Proverbs 13:9 "The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out."
What bold imagery for the reader! In this proverb, Solomon assigns a particular level of light to a person’s particular level of morality. A righteous person’s light “rejoiceth” while a wicked person’s light will eventually “be put out.”
First and foremost, by using the words it does, this proverb teaches us that every person is Divinely given the capacity for light. This capacity for light has nothing to do with physical vision but instead, has everything to do with spiritual understanding. A lamp isn’t light but it does produce light. Fuel or oil is placed in a lamp in order to produce light from that lamp. Everyone is given a lamp in their soul so that no one is without excuse when it comes to spiritual understanding. The lamp of the righteous isn’t mentioned because it isn’t the focus since light protrudes from it. The lamp of the wicked is highlighted in this proverb because the light coming from it is so dim that it becomes the focal point in noticing that it is obviously going to run dry and produce no light. Everyone has a lamp in their soul and everyone has the same opportunity to experience spiritual understanding in their soul.
Secondly then, this proverb teaches us that righteousness is what ultimately fuels the lamp of the soul. The word “rejoiceth” in the context means, thriving or dancing. The image Solomon paints for the light of the righteous is a dancing flame. This language is consistent with the psalmist as he wrote about the sun when it rises in the morning, that it “rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race” (Psalm 19:4-5). The spiritual insight and understanding of the righteous flourishes and thrives. For the righteous, there is no shortage of understanding. This teaches us then that more than anything, doing right leads to getting spiritual insight. More than anything, righteousness leads to “light-eousness.” Reading the Bible in itself doesn’t necessarily bring spiritual understanding; heeding the Bible brings spiritual understanding. In his New Testament Epistle, James spoke of the danger in hearing the word of God but failing to obey it. A lack of action after hearing the word of God is the result of DECEPTION according to James 1:22. Deception is the arch rival of spiritual understanding. In the same passage, James declares a blessing to the person who heeds what he hears from the word of God, saying “this man shall be blessed in his DEED” (James 1:25). Doing right, not just learning about it, is what brings spiritual light.
The general idea that getting spiritual understanding comes from reading, listening or observing is flawed. We increase our spiritual understanding when and only when we put to practice the things that we learn. Righteousness isn’t obtained in a library or in a pew. It isn’t secured by reading books or by watching online videos. Righteousness isn’t achieved by sitting around and discussing spiritual ideas. It is achieved by obeying truth and putting into practice Scriptural principles. Reading, listening and observing spiritual things doesn’t produce spiritual understanding unless they are put into practice and proved out. Many spiritual books sound great until they are put into practice in the real world. Many online sermons sound fantastic until they are put to the test in the real world. Actively engaging in the spiritual dimension is what brings the greatest source of spiritual understanding. The Christian who spends his day reading about God but not doing anything for God lacks true spiritual understanding. The Christian who spends his day listening to sermons about God but not doing much for God will lack deep spiritual understanding. Doing right leads to getting light. Being righteous fuels the lamp within the soul.
If there is any doubt to the clear connection Solomon is drawing between morality and understanding, take a look at the wicked. The more unrighteous a person gets, the more understanding they lack. I know so-called Christians who once attended church every week and read their Bible every day but now deny the veracity of Scripture and support anti-Biblical positions. We all know people who were raised in Chistian homes but now think God didn’t create the universe or that God is a woman or that the Bible supports homosexuality or that abortion is acceptable. How does anyone go from believing Scriptural truth to eventually believing anti-Scriptural heresy? Simply by choosing wickedness. Our spiritual understanding fades and wanes as our morality declines and fails. With each act of fornication, we begin to think it’s not a big deal in God’s eyes. With each act of sexual immorality, we convince ourselves that Scripture is out of touch with reality. With each lie, we begin to convince ourselves that integrity has no value. With each slander or gossip, we fail to remember or believe that God hates those who sow discord. Immorality consumes the oil in the lamp of the soul. Wickedness dries up the lamp of the soul. The more wicked a man is, the more spiritually insane he will be. The more wicked a woman is, the more deranged she will be when it comes to God, Scripture and truth.
Righteousness is achieved by doing Biblical things, not by learning about Biblical things. When we learn what righteousness looks like and we don’t put to practice what we’ve learned, our lamp will eventually run dry and we’ll lack spiritual understanding. We must be consistently putting into practice what God teaches us if we are to keep the flame of spiritual understanding dancing in our souls. The greatest spiritual insight men and women get in this world is when they are engaged in doing right. Gaining knowledge in itself only results in pride, deception and spiritual foolishness. Doing right while learning truth is the only true path to long-lasting spiritual understanding.
What does the lamp in your soul look like today? Is there a dancing flame rejoicing with an excess of fuel due to righteous living or is there but a flicker of light barely surviving due to a life of spiritual stagnation?
