Day 324: You Can Resist Evil (Proverbs 28:7–17, James 4:1–17, Ezekiel 38:1–39:29)

Day 324: You Can Resist Evil (Proverbs 28:7–17, James 4:1–17, Ezekiel 38:1–39:29): Proverbs 28:7–17   7 A discerning son heeds instruction,    but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.   8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor    amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.   9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,    even their prayers are detestable.   10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path    will fall into their own trap,    but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.   11 The rich are wise in their own eyes;    one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.   12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;    but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.   13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,    but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.   14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,    but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.   15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear    is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.   16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,    but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.   17 Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder    will seek refuge in the grave;    

Proverbs 28:7–17

  ⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
   but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

  ⁸ Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
   amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

  ⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
   even their prayers are detestable.

  ¹⁰ Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
   will fall into their own trap,
   but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

  ¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
   one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

  ¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
   but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

  ¹³ Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
   but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

  ¹⁴ Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
   but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

  ¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
   is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

  ¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
   but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

  ¹⁷ Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
   will seek refuge in the grave;
   let no one hold them back.

Proverb Commentary

Confess and renounce evil

Here is the answer to evil in our own lives: ‘Those who conceal their sins do not prosper, but those who confess and renounce them find mercy’ (v.13).

The writer of Proverbs speaks of different types of evil: murder (v.17), leading the upright along an evil path (v.10), developing selective hearing towards the law (v.9), charging exorbitant interest (v.8) and hard-heartedness (v.14).

He also speaks about evil rulers: ‘When good people are promoted, everything is great, but when the bad are in charge, watch out!’ (v.12, MSG). ‘Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds’ (v.16a, MSG). We’ve seen this in recent years in, for example, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Zimbabwe, North Korea, Sudan and so on. Good leadership is so important.

He says that an evil leader is ‘like a roaring lion or a charging bear’ ruling over a helpless people (v.15). The apostle Peter describes the devil as ‘a roaring lion looking for someone to devour’ (1 Peter 5:8).

When you confess your sins, God offers mercy. ‘You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them’ (Proverbs 28:13, MSG). Or as St John puts it, ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9).

Prayer

Lord, thank you for this wonderful promise that when I confess my sins and renounce them, I find mercy.