Bridges on Proverbs 22:12
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 22:12
 
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12.  The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. {the words: or, the matters}
 
The eyes of the LORD often describe his searching Omniscience;† here his fatherly care.† There are so many inlets to false principles; such spacious appearances to warp the judgment, does the subtle enemy pour in; so strong is the natural tendency in the same direction; that but for this gracious covering to preserve knowledge in our hearts, the words of the transgressor might “overthrow our faith.” (2 Timothy 2:17-19.) Oh! let us seek in close communion with him continued preservation from a cloud upon our intellectual faculties, and spiritual apprehensions for our Christian establishment.
But the proverb illustrates upon a wider scale his faithful keeping of the truth in the world. Indeed it may be regarded as a prophecy in the course of fulfillment to the very end of time.† For how wonderfully has the knowledge of God been preserved from age to age; and all the plausible or malignant schemes to blot it out been overthrown! The Scriptures, as the words of knowledge, have been preserved in a far more accurate state than any other book of corresponding antiquity; though man's wisdom has never been wanting in ingenuity to corrupt it. When knowledge seemed on the eve of perishing, a single copy of the Scriptures, found as it were accidentally, preserved it from utter extinction. (2 Chronicles 34:14-18.) For successive generations the Book was in the custody of faithful librarians, handed down in substantial integrity. (Romans 3:2.) When the church herself was on the side of the Arian heresy, the same watchful eyes raised up a champion,† to preserve the testimony. In the succeeding dark ages witnesses prophesied, as from the earliest eras of Revelation,† some indeed for a long time in sackcloth,† until the dawn of a brighter day. Nor was this in peace and quietness. Often has the infidel transgressor labored with all the might of man for its destruction.† Often has Rome partially suppressed it, or committed it to the flames, or circulated perverted copies and false interpretations. Yet all these words and deeds of the transgressors have been overthrown. And notwithstanding all heretical corruptions, the eyes of the LORD have preserved knowledge. Still is his word continued among us, with its Divine credentials unimpaired, and its unsearchable store undiminished — a standing miracle of the faithfulness of its Almighty Keeper. Full of joy and confidence is the believer's acknowledgment — “Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old, that thou hast founded them for ever.” (Psalm 119:152.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 5:21; 15:3. Psalm 11:4.
 
 
Proverbs 5:21
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
 
Proverbs 15:3
3 ¶ The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
 
Proverbs 11:4
4 ¶ The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Chronicles 16:9. Psalm 34:15. Zechariah 4:10.
 
 
2 Chronicles 16:9
9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. {to shew...: or, strongly to hold with them, etc}
 
Psalm 34:15
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
 
Zechariah 4:10
10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. {for they...: or, since the seven eyes of the LORD shall rejoice} {plummet: Heb. stone of tin}
 
 
2 Timothy 2:17-19
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; {canker: or, gangrene} 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19 ¶ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. {sure: or, steady}
 
 
Footnote:
Scott in loco.
 
 
2 Chronicles 34:14-18
14 ¶ And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses. {by: Heb. by the hand of} 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. 16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it. {to thy...: Heb. to the hand of, etc} 17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen. {gathered together: Heb. poured out, or, melted} 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. {it: Heb. in it}
 
 
Romans 3:2
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
 
 
Footnote:
Athanasius.
 
 
Footnote:
Enoch, Jude 14, 15. Noah, 2 Peter 2:5.
 
 
Enoch,
Jude 14, 15
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 ¶ To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
 
Noah,
2 Peter 2:5
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
 
 
Footnote:
Revelation 11:3-11; 12:14-17.
 
 
Revelation 11:3-11
3 ¶ And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. {I will give...: or, I will give unto my two witnesses that they may prophesy} 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
 
Revelation 12:14-17
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Jeremiah 36:23. The company of Voltaire and his associates.
 
 
Jeremiah 36:23
23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
 
 
Psalm 119:152
152 ¶ Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.