Proverbs 24:16 - The Fall and Rise of the Righteous

Proverbs 24:16
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
Message: The Fall and Rise of the Righteous

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying: 

The righteous people in Proverbs are those that will enjoy great success. Righteous are contrasted with the wicked. So, now that I think about it, I'm not sure if the word usage is the same as I think about in the New Testament. Meaning, is it an absolute statement signifying someone that is without sin in the way that the righteousness of Christ, his perfect life, is placed on the believer in Christ upon his surrender and we are then forever seen from God as without sin, upon judgment.

In this verse, is the reality that the righteous someones fall. The righteous, as depicted by Solomon, are not those free of trouble. They do experience letdowns. For the scripture to say that a righteous man falls seven times does not necessarily mean only the number seven. Seven is a number of completeness and so it would mean that man may experience a complete falling or complete suffering in his life. But, as the verse states, even big setbacks in life or not permanent and the righteous rises again. 

Ultimately, in Christ this signifies the reward we will receive beyond the grave, resurrecting and living for eternity with God in heaven. Like Christ, it may appear that all has been lost in the death and we are gone in oblivion but we will rise again.

In contrast, the wicked stumble. And they do not rise again. As they stumble, they are weak. The wicked have no final victory to look forward to. I often see this reply from the wicked. They will often even mock the righteous and holding onto a brighter day because the wicked have no future victory to look forward to. They never recover.

Promise: The righteous do not simply suffer through pain, but they look forward to victory from pain. As James states, there is joy even in trials.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the promise of rescuing us and delivering us, no matter what occurs. Thank you that this present life isn't all there is and that you have a future glory waiting for those who are in Christ. Draw more to yourself. And help those in you to not get too focused on the hurts and pains that they forget that you will rescue them. Help us to not listen to the words of the wicked.