A pigs snout and a beautiful lady.
Prov.11:12-22
Proverbs 11 contains thirty-one individual sayings. While the topics covered are vast, many con-trast either proper behavior with improper behavior or the righteous with the wicked. Proverbs is one of the few places in Scripture where context is of no help. Each proverb represents in a practical way the choice one must make between the way of Wisdom and the way of Folly. We have covered Prov.11:1-11 in an early study.
Proverbs are not promises. Let me say that again, proverbs, in the Bible, are not promises that God is required to satisfy for you.
Christians love to pick out those “promises” they find in scripture such as “I will never leave or forsake you,” or “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish,” or “In my Father’s house are many rooms … I am going there to prepare a place for you.”
We regard those promises to believers as completely trustworthy and guaranteed as long as the conditions are met — repenting of sins and following Jesus. The one guaranteeing those promises is God himself so there are no exceptions — no failed promises because God never fails. We can trust his word.
The one problem that I have encountered regarding “promises” is when well-intentioned Christians mistake a Biblical principle for a Biblical promise. It seems to happen most often with the “wisdom literature” in the Bible and most often with the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs are unusual; there usually is no context to help ascertain the meaning of an individual verse — each verse is a separate thought.
Also Proverbs is written in different literary style. Well, each of these different literary styles in the Bible have their own interpretive principles that you have to be mindful of . And if you ignore those interpretive principles, you can misunderstand what’s being communicated. And so when it comes to Proverbs, it’s important to realize that it is Hebrew Poetry and we have to interpret it as such Principles in the Bible are concepts that offer general guidance, and are not to be understood as absolutes or promises in each and every situation. In short a principle is a standard offered as general guidance, but should not be interpreted as an absolute or promise On the other hand, a promise is a decree from God that will take place in God’s timing and in God’s ways with no exceptions.
A proverb is a very brief and particular expression of truth that teaches basic values — appropriate patterns of human behavior that help an individual mature into responsible adulthood. They often are practical observations about everyday attitudes and life in general. As such, it is often possible to find “exceptions” to particular proverbs. The mistake comes in when we regard them as 100% iron clad legal guarantees from God with no exceptions possible.
Proverbs entail probable outcomes, not guaranteed outcomes. Take, for example, a modern proverb like, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Notice, it’s a short, pithy way to capture an idea. And is it true that if you eat fruits, and apples, and vegetables that generally you’ll be a healthy person? But is it a promise? Is it a guarantee that if you eat an apple every day you will never have to see a doctor? Well, of course no. We all know that’s not the case? So, is that a violation of that proverb? No, it just means that, generally speaking, if you eat a healthy diet, you’ll generally be healthy, but it’s not a guarantee or a promise.
Lets now come to where we left off in our earlier study.
He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent. Proverbs 11:12
Speech is one of the most certain evidences of wisdom, or the lack of wisdom. The words of a man’s mouth reveal what is in his heart (Luke 6:45). Merely the quantity of words can prove either wisdom or folly. “A fool’s voice is known by multitude of words” (Eccl 5:3). A simple rule for wisdom is to cut your words in half.
Wise men do not proudly despise others in their hearts or with words. They will hold back detracting or sneering words that fools or wicked men are often quick to say. They know all men are more similar than they are different, so contempt from one about another is not justified.
Jesus considers unkind speech about another to violate the sixth commandment against murder. Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matt 5:21-22).
Loving your neighbor is the second greatest commandment (Matt 22:39), with your neighbor being much more than those living next door, as the Parable of the Good Samaritan proved (Luke 10:29-37). Your neighbor extends even to servants of another man (Pr 30:10). And loving your enemies is a related commandment (Matt 5:43-48). So you have no room to hate or speak evil of others. All men are born hateful and hating each other in malice and envy (Tit 3:3), but now you are to be changed by Christ’s grace (Tit 3:2; Eph 4:31-32).
