Proverbs 20:26-27 Crush Evil
Solomon encourages kings who are wise to remove the evil from their kingdom. They are to go so far as to crush evil. But only God knows what is in the hearts of men.
Removing evil from your midst is wise advice to ALL and for ANY place. I started to say it was a wise idea for places where people group together for some reason. But then I was prompted to say ANY place because it is wise to remove it from our own hearts. God calls His people to have pure hearts. It is a LOT of work but well worth it in the end!
When I first read these verses my comment to how the king was supposed to do after identifying the evil was “Ouch!” Driving them under the wheel sounds very painful and extreme. My bible helps say that this is like a millstone that breaks the heads of the grain and separates the wheat from the chaff. That makes much more sense now. Only by opening and examining a man’s heart can his true motives be revealed and understood.
This is a process that Jesus promised God would do in the end with ALL men. Just for good measure, I will add women and children too. We will ALL be judged by God. We will either stand with our own sinful hearts showing or stand covered by Jesus’ blood. ONLY those who are covered in Jesus’ blood will enter into the kingdom of Heaven. ALL others will “be cast.”
Even while we are here on earth, God knows our hearts and He is the ONLY one qualified to pass final judgment. He sees into the dark corners of our hearts. He sees what are patterns of behavior and what are slips of character. He knows those who embrace sin and those who turn away from it. He know who is still in the infancy stages of developing a relationship with Him and those who have been working on the relationship for a longer time. He knows what to expect from each too.
Father God, PLEASE keep close watch on my heart! Drag me back by the ear if You need to get me back in line. I am SO grateful for Jesus’ blood covering me. I could NEVER stand before You on my own. I would be a crispy critter when I got done. Draw me closer to You with each breath! Even the ones where I’m falling asleep.
