Greetings everyone. Let’s turn to Proverbs 28:1 and begin the Bible Study today. Verse 1 says:
1 The wicked flee when no man pursues:—
As we said before, when we study the Bible and we want a deeper understanding of the actual meaning of the verses, we need to stop occasionally and ask ourselves certain questions like who, what, when, where, why, and how? Now here’s a good question.
1 The wicked flee when no man pursues:—
Why does the wicked flee when no man pursues? Well, it’s because they’re jumpy. They feel guilty. They’re paranoid. They don’t have trust in God. They don’t look to Him for protection, and so therefore they don’t have rest. They don’t have peace. They see trouble when there’s not even any trouble, or they see more trouble then there is, or they don’t see as much trouble as they should. They’re judgment is impaired because of their wickedness, and so they’re miserable.
But notice the last part of this verse and you’ll see contrast as we go through Chapter 28 in the verses. There’s a contrast between right and wrong, good and evil, success and failure. You’ll also notice in this chapter that God talks about His law, His Ten Commandments quite a lot as He inspired Solomon to write this chapter.
Notice the last part of verse 1:
1 —but the righteous are bold as a lion.
Why would the righteous have such confidence? Why would they have such boldness? That’s not talking about being rude or being overbearing or being obnoxious. It’s simply talking about having the right kind of confidence, the right kind of enthusiasm, the right kind of anticipation for living life. Why? Because they know they are obeying God. They’re trying to do the right thing so they have faith in God and they have His protection and they have His blessings. And so instead of being jumpy and paranoid and negative and all worried and fretting and stewing and wringing their hands like the wicked live life, they can relax and they can be strong and they can be confident and they can move forward and make plans according to God’s will, looking to Him in faith. That’s where boldness comes from in terms of a person who’s trying to live his life in the right way—the righteous, in other words.
Those are the choices. Obviously, we know which choice as a Christian we ought to make on a daily basis. And God will help us make that choice, the choice of living life the right way.
2 For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof:—
That simply means there’s no stability in the government, there’s no stability in the leadership. So there’s always coups d’etat, there’s always overturning of leadership, etc. God doesn’t bless it. He doesn’t guide it. He doesn’t direct it. He doesn’t protect it. And so because of transgression and sins and evil, there’s just turmoil and confusion.
You can take a look around the world today. I mean, take a look at some of these nations that just keep on having trouble and more trouble and more trouble. And every nation does to one degree or the other, and at the heart of it is transgression.
2 —but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
When you have a leader who’s trying to do the right thing, and a leader who’s trying to live life God’s way, there’s stability. Things settle down. There’s prosperity. And the principles that we read here apply individually, in a family, in a community, apply in a congregation. And so where there is leadership, where there is understanding and knowledge in a family or in a person’s life or in a marriage or in a community or in a congregation or in a company or in an organization, there’s stability. And the success and the prosperity in that situation will be prolonged because God will bless that kind of leadership.
Now, verse 3 points out a very important principle. And we’ve probably all seen it. Maybe we haven’t succinctly defined it the way verse 3 does, but notice what it says here in Proverbs 28:3.
3 A poor man that oppresses the poor—
Now, why would a poor man oppress the poor? You would think a poor man understands what it’s like to be poor and therefore would have compassion and empathy, would connect and understand and have compassion and empathy and mercy on the poor. He knows what being poor is like.
But, you know, there are poor people who oppress other poor people. There are poor people who begin to prosper and instead of remembering what it was like to be poor, they take advantage and abuse those who are poor. And here’s what that’s described as:
3 A poor man that oppresses the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food.
Here’s a beautiful crop about to bring forth food, and a sweeping rain comes through—a flood comes through, a rain with wind comes through—it lays the crop flat. It damages the wheat or the fruit, or even it might flood it and cause it all to rot.
In other words, it’s hideous what a sweeping rain that has too much water and too much wind will do to a crop. It’s also hideous when a poor individual, who knows what it’s like to be poor and who ought to be able to identify with those who are poor, forgets all of that and does what? Oppresses the poor. God is not pleased with that.
4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked:—
Now, how is that? You mean if we don’t keep the law, we should go around just praising the wicked for being wicked? No. When we forsake the law—I say “we” figuratively speaking—when human beings forsake the law, by doing that, we are validating the wicked in their eyes. By doing that, we are approving what the wicked are doing. By breaking the law and doing wickedness ourselves, we are agreeing with others who are doing wickedness.
But look at the contrary side of that coin. Look at the other end of it. Look at the antithesis of that point.
4 —but such as keep the law contend with them.
