In summation of the last two weeks, Solomon is making one final plea to his son, and we who are the readers. We find this in Proverbs 4:20-22. This call, comes after all that was said about evil and wicked, and how they both walk in comparison. The logical application is for us to heed to what is being said.

This is the call in Proverbs 4:20. Give attention to my words. The word attention is to heed, listen, attend and some other 43 different words in the Old Testament. To understand this word, I would encourage looking back at these following texts as a refresher:

Proverbs 1:24 – Regarded

Proverbs 2:2 – Incline

Proverbs 4:1 – Attention

And now here in Proverbs 4:20. Since we have dealt with these words and this concept, I wish to do more of an application than the word study at this moment. The call, Solomon is giving, is to listen and incline ourselves to hear what he has to say. This is important for this makes the difference between those who stumble in the dark and those who have the light. It is a sad day when those who are stumbling, get so close to the first glimmer of light, to turn away because they do not want to hear or to change. But Solomon does something in this text. He uses the word attention, but now he moves to the word incline. Is this not the same?

No. Incline is used two hundred and fourteen times in the Old Testament. Narrowing it down to just Proverbs (and thereby encouraging everyone to go back to the segment of devotionals that deal with this) we find:

1. Proverbs 1:24 – out

2. Proverbs 2:2 – apply

3. Proverbs 4:5 – away

The difference should be seen by this small snapshot. In these six verses, we have the attention, the hearing, the listening, the honoring, but we also have the applying to the life. The conforming our lives to what is being said. This is important.

There are many who read the Bible who conform their lives to what they want the Bible to say. I am reminded of a woman who says she is a pastor. In a very viral video, she blatantly says that,

God lied to Adam and Eve...The serpent reveals the truth, you won’t die.

Let that sink in for a moment. Do we understand what this is saying? She is taking the Scriptures, twisting it and ignoring Jesus in John 8:44, Romans 5:12-21, Titus 1:2, and many other texts. (I will not post the video here for I do not want to give more attention to this clip than what has been given).

This is what happens when we “re-interpret” (this woman’s words, not mine) the Scripture to a modern reading. But it is not just her, there are many more who do this. They take the parts of Scripture they like, and then absolutely ignore the rest of it because it demands something from them.

This is not inclining. This is not applying. This is twisting so we can be comfortable with how we are and the god we serve is happy with how we are. Yes, god is lower case on purpose for this is a self made god, not the God of the Bible.

As a true Christian, we are to not take the Bible and try to re-read it with different meanings so as to build a god of our own making (this is idolatry and what we are warned against in Exodus 20:3). What does the Bible say. Period. Nothing more, nothing less. We then either are forced to accept it, conform to it, and then allow God, through the Word, to change our lives, or we reject and we twist the Scriptures itself to fit our place and time. Do not be one of those Christians, for doing that, the question could really be asked,

Are you a Christian indeed?

Therefore, in Proverbs 4:20, we have the attention to the words, and the inclining to the sayings. Those sayings are the same sayings which we talked about in Proverbs 4:10-19. But then we find the next stage in Proverbs 4:21.

What we saw was the hearing and application. Now we seek the keeping. Do not let them depart, and keep them. Let us start with these two things first. Depart is used six times (five times in Proverbs, once in Isaiah). Yes, we have covered this word.

1. Proverbs 2:15 – devious

2. Proverbs 3:21, 32 – depart, perverse

3. Proverbs 4:21 – depart

4. Proverbs 14:2 – perverse

5. Isaiah 30:12 – perversity.

What a broad meaning from being on guard to that which is evil. Which is it? Please pardon me as I throw a little Hebrew here. In Proverbs 3:21 and Proverbs 4:21, the word is used in the part of speech called a Qualitative and a Hiphil. The Qual is a verb. The Hiphil is used to build a verb from nouns and adjectives. The focus then, is not on the people (the wicked and evil) but on keeping and applying the statements. If it were the participle, then we would be looking specifically at the people. Ok. Back to the verse.

What we find is the command to not let them depart, but also to keep. On one hand we have the command to not let them leave, but to keep is what it says, to keep, guard, attend. Used some four hundred and sixty four times, it is a term meaning that not only are we to keep them in place, but to guard them from leaving! Almost like a military term to guard something. We have ran across this in Proverbs as well:

1. Proverbs 2:8 – Preserves

2. Proverbs 2:11, 20 – Preserves, keep

3. Proverbs 3:6 – Keep

4. Proverbs 4:4, 6 – Keep, Preserves

I will let the study we have done on each passage carry forward with deeper meanings here. All this to say that it is to be guarded. What is interesting is where it is to be kept and guarded at. Notice it is from the eyes and in the midst of the heart. Both of these are very important to the body both figuratively and literally.

Literally, the eyes are where we are able to see. The eyes allow us to engage with our surroundings in unique ways. The heart, well, without it, we won’t exist. It keeps us alive, and allows the blood in our bodies to be pumped, bringing oxygen to the other parts.

