Proverbs Pt. 46 Blessing of the Upright. Wrath for the Wicked.

Proverbs 11 depicts the contrasting character of the righteous person and wicked person. Generally, the righteous person follows a clear path based upon the wisdom of God. They are delivered from their troubles and are generous with their time and resources. They are a true blessing to their families and are a beneficial, stabilizing influence in their neighborhood or community. The righteous man is guided by integrity and is shaped by God's eternal truth. 

In contrast the wicked hoard their money selfishly to themselves but wealth cannot save them. The wicked are a curse to their families and are a detriment to their neighborhood or community.  They face certain punishment from God and will not be delivered because of their unbelief and willful rejection of God's truth. The wicked are full of deceit because they refuse wisdom from God's eternal truth. 

Deliverance for the Righteous; Punishment for the Wicked.

Proverbs 11:4  Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. 

Proverbs 11:6-8  The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. 7)  When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth. 8)  The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

All of wealth and possessions selfishly hoarded by the wicked cannot be exchanged for their escape from death and judgment. However, the righteous man who trusts in the LORD and obeys His Word and seeks to honor Him in all that he does, this man will be delivered from eternal condemnation. 

The upright man or woman who has lived by faith in Jehovah has been cleansed from sin and lives morally and pure because of the Father imputing the Son's righteousness to all who believe on Christ. 

(See as examples of  righteousness imputed by faith, Romans 1:17; 3:22; 4:3-6; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9 & James 2:23).

What is "deliverance?"

The word "deliver" means to be snatched away from destruction, to be recovered from certain loss, or to be rescued from death or calamity. Deliverance is what God provides to the believer through salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. 

The example of being snatched away is like a parent quickly pulling a toddler back to safety as the child heads to go down a set of stairs. This is very much like the idea of the "rapture" of the believer. The Greek verb literally means to snatch away and is used when Christ comes to take His church, the born again believers to be with Him for all of eternity. 

What is "naughtiness?"

This is not going to happen for the wicked. They are appointed a day of wrath which is often called the day of the LORD's judgment. They will stand before holy God in their own "naughtiness." This word does not refer to a child who misbehaves. Rather, it refers to a wicked person who is evil, corrupt in heart and depraved in actions. 

The wicked are transgressors. This is a wicked person who is full of deceit, lying, and evil imagination. This person is faithless before God and lives a morally corrupt life, preforming evil deeds against others. The wicked have no expectations except for those that he or she deceived themselves into believing. When the wicked man dies, he will reap the bitter fruits of his sinful life. He will have no hope, and all his expectations will be crushed. He will not be delivered but cast into the lake of fire. 

Proverbs 11:5  The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. 

The righteous, upright man or woman is guided by the perfect wisdom of God and a life path that shows humility before God while giving all praise to Him. The righteous person walks on a good path marked out by God. It is a straight way with little deviation from that which is morally wholesome and good. This person lives a far better, superior quality of life by seeking to honor God with his thoughts, words and actions. 

The wicked will fall being snared by their own wicked deeds. Remember what Moses wrote: "Be sure your sin will find you out."(Numbers 32:23).

The Upright Man and the Hypocrite.

Proverbs 11:9-12  An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered. 10) When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting. 11) By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 12) He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.  

A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something that they are not. The hypocrite  passes himself off as a moral person by concealing the wickedness that is in his heart. In this text, he pretends to be a good neighbor and friend but he spread lies and innuendos about his neighbors. This ruins the neighbors reputation and robs them of their integrity. 

The wicked person has no wisdom except what he learned from the culture. Such a person despises his neighbor. He looks upon his neighbor as inferior to himself and views him with contempt. All of the good things done by a righteous man is overthrown by the mouth of a wicked person. 

Proverbs 11:13  A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. 

King Solomon contrasted the negative impact of a hypocrite on civic life with the positive impact of the upright or just man. In any given community when a wicked man dies, the people respond by shouting a ringing proclamation of joy. The community is happy because the wicked person is no longer around to cause misery and shame. 

The talebearer is a gossip who repeats things told in confidence or things that are hearsay. He cannot refrain his mouth from saying things that damage other people. The faithful, upright man does not divulge anything told to him in confidence. He conceals it out of respect for the person who shared the information with him. 

In contrast to this, when the righteous are in power, the city does well because of the wholesome influence of a righteous man. The upright man is careful of how he speaks and what he says. He does not want to spread falsehoods and innuendo. The knowledge of the upright man delivers the city from judgment because he follows the right ways of God and leads others to do the same.  

Thoughts to Ponder...

King Solomon gave us several more contrasting views between a man who fears God and a man who does not. 

The upright man is a blessing to those around him. He delivers his family from trouble and helps his neighbor in times of need. He is a stabilizing influence upon his community. Those who know the upright man know that he is trustworthy and discreet. 

The wicked man is a hypocrite. He does not keep secret anything said to him confidentially. He disparages the name and reputation of his neighbor and has no remorse for doing so. No one will mourn for the death of a wicked person. In fact, the people will rejoice when he dies.

Are we striving to be like the upright man, full of the wisdom of God and governed by His Word?

Are we seeking to be a blessing to our families, neighbors and communities?

I pray that the Lord will speak to our hearts and encourage us where we have been faithful and that He will confront us where we are not fully following His Word. I pray that God will be glorified by our response to His word.

Bob