Read Proverbs 24:23–25
Questions from the Scripture
text: How does Proverbs 24:23a introduce this next section (Proverbs 24:23–34)?
What is not good to in judgment (Proverbs 24:23b)? What might someone say to
whom (Proverbs 24:24a)? And what will the people do to him (Proverbs 24:24b)?
And what will the nations do (Proverbs 24:24c)? What else might people do to
the wicked (Proverbs 24:25a)? What will these have? What will come upon them (Proverbs
24:25b)?
How must wickedness be answered? Proverbs 24:23–25 looks forward to the midweek
sermon. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us
that wickedness must be judged by authorities and rejected by all.
This is a new section, after the thirty
sayings. These, too, “belong to the wise” —especially those who are in authority. The
first subsection (Proverbs 24:23–25) is about how to act in judgment,
concerning the wicked. Will the wicked be falsely told, “You are righteous,” (Proverbs
24:24)? Or will the wicked be rebuked (Proverbs 24:25)? The passage takes us
from the former, which is not good (Proverbs 24:23b, showing partiality in
judgment), to the latter, which is good (Proverbs 24:25b, the blessing that
will come upon the rebuker).
First, then, it is not good to “recognize
faces” (literally) in judgment. Judgment should be according to truth, not
favoritism toward either great or small. To the wicked you should say, “you are
wicked,” and punish them for their wickedness. To the righteous you should say,
“you are righteous,” and vindicate them for their righteousness. Notice how
much depends on the judge. If justice is corrupted, the entire community is
harmed: the people curse him (Proverbs 24:24b), and even nations abhor him (Proverbs
24:24c).
For his wicked deeds, a man must be declared
guilty and punished. But there is hope that, before he reaches judgment, the
wicked may be corrected through rebuke. Those (plural!) who rebuke will have
delight. Judgment belongs to the authority (singular in Proverbs 24:24), but
the opportunity to rebuke falls to many (Proverbs 24:25).
Wickedness will not be overcome in a household
by the head of the household alone opposing it. Wickedness will not be overcome
in a community or a nation by only the judges opposing it. Everyone must oppose
wickedness. Godliness must be honored and given a good reputation by the whole
community. Wickedness must be frowned upon, rejected, and rebuked by all, if
there is to be the delight and the good blessing described in Proverbs 24:25. A
whole culture of godliness is needed for the enjoyment of this favor. And even
one biased or corrupted authority can cause great harm, as seen in Proverbs 24:24.
Therefore, we see how greatly we need the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. For it takes a miracle of God to change a
person. Although, in God’s common grace, some of the blessings of just judgment
can be seen, and such justice may be upheld for a time, we now live in a
society where genuine Christianity has become a minority—even in the professing
church. As a result, we have lost the cultural momentum of being a people who
love righteousness. We have lost much of the Proverbs 24:25 blessing of good
that comes upon such a nation.
So there is good instruction here for how to
operate our own household or our own community—to the extent that we have
authority in it.
But there is also great cause for us to cry out
to God for His Spirit to come and bless the preaching of His Word, for the Lord
to send gospel preachers—and by the preaching of the gospel to give the faith
that comes by hearing.
It is by His saving a multitude of those whom
He brings into faith in Jesus Christ, that we may hope for Him to make us a
people who rebuke wickedness and take delight in righteousness. Otherwise, we
will be a people who are wicked, not only doing those things, but as the end of
Romans 1 says, approving of those who do wickedness, and bring a curse upon
ourselves.
Ultimately, when the people curse in Proverbs 24:24,
it is implied that the Lord will be the one who executes the curse. And if a
good blessing is to come, as stated in Proverbs 24:25, it too must be from the Lord.
We ought to live as those who are before His face. We ought to judge as those
who are before His face. And we can only do that well and correctly by the life
of the Lord Jesus Christ, as those who are right with God in Him and who are
being made to be like Him.
Over whom has God made you judge? What wickedness
could you be rebuking or refusing, instead of tolerating?
Sample prayer: Father, we ask
that You would give us those who sit in judgment and are not recognizers of
faces or respecters of persons, but who judge with righteous judgment. And we
pray that whenever we are in authority, You would give us the ability to judge
righteously. And we pray that You would do a great saving work in our land and
our time, by which we would become again a people who favor godliness and
uprightness as Your Word describes it. Grant this by Your saving power, through
the preaching and believing of the gospel of Christ, we ask in His name. Amen!
Suggested songs: ARP1 “How
Blessed the Man” or TPH73B “Yes, God Is Good to Israel”
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