Featured Scripture
Proverbs 24:16
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
Preface
I was drawn to this passage, Proverb 24:16 today during my reflection and meditation. As I began to unpack this verse I was reminded of the extremely dangerous level of evil that has permeated the collective heart of humanity. Even though the Word of God states that in the latter days, there will come times of difficulty it is very disheartening to witness the magnitude of organized cruelty.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 2 Timothy 3:1-4
Even Solomon took issue with the absence of apparent retribution for the evil in his generation, such is the case today, whereas there is an apparent delay in justice for the evildoers of our generation.
Consider Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 8:11, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.“
Both saints and sinners alike have become disheartened when they see evil prevail on the earth. In the natural realm, it may appear that God has delayed His justice, but at the appointed time, He will without a doubt reveal His deliverance.
David wrote, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” Psalm 37:1-2.
Our Lord Holds Our Hand
For the righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. Proverbs 24:16
In the above verse, the writer of Proverbs identifies that those who are righteous depict any person who is just, law-abiding, and ethical in character. Despite these moral qualities, each human will experience a series of falls in this life.
The Scripture context of those who are righteous in falling communicates that they will have to face calamities whether planned or unplanned. Throughout Scripture, the expression “seven times” implies the amount of possible fallings of the righteous is an uncertain number of times.
The wonderful goodness is that as many times that those who are just and faithful to God do fall, the writer says that they will get up! Another way to express this promise is that within their calamity, God will enable them to abide, to be upheld, strengthen, and to be successful.
Just consider a powerful cross-reference Scripture that God communicates just how the righteous will get up, which is in Psalm 37:24- Adonai directs a person’s steps, and He delights in his way. He may stumble, but he won’t fall headlong, for Adonai holds him by the hand. CJB
A clearer definition of the word, headlong in the text, communicates God will enable him or her to not be cast aside into exile. This is not so with the fate of the evil doers.
Those who are wicked, are defined in this Proverb as “criminals, evil men and women, and those who are morally depraved.” These are the very ones who will stumble, for they will be brought down, falling upon misfortune and or divine judgment.
Within this Proverb 24, the wisdom of God is given to and is practiced by those who have the understanding of God while they are faithfully living within “space and time”. They are considered wise and strong. The contrast is those who are fools in that they plan to do evil, and violence, while their lips speak of making trouble.
God’s Providential Care for His People
The wisdom within this passage of Proverbs is a spiritual warning to those who conspire to attack or plot against those who are the “righteous” of God. The righteous of God are all those who are in covenant with God.
The contrasting evil doers and those who lack spiritual wisdom, their life’s outcome will be futile. Those who are lawful and just before the Lord will fall into life’s calamities, yet, they will arise again because their steps are established by the Lord God.
The wonderful spiritual promise of God’s providential care for His faithful people serves as a powerful faith-producing reality in the lives of those who are making a stand for righteousness in an evil generation. The fate of evil-doers is that they will be brought down even in a single distress or even worst, they may suffer God’s divine judgment.
One of the distinguishing marks of a post-resurrection faithful disciple of Christ is the result of enmity with the world. The ongoing battle between the seeds of darkness against the seeds of Light which is Christ in this generation is intense. The words of the Master remind us that we will have to endure persecution on earth as this reality will persist until the end of this age.
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you” John 15:18-19.
The disciple of Christ in this generation may not desire persecution, but he/she can depend on it.
God Will be Vindicated
God’s justice and love were clearly shown and displayed at the Cross John 3:16. God’s justice poured the punishment of our sin on His Son for redemption for all nations. And, if God punished His innocent Son for us, we know, that He will certainly judge the evildoers at the appointed time.
The Scriptures says, “We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and men” 1 Corinthians 4:9. The universe is watching as we play a divine role in the great controversy between good and evil. When the controversy ends, every living soul will fully understand the principles of both kingdoms and will have decided to follow either Christ or Satan. Philippians 2:10
Those who have chosen to ally with evil and Satan will be destroyed with him Psalm 37:38, and God’s covenantal people will be taken to the eternal safety of their heavenly home 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
On the day of Judgment, God will vindicate His people and take vengeance on the evil one and judge all those that caused so much pain and suffering for His children.
“Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee” Jeremiah 5`:36. For every blow that strikes the saints strikes the Lord Isaiah 63:9; Matthew 10:40; 25:34-46. He says: “he who touches you touches the apple of His eye” Zechariah 2:8. [reference material used in this section was an article “Why does God delay the delivery of Justice?” July 16, 2022, Bible Ask]
Grace and Peace
Brother Alonzo
