The King James version translates this verse in this way:
Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.Remember when we have studied verses that mention scorners? Let's refresh for a moment:
If we go all the way back to chapter 9 of Proverbs, the scorner is linked to the totally wicked man in verse 7, and he's the opposite of a wise man in verse 8. In Proverbs 13:1 he refuses to listen to rebuke, and in 14:6, he can't find wisdom even when he looks for it!
Mr. Scorner won't go the the wise man for advise, and he doesn't like people who correct him, in Proverbs 15:12. Character? Let's see, in chapter 21, he's described as proud, haughty, arrogant, and constantly angry and proud. Blechh. Not a person that I want to be around, how about you?
Well, the reason for all of those details was to get to this: when scorners rule a nation or a city, that place is in deep trouble. We truly need a wise man or wise leaders to run our nation, instead of scornful, wicked ones. Scornful rulers will impose their own will and views on their citizens, and wicked leaders will allow or even contribute to the moral decay of their nation.
Some people will look around with their rose-colored glasses on, and ignore the things that they should see, the things that are wrong and against God's loving guidance. They want to pretend that the world is a lovely place full of lovely things and lovely people. God sees the sin --- he loves the sinners, remember that -- and the wickedness of the world. Our world can't help the decay it is in, I guess, with the people that we hold up as ones to admire and emulate. We keep putting the same kinds of people in power, and then wonder why we have to try so hard to pull our nation back to its senses and try to restore some sanity.
Ever wonder why God's wrath has not come down yet on us? I think the answer is in the second half of the verse . . . wise men turn away wrath. There is a remnant, a minority, a small number of wise and holy people in this world, and they are prayer warriors. I truly believe that is why the "shoe has not dropped" and judgement come down. The wise men and women of America are praying for God to have mercy; they are asking for time to reach out and invite more to experience God's love.
Are we some of the wise men and women, who are turning away His wrath?
I have been reading lately in the Old Testament, the history books of the Kings, and the prophets. It is uncanny that, though they were writing thousands of years ago, it sounds like they are describing the shape of things as they are now. God's patience with us never ceases to amaze me!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. God's patience is outside our scope, that's for sure. But He has a plan and it will be fulfilled in His own time. We can only stand in awe that He has chosen us to be joint heirs with His Son!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Cathy on how similar our world today is with the old testament issues. I heard Rev. Billy Graham say on GMA one day several years ago that the four horsemen are riding, and the Apocalypse will happen, but we can delay it by prayer. I suppose that's pretty much it in a nutshell. There are enough of us praying for our leaders, for our country and for our sinful world, that God is delaying punishment. I pray I'm gone to my reward when that punishment finally comes to pass!!
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