Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Pr 13:1-2 and following. Indeed, “the light of the righteous is joyful…” (verse 9; Ps 97:8-12). Joy according to God is part of the testimony of the children of light. A sad Christian is often a sad Christian. The sullen mood is like a screen that veils all the radiation a believer might have. In contrast, “the lamp of the wicked will go out” (v. 9; Pr 24:19-20). They miss the oil, as do the foolish virgins in the parable (Matthew 25:1-13), because the life of the Spirit is absent to sustain the light. “It is only from pride that quarrel comes” (verse 10). We usually explain our arguments on other grounds. At most, everyone will be able to discern pride in his opponent. Well, this verse opens my eyes. A quarrel betrays my own pride: I want to be right; it humiliates me to give in. It will therefore be enough for me to show the spirit of Christ to immediately put an end to the conflict and… basically, to win (Matt. 5:38-42; Gen. 13:5-13).
The teaching of the wise man is a source of life (verse 14). So let us listen to those in whom we can recognize this wisdom from above. But it is even more profitable to walk with them (verse 20). What are our acquaintances? A wise son listens to the father’s instruction, but the mocker does not listen to the reprehension (v. 1). V. 28 of chapter 12 victoriously concluded the whole series of thoughts presented from chapter 10 to chapter 12 concerning the character and path of justice. Here we enter a new subdivision of the book inaugurated by v. 1 as the first subdivision had been by v. 1 of chapter 10: “A wise son rejoices his father”. This passage brings us back to the son, to the one who, being begotten by wisdom, is subject to the instruction of the father and is its fruit, so to speak. This relationship of sons is the key to all Proverbs and without it their purpose would escape us entirely. It is not a question here, as in chapter 10:1, of the difference in the son, between what is of God and that which is of the flesh, but of the formal opposition between the character of the son and that of the mocker. They are two entirely separate families. The son never has any relationship with this other family. His path is the opposite of that of the wicked, as the chapters we have just studied have shown us at every step, but moreover “he does not sit in the seat of the mockers” (Ps. 1). The mocker has no part in the instruction which is the privilege of the son, because he especially rejects the reprehension that is part of it. The mocker walks according to his own lusts, laughs at God’s promises, despises his judgments, and holds them to be null and void (2 Peter 3:3). There is nothing of God in his heart.
From the fruit of his mouth man eats good, but the soul of the treacherous eats violence (v. 2). We have already found this thought expressed in chapteritre 12:14, but there, in relation to manual activity. Here man is nourished by the words he speaks for others. He is the intermediary of God’s words, according to Deut. 6:6: “These words, which I command you today, will be upon your heart. You will inculcate them in your sons, and you will talk about them… and thou shalt bind them as a sign on thy hand, and they shall be for you fronteau between the eyes, and thou shalt write them on the poles of thy house and on thy doors” and they become his food at the moment when he inculcates them in others. On the other hand, the soul of the treacherous feeds on violence and their own speeches prove it. This is one of the satanic characters of these men: perfidy and violence. There is no link between them and the righteous. Whoever watches over his mouth keeps his soul; ruin is for him who opens his lips wide (v. 3). This thought is linked to the previous one. While feeding others and oneself the fruit of his mouth, there is a surveillance to be exercised on her. Because ifI watch over the door of my house I watch over my house itself. By the presence in me of both natures, I can bring to light things that tend to ruin. “To open one’s lips wide” is to give birth to things that will be the ruin of others, and to give entry to the things that are my own ruin (cf. Ps. 81:11).
