Reading
SAA Notes
Think about Biblical characters and these verses: eg Moses and Pharaoh, Joshua and Achan. Biblical proverbs aim at giving knowledge beyond personal experience, at extending your understanding of people and situations, of feeding a hunger for wisdom in your heart!
SJA Notes
* Dear God, You are just and true. Please help us understand Your justice today.
“When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,”
How true this is today.
How tightly linked it is for us God’s people with other verses,
“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,”
“Evil men do not understand justice,”
It is clear today that these things are as real now as they were when these proverbs were written.
We are told that evil is good, and that good is evil.
We see the rise of wickedness, we see people barracking and praising it.
Think of the strong movements today to remove the laws around the world that have been founded on biblical principles.
However.
There are wonderful counterpoints in the passage today,
“When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,”
“… But when they [the wicked] perish, the righteous increase.”
“… But those who keep the law strive against them [the wicked].”
“… But those who seek the LORD understand it [justice] completely.”
Let us strive against the wicked when they rise. Let us teach those around us what God’s word teaches us true justice is.
There is much good for society when the righteous triumph!
* Almighty God,
Praise you for Your word that feeds us these truths.
Thank You that through Jesus we can know what justice really means. That in Him we can increase. That in Him we can strive against evil and the wicked.
Amen.