Now, that doesn’t mean if we keep the Ten Commandments we just go around arguing with the wicked all the time. That’s not what it’s saying. But by our fruits and by our example and by our obedient attitude and actions, we are disagreeing with the wicked. We are showing them up for what they are. We are shedding light on the wrong way they’re going just by going the right way and letting our light shine. And so by keeping God’s law, we actually contend with those who don’t, just by letting our light shine and by the actions and attitude that we have. We show there’s a better way. We disagree with that way by our actions. And those who are looking for which way to go will see: the we could go that way, it doesn’t turn out right. The obedient go that way, it turns out right. They stood firm on doing the right thing and keeping the law against the wicked who are breaking the law.
So keeping the law sends a message. It sends a signal. We do not agree with wickedness. Breaking the law also sends a message and a signal. We agree with the wicked. Now, obviously, if we are Christians, we know that we had better keep the law and therefore show by our actions and attitude that we don’t agree with breaking the law and we don’t agree with wickedness. And maybe the wicked will stop and think and change. And maybe those who haven’t made up their mind will make up their mind to go the right way and keep God’s Ten Commandments.
It is a law of liberty. It is a royal law. It is a wonderful code of conduct. It is ten precepts that really cover all facets of life in the letter and in the spirit. And as we keep those Ten Commandments, we are loving God and we are loving our neighbor and we must do that. Throughout the old and throughout the new testament, we are told to keep God’s law. It has not been done away; rather it has been magnified and made even more binding. Now it’s not just the letter, but it’s the spirit of the law. Now we don’t just get physical blessings, we get spiritual blessings as we keep the law.
5 Evil men understand not judgment:—
No, they don’t understand justice. Their thinking is twisted. Their judgment is clouded. They’re not thinking clearly. They’re not thinking logically. They’re not thinking with consistency. They are shaky. They’re not solid in their thinking because they’re evil.
5 —but they that seek the Lord understand all things.
They have sound–mindedness. They have good judgment. They have good comprehension. They can separate right from wrong. They don’t blur the lines between good and evil because they’re seeking God and His will and they want to do the right thing, and God gives them sound–mindedness.
6 Better is the poor that walks in his uprightness,—
Or his integrity. Remember what integrity is. Here it’s mentioned right in the Bible when you really check what the Hebrew word means. Better is the poor that walks in his integrity. That means soundness. That means an unimpaired condition. That means a code of moral values, incorruptibility. That means the quality or state of being complete or undivided. It involves honesty. It’s part of character, really. And so as we walk with integrity, even though we are poor, even though we might not be well off, God will provide our needs and it’s better to be poor and have integrity
6 —than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
Perverse, twisted, double–minded, poor judgment, no sense of right and wrong, will take the wrong way and wallow in it and revel in it—even though he’s rich, and some people look and say, “Well, he must be doing something right, look how rich he is.” He’s not happy. He’s not successful in the things that count. He’s not being blessed of God, and it’ll all turn against him and it will end up being a miserable end, one way or the other, sooner or later. It cannot work. It cannot stand. It will not have God’s blessing.
Even though he maybe so rich, he’s not even able to count all of his money. He is not going to be happy. He is not going to be at peace. He is not going to have God’s blessings. He or she or they will not abide and live life the way God intends it to be lived.
But a person can be poor and walk in integrity and uprightness and they’ll have all the things that really count and then much more. They’ll have God’s blessing. Integrity is the best, much better than riches.
Notice here in verse 7. It says:
7 Whoso keeps the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shames his father.
And of course, we need to be a wise son and please our Father in heaven, but also a wise daughter and a wise son and a wise child and please our father and mother in our human family. And what a wonderful thing it is when we do that. And how do we do that? Well, by keeping the law, by living by God’s law. And what a blessing that will bring on the whole family in terms of just being pleased with a son or daughter that does that. But even more so, what blessings both physically and spiritually it will bring on the child that lives her life that way.
But here often is the choice that is made and it’s sad to understand that and to contemplate that, but it’s true. All too often, here’s what happens:
7 —he that is a companion of riotous—
or gluttonous
7 —men shames his father.
No control over the physical appetites. No control over the emotions. Just give in and do whatever feels good. Give in and do whatever gives a rush to our senses. Give in and give vent to our appetites, instead of having temperance and instead of having moderation and instead of having the ability to say no to what is wrong and yes to what is right.
God will help us. It’s talking about character here and it’s all wrapped up in and based on God’s law, the Ten Commandments, the wonderful law. David said, “Oh, how love I thy law. It is my meditation all the day long.” That’s because it’s such a wonderful way to live, God’s Ten Commandments. And even here in Proverbs, Solomon is also pointing that out.