The soul of the lazy desires, and there is nothing; but the soul of the diligent will be fattened (v. 4). Sloths desire to acquire what can build them up or make them grow in knowledge, but do not go to any trouble to achieve this result. What is the consequence? There is nothing: terrible word for those who “always learn and can never come to the knowledge of the truth”. To be enriched with God’s thoughts and grow in the knowledge of the truth, it takes work, effort, but this effort, let us remember, has nothing to do with the energy of the flesh that will never reap either edification or fruit for God. The righteous hate false speech, but the wicked man makes himself odious and covers himself with shame (v. 5). We are always here in the realm of words. The character of the villain is not only violence, it is also lies. But the righteous hate lies, even in words. He cannot hear it, let alone pronounce it, he who has been “begotten by the word of truth”. The character of the wicked who is a “liar from the beginning” is abhorrent just and especially when he exercises himself on the things of God and seeks to alter the truth through his lies. But the truth will triumph and cover him with shame. Righteousness keeps the one who is upright in its way, but wickedness overthrows the sinner (v. 6; Pr 11. 5)
The man of integrity is put here under the safeguard of justice which watches over him. He responds in his way to the character of God as He revealed it to him (Gen. 17:1), so God practically preserves him from the evil of which every son of wisdom is in danger of becoming prey. Wickedness, the character of the world, of man far from God (for, we cannot repeat enough, there are only two families in this world, the righteous and the wicked), wickedness cannot exert any control over the sinner; the spirit of the world can only lead it to its ruin. Such is the rich and has nothing at all; and such becomes poor and has great goods (v. 7), Some “make” the rich, glorify themselves in the appearance of wealth and are content with it; they have nothing. If it is found in the things of the earth, how much more so in spiritual things. Laodicea says, “I am rich, and I have enriched myself, and I need nothing,” but, says the Lord, “you do not know that you are the unfortunate and the wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Such, it is added, “makes himself poor” (not “makes the poor”), but strips himself of his wealth “and has great goods”. This condition was fulfilled by the Lord, as only He could do. “Being rich, he lived in poverty for us, so that by his poverty we would be enriched.” But even more so these great goods he has them all by communicating them to his own in their fullness: “I give you my peace; I don’t give you, me, as the world gives.”
The ransom for a man’s life is his wealth; but the poor do not hear the rebuke (v. 8). This passage is interpreted in a very different way. It seems simple if one accepts the interpretation given in v. 7. The true wealth of one man is the ransom paid by another for his life; on the other hand, the poor, if taken back, does not understand that this ransom is also for him (v.18). The following four verses do not seem to have any connection between them. These are general and moral maxims. For the light of the righteous is joyful, but the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished (v. 9). The light that illuminates the righteous brings them neither confusion nor apprehension; there is only joy for them in the presence of the One who is Light. How much more so for us Christians, who are “all sons of light and sons of the day” and whose “fruit consists in all goodness, justice and truth”. A righteous, being in full light, does not have to judge himself, but rejoices to meet only divine perfection. The wicked man has a lamp, the Word of God, but to which he is not attentive; also, a day will come when this lamp will be removed from him and when he will be plunged into deep darkness.
It is only from pride that quarrel comes, but wisdom is with those who allow themselves to be advised (v. 10). Where do the quarrels among us come from, says Jacques. Is it not what is deep in the heart of man, covetousness? Pride, solomon said. The natural man does not want to be wrong, let alone humiliate himself and esteem others superior to himself. This is how quarrels and wars are unleashed. All others are the sons of wisdom; they seek advice and direction, esteem others superiors to themselves, maintain a position of dependence that is suitable for humility (cf. 12:15; 11:2). Goods that come from vanity diminish, but he who collects by hand will increase them (v. 11). Vanity can give property, vanity can make you inherit it. Coming from this source, they cannot be in blessing: they diminish. He who collects by hand, like a humble gleaner, his handful of ears, the one for whom nothing is too insignificant or too small, the one who has no claim to be something, will increase goods. It goes without saying that, in these maxims, the moral side is also in sight.
Delayed waiting makes the heart sick, but the desire that comes is a tree of life (v. 12). We are often tested by the prolonged wait to see a desire that is close to our hearts come true. It goes without saying that this is a legitimate desire, like that of Anne in 1 Sam. 1, although unfulfilled lust produces the same effects, as in the case of Ahab (1 Kings 21:4). This expectation is a cause of suffering, a disease for the heart that is prevented from finding its joy in other objects. But God chooses his moment and if he differs it, he makes us probe by this means the state of our heart.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Miscellaneous maxims:
- Spiritual deafness
Isa 6:10 Make the heart of this people insensitive, harden his ears, and plug his eyes, that he may not see with his eyes, hear with his ears, do not understand with his heart, do not convert and be healed. Ez 12:2 Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a family of rebels, who have eyes to see and who do not see, ears to hear and who do not hear; for it is a family of rebels. Mt 13:15 For the heart of this people has become insensitive; They hardened their ears, and they closed their eyes, Lest they see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, convert, and I heal them. 2 Tim 4:4 will turn the ear away from the truth, and turn to fables.
