Proverbs 12:13, The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.  Part II

 In our last lesson regarding this proverb we ended by discussing the God given responsibility of parents to bring consequences into the lives of their children, while they are children, in order to prevent drastic consequences befalling them when they are mature. 

 This is what love does!   

We know that when God created us he placed us in a moral universe and made it thus with an agreement that He will do his part in order for us to do our part. 

 We are laborers together with God in this moral universe and our part and mode of operation is defined clearly in God’s word

 The book of Proverbs is filled with cause and effect, action and consequences that show how God has so constructed his creation.

 God’s creation has within it snares or traps designed to press his creation into what God wills for it. 

 That is what it means when we say this is a moral universe for it is a universe that is to conform to what God has designed it to be.

 And we see this in our proverb for a man who does wickedness will be revealed by what comes forth from his lips.

 This tells us that within a man’s fallen nature is the propensity to have the outcome of that nature revealed by that nature and with that revelation is to come consequences. 

 And the consequences are built in the wicked man’s actions against others for in using nets to trap others, God has a snare to trap him.

 And one of those snares as given in our proverb is the transgression of his lips.

In the first chapter of the Epistle of James he speaks of that which comes out of the mouth at times as a fire that will defile the whole body and that the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

 Our proverb tells us that the deadly poison not only poisons those to whom the words are aimed but poisons or ensnares the one speaking the words. 

 We all know that most sin is caused by the spoken word. 

 Most sin is caused by the thoughtless release of words that have not been filtered through the principles of God’s word.

 And therefore he who is thoughtless as to what comes out of his mouth will most certainly ensnare himself sooner or later.

 Think about what gets you in trouble and you will conclude it is that which comes out of your mouth. 

 In our natural state we all can be foolish and speak before thinking and say things that are cruel or disrespectful or even at times blasphemous. 

 These are words which have built in traps put there by God to honor his word which says, Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. 

 We sow foolish words, we sow cruel or disrespectful words and we reap heaps of difficulties that drop on our own head with all kinds of punishments, both spiritual, mental and physical.

 I know, and you know from personal experiences, of the many times immediately after saying something, how wrong it was to say it. 

 It is as if the trap of God springs shut on our mouth. 

 Proverbs 16:23 gives us the antidote for such faults for it tells us: The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

 When we enter the family of God there is course work to do. 

 There is a curriculum to complete.  There is homework to do!

 The textbook is the Bible for in it you will find instruction for your mouth, and learning for your lips. 

 It will tell you one way to keep the transgression of your lips is to cut down the output of your lips.

For in Proverbs 17:27-28 we are given,   He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.   Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

So God wants his children to use words with discretion and wisdom and that takes consideration of what they will be before they are issued. 

 It just makes sense that the more words that come forth the more sin comes forth and that sin is the kind of sin that will backfire.

 And Course number two of God’s curriculum is the ability to go into a mode of wrath slowly and with great consideration. 

 The Bible does not contemn wrath but it does contemn the flying off the handle kind of wrath. 

 That saying, flying off the handle describes clearly what that quick wrath brings for that saying refers to the sudden flying off the handle of an ax-head. 

 When that happens there is no control of where the ax-head goes and no control of the consequences of that sharp and heavy iron. 

 Hasty angry words result in all kinds of snares.

 So Proverbs 14:29 is given to us so that we know that truth, He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

 And these quick words uttered without consideration reveal one whom God calls a fool and careful words, well thought out words reveal one whom God calls wise,

For we read in Proverbs 29:11, A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

And in Proverbs 29:20, Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

And see how carefully words are crafted in Proverbs 15:28, The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.

And then God directs us to Course number three of the curriculum by telling us to be very careful in making vows. 

It is so easy to promise but so hard to perform especially when they have no ability to perform. 

What have you told God you will do?   

And are you calling upon God for the ability to do it or have you forgotten your vow? 

Again in vow making there is a snare: Proverbs 20:25, It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. 

Some easily make vows to serve God but end up serving themselves.   

A vow sets you apart as holy unto the Lord.   

A vow separates you for God’s use but if you devour yourself for your own purposes you are devouring that which is holy, that which has been set apart.

Jesus said in Luke 9:62, ......No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

His hand to the plow is the vow and the looking back is the inquiry.  

