Proverbs 2:21-22: Opposites

For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it;

But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it. Proverbs 2:21-22

These two verses are about contrast. Upright vs Wicked and Blameless vs Unfaithful. 

Upright: that which is right, pleasing in the eyes of, agreeable to God

Wicked: one guilty of crime, deserving punishment; guilty of hostility to God

Blameless: wholesome, unimpaired, innocent, having integrity: of God's way

Unfaithful: act or deal treacherously, faithlessly, deceitfully

Agreeable to God vs Hostile to God. Integrity vs Deceit. Opposites. And each is a choice as to the Verbs and modifiers you choose. 

My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you... Proverbs 2:1. Receive and Treasure God's words of wisdom....

Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths. Proverbs 2:14, 15 Rejoice in doing evil, delight in perversion.....

Contrast. Opposites. Choices. Actions and Results. Cause and Effect. 

Which group to you fall under? Upright or wicked? Blameless or Unfaithful. Remember you are to using your own personal standard to decide. The standard is set by God. 

When one fears God and has a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31) then the choice will be to listen to Wisdom and act in accordance with God's Word. 

Proverbs 2:16-20: Verbs, Adverbs, Adjectives

To deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words,

Who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God.

For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead;

None who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life—

So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. Proverbs 2:16-20

Wisdom continues to DELIVER us from those who would lead us astray. 

Deliver: rescue, recover

Immoral: strange woman, harlot

Seductress: outlandish, stranger

Flatters: be smooth, slippery, lie, forge, fabricate

Forsakes: be remote, absent, depart

Companion: friend, intimate

Youth: early life

Forgets: omits

Covenant: alliance of marriage

God: Yahweh is God in truth

House: abode

Leads: cause to dwindle, to sink

Death: state of death or place of death

Paths: entrenchment

Dead:  powerless ones

Go to: of taking part in; associating

Return: of revival from death

Regain: reach, attain to

Paths: path of life, in righteousness & enjoyment of God

Righteousness: as welfare and happiness; spiritual blessedness

So: purpose, intentWalk: go, come, accompany

Way: of moral action and character

Goodness: pleasant to the higher nature, giving pleasure, happiness, prosperity

Keep: observe, celebrate obligations

Paths: of mode of living, or of character

Righteousness: in conduct and character, ethically

As Wisdom continues to deliver us from the wrong paths and decisions, I love that Wisdom doesn't just send us on our way to figure it out for ourselves. Rather, there is a purpose and intent given so that we know our goal—to accompany Wisdom and enjoy happiness as we celebrate our obligations, our promises to God. There is a strong contrast between the one who forsakes Wisdom and the one who chooses Wisdom. And that contrast is evident in their character and their conduct. 

Verbs are actions leading to an end result.

Adverbs express manner, place, frequency, level of certainty. Answering: how, in what way, when, where, and to what extent.

Adjective: a describing word, qualifying a noun, providing more information about the object signified.

Proverbs is providing not only the VERBS (action to be done) but also gives Adverbs and Adjectives, so that there is a clear distinction and understanding of the consequences of the action. 

The decision is which adverbs and adjectives will you choose? "Wisdom" or "Other"

When a heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), the the choice is easier to recognize and carry out. Verbs require action. Adverbs and Adjectives modify and clarify. 

Proverbs 2:13-15: Deliverance

From those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, and who are devious in their paths; Proverbs 2:13-15

These verses are a continuation of what Wisdom will DELIVER us. 

Leave: forsake, fail to follow, obey advice, instruction, wisdom, reproof

Paths: mode of living, or of character

Uprightness: straightness, evenness, of paths (with moral implication)

Walk: mode of life, action

Darkness: evil, sin

Rejoice:  joyful, showing joy

Doing: absolute act, act with effect

Evil: distress, misery, injury, calamity

Delight: rejoice

Perversity: fraud

Wicked: deeds of evil

Ways: destructive ways

Crooked: twisted, perverted

Devious: craftiness, cunning

Paths: course of action, or life

As I was studying the meaning of these verses, I thought, "Why would anyone follow deception and wickedness? Why would on choose a path of destruction? Can't they see the end result?" 

