“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” Part 4

(Pro 21:16-31)

[Study Aired November 20, 2025]

Pro 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.
Pro 21:17  He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Pro 21:18  The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
Pro 21:19  It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
Pro 21:20  There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
Pro 21:21  He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Pro 21:22  A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
Pro 21:23  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
Pro 21:24  Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
Pro 21:25  The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.
Pro 21:26  He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
Pro 21:27  The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
Pro 21:28  A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.
Pro 21:29  A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.
Pro 21:30  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.
Pro 21:31  The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

In this last part of proverbs chapter twenty one, there will be a strong emphasis on how to hold fast to the crown of life that God has called us unto (Rev 3:3, Rev 3:11).

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

We can negatively or positively hold fast to even the words of God, and so it is by God’s grace in the end that we will be found holding fast to the crown of righteousness which is Christ’s life in us (Col 1:27), as opposed to our own righteousnesses, which can even understand all mysteries and yet still be glorying in that which God is doing through us as though we had not received what we have from the Lord (Php 3:9, 1Co 4:7).

The Lord must take us through much tribulation (Act 14:22) along this river of life that He is taking us, and in doing that we will become persuaded, in time (Rom 8:38), that nothing can separate us from His hand that has the heart of the elect within it, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Joh 10:28).

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

Pro 21:16  The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

Christ is the way, the truth and the life, and no man can come unto Him unless the Father draws us to him (Joh 6:44). Verse 16 is an admonition and a reminder to God’s people that we are where we are by the grace of God. The way of understanding is not given to Babylon today, and God’s elect have been called out of “the congregation of the dead”, those who are spiritually dead because there is no stay of bread or water to keep us spiritually alive when we are in the church systems of this world, which have been purposely blinded by the parables that Christ spoke and reveals to the elect (Isa 3:1, Mat 13:10-12).

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

Pro 21:17  He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

True riches are to know God and His Son Jesus Christ, the pearl of great price (Joh 17:3). Loving pleasure requires that we love the things of this world, and God’s love does not abide in someone who has their heart set on the things of the earth, and not the things of the heaven (1Jn 2:15-17, Col 3:2).

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

What we are being shown is that “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man” spiritually, however if we are granted to see that he “that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”, then we can expect to live the rest of our lives being taught by God to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust, so that we can fulfill His will and His good pleasure, which is to give us the kingdom of God (Tit 2:11-13, Mat 6:33-34, Luk 12:32).

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Wine and oil, are symbols of God’s word, and in this proverb the wine and oil represent those earthy idols wrapped around His rich Word that draw us away from the true riches of knowing God and Christ. If God grants us to seek the kingdom of God first and His righteousness (Mat 6:33), putting Him before all things, we can then learn to be obedient to those rich words of Life, whether we have a little or a lot (1Pe 1:13-14, 1Ti 6:8, Heb 13:5, 1Ti 6:17).

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt:[the wine and oil pleasures of this world] for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Mat 19:24  And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Mat 19:25  When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26  But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (God has made a way for us to esteem the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Eph 2:8)
Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? [we have forsaken all, and followed you in this manner Mat 16:24-26]
Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting^G166 life.
Mat 19:30  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

Pro 21:18  The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.

When we recognize the wickedness within us in the day of evil (Pro 16:4), and our life that transgresses against the Lord, it will be because we are now making war against that wickedness through the righteous and upright spirit of God that is given to God’s elect (Rev 17:14). We overcome the ransom^H3724 (figuratively a redemption price: – bribe) of the wicked and the transgressor through Christ (1Co 6:20, 1Co 7:23, Rom 8:37).

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Co 7:23  Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Pro 21:19  It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

John the baptist typifies the elect who are in transition in the wilderness of this world and ‘coming out of her my people’. The cry of John is to point to the saviour, and to denounce the woman, the church in the wilderness that God’s elect come out of. Christ then tells us that, with God’s spirit within us, the least is greater than John, seeing John does not have the earnest of the inheritance within him (Mat 11:11, Mat 10:31, Eph 1:14).

Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Mat 10:31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

The “angry woman”  is a symbol of the church in the wilderness that is governed by the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9). This church in the wilderness symbolizes Babylon of today that have that same spirit of anger against God and His “but I say unto you” elevated commandments, preferring rather to embrace the eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth approach of the unconverted sons of thunder (Mat 5:44-45, Luk 9:54-55).

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Luk 9:54  And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
Luk 9:55  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

Pro 21:20  There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth^{H1104 [H8762]}. it up.

The “treasure” that we desire is the mind of Christ, His refined word on our hearts that is likened unto gold and oil (Zec 4:2-6). God’s word is a spiritual commodity that we partake of daily, by dying daily. If we don’t die daily and pick up our cross, and deny ourselves and follow Christ, then we will be as a foolish man that squanders it all, not growing unto maturity as this parable of the wise and foolish virgins brings out (Mat 25:8-13) as well as the parable of the prodigal son (Luk 15:11-32). God is the one who determines who will heed His counsel, that will have us buying gold that is tried in the fire, meaning we are being crushed under the stone (Luk 20:18) with trials that will refine God’s word in our hearts (Mat 24:13, 1Pe 1:6-7).

