Month: October 2021

Proverbs 13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

The promise embedded in this proverb typically black or white, life or death, good or evil. The end result is dependent upon our attitude toward the Word of God. If one despises it, then there will be for him destruction and death; if one fears it, then there for him reward and life.

”Despising” means ignoring, treating as indifferent, not listening, believing, or wanting to do it; “Fearing” means paying attention, treating as important, listening, believing, wanting to do it. One reaps destruction, the other reward. It is for this reason that “going to church” is so vital for life and well being. “Blessed is he who hears the word of God and keeps it.” But we remember: it is not the outward action alone, but the inner spirit that is at issue.

We do not do it for the reward, but it is encouraging to know that there is a reward in it: things go better when we are in a healthy relationship with God and His Word. We fear (believe) and love God so that we desire to keep, and get better at keeping, the Law. And when we fail, we repent and believe the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins. We must be told there is a reward for “fearing the commandment” since we cannot see the direct connection. Thus we believe the promise.

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

The original, innate, inbred, and God-created desire deep within every human being is the lost desire and inner yearning for the tree of life. The tree of life is lost and gone from human access; after we fell into sin we were kept out of the garden and banned from the tree of life.

Jesus is the Tree of Life: He died on the tree of death to open up Paradise for us and grant us free and unfettered access to the tree of life, Jesus Himself. The Desire of the Ages has come into our sin-and-death-sick world, and He has filled the empty, inner longing for something more, something better, something solid, something eternal. We know there is more. We know something is missing, but we don’t know what it is, and we can’t find it in the world. So Jesus found us and gave it to us. It is the Tree of Life.

For this reason, He is the “desire that cometh,” the “hope fulfilled.” Unfortunately, during this life we get heartsick from hope deferred, unfilled dreams, and disappointed desires, but the “tree of life” never fails. “How will he not with him also give us all things?”

Proverbs 13:2-3 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

This typical conditional promise and warning deals with the effects of the words we speak with our mouths, including the tone of voice and the expression of the face. If you guard and keep your mouth, then you will see good and keep life. This agrees with the proverbial principle that good, kind, loving words tend to bless and give life, while harsh, mean, cursing words tend toward death.

Believing this promise of life and good fruit reminds us to be aware of what we say and how we say it. Even every idle word will either enhance our life or bring us closer to death. “From the same mouth come blessing or cursing [James 3:10].”

The way to bearing good fruit and keeping life is to say the right things in the right way at the right time. This takes the wisdom that comes from above; it is God’s gift and blessing to those who keep up to date with their repenting and believing. And we have a further promise that we may ask for this kind of wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him [James 1:5].” So pray before you speak, speak kindly, give a blessing, and see the promise unfold. “Keeping one’s mouth” means not shooting it off and expressing the anger inside, but it means praying before speaking and then “eating good.”

Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

It is not fully possible for us to imagine life with no death, for in the midst of life we are in death: people around keep dying and are separated from us; we all live with death looming in front of us; we experience “little deaths” daily, and all the more so as we get a little closer to it every day. We can almost imagine life going on without end, but not quite; however, we cannot imagine what life would really be like without pain, sickness, sorrow, loss, discomfort, disappointment and sadness; and life with only youth, vigor, energy, vitality, perfect peace, pure joy, what love really feels like all the time. This is the promise for the righteous, the believers in Jesus who have been gifted with God’s perfect righteousness. This is the promise of the Word of Gospel.

We are on that path. Jesus is the Way. On the path of Jesus there is only life. That way is in us. But there is another path that we also walk on, the way of sin and death. “There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.” We cannot walk on both paths at the same time, although we try to have it both ways. We end up limping back and forth. But we have the promise of the true life, the good life, around us and in us all the time. “Call upon Me!”

In Christ is my life. To me to live is Christ. My life is in Christ, and in Him is no death at all.

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

A familiar experience happens when the right word spoken the right way at the right time lifts the spirit of a heavy heart. “A good word makes the heart glad.” Some people have the gift of encouragement; they are able to offer comfort when needed. This “good word” usually comes from the Holy Spirit within rather than from the natural talent of human flesh. The Lord will use us to speak a word of blessing and encouragement to others when they are down. And He uses others to speak a good word to us when we need it. This is called “the mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren.”

A good word more broadly also means The Gospel. When the gospel is preached, taught, read, spoken, discussed or shared, it is the good word that makes the heart glad. For this reason, it is needful and helpful to go to church, attend Bible study, be in the Word, and enjoy fellowship with other Christians. Why do we feel better afterward? It is because of the Gospel (a good word). Every time we leave the Divine Service our spirits are lifted because we heard the Gospel. We are glad, for The Good Word cheered us up. The gospel is the power of God.

Too often we have seen and felt the heaviness of the heart that makes it stoop. We have the Spirit in us to speak a word of gospel to self and others. There are many ways to say, “Jesus loves you.”

Proverbs 12:21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

The condition of this promise is being just (righteous, holy, saved, forgiven). “The just will live by faith.” The believer in Christ is just. The “if” condition is met. We are just, by faith; therefore, no evil will happen to us. The one who does not believe in Christ is classified with the “wicked.”. His life will be filled with mischief, and an eternal evil evil will come upon him.

