Hallelujah to Jesus. I give God glory and praise for another opportunity is granting us again to continue our study of the book of Proverbs, chapter 11. This is sweet Melodies. I remain your host, Adefunke Oahuna. In this study we are going to continue with our Bible reading in Proverbs chapter 11 and verse 10. But before we do that, let's have a word of prayer. Sweet holy Spirit, we appreciate you for this time you're granting us again to hear your word, to study the book of Proverbs, to receive wisdom from you and to be guided by you. Holy Spirit, I ask that you grant every listener, attentive ears and heart to do as you speak. In the name of Jesus, thank you for we're going to have a worthwhile time listening to your word. In Jesus precious name. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus precious name. Amen. Okay, this study been titled the Ringing Cry. As we proceed in the study, we know why the ringing cry. Proverbs 11:10. The King James version says when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. And when the wicked perish, there is shouting. As a custom is, we tried to get a story to butcher, you know, scripture and then just for us to get good understanding and a number of biblical narratives helps to, you know, illustrate this scripture, Proverbs 11:10. But one stands out really clear and best. And that is why we're going to be using it. We actually have used it in one of the previous episodes and we're still going to use the story of Aman and Esther. So our story is from the book of Esther chapter 7 to X chapter Esther chapter 9. Now this story perfectly reflects both halves of this scripture under study, Proverbs 11 and verse 10. Now the first part of the scripture says when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. The study of the account in the book of Esther reveals that Esther courageously did what she courageously exposed Haman's evil plot to the king. And Mordecai was known as the righteous man and was also a faithful Jew. He was one that was, you know, honored by the king instead of being executed by Haman. And the Jewish people from his story were also delivered from his destruction that Haman had planned for them in the victory was the alert at the end, you know, when human was destroyed, it was great joy, feasting and celebration throughout the province of the Jews. So Esther Chapter 7 to Esther Chapter 9 will help us with a good depth of the story. I'm not going to go that way because we've done it before. And then we also need to be Bible readers. So please take your time and go through the story again, again, because you might have heard it, you might have read it, but please, for the sake of the study, read it again to get a good understanding of what we are saying. The second part of the verse and the story that goes with it, it says, and when the wicked perish, there is words shouting. So the study of the story in the book of Esther also reveals that, you know, a man who planned genocide and sought Mordecai's death ended up being hung, you know, on the very gallows that he built for Mordecai. Iman's downfall also brought relief and celebration throughout the the province because he was an oppressor, you know, and when oppressors are removed, there's always celebration and relief. And then the rejoicing was not over, you know, personal revenge per se, but the rejoicing in the city was over divine justice and the end of widespread oppression. So when it goes well with the righteous means at any or every time that it goes well with the righteous, okay, the phrase goes well is the Hebrew term tor, which means goods, goods in property, having good things, fairness, beauty, joy, prosperity speaks of, you know, goodness as a, as an abstract state, goodness of, you know, when it comes to taste or discernment and the goodness of God. So based on our previous studies, the righteous is the Hebrew term sadak or sadeq, you know, referring to one who is just, lawful, righteous in government, in one's cause, righteous in conduct and character, and justified and vindicated by God. Therefore, when, by the first part of our Bible study, it says when it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. It simply means that at any time or every time that the one who is saddest in government, in his or her character, in his or her cause, in his or her conduct, and most importantly, is born again, which we know is a status attained because a person has been justified and vindicated by God and experiences talk, okay, which is goodness, fairness, beauty, joy, prosperity and goodness. What happens? The city rejoices. So anytime and Every time the righteous receives goods, is treated in fairness, he experiences beauty, joy and prosperity and the goodness of God. What happens? The city rejoices. Only the thoughtful, unfortunately, will value. When the righteous person, according to this account, you know, receives this goodness of God and rejoices, you know, he's able to rejoice in sin because of the times we live in. You hardly see people who truly want to rejoice with the righteous that has, that has just received, you know, good from the Lord. Also, the scripture reveals that there is a heart in the city as well as, you know, in the individual man. When godly principles, which is of the highest morality, govern the life of the city, there is rejoicing everywhere. Rejoicing is more than just being happy. Rejoicing is happiness that is expressed outwardly. Therefore, for us to say we rejoicing, it means that we are feeling something that deep