Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl Proverbs 29:10-13 Wicked People Endanger a Society, Part 3
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Proverbs 29:10–13
[10] Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless
and seek the life of the upright.
[11] A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
but a wise man quietly holds it back.
[12] If a ruler listens to falsehood,
all his officials will be wicked.
[13] The poor man and the oppressor meet together;
the Lord gives light to the eyes of both. (ESV)
Wicked People Endanger a Society, Part 3
v.10: “One who is blameless" is a Wise man of integrity. Some seek to aid him in his virtuous life, and some seek to destroy him. Our integrity depends not only on doing what is right according to God's Wisdom and Law but also on standing up against what is wrong, even if doing so puts our life at risk (Mark 8:35; 10:29-30). Other people of integrity appreciate such a person and provide him help when it would be easier to look the other way. See how such people came to the aid of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38:8-13), Paul (Acts 9:20-25), and the spies of Israel (Joshua 2; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25).
v.11 The fool is at the mercy of his own sinful nature and wears his sin on his sleeve for all to see. The Wise, on the other hand, lives by the power of the Holy Spirit in his life and is able to restrain his sinful impulses. The baptized believer in Christ has died to sin and risen to new life in Christ, who has set him free from sin, death, and the power of the devil (Colossians 2:11-3:17).
v.12 Those who rule set the tone for everything that happens under his watch. If the ruler is a fool who listens to deceivers and flatterers, his underlings will display the same behavior. The wicked ruler's actions will have bad repercussions both for those under him and the people he leads, and his underlings will become as corrupt as he is.
v.13 God gives light through His Word (Proverbs 4:18; 6:23; 13:9; 16:15). Regardless of status or power in this life, all people are subject to God. This is a reminder to a ruler that he must be impartial when dealing with those under him because all are creations of God.