Proverbs 21:6-10

Prov 21:6 (KJB)

The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

 

Lying - Deceiving

Tossed to and fro - To blow away or drive away

 

Those who attempt to gain wealth by means of a lying tongue, their ill gotten gain is nothing more than something which can be blown away by the wind. (James 4:14 KJV) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Just as the transient life of a human being is compared to vapor, those fleeting riches within the life are considered also to be a vapor, which means as fast as they are gained, they can be lost. Those who use deceit in their dealings are as those who are seeking death because one day eternal damnation is going to be the reward for a lying tongue. We have read in previous verses that it is better to have little and be honest than to have much through deception. Death comes to every human being but those who engage in false dealings are seeking it, because their cheating ways may ignite the hate of one they are cheating and may kill them while still in their youth. Evil ways always has its rewards.

 

Prov 21:7 (KJB)

The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment.

 

Robbery - Devastation or violence

 

Many times the wicked think that they will gain much income by using evil methods to procure wealth. What they fail to realize is that they are destroying themselves slowly until one day the destruction of their physical life becomes final. One only has to look at the many criminals today who thought that they were wise above the law and failed to do what was right and found themselves either in prison or they were murdered. Their refusal to do what was right never leads a person in right direction. Two examples are John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson, people still idolize them for robbing the banks and “getting even” for them during the depression but their violent streak as bank robbers only lasted about 18 months. Their wickedness was their downfall, as they used guns, guns brought down both of them. We can see in our verse a spiritual lesson, in that the wicked ways of the unsaved will lead them to perdition. Since they refuse the ways of God, they will be destroyed.

 

Prov 21:8 (KJB)

The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right.

 

Froward - Turned or twisted

Strange - Guilty

 

Here we read that the ways of sinful man are twisted and guilty before God. The outward deeds which a sinful man does indicates the condition of the heart which is unsaved. I think there are many of us in this world who have witnessed the schemes of the unsaved and realized how twisted they are. On the other hand, those who have become saved, their righteous works indicate the condition of their heart. This verse basically teaches that one can tell the difference between the saved and the unsaved by the fruits which they produce. (Mat 7:16 KJV) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? The Lord states that good fruits produce good works and bad fruits produce bad fruits.

 

Prov 21:9 (KJB)

It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.

 

Brawling - Contentious person who brings quarrels and disputes

 

In Middle East homes, the roofs were normally flat and they were used for sleeping in summer and just for repose because of their location. (Acts 10:9 KJV) On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: Peter had gone up on the housetop to pray. This would tell us the roof was a good place to pray, meaning that it would also be a quite place. The verse is teaching that it would be much better for one to find repose in a small place than to have a contentious lifestyle in a large house. It goes back basically to the point that a peaceful home, although small, would be much more desirable than a large house with much disputing. The word “wide house’ can also point to a place like a boarding house which would house many families and that close proximity to others could cause problems in the marriage if the wife feels threatened of having no home but only a motel room. Sitting on a housetop in rain or bad weather would be more desirable than sitting in a house with the quarrelsome woman.

 

Prov 21:10 (KJB)

The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes.

 

Here is another verse which speaks about the wicked that desires evil. They desire evil simply because that is what the wicked heart of man lives for. (John 3:19 KJV) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. The unsaved love darkness because that is the milieu they live in. Their heart condition is so dark that they even despise their neighbor. I remember when I was 11 years old back in 1964, we moved into our new home in Edison, NJ and for some reason the neighbor that we had built up some type of hatred against us and others on the on the street followed the pernicious ways of this woman and many hated us just because she did. I have seen this proverb fulfilled in person. Those who live for hatred, are not satisfied unless they are hating someone, even an innocent person.

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