within us we feel deep joy, we feel deep gratitude or excitement. And it begins on the inside. Then it is expressed either by laughing, singing, praising, celebrating, or thanking. All this occurs usually because of something good, that is, good news or good report or a win, you know, or a blessing or a relationship, and so on. So in essence, to be happy is a feeling of goodness that remains quiet inside, whereas rejoicing is the happy feeling that is being expressed outwardly. So as believers in Christ, the Scriptures admonish us that we should rejoice always, meaning we are to always choose gratitude and joy on purpose, not just when things are perfect and you don't frown, saying you are rejoicing, you can't be rejoicing, and you are frowning, you can't be rejoicing and you are morose, you know you can't be rejoicing, and your hand is always below your chin. That is not rejoicing. For a child of God, rejoicing ought to be expressed. Hallelujah to Jesus. And the Bible says, and Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in rear robes of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple. And the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad, and the Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. This is Esther 8, verse 15 to 16. These verses of Scripture helps us understand that whenever the righteous is encouraged and advanced to places of trust and power, the city world rejoices. And we talk about the city, we're talking about the citizens, talking about the subjects, we're talking about even the government as a whole, they rejoice because they confidently expect justice and tranquility and many other benefits. I mean, in the same situation, in the same city, in the same nation, people will always rejoice with the righteous being in position, right? And because they know that there are benefits and you know, many other things will be administered to them in justice and in what tranquility, no one will take advantage of them. Therefore, the prosperity of the righteous causes the city to do what? To rejoice because of what you know, the righteous always delivers because of the, you know, the characteristics of the deliverables of the righteous. And what are these deliverables? With the righteous you expect justice and fairness in governance. With the righteous, you expect, you know, blessings of peace, prosperity and stability in the society, in the nation, and even encouragement for others to live uprightly. You know, one of the local proverbs in, you know, in Ghana here has to do with, you know, you need for you to name, you know, your child, you, you, you should go for one of the aged, you know, that has good reputation so that your child will also end up having good reputation. You know, if the world sees naming your child, you know, in line with someone who has a good reputation, how much more we who are the righteousness of God, are we together. Righteousness is sought for. Don't mind the happenings in the world presently where it looks as if everyone prefers the evil one ruling them and being in control. That's not true. People actually want righteous people in position. Because when the righteousness in position, justice and fairness in governance is sure, your benefits is sure to get to you. Peace, prosperity and stability is shorter, you know, to happen. And you have many other people that want to live righteously. Monica's triumph over Haman brought joy, brought light. He brought honor to the Jews and the city of Shushan as the whole. Amen. Now the fact is the righteous don't always succeed immediately. That's just the fact that is life for you. And quite frankly, they often face setbacks for some reasons. It could be because they lack resources. It could be because their peers resist, you know, the sacrifices they are making or even their generation fails to appreciate their wisdom. I mean, we have some people like that in our days now, you know, all records are straight. We have one presently in Nigeria who has been vowing for the position of president. You know, when the, you, you bring up an issue concerning corruption or fraudulent act, he has received of what he did, how he did it, who was involved, what date, what time, he's got all the records, you cannot, you know, you, they've always thought of ways to pin him down, you know, for fraudulently probably taking people's resources, you know, but his hands has been, you know, playing, you know, with proofs to show that everything I was given to, to steward the people, I did it judiciously. I didn't use the people's resources for myself. And it's been years and years, and they've not been able to see anything to name him in some cases also, we have the righteous who even die before completing their plans. So their efforts seem frustrated for a time. However, the good news is that eventually it will go well for the posterity of the righteous. The scripture reveals that God allows these challenges and apparent failure so they can develop in us as believers in Christ Jesus. What patience, courage and faith. If the righteous perseveres, if the righteous is consistent and diligent, in time, his or her worth is recognized even by adversaries. I mean, this is what the story of, you know, Mordecai reveals. Okay, the life of Joseph is also a good example. Joseph was imprisoned as a righteous man, but later, what happened, he was honored that even the man, you know, who, who led to his imprisonment was placed below him. The life of David, Daniel and some others are also good examples. That reveals that