Sunday, July 31, 2022
17 You’re addicted to thrills? What an empty life!
The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.
18 What a wrong person plots against the good, boomerangs;
the plotter gets it in the end.
19 Better to live in a tent in the wild
than with a cross and petulant spouse.
20 Valuables are safe in a wise person’s home;
fools put it all out for yard sales.
21 Whoever goes hunting for what is right and kind
finds life itself—glorious life!
22 One sage entered a whole city of armed soldiers—
their trusted defenses fell to pieces!
23 Watch your words and hold your tongue;
you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.
24 You know their names—Brash, Impudent, Blasphemer—
intemperate hotheads, everyone.
-Proverbs 21:17-24 The Message
Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous
and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling,
but a foolish man devours it.
21 Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness
will find life, character, and honor.
22 A wise man scales the city of the mighty
and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 Whoever keeps his mouth and tongue
keeps him out of trouble.
24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man
who acts with arrogant pride.
-Proverbs 21:17-24 ESV
Verse 17 study: Wine and oil suggest the word extravagance, mainly in feasting. This is living a life you may not be able to afford or just pleasures you want to have you can’t afford.
Verse 18 study: Ransom is something given up for something more valuable. The wicked and unfaithful are expendable compared to the righteous and the upright. In another definition, a ransom is a sum paid to release someone. This proverb does not depend on this precise sense but points to the Last Judgment. This is the day when the righteous will be vindicated and the wicked defeated.
Verse 20 study: This proverb is about saving for the future. Easy credit has many people living on the edge of bankruptcy. People’s desire to keep up with the ties and push their spending are stretching their credit to the limit. Anyone who spends all they have is paying more than they can afford. A wise person puts money to the side when they may have less. God approves of foresight and restraint. God’s people should examine their lifestyle to see if their spending is God-pleasing or self-pleasing.
Verse 21 study: Those who develop the right relationships and loyalty find lasting benefits in life.
Verse 22 study: 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 says, “4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” Force is no match for wisdom. These are similar.
You must be logged in to post a comment.