human pressure to commit evil or to refrain from doing what is right. How many have gone to hell because they were afraid of what their friends would say if they trusted Christ! The man who trusts in the LORD is safe, come what may. “We fear man so much,” wrote William Gurnall, “because we fear God so little.” 29:26 Many people look to an earthly ruler as if he were the solution to all their problems, but it is from the LORD that justice comes. 29:27 There is no rapport between an unjust man and a righteous one. The just one looks with disfavor on the ungodly, and the wicked abominates the upright. Just as a straight stick shows up a crooked one, so the contrast between a clean life and a wicked one is glaring. The proverbs of Solomon end at this point.