Proverbs 10:1-5

 

Prov 10:1 (KJB)

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

 

Heaviness - Grief or sorrow

 

Here we read that a wise son is one who brings gladness to his father as his father sees him make wise decisions in his life and probably his family as this verse is possibly teaching about an adult son who learned wisdom from his parents, and is now using that wisdom to make wise decisions. The son who has lived a foolish life and made foolish decisions as a young man will continue to make those foolish decisions as an adult and as a result, the mother is feeling grief in response to that foolishness. Normally, a mother would feel the grief more because women tend to be more deeply emotional than men and she knows that problems are on the horizon but her son, being an adult, can only be advised and not coerced into doing the right thing.

 

Prov 10:2 (KJB)

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

 

Here this verse is warning those who believe that gaining riches by any method, including through evil means, that any riches gained, in reality, profits nothing. The reason it profits nothing is because if it is gained by evil, then eventually that person will have to stand in the Judgment and give account of their evil ways and if they do not become saved, they will be judged and cast into hell. On the other hand, righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness which delivers from death is the righteousness found in Christ, which is imputed to the one who has become saved. When a person becomes saved, while on this earth, they will want to do things in an honest way, which includes doing business, avoiding all the pitfalls of trying to make gains via criminal activity.

 

Prov 10:3 (KJB)

The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

 

To famish - To be hungry

Substance - Desire

 

(Psa 37:25 KJV) I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. David knew that as a child of God, he would never have to go hungry for the things of God. This is not speaking of the physical food, but of the spiritual food because the Holy Spirit indwells the true believer and therefore we will never go hungry for spiritual things. God implants into us His wisdom and that is one avenue of never going spiritually hungry, and the other is that there will always be a witness of the Scriptures until the end of the world. (Mat 24:35 KJV) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. We will have the testimony of Scripture in this world until the last day when the heavens and the earth will be made new. On the other hand, the Lord is going to cast away or drive away the desire of the wicked. Whatever they think they own, will be removed far from them,. The desire of the wicked is to always have more, to accumulate the wealth of this world because the spiritually dead man is tied to this world and does not concern himself with spiritual or eternal things. This too speaks of the desire of the wicked being removed from them eternally on the last day, which is Judgment Day.

 

Prov 10:4 (KJB)

He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

 

Slack - Lazy or deceitful

Diligent - Industrious

 

Those who refuse to work and try to make a living the lazy way will always remain poor. Laziness is an evil trait of unsaved people but unfortunately it has carried over into Christianity. There are so many Christians who would rather watch television than study the Scriptures . They make every excuse as to why they cannot do evangelism and that is why so many refuse to get involved with the Great Commission. These Christians will always remain spiritually poor in that they have become virtually useless to the Kingdom of God. The hand of the diligent or industrious will cause him to progress in earthly business. (Prov 22:29 KJV) Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. This person will not only be industrious in their vocation but will carry that diligence into their work for the Lord and will seek out ways to reach the lost for Christ and to disciple the saved so they grow. In Revelation 1:6, the true believer is called a “king.” The one who is diligent in the work of the Lord, will not only see people become saved but will progress in the Christian walk and teach others, thus standing in front of Kings. The lazy man will never get ahead because his fortress is excuses but the fortress of the diligent Christian is action.

 

Prov 10:5 (KJB)

He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

 

First, this verse teaches us that a wise son is one who gathers the food in summer when it is plentiful and will store it, for winter is coming when there will be no planting going on. This way, the wise son has plenty to eat because they can go to the root cellar or the storehouse and bring out what they need. In contrast to the diligent son, the lazy man will not store up provisions for himself and then winter comes and he has nothing to eat, he will either beg or starve. This also means that instead of harvesting, he allowed all the crops to rot on the vines and fields, he has allowed much waste and this waste causes shame to the family. Laziness is never a good addition to any business or family. There is also a very serious spiritual side to this verse. The true Christian, who is diligent in his or her walk with the Lord will see the open doors before them for the sending forth of the Gospel. They will want to help gather in as many souls as they can while the doors are open for evangelism. This is as the summer when everything is in bloom but then comes the final harvest. Jeremiah 8:20 has something to say about that. (Jer 8:20 KJV) The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Once the summer has ended, which is the time for evangelism, and then comes the final harvest as God saves the last one who is to be saved and the lazy man has slept through that harvest, that is, he did not get involved with sending forth the gospel at all and used his laziness to avoid any work. Now the harvest is passed and we are not saved and this includes the lazy man who would not seek out the Lord for his own soul, never mind the souls of others but now it is too late and since the lazy man was not saved, he will face the judgment of God which will come speedily and diligently, and will bring eternal judgment upon his head.

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