PROVERBS 21

The kings heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he

turns it wherever he will.
The kings heart As we look at these words of Solomon we need
to understand how radical this was for the Solomons
contemporaries. We are far removed from the days of monarchy!
The rule of the monarch was absolute. He possessed absolute
authority. The king literally possessed the power of life and death.
There was no court of appeals. Your life was in in his hands.
Heart When our culture uses the word heart it is usually
associated with emotion. But weve learned in our study of Proverbs
that the heart is the causal core of our life. So the phrase The
kings heart refers to thoughts and decisions of the king. Whatever
was going on the heart of the king affected your life, your wellbeing,
and even your very existence.
The kings heart is a stream of water The picture here is that of
little channels, or streams, used for irrigation. 1 Solomons readers
saw this on a daily basis. Flower-beds and gardens of herbs were
always made at a level that was a little lower than the surrounding
ground. They were small squares of open ground that were divided
by banks of raised earth. Water was let in until it flooded and
thoroughly saturated the soil in that square. At that point the flow
of water was diverted to another bed by simply closing the opening
in the bank of that first square and making an opening in another
square. The stream of water was under the control of the
gardener.
With that picture in mind lets read the proverb.
The kings heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he
turns it wherever he will.
1

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Proverbs (p. 404). London;

New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
1

God is informing us that the thoughts and decisions of those in

human authority even those in what appears to be absolute
authority are directed by God, just like those irrigation channels
were directed by the gardener. Suddenly, the apparent absolute
authority of the king is given perspective. The king is not the
absolute monarch. God is!
God does what He wants. He directs the decisions of human
authority like a watercourse wherever he pleases (NIV). Its that
simple. The quintessential Biblical example of this is the way God
directed the thoughts and decisions of the most powerful ruler in the
world in order to fulfill the prophecy of Micah concerning the
birthplace of the promised Messiah.
Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to
be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from
ancient days.
When it was nearly time for Jesus to be born, Mary and Joseph lived
in Nazareth. As far as the human eye could see, it appeared that
God had a problem. He promised that Jesus would be born in
Bethlehem. By every human metric it appeared that Jesus was going
to be born in Nazareth. Luke tells us that Mary was great with child
(Luke 2:5 KJV). How was God going get a woman in the last days of
her pregnancy to make a journey of 70 miles over rough terrain on a
donkey? Weve got a lot of young moms here at Metro who are
either expecting or have recently given birth. I cant imagine even
one of you dads even daring to suggest that your wife pack the car
for an off-road road trip; let alone suggesting that she take a 70 mile,
4-5 day, road trip on a donkey.
But this was not a problem for God because the heart of the king
in this case, the heart of Augustus Caesar was a stream in the
hand of God.

QUOTE: The Pulpit Commentary By hidden influences and

providential arrangements God disposes the monarch to order his
government so as to carry out his designs2
The Lord directed and diverted the decisions of Augustus Caesar to
declare a tax on the Roman Empire as easily as a gardener
directed and diverted the flow of water in a garden to get it where he
wanted it to go!
Caesar speaks and the world must act! Mary and Joseph can't
appeal on the grounds of late term pregnancy. Mary has to get on a
donkey so that Joseph can go to his home town to be registered for
the tax. His hometown? Bethlehem! Augustus Caesar thinks hes the
authority in all of this but in reality his geopolitical decision that
literally moved this couple was directed by the Lord like a
gardener directing the flow of water in his garden!
Proverbs 21:1 fits perfectly with what we learned about Jesus
yesterday morning in our series of studies in the first three chapters
of the book of Revelation titled, JESUS AND THE SEVEN. Lets
turn some pages of the Bible Revelation 1:5. Write Proverbs
21:1 in the margins of your Bible next to Revelation 1:5. There in
Revelation 1:5 John tells the seven churches in Asia Minor that he is
delivering a message to them from Jesus Christ the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
In two consecutive studies we have been exposed to the same
theological concept. This isn't contrived. We didnt sit down months
ago and plan in advance for our studies in Revelation and Proverbs
to converge on this great theological truth. Why we hadn't even
decided to study the first three chapters of Revelation until 4 or 5
weeks ago. We surely hadn't planed to take this long to arrive at
Proverbs 21:1. This is truly the Holy Spirit emphasizing a specific
point in a specific moment in the life of Metro and in the lives of
individuals.
2

Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Proverbs (p. 404). London;

New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
3

DON'T MISS THIS This is theology! It tells us who God is! But
good theology doesn't merely tell us who God is, it defines us and
directs us.
Good theology is not anthropocentric. It is not egocentric. It is
Christo-centric. Good theology is intended to redefine our identity
and redirect our living in the light of who Jesus is.
I read this quote this morning and I thought it was so great in light of
yesterdays study!
QUOTE: Paul Tripp Abstract, impersonal theology helps no
one.
The title of yesterdays sermon: Who Jesus Is Changes Everything!
At the close of our study I said, the goal of Bible study, which is the
basis for good theology, is not merely information. The goal is
transformation.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind,
So how does this theology address our every day lives? How does
this truth about who God is redefine me and redirect the way I live?
When it comes to those who exercise authority and influence in the
world we can be very myopic. We see only the great authority they
possess and how the decisions that issue from their authority affects
our lives. We must always look beyond human authority to Jesus
who is THE ruler of kings on the earth!
QUOTE: H.A. Ironside There is no monarch so great that he
can act in independence of God. 3

Ironside, H. A. (1908). Notes on the Book of Proverbs (p. 280).

Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Bros.
4

We need to think, make decisions and live as though there is no

authority higher than Jesus! (By the way That is what faith looks
like! That is what it means to live by faith in the Son of God.) We
need to think, make decisions and live as though all human authority
is in His hands and He turns it wherever he will. We need to think,
make decisions and live as though Jesus is bigger than our boss,
parents, teachers, and politicians. We should be able to sleep at
night because we really believe God is sovereign in local, state,
national and global political affairs. God does what He wants. Its
that simple.
QUOTE: The Midrash (an ancient commentary on part of the
Hebrew scriptures, attached to the biblical text) God gives to
the world good or bad kings, according as He seeks to bless it or
to visit it with punishment; all decisions that go forth from the
kings mouth come , i.e., in their first commencement and
their last reason they come from the Holy One.4
The opening of that comment is so heavy and I believe is so not
embraced by the average Christian. There is a large scale failure in
Western Christianity to even ask the question, God what are You
doing in our political affairs? Is there something youre judging? Is
this a rebuke because Your people have failed to be salt and light,
failed to defend the fatherless and the widow; failed to advocate for
the unborn? Are You provoking us to change or to action by way of
the decisions of those in authority?
2

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord
weighs the heart.
We examined this same concept in great depth in our study of
Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but
the Lord weighs the spirit.

Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old

Testament (Vol. 6, p. 308). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.
5

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord

than sacrifice.
Righteousness has the sense of what is right or required in the sight
of God; justice refers to the proper way of behaving towards
others. 5
The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) To do
justly and to speak the truth are more pleasing to God than the
blood of sacrifices.6
Sacrifice Solomons original readers understood this to mean the
offering of sacrifices that God prescribed through Moses. For the
Christian this would be reference to corporate worship services, the
giving of time, talent and treasure.
God is informing us about the critical difference between a right
heart and religious hypocrisy. Heres what J.C. Ryle had to say about
a right heart.
QUOTE: J.C. Ryle It is not the heart with which a person is
bornbut another heart put in them by the Holy Spirit. A right
heart is honest, undivided, and true (Luke 8:15; 1 Chron.12:33;
Hebrews 10:22). There is nothing about it of falsehood, hypocrisy,
or image-acting. It is not double or divided. It really is what it
professes to be, feels what it professes to feel, and believes what
it professes to believe. Its faith may be feeble. Its obedience may
be very imperfect. But one thing will always distinguish the right
heart. Its religion will be real, genuine, thorough, and sincere.
God wants us to know that ritual doesn't trump righteousness; ritual
doesn't trump right living that springs from a right heart a heart
thats right with God.

Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs (p.

