Proverbs 28:1-5
 
Prov 28:1 (KJB)
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
 
Whenever a person has a guilty conscience about anything, even if there is no one pursuing them, they will continue to look over their shoulder. Many a times have criminals caused themselves to be caught because of fearful behavior that looked suspicious. Sometimes they have even turned themselves in because their conscience is so guilty they feel remorse for doing a criminal act. They are tired of the fear which plagues them. They think everybody is watching them and they live their time in fear. The righteous, which are the saved, live life very boldly. They will bring the Gospel to bad parts of town, they will sleep in places where it might be dangerous, they will boldly preach the Gospel to those that others would not even think of preaching to. The righteous have been given the spirit of boldness. (1 John 4:18 KJV) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18 states that perfect or matured love casts out fear. Some Christians would fear to go to the bad parts of town but those who have perfect love, will see those people in need of a Savior also. David knew what perfect peace was because he was on the run from king Saul and was in constant physical danger. (Psa 4:8 KJV) I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Yet he understood that God was his protector and that enabled him to live his life without fear. This is a great lesson for Christians to know that God is our protector. (Psa 121:4 KJV) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
 
Prov 28:2 (KJB)
For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged.
 
Here is a statement which teaches that when there is transgression in the land, it is caused by many princes or rulers. Sometimes there is collusion between them and there is a conspiracy which will cause many problems. (Ezek 22:25 KJV) There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Ezekiel knew the problem which the prophets in his time had caused. There was a conspiracy among the prophets and they had ravaged the people. Conspiracy can exist in the religious realm as well as the political realm. The second half of this verse teaches that when the righteous are in rule, the land will be prolonged and kept from judgment. A good example of this is the Northern Kingdom which went into captivity in 721 B.C. There was not a godly king in the entire line of the Northern Kingdom. However, in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, there were we some godly kings who stayed the hand of God’s judgment upon them by obeying the law of God. Judah held out until 586 B.C when it was taken into captivity but unlike the Northern Kingdom, Judah was re-established in the land 70 years later.
 
Prov 28:3 (KJB)
A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
 
Oppresseth - To wrong, extort, or abuse
 
This verse speaks about the poor oppressing the poor. Now this does not necessarily mean that one is physically beating another because there are many ways to oppress a person. One of the most evil ways is by extortion, which is one of the ways the word for “oppresseth” in the Hebrew can be understood. Just a modern example, some years ago the pyramid schemes were in vogue and poor people were getting other poor people involved with promises of riches when they get to the top of the pyramid. Many people put money into this scheme and lost. Then there is multi-level marketing (MLM) which is also one big Ponzi scheme. People are promised much wealth and those who are at the top of the list when the MLM company was started are used to tell others how they can also gain much wealth, however, they never tell the difference between being no. 10 on the list and no. 100,000 where you can do nothing but lose. Many people have lost big money by investing in these schemes. Those poor people who have lost much money in these schemes are like the land which faced the sweeping rain and were left with nothing. Sometimes not only are their finances gone but so is their hopes and dreams. The lottery also fits into this category where millions of poor people play it in hopes of winning and their money only goes to very small percentage of small winnings and maybe one will hit the big one. So a million poor people give their living to one person. Does not sound like a dream, it sounds more like a nightmare.
 
Prov 28:4 (KJB)
They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
 
Forsake - Abandon
Keep - Observe
Contend - To engage in strife with action
 
Those who forsake the law of God and also the laws of the land are praising the wicked by basically stating that their way of living is right. The praise comes in agreement with their philosophies and their methods. When a person sees the wicked prosper by doing something illegal, by them adopting the same mindset, they are in essence agreeing with them and that is a form of praise. On the other hand those who keep or observe the law will contend with these people and not just in words but in deeds. They do actions which will attempt to stop further wicked acts. Whatever method they use whether protest or testifying against them, their words are their actions.
 
Prov 28:5 (KJB)
Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.
 
Judgment - Justice
 
The wicked man does not understand what justice is simply because his heart is not inclined toward justice. His ways are contrary to the laws of God and the laws of the land. Those who break the laws will not understand what they are doing because they do not care. They may know they are breaking the law and they do not investigate the penalties involved for breaking these laws. Those who seek the Lord, and only the saved do, will understand the severe consequences for breaking the law. Not only do they understand the temporary penalties but they know the eternal penalty of breaking the law of God. One seeks the Lord because they are saved and want to know more and therefore when they study the Scriptures, they understand all things pertaining to the law and justice. They know that temporary gain is nothing compared to eternal loss.

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