Category: Devotions

1. Tragedy for the Wicked: Not unpunished! This, to many, is not only a severe message, but also one to be rejected as the raving of a troubler of Israel (1Kg. 18:17-18). Guilty persons are always suspicious, and defensive! They measure others by themselves, and expect others to treat them accordingly. Vs.21 continues the familiar theme contrasting the righteous and the wicked, but sinners are ever slow to learn and even slower to obey.

“Righteous men believe themselves to be sinners, and sinners believe themselves to be righteous” (Pascal). The late Dr. (?) did not satisfy, by his preaching, the Calvinistic portion of his flock. “Why, sir,” said they, “we think you dinna tell us enough about renouncing our ain righteousness.” “Renouncing your ain righteousness!” vociferated the doctor. “I never saw any ye had to renounce.”

God is a God of Mercy! This word (chesed) is almost beyond man to fully express. In Young’s Concordance you see something of its scope. It soa well nigh unreachable, as it describes God’s dealings with mankind.

The Greek Bible (LXX) has a very different translation here. Why? Did these translators have a corrupt Hebrew text, or did they misread what they had, or not like the original text, and so changed it to suit their guesses? This is the all too common practice of our present-day Bible paraphrasers who seem to delight in every conceivable word-play, while they lay “unholy hands” on the precious received Words of God. Some of the preferred readings in modern versions come from the Greek Bible (LXX) as well as other doubtful sources. Read the Introductions and footnotes in any new version to see that this is so.

An Apocryphal book has restrictions on suretyship, but allows “an honest man” can be surety for his neighbour. Solomon warns against this completely.

This word counsel (always plural) comes from a root meaning to bind with ropes, then, rope-pulling, then guidance. It is a nautical term and refers to the rope-pulling that steers or guides a ship. It also gave rise to the word shipmaster, steersman, pilot in Jonah (1:6, cf. Rev. 18:17). Now, since counsel is double-edged, being either good or bad, how careful we must be in the counsel we seek and accept. So also this word has a double-edged meaning, namely, to wound, to sabotage, to ruin, leading to pain and suffering (shall be destroyed, Pr. 13:13; destroys, a destruction painful, i.e., sickening, Mic. 2:10)!

There is a time not to speak (Eccl. 3:7). There is an expression, “Least said, easiest mended.” In Belfast, long before the present troubles, we saw graffiti, “Silence is Golden-IRA,” a warning not to talk too loudly. It was no idle threat! There are four kinds of persons referred to in our Proverbs today.

We seldom equate Politics and Politicians with the word blessed. Our verses today suggest that where there are upright politicians the polis, the city, rejoices. City is personified here. It is likened to a conscience or a spiritual compass that points to the right and the just, as the needle to the pole. The world now seems to justify anything evil, or perverted, and scorns morality, especially biblical morality, as passé. Yet the majority rejoices when good succeeds. They have an instinct that good leaders will bring benefits and blessings to the city. Even wicked people know that they cannot trust each other.

May 9, Proverbs 11:9
2 Cor. 11:1-15; 2 Peter 2:1-3 “There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall deceive, if it were possible, the very elect” (Mt. 24:24).
Above All, Beware of this Dangerous Man!
1. Sinful Swindlers: An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour. “An untrue man is the moral murderer, his mouth the lethal weapon, and his neighbour the victim” (Arnot). Chapter 10 had a lot to say about the use of abuse of the tongue. With a word we can destroy or defend a friend. Here there is a contrast between the hypocrite and the righteous. Hypocrite is the translation of a word meaning godless, profane. Today we would call him an apostate whose goal is to subvert or undermine true biblical teaching. Recall how the courageous man of God was first sidetracked, and then swindled, by one claiming to be a true prophet, like himself. He, too, said his authority was from the word of the Lord. He was, in fact, an apostate prophet, a servant of Satan whose strategy is ever to turn the man of God out of the will of God (Eph. 5:6-7). But, true to his sinful swindle, he lied unto him (1 Kg. 13). The sad result was that a live wire became lifeless, a useful soldier became defenseless. Jesus warned of such wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15). Paul spoke of the serpent beguiling Eve through his subtlety, and of false prophets who are deceitful workers, under the power of the god of this world. They are ministers of Satan (2 Cor. 11:13)! Peter gave twenty-six characteristics of these false teachers! He warned of those who bring in damnable heresies, denying the Lord, and that with feigned words make merchandise of you.
2. Skillful Soldiers: Through knowledge shall the just be delivered. The word just is plural, meaning righteous, justified, victorious men and women. Their speech is wise, because based on true knowledge, for only thus can they withstand the attack of the enemy (Pr. 4:13). Such knowledge is the opposite of hypocrisy. It is divine knowledge, the best and surest means of defense. Our Lord defines this knowledge in His prayer: This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent (Jn. 17:3). This is something more than mere conjecture in the head; it is Christ in the heart, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). “Mere knowledge can no more connect a man with God than the sight of the sun can carry him to heaven” (Calvin). Sadly, for so many, knowledge of God is only a confused blur, a vague idea of something up there! Peter’s remedy against false teachers was also a call for knowledge, the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Pt. 1:5, 8, 12), for only thus will there be deliverance from the pernicious ways of these Sinful Swindlers. This, however, demands earnest effort. Peter urged his readers to give all diligence (speed! 1:5, 10) to deal with these natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed (2:12). Peter apparently hasn’t heard that such strong talk is too harsh by today’s evangelical-ecumenical standards. They openly espouse the position that truth and error can co-exist! “By the knowledge of God, and the scriptures, and their own hearts, shall the just be delivered from those that lie in wait to deceive, and so to destroy” (Henry). Wanted! Skilful Soldiers to defend the faith once delivered unto the saints.
Thought: “The apostate drops as a windfall into the Devil’s mouth” (Th. Watson).
Prayer: “Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful tongue. I consecrate it afresh to Thee.”

This is a frightening word to some, but it is the imperative message of this verse. It refers to a retributive justice. There is need for some clarification of the second half of this verse. We might translate it, but the wicked are brought under or into his, that is, into the troubles of the righteous. This means that, in the providence of God, the deliverance He gives to one will result in the punishing of the other, and God makes no mistakes.