Jesus rebuked those who thought they were righteous and despised others by the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:9-14). It is wicked pride and haughty conceit that cause a person to despise others (Rom 12:16). Show yourself a child of the King!
The concluding statement of this proverb is that a man of understanding keeps silent. The understanding here may be that he looks at things from the view of God's mercy. His time, he wisely thinks, would be better spent praying for this person and keeping the lines of communication open. In the end, his silence is far wiser than another's words of contempt and disrespect.
He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter. Proverbs 11:13
Did you hear what so and so did? Thus begins the phrase of the talebearer. The "talebearer" is the one who gossips. The word means to spread falsehoods about someone. This particular word has the distinction of never being used in a positive way. Gossip was expressly forbidden in the Mosaic Law in Leviticus 19:16, and the book of Proverbs equally forbids it.
The main condemnation here though is how a gossip "reveals secrets." Confidentiality is at the root of this issue. Information about others - especially that which is shared in confidence - is to remain a secret to all but the two who have shared it together. That confidence is shattered when someone takes the information and makes it public. The gossip goes even further and adds to the damaging information to make it worse.
The second half of this proverb reminds us that the faithful one is the one who is trustworthy. This one conceals the matter. The idea conveyed by the word "trustworthy" is one who supports, nurtures, and establishes another person. It is used as the term for the comfort and support a baby receives from the arms of its parent. Whether we initially realize it or not, when someone shares painful intimate details of their lives with us - we can either cradle them in our arms, providing love and support, or we can crush them and cause great pain. People share these painful things because they need the encouragement of someone who will love and conceal these things. They don't conceal them to be an accessory to their sin. They conceal them from others only because they are taking the confidence shared with them seriously. This information was shared so that we might help bring God's healing to their hearts. The information was shared so that we might counsel and encourage them - seeing the pain soothed rather than exacerbated.
Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory. Proverbs 11:14
How do you make good decisions in life? Even better said, "How do you make decisions that will not end in you falling on your face? There is a way to be confident that your decisions will not come back to haunt you later. Let's take a look at what this proverb has to teach us
This proverb is all about being willing to seek and take godly advice The willingness to seek and accept godly advice is a plus - because godly counsel is a must if we are going to walk in God's ways. We even need to be able to hear and consider advice that we don't want. Some think that anyone they consider inferior to themselves is unable to offer counsel. That is a sure way to fall. It is when we have an abundance of godly counselors in our life that we will have victory. The word for victory means to have deliverance or safety. . It speaks of a military context, of course,. But it goes beyond that - it speaks of deliverance from sin and from making foolish decisions that harm us later.
A good example is that of king Nebuhadnezzar from Babylon. His pride and arrogance was leading him down a very destructive path. He felt "he" was sovereign over his own life - and that all his power and authority had come from himself. First God sought to counsel him by giving him a strange dream - then Daniel interpreted it. Daniel let Nebuchadnezzar know that if he did not repent of his pride and arrogance, admitting that God alone was sovereign, he was about to experience life as a beast. Nebuhadnezzar listened, but did not take the advice. He fell from being king to being an ordinary beast of the field for 7 years. He ended that time by lifting his eyes and finally admitting that God alone was sovereign. It took a while, but he learned that in the abundance of counselors (God and Daniel) there is victory. Daniel 4:4-37
Where are you? Are you one who thinks that your own understanding is sufficient? Do you shun the offer of advice and counsel of godly men and women? If you are, I would encourage you to seriously consider today's proverb. It warns of a fall that is coming your way. It also gives you advice about having an abundance of godly counselors to help you know wisdom - and know the favor and blessing of God. A wise man would take this counsel. A foolish man would seek no other guidance than that which his own mind produces - oh - and he will fall flat on his face eventually.
Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to shake hands in pledge is safe. Proverbs 11:15
This verse doesn’t sound very nice! It seems selfish and anti-social. But maybe not…
This wise saying has two parallel statements saying the same thing in different words. Someone who “puts up security for a stranger” is one who “co-signs” for another. That is, they agree to pay someone else’s financial obligations if that person can’t or doesn’t.