8 He that by usury and unjust gain increases his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
He won’t get away with it. You know, there are people instead of making a fair profit, they want to gouge. They want to take advantage. They want to get everything they can get. They charge a tremendous amount of interest and then they go on and sometimes use extortion, which one translation has the word “unjust” meaning: He that by usury and extortion gains increase. In other words, he is able to charge an interest rate and he is able to threaten and he is able to maneuver and manipulate people so that he will get way more increase than he should get, and take advantage of others in doing so. Here’s what happens, here’s where that leads to, here’s the end result of that:
8 —he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
He thinks, “Oh, I’m going to stack up all this money because I’m gaining it by usury, I’m gaining it by extortion.” When in fact, he won’t be able to hold on to it. Somewhere down the road, it’s going to end up really going to those who have a fair–minded, just attitude. One that is able to pity those that are in need, and they are poor and they are really the righteous poor, if you please, or else they are legitimately poor. In other words, they’re not lazy. They’re not indolent. They don’t like being poor, but they are poor, but they want to improve and they want to do better. Someone who has pity on them and is willing to help them, to the degree he can when he can, is the one who’s going to be blessed. And the possessions and the things that the unjust person is able to accumulate through extortion and through usury will end up losing that. And that will end up in one way or the other going to those who have mercy and who have concern and kindness, which they extend to the poor.
God is a perfect God. He is a just God. He squares everything up. He rewards those who obey Him. He punishes those who don’t. It may not look that way, but you just watch as time rolls along, sooner or later that’s how it all ends up.
9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law,—
Look how often we’re hearing about God’s law.
9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
Now, that’s kind of a sobering thing when you think about it. In some ways, it’s even almost terrifying. We need to be praying to God every day and drawing close to Him. We need to be studying His word every day and learning from Him. Can you imagine if we ever get into a state to where God considers our prayer an abomination? Not only is He not going to hear the prayer, it stinks in His eyes. He finds it repulsive and repugnant. What a horrible thing to get into such a state that God considers our prayer an abomination!
Well, what brings that about? Turning away from God’s law, refusing to obey Him, refusing to love Him with all our heart, mind and soul, and refusing to love our neighbor as ourselves. That’s when our prayers become an abomination.
You know, you hear about people who, might be in the mafia or they might be a hit man. They might be, you know, an extortioner. They might be an absolutely immoral person, and yet when they get into trouble, oh my, all of a sudden they’re going to pray. Well, you know what God calls their prayer? An abomination. You know why? Because they are breaking all of His law, all of His commandments. They’re not putting Him first. They’re not doing what He says.
So we better not turn away our ear from hearing God’s law. We better be trying to obey God’s law. We better be trying to keep His law in the letter and in the spirit, and we can only do that, of course, with His help. We can only do that by the power of His Holy Spirit, and then our prayers will be precious in His sight. Then He will open His ears to our prayers.
But if we turn our back on Him and if we start to disobey Him, if we begin to break His commandments, if we start to just shatter His law in our mind and with our actions, and then turn and start to pray to Him, He says our prayers will be an abomination. We certainly never want to find ourselves in that situation.
10 Whoso causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.
Can you imagine such a disgusting situation where someone would try to cause people who are trying to do the right thing to go astray and to do that which is evil? That’s a very, very dangerous position to be in. We better be careful about how we teach people. We better be careful about how we lead people. We better be careful about the example we set for people. We better make sure that we’re not in a position to where God says, “You’ve caused the righteous to go astray and into an evil way.” Because we’re in trouble with God if we ever do that. And He tells us right here:
10 —he shall fall himself into his own pit:—
The thing he’s trying to cause the righteous to do that will lead to terrible consequences, he himself will suffer those consequences.
10 —but the upright shall have good things in possession.
Once again, here’s the comparison: Do evil, suffer bad things. Do right, be blessed with good things. Those are the choices. But we’ve got to make those choices and we’ve got to follow through on those choices, and God will help us do it. We’re free moral agents, however. And He won’t force us which way to choose. Even though we must choose one way or the other, it’s up to us as to which way we choose. And if we choose the right way, we’ll be blessed on a day by day, week by week, month by month basis. But if we choose the wrong way, things just aren’t going to go well. And God will help us to choose the right way, and He’ll help us put it into practice.
11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that has understanding searches him out.
You know, not every single rich person is this way. It’s a tendency for people who are really rich to begin to feel self–sufficient, to begin to feel so confident that they think nothing will ever happen to them and nobody can do anything to them. They begin to feel right on top of everything and everybody. Untouchable as it were. Nobody tells them what to do. They begin to swagger and they begin to prance and they begin to be filled with themselves. And they begin to act like, “Listen, if I want to do it, I’ll do it. Nobody can’t stop me. Nobody is my boss.” But, you know, it doesn’t quite turn out that way. Sooner or later, they get into deep water, and then they get in over their head, and then they go down.
