Pro 10:25 | KingComments | STEP | All the wealth we have is given to us by God ( ). It is His blessing, without adding “sorrow” or “toil”, i.e. without any performance from our side (cf. ). The word “that” puts full emphasis on “the blessing of the LORD”. Only that blessing makes one rich. This verse is a warning against complacency, against thinking that we owe our wealth to ourselves. There is no contradiction with , which says that the hand of the industrious makes rich. Both one and the other are true. We must work, but also realize that the Lord must give us the strength for it and also the blessing on it. Then we realize that everything comes from Him and we will give Him the glory for it. A person’s character is revealed by the things in which he finds pleasure ( ). To a fool, behaving disgracefully is like sport and play. It goes off him as easily as playing goes off a child. He finds the greatest pleasure in speaking scandalously, as evidenced by the obscene expressions he uses. “Doing wickedness” is indicative of very sinful behavior. The fool considers even the worst in terms of sin as entertainment, as a joke. He laughs at it and because of it. This is contrasted with the wisdom that gives someone of understanding full joy as if it were a pleasant game. It is not about what a person does, but the attitude a person has in doing what he does. Wisdom gives delight to one who has understanding. That delight is found in God’s Word ( ). The wicked may take pleasure in his shameful behavior, but at the same time he is inwardly very afraid of what is to come. Indeed, what he fears also comes upon him ( ). He lives without God and therefore without any security and therefore always in fear. The righteous on the other hand gets what he longs for, for he lives with God and expects everything from Him. A huge contrast is painted here. He who has no foundation in his life, that is, who has no biblical principles, resembles a whirlwind that is passing by ( ). A whirlwind rages for a moment and then disappears again, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Such is the wicked. This connects with the previous verse, which says that upon the wicked comes what he fears. He can enjoy in his life everything he desires, such as wealth, prestige, family, while living in fear that it will all one day fall away from him. Indeed, it will also be taken away from him as if by a raging storm. Possibly already in this life, but certainly at his (possibly sudden) death. The righteous one is the opposite. The same things can happen to him as to the wicked. His wealth, prestige, family and health may also be taken from him ( ). But when disasters come into his life, he proves to have “an eternal foundation” (cf. ). It shows the immutability of the position of the righteous man that he has because his life is built on Christ the Rock. As a result, his house of life remains standing firm no matter how much the whirlwind pounds against it. Vinegar, which is sour, feels very nasty to the teeth when you drink it ( ). Smoke to the eyes is also very irritating, because your eyes begin to water, you can no longer see anything and cannot move a step. With these unpleasant experiences, the lazy one is compared who is sent out with a certain assignment. He does not carry out that assignment, or too late, or inaccurately and incompletely. A lazy person only causes irritation when you expect something from him. Slowness in the work of the Lord is also a bad and irritating thing. Those who are slow in it even bring a curse upon themselves as a result ( ).

‏ Proverbs 10:25

The Blessing of the LORD

All the wealth we have is given to us by God (Pro 10:22). It is His blessing, without adding “sorrow” or “toil”, i.e. without any performance from our side (cf. Psa 127:1). The word “that” puts full emphasis on “the blessing of the LORD”. Only that blessing makes one rich. This verse is a warning against complacency, against thinking that we owe our wealth to ourselves.

There is no contradiction with Pro 10:4, which says that the hand of the industrious makes rich. Both one and the other are true. We must work, but also realize that the Lord must give us the strength for it and also the blessing on it. Then we realize that everything comes from Him and we will give Him the glory for it.

A person’s character is revealed by the things in which he finds pleasure (Pro 10:23). To a fool, behaving disgracefully is like sport and play. It goes off him as easily as playing goes off a child. He finds the greatest pleasure in speaking scandalously, as evidenced by the obscene expressions he uses. “Doing wickedness” is indicative of very sinful behavior. The fool considers even the worst in terms of sin as entertainment, as a joke. He laughs at it and because of it.

This is contrasted with the wisdom that gives someone of understanding full joy as if it were a pleasant game. It is not about what a person does, but the attitude a person has in doing what he does. Wisdom gives delight to one who has understanding. That delight is found in God’s Word (Psa 119:117).

The wicked may take pleasure in his shameful behavior, but at the same time he is inwardly very afraid of what is to come. Indeed, what he fears also comes upon him (Pro 10:24). He lives without God and therefore without any security and therefore always in fear. The righteous on the other hand gets what he longs for, for he lives with God and expects everything from Him. A huge contrast is painted here.

He who has no foundation in his life, that is, who has no biblical principles, resembles a whirlwind that is passing by (Pro 10:25). A whirlwind rages for a moment and then disappears again, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Such is the wicked. This connects with the previous verse, which says that upon the wicked comes what he fears. He can enjoy in his life everything he desires, such as wealth, prestige, family, while living in fear that it will all one day fall away from him. Indeed, it will also be taken away from him as if by a raging storm. Possibly already in this life, but certainly at his (possibly sudden) death.

The righteous one is the opposite. The same things can happen to him as to the wicked. His wealth, prestige, family and health may also be taken from him (Job 1:1-22 ; Job 2:1-10). But when disasters come into his life, he proves to have “an eternal foundation” (cf. Mt 7:24-27). It shows the immutability of the position of the righteous man that he has because his life is built on Christ the Rock. As a result, his house of life remains standing firm no matter how much the whirlwind pounds against it.

Vinegar, which is sour, feels very nasty to the teeth when you drink it (Pro 10:26). Smoke to the eyes is also very irritating, because your eyes begin to water, you can no longer see anything and cannot move a step. With these unpleasant experiences, the lazy one is compared who is sent out with a certain assignment. He does not carry out that assignment, or too late, or inaccurately and incompletely. A lazy person only causes irritation when you expect something from him. Slowness in the work of the Lord is also a bad and irritating thing. Those who are slow in it even bring a curse upon themselves as a result (Jer 48:10).