To do that for a loved one is one thing, but to do it for “a stranger” would be crazy – we “will surely suffer!” On the other hand, one who “refuses to shake hands in pledge” – refuses to commit to such an agreement – “is safe.”
To co-sign for someone is not a sin. But it might be a really bad decision – whether for a loved one or stranger!
Of course, if we think God says, “Do this” – we’d better! But often we do it for other others reasons, some good, some not.
There are two basic problems with co-signing. 1.) It can hurt them; and 2.) It can hurt me.
It can hurt them because our co-signing may get in God’s way. He might be using this situation to teach them things He wants them to know.
It can hurt me because it might cost me plenty! It could also hurt our relationship.
Sometimes they start ducking me because they know they owe me. Or I get an attitude because I paid and I don’t appreciate how they’re living or spending their own money.
Co-sign if you think God wants you to! Otherwise, trust Him. He’s got a plan for both of you!
Scripture does not say that all forms of lending are wrong. Rather, it points out the risks involved.
A gracious woman attains honor, And ruthless men attain riches. Proverbs 11:16
Two types of people are contrasted here. There is the gracious woman and the ruthless man. They are viewed from what they attain in life. The word "attain" is important here for it refers to what a person grasps or holds. The gracious woman seeks for honor, while the ruthless man is seeking riches.
The rich man is called "ruthless." This is the Hebrew word which means to be strong, and violent. The word usually refers to a ruler or master who behaves like a tyrant toward those under him . This person is insolent, proud, haughty, and violent. As a result the general attitude toward him by those around him is fear. This ruthless man does not care about true honor or respect. He rules by fear, intimidation, and an overpowering hand and demeanor. What he wants is not respect - but riches. And what we read here is that he grabs all he can get - and attains those riches. . There is little love lost or tears shed when he dies.
The gracious woman is seen in stark contrast to this rich, tyrant. One of the best pictures of this gracious woman is Ruth. She faced an uphill battle her entire life. When her husband died, she was left with nothing - except a sister-in-law who was a widow too - and a mother-in-law whose life was shattered. Ruth chose to be gracious every step of the way. Her daily existence in Israel, -when they moved back- was spent gleaning in fields that were not hers living on the kindness of others. In the midst of all this she was the most gracious of women - not complaining of her circumstances or of the back-breaking work she endured for an entire harvest. She and her mother-in-law endured a very meager existance that entire Fall - yet no complaining was heard from Ruth. She was the picture of a gracious, godly, quiet-spirited woman. She worked hard and was grateful for everything she received.
In the end, Ruth was seen as a woman of honor. Even though she was a foreigner and a Gen-tile, she was seen in the community as a highly honorable woman. She followed customs that were not her own - being obedient to a mother-in-law in the process. Her graciousness was honored in the end though. She was given a new husband - a godly, wealthy, wonderful man named Boaz. Although starting at what had to be the very bottom of society in Israel - God gave her honor in two ways. There was her new husband Boaz - who was a gift from God. There was even a greater honor - and that was her great grandson. His name . . . David. Honor comes to a gracious woman - and that lasts much longer than the riches of the ruthless man. If you do not believe that - just ask Nabal, the rich farmer (1 Sam.25) or the rich man in the gospels- (Luke 12:13-21) Their ruthlessness gained them great riches - for a short season - followed by an eternity in punishment and pain.
Even the wages a sinful person earns are deceptive. He thinks his money will help him to get ahead but finds that ultimately it was of no benefit. On the other hand sowing righteousness (right living) and leading a righteous life will reap rewards that are beneficial and lasting. Righteousness leads to a meaningful life, whereas the way of the evil person leads only to death and eternal separation from God. Evil men may not go unpunished but ultimately can expect only frustration and punishment.
