Proverbs 16:11-15
 
Prov 16:11 (KJB)
A just weight and balance are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.
 
Weight - Scale
Weights of the bag - Stones of the bag
 
In ancient times, businessmen who would be in a business which required weighing of products would carry a set of stones which would be used for the scale. The Lord required that the stones be of an honest weight because many of the businessmen would cheat their customers by removing some of the weight of the stones and charging the customer for that missing portion. The Lord disdained anyone who used this method and those who were His were expected to be honest in their dealings with their customers. (Deu 25:13-15 KJV) Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. {14} Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. {15} But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Honesty in measurement was required under the law or else there were stiff penalties that they could face. Let us look at the spiritual lesson behind this verse. Each stone in the bag can be considered a teaching and the correct teachings which are properly drawn from Scripture are the stones which are the stones which are in His bag. Any type of bad or false teaching can be compared to a divers weight in the stone and must be rejected. The believer is considered a lively stone. (1 Pet 2:5 KJV) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. If one claims to be a believer and believes false teaching, then they must be considered a stone of divers weight and be rejected because a true believer will not believe a false doctrine continually. Now, we may hear and temporarily hold to a false doctrine but if we are true believers, we will check it out in Scripture and upon finding it false, we will then reject it because with false doctrine, one false doctrine opens the door for other false doctrines.
 
Prov 16:12 (KJB)
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
 
(Deu 17:15-18 KJV) Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother. {16} But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. {17} Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. {18} And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:  In the Law it was required that if a person became king over Israel, he was to have a written copy of the law so he would have the wisdom and knowledge to rule the people in honesty and according to God’s commandments. God establishes the throne in such a way that the king is a ruler under God’s authority. (Psa 75:7 KJV) But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. When God establishes a kingship, it is to be ruled according to God’s purposes. He considers it a detestable thing when a ruler of the people begin to act independently of God, thinking that they rule by their own authority. God will eventually deal with these types of ungodly kings.
 
Prov 16:13 (KJB)
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.
 
Delight - Favor or pleasure
Right - Straight, reliable, or level
 
This verse has a two edged meaning to it. First, if a king is righteous, he will find much favor in the righteous lips of his counselors. A king who has counselors that bring him truth will be one who will be able to rule the people properly. He will be able to make informed decisions which will result in favor for the people and the whole country. If counsel must be on the negative, then the king should have all available information at hand to rectify a situation. On the other hand, if a king is iniquitous he will not want to hear anything truthful, only what makes him feel good or feeds his ego. (1 Ki 22:8 KJV) And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. King Ahab was such a wicked king who wanted Micaiah to prophesy only good things. Ahab was not interested in the truth. As Christians we must always be interested in the truth, even if it means we must depart from a false doctrine we have held or depart from a false church or even to break off relations with a friend who may be detrimental to our spiritual walk. If we receive information that seems negative at the time, it will eventually turn out to be for our advantage, so we can walk without hindrance and possibly avoid the chastisement of God.
 
Prov 16:14 (KJB)
The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
 
Pacify - Cover or atone
 
This verse immediately reminded me of the fact that God is angry with the wicked. (Psa 7:11 KJV) God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. The wicked are under the wrath of God, even while they are still living on earth. (John 3:36 KJV) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. If this person becomes saved, only through the Lord Jesus Christ, then the wrath of God has been pacified. The wise man who pacified the wrath of God is the Lord Jesus Christ through His sacrifice upon Calvary. If the person does not become saved, then the messenger of death, the wrath of God, will deliver the final message on Judgment Day. There are two kings in the Bible who were filled with wrath because they dreamed dreams and none of their wise men could interpret them, simply because they were not wise. The First one was Pharaoh and his dream was interpreted by Joseph. The second king was Nebuchadnezzar who dreamed a dream and it was interpreted by Daniel. Both Joseph and Daniel were wise men because they were saved and wisdom comes with salvation, as we have seen many times in the book of Proverbs.
 
Prov 16:15 (KJB)
In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
 
The latter rain came about March-April which precedes the final harvest of the planting year and it sustained the country for the entire summer season. It was vital because there would not be any rain until the early rains came again after October which prepares the land for seeding. When someone receives favor from the king, it is like the land receiving the latter rain which nourishes the soil prior to harvest. When a king looks at a person who may think he is in trouble or is in disagreement with the king, with a happy countenance, it is like one who has been given a death sentence and then having it rescinded.

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