Proverbs 3:34

God is angry and despises scorners. Those who neglect His word, mock His truth, despise His ministers, and worship their own thoughts will be judged harshly (Is 29:20-21). But those who think poorly of themselves and tremble before Him will receive kind blessings.

The judgment of scorners is certain. Surely they shall not escape. God will have them in derision. He will laugh and mock, when He brings their worst fears upon them for their arrogant disregard of His offers of wisdom, truth, and life (Pr 1:20-31; Ps 2:1-12).

Scorners resent correction, despise authority, mock truth, and are full of conceit. The great God resents, resists, ridicules, and rejects them for their pride and arrogance. Others cannot help or protect the scorner, for God will surely judge him or her (Pr 9:12).

The lowly have poor and contrite hearts, are humble in thought, confess their errors quickly, and tremble with ready hearts for His instruction. The merciful God will favor them with His gracious blessings. Though He is high, He has respect to the lowly and resents the proud (Ps 138:6). It is your choice to have God either favor or scorn your life.

The proverb is so true it is stated twice in the New Testament (Jas 4:6; I Pet 5:5). God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. You should humble yourself under the mighty hand of God, so that He might exalt you in due time (James 4:10; I Pet 5:6).

God gives this grace before and after you humble yourself. It is His grace that humbles you, for the natural heart of man is haughty and would never bow before Him. And it is His grace that rewards your humility with further favor for having bowed (James 4:5-6).

The rule of heaven is simple: God repays in kind. He is merciful to the merciful, upright to the upright, pure to the pure, and froward to the froward (Ps 18:25-26). He saves afflicted persons, but He brings down the high looks of the proud (Ps 18:27). He will not be slack to repay those who hate Him to their very face (Deut 7:9-11). And He will give them the same contrary treatment they have given Him, but with His fury (Lev 26:23-28).

God’s ways are equal, though Israel charged Him with being unfair (Ezek 18:25-30). A man choosing scorn and iniquity will be judged, but a man choosing humility and righteousness will be saved. The ways of God are equal. Humble yourself, dear reader.

Pharaoh scorned the Lord, but Israel ravaged the nation terribly. Korah scorned Moses, but he and his family went to their graves alive! Goliath scorned Israel’s God, but a naked lad stole his head. The Jews scorned Jesus Christ, but He publicly ridiculed their doctrine, hypocrisy, and persons. Caiaphas and Israel scorned the Lord and His apostles, but He leveled their temple and destroyed their nation. Surely He scorneth the scorners!

When Elymas scorned the gospel, Paul despised him and sent blindness upon him (Acts 13:4-12). When the Jews rejected Paul’s message of the Messiah, he turned to the Gentiles and told the Jews they were unworthy of everlasting life (Acts 13:46-47).

The haughty teachers at Corinth, who resented Paul, publicly heard chapter after chapter of his glorious boasting, which left them all scorned before the church. And Paul in turn told Timothy and Titus to let no man despise, or scorn, them (I Tim 4:12; Tit 2:15).

If you have tried to teach a scorner and received hatred, shame, and a blot in return (Pr 9:7-8), do not worry. There is a God in heaven, and He is higher than they, no matter how high their conceited thoughts. Surely He scorneth the scorners! You will be vindicated.

Dear parent, if you see even a glimpse of scorn or just smell it in the air from a child, it must be eliminated today. This most hateful of all spirits must be corrected, or you will bring upon yourself great pain and bring upon your child the judgment of God. It is the seed of hell in your child, but wise and early use of reproof and the rod can drive it away.

Dear reader, do your hackles ever rise in pride and rebellion at the preaching of God’s word? Do resentful thoughts enter your mind against the message or the messenger? Are you offended by the correction or warning of a friend? Unless you have overwhelming Bible evidence to question their words, you are taking the wicked seat of the scornful.

Do you resent authority? Is it easy for you to criticize or mock government? Do you love giving your opinion on how political things should be done? On the job? In the church? Beware! Surely He scorneth the scorners! Even your heart’s intentions are open to Him.

On the other hand, the great God of heaven draws nigh to humble men, who wait quietly with contrite hearts and tremble at His word (Is 57:15; 66:1-2). Consider these precious promises. What a privilege! What a low cost! Humble yourself, dear reader. He giveth grace to the lowly. Come low before Him, and He will raise you up to new heights.