- Proverbs 4:16-20
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- Prov 4:16 (KJB)
- For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is
taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
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- Solomon gives us insight into the mindset of the evil person. It seems
they are unable to get a good night’s rest unless they have done some type
of evil during the day. To those who make a living by doing evil things,
basically consider it a good day’s work when they have accomplished some
malicious act. Instead of their evil deeds keeping them awake at night,
their sinfulness puts them to sleep. Many wicked deeds are done in the night
and that is exchanged for sleep. They also revel in the idea that they have
brought someone else into their evil ways. This is the lifestyle which
Solomon warns all his readers about so they will never get caught up into it
and possibly be killed while trying to make illegal gains. Solomon makes
this warning, so those who read will heed the wisdom of not even taking the
first step toward that lifestyle.
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- Prov 4:17 (KJB)
- For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
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- Evil to these people is as natural as a person who eats and drinks for
sustenance. This proverb teaches us that their whole life is consumed in
making illegal gain, this is why it is compared to eating and drinking,
because of the natural way a person gets sustenance. The evil worker becomes
involved with evil deeds as naturally as someone that eats a hamburger and
drinks coffee. They don’t think twice about getting involved in evil nor do
they consider possible consequences of their actions. If they did, there
would be no one in prison.
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- Prov 4:18 (KJB)
- But the path of the just is as the shining light, that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
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- Shining - Brightness
- Shineth - To become brighter, to shine or illuminate
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- Verses 18 and 19 makes a stark comparison between the life of the
believer and the life of the wicked. Verse 18 teaches that since the
believer is in Christ, and the pathway of the believer consists of growth in
the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus which we continue to grow in on a
daily basis unto the perfect day, which is the day that we either go to be
with the Lord or the day He returns to claim all His children. We are
considered the just because we have been saved and there is no sin which can
keep us out of Heaven. All our sins were paid for, so even though we have
this life in earthly vessels at present, our spiritual lives continue to
flourish and that Christian life is what causes us to be lights among the
darkness of this world.
(Mat 5:14 KJV)
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
This is why the world hates us because our light dispels
their darkness and their evil deeds are revealed.
(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.
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- Prov 4:19 (KJB)
- The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they
stumble.
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- The wicked wander in the darkness of sin and think that all things are
proper for them to take part in. Their ways of darkness cause them to
stumble. They stumble at anything which represents righteousness which they
loathe until they become saved and then they embrace it.
(Mat 6:23 KJV) But if thine eye be evil, thy
whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee
be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Everything they do or everything they see is centered around evil and they
do not even know it because of the darkness of the mind.
(1 Tim 6:5 KJV) Perverse disputings of men of
corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw thyself. Paul gives Timothy the
same basic advice as Solomon gave his readers that Christians need to
withdraw themselves from those who live and bask in corruption, because it
will affect the life of a Christian and may bring them down.
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- Prov 4:20 (KJB)
- My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
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- Attend - Pay attention, obey, or listen to
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- Not only does Solomon want his son to hear the words of wisdom but he
wants him to pay close attention to them and obey him so his son will be
spared the heartache of a sinful life. This also applies to Christians that
we are to pay close attention to the principles taught in Scripture and to
live according to them so we may be those shining lights on a hill. We must
never think that we are above the reality that we can get caught up in sin.
As long as we live in these fleshly bodies, sin will be crouching at the
door. This is why we sing “Jesus keep me near the cross” so we may remain
crucified to the evils of this world.
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