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Proverbs

Chapter 28
{Verses 1-12: How to Ruin a Nation without really Trying (Series of Antithetical Distiches}
{Mental Attitude Contrasts}
1~~The wicked {singular} flee {plural} when no man pursues . . .
but the righteous {plural} . . . bold {singular} as a lion.
  {idiom: literally: 'trust as a lion' . . . but batach, translated 'bold'
  here, does mean to parlay the Faith Rest Technique of Trusting in
  the Lord into 'absolute confidence'}

{Note: There are a few groups of believers in Proverbs: 1) the wise and the fool - believers either with or without doctrine in their
souls, 2) the righteous and the wicked - the application of the viewpoint in the soul of either the wise or the fool (the wise uses divine viewpoint and the fool uses his own human viewpoint).}

{Note: 'Wicked' here in the Hebrew is a singular noun. But 'flee' is third person plural. This tells the reader that all the individual wicked ones flee together. Then righteous is a plural noun yet the verb is singular. This is the Hebrew method of saying that individually all the righteous are bold, instead of collectively.}

{Note: The verse is saying people without doctrine create their own pressures/fears (they have nothing to support them)! Those with doctrine can actually persist even through real pressure/danger. Batach is the strong Hebrew word for trusting in the Lord - it means to slam your problems on the Lord and you forget about them - the faith rest technique.}

{Contrast of Leadership (Antithetical Distich)}
2~~Through the revolt of a land,
there are many princes/'{bad} leaders' . . .
but by a man of understanding and knowledge
the state thereof shall be prolonged.

{Note: A revolt destroys the law and order of a nation and power-hungry people come into power. But if the nation is well ruled by a man who understands doctrine, a national entity can survive a long time.}

{Parabolic Distich - illustration and then principle - (this time reversed from usual order)}
3~~A tyrant/'poor man' who oppresses the poor/weak/helpless
is like a devastating rain which leaves no food.

{Note: A devastating rain is one that destroys the crops so there is no food. The best form of government is a benevolent dictator (example Jesus Christ in the Millennium). The worst form of rule is a tyrannical dictator.}

{Contrast in Attitude Toward Doctrine (Antithetical distich)}
4~~Those who forsake the law/doctrine
admire/glorify the 'Old Sin Nature'/wicked . . .
but such as keep the law/doctrine
'contend themselves'/'have justified indignation' with them.

{Note: To 'forsake the law' is an idiom meaning a believer negative to the Word of God. He is only interested in the details of life and has the wrong perspective in life. He is impressed with money, social status, etc. He might even try to 'look good'. He tries to solve man's problems by his own efforts and human good never solves anything. He tries things like welfare and impoverishes people more. He tries to 'bribe' other nations into liking them - and only increase the envy and greed of that other nation. He tears down the military because if we do, then we will have peace on earth. Instead, he is encouraging jealous nations to attack them in their weakness.}

5~~Men of evil
do not understand 'divine viewpoint'/judgment {mishpat} . . .
but those who seek Jehovah/God understand all.
  {means those with doctrine in their souls have the right perspective
  on life}

{Verses 6-12: The Upright}
{Comparative Distich}
6~~Better . . . {is} the poor/weak/helpless
who Walks in his integrity/uprightness . . .
than he whose Ways
'are twisted'/'deviate from doctrine' . . . though rich.

{Note: To be weak in material things, yet filled with Divine viewpoint and applying that viewpoint to his life, is better than to be a rich person without the capacity to enjoy those things without doctrine. This rich fool constantly goes against God's laws and is filled with mental attitude sins and is bitter, greedy, jealous - and unhappy.}

7~~Whoever keeps the law . . . {is} a wise son . . .
but companions of the riotous . . . cause shame to his father.

{Note: The riotous is following the fast crowd. They reject bible doctrine. And they end up shaming their parents.}

{Verses 8-9 Integral Distiches - (2nd line completes concept of 1st line)}
{Cursing turned to blessing (A move toward Doctrine)}
8~~He that by usury and unjust gain increases his substance . . .
he shall gather it {money} for him {one of the sons}
who will give generously to the needy/helpless/poor.

{Note: In this case, the father has no doctrine but gains money through illegal means. But, in this case he leaves it to a son with doctrine who then becomes a blessing to the needy - cursing is turned to blessing.}

{Blessing turned to Cursing (A move away from Doctrine)}
9~~He who turns away his ear from hearing the law . . .
even his prayer shall be detestable/'an abomination'.

{Note: This son is not interested in doctrine - 'hearing the Law'. He does not understand the protocol of prayer and therefore can not pray properly even when he wants to. Not all prayer is acceptable to God.}

{An Antithetical Tristich}
10~~Whoever causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way . . .
he shall fall himself into his own pit . . .
but the upright shall have good things in possession.

