PROVERBS LESSON 21

    We will begin this lesson in Proverbs 14:19 "The evil bow before
the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous."

    This may not be true now, but is certainly the last state of the
Christian and the evil. The believers in Christ shall reign with Jesus
for 1,000 years, and they will rule over the wicked.

    Proverbs 14:20 "The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but
the rich [hath] many friends."

    We see here a selfish situation. One of the best illustrations of
this in the Bible is the story of the Prodigal son. When he had plenty
of money and was partying every night, he had just worlds of friends;
but when the money was gone, his friends left, too, and he found
himself feeding pigs for a few pieces of bread to eat.  This Scripture
above is not speaking of true friends that stick closer than a
brother, but is speaking of friends who are trying to get what they
can out of you. A true friend loves you when you are poor as much as
when you are rich. Jesus is the greatest friend a person could have.

    Proverbs 14:21 "He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he
that hath mercy on the poor, happy [is] he."

    We read in James 2:8 what the royal law is: "If ye fulfil the
 royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
 as thyself, ye do well:"  We have used the Scripture before in these
 teachings, but it bears repeating again.  The good that you do for
 others, the Lord counts as if you had done it for Him.  In Jesus' own
 words He said, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of
 these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40)  The
 reward we get for doing for those who cannot repay us is in heaven
 when we stand before Jesus.

    Proverbs 14:22 "Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and
truth [shall be] to them that devise good."

    A person who is constantly figuring up ways to do evil is getting
further and further away from God all the time. Their heart is
becoming harder and harder. It will be difficult for them to come to
the Lord and find life eternal. Those who are seeking to do good God
pours out His mercy upon, and they know the truth.

    Proverbs 14:23 "In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the
lips [tendeth] only to penury."

    We can see in this that those who work, reap a reward.  It may not
be in money, sometimes it is in just the satisfaction of knowing that
you have done your best. But the second person intended above is
someone who always talks about work, but never actually gets around to
doing anything. He never is rewarded in any way, because he doesn't do
anything.

    Proverbs 14:24 "The crown of the wise [is] their riches: [but] the
foolishness of fools [is] folly."

    Sometimes we see the reward of the wise in riches.  A person who
uses wise judgement is better at business than a fool and sometimes is
crowned with riches. Perhaps this is speaking more of godly wealth
than earthly wealth, also. A fool and his foolish actions bring
nothing but shame.

    Proverbs 14:25 "A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful
[witness] speaketh lies."

    We can see in this someone who witnesses of the Truth (Jesus
Christ), brings others to salvation.  A true witness is never harmful,
but does good.  We Christians are to witness the truth to the whole
world.  That was the great commission Jesus gave us.  Go ye into all
the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  A deceitful
witness destroys.  The deceitful witness is of Satan himself.  He is a
liar and is son of the father of lies.  Destruction is all he has to
offer.

    Proverbs 14:26 "In the fear of the LORD [is] strong confidence:
and his children shall have a place of refuge."

    We Christians know on whom we believe and have confidence that He
will save us from the wrath to come. We are persuaded that He is able
to do all that He has promised. In Hebrews 6:18 "That by two immutable
things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope
set before us:" Hebrews 6:19 Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the
soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil;" You see, Jesus has paid it all for us and made the way open
unto God the Father for us. Jesus' shed blood is our protection and
refuge.  Our place of refuge is in Jesus.

    Proverbs 14:27 "The fear of the LORD [is] a fountain of life, to
depart from the snares of death."

    We read in Matthew 10, the only fear that is permissable is of
God.  Matthew 10:28 "And fear not them which kill the body, but are
not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell." God is our source of life. Jesus
is also the one who condemns to eternal death, as well.  He is the
only one to fear.

    Proverbs 14:28 "In the multitude of people [is] the king's honour:
but in the want of people [is] the destruction of the prince."

    If you were king of a great number of people, there would be more
honour than to be king over just a handful of people.  The king over a
small group could be easily overthrown.  Jesus is the King of all
kings.

    Proverbs 14:29 "[He that is] slow to wrath [is] of great
understanding: but [he that is] hasty of spirit exalteth folly."

    The Bible says do not be angry without a cause and also says do
not let the sun go down on your anger.  Even Jesus got angry, but we
must be careful what we get angry about.  There has to be true justice
involved.  God is slow to wrath, but there is coming a day when the
wrath of God will fall on those who have rejected Jesus.  I believe
this Scripture above is telling us not to get angry about every little
thing.  That shows that our relationship with God is not what it
should be.  The Lord wants us to be forgiving and loving to even those
who do not deserve it.

