Proverbs 6:12-15, The Schemer Exposed!
March 7, Proverbs 6:12-15
Psalm 10; Titus 3:3-7 “Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Acts 13:10)
The Schemer Exposed!
What a contrast! While the Snared is in danger of doing too much, and the Shirker is content to do nothing, the Schemer described here is ceaseless in his efforts to do as much harm as possible. Some suggest that the Shirker and the Schemer refer to the same person or same type, because idleness breeds all sorts of other mischief. The old saying is still true that “the devil finds work for idle hands to do.” Idleness is “a state of damnable sin”. Men seem to learn to do evil by doing that which is next to it – nothing!
- His Shabby Description: Consider, his hateful person (v.12). He is a good-for-nothing creature. The word naughty hardly seems ,at first sight, an adequate description of this evil character, but my old Dictionary says otherwise. It defines “naughty (adv.): bad in conduct or speech; perverse, disagreeable. It is related to naught (n.): nothing, of no value or account, worthless, bad.” In old Anglo-Saxon it was ne aht, not anything. He is called a man of Belial. Belial always means somebody wicked, worthless, lawless, of no profit. From the OT we see that the man of Belial is associated with idolatry (Deut. 13:13); with sodomy and rape (Ju. 19:22; 20:13); with drunkenness, disregard of God, and sacrilege (1 Sm. 1:16; 2:12, 17, 22)! In the NT it became a name for Satan (2 Co. 6:15), and the “father” of all so disposed! This word stands as the opposite of the man of God. It clearly refers to a man who is a reckless, good-for-nothing, hateful person! He is a perverted person beyond the point of return.
- His Shifty Deception: Consider his harmful propensities (vs.12b-14). He isn’t simply worthless to himself or to the community, but is a positively wicked, despicable person. He walketh with a froward mouth (v.12; Pr. 2:14-15; 4:24; 19:1). Froward means twisted; crookedness of mouth. He is rightly called a twister. “He speaks with forked-tongue.” As the Indians put it. He is untrustworthy. He has no regard for truth. Cynically, we have come almost to expect this from the political arena, but surely not from our pastors or fellow believers! Yet, are we immune? We must always have regard for truth and decency. We know that deceit, disobedience, deviousness, and deception are all forms of lying, and God hates lying in all its forms (Acts 5:4). Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight (Pr. 12:22). The Schemer’s shiftiness is further seen in how he uses his eyes, hands, and feet to convey his covert signals. He employs speech, signs, and subtleties to promote his mischievous designs and sows discord where and when he can. No wonder God has expressed His hatred of such persons and propensities. When God hates, however, there is never any malice or enmity as there is with us fallen creatures. Also, the things that God hates are all too commonplace among us, not things remote or obscure. The truly wonderful, encouraging thought, is that though God hates sin, His grace is sufficient to forgive the repentant sinner.
Thought: “Wise people,” it is said, “don’t lie, because in the end it doesn’t pay.”
Question: Is this a Scriptural principle? Why should we not lie?