The merciful man does himself good, But the cruel man does himself harm. Proverbs 11:17
There is a way to live that will guarantee that we will be greeted with good from others. There is also a way of living and interacting with others that may give us an advantage in the short term, but in the long term will do us tremendous harm. The difference between these two lifestyles is found in how we treat others - especially when someone has done something wrong to them.
Our proverb begins by introducing us to someone called "the merciful man." This is the man who is gracious to others when they wrong him. He is called the "merciful man" because he delights in showing mercy to others. Mercy is best described this way. Not getting what we deserve. That may not sound all that great until you realize that the context for mercy is when you do something wrong, or act in a way that merits punishment. The man who shows mercy to others is willing to endure wronged. He does not always demand "fair" treatment when it comes to himself. He does not demand his pound of flesh whenever he is wronged. By doing this the Bible says that he does himself good.
There are actually two benefits to being a "mercy-man." The first benefit is that others who receive mercy from you are far more likely to show you mercy as well. Jesus, in the Beatitudes, said this same thing. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." When we show mercy, others are more apt to show us mercy as well. The second benefit is one we receive inwardly. The passage says that we do our souls' good. When we react with anger to every supposed slight and wrong, our spirit and our emotions are in a constant turmoil. That is not healthy for us - because stress levels will be elevated all the time. But when we learn to show mercy (and not take ourselves so seriously in the process) it will do wonders for our stress level.
The end of today's proverb deals with the problems that the "cruel man" brings upon him-self. We read that the cruel man does himself harm. The Hebrew word for "cruel" here means someone who is fierce and who lacks any kind of sensitivity, compassion, or mercy towards others
The way we respond to others will prepare the way for our own treatment in life. That is why the man who chooses to show mercy will have good come upon him . The cruel man has a much different end. Having chosen a lack of compassion throughout his lifetime of interaction with others, he has nothing except the overflow of his own cruelty awaiting him in this life - and the full measure of God's wrath in the next.
The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true re-ward. Proverbs 11:18
There are those who spend their entire lives chasing money and riches. They think that they are receiving good wages for their work and their pursuit. The sad thing that many do not realize until it is too late is that they are living their lives for something that will disappear the moment they die. As Proverbs 11:18 warns us, they are earning deceptive wages. They are placing their hope in something that moth and rust will corrupt, and thieves can break in and steal. If they were wise, they would seek to sow and reap in a way that would bring them a real return for their labor and their efforts.
The second man revealed to us in this proverb is the righteous. A wonderful picture is painted for us of this man's activities. He is a man who "sows" righteousness. He was not looking for a "quick fix" or a wage that would add to his riches. He knows that the "wages" of sin is death. Therefore he knew he needed to "sow" as unto the Lord. Sowing refers to planting things. Sowing involves taking what you have and letting it die as you place it into the ground. But when you do this, it will grow over time into a plant.
You wait and look forward to the time of harvest where you will reap 30, 60, 100 fold what you planted. The righteous man knows that life is a long distance run and not a 100 yard sprint. He knows that every day you need to sow according to God's Word. You sow godly choices and a godly lifestyle that is defined by God's Law - and lived out by Christ's presence and power within. When you do this you plant in such a way as to harvest for God's glory and honor. You do not sow to the flesh and the world. You sow righteousness - and you reap the fruit of the Spirit as God works in and through you. The man who does this received a "true" reward. This man is wanting the reward that comes from knowing and loving God. He wants the reward that is promised by God in His covenant with us. He is investing in a relationship with God - sowing obedience and submission to Him. That is why he receives exactly what he has sown. It is a true reward. It is a covenant reward. It is a Scriptural reward. It is God's reward to the ones who live for righteousness and - for His glory.
This is only one way to a fruitful life – pursue it faithfully and righteously, as unto the Lord. Sinners cheat themselves! They plan and labor toward a goal, but they either miss their target, or they are unhappy once they get it. On the other hand, the righteous diligently and patiently pursue their objectives, and they either obtain what they sought, or they find equal or greater peace and pleasure without it. What a contrast in lives!
