Proverbs 15:9-12 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 15:9-12, which read,

v.9 - The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but He loves one who pursues righteousness.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord is the first part of the proverb.  What the wicked are doing; what the wicked are saying; where the wicked are going; what the wicked are thinking; what is the agenda of the wicked; and how the wicked operate is an abomination to the Lord.  Again, abomination is also described as a disgusting thing.  What do we do when we have an encounter with a disgusting thing?  We turn our heads; we cover our eyes; and we try to erase the image from our minds.  

The other half of the proverb is that God loves one who pursues righteousness.  I love that it uses the word "pursue."  I get the picture of someone who is looking where he or she can serve; one who has a verse on their hearts because they have spent time alone with God today; one who is lost to the others around them in corporate worship because God is truly the focus of their worship; and one who comes through the doors of the church on a Sunday morning wondering who God wants them to minister to today.  One of the phrases to describe the word of pursue is to run after.  God loves it when you run after Him.

v.10, 11 - Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; he who hates reproof will die.  Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD, how much more the hearts of men!

I put these verses together because the second answers the first.  What is the grievous punishment for him who forsakes the way and hates reproof?  Sheol is a Bible word for hell.  Abaddon is a Bible word for place of destruction and ruin.  The actions of the wicked are forsaking the way and hating reproof.  What lies before them and before God's sight just as He sees the hearts of men is this place of ruin and destruction that we call hell.  It is the final destination for those who walk the wide road instead of the narrow way.

The Bible does not shy away from this subject and neither does Jesus.  It is a major topic of His in the Gospels.  He makes it very clear that this is a place and it is a place that you do not want to go to or anyone else.  God sees people go to hell.  God sees them receive the outcome of not following after Him.  It is a disgusting thing before Him, an abomination, but He sees His creations receive what they have followed after.  His justice sees it to the end just as His justice sees it to the end that those who follow after Him receive heaven with Him.  It truly isn't justice if you don't have both sides.

v.12 - A scoffer does not love one who reproves him, he will not go to the wise.

The way of escape here seems to be this intervention of the fool on the wide road that leads to destruction.  Reproof will come from others about their ways and words.  God will send people in their way to speak the truth to them but they will not love the one who brings it and they will not seek out those who are on the narrow path.  

Do we recognize when God has put someone in our path to correct us?  Do we listen to their words that are followed up by their actions of a life following after God?  Do we have a growing love for them for saying what they said at that moment in time when we needed it?  Do we realize that part of being wise before the Lord is being able to take in the correction of His through His followers?

Or do we scoff at it?  Do we reject it?  Do we make a mad, stern face at it?  Do we talk arrogantly against it?  Do walk the other way?  We are so connected as the body of Christ.  God loves us so much that He brings others alongside of us to even correct us when we are wrong so that we can love Him more.  It's hard and nobody loves discipline but it is God's loving action to His children and we are the ones who need to change to mirror Him when it has been pointed out that Jesus is not our focus point.

God loves us so much that He sends His messengers with His word.  Are you listening to them?  Let's pray.

"Lord You have given people in my life who truly do love You and follow after Your ways.  They are there by Your loving hands to help me love You more.  Forgive me for scoffing them.  Forgive me for rejecting their wisdom after You and following a different way.  May what I have been delivered from be an ever present reality to serve You as a pursuer after You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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