Proverbs 21:18

The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.


The two parts to this parable have the same meaning. The wicked take the place of the righteous, and the transgressor takes the place of the upright. Proverbs 26:27 declares, “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.”

Proverbs 11:8 states, “The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.”

The word “ransom” is not talking about what Christ has done for us, to redeem our souls from eternal damnation, but refers to taking the place thereof, as the wicked receive the damnation they desired to place upon the righteous. The general thought is: the wicked determine to destroy the righteous, but God intervenes, delivers the righteous and causes the wicked to fall by the device they determined upon the righteous. This has happened over and over again in the scriptures, and will also happen to us, if we will be upright and righteous before God Almighty.

Isaiah 43:3,4 states, “For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee, 4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.”

Examples:

  1. Haman was hung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai.

  2. II Kings 18:13-19:37 – Sennacherib determined to destroy Israel. He did not destroy Israel, but was killed by two of his sons while he was worshipping in the house of his god, Nisroch.

  3. Egypt determined to destroy Israel and make them submit to their authority. Instead Egypt came under the authority of Israel and was spoiled by the Israelites.

  4. Daniel was delivered from the lions but his accusers were eaten of them.

  5. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were delivered from the fiery furnace, but the men who cast them into the furnace were burned up.

  6. Satan desires to take over God’s throne and cast God aside, but he is cast aside into everlasting fire instead of God.