Consider the proverb. The deceitful work of the wicked is the elusiveness of success. He aims for pleasure by sin. He pursues his lusts, but the results never satisfy his craving heart or body. Compare the two clauses to prove this interpretation. The wicked man compares to the righteous. The deceitful work compares to the sure reward. Therefore, the righteous man gets what he patiently pursues, but the wicked end up deceived.
Consider some examples. Satan promised Eve she could be like God by rejecting His command and eating the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:1-5). The first terrible results arrived immediately, but they did never end (Gen 3:6-24; 5:5; Rev 20:11-15). On the other hand, Satan offered the world’s kingdoms to Jesus, but He endured the temptation, and now He rules heaven and earth (Matt 4:8-11; Heb 12:1-3). He obtained the sure reward.
Amnon fell sick with lust for his beautiful half sister, so he conspired and raped her, but the con-sequences were totally unsatisfying and cost him his life (II Sam 13:1-39). On the other hand, Isaac at 40 and Jacob at 77 trusted their fathers for direction about wives, and they both ended up with beautiful women who feared God – Rebekah and Rachel – and a great progeny. Amnon was deceived, but the two patriarchs found a sure reward.
Israel murmured and complained about manna until they forced God to give them quail. He gave it to them – three feet high in every direction as far as they could walk in a day, but He killed many for their lust and sent leanness into the souls of the rest (Ps 106:13-15). On the other hand, a little salad or a dry morsel is more than enough for two people walking with God and in love and at peace with each other (Pr 15:17; 17:1).
The man who works himself to death to get ahead seldom enjoys the riches he gathers, for he had no time to relax and enjoy them, and then he is gone. While hearing of his growing assets, he finds himself discontent and wanting more (Ec 5:10). But a righteous man does not even want the danger or vanity of riches, so he prays for modest income and assets rather than wealth, and he is thrilled with the convenient outcome (Pr 30:7-9).
A righteous man may not see his reward for a while, for sowing is a term taken from farming, where men wait many weeks and even months for the reward of a harvest. The exhortation is to never faint, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal 6:9). Do you believer this dear reader?
This rule is so true and weighty that Solomon repeated it often – righteousness extends life, wickedness shortens life (Pr 3:2,16; 4:10; 8:36; 9:11; 10:16,27; 11:4; 12:28; 19:23). Once you know this rule, then your duty is clear – learn righteousness from the Bible and live it, and identify and reject the evil lifestyles of the foolish world around you. Simple!
How does righteousness tend to life? It provides contentment and peace for the soul. It brings God’s supernatural blessings. It leads to association with helpful and peaceful men. It avoids the diseases of sin. It is no crime deserving of capital punishment. It puts even dangerous men at peace with you. It reduces accidents through cautious prudence.
Some sinners live long lives, and some righteous men die young. What about that? Will you scorn the proverb (Pr 13:1; 14:6; 26:12)? God considers many factors in the length of your life. This proverb is one main factor. He may take a righteous man early in mercy (Is 57:1-2). He may allow a wicked man a portion now before eternal torment (Ps 17:14).
The world spends billions on life extension through medicine, exercise, nutrition, and other secondary factors, but wise men will rejoice at this proverb and make it the chief goal of life (Eccl 12:13-14). They will relish God’s promise to grant a good and long life to those who will merely honor their parents (Ex 20:12; Deut 5:16; Eph 6:2-3). Simple!
