Proverbs 4:19

The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about the way of the wicked:

Proverbs 4:19 (ESV)

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;

they do not know over what they stumble.

This proverb is only one of many with the same theme in the book of Provebs. In the next chapter Solomon will write a similiar truth: 

Proverbs 5:5 (ESV)

Her feet go down to death;

her steps follow the path to Sheol; 

The wicked fail to see the path they wander.  We sometimes look at the wicked and wonder why they do dumb things or dangerous things or bring self-inflicted pain onto themselves. But it is not like they can see the path they are on. Simple logic would allow someone to stop before they drive over a cliff.   But when it comes to spiritual matters simple logic is on the course of destruction. In Romans we read that their path is "hostile" to God:

Romans 8:5-8 (ESV)

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Wicked people can't change their course. They are in darkness. You can't see in darkness. We need to be the light to those in darkness so they can see the way we are on and perhaps they are given light to grant them repentance. Those who are not with God don't even know it. They are in darkness. David wrote that the Word is the lamp that lights our path (Psalms 119:105). We walk in the light when we live in the Word. The wicked walk in the dark because they refuse to believe in the Word. This proverb is telling us the downfall of folly.  Not only do they reject God, they don't even know they are walking in darkness and don't know what they are stumbling over.  When we walk in darkness we ought to walk carefully.  However, folly walks in such a way they refuse to even slow their pace.   They run headlong into the darkness and they stumble over their own foolishness.