Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
This is a difficult proverb that requires some probing to come at its message. In what ways do the wicked desire the net of evil men? Is the contrast similar to what we find in St. Paul? Does it distinguish the works of the flesh from the fruit of the Spirit, and the unfruitful works of darkness from the fruit of light?
It has become fashionable to criticise the so-called Protestant work-ethic in the interest of a socialist utopia. This work-ethic, however, goes away back long before Protestantism. It had its rise in the Old Testament! The Hebrews were taught that hard work, honestly done, would yield its own rewards. Warnings abound about the folly of reckless money-speculations. Don’t go the get-rich-quick route that is today making us nations of gamblers. It is no blessing to be freed from the law of labour, nor does God free man from that law. It is not labour itself that is the curse of the Fall; it is sin! Man was to cultivate Eden as God’s happy co-worker. Rather, we should see work as a blessed condition of life. Remember the admonition of Martin Luther on work, “A dairymaid can milk cows to the glory of God.”
Simply stated, we have no right to abuse any creature, although we have a God-given right to use them. There are some, sunk so low, that they enjoy inflicting pain and suffering on dumb animals, just for kicks. Also, history is replete with tragic accounts of man’s cruelty to his fellow man, and, alas, pictures are flashing across our TV screens daily depicting modern-day atrocities of rape and genocide. There is a link between these two evils. “They who delight in the sufferings and destruction of inferior creatures, will not be apt to be very compassionate and benign to those of their own kind” (John Locke). How can we account for this barbarity, ancient and modern?
This proverb, like the one before and following, deals with domestic matters. discusses different reactions of man to the treatment of dumb beasts. Here we have the Biblical balance for both man and beast. It deals with the proper treatment of all animals, and has a special application to our domestic flocks and herds even today. Surveying the whole of Scripture, and taking it for our moral standard, what would be clearer than that mercy is one of the sacred duties of man, even as it is one of the main attributes of God?
In The Pilgrim’s Progress, four damsels guide Christian “till they came to go down the hill. Then, said Christian, as it was difficult coming up, so, so far as I can see, it is dangerous going down. Yes, said Prudence, for it is a hard matter for a man to go down into the Valley of Humiliation, and to catch no slip by the way.” Verse 9 teaches how hard this Valley is for most of us. It contrasts one who is not honoured, who should be, with one who is honoured, but who should not be.
These two proverbs concentrate on the reciprocal consequences for good or evil in the lives of good or bad men. “We cannot but wonder at the long-suffering, that suffers the wicked thus to load the earth with such a mass of guilt and misery (Bridges). Have we not, like the martyrs of Revelation (6:10), often cried out, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”
Consider how our good or bad actions may affect others. Let all who follow the Lord Jesus take stock of the thoughts and intents of their hearts. The religion of the Bible, is a religion of the heart, and for the heart, and for every heart. In these two verses (12:5-6) we see contrasted the thoughts of the righteous and the counsels of the wicked. Our thoughts are weighed and judged by Him who searches all hearts (Ps. 139).
These two proverbs deal with the consequences of goodness or wisdom. This is the last verse in Proverbs to refer directly to the Lord for some time to come. The proverbs concentrate on the practical issues of life here. All moral duties proceed from the Creator alone, and the foundation of wisdom is over and over again stated to be in the fear of the Lord. Moral teachers have failed because they try to persuade men to act right. This, however, sinful men cannot do until first his heart is made right with his Creator.
Hear Ye! “Sin kisses, but kills!” It is a glittering sword, bright to the eye but dark as death to the heart! Do we really need more proofs that sin is folly and failure? This chapter continues to pile proverb on proverb to support the main theme of the Book, namely, to know wisdom and instruction (1:2). Wisdom sums up the whole purpose of the book of Proverbs. The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom! The word Instruction means discipline, correction, sometimes chastening, for it not only coaches but also corrects! All men divide into two classes: the righteous, who learn wisdom, and the wicked, the fools, who despise both wisdom and instruction (1:7). “Wise men change their minds; fools have none to change.” There may seem to be exceptions to this, but experience justifies its truth.
Does shall be recompensed mean that the righteous receive rewards, as in 13:13, where the same word is used, and the wicked punished (Jer. 18:20)? If so, why does it say much more the wicked? Recompensed should be applied in both places. If the righteous are liable for their sins, how much more the wicked?