assuredly the whole city benefits when the righteous world prospers. The effect of their righteous act butresses the fact that the success of the just brings joy, stability to the society. They strengthen commerce, protects rights, they promote unity and avert divine judgment. So indeed, righteousness is described as a stronger defense than walls or armies. Now, we need to understand something here. When this, the city, the heart of the city is connected, you know, to the heart of the people. When you have majority of the people in the city possessing a righteous heart, that secret city can be termed a righteous city. But we have the majority of the people possessing evil acts. It's almost impossible for the city to be termed righteous. Now, the scripture says, and when the wicked perish, watch, there is shouting. Now, biblical accounts and history tells us that wicked men are public nuisances. Not only burdens, but they are like plagues. In fact, they are plagues to their generation. The Hebrew term for shouting is ringer. And by Bible definition, it means a ringing cry of entry to a supplication, a ringing cry in proclamation of joy and praise. And then it also means a shrill sound, a creaking sound, a shout of joy or grief. So in other words, rena is an action characterized by crying. All right, by way of expressing either Gladness, joy, proclamation, rejoicing, shouting, singing and triumph. So we realize that when it goes well with the righteous and when the wicked perish, the city has a common reaction, which is what? Rejoicing. The city rejoices partly for the just avengers, you know, of God upon the wicked, who had been the instrument of mischief in this, in the society, and partly for the deliverance of the people from wickedness. You know, public grievances and burdens has, you know, been imposed on them by the wicked. The public have been under immense burden. How, how would they be delivered from this wicked one? So when God's judgment comes up upon the wicked, there is rejoice this shout of Christ. Is it possible? We used to have one in Nigeria then, you know, the day the news broke out that he died, wow, the whole nation was rejoicing because it was a torment, especially to the body of Christ. Now the people breathe freer when the city is delivered from the tyranny and oppression which the wicked exercise and from the evil example which they give. There are situations whereby during the lifetime of the wicked, you know, flattery and hypocritical compliments are paid to him. You know, they tell him he's a great man, they call him master, they call him all that, and he's all so full of himself. However, when the wicked man perishes, there is shouting of gladness. This is because the wicked man never did anybody any lasting good. You look at the examples of lives of drug barons, you know, people be out of fear, you know, sing their praises. Not actually because they are good, not actually because they enjoy the kind of life such people are living. Over them, the wicked always took away more than they give. You know, they never pronounce any kind word except with his thinking spirit. The wicked man often imagines that he is popular, but his imagination is vain. It's only a popular tool because people who do not want to be oppressed by him, you know, they make use of him, you know, in life, somehow, whether consciously, unconsciously, people will make use of you. It doesn't matter what your position is. Sometimes we think people only use the. The poor. No, people use even in quot people that are powerful. When they know that they don't have power over you and they cannot control you, then they use you by praising you. And then when they praise you know what praise does? It goes into the head and then you begin to act abnormally. That was what happened to Nebuchadnezzar until he got destroyed. They will just keep praising you when you are doing wrong. They keep praising you. And on before, you know, pride has destroyed, destroyed him. So people use the weather directly or indirectly. So we have to choose how we want people to use us. So people hang around wicked people in order that he may do it, help them in a time of emergency or in some way be unconsciously debased to propose, you know, to the purpose of which he does not, you know, perceive. Just like I've said, they actually misusing him in some way he doesn't know. There are some biblical stories that helps us understand how a man and his actions, even his inaction, experiences and encounters his decisions and indecision influences and affects his city. And the city could also represent a home, you know, it could represent a house, it could represent even a community and the nation as a whole. Under David's righteous leadership, Israel is said to experience peace, justice, military victories and national prosperity. The people's joy increased because a godly leader ruled them. We see that in the book of second Samuel, chapter five to chapter eight, when Joseph was promoted, not only his family, but Egypt and surrounding nations were also promoted. Preserved from famine, his righteousness became a blessing to an entire nation, causing many to what? Rejoice? This reveals how the success of one righteous person benefits countless others. The question is, the success you are enjoying as a righteous man, as a child of God, who is it benefiting? Who is your success benefiting? Joseph became the governor of Egypt, and people, not only in his immediate family, everyone around and the nations around came to even get food. So he