28:1 The wicked person flees when there is no one pursuing, but the righteous person is as confident as a lion.
Evil men have a guilty conscience. They are always thinking that someone may have caught them in their crime. They run when no one is pursing them.
Those with strong Bible doctrine know that they will have enemies, but they have the right kinds of enemies. They stand up to their enemies with the courage of a lion. Peter, Paul, John Hus, Martin Luther, William Tyndale, the Huguenots, the Anabaptists, Oliver Cromwell, and many other saints have stood up to godless enemies for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
28:2 When a country is rebellious it has many princes, but by someone who is discerning and knowledgeable order is maintained.
A nation without strong Bible doctrine will have many turnovers in government. Most of the turnover comes from assassination.
28:3 A poor person who oppresses the weak is like a driving rain without food.
When a poor man oppresses the poor, then he may be oppressing his only friend. A hard rain destroys crops. A poor man oppressing another poor man is like a hard rain which destroys crops.
28:4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law contend with them.
When a Supreme Court Justice, law maker, or judge forsakes the law, then they are praising the wicked of the satanic world system. Those who know Bible doctrine will hold them responsible for keeping God’s law. If the electorate does not know God’s law (Bible doctrine), then the electorate will receive the type of government in which they deserve. When evil men step into office and force globalism, same-sex marriage, abortion, transgenderism, anti-Israel policy, pro-Muslim policy, and IRS pressure on its citizens, then this is the fault of the biblically-ignorant electorate.
28:5 Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it all.
Evil people lack Bible doctrine. They are not interested in justice or morality. They are interested in filling their pockets with as much gold as possible. To them, the end justifies the means. Those who possess strong Bible doctrine understand the deceptions of the satanic world system and the results of eternal rewards and punishments.
28:6 A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich.
It is better to be poor in money and rich in Bible doctrine than to be wealthy in money and poor in Bible doctrine.
28:7 The one who keeps the law is a discerning child, but a companion of gluttons brings shame to his parents.
The child with strong Bible doctrine will obey the Law, because they love God. They do not want to disappoint Him. Those children without strong Bible doctrine will become gluttons. They will demonstrate to the world that they possessed poor fathers without strong parenting skills. This is very embarrassing situation for the father. His son is demonstrating to the world that he possessed instruction from a weak father.
28:8 The one who increases his wealth by increasing interest gathers it for someone who is gracious to the needy.
If a greedy person charges high interest, then he will lose all of his wealth to the poor.
28:9 The one who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.
The one who does not study and apply Bible doctrine will not know how to pray correctly. He does not possess enough Bible doctrine to know how to ask prayers in God’s will. Therefore, his prayers will not be answered, because they are not in the will of God.
28:10 The one who leads the upright astray in an evil way will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will inherit what is good.
One who leads others into sin will be caught by his own trap. The righteous will inherit their parent’s inheritance.
28:11 A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a discerning poor person can evaluate him properly.
A rich person who is “wise in his own eyes” in one who arrogantly elevates his own personal opinion above the written Word of God. Having money does not mean that a person is wise. A poor person with strong Bible doctrine can see through the motives of the conceited rich person.
28:12 When the righteous rejoice, great is the glory, but when the wicked rise to power, people are sought out.
When a leader with strong Bible doctrine rules the nation, then the citizens are happy and living in peace. When a leader without strong Bible doctrine rules the nation, then the citizens go into hiding to escape opposition.
28:13 The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.
When a man sins, it is better to confess these sins to God rather than to cover them up. Solomon was the son of David and Bathsheba, so he knew this principle well.
28:14 Blessed is the one who is always cautious, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into evil.
Those who study and apply Bible doctrine will be more cautious in their approach to sin. Those who fail to study Bible doctrine will harden their own hearts and fall into evil.
28:15 Like a roaring lion or a roving bear, so is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
Wicked rulers are those who do not possess strong Bible doctrine. They do not serve their people. They devour their own people.
28:16 The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, but the one who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
The political leader who oppresses the righteous does so because he lacks strong Bible doctrine. God hates these kinds of rulers. God will shorten the days of their lives. He will eventually purge them out of this world and send them to hell. God does not allow tyrannical leaders to live very long.
28:17 The one who is tormented by the murder of another will flee to the pit; let no one support him.
The guilty conscience of a murderer will hound him. The murderer’s only escape is death. Anyone who supports a murderer is out of line and sinning against God.
28:18 The one who walks blamelessly will be delivered, but whoever is perverse in his ways will fall at once.
Those who study and apply strong Bible doctrine are protected by God. Those who are evil will be allowed to fall. God does not allow anyone to get away with sin.
28:19 The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, but whoever chases daydreams will have his fill of poverty.
The hardworking farmer will have plenty to eat. Those who daydream instead of working will starve.
28:20 A faithful person will have an abundance of blessings, but the one who hastens to gain riches will not go unpunished.
The honest and hardworking person with strong Bible doctrine will receive an abundance of blessings. Those who attempt to gain wealth by dishonest get-rich-quick schemes will be divinely punished.
28:21 To show partiality is terrible, for a person will transgress over the smallest piece of bread.
It is wrong for judges to accept a bribe and show partiality in a court case. Some judges sell their souls so cheaply, that they show partially for a piece of bread.
28:22 The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.
A person who tries to get rich quick by dishonest methods will end up in poverty.
28:23 The one who reproves another will in the end find more favor than the one who flatters with the tongue.
A person with strong Bible doctrine will appreciate a well-deserved rebuke from another. A person with strong Bible doctrine will not appreciate flattery.
28:24 The one who robs his father and mother and says, “There is no transgression,” is a companion to the one who destroys.
A child who finds nothing wrong with stealing from his parents is destroying their reputation. He is demonstrating to the world that his parents did not have strong enough parent skills to bring him up in the right way.
28:25 The greedy person stirs up dissension, but the one who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
Those without strong Bible doctrine will develop a strong appetite for material things. Their appetite for material things will cause dissension among others.
The one who trusts in the Lord (and not in material things) will prosper. He will complete the task which God gave him to do before the foundations of the world were created.
28:26 The one who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but the one who walks in wisdom will escape.
The one who does not possess strong Bible doctrine will be foolish enough to trust in the total, depraved and evil inclinations of his own heart. The one who studies Bible doctrine at the deepest level will understand that total depravity and evilness of his own heart and instead will trust in Bible doctrine from the written Word of God.
28:27 The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.
Solomon was writing to Jews who were living under the Mosaic Law. They were responsible for taking care of the Jewish widows, orphans, and poor. The poor were fed by the gleaning of the field system. Owners were to leave some of their grain on the corners of their fields so that the poor could work and gather grain. There were also kinsman-redeemer family members who could bail out their family members who fell into debt. If a person did fall into debt, then he could sell himself into service for seven years. He would be released during the Year of Jubilee. All debt would be forgiven on this day. The Mosaic Law protected the poor. If the Jews refused to follow these poverty laws (which they did), then God would temporarily remove them out of the land of Israel. He would give their land to the Gentiles.
In the modern church, the congregation is responsible for taking care of the poverty inside of their local congregation. The congregation is not responsible for feeding the poor outside of their own congregation. Feeding those outside of the church is actually feeding those of the satanic world system. Those of the satanic world system will use their energy to oppose God. It is best to allow Satan to feed his own. If Satan’s hungry are dissatisfied, then maybe they will change masters and switch sides.
28:28 When the wicked gain control, people hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase.
When a wicked ruler without Bible doctrine rules a nation, then people hide themselves to escape oppression. When this wicked ruler dies, then righteousness will increase. Evil political leaders will die prematurely. God will purge them out of this world and send them to Hell.