REFUSAL TO INVOLVE IN MAKING ILLEGAL MONEY
PROVERBS 1:10 -19

(Book study series - Proverbs) - Message no. 5
(June 30, 2021 – WED p.m. – MBC baesa)

PROPOSITION: A WISE PERSON WILL REFUSE TO BE INVOLVED IN MAKING ILLEGAL MONEY NO MATTER IT MAY APPEAR.

• According to Solomon, a wise person will avoid criminal element and stay away from it.
• The accountability to society is a vital thing to discern and acknowledge; but an accountability to God is much more important.

I – REJECTION OF A WISE SON AGAINST THE SEDUCTIVE STRATEGIES OF THE EVIL PEOPLE – v.10

Proverbs 1:10 “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

Kawikaan 1:10 “Anak ko, kung ikaw ay akitin ng mga makasalanan, huwag kang pumayag.”

• The wise son will not give in to the seductive approach of evil people.
• The sport’s archery term mentioned in verse 10 is the word “sinners” for it is defined to miss the mark. The

Hebrew word for “sinner” is an emphatic plural because of the habitual enticing of these evil people are stressed. Thus, the lifestyle and pattern for their continual seduction of these habitual sinners misses the mark of the Word of God and misses the mark of God as well.  

• The next word mentioned in verse 10 is the word “entice” in Hebrew (yə·p̄at·tū·ḵā) meaning to be spacious, to be

open, be wide or loose. The Verb used here is in Piel form which is Imperfect, which adds intensity. The writer in verse 10 says, “if sinners entice thee”, here Solomon emphasized that the young person has been actually lured and intensely seduced and persuaded to making money illegally through involvement in crime. Solomon straightly and firmly advised not go give in but instead not to consent according to verse 10 “consent thou not.”

• Knowing the character of the person helps to understand, grasp, or decipher the enticement to stay away with it.

II – RESISTANCE OF A WISE SON AGAINST THE BLATANT LIES OF THE EVIL PEOPLE – v.11-15

Proverbs 1:11-15 “If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: ¹² Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: ¹³ We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: ¹⁴ Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: ¹⁵ My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path.”

Kawikaan 1:11-15 “Kung kanilang sabihin, “Sumama ka sa amin, tayo'y mag-abang upang magpadanak ng dugo,  ating tambangan nang walang dahilan ang walang sala; ¹² gaya ng Sheol, sila'y lunukin nating buháy, at buo, na gaya ng bumababa sa Hukay. ¹³ Tayo'y makakasumpong ng lahat ng mamahaling bagay; ating pupunuin ng samsam ang ating mga bahay. ¹⁴ Makipagsapalaran kang kasama namin; magkakaroon tayong lahat ng iisang supot”— ¹⁵ anak ko, huwag kang lumakad sa daan na kasama nila; pigilin mo ang iyong paa sa kanilang landas.”

• A wise son will not give in to the blatant approach of evil people.
• Notice the second “if” clause in the opening of verse 11 presents another strategic approach. The Hebrew verb “come” in verse 11 which says “come with us” has a real emotional excitement before the crime occurred.
• The phrase in verse 11 “let us lay wait for blood” is talking about an evil plan for a victim to be ambushed and killed for the sake of money. Then we notice the following cause in verse 11 that says “let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause” means this particular victim is hopeless and never did anything to resist against those attacking robbers.
• In verse 12 – Proclaim themselves: These robbers and murderers set themselves as the judge and jury over their ambushed victim.  

Proverbs 1:12 “Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit.”

Kawikaan 1:12 “gaya ng Sheol, sila'y lunukin nating buháy, at buo, na gaya ng bumababa sa Hukay.”

• In verse 13 – Provides the reason: To become rich, is the cause for all this merciless, heartless, ruthless action.

Proverbs 1:13 “We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil.”

Kawikaan 1:13 “Tayo'y makakasumpong ng lahat ng mamahaling bagay; ating pupunuin ng samsam ang ating mga bahay.”

• In verse 14 – Presents the Lure: evil people offer big opportunities but for the sake of their advantage.

Proverbs 1:14 “Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse.”

Kawikaan 1:14 “Makipagsapalaran kang kasama namin; magkakaroon tayong lahat ng iisang supot”

The spirit of greediness can be found even within the soul of a good young man, and these evil pitiless murderers know that so they attacked. Solomon exhorts even a good young man with the word “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not” because Solomon knew that there is sinful nature of the spirit of greedy within the inner soul of a man.

