Proverbs 28:11-15

 

Prov 28:11 (KJB)

The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

 

His own conceit - His own eyes

Searcheth - Understand or explore

 

The rich man thinks that because he has money he is unsearchable in his ways and methods. He believes that wisdom accompanies money and that is where he is totally deceived. The only thing that accompanies money is problems. He does things in secret and believes he will never be found out. However, the poor man who has understanding may not have all the money in the world but he has one thing the rich man lacks and that is understanding. So when the rich man tries to do something thinking he can never be found out, that is when they make mistakes and what they are doing is made public because someone has the understanding to expose them. Let me give an example. The group called the Bilderbergers are attempting to build a New World Order and believe that their plans are all secret. However, every meeting they hold is infiltrated by someone who reports the truth of what they are doing. Their plans of world conquest have been made known for many years. (Isa 29:15 KJV) Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? They also cannot hide their nefarious plans from the Lord either.

 

Prov 28:12 (KJB)

When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

 

During the time when righteous men are not persecuted by their governments, they are free to do business and their honest business practices and their honest dealings cause the country where they reside to prosper. That honest prosperity would also allow the gospel to have free course and be spread throughout all the land. However, when the wicked come to power and are against the teachings of Scripture, they will start to persecute the Christians and then the Christians will have to go underground or be hidden. The wicked will also lay heavier tax burdens and that would stifle true commerce thus destroying the economy. We see this happening in every country on earth, including the USA, where Christianity is under constant attack.

 

Prov 28:13 (KJB)

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

 

Covereth - To conceal or hide

Prosper - To effectively accomplish a goal

 

This verse carries a double meaning. One aspect of this verse is the confessing and forsaking of sins against the people. Those who cover or hide their sins will not succeed simply because God knows what they are doing behind the scenes and it will be exposed. Evil has its rewards but it is not positive. So if they forsake the evil way and begin to operate according to the laws of God, they will see success in their endeavors, as long as they are legitimate. The second meaning is a Gospel meaning. The unbeliever does not reveal his evil plans but if God saves him, then he confesses his sins and forsakes them which is a sign of a person who has become saved. (1 John 1:9 KJV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 teaches us that if we confess our sins, not just verbally, we confess for the purpose of forsaking them. This verse teaches that it is only a true believer who will confess those sins because it states that God will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, that is, He cleanses our soul completely from every vestige of sin. The success that we will face may not be here on earth but it will be the successful move to Heaven. Those who die in their sins with much money and power, have not gained success, but have gained loss.

 

Prov 28:14 (KJB)

Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

 

Mischief - Evil

 

A man is happy if he fears the Lord in such a way that he filters all his actions through the desire to be obedient to the Lord. If he does this, his happiness comes from the fact that he is obedient and will not fall into sin like those who do not follow the Scriptures. When a person reject the teachings of God, they are hardening their hearts toward Him and that hardening will not lead to anything good but will lead them into all sorts of evil because they think they are on the right path as they have not yet run into problems. (Exo 7:3 KJV) And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and it lead to the demise of Egypt and to his death. The word for “harden” in Exodus 7:3 is the same word used in Proverbs 28:14. This means that a person who walks away from the Lord and His teachings, will have their heart hardened. Keep in mind that Pharaoh also hardened his own heart and God added to that hardening. So one who hardens his heart against the Lord will never prosper but fall into evil.

 

Prov 28:15 (KJB)

As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people.

 

Ranging - Rushing, charging, or violent assault

 

The wicked ruler of the people are akin to a roaring lion and a charging bear. They do not relent on their opposition to the poor and all they do is continually oppress them. A good example was Rehoboam who became the first king of the southern kingdom. (1 Ki 12:14 KJV) And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. He did not listen to the counsel of the older men but listened to the younger men and laid heavier burdens upon the people. This happens in many countries around the world where a new leader takes over and finds a way to keep the poor continually poor, normally by increasing or creating new taxes such as we see today with the phony carbon tax. The poor have no chance to change their social status because whatever they make, the government is right there to seize it. This verse also has a spiritual connotation to it. The wicked ruler could be Satan who rules over all the people in his kingdom and has no regard for them and uses them just for his evil purposes. One of those evil purposes is to fight against the people in the Kingdom of God and give them no rest.

Back