But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
To listen to wisdom means to answer its call by accepting counsel and reproof, gaining knowledge, turning from sin, and learning reverence for the Lord, rather than refusing, ignoring, hating knowledge, and despising correction. Whoever does so will live in security and be free from fear of evil, calamity, harm, and coming distress. This promise stands as the opposite portion to the warning for those who reject wisdom's call and refuse to be corrected, whose cries will go unanswered when calamity, desolation, destruction, distress, and anguish fall upon them. Obeying God's instruction and keeping His law brings true freedom, peace, and well-being within its limits and bounds, in contrast to the unrest of disobedience. What is reaped follows what is sown, so misery and suffering are the sure fruit of a person's own way, choices, and devices and are not to be charged to God, as shown when France set aside His statutes and reaped violence, misery, and ruin in the Revolution and Reign of Terror while those who feared Him could trust that it would be well with them.
Meaning and Promise
To hearken in this promise is to respond to wisdom's call and to accept counsel, reproof, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, turning from sin rather than refusing and disregarding. It is the opposite of hating knowledge and despising reproof. Listening in this sense is what brings safe dwelling and quietness from fear of evil.
Whoever so heeds wisdom shall dwell securely, kept undisturbed and free from dread of harm. He shall be quiet from fear of evil, calamity, and coming distress. That safety is found in listening to wisdom and accepting its reproof, in contrast to rejecting light and counsel and reaping the consequences of one's own choices.
In its setting in Proverbs 1:24-33 the promise is the opposite portion to the warning to those who reject wisdom's call and refuse correction. Those rejecters face calamity, desolation, destruction, distress, and anguish coming upon them. Their pleas will then go unanswered and they will not find help when they call, leaving them without excuse in coming distress and at final judgment.
Obedience and Consequences
Heeding divine instruction and obeying the law gives safe dwelling and quietness from fear of evil, harm and calamity, for true freedom, peace and well-being are found within the limits and bounds of that law. This peace stands in contrast to the unrest of living in disobedience. The history of France in the Revolution and Reign of Terror, with its violence, misery and ruin, illustrates what follows when the statutes are rejected and set aside. Those who fear God can trust that it will be well with them, in contrast to the rebellion that brings such ruin.
Reaping was made to follow sowing, so misery and suffering are the sure fruit of a person's own way, choices and devices, and are not to be charged to God. Those who reject light, counsel and warning reap the consequences of their own choices, while heeding counsel brings safety. Those who serve self and make a god of the stomach abuse the body to gratify lustful appetite and debased passion, and by sowing to fleshly lusts they reap corruption seen in the countenance, ruined bodily machinery, and torment from transgressed laws of nature. The licentious and profligate become slaves to passion, hunted and chained, and at last are left without conviction, mercy or hope to destroy themselves.
Others devote God-given time, means and intellect to serving the gods of this world, forsaking their true Friend for convenience and worldly pleasure while intending sometime to return. They let follies, frivolous amusements, pride of dress and indulgence of appetite harden the heart and benumb the conscience until the voice of truth is unheard, duty is despised, things of infinite value are lightly esteemed, and all desire to sacrifice is lost. In the reaping time they gather what they sowed, and at the great day of final judgment they are brought face to face with justice to render an account without excuse.
To listen to wisdom means to answer its call by accepting counsel and reproof, gaining knowledge, turning from sin, and learning reverence for the Lord, rather than refusing, ignoring, hating knowledge, and despising correction. Whoever does so will live in security and be free from fear of evil, calamity, harm, and coming distress. This promise stands as the opposite portion to the warning for those who reject wisdom's call and refuse to be corrected, whose cries will go unanswered when calamity, desolation, destruction, distress, and anguish fall upon them. Obeying God's instruction and keeping His law brings true freedom, peace, and well-being within its limits and bounds, in contrast to the unrest of disobedience. What is reaped follows what is sown, so misery and suffering are the sure fruit of a person's own way, choices, and devices and are not to be charged to God, as shown when France set aside His statutes and reaped violence, misery, and ruin in the Revolution and Reign of Terror while those who feared Him could trust that it would be well with them.
Meaning and Promise
To hearken in this promise is to respond to wisdom's call and to accept counsel, reproof, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, turning from sin rather than refusing and disregarding. It is the opposite of hating knowledge and despising reproof. Listening in this sense is what brings safe dwelling and quietness from fear of evil.
Whoever so heeds wisdom shall dwell securely, kept undisturbed and free from dread of harm. He shall be quiet from fear of evil, calamity, and coming distress. That safety is found in listening to wisdom and accepting its reproof, in contrast to rejecting light and counsel and reaping the consequences of one's own choices.
In its setting in Proverbs 1:24-33 the promise is the opposite portion to the warning to those who reject wisdom's call and refuse correction. Those rejecters face calamity, desolation, destruction, distress, and anguish coming upon them. Their pleas will then go unanswered and they will not find help when they call, leaving them without excuse in coming distress and at final judgment.
Obedience and Consequences
Heeding divine instruction and obeying the law gives safe dwelling and quietness from fear of evil, harm and calamity, for true freedom, peace and well-being are found within the limits and bounds of that law. This peace stands in contrast to the unrest of living in disobedience. The history of France in the Revolution and Reign of Terror, with its violence, misery and ruin, illustrates what follows when the statutes are rejected and set aside. Those who fear God can trust that it will be well with them, in contrast to the rebellion that brings such ruin.
Reaping was made to follow sowing, so misery and suffering are the sure fruit of a person's own way, choices and devices, and are not to be charged to God. Those who reject light, counsel and warning reap the consequences of their own choices, while heeding counsel brings safety. Those who serve self and make a god of the stomach abuse the body to gratify lustful appetite and debased passion, and by sowing to fleshly lusts they reap corruption seen in the countenance, ruined bodily machinery, and torment from transgressed laws of nature. The licentious and profligate become slaves to passion, hunted and chained, and at last are left without conviction, mercy or hope to destroy themselves.
Others devote God-given time, means and intellect to serving the gods of this world, forsaking their true Friend for convenience and worldly pleasure while intending sometime to return. They let follies, frivolous amusements, pride of dress and indulgence of appetite harden the heart and benumb the conscience until the voice of truth is unheard, duty is despised, things of infinite value are lightly esteemed, and all desire to sacrifice is lost. In the reaping time they gather what they sowed, and at the great day of final judgment they are brought face to face with justice to render an account without excuse.