Pro 22:3 | KingComments | STEP | “The prudent sees the evil” because he is informed by the Word of God and his fellowship with Him. The prudent is not a clairvoyant. He who has understanding of God’s Word sees in it the full extent of evil in the world. God’s people are also given instructions in it as to how to escape it ( ). Noah was warned of the flood and “in reverence he prepared an ark for the salvation of his household” ( ). Because he had reverence for what God had made known to him, he built the ark as a hiding place against “the evil”, the judgment, of the flood. Thus he was spared from evil and did not perish. “The naive” are blind to the evil about to come upon them, even though they are warned about it. The naive is an imprudent, a reckless person, one who refuses to see that the warning concerns a real danger. He continues his self-willed path without hiding. He is like someone who simply walks through a meadow during a thunderstorm, blind to the danger of being struck by lightning. Evil can mean death, but also all kinds of disasters that can strike a person in his life. The prudent, through the teaching of wisdom, knows where the dangers and pitfalls are in his life and is therefore wary of them. He will notice impending evil in time and avoid or defuse it. He does this by hiding with God in time, by seeking refuge with Him. We can think of an attractive proposal made to us, from which there is a great temptation to lead us astray. Then we must immediately take refuge with God, because only then can we say “no” to the temptation. The naive fall into it because they are inattentive, uncritical and gullible. They are not equipped to survive in this world to avoid blunders that get them into trouble. We can also apply this verse to the gospel. The gospel provides the escape route to the hiding place against the wrath of God. The jailer saw the danger of judgment and saved his life by believing the gospel ( ).

‏ Proverbs 22:3

To Escape From Evil or to Perish

“The prudent sees the evil” because he is informed by the Word of God and his fellowship with Him. The prudent is not a clairvoyant. He who has understanding of God’s Word sees in it the full extent of evil in the world. God’s people are also given instructions in it as to how to escape it (Isa 26:20-21).

Noah was warned of the flood and “in reverence he prepared an ark for the salvation of his household” (Heb 11:7). Because he had reverence for what God had made known to him, he built the ark as a hiding place against “the evil”, the judgment, of the flood. Thus he was spared from evil and did not perish.

“The naive” are blind to the evil about to come upon them, even though they are warned about it. The naive is an imprudent, a reckless person, one who refuses to see that the warning concerns a real danger. He continues his self-willed path without hiding. He is like someone who simply walks through a meadow during a thunderstorm, blind to the danger of being struck by lightning.

Evil can mean death, but also all kinds of disasters that can strike a person in his life. The prudent, through the teaching of wisdom, knows where the dangers and pitfalls are in his life and is therefore wary of them. He will notice impending evil in time and avoid or defuse it. He does this by hiding with God in time, by seeking refuge with Him.

We can think of an attractive proposal made to us, from which there is a great temptation to lead us astray. Then we must immediately take refuge with God, because only then can we say “no” to the temptation. The naive fall into it because they are inattentive, uncritical and gullible. They are not equipped to survive in this world to avoid blunders that get them into trouble.

We can also apply this verse to the gospel. The gospel provides the escape route to the hiding place against the wrath of God. The jailer saw the danger of judgment and saved his life by believing the gospel (Acts 16:25-34).