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1. Pro 11:18 – “The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.”
- The wicked worketh a deceitful work:
- Definitions
- Wicked adj. – 1. Bad in moral character, disposition, or conduct; inclined or addicted to wilful wrong-doing; practising or disposed to practise evil; morally depraved. (A term of wide application, but always of strong reprobation, implying a high degree of evil quality.)
- Work v. – 1. To do, perform, practice (a deed, course of action, labour, task, business, occupation, process, etc.). b. To do (something evil or harmful); to commit (a sin, wrong, or crime).
- Deceitful adj. – Full of deceit; given to deceiving or cheating; misleading, false, fallacious. (As said of things often = deceptive.)
- Deceit n. – 1. The action or practice of deceiving; concealment of the truth in order to mislead; deception, fraud, cheating, false dealing.
- Work n. – 1. Something that is or was done; what a person does or did; an act, deed, proceeding, business.
- In other words, men who are morally depraved and are bad in moral character, disposition, or conduct do deceptive and misleading things.
- This first clause is set in contrast to the second clause via the contrasting conjunction but.
- The second clause shows that they who sow righteousness have a sure reward.
- In other words, their honest work will be rewarded.
- By contrast, the dishonest work of the wicked will not be rewarded.
- The intent of the deceitful work of the wicked is to acquire wealth or some other advantage.
- But their deceptive actions will not yield the results they had hoped for.
- Under the law of Moses, a man who made a gain of his neighbor deceitfully was punished by making him pay it back plus 20% interest (Lev 6:1-5).
- Those who get wealth by dishonest means such as bribery and deceit will not prosper but will be destroyed (Job 15:34-35).
- The wicked are deceptive in their dealings with others (Hos 12:7-8) and sometimes do well for a time, but they will not prosper in the end.
- The wicked will eventually reap what they have sown (Gal 6:7-8).
- He who plows wickedness will reap iniquity (Hos 10:13).
- He who sows iniquity will reap vanity (Pro 22:8).
- He who digs a pit shall fall therein (Ecc 10:8).
- but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
- Definitions
- Sow v. – 1. intr. or absol. To perform the action of scattering or depositing seed on or in the ground so that it may grow. Also fig. and in fig. context. fig. To disseminate or spread; to endeavour to propagate or extend. In various contexts.
- Righteousness n. – 1. Justice, uprightness, rectitude; conformity of life to the requirements of the divine or moral law; virtue, integrity.
- Sure adj. – 1. Free from or not exposed to danger or risk; not liable to be injured or destroyed; = safe a. 6, secure a. 3. II. Trustworthy, firm, steadfast. 4. a. That can be depended or relied on; not liable to fail or disappoint expectation; trustworthy, reliable.
- Reward n. – II. 4. a. A return or recompense made to, or received by, a person for some (favour,) service or merit, or for hardship endured.
- In other words, he that disseminates and spreads uprightness, virtue, and integrity as he lives, works, and deals with others can depend upon and expect a good recompense for his labor.
- Those who sow in righteousness will reap righteousness in mercy (Hos 10:12).
- The righteous that are not weary in well doing will reap a good reward (Gal 6:8-9).
- Those who sow bountifully in giving to the needs of others will be rewarded bountifully by God (2Co 9:6-15; Pro 11:24-26; Pro 28:27; Pro 19:17).
- The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, not deceit (Jam 3:18).