But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. [Proverbs 1:24-28, 32-33 NIV]
This is a very solemn passage. It does not make for comfortable reading. The whole notion of someone mocking someone's misfortune seems wrong to us. It suggests that a day is coming when there will be a time of reckoning and judgement. It clearly presents a picture of those who have deliberately rejected God being punished. There are descriptive words uses to highlight this judgement- 'disaster' ,'calamity', 'storm', 'whirlwind', 'distress ' and 'trouble'.
The passage in Proverbs 1 presents all this judgement as coming suddenly with people being taken by surprise. It was unexpected. They had reckoned that God would never act in judgement and they could ignore God with impunity.
The passage gives a justification for this judgement. This is not a whimsical action on God's part. God has warned them in the past but they have chosen to ignore His warnings.
They had consistently refused to listen
They had not paid attention to God's overtures to them - stretched out His hand
They had deliberately disregarded His advice
They had not accepted His rebuke.
They had mocked God and laughed at His invitation.
"I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you." This presents a reversal of the situation: people who had mocked God now find themselves outside of God's grace. They thought that they were above God but the tide has turned and there is no going back.
They now want to do what they had plenty of opportunity to do but it is now too late. They now try to call to God. They now begin to search for Him. They should have done this before.
There are two reasons given as to why people have chosen to ignore God. Firstly, there were those who deliberately chose to rebel against God - 'the waywardness of the simple.' There are people who have decided that they know better than God and pretend that God does not exist or have chosen to defy Him. Secondly, there are those who are complacent. They were too content with their lifestyle to be bothered with God's claims on their lives. They were smug in their self-sufficiency.
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. [James 4:9-10 NIV]
This is excellent advice from the writer of this New Testament letter which in many ways is similar to the Book of Proverbs. James the apostle is advocating humility and repentance. This is not popular teaching but it is wise counsel to us today.
[Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash]
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