You might have met some Christians who seem to have seven lives.
Proverbs 24:15–16 ESV “Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.”
The Righteous Often Targeted
This situation is a clear reference back to the beginning and the father’s first lecture in chapter one. The admonition there was not to get involved with the criminal element of society, leading to a life and lifestyle of crime. It may seem like a quick and easy way to prosper in this world, but as this Proverb points out, the righteous will win in the end.
In spite of the warning, many still plot to take advantage of others, even involving violence. As noted in this Proverb, very often it is the followers of God who are looked at as easy targets. They are targeted because have many blessings, because of the wicked’s hatred of God and of those more righteous than he. Added to this is the devil himself who is also interested in afflicting and distracting those loved by Christ.
Have you been such a target? Have you seen and heard about astounding situations in other parts of the world? Or, maybe you were the criminal now transformed Jesus’ Gospel?
Those who follow the Wisdom of God do recover, no matter how much they suffer. This recovery often takes place in their soul before it takes place physically in this life. And this is not all. We know it will be made eternally permanent at the Resurrection and in the New Heavens and New Earth.
Falling “seven” times is a poetic way of saying innumerable times, too many to count. If it is said that a cat has “nine lives,” we might say that a follower of Yahweh has “seven lives,” which is more than nine. Somehow we mange to escape from so many severe situations, seemingly unharmed. As we are told all over Proverbs in a variety of ways, “our Redeemer is strong” (23:11) on behalf of His own.
This repeated falling and rising is also a way of speaking about our sufferings as holy and purposeful by God. He is watching over His own, giving grace for increased faith, hope and love. And the vindication of glory will come in His time and in His way.
Those who do not follow Wisdom (that is, the wicked), easily stumble and fall in times of calamity. Surely you have seen such fragile lives unravel, and feeble souls shrivel. It doesn’t take much to destroy a life, dishearten a person, and leave one isolated. The wicked will not turn to God in these times, but continue in rebellion.
Hear Their Stories & Tell Your Own
Do you know Christians like this who suffer a lot but keep coming back? There are probably a few in your church who seen to have seven lives; have you met them and heard their stories yet?
My mother was one of those Christians who suffered a lot but somehow kept coming back from dead. She wasn’t always so resilient though. This was a transformation God worked in her life after she became a Christian. She would always be praising the Lord and spreading happiness, regardless of what was pain was going on in her life, even to the very end.
How are you doing with attacks of enemies, whether they are personal, as a result of the world and its system, due to illness, or from the devil? Here is a prayer of confidence.
Proverbs 24:15–16 ESV “Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.”
The Righteous Often Targeted
This situation is a clear reference back to the beginning and the father’s first lecture in chapter one. The admonition there was not to get involved with the criminal element of society, leading to a life and lifestyle of crime. It may seem like a quick and easy way to prosper in this world, but as this Proverb points out, the righteous will win in the end.
In spite of the warning, many still plot to take advantage of others, even involving violence. As noted in this Proverb, very often it is the followers of God who are looked at as easy targets. They are targeted because have many blessings, because of the wicked’s hatred of God and of those more righteous than he. Added to this is the devil himself who is also interested in afflicting and distracting those loved by Christ.
Have you been such a target? Have you seen and heard about astounding situations in other parts of the world? Or, maybe you were the criminal now transformed Jesus’ Gospel?
Psalms 20:7-8 ESV “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.”The Righteous Always Rise
Those who follow the Wisdom of God do recover, no matter how much they suffer. This recovery often takes place in their soul before it takes place physically in this life. And this is not all. We know it will be made eternally permanent at the Resurrection and in the New Heavens and New Earth.
Falling “seven” times is a poetic way of saying innumerable times, too many to count. If it is said that a cat has “nine lives,” we might say that a follower of Yahweh has “seven lives,” which is more than nine. Somehow we mange to escape from so many severe situations, seemingly unharmed. As we are told all over Proverbs in a variety of ways, “our Redeemer is strong” (23:11) on behalf of His own.
This repeated falling and rising is also a way of speaking about our sufferings as holy and purposeful by God. He is watching over His own, giving grace for increased faith, hope and love. And the vindication of glory will come in His time and in His way.
Those who do not follow Wisdom (that is, the wicked), easily stumble and fall in times of calamity. Surely you have seen such fragile lives unravel, and feeble souls shrivel. It doesn’t take much to destroy a life, dishearten a person, and leave one isolated. The wicked will not turn to God in these times, but continue in rebellion.
Hear Their Stories & Tell Your Own
Do you know Christians like this who suffer a lot but keep coming back? There are probably a few in your church who seen to have seven lives; have you met them and heard their stories yet?
My mother was one of those Christians who suffered a lot but somehow kept coming back from dead. She wasn’t always so resilient though. This was a transformation God worked in her life after she became a Christian. She would always be praising the Lord and spreading happiness, regardless of what was pain was going on in her life, even to the very end.
How are you doing with attacks of enemies, whether they are personal, as a result of the world and its system, due to illness, or from the devil? Here is a prayer of confidence.
Micah 7:8 ESV “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.”Keep looking for God’s rescue in the present, and keep looking into the future to the final resurrection just like our author of Proverbs would have us do.
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