Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl—Proverbs 21:7-12 Wise & Foolish Behaviors Ib

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Proverbs 21:7–12

[7] The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,

because they refuse to do what is just.

[8] The way of the guilty is crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is upright.

[9] It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.

[10] The soul of the wicked desires evil;

his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.

[11] When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;

when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.

[12] The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he throws the wicked down to ruin. (ESV)

Wise & Foolish Behaviors Ib

v.7 Compare this proverb to Proverbs 1:18-19. Wicked persons will become the victims of their own violence. Violence begets violence—either criminal v. criminal or criminal v. authorities seeking to put an end to their activities. In the end, God's punishment awaits. Though they might protest at the violence that turns back against them, they have no grounds to complain because they refused to comply with the Law—man's or God's. See also Proverbs 1:24 & 21:25.

v.8 The way of the guilty person is crooked as he dodges and weaves to avoid getting caught, spins webs of lies, and hides his activities from the just. The way of the believer is pure and straight, recognizable as such by his conduct.

v.9 It appears from this proverb that what would normally be a blessing: living in a comfortable home, becomes a disadvantage when one has a quarrelsome wife. Here it is better to live on a corner of the roof and brave the elements rather than her tongue. This is a good example of a Bible verse modern scoffers and feminists point to in order to show how the Bible is misogynistic and antiquated. But read what it says! We do not know what the husband may have done that led to his exile to his rooftop campsite. The text does not say who is to blame for the fight, only that it occurred.

v.10 Evil desire and God’s grace are iOS and Android—incompatible. Our sinful nature craves evil, but God’s grace impels us to graciousness toward our neighbor. Showing mercy often requires putting aside our personal opinions and judgments for the sake of another person’s good. See Jesus’ parable of the debtors for an illustration of this in action (Mathew 18:23-35).

v.11 The fool benefits from punishment for his edification and behavioral modification. He is a fool because simply being instructed why his behavior is foolish should be enough. The threat of hell drives us to the Gospel when we are foolish. The wise person is motivated by the Gospel to love their neighbor and avoid sin. The Word instructs them, and they become wise for it. The Law functions to keep their sin present before their eyes so they do not fall back into foolish behavior and rely on God for the power to do so.

v.12 God sees exactly what evil people are up to, even when it seems to us He is letting them get away with it. Even though they appear to prosper in this life, unrepentant and unbelief will lead them to eternal destruction. God’s will is to save all people (1 Timothy 2:4), and He gives everyone the opportunity to repent. God’s schedule is not our schedule, and the doom of the wicked belongs to Him alone.