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“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”

(Pro 29:10-18)

[Study Aired May 21, 2026]

Pro 29:10  The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
Pro 29:11  A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Pro 29:12  If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
Pro 29:13  The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.
Pro 29:14  The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.
Pro 29:15  The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Pro 29:16  When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.
Pro 29:17  Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
Pro 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

This eighteenth verse of our study declares, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”.  Each proverb we will look at is in some way connected to this verse, (Pro 29:18), seeing we know that it is God’s word that is a lamp unto our feet (Psa 119:105) that gives us “vision”.

Pro 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Christ is that lamp, He is the word, and you and I are that lamp to each other if God’s holy spirit is within us as our hope of glory (Col 1:27). Simply put, what we are learning is that to be the light of the world we must have God’s spirit within us, and we are commanded to let that light shine in this dark world, and in so doing we will glorify our Father in heaven (Mat 5:14-17).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. “but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”

Pro 29:10  The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just^H3477 seek his soul.

H3477 yâshâr yaw-shawr’
From H3474; straight (literally or figuratively): – convenient, equity, Jasher, just, meet (-est), + pleased well right (-eous), straight, (most) upright (-ly, -ness).
Total KJV occurrences: 119

Saul of Tarsus comes to mind when I read this proverb. He kept the law of God, but not in the spirit, only in the letter. The fruit of his carnal obedience to a carnal commandment had him breathing slaughter against all who were of this way. “This way” of course refers to following Christ who is, “the way, the truth, and the life” (Heb 7:14-16, 1Ti 1:9, Act 9:1, Joh 14:6).

Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (Joh 17:3)

This new doctrine was a threat to Saul as it is to all Christianity today. Saul just represents us in our days in the churches of this world, where we defend the law for the lawless, and the myriad of idols that are tightly wrapped around our hearts, having no power to obey the spirit of the law even if we considered ourselves to be spiritual Jews (Rev 2:9, Rev 3:9).

Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Pro 29:11  A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

There is a right time and a right way to witness, and continuing our reflection with the life of Saul who has been knocked down on the road to Damascus (Act 9:3-6), we learn of what has to happened to each of God’s elect in order to effectively be used of God in whatever capacity He has ordained for us to be a light in this world (Act 9:8-16). Initially we are that “fool [who] uttereth all his mind” and then after we are knocked down to the ground and come to see that we are blind (Joh 9:41), we then arise from the earth, which represents the church in the wilderness, to then see ourselves as the persecuted manchild (Rev 12:13) who by God’s grace and the faith of Christ will no longer know any man after the flesh: “And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: (2Co 5:16) but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus”. It is in the typical city of Damascus where we are going to begin to mature by being “three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink”. It’s only after we have been chastened and scourged of God that we begin to learn how to hold our tongue and “keepeth it in till afterwards”, that being the word of God that we cast before those who the Lord would have us do so, “afterwards”, and to no one else (Mat 7:6).

Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Rev 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Pro 29:12  If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

There are many examples of this proverb in God’s word but I would like to focus on King Ahab whose four hundred prophets spoke in agreement with him. Ahab is typical of the mother of harlots and the four hundred prophets represents the whole [4] of Babylon whose mantra is ‘unity in the essentials, in non-essentials liberty, in all things love’. In saying this, Babylon has determined that parts of God’s word is non-essential, which we know is a lie of the devil (Mat 4:4, Joh 8:44, Psa 119:160, Psa 139:17).

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Psa 119:160  The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.

Psa 139:17  How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

Pro 29:13  The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.

The Lord does “make his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mat 5:45), He does  “lighteneth both their eyes”. It’s two men, the poor and the deceitful man, giving us a witness of what we must come to see ourselves as (Pro 16:1, Pro 16:4) if He is working with us in this age.

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.

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. [Both “The poor and the deceitful man”]

Pro 29:14  The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be established for ever.

Inwardly we need to continue to acknowledge our blindness without Christ giving us eyes to see and ears to hear (Joh 9:41), and that there is none so blind as God’s servant (Mat 19:27-28) because he knows the poverty that is ours in our flesh. The reward for being blessed to judge ourselves in this age, to die daily, and lose our lives is “his throne shall be established for ever”(Isa 42:18-19).

Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
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.

Isa 42:18  Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.
Isa 42:19  Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?

Pro 29:15  The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

If judgement was not upon God’s elect we would naturally bring shame to our mother, Jerusalem above the mother of us all (Gal 4:26). It takes God’s judgement therefore to bring us to be children who are pleasing in God’s sight (1Pe 4:17, Mat 18:3-5). Christ who is our wisdom (1Co 1:30), increases in our lives via that judgement, “The rod and reproof give wisdom”.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.[1Pe 5:6]
Mat 18:5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:

Pro 29:16  When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

A little leaven does leaven the whole lump, and God allows heresies to manifest to show who is approved in our midst (1Co 11:19). The wicked are multiplied for our sakes, both within and without. God willing we see their fall within us as God leads us unto repentance in this age (Rom 2:4).

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Pro 29:17  Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

We are a delight to God’s soul because of the correction He gives us, and if we are as Christ in this life we are also learning obedience by the things that we suffer through judgement (1Jn 4:17), and being His sons and daughters together in this age, we are also learning to judge spiritual matters in the body of Christ, in love (Mat 7:5, Mat 18:3, Mat 18:15-17).

Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Mat 18:3  and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 18:15  And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16  But if he hear thee not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established.
Mat 18:17  And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.

Pro 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

This is the title of our study, and vision is of the utmost importance for the body of Christ. We’ve looked at where it comes from, but in this last verse I want to look at a very important parable that ties all of what we’ve looked at today. Vision comes from knowing God and Jesus Christ (Joh 17:3), and this story in the book of Acts (Act 6:8-15, Act 7:56-60) expands for us the meaning of what that vision is, and how powerful a role it plays in bringing us to be dedicated to God to our last breath (Mat 24:13, Heb 10:25-26).

Act 6:8  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
Act 6:9  Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
Act 6:10  And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Act 6:11  Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
Act 6:12  And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
Act 6:13  And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:[same pattern of false accusations against Stephen as was against Christ (1Jn 4:17)]
Act 6:14  For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Act 6:15  And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Act 7:56  And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.(Joh 17:3)
Act 7:57  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
Act 7:58  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
Act 7:59  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Act 7:60  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Our initial inability to acknowledge our sufficiency that is given to us of God (2Co 3:5) results in our forsaking the assembling of the brethren (Heb 10:23). The context is extremely important here, in (Heb 10:23-31). We are that sacrifice for sin for each other along with Christ (Lev 16:10), and as such we provide vision for each other by coming together and giving each other hope to endure the cross to the end, and in so doing be saved and not perish for the lack of vision in our lives (Mat 24:13).

2Co 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:[1Co 6:3]
Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? “there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins”
Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.(Lev 16:10)

Christ has all power over heaven and earth within each member of the body of Christ (Mat 28:18) and that is where the strength of the fit man spoken of in (Lev 16:10, 1Co 10:16) resides for each of us, if we are blessed to avail ourselves of that communion, the cup of blessing which we bless, which is the communion of the blood of Christ, and the bread which we break, which is the communion of the body of Christ, which we are (Mat 24:13, Pro 29:18, Eph 5:30).

Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. [the fruit of iniquity is to separate ourselves from one another, and to say I have no need of the body of Christ, which will lead to blindness and no vision]
Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Pro 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.