Proverbs 21:26-31

 

Prov 21:26 (KJB)

He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

 

These emotions of envy and greed, when allowed to intensify over the years will cause physical problems and affect vital organs and could lead to death. As in the previous verse, we see that the desire of the slothful will kill him because he wants everything others have but refuses to work to get them. The lottery was tailor made for him. The righteous realize that all they own belongs to God. They give liberally without apprehension but the covetous, lazy man lusts after more of the world’s goods. Those who are saved know that giving is a great dynamic of the Christian walk and accompanying giving are many promises made by God. Lazy people are takers and God’s people should be givers and not takers.

 

Prov 21:27 (KJB)

The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

 

Abomination - Detestable thing

 

Under the Mosaic law, those who came to the temple with the right heart to offer a sacrifice to the Lord for whatever offense they committed, was accepted by the Lord. Those who came to sacrifice just because it was an appointed time, without the right heart toward God, was considered an abomination or detestable thing by God. This principle may also be applied to all those who attempt to work their way to Heaven. This would also be an abomination to God because they would be saying that they could do a better job pleasing God by their works than the work on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why no work will ever supplant the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. One other aspect, there are many unbelievers today who make big gifts to a church or ministry thinking that God will look with favor on it. If they are unsaved, then they still have a wicked mind and are looking for accolades from others. God would rather have one dollar from a saved person who gives it with a right attitude than one million from a self-serving unbeliever.

 

Prov 21:28 (KJB)

A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

 

Heareth - To hear with understanding

Constantly - Something enduring

 

Under the Mosaic law (Deut. 19:15-21) anyone who made a false testimony against someone could wind up suffering the penalty of what they accused the other person of. For example, if they falsely accused someone of murder, which was punishable by death, then if the false witness is found out, then he could be put to death. On the other hand, the man who hears with understanding knows fully well what is at stake, and that is not only the guilt or innocence of the accused party, but also his own testimony of being honest. His testimony, when given in truth, will endure, simply because truth endures under all types of scrutiny. Truth can never be changed. A false statement can be changed and embellished at will until it is found out that the statement is false and until then can wreak much havoc on the proceedings. There is also a spiritual application to this verse. Those who bring a false gospel will perish with that gospel but the saved individual who brings the true Gospel, will have one that endures into eternal salvation. In other words, the true Gospel brings life and not death.

 

Prov 21:29 (KJB)

A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

 

Hardeneth - To be strong or prevail

Directeth - Establish

 

Here we have a description of the demeanor of the wicked man. He does not blush nor does he show any remorse for the wicked acts he has done. His face shows as if he is going to prevail in all his dealings. Sin has hardened him so much that he does not even so much as flinch at the thought of committing another sinful act. While the hardness of a man’s face covers his sin temporarily, the upright are directed in their paths by the wisdom and ways of the Lord. They do not fear to show any kind of emotion because salvation has softened their heart, not to be a doormat, but to be sensitive to others and their situations. That spiritual sensitivity can be a great way of directing ones path because it is other centered rather than being self-centered and that is what the gospel teaches us. (Phil 2:4 KJV) Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. This does not only imply their material goods but it implies we look upon them as people with feelings.

 

Prov 21:30 (KJB)

There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

 

(Isa 14:27 KJV) For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? If there is one thing the unbeliever has not learned, it is that whatever they do will never be able to win against God. They may try to mount all the campaigns they want but their efforts will be fruitless. During the Christmas season, unbelievers do what they can to erase every vestige of Christ from Christmas, even removing nativity scenes. They have replaced creation with evolution thinking that will make it go away. They have removed God from the public schools and they have become literal battlefields with guns and knives. Man has tried to remove God from society and we see wherever he attacks, he loses and big time. The stupidity of man makes them think that God is a bigger threat to their children than a machine gun in the hands of a drug taking hatemonger. No matter what a person attempts to do against God, they will lose and will lose eternally. No counsel or wisdom or understanding will ever stand against the Lord.

 

Prov 21:31 (KJB)

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

 

Safety - Salvation, deliverance, or health

 

Here we have a horse pictured as being readied to a battle. The horse is a very noble and strong creature but the horse only carries the rider and can do nothing else. (Psa 33:17 KJV) An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Even though he is strong, there is no guarantee that he can keep his rider safe. The problem is that the rider is exposed on all sides while sitting on the horse and no protection is given. Even though the horse is a noble and strong creature, the human riding him is not and it does not take much to bring the rider down. This picture can be brought down to today with all our military weapons such as tanks, jets, half-tracks, etc. All these have armor yet people still die in them. Whatever man can build, he can destroy. The second half of this verse states that only the Lord can protect a person in a battle. God can protect a person in the middle of a battle even if they are in the middle of a battlefield with no protection. Whenever I speak of predestination to someone, I like to use the example of my father in World War 2. Since I was predestined to be a believer from before the foundations of the world, I had to be born for that to happen, so when my father went to the Pacific in World War 2, he could not have died in that war because I was to be born in 1953. He was once pinned down by a Japanese sniper but totally escaped. As I look back on his life in that war and realize the Biblical teaching of predestination, that God had protected him throughout that war so I could be born. (2 Pet 3:9 KJV) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 is speaking of those whom God named before the foundation of the world and that His will is that none of those named ones would perish. Not knowing it then, but looking back now, my father was protected by the Lord through that war, and as the verses states, his safety was of the Lord.

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