Pro 24:30-34 | KingComments | STEP | In these verses, the wise Solomon tells of a walk he took and what he noticed. To this he connects a lesson for himself and for his son. It happened that he “passed by the field of the sluggard” ( ). He did not seek out that field, but simply passed by it. Yes, that field had been a vineyard, at least he got that impression, but there was nothing left of it. That was because its management lay in the hands “of the man lacking sense”. Only such a man, without the slightest sense of responsibility, could let his vineyard run wild like this. This is not someone without a spine, but someone without a brain, without a mind, literally without a heart. He lacked not the strength, but the will. “And behold” ( ), as he walked by there, he observed some things. The wise man was not daydreaming or sleepwalking, but taking in the situation around him. In the field there were not just a few weeds here and there, no, “it was completely overgrown with thistles”. There was no longer a patch of soil to be seen, for “its surface was covered with nettles”. Where grapes should have grown, there was an abundance of thistles and nettles. These do not appear overnight. No work had been done here for a long time. Thus a similar situation can arise in the life of a believer who is unfaithful to the Lord and forgets Him more and more. The good fruits of faith that gladden the heart (the vineyard speaks of joy) disappear and in their place come nettles and thistles that hurt and injure. The consequences of sin in creation have made their way into the believer’s sphere of life. The wise man also saw that “his stone wall had broken down”. All protection was gone. The property could be entered by anyone. If the house of the sluggard were also located there, any burglar could reach it with the greatest ease. We are talking about a field that was previously a vineyard. Israel is compared to a vineyard ( ). The vineyard is to yield wine. Wine is a picture of joy ( ; ). God wanted to rejoice in His people, but His people did not bring Him that joy. The vineyard had become a field through laziness, on which the symbols of sin ( ), the works of the flesh, were rampant. We can make an application here. If we are spiritually lazy, “nettles” and “thistles”, that is, sinful things, will overgrow the vineyard of our life. God cannot then rejoice over our life, for nothing in it reminds Him of the life of the Lord Jesus. And if we allow the wall of separation from the world to crumble, the world and worldly thinking gain entrance into our lives and we will become victims of destruction. After the observation in , the wise man draws a lesson for himself and shares it with us ( ). What he saw, he reflected upon in his heart. It held an instruction, an instruction without words. One of the best learning methods is to behold something, that is, to look at something with intense attention, and take it to heart. Then we really learn from it. If we see the evil consequences of an act or attitude, it will warn us not to do such acts nor adopt such an attitude. What Solomon saw, which was an instruction to him, will keep him from laziness. It starts with a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. It is all just “a little”, but all those little bits are like the robber who also does not run fast, but steadily continues his way. And all those little bits together are like an armed man. All the bits sleeping and slumbering and lying with folded hands result in poverty and lack ( ).

‏ Proverbs 24:30-34

Lesson of the Sluggard

In these verses, the wise Solomon tells of a walk he took and what he noticed. To this he connects a lesson for himself and for his son. It happened that he “passed by the field of the sluggard” (Pro 24:30). He did not seek out that field, but simply passed by it. Yes, that field had been a vineyard, at least he got that impression, but there was nothing left of it.

That was because its management lay in the hands “of the man lacking sense”. Only such a man, without the slightest sense of responsibility, could let his vineyard run wild like this. This is not someone without a spine, but someone without a brain, without a mind, literally without a heart. He lacked not the strength, but the will.

“And behold” (Pro 24:31), as he walked by there, he observed some things. The wise man was not daydreaming or sleepwalking, but taking in the situation around him. In the field there were not just a few weeds here and there, no, “it was completely overgrown with thistles”. There was no longer a patch of soil to be seen, for “its surface was covered with nettles”. Where grapes should have grown, there was an abundance of thistles and nettles. These do not appear overnight. No work had been done here for a long time.

Thus a similar situation can arise in the life of a believer who is unfaithful to the Lord and forgets Him more and more. The good fruits of faith that gladden the heart (the vineyard speaks of joy) disappear and in their place come nettles and thistles that hurt and injure. The consequences of sin in creation have made their way into the believer’s sphere of life.

The wise man also saw that “his stone wall had broken down”. All protection was gone. The property could be entered by anyone. If the house of the sluggard were also located there, any burglar could reach it with the greatest ease.

We are talking about a field that was previously a vineyard. Israel is compared to a vineyard (Isa 5:1-7). The vineyard is to yield wine. Wine is a picture of joy (Jdg 9:13; Psa 104:15). God wanted to rejoice in His people, but His people did not bring Him that joy. The vineyard had become a field through laziness, on which the symbols of sin (Gen 3:18), the works of the flesh, were rampant.

We can make an application here. If we are spiritually lazy, “nettles” and “thistles”, that is, sinful things, will overgrow the vineyard of our life. God cannot then rejoice over our life, for nothing in it reminds Him of the life of the Lord Jesus. And if we allow the wall of separation from the world to crumble, the world and worldly thinking gain entrance into our lives and we will become victims of destruction.

After the observation in Pro 24:30-31, the wise man draws a lesson for himself and shares it with us (Pro 24:32-34). What he saw, he reflected upon in his heart. It held an instruction, an instruction without words. One of the best learning methods is to behold something, that is, to look at something with intense attention, and take it to heart. Then we really learn from it. If we see the evil consequences of an act or attitude, it will warn us not to do such acts nor adopt such an attitude.

What Solomon saw, which was an instruction to him, will keep him from laziness. It starts with a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. It is all just “a little”, but all those little bits are like the robber who also does not run fast, but steadily continues his way. And all those little bits together are like an armed man. All the bits sleeping and slumbering and lying with folded hands result in poverty and lack (Pro 6:10-11).