Chapter 28

General observations of impiety and religious integrity.

1. Bold as a lion. The wicked man is condemned by his troubled conscience even before he is accused by men. When death draws near, the difference between the courage of the man who seeks righteousness and the cowardice of the man who loves sin is even more apparent. While the good man has a quiet confidence in his Saviour, the wicked man often meets death either in defiant boldness or in cringing fear. When David faced what many thought was certain death (1 Sam. 17:32–34), he was bold because he believed that he was the servant of the Most High, doing His will and abiding under His protection. Compare the experience of Jonathan (1 Sam. 14:6–16).

2. Many are the princes. Social and moral decay frequently result in a rapid succession of rulers. When a wise man takes over, disorder in the kingdom is put down, law and order reinstated, and the settled state of the country preserved (see Eccl. 9:14, 15).

3. A poor man. When a poor man becomes an oppressor of the defenseless, he causes harm like the beating rain, which carries away the top soil instead of promoting germination and growth.

4. Praise the wicked. Only one who has himself rejected the authority of the law will take pleasure in the success of an evil man (see Rom. 1:32).

5. Understand all things. Those who reject the control of God’s law cannot see the difference between right and wrong (Rom. 8:7), but the Lord certifies to those who submit to His guidance what course they are to pursue (Isa. 30:21; John 7:17; DA 668).

6. Perverse in his ways. Compare ch. 19:1.

7. Law. Heb. torah, all forms of instruction, including the law of God.

Riotous men. Heb. zolelim, “the lavish,” or “the gluttonous.” Gluttony is shameful to a man and reflects on the character of his father.

8. Usury and unjust gain. If a distinction more than rhetorical is intended, “usury” would refer to interest on a loan of money and “unjust gain” to increase on a loan of provisions. The money that the grasping man has accumulated by methods that God cannot approve, may, after his death, be disbursed to the poor by his heir (see Job 27:16, 17; Prov. 13:22).

9. Hearing the law. The fact that the one who turns from the law of God also desires to pray suggests that he is not a careless and irreligious person, but one who objects to making the divine law the guide of his life. There are many who are willing to serve God, but wish to do it in their own way. Some accept a part of the law of God as a standard of life, others claim that the law is completely done away with. Only a few take the whole of God’s moral law as an authoritative expression of His will for His people (see John 14:15; 15:10; cf. Rom. 8:3, 4).

Shall be abomination. Sin puts a barrier between God and the sinner (Isa. 59:1, 2). Those who go contrary to their conscience and those who claim that the keeping of the so-called spirit of the law makes them superior to those who, by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, keep both the letter and the spirit of the law, do well to ponder this verse. While God passes over the lack of conformity to law in those who have had no opportunity to discover the claims of God upon them (Acts 17:30; Rom. 5:13), He cannot accept the service of those who have deliberately turned away from His law. To do so would sanction willful rebellion.

10. Into his own pit. The one who leads others astray is pictured as falling into his own pit together with his victims. But the righteous man rises up out of the pit and regains the right road (see ch. 24:16), pressing on under the blessing of God to the final reward. The wicked man has gained for himself by his evil deed nothing but increased guilt.

11. Searcheth him out. Some rich men believe that the wealth they have accumulated is in itself proof of their wisdom and cleverness; but their neglect of eternal values reveals their foolishness to the poor man who has gained understanding from God, the Source of true wisdom. The understanding poor man sees through their present prosperity to the troubles that await them (see Ps. 73:3, 17; James 5:1–6).

12. Great glory. When good men prevail over evil men and give good government, there is “great glory” (see chs. 11:10; 29:2). The people know that they will be well treated if they do well, and justly punished if they do ill. Their confidence in their rulership is built up, and they rejoice in their security and are not afraid to reveal their prosperity. But they behave very differently when an evil man rules. They endeavor to conceal their wealth and avoid attracting the attention of their self-seeking governors (see ch. 28:28).

13. Covereth his sins. Spiritual prosperity is impossible to the man who cherishes sin. To make excuses for one’s sins is to resist the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8–11), and to run the risk of hardening the heart to such a degree that eventually there will be no further desire for righteousness or an impulse to repent.

On the other hand the acknowledgment of sinfulness is not enough. The sinner must put away his sins, and successfully resist temptation in the strength that God has promised to give (see Rom. 8:3, see 4; Phil. 2:13; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 John 3:6). It is only when these conditions are met that God can be merciful. To forgive and bless the man who is clinging to sin would be to encourage him in his course, which, if pursued, would lead eventually to eternal death (Rom. 6:23; James 1:13–15). To take such a man into the eternal world would be to perpetuate the suffering, sorrow, and death that sin has caused.

