chapter24

Envying evil men

(Verses 1 and 2 are clubbed).

Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them (Proverbs 24:1).

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief (Proverbs 24:2).

Do not be envious of evil men. Neither should you desire to be with them.

Evil men will perish on their own when God judges them. Even in your social life, do not have company with them. Being in their very presence will influence your moral life greatly and in due course you will learn of their evil ways.

Wisdom and understanding

(Verses 3 to 7 are clubbed).

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:(Proverbs 24:3)

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches (Proverbs 24:4).

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength (Proverbs 24:5).

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety (Proverbs 24:6).

Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate (Proverbs 24:7).

By God given wisdom, we should plan to build an organization or a structure. By understanding of the rules and regulations prevalent in the land, we establish the same. Nowadays, children of the world establish organizations by taking recourse merely to the rules and regulations. Before starting a company or an organization, we should seek the counsels of God. Then by knowledge, we fill the organization or the building with all the precious and pleasant riches. We have to select the right people for right jobs in the organization. We have to buy those precious and pleasant items for filling our house or the building after analysing the cost, the durability, the warranty, etc. Knowledge of the market, knowledge of the human resources to be deployed, etc, are very essential.

A man who conceives and executes his plan or vision should be strong in his decision. A man of knowledge understands everything or every tool he uses in his mission. Wisdom is the fountainhead of knowledge. A man of God with godly wisdom can envision any mission in this world. He can seek knowledge very easily for accomplishing his mission.

A nation before venturing into any war to defend itself against it's enemies, should seek wise counsel from godly advisors. The ruler should not venture into any war at all. But if a war is forced upon his land, then he has to defend his land. The counsellors will give him the right kind of advices so that his nation dwells in safety.

Wisdom is not meant for the fools who do not believe in God. The fool will never give any advice in the gate where the enemy enters the land. We need to pray for the safety of our land where we live peacefully so that God may intervene to prevent a war.

Mischievous person

He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person (Proverbs 24:8).

He or whe who devises to do evil is called a mischievous person. Even if you are a child of God, if you devise to harm anyone, God will call you a mischievous person and judge you accordingly. He does not show you any favour or partiality while dealing with you.

Foolishness and scorning

The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men (Proverbs 24:9).

The very thought of foolishness is sin. If you think in your heart to commit a mischief, then you will become a sinner. Many of us become sinners in the sight of God as we deliberate in our hearts to harm others. We need to confess this sin also because it is a secret sin.

Day of adversity

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small (Proverbs 24:10).

Adversity does meet us in this world. But we, the children of God, should not faint but seek the face of God during such difficult times. If we faint, our strength is small.

People drawn unto death

(Veses 11 & 12 are clubbed).

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; (Proverbs 24:11)

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? (Proverbs 24:12)

We need to forbear to deliver those people who are sick in hospitals or who face gallows as death penalty. We have to pray for their deliverance from death beds by visiting them. There are many servants of God who visit hospitals and prisons to minister to those who are on the brink of death. We should not say, "we do not know them". God is the keeper of their souls. That is why we preach the gospel to those who are on the death rows in prisons and those who are sick unto death in hospitals. "I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me" (Mat.25:36).

God will render to every man who is on the brink of death according to his or her deeds after death. But He will hold us accountable for their salvation.

Honey and honeycomb

(Verses 13 and 14 are clubbed).

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: (Proverbs 24:13)

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off (Proverbs 24:14).

Honey is a good medicine for our frail body. Edible honeycomb is sweet to our taste. Knowledge emanating from God given wisdom is likened to honey. We should covet and appropriate it. It will be a tonic for our inner man. Your expectation will never be cut off when you use it. Knowledge of wisdom is better than merely knowledge available in this world.

Wicked man and just man

(Verses 15 and 16 are clubbed).

Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief (Proverbs 24:16).

A man who seeks to wait to strike at the life of a righteous man becomes wicked in the sight of God. If the wicked man spoils the resting place of the righteous on the pretext of the latter falling from the grace of God, God will not allow the wicked man to judge the righteous man. A just or righteous man falls seven times and rises up again but the wicked man who spoils the home of the righteous man will fall into mischief.

