Prov.29:18-KJV: "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."
Frequently, when a new church project or fundraising activity is undertaken, Prov.29:18 is quoted. Over and over again, churchgoers are told that we must 'catch the vision' and be a visionary people. Churches must have concrete objectives and put forth much effort to achieve those objectives. When God sees the visionary enthusiasm of congregations, He reacts by blessing those congregations and enabling them to meet their goals. Such is the common interpretation of Prov.29:18.
However, the historic Protestant understanding of Prov.29:18 is quite different. Consider these remarks from Bible scholars and commentators in previous centuries:
1600s-
Matthew Poole: 'No vision', i.e. no prophecy, i.e. no public preaching of God's law or word, where the people are destitute of the means of instruction. 'He that keepeth the law', this he saith rather than 'he that hath vision' to teach us that, although the want [lack] of God's word be sufficient for men's destruction, yet the having, and hearing, or reading of it is not sufficient for their salvation, except they also keep or obey it.
1700s-
John Wesley: 'No vision', No prophecy; no public preaching of God's word.
Matthew Henry: Where there is no vision, no prophet to expound the law, no priest or Levite to teach the good knowledge of the Lord, no means of grace, the word of the Lord is scarce, there is no open vision (1 Samuel 3:1).
John Gill: Prophesying is often put for preaching; and here 'vision', or prophecy, signifies the public ministering of the word and ordinances, and want of persons to administer them; Now, where there is no preaching, men perish in their sins; the word being the ordinary means of grace, without which, men know nothing of Christ….he that keepeth the law, happy is he: not the moral law, which no man can keep perfectly, but the law of faith. It may be rendered, "happy is he that observes doctrine" ; the doctrine of the Gospel, where it is preached; that attends to it, values and esteems it, receives it by faith, and with meekness; blessed is he, blessed are his eyes and ears; he sees wondrous things out of this law or doctrine, and he hears and knows the joyful sound, which brings salvation and eternal life unto him!”
1800s-
Jamieson-Faussett-Brown Commentary: 'no vision', no instruction in God's truth, which was by prophets.
Keil and Delitsch Commentary: While, on the one hand, a people is in a dissolute condition when the voice of the preacher, speaking from divine revelation, and enlightening their actions and sufferings by God's word, is silent amongst them (Ps. 74:9); on the other hand, that same people are to be praised as happy when they show due reverence and fidelity to the word of God, both as written and as preached.
Pulpit Commentary: 'Vision' is prophecy in its widest sense, and denotes the revelation of God's will made through agents. The prophets were the instructors of the people in Divine things... The fatal effect of the absence of such revelation of God's will is stated to be confusion, disorder, and rebellion.
Albert Barnes: “Vision--The word commonly used of the revelation of God’s will made to prophets. When prophetic vision fails, obedience to the Law is the best or only substitute for it, both being forms through which divine wisdom is revealed.”
Adam Clarke; “Where Divine revelation, and the faithful preaching of the sacred testimonies, are neither reverenced nor attended, the ruin of that land is at no great distance.”
Expositors Bible: “"He that keepeth the law, happy is he." It is a mournful thing to be without a revelation, and to grope in darkness at midday; to hold one’s mind in melancholy suspense, uncertain about God, about His will, about the life eternal. But it is better to have no revelation than to have it and disregard it. Honest doubt is full of necessary sorrow, but to believe and not to obey is the road to inevitable ruin. "He that keepeth"---yea, he that looks into revelation, not for curiosity, but for a law by which to live; who listens to the wise precepts, not in order to exclaim, "How wise they are!" but in order to act on them.”
[For more extensive Commentary reading on Prov.29:18, click here]
We observe that the current understanding of ‘vision’ is not identical with what that word meant in 1611, when the KJV was completed. A concise definition of Biblical vision has been provided in Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “A supernatural presentation of certain scenery or circumstances to the mind of a person while awake."
Just as dreams were supernaturally bestowed on persons while they were asleep ( see Gen.28:10-16; 41:1-32; Dan.2:1-28; Matt.1:20-24), so were visions supernaturally given to persons while they were awake (Gen.15:1; Ezek. 1:1; 40:2; Zech.1:7-8; Acts 9:10-12; 10:1-20; 16:6-10; 18:9; 26:12-19; 2 Cor.12:1-4).
Some of these visions given by God were overwhelming to the prophet who received them (see Dan.4:5; 8:27; 10:7-11). Certain visions given by God were intimidating (see Nahum 1:1-8).
On these occasions, God was proactive, not reactive. These Biblical visions originated with God instead of human think tanks.
Therefore, the Biblical understanding of Prov.29:18 has nothing to do with the human formulation of goals and the use of manipulative high-pressure tactics to meet these goals. Instead, the 'vision' of Prov.29:18 is about the supernaturally revealed Will and Word of God.
