Proverbs 11: 10 & 11 People Reflect on Their Municipalities

The type of people in a town, city or even a country, will give that “municipality” a specific reputation. Today’s verses touch on this topic.

Proverbs 11: 10 & 11 (NKJV)

10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.
11 By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

First, let’s look at the definitions of the main words, that we haven’t studied before, in these verses:
1. city: A center of population, commerce, and culture
2. perish: To die or be destroyed, especially in a violent or untimely manner
3. jubilation: a feeling of great joy and celebration

4. exalted : Elevated in rank, character, or status.
5. overthrown : To bring about the downfall or destruction of…

Both of our verses today start with the effects that people that are righteous and upright, have on helping a city to prosper. These people follow God and/or His wise ways and their lives will be blessed because of it. When the righteous are blessed (“when it goes well with…” AND when they are receiving “blessings”) then the city or area that they live in will also be blessed because they will have more to spend, and more ways to help their neighbors. We have seen examples of this principle before in our United States history, when our country was blessed because we had a morally based society… one that was basically based on a Judeo-Christian heritage. We became one of the strongest, most blessed, AND most giving countries in the world.

Over the past 50 or so years, we have seen things turn around and start to go downhill. As the ratio of those that follow righteous, moral lives compared to those that are following wicked ways, tip the other way, our cities, towns and society in general are having more and more problems.

Verse 10 tells us that when the “wicked perish,” there is “jubilation.” Think about the celebrations that occurred when Saddam Hussein’s reign was overthrown to get a good picture of the truth of this verse.

The last part of verse 11 says that cities are “overthrown” by the mouth (or words) of the wicked. We have seen this on a small scale with the gangs pushing each other to do things that continually grow worse, and we have seen it on a large scale through the words of Adolf Hitler that ended in a World War.

We have even seen examples in the past year or so of whole cities and towns that are perishing and being foreclosed on because of the lies of wicked, greedy men that gave loans to so many when they really couldn’t afford it.

Our lives DO make a difference to those who live round us, and we need to be sure that they see the effects of God’s love and work in our lives, for that may be the only way they will ever think about learning about God.