Proverbs 11:11 (Mini Sermon)

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11. Pro 11:11 – "By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked." A. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: i. Definitions a. Blessing n. – 1. a. Hallowing, consecration. Obs. 2. a. Authoritative declaration of divine favour and countenance, by God or one speaking in his name; benediction; passing into b. Invocation of divine favour by any one. c. The form of words used in this declaration or invocation. 3. a. The bestowal of divine favour and prospering influence; favour and prospering influence of God. 4. a. A beneficent gift of God, nature, etc.; anything that makes happy or prosperous; a boon. b. Upright adj. – III. fig. 8. a. Of persons: Adhering to or following correct moral principles; of unbending integrity or rectitude; morally just, honest, or honourable. c. Exalted adj. ppl. – 1. Raised or set up on high; elevated. 2. Elevated in rank, station, or public estimation. Usually without implication of any previous lower condition: Highly placed, of high station, etc. d. Exalt v. – 1. trans. To raise or set up on high; to lift up, elevate. 2. In various fig. or non-material senses: a. To raise in rank, honour, estimation, power, or wealth. d. To praise, extol, magnify. e. To raise to a higher class, a higher degree of value or excellence; to dignify, ennoble. e. In other words, a city can be elevated in rank, station, or public estimation when it is given an authoritative declaration of divine favor by a morally just and honorable man of integrity. ii. "The blessing of the upright" is the blessing given by the upright, which is evident by the fact that it is contrasted with "the mouth of the wicked." iii. How is a city exalted by the blessing of the upright? a. By the blessing of God (i) A city or a nation whose God is the LORD is blessed by God (Psa 33:12) who is the most upright (Psa 25:8). (ii) That righteous city or nation will be exalted because of God's blessing upon it (Pro 14:34; Psa 144:15). b. A godly city will also be exalted when an upright leader blesses it in the name of the LORD (Num 6:22-27). iv. An example of a city being exalted by the blessing of the upright. a. Solomon told the story of a poor wise man who delivered his little city by his wisdom which was besieged by a great king (Ecc 9:13-18). b. This man blessed the city with his wisdom, and it was exalted. v. A city can also be exalted because of righteous men within it who are blessed by God for their uprightness (Pro 10:6). vi. "By the blessing of the upright, the blessings with which they are blessed, which enlarge their sphere of usefulness, - by the blessings with which they bless their neighbours, their advice, their example, their prayers, and all the instances of their serviceableness to the public interest, - by the blessings with which God blesses others for their sake, - by these the city is exalted and made more comfortable to the inhabitants, and more considerable among its neighbours." (Matthew Henry, Pro 11:11) B. but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. i. Definitions a. Overthrown adj. ppl. – A. 1. Thrown over on its side, face, or upper surface; upset; overcome; vanquished, demolished. b. Overthrow v. – 1. trans. To throw (a person or thing) over upon its side or upper surface; to upset, overturn; to knock (a structure) down and so demolish it. 2. fig. To cast down from a position of prosperity or power; to defeat, overcome, vanquish; to ruin, destroy, or reduce to impotence. c. Wicked adj. – 1. Bad in moral character, disposition, or conduct; inclined or addicted to wilful wrong-doing; practising or disposed to practise evil; morally depraved. (A term of wide application, but always of strong reprobation, implying a high degree of evil quality.) d. In other words, an evil and morally depraved man through his words can cause the ruin and destruction of a city. ii. Haman's mouth would have overthrown the cities of the Jews in the Persian empire were it not for the intervention of God (Est 3:8-15 c/w Est 9:2). iii. One sinner can destroy much good with his mouth (Ecc 9:18). iv. Scornful men bring a city into a snare (Pro 29:8). v. The tongue has the power to destroy individuals and cities (Jam 3:6). vi. "Wicked men are public nuisances, not only the burdens, but the plagues of their generation. The city is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked, whose evil communications corrupt good manners, are enough to debauch a town, to ruin virtue in it, and bring down the judgments of God upon it." (Matthew Henry, Pro 11:11)