Yet, often when we find ourselves following after those who forsake wisdom, we are caught up in the enticement of the present enjoyment of sin. We don't realize that as we continue to follow the way of life that we are forsaking God and moving farther from the treasure of His wisdom. For Satan knows how to slowing and deliberately change our paths so that we become accustomed to the sin and rationalize and justify it in our minds. And we don't see the need for deliverance, as we think we are "just fine". 

However, Wisdom shouts and will DELIVER us from making beginning down the path of sin, and will allow us to turn around if we find ourselves on that path. Wisdom, that treasure from God Himself, is vital to our everyday life. And Wisdom knows that we do need deliverance! 

It will require a determined heart — a heart that is permeate with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG) to listen to Wisdom and be delivered from the deception of sin. 

Proverbs 2:12: Deliver

To deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, Proverbs 2:12

Deliver: rescue, recover, take away

Way of: course of life, moral action and character bad

Evil: unpleasant, giving pain, unhappiness, misery, displeasing

Speaks: says, boasts, speak one with another

Perverse things: a perversity or fraud, fraudulent

Proverbs 2:12 is a continuation of what Wisdom will do—Deliver, rescue, take away. 

From what will Wisdom recuse me? 

1. A course of life that includes unpleasantness and misery, and most importantly—displeasing to God. 

2. The man who speaks fraudulently. 

Most of us can agree that #1 is important. We do need direction and wisdom to stay moral and true. But what is wrong with hearing fraudulent or perverse speech? 

Ever hear the old saying, "What goes in, comes out?" What we allow to enter our minds, will change the course of our thoughts. And our thoughts will rule our hearts and actions. 

There is also a danger to hearing fraudulent speech, for the more we listen to it, the less sensitized we become. I remember the TV shows I watched back in the early 1970's. They were "good clean shows". Meaning that was no sex, no profanity, no gruesome realistic murder scenes. Yet, over the years, all of those things have been added. Making them passé. We've become desensitized to the horrors of sin. 

I now have a TV in my bedroom. I'm not much of a TV watcher. And I did not want the blank screen tempting me to watch, just for the sake of watching. So, I wanted to cover the screen. As I thought about WHY I didn't like watching TV, my answer was simple—I did not like the sin portrayed on most of the shows. 

So, to help me evaluate what I would watch, I printed a verse and taped it on the TV. 

[Finally; In conclusion; or Now then] Brothers and sisters, ·think about [focus your thoughts on; fill your minds with] things that are true and honorable and ·right [just] and pure and ·beautiful [lovely] and ·respected [commendable]. If there is anything that is ·good [morally excellent] and worthy of praise, ·think about [focus your thoughts on; fill your minds with] these things. Philippians 4:8 (EXB)

If my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), then Wisdom will deliver, direct me away from a life of sinful morality and fraudulent speech. And if I really respect and fear God, I'll not enjoy the sinful and perverse speech. 

Deliver. Wisdom is ready to do just that. But am I willing to "be delivered"? Or will I choose to stay in the company of those whose character and speech is perverse and ungodly? 

Proverbs 2:10, 11: When

When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, Proverbs 2:10, 11

When: that, in order that

Wisdom: ethical and religious

Enters: associate with, bring for a purpose

Heart: mind with reference to knowledge

Knowledge: in highest sense, knowledge of God (including obedience)

Pleasant: delightful, lovely, delight

Soul: intellect and feelings

Discretion:power of devising

Perserve: keep, guard

Understanding: discernment, reasonings

Keep:Guard from dangers

Here is another example of cause/effect. WHEN wisdom Enters = knowledge is accepted, followed by discretion and understanding. 

So often we want to jump to UNDERSTANDING without Wisdom. Yet, Wisdom must be present to fully grasp the knowledge, discretion, and understanding. It's a logical order. 

When—that means that there is a time and that it's not a given, meaning that we can ignore Wisdom. That's sad on our part. Why would we want to ignore something which God want to give me? Why would we want to ignore wisdom so that we can have knowledge,  discretion, and understanding? Why? 

