Proverbs 20:21-25

 

Prov 20:21 (KJB)

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

 

When a person gets an inheritance, it may give them instant wealth and a feeling of euphoria. For a while they may be careful as to how they spend it but then when they look at the amount, they may begin to feel that it is large enough to last a long time. Then they begin to squander that inheritance, and as they do they make bad decisions and when that happens, they begin to get into trouble. One way they get into trouble is that they might go into debt or they may spend so unwisely that they will have to file for bankruptcy. There are many ways that a person can get into trouble with instant wealth and if we do not use wisdom, the wealth can rule us instead of us ruling it. This is where counsel is necessary because a person who is not familiar with handling large amounts of money will definitely get into trouble.

 

Prov 20:22 (KJB)

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

 

I will recompense evil - Let me repay evil

Wait - To have hope

 

When a person does something to us, the natural, fleshy response is that I want to get even with that person. We want to do as much damage to them as they have done to us. As Christians, we must never seek revenge. (Rom 12:19 KJV) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. The Lord will repay that person for the evil done and he will be better off at assessing their motives for causing us much harm. If we attempt to take revenge, we are no better than the one who caused us hurt. The Scripture teaches that we are to have patience and wait upon the Lord and He will deliver us from that person and will execute the proper punishment on them for causing us such hurt. As Christians we must expect that the unsaved, who are our spiritual enemies, will not sit still for us when we bring the Gospel or to proclaim it. Since they are of Satan’s kingdom, there will be natural animosity toward us. (2 Th 1:7-9 KJV) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, {8} In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: {9} Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; God may choose not to do anything while they are on earth but there is going to come a day when the Lord will return and take vengeance on those who have troubled us. If we refuse to retaliate, then that ends the war between that person and us. (Prov 20:3 KJV) It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

 

Prov 20:23 (KJV)

Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.

 

This verse is almost equivalent to Proverbs 11:1 and 20:10. God disdains any type of dishonesty. He did not want the ancient Israelites to cheat those who were not of Israel and He does not want us to cheat our spiritual enemies by not bringing them the Gospel. We do not preach a full counsel Gospel to one group and then truncate the message for another group. We are to bring the full weight of the Gospel to everyone that we preach to. The use of a false balance would imply that we would deem one group more worthy of salvation than another. This verse is probably speaking of the person who causes us much hurt in the previous verse. We may desire them to punished eternally for what they did to us but deep down we would rather see them become saved. It is only the true Christian who is able to really forgive a person without desiring their hurt.

 

Prov 20:24 (KJV)

Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

 

Man’s goings - The steps of a man

Understand - Discern

 

The steps of man are definitely ordered by the Lord. (Psa 37:23 KJV) The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. He plans and guides the way of His children. (1 Cor 2:9 KJV) But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. As God guides, we are unable to discern our own way because if we think that we should go in one direction, God will intervene and send us in another direction. It is alright to plan but we are never guaranteed that those plans will not be changed or stanched by the Lord. If the Lord sends us in a direction we are not sure of, He will make it clear that it is of Him. God will not allow His children to wander and wonder. We are saved for a purpose and that purpose is determined by God and not us. Let me give a personal example here. A few years before I wrote this commentary, I had a preaching and teaching ministry. I would go to different churches and events and speak. Then in August 2003, I became disabled and now 99.9% of my ministry is on the Internet. Before that time the largest in-person congregation I preached to was about 400 but now I reach between 10 and 20,000 per week. I never thought that someday I would be disabled since I was quite athletic when I was younger but God’s ways are not my ways and through my disability, I have been able to reach more than I ever could in person. (Isa 55:8 KJV) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. So how would I have been able to discern what would happen to me in the future. I take my situation and trust God with it, and I have been blessed mightily since I became disabled. Let us leave the understanding to the Lord and we follow faithfully. (1 Cor 4:2 KJV) Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. It says we are to be found faithful, not athletic.

 

Prov 20:25 (KJB)

It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.

 

Snare - Bait, lure or trap

Devoureth - Swallow or speak rashly

Inquiry - To examine

 

If there is one thing that snares a person, it is speaking impulsively. Here we have a situation where a man makes some type of vow or a sacrifice, back then to the temple or tabernacle, and then after he makes the vow or sacrifice, he then starts examining what he did and realizes that he will never again have possession of what he sacrificed or that he will have to pay the vow, and now he does not know how he will do it. We must never speak impulsively under any conditions. Impulsive speech excludes serious inquiry or examination of what we are doing or giving. Sometimes we do things like that to impress others around us or we may get caught up in a moment of enthusiasm and not fully think through what we are doing. (2 Cor 8:12 KJV) For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.  The principle that God has set up for giving is simple. We give according to what we have for we cannot give what we do not. We never borrow money or use our credit card because that will get us into trouble. If we make a vow according to what we can definitely give or do, then we will be able to fulfill it. If we make some type of vow that we cannot fulfill, then we are considered to be a liar because we stated we would do something and we did not do it or give it. Impulsive speech will always get us in trouble. Impulsive speech are what mobs are made of, everyone yelling one thing or another.

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