Proverbs 11:21-25

 

Prov 11:21 (KJB)

Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

 

Seed - Descendant

 

This verse is extremely apropos for today as we see many groups in this world which oppose Christianity. (Luke 23:12 KJV) And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. Herod and Pilate were both leaders and had differences with each other but when it came to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, they had combined their efforts and even became friends on that day. This is the type of alliance Proverbs 11:21 is speaking of. Just because many sinners join in a common cause, even for philanthropy, they will not go unpunished. Many unsaved groups today are against the church and Christians, and just because they think that there is might in numbers and because of these leagues they make, they shall not go unpunished. It does not matter how strong an alliance is, if their goal is to fight God, they will lose, and on Judgment day will come their final stand.

The verse goes on to say the seed or descendant of the righteous will be delivered. This does not mean that because the parents are saved, the children are automatically saved. This means that if the parents are saved, this house has become a Gospel home and the Gospel will be taught and practiced there which means the children will have access to much Gospel preaching. Dovetailing that in this verse we read about seed and there is the parable of the sower where some of the seed fell on good ground and sprouted. So those who have become saved by the seed of the Gospel, will be delivered on Judgment Day, in fact, they will not even be there since all their sins have been removed by Christ.

 

Prov 11:22 (KJB)

As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

 

Discretion - Discernment or good judgment

 

If someone places a piece of gold jewelry on a Pig’s snout, it will not change the fact that it is still a pig. Outward adornment cannot change the inward heart of anyone. The second part of this verse teaches the same principle. If you have a very beautiful woman and she lacks discernment in life, then no matter what you dress her in, it will not matter because her true nature will eventually manifest itself. To the Israelites, the pig was an unclean animal, one which represented an unsaved heart. The fair woman is the same way, even if she is beautiful and lacks a changed heart, it matters not what she wears.

 

Prov 11:23 (KJB)

The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.

 

Desire - Longing or delight

Expectation - Hope

 

The righteous or saved person takes delight in what is good. They desire the best for people which is to see them become saved. Since their plans are in accord with God’s plans, there is no wrath or judgment from God coming upon them. However, the hope of the wicked is only the wrath of God. That is the only thing they have to look forward to. The saved person looks forward to eternal life with the Lord Jesus Christ but the hope of the wicked will be quashed, especially if they think that they have done much good works. The problem is that the works of the unsaved are an abomination unto God. (Prov 21:27 KJV) The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

 

Prov 11:24 (KJB)

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

 

Verses 24-26 are verses which teach the difference between being generous and being stingy. In verse 24, we read about a person who scatters and increases. According to the world, if a person gives their money and goods away, they will not increaseth but will have less for themselves. However, in God’s economy those who give, with the right heart and not name it and claim it, will increase in goods and money to be able to continue to increase their ministry. (Eccl 11:1 KJV) Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Ecclesiastes 11:1 states that if we cast our bread on the waters, and that is the greatest form of scattering because the waters represent the entire world. (Isa 17:12 KJV) Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The more we are able to give, the more we increase. We increase by the number of souls we reach and as the number increases, the number of those who are saved increases. (Mat 19:21 KJV) Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Now Jesus is not saying they must sell everything and give to the poor but what He has in view here that after a person becomes saved, whatever material goods and money thy possess, should now be used for the sake of the Gospel. Before we used it for ourselves, now we use them for the good of the kingdom of God.

 

Then the verse contrasts the giving mindset of the believer with the stinginess of the unbeliever. The unbeliever tends to find their security in the worldly goods they possess. However, history has proven repeatedly that worldly goods can be lost in a moment. The unsaved person tends to hoard as much as they can believing they will be and remain rich and that somehow it will extend their life. In fact just the opposite because the rich continually worry about their wealth and how to keep it. It becomes the focus of their lives. Then on Judgment Day they will find out that the hoarding of wealth did nothing for them and the poverty they will experience will be eternally in hell while the believer experiences the wealth of God in His kingdom.

 

Now let me just say a word about cheap Christians. I have known some of these in my Christian walk who live only for themselves and they wonder why they have financial problems. Many Christians do not know the dynamics of giving and don’t see it as a part of worship. They will always have enough money for their wants but for missions, there is never enough. In fact, I will end with this true story. A friend of mine went to a banquet sponsored by America’s Keswick (www.americaskeswick.org) and one of the speakers stated that they came up short on the banquet because some of the people came, ate the meal, and then left before they passed the plate. In fact, in some of the places they held the banquet, over 60 people did not show up and it cost Keswick the price of those meals. These people will come to poverty for what they did.

 

Prov 11:25 (KJB)

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

 

The liberal soul - A person of blessing

Fat - Figurative for prosper

Watered - Satiated or soaked

 

This verse is giving us an insight into the person who gives with the right heart. (2 Cor 9:7 KJV) Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. Those who give to the Lord’s work and not some phony preacher on TV or radio, will prosper in their life. These are promises that God has made as He promised seed to the sower. (2 Cor 9:10 KJV) Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) The prosperity may come in material goods or money to be used for the kingdom of God and will definitely be an increase in the people saved. God here states that those who water, will be watered also, to the point of being soaked, that is, blessed beyond what you can even think about. There may come a time of testing in the life of a Christian who is a giver and maybe their funds will dry up for a time but according to this verse, God will water the individual who waters. It does not matter what the economy is doing, God is above and beyond and has His own economy. I want to look at a spiritual aspect of this verse. Those who study the Scriptures for hours, will be made fat with the truths of the Scriptures and as he brings the truth of the Scriptures to others, he is watering these people but the advantage of being a teacher, is that we are able to be watered with the truth first before we give it out to others.

Back