What Makes the Earth Tremble?

Proverbs 30:21: "Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a fool who is full of food, an unloved woman who is married, and a maidservant who displaces her mistress."

To use the hyperbolic illustration of the earth trembling is intentional by the writer of this proverb to portray the disdain that each of these situations bring.

A servant that becomes a king lacks the experience and the maturity to handle the overwhelming responsibility. Because he has not experienced the power that is associated with such a position, he can become power-hungry, tyrannical, and self-absorbed to the detriment of his followers. He can fall prey to the prideful conclusion that the world revolves around him and that all things are designed for his personal adulation. In the end, his people are grieved at his inept leadership and his lack of courage to advocate something bigger than himself. Paul Coughlin in his book, No More Christian Nice Guy alludes to this concept when he distinguishes between abusive people and courageous people: "Abusive people should never be mistaken for courageous people . . . . (Abusive people) fight only for their own ego and appetites. Courageous people fight on behalf of something bigger than themselves" (No More Christian Nice Guy Study Guide, pg. 60).

A fool who is full of food also is a burden to others. When his stomach is full, he lacks the motivation to reach his full potential. He becomes slothful and lazy . . . unwilling to make the most of opportunities to be his best for the Lord and others. In his slumberous state, he does not realize that poverty is at his door ready to overtake him like a bandit (Proverbs 6:9-11). Because he has tasted the blessing of abundance, he turns a deaf ear to wisdom (Proverbs 26:16). In the end, he becomes impoverished, and he expects others to rescue him from his plight.

A married woman who is unloved becomes bitter, resentful, and depressed. Her husband is to love her with self-sacrificing love (Ephesians 5:25f). He is to put her needs before his own and is to minister to her by providing her the attention, security, and stability that she needs to feel loved and complete. His wife is designed to be pursued and adored to illustrate the imagery of Christ's passionate pursuit of His bride, the Church. In the deep recesses of her heart, the unfulfilled wife feels ripped off emotionally and relationally. She turns her resentment into manifestations of bitterness and resentment that impact those around her.

A maidservant who displaces her mistress is one who in her envy of her superior has longed for the chance to overtake her. The maidservant resents that she must submit to her mistress and jealously desires to usurp power to the degradation of the one who has provided for her. In her self-absorbed state, the maidservant seethes in anger that another would have authority over her; thus, she is relentless in overthrowing her authoritative figure in her life. In the end, she brings pain to her mistress and to others.

Thus, the four examples above reveal the following truths:

1. The immature fool in a position of leadership grieves others in his ineptness and self-absorption.

2. The gluttonous fool is unmotivated to better himself and becomes a plague to others.

3. The embittered wife manifests her resentment for her unloving husband upon those around her.

4. The subordinate resents authoritative figures and passionately seeks to destroy such influence.

All of these circumstances leads to great pain that reverberates through the lives of others . . . and in response the earth trembles.