Proverbs 22:22-25 comments; the Lord will plead their cause

 

Proverbs 22:22 ¶ Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

There are many verses in the Bible where God insists that the cause of the poor in justice and the need of the poor in society is His concern. I’ll post some of them here so you can see God’s attitude toward the poor.

The Hebrews were told to loan money to the poor at no interest.

Exodus 22:25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

(Modern dictionaries define usury as excessive or illegal interest on loans, I suppose, in order to let bankers off the hook. However, the Bible defines usury as any interest on a loan, either in money or in goods.

Leviticus 25:36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.)

They were not to set their face against a poor man because he is poor in matters of justice.

Exodus 23:6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.

Provisions were made in this agrarian society for the poor’s support, provided they were willing to do something for themselves.

Leviticus 19:10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

The gate was where decisions were made, where kings sat to dispense justice.

2Samuel 19:8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

2Chronicles 18:9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

The Lord will plead the cause of the poor, be their advocate, and when the day of judgment for the world comes, those who have oppressed the poor will answer. They may think they were great Christians, perhaps very charity minded and gave away millions or even billions to establish libraries, hospitals, and churches but if they have oppressed the poor, they will have to give an answer. Someone will say, you mean the poor of His people. But in the Christian doctrines, while we are to pay particular attention to the household of God we are to do good and not to do wrong to ALL men. The Christian who thinks that he is only required to be just and fair and honest within the church is deceived.

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

 

Proverbs 22:24 ¶ Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

More good advice for young people. Don’t make friends with hot tempered, passionate people who are always out of control. They’re poison and hanging out with them is bound to corrupt you and drag you into the problems they always create for themselves.

Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

Christians are given the following admonition about not letting your anger continue to burn inside you.

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

We are often known by the company we keep. Be careful who you spend time with as a friend.

In these verses we have angry and furious, two adjectives, linked as being synonymous in this context by their placement in the sentence. Notice the separation between “angry man” and “and with a furious man” with a semi-colon so the part of the sentence after the semi-colon is a further thought. These two thoughts are conditioned with a clause following a colon so the last part of that verse explains the why of the command in the first two parts. Take note of this because while its simple to understand here it will require thought in other places making verses mean something different literally than what the meaning many preachers give.

Later on, in Proverbs we’ll have a further thought on this angry, furious man.

Proverbs 29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Then, in Daniel, the two are linked with a violent act;

Daniel 2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

 

The angry and furious man abounds in transgression, for he is violent. God does not think much of violent men.

Psalm 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Anger, furiousness, and wrath which is abiding anger, are linked to violence and sin. Only God’s anger and wrath are just and without error as He knows the entirety of every situation and His wrath is justifiably reserved for human beings that reject the free gift of salvation. If you are naturally prone to a hot temper, to strike quickly, to boil in rage, to hit first and ask questions later you have a sin issue that must be dealt with. Come on, you know who you are. If you know someone like this the Proverb warns you that being their friend will corrupt you.