The curse of the LORD is in the house of the
wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just (Prov. 3:33).
NOTE:
This particular passage of Scripture, among
others, poses a problem for the theory of common grace, which posits that the “benefits”
of this world (aka, sunshine, rainfall, prosperity, happiness, health, etc) are
signs of God’s “favour” towards the recipients, and His “blessing” of them.
Proverbs 3:33 clearly presents God’s “blessing”
as strictly particular, whereas His “curse” is upon the rest.
(I)
Prof. Herman C. Hanko
[Source: Common Grace Considered, pp. 108-109
(2019 edition)]
The
curse of the Lord is in the house of
the wicked—that is, the curse of the Lord is with the wicked in everything that happens to them. They
eat and drink the curse of the Lord. The curse accompanies them into their
sitting room and bedroom and is upon all they do in these rooms. The curse of
the Lord comes along with the husband when he brings his wages home. The curse
of the Lord is in the work of the mother, going about taking care of the house
and preparing to satisfy the needs of her husband and children. If they live in
a castle or in a hut, the curse is there. If their home is turned into a
hospital-ward or a palace, the curse of the Lord is there. All the experiences
through which the wicked pass are curses.
All they possess and use in their daily lives are curses. Nothing but curse is upon them, for the curse of the
Lord is in their house.
But
the opposite is true of the righteous. Always blessing is in their habitation. If they are prosperous, it is the
blessing of God. If they are poor, their poverty is sent because God loves them. If the family returns
sorrowing from the cemetery, their grief is the direct fruit of God’s tender care of them. If trouble and
sickness come their way, God’s blessing is not only in spite of the trouble, but through
and by means of the trouble. All is curse for the wicked; all is blessing
for the righteous. All this is taught us in the sacred Scriptures and we must
take hold of it by faith.
It
can be said without exaggeration that Proverbs 3:33 sums up the
entire scriptural teaching on this matter of our pathway in life. All Scripture
testifies of the same truth.
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(II)
Herman Hoeksema (1886-1965)
[Source: Protestant
Reformed Theological Journal, vol. 2, no. 1, (Dec. 1968)]
Again
“the just” and “the wicked” are contrasted. Corresponding to this contrast is
“to bless” and “to curse.” The idea of the text is that Jehovah’s curse, his
damning power, dwells in the house of the wicked. No matter how that house may
appear, the curse of Jehovah dwells in it. But the dwelling place of the
righteous is the home of God’s blessing.
There
is no exception to this text. Wherever you have the house of the wicked,
however right and abundant it may appear, there you have the curse of Jehovah;
and wherever the righteous dwell, in whatever circumstances you may meet them,
there is Jehovah’s blessing. Again I ask, where is common grace?
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(III)
More to come! (DV)
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