He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life, And he who pursues evil will bring about his own death. Proverbs 11:19
Here we find life gained and life lost. Both life gained and lost have to do with what we pursue and steadfastly desire in our walk on earth. It is no shock to us to learn that those who are steadfast in their desire and pursuit of righteousness are those who receive life. The word "steadfast" here means to set something up so that it will be firm and established. Here it refers to how someone views righteousness - and pursues it in their lives. Are you building a life whose foundation is laid in God's view of righteousness - or more simply put, in what God says is right? That is the life Christ referred to in Matthew 7 when He spoke about foundations. The one who hears the Word of God and heeds it - he is the man who has built his foundation on a rock. When the winds and storms of life come upon that man, as they surely will, his house will stand. That is why the steadfast in righteousness will attain to life.
The life lost is the one that is actively pursuing evil. Consider King Ahab in the Old Testament, along with his wicked wife, Jezebel. They pursued evil together. They excelled in it - and ran after it with an ever-growing lust for more. They worshipped false gods, stole, killed, and plotted their way to the top. When at the top they continued in their ways of evil - and heartily encouraged all of Israel to follow their foolish example. It is no wonder then that they both brought about their own death.
Ahab foolishly ignored the prophetic statements of Miciah, who warned him that God had al-lowed a deceiving spirit to move among Ahab's false prophets - so that he could be lured to his death in battle. Ahab's response was to imprison the prophet - and have him fed with barely enough bread and water to survive until he returned from battle. Miciah's fateful last words to him were, "If you return, the Lord has not spoken through me." In another desperate but foolish move, Ahab then disguised himself and did not wear his royal robes into battle. Thinking he had cheated death and God - he went into battle feeling safe. We read in Kings that a random archer shot an arrow into the air - and God guided that arrow so that it hit a joint in Ahab's armor. Badly wounded, he retreated to watch the battle from a distance until he died in his chariot.
Jezebel, having learned of a plot to destroy her family and their legacy in Israel, painted herself and called to her Jehu from a tower. Thinking herself safe there - Jehu asked ," who is on my side?" Two or three eunuchs looked down from the window. and he called for the men in the tower to throw her down. They did so and Jehu crushed her beneath his horses and chariot wheels. These two who pursued evil so passionately both brought about their own death be-cause of their rebellion against God. - 2 Kings 9:30-37.
This verse talks about a connection between righteousness and life, which is interesting. I mean it totally makes sense on one hand, since we know that God is the light of life, that he has granted us a portion of his spirit... Romans tells us that to be carnally minded is death and to be spiritually minded is life and peace (8:6). Proverbs 3:2 makes a similar connection, telling us that "length of days" and "long life" are the result of keeping the commandments.
On the other hand, most of the time that connection is presented as symbolic or spiritual, not necessarily about physical death... and the evidence of our own lives shows us that the righteous and the innocent don't always have long lives while the unrighteous and the corrupt some-times do.
The perverse in heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their walk are His delight. Proverbs 11:20
When God uses the word "abomination" it is only when it is about things that are very serious - and very wrong. This proverb uses that word as well as the word "delight." We have before us a proverb that tells us what God hates, as well as what He loves.
What God considers to be an abomination it is someone who is perverse in heart. Since we know that Scripture says that our hearts are the watercourse of our lives - this is a very serious problem. The fundamental center of this person's decision-making process is crooked and twisted. God considers such a man an abomination. In case we need to know what the word abomination means, we can know that it means a person who is loathsome or disgusting
Before we jump to a conclusion and state that God shouldn't feel this way about someone, we need to remind ourselves why Satan was cast our of heaven. It is because he had a perverse heart that lifted himself above God. The heart of the devil is a despicable thing - and God abhors it - and all those who seek to function with that same flawed, perverse thinking will fall under the same ban
But before we think this proverb is just about the evil, we have an equal and opposite action and attitude as well. The Lord delights in those who are blameless in their walk. They seek to honor and obey God in all things. This is not just in isolated incidents, but speaks of their entire way of life. We see the Hebrew word which speaks of a lifestyle. It is their way of life - to seek to be blameless before God and man. The Lord loves such a person - and finds His delight in watching them honor Him throughout their day. In the end, this is due as well to the state of their heart as well. They delight in obeying Him - and He delights in their obedience.
