Bible Lessons94

From: Messages of God's Love: 1932

Proverbs 28

Verse 1. What a difference a bad conscience makes! Verse 3. God does not forget the poor, though we are very apt to think of ourselves first, and perhaps only. See how the poor are in God's thoughts in verses 6, 8, 11, 15 and 27.

"The poor always ye have with you." John 12:8⁸For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. (John 12:8). (See James 2:14-16¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? (James 2:14‑16).)

Verse 5. Note that it is "they who seek the Lord," who understand the judgments of God. The youngest believer knows that God does right, always, and those who are in the secret of His purposes are not necessarily people of great learning. But it cannot be said that all Christians make it part of their daily life to "seek the Lord." Verse 11 shows that the poor man that has knowledge-the light shed by the Word of God on the world, and the right way through it-searches out the rich man with his boasted wisdom.

The truth of verse 8 has been proved over and over again. Ill-gotten riches take wings, sooner or later.

Verse 9 comes from God, Who knows the heart. He is not deceived. His ear is always open to the prayer of faith, but drawing nigh with the lips while the ear turns away from hearing His Word is abomination to Him.

Verse 12 is better translated, "When the righteous triumph there is great glory; but when the wicked rise, men conceal themselves." (See verse 28.)

Verse 13 tells an important principle with God. He is ready to show mercy to whosoever confesses and forsakes his sins, and whoever he be that hides his sins shall not prosper. Sin cannot be got rid of by concealing it. See Cain trying to cover his fearful sin in Genesis 4:9-11⁹And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? ¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. ¹¹And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; (Genesis 4:9‑11).

An excellent motto for the Christian is in verse 14, "Happy is the man that feareth alway." Abiding in the fear of the Lord, seeking to please Him in all of our ways is the way of happiness. And, on the contrary part, he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. This is a word for Christians too.

Those who are expecting the Lord's coming—the true Christian hope (Romans 8:23-25²³And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. ²⁴For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:23‑25); 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18¹⁶For 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: ¹⁷Then 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. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑18)) do not look for long life here, yet if granted (verse 16 and 1 Peter 3:10-12¹⁰For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: ¹¹Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. ¹²For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. (1 Peter 3:10‑12)), what opportunity may be given for spending it usefully in the service of the Lord and of His people! It should be with us all who love Him, as with the apostle in his letter to the Philippians (chapter 1, verse 21), "to me to live is Christ!"

Verses 18, 20, 25, 26, 27 shed various light upon the important principle that the life of faith has great value in the sight of God. Every verse in these chapters is important and should be studied with profit.

Messages of God’s Love 10/2/1932

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