Proverbs 28:18 Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall. 19 Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
Lets start with the second phrase… of vs 18... it says how the crooked “will suddenly fall”. This seems to indicate that there may be at least a season before that when the crooked might appear to be successful. I think we do see the wicked appearing successful often times in life. And that seems to trip up some people in their faith… It plants a seed of doubt.
In Psalm 73, the writer Asaph saw this and it bothered him. Verse 3 says: For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
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Psalm 37 is a psalm of David and it’s likely just what you need if you don’t understand why God has not stepped in yet. It starts out like this:
1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
Solomon also says how those who walk in integrity will be delivered. We’ll look more at that in a minute.
Next in verse 19 he plays off the word “plenty”. It says:
“Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.”
So these are surly the same men he has been telling us about throughout Proverbs. There are various attributes and characteristics of a “righteous” man who has a heart for God . Gods righteousness works out of his life as he grows practically in that righteousness. And then there is the wicked man with his characteristics.
Verse 19 speaks of this one who has a heart for God and righteousness… He is the man of integrity in verse 18… not lazy… he diligently works hard; has plenty of bread. This same righteousness from God also works in him to love his neighbor promotes a ton of other godly traits.
But the man without a heart for God… who in this sub genre of wickedness is lazy to the things of God that have to do with working for a living and providing for his family… Solomon says that they too will have plenty… plenty of poverty.
So in these two verses we see two examples of a wicked man.
One seems to be successful for a time so he is likely not lazy… and he will suddenly fall… It may be here on earth… it may be not come until death… But one thing is for sure… even if God waits until judgment day for the ultimate fall… it will happen.
The other wicked man was different in that he was lazy. It is logical to assume that he too may have seemed to have it good for a while as he lived off of those around him. A righteous government surly does not enable the lazy to remain as unproductive citizens. I suppose in Solomons kingdom it was like this… the lazy had plenty of poverty.
The physical and spirirtual application of todays verses are clear I think. Walk in integrity and not crookedness; be diligent in work and not lazy… there are consequences now and for eternity.
In eternity because truly good works which are motivate by the Holy Spirit in our life are evidence that God has worked his righteousness out through our life.
Spiritually I think our passage speaks loudest in the first phrase.
18 Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered,…
Integrity is a heart thing. It has to do with good character and righteousness but it is foreign to fallen mankind. It can only be received as a gift from the only one who is righteous… that is God and it comes through his son Jesus; the righteous God man.
If you delight in Jesus… the only one who came and lived a righteous life; who died a wicked sinners death… the death we deserve… If you believe in this one who then defeated the hold sin had through the law’s sentence of death… by rising from the grave… If your hope is in him… God will give you 100% of Jesus righteousness and begin working out righteousness and integrity through your life practically… and raise you up for eternity to be with him… all because of Jesus.