Assuredly, the evil man will not go unpunished, But the descendants of the righteous will be delivered. Proverbs 11:21
Punishment is something people do not want to discuss. We live in a day when we are un-comfortable talking about people being punished. Yet Scripture makes it very clear that God is going to bring judgment upon the wicked and the evil.
The proverb says, "assuredly" as it begins. This phrase means "without a doubt" It speaks of those who are evil. There are many evil men and women who feel that if they join hands - their evil can prevail. One of the most famous of biblical examples of this is the people who joined together to build the Tower of Babel. They did this so that they would not be scattered. They constructed the tower in rebellion against God. Their thought was that together their project would prevail against God's will. But this is why the verse opens up with this statement - assuredly. Thus we know that even though every wicked man and woman on the planet were to join hands to stand against God - the fact is that they will not go unpunished. God's judgment will prevail - and His authority and power will prevail over any who choose evil. The evil man will be punished - end of story.
But there is more - because God promises that the righteous will be delivered from the wrath of God. He promises that there will be deliverance for the seed of the righteous. God is going to destroy the wicked - but His grace will cause the righteous to be delivered from that judgment and wrath. The righteous here are not those who are self-righteous - but rather those who are righteous by faith. They have believed on the lamb of God who was slain from the foundation of the world. Their righteousness was not based on their own works - but rather on the work of Jesus Christ. This is what will deliver the righteous from the judgment of God. They are delivered because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is what speaks for them before a holy God.
Remember this . . . one man will face punishment - while another will be delivered from the wrath of God. One embraces evil - the other what is right. In the end the one who chose righteousness made the truly wise choice. For no matter how many hands were gathered together - they will never stand before a holy God. All that will matter in that day is whether we have the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion. -Proverbs 11:22
Poetry packs a punch because of its vivid imagery. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a word picture must be worth thousands. Proverbs 11:22 contains just such a figure of speech.
True Beauty is something that goes beyond the mere outward appearance of a person. The wise man realizes this and sees through a person with outward beauty who inwardly is very ugly to behold. To help with this task, God gives us a picture that is both a little bit funny as well is so graphic that we will not soon forget it.
If one is honest about things, he would have to admit that a ring of gold is not going to beautify a swine. There is no pig or hog that we are going to consider beautiful simply because we give him a gold ring in his nose. It is still a pig. The ring is still a thing of beauty, but its location on a swine ruins the object of beauty completely. The pig is no more desirable than before and now the ring of gold has been devalued. God uses this picture to put a certain response into our minds. It doesn’t matter how pretty that ring is, it’s gross when it is in a pig’s snout! Now God is ready for His comparison.
God’s second picture begins with a beautiful woman. The word beautiful simply means something lovely. It was used of Sarah, Tamar, and Esther to speak of a beauty so great that others saw these women and desired them. Theirs was a striking beauty that set them apart from other women. So God speaks of this strikingly beautiful woman whose beauty should be desirable, except for one problem. She lacks discretion. What is discretion? It is knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress
If a woman is very good looking yet lacks discretion , she is about as pretty as a pig with a gold ring in its snout. The point God wants to get across is that she’s ugly! Doesn’t matter how pretty she is - if she lacks discretion - the trait of judging wisely and objectively. - she’s ugly! Things get worse when you begin to get the comparison. The swine in this picture is loud mouth and lacking refinement - the beautiful woman . . . she’s just a ring of gold hanging from the swine’s snout. Her beauty is ruined by her lack of discretion when it comes to judging wisely and objectively God is wanting us to get the picture!
It is easy for men to become so enamored by a woman’s physical appeal that they forget their own commitment to holiness. Proverbs 11:22 calls upon men to have the sense to see that a gorgeous woman with no virtue should have the appeal of a gold ring encrusted with crud. And it also calls upon women to cultivate the imperishable beauty of a heart gleaming with Christ. That is the sort of beauty that will never go to waste.
