We have a name for third world countries, where the leaders steal from, maim, and kill it's citizens indiscriminately, or even worse the people in those nations allow others to do so. We call them Tin-Horn Dictatorships, where the leaders are no better than terrorists, tyrants, and warlords. Throughout the 1900's we have seen plenty, from Hitler, Stalin and Lenin, and now we see them in North Korea, Argentina, and in the Middle east.
They rule over their empires, nations, or blocs with the iron fist, suppressing freedoms and dissent from the status quo. They are lawbreakers of the highest order. We even see them in America, like the Mafia, gang leaders, drug Lords. It also happens in households where a parent, husband or a wife, will rule the home like a despot over a nation. Then, lest I forget, it even happens where politicians will use their power and influence to commit crimes and then their political friends will let them off easy, while the common man and woman will face financial ruin or even life in jail for lesser crimes.
When a bigger, more powerful entity comes along and helps relieve or end the suffering of the average person, or the citizens of an oppressed nation, the average person wants to celebrate. It should be understood that those who made the life of others hell, have usually made God their enemy, and they know it. In truth they know that all of creation is at war with them. Therefore they have no true enjoyment of themselves, no confidence, and no true courage. Their continuous sinning makes them cowards. The worse abusers of the law are the ones who would rather take their own lives than to face judgement. Not realizing that the judgement by God is far worse than any judgement man could possibly dream of.
This is pretty much the theme of Proverb 28. What follows is a partial list of the many Scriptures that mention lawlessness, whether they be breaking God's laws, or man's. As you read them remember one thing, Christ died so that all who break the law can and will be saved if they only accept Christ Jesus and truly repent of their wayward ways. Yes, that does include the worst of the worse. There are many sinful men in history who ended their life well by confessing Christ Jesus as their Lord and savior, including the thief on the cross, and gained salvation. They may have payed for their crimes against humanity, but their place in heaven would be secure.
Sorry, the list is much too long to link all the Scriptures.
Scripture that aligns with theme of today's Proverb,
Proverb 28 (various versions used)
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Proverbs 28:1a "The wicked flee when no one pursues,"
Proverbs 28:4 "Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them."
Proverbs 28:5 "Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully."
Proverbs 28:9 "If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable."
Proverbs 28:17 "A man tormented by the guilt of murder will be a fugitive till death; let no one support him."
Proverbs 28:18 "He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall."
Proverbs 29:6 "An evil man is snared by his own sin."
Romans 13:1-5 "Everyone must sumbit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebls against the authority is rebelling against what God has institued, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from the fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not beart the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. "
Psalm 18:20 "The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me."
Psalm 18:25-27 "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty."
Proverbs 15:5 "A fool spruns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence."
Proverbs 15:8-10 "The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him. (9) The Lord detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness. (10) Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die."
Proverbs 15:12 "A mocker resents correction, he will not consult the wise."
Proverbs 15:29 "The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous."
Proverbs 15:31-32 "He who listens to a life giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding."
Proverbs 16:5-6 "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for, through the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil."
Proverbs 16:7 "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he make even his enemies live at peace with him."
Proverbs 16:18-19 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the opressed than to share the punder with the proud."
Proverbs 16:20 "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers."
Proverbs 16:22b "Folly brings punishment to fools."
Proverbs 17:10 "A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool."
Proverbs 17:11 "An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless offical will be sent against him."
Proverbs 17:5 "Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent-The Lord detests them both."
Proverbs 17:23 "A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice."
Proverbs 17:26 "It is not good to punish an innocent man, or to flog officials for their integrity."
Proverbs 21: 8 "The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright."
Proverbs 21:12 "The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin."
Proverbs 21:15 "When justice is done, it brings joy to the rightous but terror to evildoers."
Proverbs 18: 5 "It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the innocent of justice."
Proverbs 19:3 "A man's own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord."
Proverbs 19:5 "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free."
Proverbs 19:9 "A false witness will not go unpunished and he who pours out lies will perish."
Proverbs 19:19 "A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again."
Proverbs 20:11 "Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right."
Proverbs 24:15 -16 "Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house, do not raid his dwelling place; for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity."
Proverbs 24:21-22 "Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious, for those two will send sudden desruction upon them and who knows what calamities they can bring? "
Proverbs 24: 23b-25 "To show partiality in judging is not good: Whoever says to the guilty, ‘You are innocent'- peoples will curse him and nations denounce him, But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them."
Proverbs 24: 28-29 "Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive. Do not say, ‘I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did.'"
Proverbs 28:7a "He who keeps the law is a discerning son"
Proverbs 28:13 "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
Proverbs 29:11 "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control."
Proverbs 29:24 "The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy; he is put under oath and dare not testify."
Proverbs 29:26 "Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice."
Proverbs 3:11-12 "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
Psalm 37:27,28a "Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. They will be protected forever."
Psalm 37:32-33 "The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives; but the Lord will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial."
Proverbs 13:13 "He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded."
Proverbs 14:9 "Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodill is found among the upright."
Proverbs 14:14 "The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good man rewarded for his."
Proverbs 14:16-17 "A wise man fears the Lord and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless. A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated."
Proverbs 14:19 "Evil men will bow down in the presence of the good, and the wicked at the gates of the righteous."
Psalms 68:6 "God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land."
Proverbs 12:1 "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid."
Proverbs 12:3 "A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the rightous cannot be uprooted."
Proverbs 12:7 "Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.
Proverbs 12:21 "No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble."
Psalm 7:15-16 "He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his voilence comes down on his own head."
Psalm 9:16b "The wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands."
Proverbs 6:12-15 "A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart-he always stirs up dissension. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed-without remedy."
Proverbs 6:16-19 "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stires up dissension among brothers. "
Proverbs 6:23 "For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life."
Proverbs 10:16 "The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment."
Proverbs 11:3 "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity."
Proverbs 11:5-8 "The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness."The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires. When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing. The righteous an is rescued from trouble, and it comes on the wicked instead."
Proverbs 11: 17 "A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself."
Proverbs 11:19 "The truly righteous man attains life, but he who pursues evil goes to his death."
Proverbs 11: 20-21 "The Lord detests me of perverse heart but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. Be sure of his: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free."
Proverbs 11:23 "The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath."
Proverbs 11:27 "He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it."
Proverbs 11:31 "If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!"
Psalm 53: 4a & 5 "Will the evildoers never learn-There they were, overwhelmed with dread, where there was nothing to dread."
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Proverb 28 (NKJV)
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
01 The wicked flee when no one pursues,
00But the righteous are bold as a lion.
02 Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
00But by a man of understanding and knowledge
00Right will be prolonged.
03 A poor man who oppresses the poor
00Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
04 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
00But such as keep the law contend with them.
05 Evil men do not understand justice,
00But those who seek the LORD understand all.
06 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
00Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
07 Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
00But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
08 One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
00Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
09 One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
00Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
00He himself will fall into his own pit;
00But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
00But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12 When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
00But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.
13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
00 But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14 Happy is the man who is always reverent,
00 But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
00 Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
00 But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17 A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
00 Let no one help him.
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
00 But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
00 But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
00 But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good,
00 Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
00 And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
00 Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 Whoever robs his father or his mother,
00 And says, "It is no transgression,"
00 The same is companion to a destroyer.
25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
00 But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
00 But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27 He who gives to the poor will not lack,
00 But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
00 But when they perish, the righteous increase.
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