{Note: Here the father apparently led one of his sons not to get into doctrine. He is 'righteous' meaning that he is a believer. But someone leads him away from God and His Word. Here the 'evil way' in context is to ignore doctrine. And, 'falling into his own pit' is self-induced discipline from God.}

11~~The rich man . . . {is} wise in his own conceit . . .
but the poor/'oriented to grace' . . . who has understanding 'breaks through his façade'.
  {chaqar - was originally a mining term meaning to break through to
  the ore}

{Note: This father thinks he is wise because he possesses great details in life. But his son is 'poor' meaning he is oriented to grace and cares not for the details of life.}

12~~When the righteous do rejoice . . . great glory . . .
but when the wicked rise . . . man is 'searched for'.

{Note: When a generation has enough men with doctrine in their souls, the nation is benefited. So, this is the believer/righteous with doctrine in his soul. The doctrine brings him happiness and he rejoices and the nation rejoices and there is great glory. But in contrast when doctrine is on the decline, wickedness reigns and the people have to hide to survive.}

{Verses 13-20: How to Ruin your own life without really trying}
{1st Way to Ruin your life - Reject Rebound}
13~~He who 'works hard to cover' his sins shall not prosper . . .
but whoever 'throws'/names/confesses {his sins}
and forsakes/'leaves behind' them shall have mercy {racham}.
  {Idiom: yadah - translated 'confess' in KJV, means to throw - to
  throw your sins right back on the cross - the word means to 'cite
  your case', this 'case'/sin was judged previously on the cross, so
  'double jeopardy' means that the issue has already been handled
  judicially - and once cited, is set aside. To forsake means to
  leave behind - forget it! Once you have confessed it, forget it
  and try to do better next time - NO guilt complex is warranted
  under God's divine viewpoint - He forgives and forgets and so
  must you.}

{Note: Remember the book of Proverbs was for believers only. This is a believer who is not interested in doctrine. He does not understand the principle to rebound your sins so he is constantly out of fellowship - and he does nothing of use to God. The immature believer tries to cover his sins with emotion (feels sorry), or telling some other human your sins (gossiping about yourself), or some human works (penance or some other self-righteousness act). For the proper procedure for the Confession of sins - see I John 1:9 - God does the 'work'.}

{Occupation with Christ vs. the Reversionist (Believer Who Rejects
  Bible Doctrine) (Antithetical distich)}
{2nd Way to Ruin your life - Reject Doctrine}
14~~Happinesses . . . {to} the one who keeps on 'being in awe'/'being occupied with' {Christ} . . .
but the one who hardens his heart/'right lobe' shall fall into 'the evil' .

{Note: 'Esher is a plural word that means 'happinesses'. It refers to both great inner happiness and the overt outwardly expressed happiness. Pachad means to be 'in awe' or to be afraid of something. It is often used for category 1 love - being totally occupied with God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.}

{Note: Qashah means to harden, to be severe, or to be difficult. In bible terms, it refers to the state when the subconscious's desire for doctrine is getting weaker and weaker. This person's total scale of values is on the details of life. When a right lobe is totally hardened, then even his ability to intake and understand the Word is totally gone. Ra` means evil and means you will be controlled by your Old Sin Nature - no divine viewpoint - operate totally by the energy of the flesh.}

{3rd Way to Ruin your life - Reject Authority (Parabolic Distich - 1st line illustrates 2nd line of doctrine)}
15~~As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear . . .
so is a wicked ruler over the helpless/low/weak people.

{Note: The 'wicked ruler' is a believer who lives under his old sin natures (from previous verse). A lion roars when he is hungry and is very dangerous. A ranging bear is a bear who is very hungry and will do anything.}

{4th Way to Ruin your life - Emphasis on the Details of life (Integral Distich)}
16~~The prince who is void of understanding
is a great oppressor . . .
but he who 'rejects by indifference'/hates 'details of life'/plunder . . . shall prolong his days.
  {if you accept doctrine and its set of norms and standards, then
  you understand the details of life are not the most important. So,
  here he rejects the details for the happinesses provided by
  doctrine - and he can be useful to God and his life is prolonged}

{Note: Concept progresses. This prince has no doctrine (understanding of divine viewpoint). He rejects the principle of authority so he when he gets authority, all he can do is abuse authority.}

{5th Way to Ruin your life - Have a Guilt Complex}
17~~A man who 'has a guilt complex'
  {idiom: literally: 'does violence to the blood of a soul'}
is fleeing to the pit {a pit of self-induced misery} . . .
'don't stop him'/'do not interfere'/'let no one detain him'.

{Note: God tells us to confess our sins and forget them. This person sinned and arrogantly decided it was 'too great a sin' for God to forgive. He/She associates all his troubles in his life with this past sin. A guilt complex is not authorized by the Word. It is self-induced misery and will make you run quicker to the grave (by applying stress to yourself). The Word of God will straighten out these people. It is NOT your business. If you stick your nose in the business of other people, you will take their discipline to yourself.}

Continued