When we pray, “Deliver us from evil,” we can be assured the Lord will hear our prayer. This is a controversy: this is a mystery. How can this be? We all know that bad things happen to good people. But are those “bad things” evil? Only if they lead us into unbelief and rejection of God. “Lord, deliver from the evil of the bad thing.” That He will surely do. What God considers evil and what we consider evil are two different things entirely.

God does promise afflictions, trials, troubles and tribulations, even persecution, but He also promises a way out. Furthermore, He promises that all these “bad” things will work together for good, that afflictions prepare for us an eternal weight of glory, and that we must enter the kingdom of God through much trial and tribulation.

We expect bad things to happen for we live in fallen world, but we don’t expect evil things to gain control or get the victory. Yea, in all these things we are more than overcomers through him who loved us. Eternal life is ours and we have it forever. We are delivered from spiritual and eternal evil. Jesus gives us His victorious, overcoming power.

Proverbs 12:19 The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Truth lasts forever. Lies die out quickly. The promise of being established for eternity is for the speaker of truth. Truth is solid and permanent. It is a firm foundation that cannot be shaken. Jesus is The Truth. The Word of God is truth. It endures forever. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

He who believes God’s Word of Gospel has eternal life. The one who believes in his heart and confesses with his lips that Jesus Christ is Lord shall be saved for eternity. Once we have the truth by faith we speak it out, and we are established forever. We who have eternal truth and eternal life may rest assured that we have it forever. Our very lives are founded on truth.

However, even believers who have the truth that endures are still sinners who lie and believe The Lie. Lies come from sin and the devil, and they always bring death. It did in the beginning and it does every day. Just like faith produces life and sin brings forth death, so also believing and speaking truth enhances Life while believing and speaking lies diminishes Life. This promise of truth being eternal life and lying being eternal death motivates us to hear and speak truth always, and to avoid lies and lying. Remember the close connection between Truth and Life and between Lies and Death.

Proverbs 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

The wicked and the just are contrasted in this promise once again. The wicked are the unbelievers, and the righteous, or the just, sure the believers in Christ, since “the just shall live by faith.” “Transgression of the lips” may include things like cursing, swearing, lying or deceiving, bearing false witness, harsh or hurtful words, gossip, criticism, and the like. In fact, humans will be held accountable for every idle word. The warning is that “idle words” will become a snare and convict of sin, in two ways: one way is during this life when we are caught in the web of our own words; the second way is in the Judgment when we must give account for every idle word.

The only escape is the forgiveness earned and given by Jesus Christ. Forgiveness, received and extended by believers, is the way out of the snare. Absolution, granted by God’s grace for Christ’s sake, is the way out of trouble. The just (the believer) prays, “Forgive our sins, as we forgive.” Then he prays, “Deliver us from evil (trouble).”

The Lord delivers us from the eternal trouble and jeopardy that our sinful words have gotten us into. And believers deliver each other from the trouble of damaged relationships caused by lying and hurtful words. They extend God’s forgiveness, giving Him the opportunity to repair and restore relationships from the trouble caused by idle words.

We may not always see how this works, but we have the promise that we shall come out of trouble.

Proverbs 12:12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.

If the branch of the righteous (the believer in Christ) is connected to, is rooted in, and abides in Christ, the true Vine, then it yields much fruit. Jesus picks up this proverb and says: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” Our purpose in life is to bear fruit, and Jesus promises that we will. Jesus is the root from which all the life, fruit, flowers, and leaves come.

The branch (the person) cannot produce fruit by itself, no matter much effort he puts into it. “You can do nothing.” It is the root that produces the fruit through the branches. It is the root of the person that yields the fruit. Christ-in-you makes you look good.

We need to believe this promise because we do not see it happening, It happens because He says it happens. Our focus and attention needs to be on Christ and His Word, not on cleaning up our outward lifestyle or trying to fix up the flesh. We focus on the root, not the fruit. Trust the promise: The root will yield fruit.

Proverbs 12:7, 19 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand. The lip of truth shall be established forever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

If one believes the conditional promises about the differences in quality of life between the righteous and the wicked, why would that one not want to be on “righteous” side of the great divide? When we truly believe the precious and very great promises of the Lord for us we will, for example, attend church regularly, participate in Bible study, and be faithful in daily devotions. That’s what the righteous (believers) do, while the wicked (unbelievers) neglect the Word.

The promise for believers in these verses is stability, security and strength. You and your house will stand and be established forever. Jesus picks this up and puts it this way: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock [Matthew 7:24].” In other words, repent and believe the gospel of Christ, often.

”House” in the Bible can stand for various things, like your body and soul, you and your possessions, your family and descendants, your very life and what’s important to you. The promise is that it will all stand firm. Your house will not fall during the storms of death in the midst of life. Claim that promise and cling to it.

An interesting condition for this promise is speaking truth and not lies. Truth stands forever; lies fall and fail. “Thy Word is truth.” Jesus says, “I am the truth.” “The truth will set you free.” The Gospel of Christ is forever true. You and your house may stand on it and be established forever.