First and foremost, by using the words it does, this proverb teaches us that every person is Divinely given the capacity for light. This capacity for light has nothing to do with physical vision but instead, has everything to do with spiritual understanding. A lamp isn’t light but it does produce light. Fuel or oil is placed in a lamp in order to produce light from that lamp. Everyone is given a lamp in their soul so that no one is without excuse when it comes to spiritual understanding. The lamp of the righteous isn’t mentioned because it isn’t the focus since light protrudes from it. The lamp of the wicked is highlighted in this proverb because the light coming from it is so dim that it becomes the focal point in noticing that it is obviously going to run dry and produce no light. Everyone has a lamp in their soul and everyone has the same opportunity to experience spiritual understanding in their soul.
Secondly then, this proverb teaches us that righteousness is what ultimately fuels the lamp of the soul. The word “rejoiceth” in the context means, thriving or dancing. The image Solomon paints for the light of the righteous is a dancing flame. This language is consistent with the psalmist as he wrote about the sun when it rises in the morning, that it “rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race” (Psalm 19:4-5). The spiritual insight and understanding of the righteous flourishes and thrives. For the righteous, there is no shortage of understanding. This teaches us then that more than anything, doing right leads to getting spiritual insight. More than anything, righteousness leads to “light-eousness.” Reading the Bible in itself doesn’t necessarily bring spiritual understanding; heeding the Bible brings spiritual understanding. In his New Testament Epistle, James spoke of the danger in hearing the word of God but failing to obey it. A lack of action after hearing the word of God is the result of DECEPTION according to James 1:22. Deception is the arch rival of spiritual understanding. In the same passage, James declares a blessing to the person who heeds what he hears from the word of God, saying “this man shall be blessed in his DEED” (James 1:25). Doing right, not just learning about it, is what brings spiritual light.
The general idea that getting spiritual understanding comes from reading, listening or observing is flawed. We increase our spiritual understanding when and only when we put to practice the things that we learn. Righteousness isn’t obtained in a library or in a pew. It isn’t secured by reading books or by watching online videos. Righteousness isn’t achieved by sitting around and discussing spiritual ideas. It is achieved by obeying truth and putting into practice Scriptural principles. Reading, listening and observing spiritual things doesn’t produce spiritual understanding unless they are put into practice and proved out. Many spiritual books sound great until they are put into practice in the real world. Many online sermons sound fantastic until they are put to the test in the real world. Actively engaging in the spiritual dimension is what brings the greatest source of spiritual understanding. The Christian who spends his day reading about God but not doing anything for God lacks true spiritual understanding. The Christian who spends his day listening to sermons about God but not doing much for God will lack deep spiritual understanding. Doing right leads to getting light. Being righteous fuels the lamp within the soul.
If there is any doubt to the clear connection Solomon is drawing between morality and understanding, take a look at the wicked. The more unrighteous a person gets, the more understanding they lack. I know so-called Christians who once attended church every week and read their Bible every day but now deny the veracity of Scripture and support anti-Biblical positions. We all know people who were raised in Chistian homes but now think God didn’t create the universe or that God is a woman or that the Bible supports homosexuality or that abortion is acceptable. How does anyone go from believing Scriptural truth to eventually believing anti-Scriptural heresy? Simply by choosing wickedness. Our spiritual understanding fades and wanes as our morality declines and fails. With each act of fornication, we begin to think it’s not a big deal in God’s eyes. With each act of sexual immorality, we convince ourselves that Scripture is out of touch with reality. With each lie, we begin to convince ourselves that integrity has no value. With each slander or gossip, we fail to remember or believe that God hates those who sow discord. Immorality consumes the oil in the lamp of the soul. Wickedness dries up the lamp of the soul. The more wicked a man is, the more spiritually insane he will be. The more wicked a woman is, the more deranged she will be when it comes to God, Scripture and truth.
Righteousness is achieved by doing Biblical things, not by learning about Biblical things. When we learn what righteousness looks like and we don’t put to practice what we’ve learned, our lamp will eventually run dry and we’ll lack spiritual understanding. We must be consistently putting into practice what God teaches us if we are to keep the flame of spiritual understanding dancing in our souls. The greatest spiritual insight men and women get in this world is when they are engaged in doing right. Gaining knowledge in itself only results in pride, deception and spiritual foolishness. Doing right while learning truth is the only true path to long-lasting spiritual understanding.
What does the lamp in your soul look like today? Is there a dancing flame rejoicing with an excess of fuel due to righteous living or is there but a flicker of light barely surviving due to a life of spiritual stagnation?
Posted in Proverbs Commentary
Posted in Solomon, fornication, sex, Immorality, wickedness, righteousness, Lying, Dishonesty, Gossip, slander, Understanding, Library, Sermons, Books, reading, temptation, Homosexuality, Abortion, Creation, Morality, light, Insight
Posted in Solomon, fornication, sex, Immorality, wickedness, righteousness, Lying, Dishonesty, Gossip, slander, Understanding, Library, Sermons, Books, reading, temptation, Homosexuality, Abortion, Creation, Morality, light, Insight
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