A poor person, who might be looked upon as not having a lot of education and not being that smart, quite often, is very smart and can search out and read very well other people, including rich people, and can see, “Well, he may be rich but it’s not going to work for him. And I don’t want to have anything to do with him, and I don’t want to go down when he goes down.”
In other words, they’re just not going to automatically say, “Okay, fine. Whatever he wants and whatever he says, I’ll agree to it.” If it is a poor person who’s trying to obey God and has wisdom, they’ll say, “No, no, no. I want to know what the right thing is. I can tell by their fruits. I can see by their actions whether or not they’re doing and saying the right thing and they’re trying to go the right way. And therefore I’ll make my decision as to what I want to do and how much I want to have to do with this person, rich or poor.”
11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit;—
Not all of them are, but many of them are.
11 —but the poor that has understanding searches him out.
Not all the poor do that, but those who are trying to obey God will. In other words, prove all things. Hold fast that which is good. Don’t automatically think, “Well, because he’s well educated or because he’s very rich or because he’s well connected with other people or he talks a good fight.” Don’t automatically think, “Okay, then he must be doing the right thing.” Prove all things. Check things out. Don’t be taken in. Don’t be naive. Be wise. That’s the message.
12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
You’ve seen this happen in history. I mean, people come in to power and they’re wicked. Well, what happens to their country? What happens to their government? What happens to their people? Wickedness produces misery. The economy begins to falter. The education system begins to flounder. The general society begins to decay. Laws are broken and punishments flow in as a result of that, nationally and individually and in the communities of the country where that wicked man has risen to power.
But you let a righteous man come to power, one that wants to do it right and obey God and serve the people and think about others and their welfare, then great things happen. The country stabilizes. The economy picks up. The educational system gets straightened out. And people begin to have a wonderful, prosperous nation to live in.
It all has to do with God’s law. A righteous person is going to keep God’s law. Psalm 119:172 says:
172 —all your commandments are righteousness.
But a wicked person will break God’s law and other people suffer for it and they begin to try to draw back and try to find a place to hide from the pain and the suffering that that wicked ruler brings on the country.
13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.
In other words, there are people who sin and then blame others for the sin. Or they try to say they were a part of it, or it wasn’t all their fault and they make excuses. Or they try to hide that sin and just keep on committing it. Well, that’s not going to work. They won’t prosper physically or spiritually.
But when a person sins, makes a mistake, falters or falls, if he will come before God, and if he will admit that he has sinned, and if he will confess his sins to God and to Jesus Christ and deeply repent of them, which means forsake them, then God will send him and show him or her or them mercy.
See, when a person forsakes their sins, that means they quit sinning. So therefore then they will be forgiven, and they will be given mercy. As I said before, I don’t cross reference too much as we go through Proverbs because we want to keep moving through. You can go back and cross reference a lot. But occasionally I do want to and here’s the case in point. Let’s turn to I John 1, and notice here in verse 7.
I John 1:7:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.
See, we don’t confess our sins to a man. We don’t confess our sins to others. I mean, if we did somebody harm, we might want to go to them and apologize and get it taken care of. But as far as confessing our sins, we confess them to God the Father through Jesus Christ, and then through Jesus Christ our sins are cleansed.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Now this is John talking to Christians, to the church. All of us sin and make mistakes. We have to fight it and overcome it. We don’t live in sin. We don’t practice sin, but we sin and we have to repent. We have to confess that we have sinned.
Notice verse 9:
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But who do we confess those sins to? We confess them to the one who can forgive us and cleanse us of them—Jesus Christ. A human being can’t cleanse us of our sins. And so now, back to Proverbs 28:13, when it says:
13 —whoso confesses—
those sins. It doesn’t mean to a man or to somebody. It means to God and we admit it and we repent of it. And through Jesus Christ then we are cleansed of those sins. But we have to also, when we admit them and repent of them, quit committing them—forsake them. And if we do that, then He promises in Proverbs 28:13 to extend us mercy, to forgive us. And as we read in I John 1, blot them out. And as we can read in other verses, He won’t even remember them anymore. They’re gone. They’re forgiven. We have a clean slate. Now we can move forward and obey God through the power of His Holy Spirit and having Christ live His life over again inside us.
What a wonderful plan God has for all mankind and each one of us individually. Okay, we’ll stop there in verse 13 and pick it up next time in Proverbs 28:14.
This is Charles Bryce with the Enduring Church of God.