5h • Wisdom
Rewards
“The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors.” Provwrbs 26:10
Proverbs 26:10 reminds us of a truth that runs throughout all of Scripture: God is the Creator of all people, and all people are accountable to Him. While the wording of this verse is difficult and has been translated various ways, the central truth remains clear. The God who formed all things sees all things, governs all things, and ultimately deals with every person according to his ways. Neither the fool nor the transgressor escapes His notice. The Creator is also the righteous Judge.
The verse begins by directing our attention to God as the One who “formed all things.” This echoes passages such as Isaiah 44:24: “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things.” Because God is Creator, He possesses absolute authority over His creation. Human beings may ignore Him, deny Him, or rebel against Him, but they can never remove themselves from His jurisdiction. The fool may reject God's wisdom, and the transgressor may break God's law, yet both remain accountable to the One who made them.
The fool and the transgressor are closely related throughout Proverbs. The fool rejects wisdom; the transgressor rejects obedience. Often the two are found in the same person. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” Such foolishness inevitably leads to sinful living because when a person rejects God's authority, he begins living according to his own desires. The fool may believe he is free from consequences, but Scripture repeatedly teaches otherwise.
The word “rewardeth” in this verse carries the idea of giving what is due. God rewards both the righteous and the wicked according to their deeds. Galatians 6:7 declares, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” This is not merely a future principle but often a present reality. Foolish decisions bring painful consequences. Sin produces destruction. A person who continually rejects God's wisdom often experiences the fruit of that rejection in his relationships, finances, character, and spiritual condition.
At times, it may appear that fools and transgressors prosper without consequence. The psalmist Asaph struggled with this very issue in Psalm 73 as he observed the apparent success of the wicked. Yet when he entered God's sanctuary, he understood their end. God's judgment may not always be immediate, but it is always certain. Ecclesiastes 12:14 says, “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
For believers, this verse is both a warning and a comfort. It warns us not to flirt with foolishness or sin, assuming that consequences can be avoided. God sees every choice and every motive. At the same time, it comforts us when we witness injustice. We do not need to take vengeance into our own hands because the Judge of all the earth will do right. Romans 12:19 reminds us, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” No act of rebellion and no act of faithfulness will ultimately go unnoticed by Him.
The gospel shines brightly against the backdrop of this truth. If God rewards every person according to his deeds, then none of us can stand on our own merit. We have all acted foolishly and transgressed God's law. Yet Christ bore the punishment that our sins deserved. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” Through faith in Him, believers receive mercy instead of condemnation and grace instead of judgment.
Ultimately, Proverbs 26:10 calls us to live with an awareness of God's sovereignty and justice. The Creator who formed all things is not indifferent to how His creatures live. Every act of foolishness and every act of obedience matters because God sees and responds accordingly. Therefore, the wise person walks in the fear of the Lord, trusting that God's judgments are perfect, His rewards are just, and His grace is sufficient for all who come to Him in faith.
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