Figuratively, however, the eyes and heart play deeper roles. Eyes, in a figurative way can be both a place of goodness and evil. It depends on what is put in front of the eyes. Up to this point, through Proverbs, we have found eyes and sight playing important roles (Proverbs 3:7 for example). But when we think about the eyes being a place where evil can be or allowed to come in, this gives a good reason charges such as Proverbs 4:25; Proverbs 16:2; Proverbs 23:5, and many many others are important to heed what is before our eyes. When the evil, fleshly, and sinful things of the world are in the focus of our eyes, it will lead us away from the path of light which God is calling us to. That is why it is important for us to put these instructions in our eyes. They lead to God. Why is this important? I would encourage reading Proverbs 16:2; 21:2. It is God who sees, not as man sees, for God sees the heart and spirit. Man can look good on the outside, but what is the heart? That is what God is judging. We, as mankind, can only judge the fruits. I believe 1 Samuel 16:7 is in play here.

Then we have the heart figuratively. The heart is the decision maker, in Scripture, not the brain. It is in the heart we find that adultery, belief, concern, condemnation, desire, doubt, evil, fear, hatred, joy, love, lust, medication, obedience, pride, purity, purpose, reason, rebellion, rejoicing, sorrow, suffering, thought, wisdom reside.

For example, it is not from the mind that one thinks about adultery, it is in the heart (Matthew 5:28). It is not in the mind we have obedience to God, but from the heart Romans 6:17. Therefore, the importance of not just keeping our focus with the eyes on what is being said, but also locking it down and keeping it, what does Proverbs 4:21 say? In the midst of the heart. When it is in the midst of the heart, we now have a framework upon which we can measure and see. See how that plays out?

With the instructions given, not only do we see what is expected and what God calls for us to do (since the Scriptures are inspired by God), but now we can lock that away and the Holy Spirit can use that structure to help keep us moving on the path toward holiness and light. Not darkness. What is in our eyes and heart? What do we think about and put in front of our vision? Is it God’s Word, His commands, His nature, His Word? Or is it our flesh, desires, lusts, and even our own “interpretation” of His Word? That will mark what is in our hearts. What is in our hearts will then come forth as fruit.

THAT, dear reader, is what we are able to judge and see (Matthew 7:16, 20). Many today say,

You cannot judge me!

I say, we can and we should! But we must do it rightly as what we are taught in John 7:24. We, as Christians should be the one to look at the Spirit of EVERYTHING, and no matter who or what has that spirit, mark it as either good or evil. This is why we test the spirits (1 John 4:1). We cannot test, or test rightly, if we do not have a Godly framework upon which to test! That takes us back to Proverbs 4:20-21! Do we see how it fits together? For by doing so, we will not be on the same path as the evil and wicked (Proverbs 4:14-17), instead we will have Proverbs 4:22.

Here in Proverbs 4:22, we find that these instructions are going to be life, and health. Life has been covered pretty heavy here in Proverbs with such passages as Proverbs 3:2, 18, 22, so I will not delve too much here again. But there is life in these parameters that are being given. Not death. It is those who are trapped by evil and wickedness, who, while they have their temporary and passing pleasures, they are bound into an ever deepening circle of destruction which leads to hell itself!

Now the word health, however, is a new one. This is the first time we have seen it in Proverbs. It is used sixteen times in the Old Testament and life, which can be our physical life, but can be figurative in the abundance of life, health seems to be focused on a physical health.

1. 2 Chronicles 21:18 – an incurable disease.

2. 2 Chronicles 36:16; Proverbs 6:15; 29:1 – No remedy

3. Here in Proverbs 4:22; 12:18; 13:17; 16:24; Jeremiah 8:15 – health

4. Proverbs 14:30 – being sound

5. Proverbs 15:4 – Wholesome

6. Ecclesiastes 10:4 – Conciliation

7. Jeremiah 14:19; 33:6; Malachi 4:2 – Healing

What is more, there is a connection to health and obedience to God. Does this mean there will never be sickness to those who are obedient? No. We are all susceptible to sickness. However, there seems to be that sickness which is brought upon those who are disobedient and of a reprobate mind (Romans 1:24-27). Therefore, obedience to God brings not only a mind that is not reprobate or debased as Romans 1:28 says, but a mind that understands and sees. Dare we say, walking in the path of light? The Bible is clear. Those who disobey God as we see in Romans, will find themselves facing the judgment of who knows what in themselves.

But this is where the message of Jesus Christ is so important. By obedience, acceptance, and submission to Jesus Christ, His Word, and His moral standards, including the precepts being laid down in Proverbs, there is life and health! No, this is not saying God expects us to be healthy, that is a false gospel and a lie from Satan. But even in sickness, there is life. Even in hard times, there is life. And even when the world is walking in the dark, there is light.

May God bless you, my dear readers.