Pro 28:3 | KingComments | STEP | National sins bring national disasters. If a land has no regard for God and His Word, the cause is that there is no God-fearing ruler. As a result, rulers succeed one another in rapid succession, for each ruler is only after his own interest ( ). The period of the judges with thirteen judges and the days of the northern kingdom of Israel with nine dynasties are examples of political instability due to sin. During rebellious, turbulent times, a nation has many takeovers and many people competing for power. A people get the government they deserve. We see this not only in kingdoms, but also in countries with self-elected governments. One government succeeds another, while the government that steps down leaves the country in greater chaos than when it took office. But if there is “a man of understanding [and] knowledge” in the government, justice “endures”. It is about understanding and knowledge of the will of God. If that is present, there will be good and also ‘enduring’ that is long lasting, government. Enduring justice means that as soon as evil elements reveal themselves that threaten the rule of law, that evil will be judged. Once this is ignored, the cycle of many rulers succeeding one another begins again, resulting in instability in the land. If the rule of law is upheld justly, a change of government does not take place again and again. This greatly benefits the stability of a land. It is very tragic, though, when “a poor man” becomes powerful, when he becomes a ruler, and in that position “oppresses the lowly” ( ). A poor man, in a place of authority given to him because of his experiences, could have become a refreshing rain for his former companions. After all, no one better than he knows what it is to be “lowly”. But it is precisely then that a person can show the greatest contempt toward those among whom he used to find himself. His oppression of the lowly implies betrayal. The second line of verse shows by comparison the result of the behavior of the man who was poor and has become powerful. He is like “a driving rain which leaves no food”. Rain should serve to bless the crop so that the harvest becomes good and there is bread, but here he does a destructive work. Hunger ensues. A ruler must provide a beneficent society ( ) and not drive it away by heavy pressure ( ). People who “forsake the law” have lost the good view, God’s view, of the wicked ( ). They are no longer able to distinguish between good and evil. They disobey God’s law and therefore gain admiration for those who have clearly cast God aside and determine their own life. In a society where wicked people are praised, God’s Word has been thrown overboard. Free will, saying anything you think and doing anything you want, has become the highest good. Those who adhere to that praise the wicked for their wickedness (cf. ). An example is same-sex sexual intercourse. Those who want to live according to God’s Word will fight against it. This may mean openly pointing out evil. In any case, it means not participating in praising the wicked. Then the prevailing opinion is fought against. The result is opposition. To “understand justice” ( ) is dependent on one’s mind, not one’s intellect (cf. ; ). “Evil men” are people who are not attuned to God, but to their own evil nature. They lust after evil. Their minds are corrupted. Therefore, they cannot understand “justice”, the legal rights of persons that have been established by God. They have no ‘antenna’ for it, for they are darkened in their mind. This becomes evident in the injustice they do to their neighbor. The word “but” at the beginning of the second line of verse introduces the contrast with what is stated in the first line of verse. To “seek the LORD” means to ask Him for His will in order to do it ( ). We seek God’s will when we examine His Word. If we keep the Word closed, we do not seek Him. The Spirit causes us to find God’s will in God’s Word, understand it and carry it out. We “understand all things” through the Spirit Who dwells in us ( ). For us to experience the full benefit of this in our lives, we must be spiritually minded, for then we can appraise all things ( ).

‏ Proverbs 28:3

Not Acknowledging God’s Authority

National sins bring national disasters. If a land has no regard for God and His Word, the cause is that there is no God-fearing ruler. As a result, rulers succeed one another in rapid succession, for each ruler is only after his own interest (Pro 28:2). The period of the judges with thirteen judges and the days of the northern kingdom of Israel with nine dynasties are examples of political instability due to sin. During rebellious, turbulent times, a nation has many takeovers and many people competing for power.

A people get the government they deserve. We see this not only in kingdoms, but also in countries with self-elected governments. One government succeeds another, while the government that steps down leaves the country in greater chaos than when it took office.

But if there is “a man of understanding [and] knowledge” in the government, justice “endures”. It is about understanding and knowledge of the will of God. If that is present, there will be good and also ‘enduring’ that is long lasting, government. Enduring justice means that as soon as evil elements reveal themselves that threaten the rule of law, that evil will be judged. Once this is ignored, the cycle of many rulers succeeding one another begins again, resulting in instability in the land. If the rule of law is upheld justly, a change of government does not take place again and again. This greatly benefits the stability of a land.

It is very tragic, though, when “a poor man” becomes powerful, when he becomes a ruler, and in that position “oppresses the lowly” (Pro 28:3). A poor man, in a place of authority given to him because of his experiences, could have become a refreshing rain for his former companions. After all, no one better than he knows what it is to be “lowly”. But it is precisely then that a person can show the greatest contempt toward those among whom he used to find himself. His oppression of the lowly implies betrayal.

The second line of verse shows by comparison the result of the behavior of the man who was poor and has become powerful. He is like “a driving rain which leaves no food”. Rain should serve to bless the crop so that the harvest becomes good and there is bread, but here he does a destructive work. Hunger ensues. A ruler must provide a beneficent society (Psa 72:5-7) and not drive it away by heavy pressure (2Chr 10:10-19).

People who “forsake the law” have lost the good view, God’s view, of the wicked (Pro 28:4). They are no longer able to distinguish between good and evil. They disobey God’s law and therefore gain admiration for those who have clearly cast God aside and determine their own life. In a society where wicked people are praised, God’s Word has been thrown overboard. Free will, saying anything you think and doing anything you want, has become the highest good. Those who adhere to that praise the wicked for their wickedness (cf. Rom 1:32). An example is same-sex sexual intercourse.

Those who want to live according to God’s Word will fight against it. This may mean openly pointing out evil. In any case, it means not participating in praising the wicked. Then the prevailing opinion is fought against. The result is opposition.

To “understand justice” (Pro 28:5) is dependent on one’s mind, not one’s intellect (cf. Psa 119:100; Jn 7:17). “Evil men” are people who are not attuned to God, but to their own evil nature. They lust after evil. Their minds are corrupted. Therefore, they cannot understand “justice”, the legal rights of persons that have been established by God. They have no ‘antenna’ for it, for they are darkened in their mind. This becomes evident in the injustice they do to their neighbor.

The word “but” at the beginning of the second line of verse introduces the contrast with what is stated in the first line of verse. To “seek the LORD” means to ask Him for His will in order to do it (2Sam 21:1). We seek God’s will when we examine His Word. If we keep the Word closed, we do not seek Him. The Spirit causes us to find God’s will in God’s Word, understand it and carry it out. We “understand all things” through the Spirit Who dwells in us (1Jn 2:20 ; 27). For us to experience the full benefit of this in our lives, we must be spiritually minded, for then we can appraise all things (1Cor 2:14-15).