Proverbs 1:27, commentary and pictures

It speaks to those who refused when God called, set at nought His counsel and reproof, and did not choose His fear because they hated knowledge. Their dread settling as utter waste and their ruin bursting as a sudden, overwhelming storm is the fruit of their own way, which they eat and reap, and then He who was refused gives them no answer or help. Calling then and seeking early will not avail when mercy ceases, for terror-driven vows and deathbed sorrow do not prove lasting conversion or fitness for heaven. The warning belongs to the last days and the final judgment, when probation ends as in Noah's day, character fixed in heaven's books decides destiny, and despisers render account for talents of time, means, intellect and opportunity. Yet it is given in mercy while life may still be received, calling the dormant to put on the whole armor and turn with the whole heart as prisoners of hope, for those who hearken shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil.

Refused Call Invites Calamity

The verse is addressed to those who refused when God called and stretched out His hand, who set at nought all His counsel and would none of His reproof, because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. It is the voice of God and the Saviour who died for sinners to those who slight the instruction and warnings of His Word and despise the great salvation offered them, who reject His call, disregard His counsel, and refuse correction. Their earlier refusal leaves them without excuse and without the help they seek when judgment comes and when His mercy and forbearance toward their rebellion cease. It warns priests and rulers, kings and judges of the earth in their opposition to Christ, that God has set His King upon His holy hill of Zion and given Him the heathen for inheritance.

Fear coming as desolation means dread settling like utter waste, and destruction coming as a whirlwind means sudden, overwhelming ruin like a violent storm. Calamity, destruction, distress, and anguish overtake those who refuse wisdom's call, arriving suddenly and overwhelmingly to bring terror and ruin. At that day their remorse is far greater than the regrets that troubled them during life.

When that dread and ruin arrive, God laughs at their calamity and mocks when their fear comes. Because they have not made God their refuge, He will not be their consolation then, and in distress and perplexity their minds are torn from dress and appearance while their hearts fail for repining and fear. Their destruction comes suddenly like a whirlwind, and their distress brings their neglected choices to account.

The misery is not charged to God but is the fruit of a man's own way, for they eat of the fruit of their own ways and are filled with their own devices. This judgment is the result of their own choice in turning away from God and persisting in their own way, and they reap what they have sown. Having sowed to the wind they must reap the whirlwind, gathering in the reaping time what they have sown.

Too Late Cries Face Judgment

Then they will call but receive no answer, and seek early but not find, because prior refusal leaves them without excuse and without the help they seek when mercy and forbearance cease. The desolation of fear and the whirlwind of destruction with distress and anguish fall on those who refused the call, set at nought counsel and would none of reproof, hating knowledge and not choosing the fear of the Lord. Their cries for mercy when calamity arrives come too late, and sudden terror does not secure deliverance.

Confessions and vows wrung out by terror in a storm are abandoned once danger passes, and do not amount to lasting repentance. Sorrow for sin in a deathbed crisis does not prove conversion when the person if restored to health would return to rebellion, and such crisis-born promises do not make one ready for heaven. Temporary fear or vows made in danger leave a life of rebellion unchanged.

When conscience awakens and memory brings back a hypocritical life, remorse and terror overwhelm, with vain regrets as fear arrives like desolation and destruction like a whirlwind. That remorse is far greater than the regrets that troubled them during life, when guilt is exposed. Those who sought to destroy Christ and His faithful people then see the glory resting on them and face terror.

The warning is clear and decisive, and its purpose is merciful: to awaken to danger and lead to turning from sin while life may still be received. At the coming of Christ probation ends as in the days of Noah, when the Spirit is manifested less and less until withdrawn, angels fold their wings and cease watchcare, wrongs can no longer be righted, and no prayer prevails for rejecters. After the message of warning has been given to cities filled with wickedness no more words of peace are given, and after tender pity and the last grieving away of the Spirit mercy's voice is heard no more, leaving the refused to their own ways; character as recorded in the books of heaven decides judgment.

The verse belongs to the last days, the day of the Lord's fierce anger, and the great day of final judgment with irreversible consequences. Then despisers of grace and rejecters of mercy are brought face to face with justice to render account for God-given talents of time, means, intellect, abilities and opportunity spent serving worldly idols and the gods of this world. Those who forsook their true Friend to follow convenience and worldly pleasure while intending sometime to return will reap what they sowed, calling too late to be answered; this same helplessness before God's action is seen in the rulers at Christ's tomb.

Present Warning Demands Repentance

The warning falls on priests and rulers, kings and judges of the earth who stand in opposition to Christ, for God has set His King upon His holy hill of Zion and given Him the heathen for an inheritance, and they are commanded to serve the Lord with fear and kiss the Son lest they perish when His wrath is kindled. It falls likewise on professed Christians who keep only a form of religion without vital godliness and who neglect repentance and confession while judgment still waits. They are now kindly called to buy gold, white raiment and eyesalve that they may be rich and partake largely of salvation, but if they refuse they will be spued out of His mouth as disgusting, rejected and thrust from Him, left to their own ways to be filled with their own doings. Once those moments of mercy pass, their cries will not undo the consequences of refusing the light and opportunities given them.

Those who rob God of the service purchased with His blood and spend time in idle talk and foolish amusement and worldly pleasure will not be ready to meet the coming Lord. They will lose heaven and barter away eternal life, and will be sent away from God's presence to share the humiliation and punishment of Satan and his angels. The world with its follies and deceptions absorbs the attention, and frivolous amusements, pride and extravagance of dress, indulgence of appetite, hilarity and glee harden the heart and benumb the conscience so the voice of truth is not heard, duty is despised, things of infinite value are lightly esteemed, and the heart loses all desire to sacrifice for Him who has given so much. When distress and perplexity tear minds from dress and appearance, those who have not made God their refuge find their hearts failing for repining and fear.

Serving self and making a god of appetite brings a sure harvest, for violating nature's laws and abusing the organs of the body to gratify lustful appetite and debased passion in married or unmarried life makes transgressed law a tormentor. The licentious and profligate, hunted and enslaved to passion and unwilling to break its chains, is at last left without conviction, without mercy and without hope to destroy himself, left to corrupting practices that ruin the living machinery and degrade him beneath the brute creation. Slighting the reproofs and warnings of God's Word and His Spirit is equally perilous, for yielding to temptation blinds to the true character of sin so that those who depart from the Lord's requirements flatter themselves that they had a good object in view and have done no wrong. Persisting in this course does despite to the Spirit of grace until His voice is no longer heard, and leaves them to the delusions they have chosen, as with Saul. Others are surprised, fall, and are taken by the enemy because they trust in themselves and do not repent, becoming hardened by refusing humility before God, refusing to put away what He reproves, and mocking warnings.

Yet the same time of distress is a call to prepare now, for the spiritually dormant must recognize their danger, put on the whole armor and get ready before destruction arrives suddenly and overwhelmingly like a mighty whirlwind bringing distress and anguish. While probation continues help to resist evil is still offered, and today the Spirit still invites all to come to Jesus, be saved, and choose eternal life. Many who have not given themselves wholly to the corrupting influences of the world and the service of Satan will humble themselves before God, turn to the Stronghold as prisoners of hope and to Him with the whole heart, and will find acceptance and pardon. Whoso hearkens to God shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil.