Proverbs 28:1
The Wicked Flee
1. Proverbs 28 and 29 contain many antithetical parallelisms.
a. This is a parallelism in which the two lines of the proverb stand in contrast to each other.
b. Some parallelisms repeat the meaning in different words; some build on what was said in the first part.
c. These parallelisms state opposites or contrasts.
2. In the first proverb in this chapter the contrast is between the wicked and the righteous – a common contrast in this book.
1. Wicked people FLEE
a. Wicked defined: Unrighteous; guilty.
b. Flee defined: Escape; flee away; depart; run to a safe spot;
c. It is used of soldiers fleeing from the heat of the battle; people fleeing from disasters.
2. When no man pursueth
a. Here Solomon states that they run away fearing danger even when there is no danger.
b. No one is chasing them; no one is after them; there is no natural disaster taking place; there is no batter to run from.
c. Yet, they flee and seek to escape anyway.
d. They imagine someone is pursuing them.
3. The point is that wicked people have guilty consciences.
a. Gen. 3:9-10 – When Adam sinned, he ran away from God and hid. The wicked flee. His wickedness gave him a sense of uneasiness and restlessness.
b. Isa. 57:20 – “The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace saith my God, to the wicked.”
• This is the point in our proverb: Wicked people do not and cannot experience REST in their souls.
• They have no peace in their heart.
• They are troubled people… like the sea—there is always something that agitates them… and that always stirs up mire and dirt.
• It is a terrible way to live… no peace… no rest.
• Wicked and guilty men are a terror to themselves.
• Their conscience haunts and troubles them constantly.
c. Our proverb pictures the wicked as fleeing because they are guilty and because they know they have stolen, or lied, or cheated.
• They are like Adam when he sinned. He ran from God and hid. He did not want to be seen.
• The wicked Solomon described must always look over their shoulder to make sure they are not being followed… to make sure there are no policemen around.
• Think of the last days of Saddam Hussein. They said that he never slept in the same place two nights in a row. He was constantly on the move… fleeing for fear of being caught.
• Guilt brings fear; fear causes a man to want to run away and hide. It has been this way ever since the Garden of Eden.
4. Gen. 4:8 – Consider the guilt of Cain when he slew his brother.
a. Gen. 4:13-14 – Cain thought his punishment was more than he could bear.
b. He felt like he was being pursued wherever he went.
c. Every shadow he saw, every noise he heard in the night; around every corner he thought someone was coming to apprehend him and kill him.
d. He ran like a vagabond, from place to place. He had no peace.
5. Matthew Henry wrote: The wicked have “no confidence, no courage, but a fearful looking for of judgment. Sin makes men cowards.”
1. In contrast to the wicked who are fearful and constantly on the run (fleeing from perceived danger), the righteous are BOLD.
2. Bold defined:
a. Confident; sure; carefree; safe; secure; without fear.
b. The term is also translated “trust” in several passages.
c. At first glance, bold and trust may not seem related at all.
• However, there is a clear connection.
• Boldness is a confidence. In the natural realm, boldness is a sense of self-confidence.
• Trust or faith is also a confidence.
• Faith is confidence in God! It is not self-confidence, but is God-confidence.
3. Usage of the term “bold”:
a. Ps. 112:7 – “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.”
• The word translated “trusting” is the word translated “bold” in Proverbs 28:1.
• The one whose heart is fixed on God and is trusting in the Lord, “shall not be afraid of evil tidings.”
• He need not fear what man can do. God is on his side. He has confidence in God and therefore is bold.
b. Isa. 26:3 – “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
• In this passage, the word translated “trusted” is also the word translated “bold” in Proverbs 28:1.
• The one who trusts in God or has confidence in God (faith) will be kept in “perfect peace.”
• He will not walk about in worry or fear. Instead, his walk is with poise and boldness BECAUSE he rests or trusts in God.
• This confidence is a sense of safety and security which belongs to the righteous man whose heart is fixed on God.
4. Bold as a “lion”
a. The term for lion is a “young lion.” It speaks of the utter confidence of a young lion who has not suffered defeat or severe injury.
b. The youth often feel that they are invincible – hence, the righteous are bold as a young lion.
c. This expression speaks of fearlessness, courage, and bravery.
5. The righteous are bold as a lion because they do NOT have a guilty conscience.
a. They live righteous lives. They walk in accordance with God’s Word. They obey manmade ordinances for the Lord’s sake.
b. They are honest; they don’t steal; they are not criminals.
c. Therefore, they are not constantly looking over their shoulder; they are not worried about getting caught; they are not concerned about the police knocking on their door; they are not concerned about being caught in a lie; they are not worried about the IRS.
d. God gives them boldness; confidence; a sense of security. It is the reward of a clean conscience.
e. Thus, there is nothing between the righteous man and God. His righteous lifestyle and conscience void of offence keeps him in the love of God; under God’s smile. They know that God is on their side.
6. Prov. 14:26 – “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”
a. Those righteous men, women, and children who walk in the fear of the Lord have great confidence… God Himself is the Source of such confidence.
b. Think of Elijah confronting King Ahab.
c. Think of Moses who feared not the wrath of the king.
d. Think of Martin Luther standing before the officials at the Diet of Worms as he answered for his faith.
e. Think of Paul as he stood before Festus and Nero.
f. Think of Daniel facing the lion’s den.
g. God gives boldness to righteous men. He gives the boldness to stand when they need to stand; boldness to face danger; boldness to deal with difficult situations; boldness to deal with difficult people.
h. Rom. 8:31 – The righteous man knows that if God be for us, who can be against us? That gives boldness.
i. Pray for boldness for the pastor in Iran who is facing the death penalty for preaching Christianity.
7. It is possible for one who has a guilty conscience to BECOME bold as a lion!
a. If we confess our sins, we are cleansed. (I John 1:9)
b. If our sins are gone, then our conscience has no reason to experience guilt.
c. Heb. 9:14 – Because of the blood of Christ, our consciences can be completely purged of sin and the remembrance of sin.
d. Heb. 10:2b – “the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.”
e. Therefore, we can have boldness, even before God!
f. Heb. 4:16 – We can come to the throne of grace with boldness.
g. Heb. 10:19 – We can have boldness to enter into the heavenly Holy of Holies.
h. I John 4:17 – We can even have boldness to stand before the Lord in the Day of Judgment!