Proverbs 3:34
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Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
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The judgment of scorners is certain. "Surely" they shall not escape. The Lord will have them in derision. He will laugh and mock, when He brings their worst fears upon them for their arrogant disregard of His offers of wisdom, truth, and life (1:20-31; Ps 2:1-12).
Scorners resent correction, despise authority, mock truth, and are full of conceit. Our great God will resent, resist, ridicule, and reject them for their pride and arrogance. Others cannot help or protect the scorner, for God will surely judge him or her (9:12).
The lowly have poor and contrite hearts, are humble in thought, confess their errors quickly, and tremble with ready hearts for His instruction. Our merciful God will favor them with His gracious blessings. Though He is high, He has respect to the lowly and resents the proud (Ps 138:6).
Our proverb is so true it is stated twice in the New Testament (Jas 4:6; I Pet 5:5). God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. So we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that He might exalt us in due time (James 4:10; I Pet 5:6).
God gives this grace before and after we humble ourselves; for it is His grace that humbles us, and it is His grace that rewards our humility with further favor (James 4:5-6).
The rule of heaven is simple: God repays in kind. He is merciful to the merciful, upright to the upright, pure to the pure, and froward to the froward (Ps 18:25-26). He saves afflicted persons, but He brings down the high looks of the proud (Ps 18:27). He will not be slack to repay those who hate Him to their very face (Deut 7:9-11). And He will give them the same contrary treatment they have given Him, but with His fury (Lev 26:23-28).
God's ways are equal, though Israel charged Him with being unfair (Ezek 18:25-30). A man choosing scorn and iniquity will be judged, but a man choosing humility and righteousness will be saved. The ways of God are equal. Humble yourself, dear reader.
Pharaoh scorned the Lord, but Israel ravished the nation terribly. Korah scorned Moses, but he and his family went to their graves alive! Goliath scorned Israel's God, but a naked lad stole his head. The Jews scorned our Saviour, but He publicly ridiculed their doctrine, hypocrisy, and persons. Caiaphas and Israel scorned our Lord and His apostles, but He leveled their temple and annihilated their nation. Surely He scorneth the scorners!
When Elymas scorned the gospel, Paul despised him and sent blindness upon him (Acts 13:4-12). When the Jews rejected Paul's message of the Messiah, he turned to the Gentiles and told the Jews they were unworthy of everlasting life (Acts 13:46-47).
The haughty teachers at Corinth, who resented Paul, publicly heard chapter after chapter of his glorious boasting, which left them all scorned before the church! And Paul in turn told Timothy and Titus to let no man despise, or scorn, them (I Tim 4:12; Tit 2:15).
If you have tried to teach a scorner and received hatred, shame, and a blot in return (9:7-8), do not worry. There is a God in heaven: and He is higher than they, no matter how high their conceited thoughts. Surely He scorneth the scorners! You will be vindicated!
Dear parent, if you see even a glimpse of scorn or just smell it in the air from a child, it must be eliminated today. This most hateful of all spirits must be corrected, or you will bring upon yourself great pain and bring upon your child the judgment of God. It is the seed of hell in your child, but wise and early use of reproof and the rod can drive it away.
Dear reader, do your hackles ever rise in pride and rebellion at the preaching of God's word? Do resentful thoughts enter your mind against the message or the messenger? Are you offended by the correction or warning of a friend? Unless you have overwhelming Bible evidence to question their words, you are taking the seat of the scornful.
Do you resent authority? Is it easy for you to criticize or mock government? Do you love giving your opinion on how things should be done in the nation? On the job? In the church? Beware! Surely He scorneth the scorners!
But on the other hand, the glorious God of heaven draws nigh to humble men, who wait quietly with contrite hearts and tremble at His word (Is 57:15; 66:1-2). Consider these precious promises! What a privilege! What a low cost! Humble yourself, dear reader. He giveth grace to the lowly!
God is angry and hates scorners. Those who neglect His word, mock His truth, despise His ministers, and worship their own thoughts will be judged harshly (Is 29:20-21). But those who think poorly of themselves and tremble before Him will receive kind blessings.
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