made them happy. When there's farming, people are not happy. When there's plenty, you see people rejoicing. That was what Joseph's success did for the people. Genesis chapter 41 to chapter 47, we see that story and the Bible also says, and Haman said to King Ahazar, there is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom. And their laws are different from those of all other people. And they do not keep the king's laws. Therefore, it is not for the king's benefit to tolerate them. Now this is an example of how people can use you. Even though you are in position and you know, unfortunately, unconsciously you are being used, you don't know. It is obvious from this story that Haman did not tell the King Ahasuerus the name of the people he wants to destroy. You know, and the scripture further says in Esther 3, verse 10 to 11, that the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto a man the son of Ahmed Agagite, the Hebrew's enemy. And the king said to Haman, the silver is given to thee, the people also to do with them as it seems good to thee. The statement to do with them as it seemed good today apparently tells us that the king agreed with Haman's proposal without further enquiry. In other words, the king had complete trust in Haman, but also how little he cared about what happened to the minorities. This set of people that Heman was saying, you know, had different laws and whatever in his kingdom. Whereas Haman saw the king as a tool for him to carry out his word evil desires. Now the shouting cry in the city when the wicked perish reveals that the wicked men are what public nuisances. They are plagues. They corrupt the society and bring us judgment development on the city. So wicked people may not always be in position, okay? Often they are. They are middlemen, okay? A man was just in the middle. He was not an everyday, you know, citizen. Neither was he, you know, the, the king. But see what he was able to plot, if not for God, that stepped in for the Jews. Now we see that, you know, wicked people, like I said, they are public nuisances. They corrupt society and bring us judgment on the city. The city called Sodom and Gomorrah is a very good example. The downfall of the wicked will always bring relief and celebration as a result of deliverance from oppression and freedom from corrupt influences. Time will not permit us, but Atalia's story is a good example to also portray this. Second Kings 11:20 says, after this, everyone throughout the land rejoiced and the city was at peace because they had executed Attalia at the king's palace. She was a problem. When tyranny was removed, the people rejoiced. Unlike the righteous, whose death brings mourning and honor, the death of the wicked often brings public rejoicing and revolution. So the devil can walk through either a male or a female, you know, to, to put people under oppression, you know, under tyranny, under, you know, the plague of grief because they've given themselves to. To wickedness and doing wicked. There is a story of a man called William the Silent. This man sacrifice wealth and comfort for the people of the Netherlands for their freedom. And you know what happened to him finally he was assassinated. And when he was assassinated, he was mourned by the entire nation. I mean, you would expect that probably because he was wicked, that is why they assassinated him. But no, he was a righteous man. He was good. And the end showed his behavior because the whole nation mourned, you know, then we still have stories of people like Herod Agrippa. There's someone called Emperor Maxim, Maximin or Maximin. Okay, we have Richello. Richello. We have George Jeffries and we have somebody like Fallon. These were known as wicked men and their deaths brought widespread joy. Joy or vindicative celebration because of the misery they cost. In conclusion, the triumph or the uprights may be oppressed, you know, they may be opposed, but it is only for a time. It's short lived. Wicked people may thrive, but not for long. Their thriving is only temporary. But their downfall will come and it will bring relief and even celebration as a society feels freed from their oppression. It's happened before, it will happen again. I don't know who is listening to me. And whatsoever it is that probably has no pressing you. I don't know what condition it is. I don't know what if it's a person or a system, you know, or a head challenge. Whatever it is that is oppressing you, it is temporary. And in the name of Jesus, we decree an end to that oppression. You are free in the name of Jesus. Joy is your portion, celebration is your portion. In the mighty name of Jesus, it is certain that truth will always prevail. And those who oppose the upright shall come to humiliation. They'll be full of sorrows, making pleas and begging for pardon. That was what happened to Haman. This verse of Scripture reminds us, Proverbs 11:10, that righteousness is not just personal, it is even communal. Don't play down on the righteous life. You have been called to live as a child of God. It doesn't end with you. It will affect your family, it will affect your society, it will affect the nation. And when we have more of us living righteously, it will affect the world at large. It is vividly, you know, demonstrated that moral character of leaders and influential people affect the happiness, it affects the security and also affect the flourishing of an entire community. So the question at this point is, are we living in a way that makes our city rejoice or are we contributing to its