Proverbs 24

Lesson 24 of 28

7. REWARDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS CONTINUED

5. Success

The Old Testament promises that the righteous person will succeed in this world, but even in those days this was not always the case. We will study more proverbs on this subject in sections later, but here we have six proverbs teaching the difference between righteous and wicked people, and righteous and wicked kings.

Proverbs 13.2 - A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence; Proverbs 13.25 - The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wick ed shall want. People reveal their wisdom and their righteousness by what they say,

Proverbs 10.31-32 - The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness; Proverbs 15.7 - The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so. So a righteous man will have plenty of food to eat, but the wicked person is hungry and therefore he wants to commit more crimes.

Proverbs 15.6 - In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. 

Treasure or Trouble?

The righteous person gets one and the wicked the other.

Proverbs 13.22 - A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. A good man can keep what he has earned, and when he dies he will leave some money for his children and grandchildren. A fool may get rich by robbing righteous people, and when he is caught he must return the money to those he has robbed.

Proverbs 29.4 - The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it. It is especially important that kings should rule righteously. Those who do so build up a good government and people are happy. Some kings always want more money and so they accept gifts and show favour to those who give, Proverbs 18.16 - A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men; Proverbs 21.14 - A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.

Proverbs 16.12 - It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness. Kings should not do evil or allow evil men to succeed. Good government is based on righteousness.

6. Satisfaction, Happiness

Rich or poor, the most important thing is to be content and satisfied in your heart. God gives this joy to those who do His will, Philippians 4.4 - Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Proverbs 14.14 - The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. A good man will be satisfied because the Lord is satisfied. Some people go on with the Lord for a while, and then turn back. Perhaps they were never really born again, Hebrews 6.6 - If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. If they are true believers God will teach them. They will lose the joy of their salvation until they turn back to the Lord. Lot’s wife turned back in heart to Sodom, and Israel to Egypt. Luke 17.32 - Remember Lot's wife; Psalm 78.57 - But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow, but believers should keep right on following the Lord, Psalm 44.18 - Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way; Isaiah 50.5 - The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

Proverbs 28.14 - Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. Fearing the Lord means obeying His commands, and the person who does this will be happy. Hardening the heart means resisting God, and he who does this will get into trouble, as Israel did, Psalm 95.8 - Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness.

Proverbs 29.6 - In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. People think they can commit some sin once and never do it again. They often find that it is easier the second time and it soon becomes a habit, Jeremiah 13.23 - Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spo ts? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Righteous people can sing because they are happy, Ephesians 5.19 - Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Proverbs 21.15 - It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. Again righteous people do what is right, and this is their true pleasure. Once again the Spirit warns that sinners will be destroyed.

7. Blessings

There are 19 other promises of blessing for those who are righteous, and warnings of punishment for wicked people. God grants the desire of His people, and their reward will be certain in this life. Still more important, the results of a righteous life continue after life is over.

Scripture: Proverbs 10.6 - Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Righteous people get: Blessings
Wicked people get: Violence

Scripture: Proverbs 28.20 - A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.
Righteous people get: Many blessings
Wicked people get: Punishment

Scripture: Proverbs 11.27 - He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
Righteous people get: Favour
Wicked people get: Evil

Scripture: Proverbs 12.21 - There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.
Righteous people get: No bad thing
Wicked people get: Evil

Scripture: Proverbs 13.21 - Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
Righteous people get: Good
Wicked people get: Evil

Scripture: Proverbs 10.24 - The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
Righteous people get: What they desire
Wicked people get: What they fear

Scripture: Proverbs 10.28 - The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
Righteous people get: What they hope for, joy
Wicked people get: What they do not want

Scripture: Proverbs 11.23 - The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
Righteous people get: Which is good
Wicked people get: God’s anger

Scripture: Proverbs 11.18 - The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
Righteous people get: A sure reward
Wicked people get: Wages, but not what they thought

Scripture: Proverbs 11.31 - Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.
Righteous people get: A present reward, here and now
Wicked people get: Just punishment, here and now

Scripture: Proverbs 14.32 - The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
Righteous people get: Hope for the next life
Wicked people get: Driven out by their own evil

Scripture: Proverbs 10.7 - The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
Righteous people get: Will be remembered for good
Wicked people get: Will soon be forgotten

The reward and the punishment are certain, Proverbs 11.18 - The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward; Proverbs 11.31- Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner, and seven other proverbs teach the same thing.

Proverbs 12.12 - The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit. Evil men try to trap others, and so do evil women, Proverbs 6.26 - For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. They seem at first to succeed, and so other wicked people want to use their methods. But they will surely come to ruin. Righteous people are like a tree with deep roots which bears good fruit, Jeremiah 17.8 - For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

Proverbs 13.13 - Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. People are wicked because they refuse and laugh at God’s Word. We should fear God and obey His commands. This will bring a sure reward, Proverbs 28.14 - Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

Proverbs 14.19 - The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. Every knee will bow before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Isaiah 45.23 - I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear; Philippians 2.10 - That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. We will be with Christ and He will show everyone that we are on His side, Isaiah 60.14 - The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Even in Solomon’s time a righteous judge could show publicly that the wicked person was in the wrong and the one he tried to harm was in the right.

Proverbs 21.12 - The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. God may judge a sinner by destroying his house, Proverbs 14.11 - The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish; Proverbs 15.25 - The Lord will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow. The wise and righteous man pays attention to what happens to those who go on in sin and he learns from the experience of others, Proverbs 24.32 - Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.

Proverbs 21.18 - The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. In Israel a man could bring an animal to the priest as a sacrifice. The animal died, not the man. All men are sinners, but God will save those who believe. God punished Egypt and saved Israel, Isaiah 43.3 - For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Two people will be working together, one saved the other judged, Luke 17.34-36 - I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. King Solomon often punished the guilty sinner so that the innocent one could go free. In the New Testament the perfect Man became the ransom for us, the guilty ones, 1 Peter 3.18 - For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: Believe that Christ died for you and you will be saved.

Proverbs 28.10 - Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. It is sin to lead others into sin. Those who do this will fall into their own trap. God will take care of righteous people and see that they have enough.

Proverbs 29.16 - When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall. Sometimes wicked people seem to succeed and others follow their sinful example. We should not give up our faith in God; those who are wicked will soon fall and we will see it. We have seen in many proverbs that righteous people get a good reward: life, strength, guidance, deliverance, success, happiness and blessing. The Scripture also warns us that wicked persons will get the opposite. Let us be sure we obey the Lord and also warn others of the result of their sins.

C. RIGHTEOUS PEOPLE AND FOOLS

We have been studying eighty-seven proverbs which show the difference between righteous people and the wicked. In the book of Proverbs, the wise men thought of sin as being foolishness because the sinner is not acting in his own best interests. Now we have three proverbs which show the difference between righteous and foolish people.

Proverbs 10.21- The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. The righteous man will prosper and have enough to feed his own family and others also. Wicked persons are fools and they may not have enough to eat. See also Proverbs 13.2 - A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence; Proverbs 13.15 - Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard; Proverbs 15.6 - In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

Proverbs 13.19 - The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil. It is always a joy to finish a piece of work, or to get something you want to have, Proverbs 13.12 - Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. The righteous man has a strong desire to keep away from sin. He is usually able to do so with the Lord’s help, and this makes him happy, Proverbs 29.6 - In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. Fools love their sinful ways and hate to leave them, Proverbs 27.22 - Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

Proverbs 14.9 - Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour. Fools laugh at God and their sins, but God will judge them in the end. God shows grace to those who obey His laws and believe in Christ.