Considering Proverbs 12:5-7
The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit. The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them. The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand (Proverbs 12:5-7).
These three proverbs go together. Proverbs 12:5 lays the groundwork for an important truth about the righteous and the wicked. Proverbs 12:6 provides additional detail about a specific righteous and wicked action, and Proverbs 12:6 describes what happens to those who participate in these actions.
Let’s see how we might break all of this down and consider these proverbs from a present-day Christian perspective.
In Proverbs 12:5, it states that the thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels, or we could also say directions or guidance, of the wicked are deceit.
As Christians, all of our counsel—or direction and guidance—should be based on Christian values as put in place by Jesus, the Apostles, and all who faithfully follow in their footsteps. We have many sound counselors in the faith that can help us navigate life’s challenges in a way that is acceptable to God.
Without this guidance, we are prone to doing things our own way and not God’s way. If we are able to do things God’s way, then this is an act of God’s grace toward us. There is nothing good that we have that did not come from God, so it’s good to always remember this first before we start thinking about the ways of “the wicked” because we are no different without Jesus.
We don’t want to be like the Pharisee that self-righteously said, “I thank you, God, that I am not like other sinners and this tax collector,” but rather, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Luke 18) However, it is still true that the counsels of the wicked are deceit. Jesus is the Truth, and any guidance that is not of Him is going to have some measure of deceit in it. How sad it is for those who follow in these ways instead of the ways of God.
Proverbs 12:6 states that the counsel of the wicked is violence. What does it mean to “lie in wait for blood?” We could think of a predatory animal, like a lion, who is crouched down in the tall grass, waiting for an opportunity to pounce on its prey. Satan himself is described as a “roaming lion, seeking who he may devour.”
How many people are consumed by such counsel today? We can look at all the war happening right now, which is nothing short of massive tragedy that many are all too eager to get onboard with. Many within the U.S. government cheer with blood-curdling cries of delight as they fund the slaughter of many, lining their pockets with their dollars of death. War is profitable, not just financially, but as a means of controlling many through fear. Plus, if we are all fighting against one another, then we can easily forget who the real enemy is.
Of course, Satan is the real Enemy, but is not this hungry lion filling himself happily with all the blood that is being shed—even bloodshed in the name of some holy or righteous cause, so called? Any time war is made, it is made by dividing people into categories that can hate one another. If there is no hate, then they simply fabricate it by creating straw man arguments of exaggerating faults, twisting words of the “enemy” to change its meaning, and accusing people who do not support their bloodbath as being evil themselves. All of these are tactics of the Enemy. It is called, triangulation.
“The mouth of the upright shall deliver them.” Christians, we should do what we can to deliver mankind from their blood thirst.
Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, to turn the other cheek, and to bless those who curse us. He says, “let he that is without sin among you cast the first stone.” God also says, “vengeance is mine. I will repay.” One of the greatest temptations of this time is to forget these lessons. Instead of trusting in and waiting on the Lord, we can easily become consumed with all the hatred that the Enemy is breathing out into our world—hatred that unhealed hearts easily become corrupted by, and we ourselves can easily be tempted by as well because of the hatred toward Christians that is steadily rising.
The scriptures say that in the last days the “love of many will grow cold because iniquity abounds.” As Christians, we should first keep our own hearts guarded. No matter how much iniquity abounds, and no matter how much we are hated, we remember Jesus and all the faithful who followed him. We don’t repay evil for evil, but overcome evil with good—and this is how the upright shall deliver them.
We speak the truth in love, declare the gospel of Jesus Christ that forgives sinners and brings mankind back into a loving and transformative relationship with our Creator. While the wicked wage war with the flames of man’s self-righteous hatred, greed, envy, and pride, we wield the flames of Truth—the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God—bringing people hope in a time of despair, truth in a time of lies and confusion, and peace in time of much suffering.
We do so knowing that without Jesus, our end would be death, and many are so deceived by the counsels of the wicked that they are headed straight to their doom. We do not have to condemn them. They are already condemned. Lord have mercy!
Proverbs 12:7 states that the wicked are overthrown, but the house of the righteous will stand. Jesus will judge the earth, and He says that the “meek (self-controlled) shall inherit the earth.” Jesus is the cornerstone and the Apostles are the foundation of our spiritual house made of many Christians who will shine forth the truth of His Kingdom, and this house that is built on a rock will stand no matter how deceptive the words of the Enemy and his followers will be.
A false savior makes his appearance before Jesus returns, and he flatters to such an extent that even we Christians will be tempted to worship him. He will seem so good and wise, bringing an end to all suffering. This ultimate wolf in sheep’s clothing will deceive many, and his counselors will do his bidding, leading many astray. Then, he will turn on many, including the Great Whore, and all who do not worship him are hunted to be killed. We Christians who are alive in that time will not escape this because Jesus does not return until the end of this time, but by the faith and power of God He keeps our hearts and minds steady in Christ Jesus—and we will live in the house of the Lord forever—but those who follow the ways of Satan will be no more.
This article is part of a bible study series, Considering the Proverbs. The purpose is to consider present-day events from a Christian perspective and to offer practical lessons that we can apply to ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ.
Previous Post Within This Series: Considering Proverbs 12:4—A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
In Revelation, the letter to the Church of Philadelphia deals with keeping the Lord’s patience faithfully, and the letter to the Church in Smyrna encourages all who suffer for the sake of Jesus and His gospel. These are the two churches in Revelation 2-3 who are not rebuked, so we want to align ourselves with these lessons. The remaining 5 are rebuked, and we can consider our own weaknesses when reading these letters so that we can be strengthened and more in-line with all who will take a stand for Jesus now and in the future, which is the purpose of These Things Saith He, to the best of my limited ability and grace of God given.
