Pro 11:24-26 | KingComments | STEP | The character of “righteous” and “wicked” is evident not only in what they do, but also in what they desire and expect ( ). “Righteous” have no desire other than “only good”. They are in connection with God and therefore have a desire for good material and spiritual things in order to do good with it themselves. “The expectation of the wicked” will bring them nothing but “wrath”. They have no connection with God and expect to gain as much benefit as possible from their wicked life. But their expectation will end up in nothing but God’s “wrath” on them, because all their desires provoke God’s wrath. In the government of God, it is so arranged that first there must be distribution, giving, sowing, and then comes the profit, the yield, the benefit ( ). God also wants that distribution should be generous or abundant and not sparse. When that happens, a person will experience that the yield is far more abundant than what has been distributed, given away or sown ( ; ; ). We can also distribute time and attention mildly. The opposite is also true. There are those “who withhold what is justly due”. They believe they become rich as a result. But besides wronging others, they also cheat themselves. All their dishonestly obtained gain will lead to their want, for God will settle the account with them. In the end, they will be left empty-handed and with a list of debts that cannot be settled. Not giving someone what is due is also a form of withholding more than is rightfully due. Nabal had that attitude toward David ( ). The chief tax collector Zacchaeus realized the sinfulness of this behavior in time and repented of this sin ( ). connects with . “The generous man” is one who by word and deed spreads blessing around him, shows benefits and seeks the happiness of others. He who does this will himself receive blessing from it. One will benefit him, he himself will be prosperous. Whoever refreshes someone else (spiritually) will also be refreshed thereby himself. We see this with the Lord Jesus in His conversation with the Samaritan woman. The spiritual food He gave the woman also refreshed Him Himself ( ; ; ). He who does not distribute blessing ( ), but on the contrary selfishly keeps everything for himself, and that in a time of scarcity, is cursed by the people ( ). God wants us to distribute to others of the blessing He has given us. This applies to both material and spiritual blessing. If we make available of the blessing we have received and offer it for sale, blessing will rest on our head. In selling, we need not think only of money or a means of exchange. Selling means that the other person must make an effort to come into possession of what is offered for sale (cf. ). One who appreciates good will seek it diligently , that is, he will strive to come into possession of it ( ). Such a person is seeking “favor”, where we may think especially of the favor of God. He who “seeks evil” does so because he believes he will gain by it. He will not see what he is pursuing as evil. No one pursues evil for himself. It is about evil things in the sight of God. What he pursues, however, he will not get, but it will “come to him”. That refers to a cause from without. It means that he will finally be afflicted by the evil of God’s judgment.

‏ Proverbs 11:24-26

The Blessing of the Righteous

The character of “righteous” and “wicked” is evident not only in what they do, but also in what they desire and expect (Pro 11:23). “Righteous” have no desire other than “only good”. They are in connection with God and therefore have a desire for good material and spiritual things in order to do good with it themselves.

“The expectation of the wicked” will bring them nothing but “wrath”. They have no connection with God and expect to gain as much benefit as possible from their wicked life. But their expectation will end up in nothing but God’s “wrath” on them, because all their desires provoke God’s wrath.

In the government of God, it is so arranged that first there must be distribution, giving, sowing, and then comes the profit, the yield, the benefit (Pro 11:24). God also wants that distribution should be generous or abundant and not sparse. When that happens, a person will experience that the yield is far more abundant than what has been distributed, given away or sown (Lk 6:38a; 2Cor 9:6-9; Psa 112:9). We can also distribute time and attention mildly.

The opposite is also true. There are those “who withhold what is justly due”. They believe they become rich as a result. But besides wronging others, they also cheat themselves. All their dishonestly obtained gain will lead to their want, for God will settle the account with them. In the end, they will be left empty-handed and with a list of debts that cannot be settled.

Not giving someone what is due is also a form of withholding more than is rightfully due. Nabal had that attitude toward David (1Sam 25:10-11 ; 38). The chief tax collector Zacchaeus realized the sinfulness of this behavior in time and repented of this sin (Lk 19:8).

Pro 11:25 connects with Pro 11:24. “The generous man” is one who by word and deed spreads blessing around him, shows benefits and seeks the happiness of others. He who does this will himself receive blessing from it. One will benefit him, he himself will be prosperous. Whoever refreshes someone else (spiritually) will also be refreshed thereby himself. We see this with the Lord Jesus in His conversation with the Samaritan woman. The spiritual food He gave the woman also refreshed Him Himself (Jn 4:31-34; Mt 10:42; Jer 31:25).

He who does not distribute blessing (Pro 11:25), but on the contrary selfishly keeps everything for himself, and that in a time of scarcity, is cursed by the people (Pro 11:26). God wants us to distribute to others of the blessing He has given us. This applies to both material and spiritual blessing. If we make available of the blessing we have received and offer it for sale, blessing will rest on our head. In selling, we need not think only of money or a means of exchange. Selling means that the other person must make an effort to come into possession of what is offered for sale (cf. Pro 23:23).

One who appreciates good will seek it diligently , that is, he will strive to come into possession of it (Pro 11:27). Such a person is seeking “favor”, where we may think especially of the favor of God. He who “seeks evil” does so because he believes he will gain by it. He will not see what he is pursuing as evil. No one pursues evil for himself. It is about evil things in the sight of God. What he pursues, however, he will not get, but it will “come to him”. That refers to a cause from without. It means that he will finally be afflicted by the evil of God’s judgment.