A Bishop Hall in his commentary on Proverbs said this:  "He entangleth his soul in the snares of death, who resumeth unto a profane use that which is once consecrated unto God, and who, after he hath vowed aught unto the Lord, argues within himself, how to alter that holy purpose, and to defeat God of his due."

Too many times we so carelessly vow, perhaps in an emotional environment and afterwards ask God how can this promise be retracted?

So many are much more ready in making vows than in paying vows.

Their life is built on shows of affection that are based upon some pleasant experience or some emotional sermon or service.

Preachers and teachers, witnesses for Christ be careful in pressing people into vow making for God takes vows very seriously.

There is much more course work to complete concerning the use of the lips and doing so is what causes the last phrase of our proverb which says: the just shall come out of trouble.  

The first part of this proverb concerns a snare, a trap, that which hinders, but the second part concerns a coming out, a freedom, a liberty.   

The Apostle Paul wrote this to the Galatians in 5:1:  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

The wicked are entangled in the yoke of bondage for they are enslaved to a nature from which emancipation or release is impossible.   

Man cannot change his nature by any means regardless of what the world proclaims as it brings forth all kinds of solutions to man’s problems. 

This question is asked by Jeremiah in 13:23, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. 

Of course the answer is no. 

A man cannot change his skin, a leopard comes into the world with spots. 

These things are fixed and the dilemma continues with the basic nature of man.

Any solutions that man proposes are simply Band-Aids, cover ups, new leaf turning, which may moderate behavior but the basic nature is never changed.

This truth is so obvious to any thinking person as this earthly life brings repeats of that which has already occurred.

Every new generation experiences the same results as past generations. 

Technological changes come quickly but they still come upon a people whose basic nature is the same as it was when Adam sinned.  

The wicked are trapped in themselves and can find no release but our proverb says the just shall come out of trouble.

And this coming out is only provided by a divine act.   

Jesus begins this process of coming out of trouble telling Nicodemus the Pharisee, you cannot see the kingdom of God.   

Your basic nature will not allow you to see past your senses.   

In order for you to come out of trouble I must make you a new creation and I will do that by bringing you into my kingdom by the means of a completely new birth, a birth such as you have never experienced.   

And in so doing I will release you from the trap, the snare of your old nature and you will indeed come out of trouble. 

God does not leave this new creation there but now enters into a relationship with this new creature as a father.   

And as a father would provide all good things to his son, so to it is with God who promises to never leave this new son, nor forsake this new son.  

God does not deal in band-aids, cover ups, new leaf turning for God brings forth a new creation, a creation who will bring glory to his maker.   

And God provides this new man with the tools to do that.   

The just are brought to God’s school where they study to show themselves what it is that gets the approval of God, what it is to be a workman for God whose work is such as to not be ashamed.   

A workman taught in God’s word in order to rightly divide the word of truth and in so doing he shall come out of trouble. 

The Apostle Peter told us this when in 2 Peter 2:9a he wrote: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,  

God’s sons do not need human wisdom to escape for God knows how to deliver them.   

God’s sons are to believe this and to trust that God will indeed deliver them. 

The Psalmist believed this for in Psalm 50:15 we read:  And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 

And in Psalm 37:39, But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 

The world is becoming a fearful place, a place where violence is filling the earth.   

It is a time when men’s hearts tremble at what they see and hear but again our father calls upon us to trust him to do us right.

For we are told in Proverbs 3:25,26 from the New King James version of the Bible:

Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; ²⁶ For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.  

Another reminder:  the just shall come out of trouble.

And again in Proverbs 1:33, But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

We talked about a moral universe, we brought into our conversation the admonition: 

Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap applying it to the wicked but God applies that also to the righteous for he says that whosoever soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

How to sow to the Spirit is clearly given in:

Proverbs 2:1-12, My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; ² So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; ³ Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; ⁴ If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; ⁵ Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. ⁶ For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. ⁷ He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. ⁸ He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. ⁹ Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. ¹⁰ When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; ¹¹ Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: ¹² To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

Indeed, God our Father, delivers on his promise that the just shall be come out of trouble. 

Just meditate on God’s ultimate deliverance given in: I Thess. 4:16-18, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.