Proverbs 20:26-30
Prov 20:26 (KJB)
A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
 
Scattereth - Winnow
Wheel - Could be the wheel of a chariot or a threshing wheel drawn by a cart
 
Here is the justice of the king. First of all, they scattereth or winnow the wicked. Winnowing is taking grain and throwing it up in the air and only the good grain comes down and the chaff is blown away. The king must carefully separate the guilty from the innocent, so no innocent person will be accidentally condemned. Once the guilty ones are established, then the threshing cart is rolled over them representing the final judgment. This verse shows a reverse order in the way things would normally be done. First, the threshing then comes the winnowing. It is obvious that what is being threshed is the wicked after they have been separated from the chaff. It is like on the last day. The Lord Jesus Christ is going to raise all the dead and some will be raised to life and others to everlasting damnation. (John 5:28-29 KJV) Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, {29} And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. In John 5:28-29, first comes the winnowing, or the separation of the saved and unsaved, and then comes the wheel of judgment on the unsaved.
 
Prov 20:27 (KJB)
The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
 
This verse is a warning to all people on earth. Since every person is a breathing soul, which is also known as the “spirit of man,” this represents the fact that God can see every motive and every action that we would like to take. Not only are our actions open to the Lord but even our deepest thoughts and desires are open to the Lord. (Heb 4:13 KJV) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:13 confirms that fact that everything inside a human being is open to the Lord, just as if there was a candle illuminating those thoughts. That candle dispels darkness and openly displays our desires and aspirations. This is why those who think that they can hide anything from the Lord are really only deceiving themselves.
 
Prov 20:28 (KJB)
Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
 
Whether one is a king or a president of a country, their authority is preserved when their rule is permeated by mercy, truth, and proper justice. This principle holds true for any elected official, no matter how big or how small their rulership is. When a country goes down, it can normally be pinpointed right back to the political leadership. If the people can trust their leaders, then both the government and the people will be in accord and the country will grow. If the people cannot trust their government, then it is the government versus the people and there will be unrest and no growth in that country. When the rulers use mercy and truth, their reign will be one of strength because mercy will support that rule.
 
Prov 20:29 (KJB)
The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
 
Glory - Splendor
Beauty - Honor or ornament
 
Here we have two groups which can easily complement each other. First, there are the young men who have the strength and virility of youth yet may be naïve in their dealings with life. Secondly you have the old men with the years of wisdom and knowledge. They may no longer have the strength of youth, but they can help direct the young men to channel their youth and strength for the good and not for evil. A life wasted on evil is a life wasted. The younger men can help the older men by heeding their advice and the two groups can come together and make a good team. Years of wisdom and the strength of youth make a good combination. This is also a good combination for the Great Commission. The younger men can labor for the Lord while the older men guide them.
 
Prov 20:30 (KJB)
The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.
 
This verse speaks about the fact that some people are so vile and refuse to listen to counsel that they have done something so bad that requires them to be beaten to the point that their body suffers great torment. One such person comes to mind, John Newton, who once received 24 lashes, but those lashes did what this verse is stating. Instead of him staying the course of debauchery, he may have reformed himself before he became saved. He was eventually promoted to ship’s captain which means the punishment he received was a turning point in his life as those wounds tended to cleanse away the evil. He became saved and wrote “Amazing Grace” and then went on to be a Preacher. Some people get punished and learn from that punishment and some, as soon as they heal, go back to their old ways. It is like today, some go to jail for a while and instead of using that time to reflect, they allow anger to seethe and when they get out, they go back to their old ways and then find themselves in prison again, this time for much longer time. If we respond properly to punishment, we can reclaim the rest of our life for good.

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