Proverbs 1:14
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Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
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Unity is nothing without God's approval! In fact, it is damnable treason, unless holy principle governs it! Sinners want saints to approve of them and join their endeavors, but the LORD God demands His children avoid and reject their close company. Sinners make great appeals for cooperation and friendship, but their hearts pursue very different goals.
Solomon here warned his son, and all young men, against the peer pressure of sinful men (1:10-19). See the comments on 1:10. Their goals are robbery and murder, and destruction is their certain end. Young men who fear the Lord should stay far from them and reject all appeals for joining together. Running with the gang is contrary to godliness!
Fellowship and society with godly saints is good and glorious, but it is a horrible when saints are unequally joined together with unbelievers! Communion and unity in Christ's churches is a great blessing, but fellowship with sinners is damnable. Yet some men with weak character cannot resist the invitations and pressure of the wicked to join them.
Jehoshaphat was such a man. A grandson of David and king of Judah, he could not resist the invitations of Ahab, king of Israel, at joint projects and family intermarriage (II Chron 18:1-3). What saith the Lord? "And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD" (II Chron 19:2).
The Tower of Babel was man's first known effort at uniting the earth, but the LORD stopped the work and confounded its inhabitants! Glory! At the same site two thousand years later, Nebuchadnezzar took his stab at religious ecumenism, but three faithful men would not compromise truth and turned the religious festivities upside down! Glory!
The religion of Jesus is first pure, then peaceable (Jas 3:17). Do not reverse the sacred order! Saints are only at peace, when purity is exalted - purity of truth and righteousness. "Come out from among them," is the holy cry of apostles and angels (II Cor 6:14-17; Rev 18:4). God's highest blessings and fellowship demand it (II Cor 6:16 - 7:1). There is no peace where purity has been sacrificed, but for the peace of death (21:16).
Moses left the pleasures and riches of Egypt for the afflictions and reproach of Jesus Christ and the people of God (Heb 11:24-27). Could you make such a choice? Would you make such a choice? There is comfort and reward, there is praise of men and human security, by staying in Pharaoh's household. But the great reward - the riches of Christ and our eternal inheritance in Him - are found only in Canaan, with a separated life.
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