burdens? This is a question to ask, ask yourself and be truthful about it. The way you are living as a child of God, does it make your city rejoice? Does it make your home rejoice? Does it make your family rejoice? Does it make make your society rejoice? Are you contributing to his burdens or you are lifting their burdens? Is your salvation felt by only you? These questions must be Answered. And the Holy Spirit will guide us to make the necessary changes where we must in Jesus name. And the righteous will not only rejoice, you know, in the spirit of personal vengeance. And that should not even happen. Don't rejoice, you know, for personal vengeance. So someone did you wrong and then you see the person falling and then you are rejoicing. No, actually the Bible says we shouldn't do that. Okay, we should not even take vengeance by ourselves. We should only rejoice because justice has triumphed. So yes, the man is evil. Yes, the man has done wickedness. But don't rejoice because he has been hung on the galley. Your rejoicing should be because justice has what triumph? They will rejoice. They will rejoice to see the wicked tormented. Ah, no, that is not what we should do. We should not be rejoicing that the wicked has just been tormented and oppressed. Or maybe he's spot has been slipped. No, we should not make a mistake of siding with God's enemy. Neither should we accuse, you know, God of injustice, punishing them. You know, this world, the way some people think is, is really off it, you know, God is a God of justice. When you are, when you are, when you are, you know, upright, he will show himself upright, that's what scripture says. And when you are forward, you know, the dealings of God with you will be to you forward. Are we together now? Vengeance we must understand, according to scriptures belongs to God alone. When you're oppressed, when you see someone tormenting you or you see someone plotting even against you, you don't pray, you know, for that person in particular, you should be much more in interested, praying for justice, for God's justice and how God met his justice is God's choice, you know, and then celebrate when God gives you justice. Not because you see a fellow man destroyed or falling, because even the book of Proverbs is when the wicked comes to you and prayer facing, asking for water, give him, give him. By so doing you are, you are, you are piling coals, hot coals on him, on his head. So you should not rejoice at, you know, a personality because in the end he was being used by the devil, you know, it's a force behind such a person. So the downfall of that person shouldn't be the reason why you are celebrating, but because you know, victory has triumphed. Because I think the book of Job says when justice is not method, the hearts of men are, you know, become small, hardened to do wickedly, you know, and so you should rejoice because the scriptures has been fulfilled, that you know, wickedness has been defeated and righteousness is what being enthroned in the nation. That should be your rejoicing. Not because an individual has just fallen and has been destroyed. Are we together? It is God's anger in action against sin that we should rejoice about God acting in perfect justice is what we should rejoice about. God bringing on people what they deserve by their actions. Okay? And then we are not to take vengeance on our own. This is very, very important. And in conclusion also we should know that God's judgment is of the wicked will produce good results. That's happened before, it will happen again. I see that in Isaiah chapter 26 and verse 9, God's judgment of the wicked, it will produce good results. It's not the way you might think that God will judge the wicked, that he will judge the wicked. But when he does, in the end it will be good results, be better, better, better, better. Better than what you actually thought it should be like. It is a big mistake to think that because God is love also. And then because God is love, he will forget justice and refrain from punishing the wicked. No, please don't think about it. The wicked has done wrong. There are consequences and those consequences will be dealt with for the action. So that is why we must think of our actions before we do them. The righteous rejoice not to the suffering of the wicked again, but in God's justice. And he will rejoice in God. May that be our portion now and always in the name of Jesus and I pray that we make all the, you know, changes by the help of the Holy Spirit to live the righteous life and be a blessing to our homes, to our houses, to our, you know, systems, our workplace, our nation and the world at large. So we're going to make these prayers together by saying, Dear Abba Father, thank you for the gift of righteousness through Christ. Thank you for teaching us that righteousness indeed exalts the nation, it exalts the city. Help us to live uprightly so our lives bless and brings joy to our communities. O Lord, we ask that you raise righteous leaders in our homes, in our churches, in the nations who bring joy and peace. Dear Abba Father, we ask that you deliver us in our land from the influence of wickedness. Lord, we ask that you let the righteous exalt our community through the act of righteousness and bring peace, prosperity and unity in Jesus name. So it is Jesus precious name we have prayed. Amen. I appreciate you for spending this time with me. Thank you for being blessed. Please share with other believers. Let's remain consistent. Join me in the next episode. God bless you richly. Amen.
