23 These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment. 24 He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous," Him the people will curse; Nations will abhor him. 25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, And a good blessing will come upon them. 26 He who gives a right answer kisses the lips. 27 Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house. 28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips?
PROVERBS 24:23
These things also belong to the wise: It is not good to show partiality in judgment.
We can say that all of the verses in PROVERBS, and the entire Revelation of GOD’s Word, expressions of divine wisdom “belongs to the wise”. The Holy Scriptures are our heritage, our foundation, in a sense – they are our custodianship (we keep the Word of GOD in our hearts). As Disciples of Christ Who is the Word made flesh, the source of all knowledge, all wisdom, all grace, mercy and peace, the Holy Word is the source for our spiritual food and life, our faith and belief, our conduct, the source of the culture of the Kingdom of GOD that we belong to!
Justice – or “judgment” is part of this Kingdom. The LORD is just, righteous, fair and equitable. He doesn’t allow His justice to be marred by bias or partiality. Justice is rendered to all those who are guilty of violating His Holy Law, with one exception, and only one!
By His grace, He allows the guilty to go free, exempt of punishment, if they by faith believe in Christ and His atoning sacrifice, wherein He assumed all of the punishment on behalf of the entire human race, satisfying GOD’s requirement for perfect justice, so that the charges against us can be dropped. This happens when a soul believes the Gospel and comes in agreement with the New Covenant through Christ.
That grace extends much further than this however. He changes sinners into saints; He transforms children of darkness into children of GOD; He transfers the ownership of slaves of Satan to His own ownership so that we are privileged to become citizens of heaven!
In the realm of human jurisprudence, in our court systems and legal process, we are to conduct our cases against criminal behavior with absolute justice and without any partiality whatsoever.
QUESTION: Can you separate justice from truth? Is such a thing possible? So, by showing partiality or bias on a person, regardless of what justice demands, that is a violation of truth. Truth reveals what is true, whether a person is guilty or innocent. Partiality makes its decision based on unfair favor upon the guilty and denies justice.
LEVITICUS 19:15
'You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor (DEUT 1:17).
We might be tempted to give the poor man a break and let him slide. The Law says, don’t show him partiality based on his low economic status. At the same time, the Law says, Don’t you show partiality to the “mighty”, be they rich and famous, or powerful in some way (perhaps hoping for acquiring favor from such an influential person the next time that judge is in a jam).
We’ve all seen statues of Lady Justice found in the USA and around the world. She typically holds a pair of scales, a sword, and more often than not, is blindfolded. This depiction expresses that justice will be blind to all considerations except for the truth of the matter (no partiality allowed), which will be weighed in the balance to determine the innocence or guilt of a person. The sword is there to execute the sentence rendered upon the accused should they be found guilty.
The LORD Jesus Christ said in JOHN 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."
On Judgment Day, people that reject Christ and the salvation that He freely offers, and bring deliverance from the Holy Judgment of GOD will face the LORD Jesus Christ and the Law of GOD. They will be accountable for their lives, their actions, their words, even their thoughts and motives – and if any are found without absolute purity in all of these considerations, purity equal to that of Christ, they will be found guilty and condemned.
The moral, the religious, the pious will be just as guilty as the extortioner, the rapist, the murderer. Certainly, in the justice of GOD, they will not all be condemned with the same severity, but all will be condemned nevertheless. There is no hope for souls, outside of Christ. This is why the Gospel is imperative! There is no, “You believe your way and I’ll believe my way.” It’s Yahweh or no way!
You and I will not be judged for our sins on that Day – and why? Because our sin has already been judged and punished through Christ crucified. We saints will be judged, but on our conduct for Christ, our life and ministry, how well we worked for the LORD and with the right motives.
PROVERBS 24:24
24 He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous," him the people will curse; nations will abhor him.
DEUTERONOMY 16:18-19“Abomination” is a strong word! It’s the greatest expression of disgust that GOD conveys towards particular sins. Our own human righteousness is as stinking rags to GOD, so our sin must be that much more offensive, and therefore abominations the greatest offense to our Holy GOD!
18 You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
PROVERBS 17:15
He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
There are different levels of abomination, some are grosser than others. In LEVITICUS GOD uses the strongest form of the word to describe His attitude towards the following acts:
LEVITICUS 18:20-23The same Hebrew word used in PROVERBS 17:15 (“…justif[ying] the wicked, and he who condemns the just…”) is used in this passage of LEVITICUS. That’s how serious a matter GOD sees injustice. It’s the same idea where GOD says that a false balance (can we say, the scales of justice?) is an abomination to Him (PROV 11:1; 20:23).
20 'Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, to defile yourself with her. 21 'And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. 22 'You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. 23 'Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.
President Trump declares that he is going after those in ‘the swamp’ that delight in injustice. Let’s keep him and his team in prayer, that the LORD will guide them in truth, and protect them by His sovereign grace.
It would seem that California Governor Gavin Newsome is in gross violation of his office as well as LA Mayor Karen Bass, guilty of criminal negligence and endangerment of the California citizenry by allowing conditions to worsen in forested regions, too, too close to residential areas. Old, dried-out trees, thick underbrush are a tinderbox just waiting for a spark from any one of the high tension wires from towers – some of which are more than SEVENTY years old, that could and have lit up firestorms around LA! He allowed reservoirs to run dry – and Newsome refused to do anything about upgrading and replacing the power grid or clean up the forests or obtaining water supplies: Why? because environmentalists were crying about disturbing the wildlife.
