Proverbs 11:26-31
 
Prov 11:26 (KJB)
He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
 
Withholdeth - Refuse
 
This verse speaks of someone in authority who has the corn stored up and refuses to sell it to the people so they can use it to cook or to plant their own crops. Maybe this person is holding out till the people get desperate and then they will pay a much higher price. No matter what scenario is in view, lack of food is a life threatening situation. The person in view may be cutting their own throat with their own greed because the corn may rot in his barns before he gets his price increase. On the other hand, the person who has corn for sale and sells it at a decent price, the people will bless him and the Lord will bless him, for he is not dealing treacherously with the people. He is being an honest businessman and has treated his clients without prejudice.
 
There is also a great spiritual aspect to this verse. (Joel 2:19 KJV) Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: In Joel 2:19, God promises to send corn, wine, and oil which are all pictures of the true Gospel. When we connect the Joel verse to our Proverbs verse, we see there are two types of teachers in view. The first one, is the one who learns but does not give out the proper Gospel. The unsaved learn a Gospel which is tied to this world and cannot save anyone. This type of Gospel will lead a person to Judgment Day and there they will curse the one who lead them astray. (Isa 55:1 KJV) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Then we look at the second person in view. The one who studies the Scriptures and brings the true Gospel, thus leading many to the Lord will be blessed of the Lord and the people who are saved will count him as a blessing. We must be very careful, just because someone teaches the Bible does not mean they have the truth and if they do not like what they are studying, they may also suppress the truth and not bring it to the people, thus keeping them in darkness.
 
Prov 11:27 (KJB)
He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
 
Procureth - Searches out
Favour - Pleasure, will, or wish
Mischief - Evil
 
Here is a verse which speaks about two different goals in life. The first one is the saved person who consistently lives for seeking to do good. (Gal 6:10 KJV) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. The saved are counseled to do good, especially to the household of faith which are other believers. They seek to expand the kingdom of God by doing the greatest work of good a person can do and that is to bring the true Gospel to others. On the other hand, the unsaved person who lives for the pursuit of evil in this world will not have to look far and long because it is around every corner. The problem with seeking evil is that the unsaved do not see it as evil as they rename sin. (Isa 5:20 KJV) Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! God warns those who do evil and rename it for the purpose of mollifying the guilt and true nature of the sin. For example, one of the renaming of sins is: Affair=Adultery In our world, they call adultery an affair. As they continue to deceive themselves, they that seek sin never count on the consequences being close at hand.
 
Prov 11:28 (KJB)
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
 
Flourish - Bud, blossom, or break out
 
As we have previously seen, riches are not a stable fortress but rather a tree in the wind. Riches can be lost at anytime and in many ways. On Judgment Day, those who trusted in their riches will definitely fall because if their trust was riches, then that was their savior. The riches will not have done anything for them because all their sins were retained and now they must pay for those sins. On the contrary, the righteous shall flourish like a branch. The branch, as long as it is connected to the tree, will bring forth blossoms, and then leaves. Just like the branch, the saved will also flourish as they bring the true Gospel, they will see people become saved and they will be like a branch with blossoms to those they witness to. One thing about a branch, it grows slowly each year and that is how the believer grows, slowly, for one can never rush the growth process.
 
Prov 11:29 (KJB)
He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
 
Troubleth - To disturb or stir up
 
Those who tend to bring troubles into their own home will inherit only the wind, that is, there will be no advantage to anyone who disturbs their home. The home is to be a place of refuge for the family and he that stirs up the nest, in a negative manner, will gain nothing by it except the disrespect of their family. It is unfortunate that many in ministry have done this. They have sacrificed their family for the ministry and have reaped the wind. Nowhere does God say that the family is to be neglected in lieu of ministry. Then the verse goes on to say that a fool will eventually serve the wise man. Fools never make proper decisions and sometimes they must be bailed out by the wise man and in this sense they become their servant. If the foolish man is given finances to help him out by the wise man, then the foolish man become the servant to the wise man until the debt is repaid. (Prov 22:7 KJV) The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
 
Prov 11:30 (KJB)
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
 
The term “fruit” characterizes everything which the righteous tend to do. Their goal in this life is to bring the Gospel to as many as they can and in the process, they are bearing fruit, as a tree bears fruit except they are likened to a tree of life and that tree of life is the eternal Gospel. In Revelation, the term, tree of life is a synonym for the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are saved show their salvation in the form of being wise as they send out the Gospel to win souls for the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians, our reason of continued existence in this world is to send forth the gospel and to make new converts for the Lord Jesus Christ. Without us sending forth the Gospel, what reason does God have to keep us here after salvation, He may as well just take us home but He keeps us here to continue to evangelize until the last day.
 
Prov 11:31 (KJB)
Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.
 
Recompensed - To be complete or to be at peace
 
Here is the capstone of the chapter comparing the saved and the unsaved. First of all, the saved of earth will be recompensed in the earth. “Recompense” carries with it the meaning of to be complete or be at peace. The question we must ask ourselves, is, when will the believer be at peace or complete? The answer, is in the New Heavens and the New Earth. Then our salvation will be complete and we will be at complete peace because there will be no sin to taunt and tempt us ever again. The wicked and the sinner, which are really one group but God is emphasizing the fact that those who believe they are not as wicked as those who have committed major sins, such as murder, robbery, rape, etc. He is showing us that even sinners, those who commit everyday sins, are just as guilty as those who commit large sins. Both groups will be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ and they too will be made complete by being judged and cast into eternal hell.

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