Proverbs 1:23-33 (NKJV)

Proverbs 1:20 – 33 is a section that goes together. In Verses 20 thru 22, we saw “Wisdom” calling to the young and/or immature and trying to get them to see that wisdom is there for the taking. She warns that turning away from SEEKING wisdom will cause people to turn to the wrong friends and go down a road that will lead to problems and pain for them and others.

Though this is a long section, I think we should start by reading all of the verses of the rest of this section with these things in mind:

Proverbs 1:23-33 (NKJV)

23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you.

24 Because I have called and you refused,

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25 Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your terror comes,

27 When your terror comes like a storm,

And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “ Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

29 Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the LORD,

30 They would have none of my counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

These are very strong words, both good and bad, from God and we will break down these verses in the next few studies. In verse 23, the verse that begins this section, and in verse 33, the one that ends it, we are given words of encouragement about what happens when we DO seek wisdom and start to follow its precepts. Let’s look at the first of these encouraging verses:

23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.

The word “rebuke” in this case means “a helpful kind of verbal correction.” Another word that it could be translated to mean is “admonition - cautionary advice about something imminent (especially imminent danger or other unpleasantness)” . In this case, the admonition comes that IF you turn when given the admonition or warning, then the spirit of “Wisdom” will be “poured out” on you and you will start to understand the things you need to know to live a Godly life.

The last verse, verse 33, says :

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

As we’ve studied before, this is a “proverb” and not a promise, but proverbs are PRINCIPALS that we can live by and the PROBABLITY is that those that live by the principle will receive the stated reward. Those that LISTEN to the words/principles of wisdom will be much more likely to dwell in safety and security.

If they follow these principles (again, seeking God and His kingdom first) then they will live under His protection and can trust that whatever happens isn’t going to end in the destruction that evil brings, but in the knowledge that He WILL fulfill the PROMISE of Romans 8:28 (NKJV) : 28 And we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

We can have faith that even when evil or bad things happen to us (which is part of living in a fallen world) then GOD can make them work out for good. For instance, my daughter-in-law recently passed away (January) and part of it was not making wise health decisions (which is a major problem for most of us). This death was a horrible, “evil” thing for our family… especially my son and their four girls, BUT they have been turning to God and seeking HIM first in their lives. Because of this, they have been wonderful examples of having faith in God and in the fact that their wife/mother has gone on to heaven because she believed in Christ, etc.

As a result, many of the children in their AWANA classes and adults in their church have come to the place of accepting Jesus as their Savior, have been born again, and will also be going to heaven now. So many others have seen their faith and testimony to Christ’s love in the way that He has taken care of them, (my son had been laid off from his job through no fault of his own last November) that they have had their faith strengthened as well.

In our next study, we will take a look at the verses that go between these two verses of encouragement. Hope to see you the next time.