He refused to use natural sources of water that could help contain these raging, destructive fires that have claimed at least 25 lives and ruined properties in the billions of dollars because by using those waters, a certain species of smelt (a small fish) could be threatened.
And yet still there are people who love him, believe he is in some way righteous, and want him to run for President in 2028! There are certainly Californians however, who are cursing him right now, and many more in our nation that abhor him. Let’s keep Californians as well as victims in Tennessee and North Carolina that suffered hurricanes this last September in prayer for recovery from these disasters!
PROVERBS 24:25
25 But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. “Those who rebuke…” that is, those who correct, convict of wrongdoing, to plead, to reprove, or to reason with (As GOD desired to reason with rebellious Israel in ISA 1:18).
It's a good blessing that will come upon the rebuker, not the rebukee! There is the difference between the wise and the foolish, and their reaction to a rebuke or correction:
PROVERBS 9:8-10Rebuking or correcting or pleading with a person who is doing wrong or on the wrong path is standing for righteousness, and when we so shine the Light of GOD’s truth in this dark world, we are pleasing to the Father, and He blesses us for making such a stand, even if the world does reject and persecute us for righteousness sake. Remember:
8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
MATTHEW 5:10PROVERBS 24:26
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Standing for justice, for righteousness, for truth in the face of injustice, sin and deception will earn us persecution, but it will also prove where our citizenship lies – the Kingdom of Heaven! Keeping our focus on the LORD and His Kingdom, looking for His approval, not man’s will bring blessing and joy:
MATTHEW 5:11-12
11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
Bible Expositor and Scholar Thomas Scott of the late 18th century had the following to say on this verse:Apostle Paul’s instruction to the church of Colossae was as follows:
Verse 26: He who speaks honestly, faithfully, seasonably, and to the purpose, whether as a judge, a witness, a senator, a counselor, a minister, or a private person, will meet with general respect and affection. At least his ought to be the case, and everyone, who experiences the benefit of the right answer, will be attached to him that gave it.
COLOSSIANS 4:5-6We don’t have all the time we would wish to say and do all the things that are righteous, profitable and good, so we must make the most of the time that we have, while we are still here, because once we are gone, there are no do-overs.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.
So, what’s all this business of “kiss[ing] the lips”? Salty lips are righteous lips; the truth of GOD, like salt in a wound can sting, but it also fights off infection, in this case, the infection of sin and corruption.
Beyond the expressions of love, romance, tenderness and affection, in ancient cultures kissing the lips represented a sign of respect or submission to a superior (a patron or a magistrate). It was also an expression of loyalty and allegiance in Middle Eastern culture including the biblical tradition. As saints, we want to speak truth always but speak truth with the motive of love (EPH 4:15).
PROVERBS 24:27
Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house.
This verse is basically saying, First Things First. The mention of the field (“outside work”) refers to farm and ranch animals as well as to crops, which was the primary income of most people in this agricultural society. Any income from selling these would fund the needs of a family, including finances to build a house.
One doesn’t just go about building a house; finances have to be raised, and one has to be sure one has enough to complete a building project.
King David couldn’t build the Temple for the LORD because he was a man of war, who shed much blood. That honor would pass to his son, Solomon. But that didn’t keep David from furnishing the finances and much of the materials for the project ahead of time.
When it came time to build, they quarried the stone off sight, so that no sound of the tool was heard in Jerusalem. Solomon ensured that they had all that they needed before assembling the Temple (1 KINGS 5:17-18).
In LUKE 14: listen to the words of the LORD Jesus:
LUKE 14:26-30Obviously, the LORD isn’t encouraging us to hate our fathers, mothers, and family – not even our in-laws! What He is saying is that our love for GOD should outshine the love we have for anyone else, so much so that to compare the two, our love for others would look like hate, such should our love for GOD be.
26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'
Then there is cross-bearing – daily taking up our cross, daily dying to self, denying our sin nature daily, day after day after day, without ceasing, as a disciple of Christ – not until we leave this world, or the LORD comes back and takes us Home!
When people raise their hands at an invitation to accept Christ, are they prepared for a life of self-denial, that Christ may be LORD over all their life? Something we must consider if we are seeking water baptism; that’s a declaration of the old life passing away and being committed to living a new life in Christ. Count the cost of discipleship – are you really ready to surrender all to JESUS? That is the essence of the parable He spoke here in LUKE 14.
For all that cross-bearing, all that denial of self and sin, for all that dying to the old nature – there is resurrection life on the other side! Life more abundant, found not in what we gain in this world, not in self-improvement, but life abundant that we find in the Person of Christ Himself!
PROVERBS 24:28
Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, for would you deceive with your lips?
We worship the LORD Jesus Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. We follow after and desire to be like Jesus or as I sometimes call Him, Mr. Truth. If we worship JESUS Who is the Truth, then we should be a people all about truth, not given to lies, deception, dishonesty, not even suggestive inuendo, half-truths, quarter-truths or 2% truth – whatever! We should be a godly people who have the truth in our minds and hearts!
Do you ever wonder why they swear people in the witness stand at Court with that oath: “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you GOD?”
If you tell the whole truth, that’s enough. But if you tell part of the truth, but hold another part of the truth back, thus changing the story, that’s wrong, and deceptive. Or if you tell the truth and add some fiction to it, that’s just as bad.
The classic example is: A blind man gets on a bus, but no one offers him their seat, until finally one man does. The bus pulls away from the curb and off it goes. Was that a good man who offered up his seat? You would think so, until you learn that the man was the bus driver! See how holding back that one little fact, the entire story changes?
EPHESIANS 4:25
Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
PSALM 34:11-15
11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.
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