While much of Proverbs deals with matters that pertain to activities of this life and our physical well-being, there are also instructions and principles that extend to our spiritual activities and well-being. We will consider these passages here.
“The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Though He scoffs at the scoffers, yet He gives grace to the afflicted. The wise will inherit honor, but fools display dishonor” (3:33-35).
Besides the negative consequences that often exist for wickedness, Solomon tells us that “the curse of the Lord” also exists for the wicked. God scoffs when judgment comes against those who scoffed at His instruction (cf. 1:24-26). However, the righteous obtains blessings, grace, and honor from the Lord. Solomon writes elsewhere: “A good man will obtain favor from the Lord, but He will condemn a man who devises evil” (12:2).
“The wages of the righteous is life, the income of the wicked, punishment” (10:16).
This is very similar to what Paul later wrote to the saints in Rome: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Those who are wicked will receive what they deserve for their deeds – punishment. Those who are righteous will receive what the Lord promised as the reward of obeying Him – life. The fact that Solomon uses the term “wages” should not be interpreted to mean that man can somehow earn God’s favor. On the other hand, we should not interpret Paul’s statement to mean that God’s grace is wholly unconditional. Even Paul spoke of the necessity of obedience to God (cf. Romans 1:5; 6:17-22; 16:26). All those who are righteous, whether in the Old or New Testament, received the rewards of God’s grace, not unconditionally, but by meeting the conditions that God put in place for the law in which they were under. Even today, those who are righteous are the ones who may look forward to receiving the rewards of His grace.
“When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous has an everlasting foundation” (10:25).
The whirlwind is often used in Scripture to denote divine judgment (Psalm 58:9; Isaiah 29:6; 66:15; Hosea 8:7; Nahum 1:3). God will punish the wicked – not just with negative consequences in this life, but with a punishment that parallels the reward of the righteous. This reward is not temporary, but everlasting.
“The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened. The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes. The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, but ruin to the workers of iniquity. The righteous will never be shaken, but the wicked will not dwell in the land” (10:27-30).
Though Solomon has been pointing out many of the ways in which righteousness benefits us in this life, the rewards that come from fearing God and acting righteously are certainly not limited to this life. The hope of which he speaks includes hope after death. “The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, but the righteous has a refuge when he dies” (14:32). “He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is careless of conduct will die” (19:16). These verses make it clear that the rewards of righteousness pertain to one’s soul so that he may be secure in death.
“The perverse in heart are an abomination to the Lord, but the blameless in their walk are His delight. Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, but the descendants of the righteous will be delivered” (11:20-21).
We have already seen that those who act wickedly fall out of favor with their fellow man (cf. 12:8; 24:8-9). But worse than falling out of favor with man is, as this passage mentions, falling out of favor with the Lord. One who is “perverse in heart” – meaning he has rejected God’s instructions – will be punished, whereas “the righteous will be delivered” because the Lord delights in him.
“The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand.” (12:7).
This verse could easily be applied to both physical and spiritual consequences of either righteousness or wickedness. But more than the wicked facing hardship in this life (cf. 13:15), their ultimate future is that they will be “no more.” This is more than just physical death, otherwise it could be said that the righteous would also be “no more” at some point in the future. We can make application of this to our spirits which will live on after our bodies are dead and buried. The wicked “are no more” in that they will no longer have any hope or enjoy any blessing from the Lord. Those who are righteous “will stand” in that they will enjoy God’s continued blessing and eternal reward for their righteousness (cf. 14:11).
“Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is good will” (14:9).
Sin is not just anything man might regard as being wrong. It is not defined by an individual, a culture, or a civil authority. Sin is a transgression of the law of God. Fools not only reject God’s wisdom in order to walk after their own way, they mock at the very idea of sin and, by implication, their accountability before God. In contrast, the upright recognize God’s instructions and the fact that He will hold them accountable. Therefore, they will follow the law of the Lord. As a result, they obtain “good will” or “favour” (KJV) from God.
“Will they not go astray who devise evil? But kindness and truth will be to those who devise good” (14:22).
Those who dwell on those things which are evil will stray from God. One cannot remain pure in word and deed while being corrupt in heart. Earlier, Solomon writes, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (4:23). And later, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is” (23:7). But for “those who devise good” and dwell on things that are good and right (cf. Philippians 4:8), they will remain in God’s favor as they continue to walk in truth.
“In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and his children will have refuge” (14:26).
We have already noticed that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” and “wisdom” (1:7; 9:10). As one fears God, grows in knowledge, and gains wisdom, he is able to have “strong confidence” – not in himself, but in God and the divine promises to those who are faithful to Him. This is not an arrogance, as some are over confident in themselves, but rather is the recognition that if one humbly submits to the will of God, he will be rewarded. Furthermore, when one is faithful to God, he will not have a guilty conscience over some hidden sin. He will not be fearfully awaiting the negative consequences that come from wickedness, not knowing when his evil deeds will finally catch up with him. Solomon later writes, “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion” (28:1). With firm reliance upon God and His promises and providence, the righteous are able to be confident in the face of any situation. The wicked have no such foundation. Therefore, any time there is even the threat of trouble, the wicked has no one to trust in but himself.
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After contrasting the righteous and the wicked (both in terms of physical and spiritual consequences), and considering the value and rewards of wisdom, and the perils of wickedness, we ought to have a healthy appreciation for wisdom. Having this, we are prepared for the next part of our discussion – the acquisition of wisdom.
