Sunday, November 18, 2018 – Proverbs 22:16
Our Giving is to be Motivated by Righteousness & Love
Grace Fellowship Church
Pastor/Teacher, Jim Rickard
Vs. 16
Prov 22:16, “He who
oppresses the poor to make more for himself or who gives to the rich, will only
come to poverty.”
This is the final verse in Collection II of Proverbs that
includes chapters 10:1 - 22:16.
Here, we have a final warning that goes back to the beginning of this chapter
that speaks about desiring a good reputation through equal treatment for
everyone, the rich and powerful, as well as for the poor and weak, within the
society. This verse is the exact opposite of the exhortation in vs.1, to desire a “good reputation”
more than obtaining wealth, silver, and gold. In this verse, we see the
individual who desires the riches of this world and will deal treacherously
with others in order to obtain it.
Right off the bat, we can say that this verse is speaking
about the anti-Robin Hood, who takes from the poor and gives to the rich. But
unfortunately for the anti-Robin Hood, he will not end up with fame and
fortune. Instead, he will end in poverty and misery.
There are two forms of abuse in this passage.
1. The first form of abuse is towards the poor or powerless.
It begins with “He who oppresses,”
which is the Qal Active Participle of the Verb ASHAQ, עָשַׁק that means, “to
oppress, to wrong, to extort, to abuse.” The base meaning of this word is “to
oppress” by the abuse of power or the burdening of a perceived lesser class. At
times, it has the strong overtone of “extortion” or “taking by extortion,”
e.g., “deceitfully gotten” in Lev 6:2-4.
With additional meanings of “extort” and “abuse,” once again we are taken into
the court room, the legal system or even the political world, where powerful sinful
people are able to illicitly take advantage of the less powerful and poor.
Prov 14:31, “He who
oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors
Him.”
Prov 28:3, “A poor
man who oppresses the lowly is like a driving rain which leaves no food.”
In God’s displeasure with the nation Israel, he exclaimed in
Ezek 22:12, “‘In you they have taken
bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest and profits, and you have injured
your neighbors for gain by oppression (Noun OSHEQ- oppression, extortion), and you have forgotten Me,’ declares the
Lord GOD.”
Ezek 22:29, “The
people of the land have practiced oppression (ASHAQ – they have extorted) and committed robbery, and they have
wronged the poor and needy and have oppressed (extorted) the sojourner without justice.”
As you may know, oppression and extortion were forbidden by
the Lord according to the Mosaic Law. If an individual were found guilty of
extorting money from a fellow Israelite, the convicted extorter had to make
full restitution plus an additional one-fifth of the amount to the injured party,
Lev 6:4f. Psalms warns us to not try
to get rich through unjust means like oppression or robbery, Psa 62:10. Later, the psalmist
expressed frustration to God because wicked oppressors were allowed to prosper,
Psa 73:8. The Lord also forewarned
rebellious Israel that because she resorted to oppression, her walls would be
smashed to pieces like a potter’s vessel, Isa.
30:12ff; cf. Jer. 6:6; 22:7.
With these passages and many others, God has made the wise
way known to us and has also made wisdom’s rewards clear in the form of strong
contrasting choices. Therefore, we can choose to value a good name or
reputation above riches, vs. 1, or
we can value riches above good relationships, vs. 16. Nevertheless, we cannot claim we do not know that one is
better than the other. Just as YHWH wants us to become students of wisdom so we
can teach it to others, He also sets the example for a teacher by laying out
clear choices and consequences, which we have seen throughout this chapter.
As you also know, Satan wants us all to get in line with his
way of thinking and doing, the way of his cosmic system that is wrought with
sin, human good, and evil. The way his cosmic system works is to “choose power,
riches, things, and people to be occupied with, and if there is any free time
left over when you get home from the office, work on your reputation.”
But God says, “In all things keep in mind the reputation you
are building, one that is full of Divine Good Production from the application
of My Word in your life.” Be occupied with Jesus Christ while on the job, at
home, in the neighborhood, etc., and not just while you are at church. The
oppressor is occupied with the things of this world, yet the true Robin Hood is
concerned about the welfare of others and his walk with Jesus Christ.
Back in our verse, the one’s to be exploited are once again,
the “poor,” DAL, דַּל that means,
“poor or weak,” that we noted in vs. 9,
16. Yet, we know that the poor are not to be exploited in commerce, in the
legal system, in society, or forgotten in their need.
The reason the rich and powerful take advantage of and
oppress or extort the poor and weak is, “to
make more for himself,” LE RABAH LE. RABAH, רָבָה means “to be numerous or
to be great,” it speaks to an increase in quantity. In the Hiphil Infinitive
construct, it is the causal purpose of the sentence; to cause to get more… more
power, more money, more authority, more prestige, etc. LE meaning, “to or towards,” means these
individuals are abusing the law to make more come “to or towards” themselves,
that is to make more for themselves.
2. The second form of abuse is noted in the phrase, “or who gives to the rich,” which is the
Qal active Participle of NATHAN, נָתַן, “to give, allow, or put,” that we noted
in vs. 9, with the Preposition LE,
and the pronominal use of the Adjective ASHIR, עָשִׁיר that means, “rich man,”
which we noted in vs. 2, 7.
As we have noted above, Scripture does not portray riches as
wrong or sinful, but it does place more responsibility upon the wealthy. In
that, the rich were prohibited from oppressing the poor. Here we have a rich or
powerful man giving only to the rich or powerful, and by comparison, are not
giving to the poor as they should. It says that their giving is only to those
who are able to reciprocate their favor with a like or greater favor, so that
the original giver increases his wealth, power, or prestige. It is an illicit
“Quid pro quo,” something for something scenario, or a favor for a favor.
