Proverbs 10:27 (Mini Sermon)

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27. Pro 10:27 – "The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened." A. The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: i. Fearing God will lengthen one's life indirectly. a. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pro 9:10; Job 28:28) which brings length of days (Pro 3:16). b. The fear of God causes men to walk in uprightness (Pro 14:2; Psa 128:1) and to depart from evil (Pro 3:7; Pro 14:16). c. The fear of God facilitates good health which leads to long life (Pro 3:7-8; Pro 9:11). (i) Examples of departing from evil due to the fear of God which will foster good health and long life include ceasing to fornicate, drink excessively, overeat, associate with dangerous people, and do dangerous things. (ii) Wisdom, acquired through the fear of the Lord, also teaches men to have discretion and prudence when it comes to the consumption or practice of lawful, but inexpedient things such as smoking cigarettes, eating junk food, not getting enough sleep, and not getting exercise. (iii) If a man through wisdom ceases to do such foolish or unwise things, his health will be improved and his life will be lengthened. ii. Fearing God will also lengthen one's life directly. a. God will bless those who fear Him with long life simply because they love and obey Him (Deut 6:2; Deut 30:20; Psa 91:14-16). b. God will protect and preserve the lives of those that fear Him (Psa 34:11-22). B. but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. i. Bloody and deceitful men will not live out half their days (Psa 55:23). ii. Hypocrites in heart will die in youth (Job 36:13-14). iii. Those who are overmuch wicked will die before they otherwise would have (Ecc 7:17). iv. The wicked will be cut down out of time like the men who died in the flood (Job 22:15-16). v. Those who get riches dishonestly will die young and leave them to others (Jer 17:10-11). vi. Those who are not rich toward God and heap up riches only for themselves will have their years shortened (Luk 12:20). vii. Consider wicked people who had their lives shortened. a. Er was wicked and the LORD killed him (Gen 38:7). b. Onan refused to impregnate Er's widow, so God killed him in his youth as well (Gen 38:8-10). c. Nadab and Abihu died young when they offered strange fire before the LORD (Lev 10:1-2). d. Korah died before his time when he rose up against Moses the man of God (Num 16:31-33). e. The LORD killed the men of Bethshemesh because they looked into the ark (1Sa 6:19). f. Ananias and Sapphira died early because the lied to the Holy Ghost (Act 5:1-10). g. Herod gave not God the glory for the people's praise of him and died immediately (Act 12:21-23).