Proverbs 21:18 Commentary and Bible Study

The meaning of this proverb is similar to the meaning of Isaiah 43:3-4. ‘For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.’ The theme is still the judgment of God and how he deals with men and women. According to his eternal purpose he has chosen a people, individuals from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. He has set his love on these and made all things work together for their good. But the rest are hardened and do not receive mercy. They also play a part in the great plan of God but it is a fearful part. Their providences act not for their own good, but for the good of the elect. They are a means to an end, and that end is one that benefits others not themselves. They may think highly of themselves and reckon that they are the central characters in every drama, but to their great shock they will find themselves cast away as expended tools. God gave Egypt as a ransom for Israel. What did this mean? It meant that Egypt was expendable. Israel’s deliverance was at the expense of Egypt’s ruination. Israel’s freedom meant the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea. The good that God did to his people was done through the evil that he did to his enemies. God would pay any price for the redemption of his people, even by giving others for them.Obviously, Israel was not righteous in herself, but she was made righteous by the Lord. In the case of the nation that was a ceremonial righteousness obtained through the sacrifices of the ceremonial law. In the case of the true Israel, it is through the offering up of our perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. If we could only see the purposes of God as we will one day see them in glory, we would see that God’s providence works very deliberately and makes a clear distinction between the objects of his wrath and the objects of his love. However much the wicked appear for a time to prosper, the intentions of God towards them will ultimately become clear in their final state.What great encouragement the people of God can take from the Lord’s particular love for them! He traces their path through the earth, and minutely guides and protects them. His secret love towards them will eventually become an open love when he has finished the history of his providence. But the wicked can take no encouragement from anything that happens to them. Are they lifted up for a time? It is only so that they can be dashed down again. The only safe grounds of consolation for anyone is that God has worked faith in their hearts and brought them to know Christ and is progressively sanctifying them. All other evidences of prosperity are sinking sand.