OT visions disclosed core truths about the character and holiness of God, and the will of God for His people. “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness” (Ps.143:10). Teach me Your will, God.
Ponder the chilling words of Jesus in Matt.7:21-“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” The New Geneva Study Bible comments: “The doubling of a name was an address of intimacy (Gen. 22:11; 1 Sam. 3:10; Luke 22:31). It is not claims or feelings of intimacy with Jesus that matter, nor is it simply good works, even miraculous ones; only doing the will of the Father matters."
Every Lord’s Day, we collectively pray the words: “Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
The Word of God stresses humility and submission to the will of God. In 1 Cor.4:19, Paul informed churched people: “I will come to you shortly if the Lord wills.” Paul’s goals were subordinate to the will of God. Likewise, Eph.5:17: “Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Additionally, 1 Pet. 4:1-2- “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.” Of course, God’s desired will is not going to contradict His revealed written Word.
The promised blessing of Prov.29:18 is for those who are obedient to God's revealed Word.
Other Bible translations put forth this correct understanding of Prov.29:18.
NKJV- Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.
ESV- Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
RSV-Where there is no prophecy the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
In our own era, John MacArthur has commented: "This proverb looks both to the lack of the Word and the lack of hearing the Word (Amos 8:11, 12), which leads to lawless rebellion. The proverb contrasts the joy and glory of a lawful society (28:14; Mal. 4:4)."
Don't get me wrong. Churches can set goals. Enthusiastic planning can be beneficial, especially when many wise persons are involved (Prov.11:14; 15:22; 20:18). A leader or leadership team can be 'visionary' and Christian at the same time!
It is irresponsible, though, to inflict a 21st century connotation upon an ancient Biblical word meaning something else--- and therefore misapply Prov.29:18 as an appeal to generate human initiative or bolster church revenue or 'make things happen'.
Our personal and congregational vision must be in line with the desired Will of God.
Read Ex.32. It can be argued that the Israelite people here were visionary and motivated, they took the initiative, they were determined and passionate about carrying out their plans quickly---but God certainly did not bless their efforts, nor was He pleased with their agenda. Our visionary planning and activities must ever be submissive to the Will of God rather than to wrong-headed agendas (Ps.33:10-11; Eph.5:15-17; James 4:7).
Prov.3:5-6- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths" (compare with Prov.16:9; 19:21; Jer.10:23). Much of what passes for 'our vision' is little more than leaning upon our own understanding. In point of spiritual fact, it is the Sovereign God Who directs the paths of His people; God's people do not lead God around like a dog at the end of a leash.
Prov.29:18 concludes with: "Blessed is he who keeps the Law."
'Within this wisdom writing [of Prov.29:18] is affirmation of prophetic vision and the law, thus a combination of the three major sections of the Hebrew Bible: Law, Prophets, Writings. All three types of inspired literature seek to bring people to know and do God's will."---Disciple's Study Bible
Obedient servants are receptive to doing things God's way. In Gen.6, God told Noah His plan for Noah to build an Ark according to His specifications; Gen.6:22 informs us: "Noah did everything as the God commanded Him." In Gen.12, God told Abram to leave his own country and go to another land; Gen.12:4a says: "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him." Ex.25-30 relates the Lord's instructions for building the Tabernacle; Ex.25:9 provides these words from God Himself: "Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you."
Jesus said: "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it" (Luke 11:28; see also John 14:21-24; James 1:22). Blessedness, then, comes from obeying the voice of God in the written Word already given by Him to us.
According to John 6:29- "The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent", that is, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Christians will be blessed forever because we---by the grace of God--- believe in and belong to Jesus Christ (Heb.2:10-18), the Blessed Savior worthy of all adoration and praise (Luke 19:37-40).
Jesus kept the Law of God in its entirety and He was and is without sin (John 8:46; Heb.4:14-15; 13:8). He is the Source and Provision of eternal life for those who believe in Him as Savior and Lord (John 3:16; 5:24; 20:31). He is the Blessed King, the Supreme and Perfect Authority over every congregation, church leader and planning committee (Eph.1:22-23; Col.1:18).
Jesus is the Word of God living and faithful (Rev.19:11-13); He affirmed the truthfulness of the Word of God written (John 10:35). Thus, Scripture can be trusted as right and true for the blessed people of Christ.
A.B. Simpson expressed it in these terms:
There are some who believe the Bible, And some who believe in part,
And some who trust with reservation, And some with all their heart.
But I know that its every promise Is firm and true always;
It is tried as the precious silver, And it means just what it says.
It is strange we trust each other, And only doubt our Lord;
We will take the word of mortals, And yet distrust His word;
But, oh, what light and glory Would shine o'er all our days
If we always would remember That He means just what He says.