    Proverbs 14:30 "A sound heart [is] the life of the flesh: but envy
the rottenness of the bones."

    We know the person who has a healthy heart is usually in pretty
good shape physically. I believe this goes further than the physical
and is speaking of a heart in tune with God.  One of the main things
mentioned in Romans 10:9-10 to be saved is to believe in the heart.
Envy and strife go hand in hand.  Envy eats you up from within and
will totally destroy you.

    Proverbs 14:31 "He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker:
but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor."

    God is the one who makes us rich or poor. We have very little to
do with it. In Psalms 10:2 we see, "The wicked in his pride doth
persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devises that they have
imagined."  The whole meaning of this above is that if we love God, we
will be good to the poor.  But for the grace of God, the poor one
would be us.

    Proverbs 14:32 "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but
the righteous hath hope in his death."

    In I Thessalonians 4:13, we read that there are people who have no
hope.  These are the wicked who are driven away from God by their
wickedness. I Thessalonians 4:13 "But I would not have you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow
not, even as others which have no hope." You can see that there is no
hope for the one who continues in his wickedness and never turns to
Jesus and His righteousness.  We see the righteous have hope of the
resurrection. I Thessalonians 4:14 "For if we believe that Jesus died
and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring
with him." I Thessalonians 4:15 "For this we say unto you by the word
of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of
the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." I Thessalonians
4:16 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the
dead in Christ shall rise first:" I Thessalonians 4:17 "Then we which
are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord."

    Proverbs 14:33 "Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath
understanding: but [that which is] in the midst of fools is made
known."

    Wisdom is not something we go around bragging about. It is a gift
from God. Wisdom is hidden deep within us. A fool goes around bragging
and looks very foolish for it.  A wise man is quiet and someone else
notices his wisdom.

    Proverbs 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin [is] a
reproach to any people."

    The United States was exalted as a nation for many years because
we were founded upon Biblical principles. God blessed America because
of its rich Christian heritage.  Our country in recent years has
gotten very far away from godly teaching, and we are becoming a
reproach. As a nation, we must return to God quickly and God will help
us.  II Chronicles 7:14 tells us, "If my people, which are called by
my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land."

    Proverbs 14:35 "The king's favour [is] toward a wise servant: but
his wrath is [against] him that causeth shame."

    We see that many times the king will choose a godly man to take
care of things in his country because of the wisdom God has given him.
Joseph is a good example of this when he stored food and saved Egypt
and his people, as well.  Haman, in the book of Esther, was a good
example of the king's wrath falling on someone who brings evil.  Haman
was hanged by the king when he tried to destroy the Jews.  Read Esther
chapter 3 through chapter 9 to get the whole story.






















                         Proverbs 21 Questions


1.  Who will bow before the other, the evil or the good?
2.  How long will the Christians reign with Jesus?
3.  The poor is hated of his ------- but the rich has -------------.
4.  What story in the Bible is a good example of the poor being hated?
5.  What is the royal law in James 2:8?
6.  What happens to a person's heart who is constantly devising evil?
7.  In all ------ there is profit.
8.  What is meant by the talk of the lips leading to penury?
9.  The crown of the wise is their --------.
10. This witness that delivers souls is witnessing what?
11. What was the great commission Jesus gave to the believers?
12. A deceitful witness is of -------- himself.
13. Who shall have a place of refuge in God?
14. Who made the way open to the Father for us?
15. Who are we to fear?
16. The king's honour is great because of what?
17. Who is King of all kings?
18. The Bible says do not be -------- without a cause.
19. Who will God's wrath fall upon?
20. What is the life of the flesh in verse 30?
21. In Romans 10:9-10, what must we do to be saved?
22. What other sin goes hand in hand with envy?
23. In Psalms 10:2, who persecute the poor?
24. In verse 32, the righteous has hope in his ---------.
25. In I Thessalonians 4:13-17, what is the blessed hope of?
26. Who goes around bragging all the time?
27. In II Chronicles 7:14, what does God promise our nation?
28. Why has America been so blessed?
29. Who is a good example of the king choosing a godly man to help him
    with his country?
30. Who is a good example of what happens to an evil man when his king
    finds him out?