Solomon discusses some matters today dealing with law and order, with the laws of God and with the laws of an organized society. He urges his son to be a godly man, a man who respects the word of God and the laws of the land.
"Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, 'But we knew nothing about this,' does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not He who guards your life know it? Will He not repay everyone according to what they have done?" (Proverbs 24:11-12) We ought to care about the lost. When we get to heaven, and God asks us why we never shared the gospel of Jesus Christ, it won't do us any good to shrug our shoulders and say, "We didn't know our friends and neighbors were lost. And besides that, we thought it was their own business to find their way to Christ. We didn't want to interfere." The Lord Jesus never taught about a private faith. He never told us to maintain a silent faith that we hold secretly within our hearts. Instead He said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." (Mark 16:15)
"Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." (Proverbs 24:13-14) In Solomon's day you couldn't go to Kroger and buy honey in the little bear-shaped containers. It was found only in the wild, where a traveling man might suddenly come upon a beehive on his journey. This was an unexpected but welcome treat, so Solomon says, "My son, you should desire wisdom as eagerly as you desire to eat the honey you find along your journey. It should taste as sweet on your tongue. It should be just as satisfying. A man who is faint with hunger will find renewed strength and hope after he partakes of the honey. In the same way, the man who is faint with the cares of this world and with the heavy burden of his sins will find renewed strength and hope when he finds the wisdom of the word of God."
"Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes." (Proverbs 24:15-16) Solomon taught us in Proverbs 3:28 not to mistreat those around us, "Do not plot harm against your neighbor who lives trustfully near you." Burglary is a terrible sin. People go off to work or go about the business of their lives and expect to come back to find things in their houses exactly as they left them, not knowing that someone was lying in wait to rob them of the things they've worked for. Burglary committed when the homeowner is present is even worse, for violence usually ensues.
Just this month in my community a young man was arrested for beating, raping, and robbing his 89-year-old neighbor who later died from her injuries. She lived trustfully by him, not suspecting the wickedness that was in his heart. If he's charged with capital murder, as seems likely at this point, he faces life in prison without parole or even the death penalty. We shake our heads over such stories in the news and wonder what the world is coming to and wonder how much longer God is going to be able to stand it before He brings judgment on the world. In Solomon's day similar crimes happened and the public wondered what the outcome would be, so the king asks, "Does God not judge such things? Does He not have His eye on the righteous? Does He not punish the wicked? Of course He does! Whether or not human courts find the evil person guilty, we can rest assured that someday the offender will stand before our holy Judge, and that will be a terrifying day indeed. That will be a day of darkness and despair, a day when the offender can offer no excuse. He has no excuse, only the expectation of judgment."
It's human nature for us to rejoice when a wicked person gets what's coming to him, especially when that particular person who did harm to us gets what's coming to him. But Solomon warns the godly not to gloat in the day of calamity. "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn His wrath away from them." (Proverbs 24:17-18) This is the type of advice that can be difficult to follow, but it's unseemly for the children of God to shout with joy or dance in the streets when an evil person falls under judgment. There should be something in our hearts that sorrows over the lost condition of our fellow man. There should be a sense of sadness over a wasted life.
The county I live in was shocked and saddened about what happened to the 89-year-old member of our community. We were relieved when law enforcement found the perpetrator and placed him behind bars where he can't hurt anyone else. But at the same time we look at his mug shot in the newspaper and wonder where he went so horribly wrong. What wayward path did this young man follow that caused him to waste his life this way and to take the life of another? We can be thankful for justice and sorrowful for the lost soul at the same time. We can thank God for keeping His promise to punish our enemies while also feeling sad about the lost condition of our enemy's soul. Jesus never told us not to expect the judgment of our enemies, but He still told us to pray for them. (Matthew 5:44) We are to pray when our enemy falls, not dance excitedly in the streets and send celebratory gifts to our friends. This is very hard to do, for it goes against our carnal natures, but it will make us more like Christ.
Solomon concludes today with one more piece of advice regarding law and order. "Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?" (Proverbs 24:21-22) The king instructs his son, "Fear the Lord and obey His laws. Obey Him first, but also obey the laws of the land. Live peaceably with those around you. Do not trespass against the word of God and do not trespass against your fellow man. Judgment will fall if you break the laws of God or the laws of the king. Don't join in with evildoers who plot against the righteous. God is watching. The king is watching. The one who is a lawbreaker will not go unpunished."
As king of Israel, Solomon had an intense interest in the law and order of his nation. He yearned to see everyone doing what was right, but when they did not, he was thankful that there were laws and penalties in place to deal with crime. The King of kings feels the same way. He yearns for us to do what is right, but if we do not, laws and penalties are in place to deal with our waywardness. If we obey our King we can live in the light of His favor. We can live without fear of judgment falling down upon our heads. Today's passage is not teaching salvation by works, but instead it deals with the natural outcome of our deeds. The one who lives in sinful wickedness is a lawbreaker, and lawbreakers must be punished. The one who obeys the laws of the land can walk in freedom without fear of arrest and imprisonment. In the same way, the one who trespasses against God's laws is in danger of judgment at every moment, but the one who respects and keeps God's laws enjoys the favor of the Lord. King Solomon was pleased with the righteous, and so is our God and King.
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