- Useless, condemned words
Jb 11:2 Will this multitude of words find no answer, and will it be enough to be a discoureur to be right? Pr 10:19 He who speaks a lot does not fail to sin, but he who holds his lips is a prudent man. Ec 5:2 For if dreams arise from the multitude of occupations, the voice of the fool is heard in the multitude of words. Tt 1.10 There are, in fact, especially among the circumcised, many rebellious people, vain discoursers and seducers,
- Encouraging charity
2 Ch 31:10 Then the high priest Azaria of the house of Tzadok replied, “Since the offerings were brought into the house of Jehovah, we have eaten, we have satiated, and we have left many, for the Lord has blessed his people; and this is the great quantity there is left. Ps 112:9 He makes largesse, he gives to the needy; His justice endures forever; His head rises with glory, Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure shall be poured into your womb, tightened, shaken and overflowing; for you shall be measured with the measure which you have used. 2 Cor 9:6 Know that he who sows little will reap little, and he who sows abundantly will reap abundantly.
- Spiritual Fullness satisfies the deepest needs
-Overflowing Cup Ps 23:5 You set a table before me, In front of my opponents; You pour oil on my head, and my cup overflows.
-Abundance of blessings Ml 3:10 Bring to the house of treasure all tithes, that there may be food in my house; Put me to the test in this way, said the Lord of hosts. And you will see if I do not open for you the locks of heaven, If I do not pour out on you the blessing in abundance.
-Abundance of joy Jn 15:11 I have told you these things, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be perfect.
-Fullness of God Eph 3:19 and knowing the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge, so that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.
-Fullness of the Spirit Eph 5:18 Do not get drunk with wine: it is debauchery. Be, on the contrary, filled with the Spirit;
-Abundance of wisdom Col 1:9 That is why we too, from the day we were informed of it, have not ceased to pray to God for you, and to ask that you be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual intelligence,
From all the above, we note that there is a lot to eat in the clearing of the poor, but there is what is lost for lack of rules. There is much to eat in the clearing of the uncultivated and therefore unproductive land that falls to the poor. The latter takes great care to have it produced, because it is the life of his family. Thus his laborious work, the fruit of necessity, is abundantly blessed for others. Moreover, the poor, while working, are obliged to look to God, more than the one who has fields in abundance. If the harvest of his land clearing was bad, all would be lost to him and he could not provide anything for his family. “But there is what is lost, for lack of rules.” If the activity is not aimed at a goal, does not bind itself to a rule, is scattered over various objects instead of dealing with one, “doing one thing”, the fruit is not produced and is lost. No one benefits. How true this is in the spiritual sense! He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him puts diligence in disciplining him (v. 24; Pr 3:12; 23:13). This passage joins the first verse of our chapter. It is discipline; Not to chastise one’s son, and to spare him correction, is to lack love for him; much more, it is to hate him. As parents little suspect, and yet discipline is God’s way of acting towards us as our Father. He puts diligence into disciplining us. “He does not take his eyes off the righteous” (Job 36:7). The righteous eat for the satiation of his soul, but the belly of the wicked will be dizzy (v. 25; Pr 10:3). Binds from afar to v. 23. When the righteous eat, it is not only his body that he nourishes, but he satiates his soul. “Either you eat, or you drink, or whatever you do everything for the glory of God.” In contrast to the soul of the righteous we see the belly of the wicked. Those whose “god is their belly” will find nothing but scarcity in the things they seek to satiate their bodies. A new division of Proverbs is marked by v. 1 of chapter 13 to which v. 24 joins at the very end of the same chapter. Verses 2-6 present the consequences of the words. Vs. 7-8 differentiate between the real rich and the real poor. Vs. 9-12 are general maxims without connection between them. V. 13-20 show us the benefit of the instruction of wisdom. The food one obtains, for oneself and for others, is discipline exercised by Wisdom. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to react to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “Collections of proverbs on the moral life ( Pr 14).
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.