Solomon took a look at two basic topics in this chapter: government and human beings in relation to what is good and what is evil. He started in verse 1 with a general statement, but, in verse 2, he gave a general picture of reality. “When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily; but with honest, sensible leaders there is stability.” We know that some people in government have a tendency to be corrupt while others try to do what is right. So how do we know in what shape our city, county, state, or country is in?
Solomon gives us some indications of trouble ahead:
- Problem: To complain about the law is to praise wickedness.
- God’s Answer: To obey the law is to fight evil. (Verse 4)
- Problem: Evil men don’t understand the importance of justice.
- God’s Answer: Those who follow the Lord are much concerned about it. (Verse 5)
- Problem: A curse on those who lead astray the godly.
- God’s Answer: But men who encourage the upright to do good shall be given a worthwhile reward. (Verse 10)
- God’s Answer: Blessed is the man who reveres God,
- Problem: but the man wo doesn’t care is headed for serious trouble. (Verse 14)
- Problem: A murderer’s conscience will drive him into hell.
- God’s Answer: Don’t stop him! (Verse 17)
Solomon gives us a couple of verses that prove his point! “When the godly are successful, everyone is glad. When the wicked succeed, everyone is sad.” (Verse 12). And in verse 28, we find these words: “When the wicked prosper, good men go away; when the wicked meet disaster, good men return.” For example, I grew up in Detroit, Michigan. In 1960, there were approximately 1.67 million people in the city, but, in 2023, there were only .63 million people; that is a decline of over a million people. The last time I was in Detroit the area I grew up in looked like a disaster with automotive factory buildings torn down or partially destroyed, the library Dr. Ben Carson and I used was gone, and the residential and business areas were in general disrepair. What caused this decline? While nothing was perfect before, in 1973, Coleman Young was elected mayor of Detroit with his first act hiring his girlfriend at a salary around $35,000.00. It was all downhill from there.