Simply put, because we are arrogant (and that comes from a sinful heart). When we think we know it all and say that we know better than God Almighty—wow. Yet, looking around many are doing just that today. The question is—am I allowing Wisdom to enter my heart? 

WHEN, Wisdom enters there is a specific purpose—it lays the foundation for knowledge,  discretion, and understanding.

Remember is all about the VERBS—so WHEN will I allow wisdom to ENTER? When my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). For when I respect and fear God, my heart is open—for the WHEN—and Wisdom enters! 

Proverbs 2:8, 9: The Supreme Body Guard!

He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path. Proverbs 2:8, 9

Guards: Guard from dangers, preserve, with accusative, subject God or his attributes

Paths: of mode of living, or of character

Justice: judgment

Preserves: observe = follow dictates of (prudence, justice, kindness, wisdom); be kept, guarded

Way: course of life, or action, undertakings

Saints: a pious man, the godly

Then: it points back with emphasis

Understand: perceive, know (with mind), give heed to, distinguish, consider (with attention)

Righteousness: as ethically right

Justice: judgment

Equity: in ethical sense, uprightness, equity, as taught in the school of wisdom; rightly

Good: pursue good; moral good

Path: course of action, or life

In Proverbs 2:7, we learned that God is our Supreme Body Guard as we enjoy the Treasure of wisdom. Proverbs 2:8 continues to explain exactly what God guards. God is preserving the mode of living, the character of putting Wisdom into action. God not only observes, but observes with a "keeping hand" to direct us in our course of life. 

THEN—if one accepts God's wisdom and puts that wisdom into action—one will continue to put into acton and grasp what is ethically right, what is just, and right based on wisdom and will then pursue a morally course of action! 

There is a cause and effect. Receive God's Wisdom (Proverbs 2:1) and God will supply the treasure of wisdom and guard us as we put it into action. 

Remember that it's all about the VERBS—BUT, the great thing about Wisdom and our great God, is that He supplies all we need, and encourages us and protects us along the way! It is not a "I gave you Wisdom, now you are on your own."

Rather, God says, "Here is wisdom, and as you gain understanding and live in accordance to my Wisdom, I'm right here along side, guarding you and continuing to provide the Wisdom that you'll need." 

If we have wisdom, why do we need a Body Guard? Simply put, because we don't know it all, and we are still sinners, and will daily face enticements of sin. God knows that as we go throughout our lives, we need Him to guide and direct us and continue to instruct us as put wisdom into practice. 

As my heart is permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG), I'll give more attention to putting wisdom into action—especially as I enjoy the company of God, the Supreme Body Guard! 

Proverbs 2:7: #TreasureUp

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; Proverbs 2:7

Stores up: reserve blessings, treasure up

Sound Wisdom: of the effect of sound wisdom, abiding success, efficient wisdom

Upright: straightforward, just upright; the upright among the people of God as distinguished from the wicked

Shield: a protector, a defense

Walk: walk in one's integrity; of moral and religious life

Uprightly: integrity of mind

He—the Lord, Yahweh— is storing up blessings! Treasure up! That would make an awesome hashtag: #TreasureUp. God is setting aside blessings of sound wisdom—abiding success for those who choose God's wisdom.

Not only that, God knows as we try to walk in obedience to His wisdom, we will encounter enticements from the wicked. Therefore, God not only supplies the treasure of wisdom, He provides a defense against the wicked. So, we can enjoy all that God has reserved—#TreasureUp—knowing that we have the Supreme Body Guard! 

#TreasureUp blessings of sound wisdom, abiding success. It's available. It's waiting. Along with a Body Guard to protect us as we grow in wisdom and apply wisdom each day. 

#TreasureUp. God in His grace is offering wisdom. And will I be so stubborn not to accept it? Will I ignore His wisdom and accept the path of sin and destruction? 

#TreasureUp. If I want to be upright, it all begins with a heart permeated with a deep sense of reverence for God (Acts 9:31 MSG). For one who fears God, is ready to accept all that God has in store for him/her. #TreasureUp — it's available.