Proverbs 13:14 Commentary and Bible Study

Who does not crave life, yet how many refuse the means of life provided by the Lord, and how few are willing to deny themselves the things which the devil uses to ensnare them in death. The word of God is given for our protection. Satan cannot kill us without first enticing us to commit sin, so that every man is responsible for his own death: he has yielded voluntarily to temptation and paid a high price for the pleasure of sin. Our temptations are tailored to our particular weaknesses. How can we be delivered from such dangerous snares? God’s word is designed to deliver us from every conceivable line of attack. We have received the word of God and made it our own so that we are entitled to call it our own word. We are among the wise if we recognise its protective power and hide ourselves under it, making obedience to its statutes our shield. God knows every form of temptation and has put in his word a wisdom by which we may defend ourselves from the most skilful strategies of our enemy, the devil. Our souls are the battle ground, and the battle is between God and the devil; the Lord cannot lose this battle, but we too must play our part and take responsibility for our own eternal state. The wise have this fountain of life within their own souls, for the word of God acts upon their conscience, and they consult it on every occasion to determine the right course. They also become a fountain of life to others, for, what they believe in and live by, they are not ashamed to recommend to those around them. Satan may have heard of the doctrine of final perseverance, but he surely does not believe it or else he would lose hope of ever bringing the children of God into hell. Law is something that often stirs up resentment. It is something that does not yield to us but demands us to do all the yielding. None can therefore obtain wisdom without coming in total submission to God.