The WISE & The WICKED – All Accountable to the Holy Judge!

The WISE & The WICKED – All Accountable to the Holy Judge!
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PROVERBS 21:28-22:3

Let’s turn to the Holy Revelation of GOD’s Written Word:

PROVERBS 21:28
A false witness shall perish, But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.

The 10 Commandments are clear on this matter of a false witness. Law # 9 clearly states “you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (EXOD 20:16).

We see the guilty who are condemned to the Second Death:

REVELATION 21:8
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

So a false witness, or those who commit a false witness shall in fact perish. All sinners who are not redeemed, not born again with the indwelling Spirit of GOD bear false witness against GOD, the Person of Christ, the Bible, the Gospel by speaking falsely of them and so they will know eternal death (“There is no GOD; Jesus was insane, the Bible is nothing but fairy tales, the Gospel is nonsense”).

Yet those who listen, specifically those who listen to wise counsel, those who will hear the Law of the LORD, the Word of GOD and obey it will speak truth and of the goodness of GOD throughout eternity.

They are part of GOD’s eternal kingdom, and they that are Christ’s shall rule with Him, and speak of the LORD and His ways, forever and ever!

As the old Talbot Bros song goes,

“The evil cry in darkness, but the righteous shall be heard!”

PROVERBS 21:29
A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

Hardness of heart: this is what the Hebrews were guilty of as the LORD led them out of Egypt, through the wilderness and short of the promised land (the original generation anyway).

HEBREWS 3:8-19
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. 10 Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.' 11 So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'" 12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." 16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Compare this with the life of the upright, the godly soul in whom the LORD delights:

PSALM 37:23-24
23 The steps of a good man are ordered [established] by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

The righteous saints who follow in the ways of the LORD will do more than just “leave their mark in the world” which is an objective of many worldly folk. If any mark in this world is made by the righteous, it will be a holy mark. But the saints of GOD will do more than merely leave their mark in the world: they shall outlive this world.

They are citizens of the kingdom of heaven; their place is reserved and awaiting their arrival. And once we are there, we’ll be established forever in the Kingdom of our Father as His princes and princesses, reigning in righteousness with Christ. While we have our inheritance and place established there, hard-hearted Lucifer who once dwelled there, has lost his place in exchange for: a one way ticket to the lake of fire.

PROVERBS 21:30
There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD.

Lucifer with all of his GOD given wisdom that’s been perverted and corrupted, still has a subtle, wily, insidious wisdom that can thwart the most intelligent of humanity, easily. But he can’t match the wisdom of GOD!

Though our sciences are making incredible leaps in technological and scientific advancements, for all of their discoveries and understanding, they can’t come even remotely close to the exalted and astounding understanding of the Most High!

For all of the psychology, and philosophies and wisdom of man, he cannot match the counsel of our Maker, Who knows everything about us, what makes us tick, what sort of nature we have. He alone truly knows how to fix, repair and renew us!

Neither the wisdom of Lucifer, nor the understanding of the sciences, nor philosophies of man can come against the LORD and His omniscience and expect to equal Him, let alone supersede Him!

I recall the Broadway play entitled: “Your Arm Is Too Short To Box With GOD”!

The LORD in the book of JOB had to set this godly man straight on a few things, and for the last few chapters of that book scolded him, dressed him down as it were with a series of questions that showed Job he wasn’t as wise and knowledgeable as he thought:

JOB 38:1-4
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 2 "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4 "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me if you have understanding.

PROVERBS 21:31
The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the LORD.

Nations, like people rely on their own strength; in the case of nations, their military (as well as their economic) might. As it says in:

PSALM 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

America grew from a mere thirteen colonies with an army composed mostly of barefoot militia, poorly armed and half-starved who, by the grace of GOD overcame the mightiest nation of the world then – to become the most powerful nation in the world both militarily and economically.

GOD did indeed shed His grace on thee America, from sea to shining sea. But GOD’s blessings, prosperity and abundance gave way to our unthankful complacency, laziness, pride and arrogance. We’ve lost our godly heritage on the whole as a nation to where today: This nation promotes everything that GOD hates!

Political scientists have studied and identified the historical cycle of nations; they call it the Tytler Cycle:

Nations once freed from the oppressive regime of its rulers go from bondage to faith, to courage and liberty; this leads to abundance, but then to selfishness, complacency, apathy, then dependence on a government that was to protect and ensure their liberties, but instead place them back into bondage.

Yet as Americans we believe we are undefeatable and untouchable by our enemies; that we will always be number one. But nations, like people that exalt themselves in pride, GOD will cast down. Our military though strong, can’t save us from GOD’s Judgment, and our once vibrant economy that made us the leading lender nation is now in shambles, making us the leading debtor nation.

