The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
Summary: Having a place to live is important to everyone. The Israelites were descendants of a “wandering Aramean” (Deuteronomy 26:5). God gave them a place to live with the condition that they remembered who gave it to them. Decisions have consequences and their failure to remember God resulted in exile. Today, those in Christ look forward to a new land of our own; heaven.
God’s work is not necessarily easy. Moses left Egypt and became a shepherd for forty years in Midian. Then he was called by God to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land, Canaan. This land was set apart by God for his people, but God did not harbor any false illusions about Israel’s faithfulness.
Moses spent the next forty years shepherding God’s chosen people through the wilderness. At the end of Moses’ life, just before the Israelites entered Canaan, God foretold through Moses what would happen. He said, “… they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting me and breaking my covenant.” (Deuteronomy 31: 20) When that happened, God said he would remove the Israelites from their land (Deuteronomy 28).
Had Israel remained faithful to God, they would never have been uprooted from the land God had given them. This verse summarizes all the prophecies about God’s people in Canaan. Yet even though he knew this, Solomon sinned. God had warned the king against taking “many wives” (Deuteronomy 17:17). Solomon had hundreds of wives and many were from the people of Canaan (1 Kings 11: 1-6). They turned Solomon’s heart away from God and enticed him to worship false gods, leading all of Israel to do the same.
There are two kinds of wickedness. First is turning our back on God. Second is everything else that God objects to. We cannot please God without first honoring him. Here, once again, we are confronted by the duality of our existence. Where do the roots of the righteous find their nourishment? Isn’t it in God himself? Don’t we turn to God’s Word for nourishment?
Jesus tells us, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” (John 6: 27) He demonstrated this when he himself chose to do God’s will rather than eating physical food (John 4:34).
Regardless of what happens in this life, the righteous are rooted in the promised land of heaven. Because of God’s Son, Jesus, those who believe, who are righteous by faith in Jesus, will never be uprooted.
Application: Grow where you are planted.
Food for Thought: What would have to happen for the righteous to be uprooted?
What would have to happen for the righteous to be uprooted?
I think for the righteous to be uprooted it would take something that would shake their faith in God.
Philippians 3:9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
I think that is one reason it is important to measure the things in your life against scripture. No matter what happens, or what any one else does, God’s Word contains the answer to any questions that may arise.
2 Peter 1:4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Thank you, Chris.
Reliance on the eternal truths of Scripture does indeed put our troubles in perspective.
Our hope is in eternity in heaven with Christ! Thanks, Jeff
Amen Jim!
I don’t think the truly righteous will be uprooted. If we build our house on the solid rock of Christ then we are secure when storms come (Matthew 7: 24 – 27). Jesus is able to keep us (John 10: 27 – 30; John 5: 24; 1 John 5: 11 – 13).
However, the righteous must keep their eyes on Christ and grow in Him so to not be led into distracting philosophies and become less fruitful (Colossians 2: 6 – 8; Hebrews 12: 1 – 2; Philippians 3: 7 – 11; 2 Timothy 4: 6 – 8).
Rich,
I agree! If we are in Christ, we are completely safe.
(Rich’s verses are linked here.)
05-10-2022, Proverbs 10:30, What would have to happen for the righteous to be uprooted?
The fires of hell would have to freeze over.
Proverbs 10:25b, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.
Proverbs 10:30a, The righteous will never be uprooted,
Proverbs 12:3b, The root of the righteous cannot be moved.
God promised everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him, John 3:15
God gave His only begotten Son to secure our salvation,
John 3:16
Jesus obeyed His Father and Gave Himself as the one sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.
Mark 14:32-42
Jesus called out to His Father and asked Him to forgive us our sins.
Luke 23:34
All believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 1:13
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:11–14
Well said, Ron!
Yes, hell would indeed freeze over! 🙂