When someone’s charitable nature is only towards those that
can reciprocate with a favor, it is evil and sinful in God’s eyes. Charitable
giving should be without strings attached. It should be done with impersonal
and unconditional love, as all of our deeds should be. Yet, if they are not
done with motivational virtue AGAPE love, there is a warning given here.
“Will only come to
poverty.” This is the warning from God. It is the compound word
AK-LEMAHSOR, which is made up of the Adverb AK, “only or surely,” the
Preposition LE, “to, towards, come to,” and the Noun MACHSOR, מַחְסוֹר that
means, “want, lack, or poverty.” It is derived from the Verb, CHASER that
means, “to decrease, to lack, or to be needy.”
It is used in Prov
11:24; 24:34; 28:7, for “want,” Prov
6:11; 14:23; 21:15, for “poverty,” and Prov
21:17, for a “poor man,”
Prov 11:24, “There is
one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who
withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want.”
Prov 14:23, “In all
labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”
Prov 21:17, “He who
loves pleasure will become a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will
not become rich.”
Prov 28:27, “He who
gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many
curses.”
Taking advantage of the weakness of the poor in order to
aggrandize or enrich oneself, and giving generously to the rich for the same
purpose, are both wrong and will fail, cf. Prov
14:24. Both actions are considered the folly of fools.
Prov 14:24, “The
crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools is foolishness.”
The juxtaposition of the one who takes from the poor, who
need it, with the one who gives to the rich, who do not need it, points to the folly
of his thinking and actions.
The converse and same warning in our verse is also stated in
Prov 11:24, “There is one who scatters,
and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly
due, and yet it results only in want.”
“This failure is not
because this behavior is not good business sense, but because it violates the
standards of the Covenant and sets a course against that required by God (Deut. 15:7-11; cf. Prov. 22:22f).” (Complete Biblical Library Commentary.)
Therefore, in this last phrase, we see that the oppressor
and self-aggrandizer unexpectedly suffers loss, cf. Luke 14:12.
Luke 14:12, “And He
also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, ‘When you give a luncheon
or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or
rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be
your repayment’.”
Our Lord also taught that to give to the weak, poor, and
needy would result in greater blessings, yet, the self-aggrandizer would lose
out on these things, Luke 14:13-14.
Luke 14:14, “And you
will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be
repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
The giver to the rich only is unrighteous, for when the
righteous give, they enrich others and are enriched themselves by God, Prov 11:25; 21:26; 22:9; not by the
recipient(s) of their gift.
Prov 11:25, “The
generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.”
This chapter makes clear that the paradoxical outcome for
oppressor and self-aggrandizer is due to the “eyes of the Lord,” who protects
his moral supreme power to enforce His righteousness, Prov 14:31; 15:25; 17:5; 22:12, 23. The punishment for extortion
and bribery is poverty.
Prov 22:12, “The eyes
of the LORD preserve knowledge, but He overthrows the (words, matter, event or
affair) of the treacherous man.”
Prov 14:31, “He who
oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors
Him.”
Prov 22:23, “For the
LORD will plead their case and take the life of those who rob them.”
So the principle is, it is foolish to seek to accumulate
wealth by oppressing the needy or to endeavor to gain the favor of the rich by
giving them gifts or bribing them. Both courses lead to want instead of
increase. An operator who first takes advantage of the poor to make himself
rich and then uses that wealth to buy more illegitimate influence; that cycle
will be broken. Oppressors will wake up to find they have become one of the
groups they have oppressed!
He who practices either of these habits, may seem to prosper
and flourish for the moment, Psa 73:7-10;
but his end will show the truth of God’s Word. He will not find the happiness
he sought, and he will at last be obliged to admit that his purpose has been
utterly defeated because of the iniquity of his heart, cf. James 5.
Psa 73:7-9, “Their
eye bulges from fatness; the imaginations of their heart run riot. 8They
mock and wickedly speak of oppression; they speak from on high. 9They
have set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue parades through the
earth.”
This verse concludes Collection II, and is also a bridge
that introduces a topic to be resumed after the next prologue, “Do not plunder the poor,” vs. 22. The
prologue starts with vs. 17, and
ends with vs. 21. Then, the topic is
resumed in vs. 22-23.
Conclusion
These proverbs are designed to persuade individuals to learn
wisdom and love its characteristics, though the goal of such persuasion is
interrelatedness and relationship, not isolation. Therefore, the wise person is
a connected one.
In vs. 1, we were
exhorted to have a good reputation; in vs.
2, to have good community relationships; in vs. 3, to have good avoidance of evil; in vs. 4, to have a good relationship with the Lord; in vs. 5, to have good in our soul by
guarding it from sin through humility; in vs.
6, to have good training in the precepts of God; in vs. 7, we are to have good management of our finances, in vs. 8, we are to have a good
temperament wielding our authority, in vs.
9, we are to have goodness in our giving; in vs. 10, we are to rightly drive out those who are abusing the legal
system; in vs. 11, we are to have
honesty and integrity in our heart and speech, especially inside our legal
system; in vs. 12, the Lord desires
truth in the court system; in vs. 13,
we are not to avoid our civic duty with fanciful lies; in vs. 14, we are not to be seduced to falsify evidence; in vs. 15, we are to have righteousness
and integrity in our heart due to being disciplined in the Word of God; in vs. 16, we are not to oppress the poor or entice the rich with our
gifts.
Therefore, with the theme of this section in vs. 1, “desire a good reputation more
than wealth,” we accomplish that by abiding by the principles laid forth in vs.2-16. So ends Collection II, and we
now begin Collection III.
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