America’s day in the sun is over; the sun is setting on our nation and it breaks my heart to say it. But as long as America is proud in her sin and rebellion, we can be assured that GOD will resist us and bring us down, just as He has with nations throughout history.

While America is indeed under judgment, we have this promise:

GOD turned…”the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries… ([even of the LORD Himself!] 2 PET 2:6-10)

PROVERBS 22:1
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

This is true on a personal level: nothing can ever take the place of personal integrity, being of good reputation and having good character. No amount of money can buy integrity or good character; they cannot be bought, they must be earned by letting truth be one’s standard for life.

We in this nation are not in a moral backsliding; rather we are in moral free fall! Integrity, honestly, humility are all going by the wayside. So those of us who are endeavoring to walk in the Spirit – living life by the power of Christ Who dwells in us, more and more we are going to stand out. The light we shine will become more and more obvious to this world falling into deeper darkness.

This will inevitably lead to discrimination, not being offered opportunities that could lead to promotion and an increased financial status. But a good name is better than great riches. And grace and peace with Christ along with mockery and persecution from the world is far better than all of the world’s finest handed to us on a silver platter:

HEBREWS 11:24-27
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

And we who bear not just a good name, but the greatest and highest Name of Jesus Christ, as we have chosen Him to be our LORD – this is THE greatest riches above all others!
And we refuse to be called by this world, and rather suffer affliction with the people of GOD rather than enjoy passing pleasures and treasures of this world. We forsake this world, enduring the wrath of the god of this world, keeping our eyes to the skies, and not believing the lies, because we know the LORD Jesus Christ returns from on high!

COLOSSIANS 1:26-27
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The “loving favor” is another way to describe the grace of GOD, and His grace far exceeds mountains, continents, even worlds upon worlds of silver and gold!

As the old hymn says,

“I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold.
“I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land, I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.
“Than to be the king of a vast domain and be held in sin’s dread sway.
“I’d rather have Jesus than anything, this world affords today”

PROVERBS 22:2
The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all.

EZEKIEL 18:4
Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine [and the rich and the poor, princes and paupers, the mighty and the weak]; The soul who sins shall die.

Since GOD is the Creator and thus “owner” of all things, ourselves included, He is therefore LORD over all, and because of this, we are (like it or not atheists, humanists, agnostics, pagans, witches, satanists, etc.) we are ALL accountable to the GOD Of the BIBLE, YHWH. The soul that sins shall die.

And all have sinned and come short of the glory of GOD (ROM 3:23).
And the wages of sin is death (ROM 6:23a).

We have a Maker Who is GOD: as the Creator He is also the sovereign LORD: He has made known His commandments, statutes, testimonies as they are called in Scripture (PS 119). And the only One Who could righteously dispense this Holy Law is the Holy LORD, and He is likewise the only righteous Judge Who can and will preside in His Court to judge righteously all souls.

Since we are all guilty, criminals against the Holy Throne of GOD, He is justified in condemning us all. But He is a GOD of infinite love as well as infinite holiness, and so He is also our Redeemer! “He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 PET 3:9).
Those who humble themselves, repent and confess the truth of their sinfulness and receive Christ shall be exalted to heaven. Those who exalt themselves in their pride and declare they have no need, nor desire for GOD and His salvation will be abased to eternal hellfire.

PROVERBS 22:3
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.

We who know the Scriptures know what the future holds: whether sinner or saint, we all have a day appointed when we leave this world, and once we are gone, we will undergo judgment (HEB 9:27). All of the works we’ve done will undergo GOD’s Judgment:

~ Unrepentant, unredeemed souls will face the Great White Throne Judgment where they will be judged for their sinful works.
~ The redeemed of the LORD will face the LORD Jesus Christ at the Bema Seat where we shall be judged for our works – good works will receive reward, bad works will be burned up (1 COR 3:11-16)!

But we who are saved understand that but by the grace of GOD, we would face judgment for our sin as well, and spend eternity in hell. This verse in PROVERBS talks about “foresee[ing] evil” and it can mean “morally evil” but it can also mean “trouble, adversity, harm”. 

There is nothing “evil” about hell; it’s the holy and righteous place of judgment against evil that will one day be quarantined there! And there is no greater trouble, no fiercer adversity, no deeper harm than suffering eternal torment in hell.

Those of us who are wise and “prudent” therefore hide ourselves in the Person of Christ and escape the Holy Wrath of GOD that will fall upon “the simple” that is, the “fool, the easily seducible” who have been seduced by Satan through sin’s deceptive power (HEB 3:13).

“Rock of Ages, cleft for me; let me hide myself in Thee.
“Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed,
“be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure”

For more on this check out the following TTUF articles in this four part series:

The FOUR PRIMARY OFFICES of GOD