Proverbs 10:15

The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

When I was looking up some verses for some of my previous posts, Proverbs 10:15 is one that finds its relevancy increased dramatically more here in these end times. Out of curiosity, I decided to peruse Peter Ruckman’s commentary on the book of Proverbs. Though I would not agree with Mr. Ruckman in everything he taught and said, many of his comments contain great wisdom and experience; and it would be foolish to ignore such comments. What he says aligns with what is occurring, more so than ever before. Bear in mind this particular commentary was copyrighted in 1972.

The following is what Ruckman said about this verse:

The rich man’s wealth is like a “strong city” because he can hide behind his money, defend himself with it, hire friends and defenders with it, barricade himself against poverty and hunger, and beat off his adversaries by bribery and gifts (Eccl. 7:12). The reader will observe that God has made no statement about the truth of the proverb; it is “his city” (i.e. the rich man’s). The Lord’s comment is found in Proverbs 21:22 and 25:28.

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

Ecclesiastes 7:12

A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.

Proverbs 21:22

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Proverbs 25:28

“The destruction of the poor is their poverty” (vs. 15). This, again, is obvious. Where riches bring temptations, poverty also brings some of its own. In any Western society where there are only two classes of people—rich and poor—the society quickly degenerates into a mongrel race of superstitious Catholics. The totalitarian state is not a twentieth-century phenomenon, in spite of the press releases to that effect. Catholicism is the fascist form of “Christianity,” and as such it tolerates no third estate any more than does communism. Bible-believing Christianity collapses in every country where the middle class is removed. You cannot build a great church out of rich people, for they are spoiled, headstrong, egotistical, entangled in the world system, and used to having their own way. You cannot build a great church out of poor people only, for they are unstable, insecure, undependable, discouraged easily, gripers, and lack initiative. The greatest local churches in America and on the continent are made up (80 percent) of middle class citizens. Poor people are exposed to hunger, cold, shut down utilities, lack of vitamins, lack of transportation, lack of education, lack of interest in anything other than keeping body and soul together; and, as such, they are tempted strongly to drink, spend what little money they have, give way to depression, quit trying to do right, turn to crime as a means of getting an income, let things get run down, and many times to commit suicide. “The destruction of the poor is their poverty” (vs. 15).

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