Bridges on Proverbs 13:21
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 13:21
 
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21.  Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
 
‘Sinners are sure to find evil at last; the righteous good.’† The histories of sin from the beginning — Cain,† Achan,† Abimelech,† Ahab,† and his wicked wife,† with many others — are solemn demonstrations, that evil pursueth sinners, even when they seem to have found a refuge. (1 Kings 2:28-31.) The delay even of centuries does not weaken the certainty. (Exodus 17:14. 1 Samuel 15:3-7.) As sure as the shadow follows the substance, as the avenger of blood pursued “the manslayer” (Numbers 35:19), “evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.” (Psalm 140:11.) Yet often the sinner goes on in his blinded infatuation. ‘No one has been witness to his sin. Or no one will make account of it. Or his accusers, being as guilty as himself, will hold their peace; or, should he be discovered, prudence or pleading will secure him from punishment.’† And then, though “the iniquity of his heels compasseth him about” (Psalm 49:5), he thinks only of present gratification, never looks back, and therefore sees not the evil pursuing him. His blindness thus makes his ruin more certain. (Deuteronomy 29:19, 20. Job 11:20. 1 Thessalonians 5:3.) And how dearly are his momentary pleasures purchased at the cost of eternity! (Ecclesiastes 11:9.)
Not less sure is the good, which shall be repaid to the righteous. (Isaiah 3:10, 11. Romans 2:6-10.) The evil follows in just retribution. The other is the reward of grace. Not the smallest good — even “a cup of cold water to a disciple” (Matthew 10:42), or honour shewn to his servants (Ib. verse 41. 1 Kings 17:16-23) — shall “lose its reward.” (Hebrews 6:10.) And if a single act is thus remembered, much more “a course, a fight,” held out to the end. (2 Timothy 4:7, 8.) How manifestly is this the constitution of grace; that when perfect obedience can claim no recompense (Luke 17:10), such unworthy, such defiled, work should be so honoured with an infinite, overwhelming acceptance!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Jermin in loco.
 
 
Footnote:
Genesis 4:10-13.
 
 
Genesis 4:10-13
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. {blood: Heb. bloods} 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13 ¶ And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. {My...: or, Mine iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven}
 
 
Footnote:
Joshua 7:20-26.
 
 
Joshua 7:20-26
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. {wedge: Heb. tongue} 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. {laid: Heb. poured} 24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. {Achor: that is, Trouble}
 
 
Footnote:
Judges 9:24, 56, 57.
 
 
Judges 9:24, 56, 57
24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. {aided...: Heb. strengthened his hands to kill} 56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
 
 
1 Kings 21:19
19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
 
1 Kings 22:38
38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
 
2 Kings 9:26
26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD. {blood: Heb. bloods} {plat: or, portion}
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 21:23. 2 Kings 9:30-36.
 
 
1 Kings 21:23
23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. {wall: or, ditch}
 
2 Kings 9:30-36
30 ¶ And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. {painted...: Heb. put her eyes in painting} 31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? 32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. {eunuchs: or, chamberlains} 33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot. 34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter. 35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: {by: Heb. by the hand of}
 
 
1 Kings 2:28-31
28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. 30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. 31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
 
 
Exodus 17:14
14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
 
1 Samuel 15:3-7
3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. 4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. {laid...: or, fought} 6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt.
 
 
Numbers 35:19
19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
 
 
Psalm 140:11
11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. {an...: or, an evil speaker (Heb. a man of tongue), a wicked man of violence, be established in the earth: let him be hunted to his overthrow}
 
 
Footnote:
Lavater in loco.
 
 
Psalm 49:5
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?
 
 
Deuteronomy 29:19, 20
19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: {imagination: or, stubbornness} {drunkenness...: Heb. the drunken to the thirsty} 20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
 
Job 11:20
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. {they shall...: Heb. flight shall perish from them} {the giving...: or, a puff of breath}
 
1 Thessalonians 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
 
 
Ecclesiastes 11:9
9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
 
 
Isaiah 3:10, 11
10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. {given...: Heb. done to him}
 
Romans 2:6-10
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
 
 
Matthew 10:42
42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
 
 
Matthew 10:41
41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
 
1 Kings 17:16-23
16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. {by: Heb. by the hand of} 17 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? 19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. {stretched: Heb. measured} {into...: Heb. into his inward parts} 22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
 
 
Hebrews 6:10
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
 
 
2 Timothy 4:7, 8
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
 
 
Luke 17:10
10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.