439). New York: United Bible Societies.
6
Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Proverbs (p. 404). London;
New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
6

Why would God have to inform us of that? Two reasons: 1. Because

sin blinds us. It blinds us to the point where we can confuse what we
do with who we are! I must be right with God because I do and I give.
2.
Because sin has left us so broken that we will actually use ritual;
religious behavior as a cover for wrong living! People can come to
church week in and week out lift their hands and voices in
worship, commit time to serve and even give but in reality have
hearts that are far from God.
Isaiah 29:13 13And the Lord said: Because this people draw near
with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts
are far from me,
The heart that is far from God is capable of performing empty
religious actions. But the person whose heart is far from God will
have no heart no desire for right living. They will fail to do what
is right and just; and even worse, intentionally do what is unrighteous
and unjust and use religious actions to cover it.
Sin might blind us but God isn't blind to our sin. He sees religious
hypocrisy and it makes Him sick!
Isaiah 1:11-17 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and
the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or
of lambs, or of goats. 12 When you come to appear before me,
who has required of you this trampling of my courts? 13Bring no
more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon
and Sabbath and the calling of convocations I cannot endure
iniquity and solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your
appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to
me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your
hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many
prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. 16Wash
yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds
from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17learn to do good; seek
justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead
the widows cause.
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Amos 5:21-24 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight

in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt
offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace
offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them.
23
Take away from me the noise of your songs to the melody of
your harps I will not listen. 24 But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Its not a matter of either/or do whats right and just or offer
sacrifices to God. Its a matter of both/and.
Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the
weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.
These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Righteousness is a big thing to God because HE is righteous. Justice
is a big thing to God because HE is just! In fact in Micah 6:8 we read
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord
require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk
humbly with your God?
4

Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are
sin.
Haughty eyes Back in Proverbs 6:17 we were told that God
hates haughty eyes. Our eyes were made to look upon His glory
and see in Him alone infinite worth resulting in our humility.
QUOTE: H.A. Ironsides Haughty eyes belong not to the one
who has been a learner at His feet who is meek and lowly in
heart.7

Ironside, H. A. (1908). Notes on the Book of Proverbs (67). Neptune,

NJ: Loizeaux Bros.
8

Proud heart Literally, a swollen heart. A heart filled with self. This
is at the core of mans predicament. The proud heart, the heart
swollen with self-concern is an aberration! It is totally contrary to all
that God made us for. Our hearts were made to be filled with love
for God; to bow before Him in adoration and devise ways to adore
Him; devise ways to see others come to know and adore Him. But
the proud heart lifts itself up above God and against God.
the lamp of the wicked there are several views on the translation
of this phrase. Some translate it as light, or lamp while others
translate it as plowing. Keil and Delitzsch translate the last line as
The husbandry of the godless is sin. Reyburn and Fry read it as
their whole arrogant style of life is labeled as sin. 8
HERE'S THE POINT Pride is not merely conceit! It is man
choosing to stand in the place of God. It is man refusing to be
informed, defined and directed by God. Pride has only one outcome:
Sin!
What is the remedy for a haughty look and a heart thats swollen
with self?
The remedy for the haughty look for seeing my self in the place of
God is to see Jesus standing in my place, brutally beaten and
murdered for my pride!
QOUTE: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Isaac Watts)
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory
died; my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all
my pride.
The remedy for the heart swollen with self-love and self-concern is
Jesus crucified for us! His majesty and His humility can deflate a
heart swollen with pride and filled with self.
8

Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs (p.

440). New York: United Bible Societies
9

QUOTE: Spurgeon (Morning and Evening 10.13)

For every drop of crimson blood
Thus shed to make me live,
O wherefore, wherefore have not I
A thousand lives to give?
QOUTE: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Isaac Watts)
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
The remedy for the proud heart is a new heart
QUOTE: J.C. Ryle It is not the heart with which a person is
bornbut another heart put in them by the Holy Spirit.
QUOTE: Spurgeon (Morning and Evening 10.13) Jesus, lover of
my soul, shed abroad such love, even thy love in my heart, this
evening.

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