June 8, 2026 -- Proverbs 12:13 -- Escape

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips,
but the righteous escapes from trouble. Proverbs 12:13 ESV
 
In verse 12 the wicked were in view, now there is a subtle shift and a parallel person, the evil man, is the focus. The evil man is unclean, repugnant to God. Such a man may be perfectly acceptable in secular society. Though his words and deeds are abomination in the sight of God, his words and deeds fit into the world’s waywardness and vile rebellion against God.
 
An evil man may perceive himself as good. He may believe in his causes and be sincere in his desire for good as it is defined by the secular gods of this age. However, his words ensnare him. It is imagery used about bird catchers. The evil man’s words weave a net that catches out his own lies. He acts as though nothing were wrong, though spiritually his arms are pinned to his sides, and he is going down to the grave and then to hell. In the book of the Exodus, Pharoah’s advisors called out to Pharoah the fact that Moses was a snare to the Egyptian people. The more Pharoah disregarded the words of the LORD, the more Egypt was caught up in the net of God’s judgment (Exodus 10:7). The result of disobedience is that Egypt was ruined.
 
There is another word in this proverb which is closely associated with the Exodus. But this time the word is linked to the righteous. Those who are God-fearers come out of, that is, they escape trouble. It is used in Exodus, on the evening before Israel is delivered from Egypt, they are commanded “Remember this day in which you came out of (escaped) Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out of this place” (Exodus 13:3). When Israel escaped Egypt, they were delivered not because of their righteousness, not because they were better than the Egyptians. Oh no way! It is because the LORD set His favor on His people.
 
The LORD acted in mercy towards those who were themselves snared in slavery. It is the work of Jesus which is captured in this brief proverb. The evil man and the righteous man are both ensnared, caught in sin. The evil man, by his words and life, weaves an ever-stronger net binding himself to his hateful acts against God. The righteous man is not good, or better than the evil man. The difference is prayer. In the Exodus, just before God acted, it is recorded: “And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew” (Exodus 2:24-25). The people of God cry out to Him. They groan because their own wickedness and the snares of sin are like slavery in Egypt—they are captured and the impulses of sin drive them to habits of sin that are even greater and viler. God heard. God broke the chains of their slavery. God rescued.
 
Jesus is our escape from Egypt, our Exodus story. For the sake of Jesus, God hears our cries, our helplessness, our panicky howling at the snares we’ve gotten ourselves into. Jesus breaks the curse of sin by becoming sin at the cross and enduring God’s punishment against sin on our behalf. While He bore our sin, His righteousness was granted to us. That is why the righteous escapes from trouble, Jesus went into the places where we were ensnared, and was trapped in our place, crucified, so that in Him we escaped the wrath of God. We now walk by the light of God’s grace. Since the punishment for the crime of our sins, past, present, and future have been paid in full, we are stamped with the righteousness of Jesus. Our sins can’t be punished twice. Jesus paid it all. Now, walk in the holiness Jesus won for you.
 
Mighty God, O give me repentance unto life;
Cement my oneness with my blessed Lord Jesus,
that faith may adhere to Him more immovably,
that love may entwine itself round Him more tightly,
that His Spirit may pervade every fibre of my being.
Then send me out to make Him known to my fellow-men. Amen.
Excerpt from the prayer “Humility in Service” The Valley of Vision, page 327.
 
https://youtu.be/f30KtH7SFLg?si=08gtq8dWD6BKBhUC Jesus Paid It All
 

Copyright © 2026 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.