• God said that through diligent and honest work is the only right way that wise people get money. (Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 12:24; Proverbs 14:23; Proverbs 20:13).
• In verse 15 – Primary thing to wisdom:  To stay away and avoid people who don’t fear God and don’t even care for God.

Proverbs 1:15 “My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path.”

Kawikaan 1:15 “anak ko, huwag kang lumakad sa daan na kasama nila; pigilin mo ang iyong paa sa kanilang landas.”

Proverbs 4:14-18 “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. ¹⁵ Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. ¹⁶ For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. ¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. ¹⁸ But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

Kawikaan 4:14-18 “Huwag kang pumasok sa landas ng masama, at huwag kang lumakad sa daan ng taong masasama.
¹⁵ Iwasan mo iyon, huwag mong daanan;  talikuran mo, at iyong lampasan. ¹⁶ Sapagkat hindi sila nakakatulog, malibang sila'y nakagawa ng kasamaan; at nananakawan sila ng tulog, malibang may isang taong kanilang mapabuwal. ¹⁷ Sapagkat sila'y kumakain ng tinapay ng kasamaan, at umiinom ng alak ng karahasan. ¹⁸ Ngunit ang landas ng matuwid ay parang liwanag ng bukang-liwayway, na sumisikat ng higit at mas maliwanag hanggang maging ganap na araw.”

III – RECOGNITION OF A WISE SON ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES IN THE LIVES OF THE EVIL PEOPLE – v.16-19

• A wise son will recognize the direction and outcome of the evil life.
• Enticing seductive people make sin always look attractive and good the best they can, however they never give you any clue or ideas about the real consequences.

Four reasons why a wise person will never be caught up and go with these seducers:

1. Direction in life is Evil – v.16a

Proverbs 1:16a “For their feet run to evil...”

Kawikaan 1:16a “Sapagkat ang kanilang mga paa ay tumatakbo sa kasamaan”

• It says in verse 16, “their feet run to evil” means their life direction is going into evil. This word “evil” is different the word “sinners” that is used in verse 10, because the word “evil” here refers to a wicked, hurtful evil. It is an evil that brings dangerous, destructive, and damaging to the lives of many.

2. Deeds in life is to Exterminate – v.16b

Proverbs 1:16b “and make haste to shed blood.”

Kawikaan 1:16b “at sila'y nagmamadali sa pagbububo ng dugo.”

• Not only the direction in life of this people are evil continually but their action are quick to destroy or kill people.

3. Discernment is lack of Enlightenment – v.17

Proverbs 1:17 “Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.”

Kawikaan 1:17 “Sapagkat walang kabuluhang iladlad ang isang bitag, habang nakatingin ang ibon.”

• Interpretation of Ignorance according to verse 17:

1. The bird avoids the trap after spotting the trap
2. The bird flies into the trap after spotting the trap

These evil seducers have no much sense like the bird’s have, these people are having much ignorance than the birds, they lack of enlightenment about their evil direction in life and their exterminating deeds in their lives. They are ignorant.

4. Doom is their lives Ended – v.18 – 19

Proverbs 1:18-19 “And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. ¹⁹ So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.”

Kawikaan 1:18-19 “Ngunit sila'y nag-aabang sa sarili nilang dugo, at tinatambangan ang sarili nilang buhay. ¹⁹ Gayon ang pamamaraan ng lahat ng sakim sa pakinabang, ang buhay ng mga may-ari niyon ay kanyang inaagaw.”

• Look at verse 18 “they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives” means these evil enticing people, robbers and murderers are on their way to their doom, heading to their own destruction.
• Look again in verse 19 “so are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the

owners thereof” means crime pays. The payment of the judgment of God. Their habitual action of killing people comes to an end. Their doom ends their lives. They will face the judgment of God for the all the crimes done.

• Again, Solomon instructed his own son, in verse 10 “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not”, to all the young people, the bible is clear, never give in to any illegal way of earning money, no matter how attractive, seems good, convincing, and enticing, do not give in. Listen, young people there will always be a devastating, frustrating, tremendous severe consequences that you will reap in this life and terribly, fearfully in the next. There is no escape from the hands of the judgment of God. Do not give in to their enticement! Do not get involved in making illegal money. There must be a refusal to get involved in making illegal money.