H1104 Spendeth  bâla‛ baw-lah’
( [H8762] = Piel)
1. to swallow
2. to swallow up, engulf
3. squandering (fig.)

Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. [Rev 3:18]
Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Luk 15:12  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
Luk 15:13  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
Luk 15:14  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Pro 21:21  He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

If we are granted by God’s grace to follow after righteousness, we will find His life, His righteousness, and the honour that God has promised to bestow upon those who suffer in this life for the gospel of the kingdom of God. If God has written this in our books then Christ will accomplish this through His body, by grace through faith (2Ti 2:12-13, Php 2:12-13, Eph 2:8, Luk 22:32-34, Mat 16:25, Pro 8:35).

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Pro 8:35  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.

Pro 21:22  A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

Christ in us scales the “city of the mighty”, representing the powers and principalities that we war against in our heavens (Eph 6:12), as he gives us the strength to overcome (Eph 1:20-23), “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”(2Co 10:5).

Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.(Col 1:24)

Pro 21:23  Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

“Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” is what God is able to accomplish in His workmanship, the elect. It is an ongoing process of examining our hearts that keeps our souls from troubles, and God knows how to deliver us from all of our troubles (Psa 34:19).

Psa 34:19  Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Pro 21:24  Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

This proverb is a good description of the beast that comes out the sea and blasphemes the name of God (Rev 13:6), being given power over all the nations within us at first (Rev 13:7-10) until Christ begins to destroy this haughty scorner with the brightness of his coming into our heavens (2Th 2:8). To have this haughty and proud spirit burnt out of us we will need the patience and faith of the saints given to us, so that we can hold fast to the crown of life we’ve been called unto.

Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Pro 21:25  The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

The slothful person’s desire is to do nothing and that is what kills us spiritually and gives life to the beast. By God’s grace and the faith of Christ, we can be permitted to do battle against these spirits that “refuse to labour”. (Joh 6:27, Joh 6:63, Mat 11:28, Col 1:27-29, Heb 4:11-12).

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Pro 21:26  He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

God’s elect are called unto a way of life that is generous, doing good unto all men, especially unto the household of faith “but the righteous giveth and spareth not” (Gal 6:10, Joh 12:3).

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Joh 12:3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Mary represents the church, and her sacrifice of this costly ointment on Christ’s feet typifies the holy spirit that each joint supplies in love on Christ’s feet, representing our foundational walk in Him (Joh 13:10, Eph 2:20). Her tears and hair that are used to wash his feet remind us that we need to be washed by the word through the church (1Co 11:15), and that when we are broken and contrite as Mary was, we will take actions that demonstrate the fruit of our repentance causing the house, the church, to be filled with the odour of the ointment.

Joh 13:10  Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

1Co 11:15  But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

Pro 21:27  The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Pro 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abhorrence; How much more so when such a one brings it with scheming. (CLV)

Cain did not do well, and neither do any of us until we are given to acknowledge that the only sacrifice that is accepted by God is the one that is understood to be given by Christ working in us (Php 2:12-13, Eph 1:6).

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

When we do well it is because Christ our hope of glory is within us doing well, both to will and to do, and as a result we are accepted of God, unlike Cain whose sacrifice had all the components of this proverb, “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?” (Gen 4:3-7, 1Jn 3:11-12).

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

1Jn 3:11  For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1Jn 3:12  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one (first Adam), and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous (last Adam).

Pro 21:28 A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

Pro 21:28  A false witness shall perish, but the man who listens to truth will speak unchallenged.(AFV)

If we are blessed to continue in the truth, the truth will set us free (Joh 8:31-32), and God will make our words like fire (Jer 5:14). It is those fiery words of God that cannot be challenged, and will save us and those who hear those words, which devours our Adamic nature (1Ti 4:16).

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Pro 21:29  A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

It is Christ who directs our ways, and gives us power over the hardened heart that gives us a hardened face. When our hearts our softened then we can truly be directed by God and led by the spirit of God (Rom 8:14-16), which is where there will be liberty in our lives (Pro 3:5-8, 2Co 3:17).  Again, we are reminded that “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”, so it is true that “the upright, he directeth his way”, but this must be understood in the context of (Php 2:12-13).

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Pro 21:30  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.

These following verses give confirmation to this proverb.

Isa 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isa 40:14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding? (“There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD”)
Isa 40:15  Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (“There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD”)
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.(1Co 8:6, 1Co 2:16)

Pro 21:31  The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

Mankind’s way is against God, and it is a vain thing to trust in the arm of man, or a horse that is “prepared against the day of battle”. The rider and the horse ‘are one’, like the harlot on the beast of (Rev 17:3), and they will both be destroyed within us and all of humanity in time (Exo 15:1-3, Psa 37:16-18).

Exo 15:1  Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Exo 15:2  The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exo 15:3  The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

Psa 37:16  A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
Psa 37:17  For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
Psa 37:18  The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

“Safety is of the LORD”, and the whole world will learn this great lesson when Satan is loosed for a little season and comes up against the camp of the saints, and the Lamb will overcome them (Rev 20:7-8, Rev 17:13-14).

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

Rev 17:13  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD” because, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will”, and what He wills, will in His perfect time be accomplished (1Ti 2:4, Job 23:13-14).

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Job 23:13  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? (“he turneth it whithersoever he will”) and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Job 23:14  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.