What does Proverbs say about money?

The opening proverbs are concerning treasures, earthly substance. What an important sentence, "Treasures of wickedness profit nothing!" Throughout these proverbs there are the warnings concerning getting riches, or as it is expressed in a modern phrase "getting rich quick" (28:20), and the dangers connected with it.

"Treasures of wickedness profit nothing" (v. 2). People may amass great riches by sinful means, so that others will praise them for their wealth, but they are only heaping up riches to be a witness against them in the day of judgment. On the other hand, righteousness delivers from the shame of death and judgment. The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to ever want (v. 3), though He may allow him to be greatly reduced as to have to depend on God's mercy. But the wicked cannot even depend on this, for they have no desire to trust God.

It is evident that one who is slack, having no diligence in working, cannot expect anything but poverty. On the contrary, the tendency of diligence is to make one rich (v. 4). Also, one who gathers in summer, when conditions for labor are favorable, is wise. Of course, harvest time is time for diligent labor, and if one sleeps when he ought to work, he will cause shame in his own family (v. 5).

Plain it is then that even here "better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right." Much more when the veil was lifted by Christ to let in the light of the eternal day on the present scene of flesh and world, alike enmity against God.

Verse 7 declares that which is a general rule, "When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." There are of course exceptions to this rule, for one may be persecuted when he is doing what is well pleasing to the Lord, as for instance, Stephen in Acts 6 and 7. But there are no exceptions to the principle stated in verse 8: "Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice." The rich man in Luke 16 fared sumptuously every day, while Lazarus had nothing; but who would envy the rich man in his eventual end? (Lk. 16:19-31). That of Lazarus was certainly infinitely better!

"The preparations (or plans) of the heart [are] of man, but the answer of the tongue [is] from Jehovah. "All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes; but Jehovah weighs the spirits. "Commit thy works to Jehovah, and thy thoughts shall be established. "Jehovah has wrought every thing for his (or, its) own end yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. "Every proud heart [is] an abomination to Jehovah, hand in (or, for) hand (or, certainly) he shall not be held innocent (or, go unpunished). "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged, and by the fear of Jehovah they depart from evil. "When a man's ways please Jehovah, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. "Better [is] a little with righteousness than great revenues without righteousness." vv. 1-8.

"A name [is] rather to be chosen than great riches, loving favour rather than silver and gold. "Rich and poor meet together: Jehovah [is] the maker of them all. "A prudent one sees the evil and hides himself; but the simple pass on and are punished. "The reward of humility, the fear of Jehovah, [is] riches and honour, and life. "Thorns, snares, are in the way of a perverse one; he that guards his soul keeps far from them. "Train up the child in accordance with his course, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower [is] servant of the lender." vv. 1-7.

It is usual to supply the word "good" in the version of the opening clause of the 22nd chapter. But this is so necessarily implied as to seem needless. For who could suppose that a false pretension is of any value? One's name in Scripture is the manifestation of what one is; the object of the heart determines the character; and here it is supposed to be what is excellent in God's eyes as well as man's. Hence, loving favour accompanies it, which is far from due to silver and gold, often the portion of the worthless.

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold" (v. 8). Solomon possessed great riches, but as he became older he sadly neglected to preserve a good name. Who could do this who wanted 1000 wives and 300 concubines? We should think he would deeply miss the sweetness of God's loving favor!

Better than great riches, better than silver and gold is a name and loving favor. If a person has riches and a bad name and is not well thought of, he is less honorable than the poor man who has a name and good reputation. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon says: "A good name is better than precious ointment" (Eccles. 7:1). The third verse has a wise message: "The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on, and suffer for it." The Lord has revealed in His Word the evil which is in store for the sinner and the impenitent. He also has prepared a hiding place, an ark of safety, in His Son, our Lord. The prudent believeth the Word and flees to the refuge; the simple, the unbelieving, pass on and suffer for it when the evil comes. Humility and the fear of the Lord has a reward, while thorns and snares are in the way of the froward. sowing and reaping is found in verses 8 and 9. He that soweth iniquity reaps vanity, or calamity; he that has a bountiful eye, who looks upon the poor and needy with kindness and supplies their wants reaps blessing. In verse 11 we read, "He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend." In such, whose hearts are pure and whose words are gracious, the Lord, the King, delights.

Prov. 22 opens with a kindred sentiment: "A name is rather to be chosen than great riches, favour is better than silver and gold." Men do not think so, still less so act; but thus it is; and the loss is irreparable. The day of death closes the sorrow of the world, into which birth ushers fallen man. No doubt, Christ changes all; but this is not the truth discussed here, but the present scene. Hence the profit of going to the house of mourning over that of feasting, and of rebuke from the wise over the song of fools: which is mere noise and blaze for a moment. Again, the affliction of life, or oppression, is apt to daze a wise man, as a gift to destroy the heart's purpose; so that the end of a matter is better than its beginning, and longsuffering than highmindedness. And as it is well to guard against hasty anger, so especially against retaining it. Nor do they enquire wisely who assume that the former days were better than these. Wisdom with an inheritance is good and profitable here below. It is a shadow or shelter, as is money, yet how differently! For the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to him that has it. Hence the folly of fighting against the goads, of lack of sympathy with what God orders of joy or sorrow. Our true wisdom is in dependence on Him.

At one period of Solomon's life he perceived the danger of riches. "Two things have I required of Thee; deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches: feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny Thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain" (Prov. 30:7-9). As we follow the history of his reign we find the love of riches growing upon Solomon. God was too kind to His frail servant, and it cost him his soul. He had fleets at sea which brought him gold and silver in abundance. Gold was so common that he "made 200 targets of beaten gold: 600 shekels of gold went to one target. And he made 300 shields of beaten gold: three pounds of gold went to one shield" (1 Kings 10:16-17). Surely these were not for use in war; just ornaments. But these costly ornaments were lost in war by Rehoboam, who in his vanity made shields of brass in their stead, and caused them to be brought out in display when he went into the house of Jehovah (1 Kings 14:25-28). Oh, the pitiful vanity of poor flesh; appearances must be kept up even after the reality has departed. Blessed contrast when God restores His people in grace "For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thy rulers righteousness" (Isa. 60:17). All sham will be banished, and repentant Israel will enjoy God's exceeding grace.