The Word 10/27

Getting the most out of your Days

One of the central themes of Proverbs is the FEAR OF THE LORD.  From the very beginning of Proverbs in Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction, to the very end in Proverbs 31 where the virtuous woman is known and praised for fearing the Lord, (Prov. 31:30) the fear of the Lord is taught as the way to experience a blessed life here on earth.   Occasionally it is contrasted with the fool or with the wicked as it is here in Proverbs 10:27.  Most of the time we find the BENEFITS that come from having a right relationship with God in which He is acknowledged as God and one stands in AWE of HIm offering adoration and obedience.  

In contrast to having a right relationship with God is to have a wrong relationship with God.  Here we see the WICKED who do what is WRONG in God’s sight.  They have no desire to obey what He says.  There is no fear of the Lord with them.  Romans 3:18  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

One can do a study of both those who fear the Lord and those who are wicked and quickly find that life is very different.  Here the one who fears the Lord receives prolonged days.  The idea is they GET MORE OUT OF THE 24 hours.  While the wicked are in constant fear of being caught for something they did and having to cover up things they did they are missing out on life.  Those living right with God will not have perfect lives but they will not be reaping the consequences of wickedness.

One of my favorite verses about the fear of the Lord is Proverbs 19:23. It says, “The fear of the LORD leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.

The wicked do not have a satisfying life.  For example (and these are but a few as the word wicked in mentioned 86 times in Proverbs and 85 times in Psalms.)
Proverbs 3:33  The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked
Proverbs 4:19 The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble.
Proverbs 5:22  His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, And he is caught in the cords of his sin.
Proverbs 10:7  The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.
Proverbs 11:5  The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness.
Proverbs 11:21 Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.
Proverbs 12:7  The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand.
Proverbs 13:25  The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
Proverbs 15:9  The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves him who follows righteousness.
Proverbs 24:16  For a righteous person may fall seven times and rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

And I can go on and on.  The lifestyle of the wicked may be pleasurable and profitable for a time but it is only for a short time.  Bad things do come to those who are bad.

I will say that one needs to be very serious about choosing or not choosing to fear the Lord.  In Proverbs 1:29 – 31 (the conclusion to chapter 1) we read “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, and they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. 31 They will therefore eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. 32  For the turning away of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;  33  But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.”

Choose to FEAR THE LORD, choosing to fear Him as if your very life depended on it because it does.  Listen to Proverbs 4:14 and “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil.”

Verse to DATE the Word on October 27 (10/27) is Proverbs 10:27.  It says, “The fear of the Lord prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.”

Continue Strong fearing the Lord,
And remember to DATE the WORD