"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE, GIVING US WISDOM ABOUT THE WICKED AND THE RIGHTEOUS"
Proverbs 24:15 “Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder his resting place;”
Proverbs 24:16 “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.”
(Taken from today's reading in The One Year Bible 10/2/14)
God has given us what some have called Power Principles. That is, the principles given to us in the Book of Proverbs contain the power of God because they are principles given to us the our Powerful Savior. God's power is meant to rescue people, guide them along the way and the paths of righteousness, and to protect them from the evil that lurks within and out. We also see in Proverbs the truth of what will happen to the wicked. We who now believe were once also wicked, but by His grace He has changed us, and we can now receive His truth and live by it. We can also avoid the dangers that are around us if we take heed to His counsel. And we can pray for the lost, just as Christ did on the cross when He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" Luke 23:34.
1. The wicked are warned not to lie in wait for or against the righteous.
Proverbs 24:15 “Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; Do not plunder his resting place;”
This is God's word to the wicked.
Don't do this is what He is saying.
Do not be like an outlaw, or a criminal who hides to hurt the home of the righteous.
Do not go in and do a "home invasion" in today's terms.
Don't try to hurt the righteous or their home.
2. The righteous are described without sugar coating who they are, but offering hope nonetheless.
Proverbs 24:16 “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.”
(Personal note. I first read this scripture early one morning back in Feb 1973, and it was a tremendous encouragement to me.)
The truth is that though a man may be righteous, he may also fall many times, even 7 times as an illustration.
Fall means to fall into sin.
To err.
But, along with the righteous falling here is the good news.
The righteous will rise again.
You see God is with His people.
He is with them to forgive, to restore, to help, to guide, and to bless.
He is our loving Father, who did not come to condemn, but to save.
And when we fall He is there ready to help us up.
And He does.
He certainly has for me, and for every other Christian I've had the pleasure of knowing, for the last 41 1/2 years.
3. But now back to the wicked.
Proverbs 24:16 “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.”
The wicked will also fall.
They will fall by calamity.
Calamity means wickedness, mischief, malice, evil.
One calamity is enough to lay the wicked low (NLT Version).
Notice that there is nothing said about them rising again from their fall.
The sad truth is that that they are without hope, without God, without Jesus in their lives.
They have no helper, no savior.
We were once like that.
But now we are not.
We have gone from darkness to light.
Oh that men would seek the Lord, and He will be found.
Some Questions:
1. Do you have against you wicked people?
2. Do you know of others who have wicked people against them?
3. Do you see wickedness around you hurting the righteous?
4. Take heart, the righteous may fall, but God will help them back up.
5. Haven't you found God faithful to help you back up when you have fallen?
6. Will you take a moment to reflect on His love for you, and thank Him for it.
7. Will you also take a moment to pray for those you know who do not yet know the Lord?
8. Do you know that in your own church body there are many who profess to know God, but are not yet saved?
A Prayer:
Father, a good day to You, Lord. Thank You that we can begin each day anew with You. Giving our lives to You. Inviting You to take us and to use our lives as You please. And we can pray to You, Father, to teach us more and more about You, and to build us up in our faith, and cause us to grow in the grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Lord, there is no greater joy in this life than to know You and to walk in Your ways, and to wait upon You and find You faithful to do just as You have promised you would do. We give heartfelt thanks to our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who is one day going to come back and receive us unto Himself that where He is we may be also, forever and ever. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
