Depart From Evil Job 28:28 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

There are a number of things you gain when you depart from evil.  Job 28:28 says, … and to depart from evil is understanding.  We will explore the meaning of this verse in more detail.  But as you can readily see, departing from evil yields understanding.  When you depart from evil you:

Gain understanding – Job 28:28 – the whole verse says Behold, the fear of the Lord that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.  Well, if you have truly received the wisdom that comes from fearing the Lord you will naturally depart from evil because that’s what wise men do [Prov 14:16].  In other words, men who continue in their wickedness are fooling themselves if they think they are wise or God-fearing men.  When a man tells you that he doesn’t understand the Bible, often the reason is that he won’t depart from evil.  If you are having trouble departing from evil, perhaps the problem is that you don’t fear the Lord [Prov 16:6].

Gain favor with God – Ps 34:14-15 – the Lord’s eyes will be upon you and his ears will be open to your cries.  Let me tell you, it is good to have the eyes and ears of the Lord open to you.  His ears are not open to the cries of the wicked who have turned away at his reproof [Prov 1:24-28].

Gain better health – Prov 3:7-8 – departing from evil improves your health from the inside out.  There is an obvious correlation to staying away from certain evils and good health.  Tobacco, alcohol and drugs are good examples.  But there are many other kinds of evil where the correlation is just as strong but may not be as evident.  For instance, envy is the rottenness of the bones [Prov 14:30].  To depart from envy would certainly be “marrow to thy bones.”

Gain the high ground – Prov 16:17 – the highway of the upright is to depart from evil.  When you depart from evil you get out of the way of transgressors which is hard [Prov 13:15].  That’s the way that is hedged up with thorns [Prov 15:19].  That’s the way where you spend all your time trying to get out of the ditches only to find yourself stuck a little further down the road.

Gain some enemies – Is 59:14-15 – when truth is fallen in the street and truth faileth, then “he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.”  When the whole world lieth in wickedness, [1 Jn 5:19] then those who are upright in the way are an abomination to the wicked.  You can’t do right and get away with it.

Conclusion: When you are an unsaved sinner and you depart from evil, you gain everlasting life.  Ps 37:27 says, depart from evil… and dwell for evermore.  I realize that this verse is in the Old Testament and it takes trusting Jesus Christ to be saved and have everlasting life.  Nevertheless, most men don’t turn to Jesus until they depart from evil [repentance].  The reason some people won’t get saved is that they don’t want to give up their wickedness.  Prov 13:19 says that it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.  What will you be?  A lost fool or a saved wise man?