14. Feareth alway. The man who watches himself constantly and who consistently compares his conduct with the pattern set forth in the revealed will of God, so that any deviation from rightdoing may be instantly revealed and corrected, is the happy man (see Ps. 119:11; Phil. 2:12; James 1:22–25). He is happy because he is maintaining this vigilant attitude by the strength that comes from the indwelling of Christ through the Holy Spirit (see Eph. 3:16, 17; 1 Peter 1:22, 23; 1 John 3:9; Jude 24). Because of the power of evil and the presence of Satan to deceive and to lead into sin (1 Peter 5:8; Rev. 12:12), man can fight a successful battle against sin only through the help of heavenly agencies. But when those agencies are resisted by the hardened heart, calamity is sure to come.

15. A wicked ruler. The utter helplessness of the common man against his powerful oppressors would lead to despair were it not for God’s promise that He will care for those who look to Him (Ps. 91:13–16).

16. Great oppressor. Compare Jer. 22:13–19.

Hateth covetousness. Covetousness is an inordinate desire for gain. Men who turn their back upon the true gain of eternal life and spend their life in seeking the temporary and trifling gains of this world reveal their lack of understanding.

17. Flee to the pit. In declaring that death is the punishment for murder and none should intervene to prevent the infliction of the penalty, Solomon is but echoing the words of Moses (see Gen. 9:5, 6; Ex. 21:12–14).

18. At once. Literally, “in one,” the meaning of which is not clear. The translation “all at once,” or “suddenly,” is improbable. The LXX renders the second clause, “but he that walks in crooked ways shall be entangled therein.”

19. Vain persons. Or, “vain things.” Those who seek for the vain things of life instead of working to earn a living will be certain to fall into poverty, both material and spiritual.

20. Maketh haste. Compare ch. 21:5.

21. Respect of persons. See on ch. 18:5.

For a piece of bread. The triviality of the considerations that will influence an unjust man to show partiality is exemplified by the figure of a piece of bread.

22. Hath an evil eye. The first clause may better be translated, “The man that hath an evil eye hasteth after riches” (ch. 23:6). For the avaricious man there is no permanent gain.

23. Afterwards. Heb. Хacharay, literally, “after me.” ХAcharay is not the usual form for “afterwards,” but may be an unusual form of the adverb. Wise rebuke will bring reward to both giver and receiver even though it may hurt at the time (see Prov. 27:6; 29:5; James 5:19, 20).

24. No transgression. Nothing will excuse robbery. Even though the son may claim that all that his parents have will be his when they are gone, their material possessions are still not his to take without their consent. If he seizes them, he is no better than any other plunderer (see ch. 19:26). Christ spoke in condemnation of the son who refused to provide for his parents under the excuse of having deeded his property to the Temple (Matt. 15:4–6; Mark 7:9–12).

25. A proud heart. Literally, “one wide of soul,” that is, of desire, a grasping, avaricious man. One who is puffed up with a sense of his own importance and despises others annoys everyone he meets and causes much dissension (see chs. 15:18; 29:22). The humble, God-fearing man does his duty and trusts that God will provide for his needs. It is equally true that the covetous man arouses much enmity by his self-seeking, whereas the good man is “made fat,” that is, he prospers (see Prov. 11:25; 29:25; Hab. 2:5; James 4:1).

26. His own heart. That is, his own impulses and plans (see Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Prov. 14:16; 28:14).

27. Shall not lack. Since God regards all that is done for the poor and needy as done to Himself, wise giving to those in need will not impoverish the giver (see chs. 11:24–26; 19:17). Selfishness brings a curse by its very nature, quite apart from anything that God may do to show His displeasure (Haggai 1:9–11). Thus indirectly the neglected poor heap many a curse upon the head of the man who ignores their plight.

28. The wicked rise. See on v. 12. The increase of the righteous on the fall of the wicked is both in numbers and in prosperity. Under covetous rulers, good men are not likely to grow rich, and if they do, much of their increase will be taken from them.

Ellen G. White comments

4    PK 660

9     CS 78; GC 436; PK 267; PP 584; 3T 52; 4T 535

13   AA 552; FE 239; GC 489; SC 42; 2T 291, 303; 5T 635

20   AH 391; Ed 136

23   2T 338

25   AH 179

26   2T 143

37   MH 208