Rejoicing over fall of enemy

(Verses 17 and 18 are clubbed).

Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: (Proverbs 24:17)

Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him (Proverbs 24:18).

When your enemy falls, you should not rejoice over it. When your enemy stumbles in his life, your heart should not be glad. If you rejoice over it, you will displease God and God will turn away His wrath or judgment from the wicked man concerned. You should always pray for and love your enemies. It is for God to judge him.

Envying evil men

(Verses 19 and 20 are clubbed).

Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked: (Proverbs 24:19)

For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out (Proverbs 24:20).

Do not become anxious because of evil men. Neither should you be envious of the wicked. God will definitely judge the wicked or the evil men as there shall not be any reward for them. Their candle shall be put out by God in due time.

Fearing God and king

My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: (Proverbs 24:21)

For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? (Proverbs 24:22)

As a child of God, you should fear the Lord first and then the king who rules your nation. There are authorities who are in position of authority are given to change. They are changeable during their reigns. No ruler is permanent for ever. Such rulers will be judged by God suddenly. You need not do anything to meddle with their wicked functions. You have to simply fear God under these circumstances. God will ruin both the wicked ruler and those changeable authorities who harm you by their authority or power over you.

Wise people

(Verses 23 to 25 are clubbed).

These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment (Proverbs 24:23).

He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: (Proverbs 24:24)

But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them (Proverbs 24:25).

The wise people endowed with divine wisdom should not have respect of persons in judgment. They should not call the wicked as righteous just to please them. If they do so, the people affected by their judgment shall curse the wise man and the multitudes of people all over the world abhor the wise man. Even the wise man will inherit the curse of people. A world ruler, howsoever wise in the eyes of God, may incur the wrath of the people in the entire world when he justifies the abomination or the wickedness in high places or when he has respect of persons in his judgment.

If the wise people concerned rebukes the wicked people without showing any partiality or favour, God will surely bless the former and they will be a delight to the people who have been affected by the wicked people.

Right answer

Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer (Proverbs 24:26).

You should learn to give a right answer and every man shall kiss your lips. In other words, you will be appreciated for your right answer or advice to the solution.

Planning and executing

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house (Proverbs 24:27).

First of all, you have to plan and make the ground work for any mission you undertake to help others. After you have made it fit for youself, you can execute your mission. You have to do a sample test for viability before undertaking the project. For every work, you have to plan it meticulously and to finish it.

Testimony against neighbour

(Verses 28 and 29 are clubbed).

Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips (Proverbs 24:28).

Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work (Proverbs 24:29).

Without just and sufficient cause you should not act against your neighbour in the society or in any legal forum. Your lips should not utter anything to entangle your neighbour who has performed a good deed. Even if your neighbour is worthy of a fault (and not a crime) for a good deed performed by him, you should not appear as a witness against him. But at the same time, if you are forced to give a testimony, you should not give a false testimony with your lips. Either you can avoid appearing as a witness or you can give a truthful testimony.

Your testimony should not be to take revenge upon your neighbour but without malice. It has to be on merits or just.

Slothful

(Verses 30 to 34 are clubbed).

I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; (Proverbs 24:30)

And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down (Proverbs 24:31).

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction (Proverbs 24:32).

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: (Proverbs 24:33)

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man (Proverbs 24:34).

Do not be slothful in your daily work, chore or business. You have a vineyard to work. Be it an evangelical or church mission or a secular job or business. A farmer has to prune his plants, manure the soil and to remove weeds in the garden. If he does not do so, thorns and nettles will grow over the plants. The stone wall will be breached by animals if it is not secured or guarded by the farmer. If you do not take care of the sheep in your church or in your mission, the false teachers in the form of weeds will overshadow and lead your sheep astray and to the path of destruction. The prophetic wall in your church or mission will be broken down and the false teachers may enter it.

Like Solomon, you should see through your prophetic eyes and thus receive instructions from the Holy Spirit.

A little spiritual slumber will cost you spiritually. The spiritual poverty will embrace you and you will not be able to shepherd your sheep. A little physical sleep will cost you dearly in terms of your work or business.

Next...Chapter 25