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Journal Entries

Proverbs 21:16-20

9/25/2024

 
Proverbs 21:16-20
English Standard Version
​
16 One who wanders from the way of good sense
    will rest in the assembly of the dead.
17 Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18 The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
    and the traitor for the upright.
19 It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
20 Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
    but a foolish man devours it.

The foolish person will not find rest in the arms of God, but in the place of the dead that is the final "resting place" for the wicked.  However, they find no true peace and rest there, for they are simply awaiting their final judgment.

The Hedonist that loves pleasure will spend all of his wealth chasing after things that will never satisfy him or make him truly happy.  The drunkard or person who abuses other substances will spend their money trying to drown their problems, be in a state of numbness towards them so they don't feel them or become high so as to live in a different reality where they don't think they have to experience and deal with the problems of their life.  Spending your wealth on such quick fixes that don't really deal with the root issue will never satisfy and often will lead to diminishing returns where the person abuses the substances just to try to feel "normal" and be "functional," but eventually, even that will be out of reach.  

The wicked will end up paying fines and fees that will be used by the righteous.  The wealth of the wicked will be taken in restitution.  The wicked are the ones that are taken captive and will serve the righteous.  I know we don't have slavery or indentured servitude today, but it was a common thing at that time for someone to "work off" a debt that they owed (maybe even them and their family working off the debt of the head of the family).

Solomon says that it's better to live in the desert where there is scarcity of food and water than to live in the house with a quarrelsome and fretful woman (probably thinking of one of his many wives or concubines).  It's not pleasant to live among anyone that is constantly fighting or worrying, but it's especially hard when you love that person and have made an eternal covenant "for better or worse" with them.  Carefully consider things like this before your marriage vows.

The wise man holds back precious treasures like fine olive oil and wine for when he will need them later.  He does not waste everything that comes into his hands, but wisely uses what he needs for today and saves the rest for when he may need it in the future.  The foolish man devours everything that comes into his possession.  He doesn't save anything and always finds himself with too much month at the end of every paycheck instead of having some paycheck left over at the end of the month.  A wise man knows how to budget and be a good steward of the LORD's resources so that in times of trouble, he has enough for himself and his family and to bless others as God calls him to do (see the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis).

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    Daniel Westfall

    I will mostly use this space for recording my "journal" from my daily devotions as I hope to encourage others to read the Bible along with me and to leave a legacy for others.

    Occasionally, I'll also post some true blog/opinion pieces focused on what the Bible has to say about current events or the importance of a particular spiritual discipline, or something more topic-related to orthodoxy (right belief) or orthopraxy (right living).  You can also find those blogs over at Faith and Culture.

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  • Home
  • What We Believe
    • Statement of Faith
    • HCF's Church Covenant
    • The New City Catechism
    • The 9 Marks of a Healthy Church
  • Publications
    • Journal Entries
    • Faith and Culture (Biblical Apologetics)
    • Newsletters and Announcements
  • Evangelism Techniques
    • The Romans Road
    • The Three Circles Method
    • Crown-Heart-World
    • Evangelism Explosion
    • Sharing Your Testimony
  • Biblical Discipleship
    • Bible Studies and Discipleship Groups
    • The Gospel Project
    • The Gospel Project Recordings
    • Request Access
    • Ask a Question
  • Gospel Foundations
    • Volume 1: The God Who Creates
    • Volume 2: A Wandering People
    • Volume 3: Longing For a King
    • Volume 4: The Coming Rescue
    • Volume 5: God With Us
    • Volume 6: The Kingdom On Earth
  • Mathematics Tutoring
  • Bible Study Tools
    • The Bible App
    • Blue Letter Bible
    • Audio Bibles-BibleGateway.com
    • Daily Reading Plans-BibleGateway.com
    • Bible Overview
    • Notes on the History of Salvation in the Old Testament from the ESV Study Bible: Preparing the Way for Christ
    • How to Interpret the Bible
  • Links and Resources
    • Songs We Sing at HCF
    • Hymns We Sing at HCF
    • Capitol Hill Baptist Church Core Seminars
    • 9 Marks Church Search
    • White Horse Inn Podcast
    • The 99 in :99
    • The Gospel Project for Preschoolers Videos
    • The Gospel Project for Kids Videos
    • My YouTube Channel
  • For the HCF Elders
    • Ministry Updates for HCF Elders
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