What causes the "wicked rise to power" in Proverbs 28:12? Scripture Text “When the righteous triumph, there is great glory, but when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.” (Proverbs 28:12) Immediate Picture • “Triumph” of the righteous = open celebration, broad blessing • “Rise” of the wicked = a climate so dark that ordinary people instinctively go into hiding Unpacking the Cause 1. A vacuum left by silenced or sidelined righteousness • Proverbs 28:28: “When the wicked come to power, people hide themselves; but when they perish, the righteous flourish.” • When no one openly champions truth, evil advances by default. 2. Collective moral compromise • Psalm 12:8: “The wicked wander freely when vileness is exalted among men.” • Society’s taste for sin elevates leaders who mirror that appetite. 3. Rejection of God’s wisdom • Proverbs 1:29–31: those who “hated knowledge” eat “the fruit of their own way.” • Turning from divine counsel lets foolish, destructive voices take the helm. 4. Divine judgment as discipline • Isaiah 3:4: “I will make boys their princes, and capricious children will rule over them.” • God sometimes allows unfit rulers to awaken a people to their need of Him. 5. Fear-driven passivity among the upright • Proverbs 29:25: “The fear of man is a snare.” • When courage wanes, wickedness capitalizes. 6. Strategic networking by the ungodly • Psalm 94:20: “Can a corrupt throne be allied with You—one devising mischief by law?” • Evil unites around common interests and, without resistance, gains institutional control. Consequences Observed • Public life darkens; “men hide themselves.” • Justice is warped (Proverbs 17:23). • The vulnerable suffer (Isaiah 10:1–2). • God’s name is dishonored among the nations (Romans 2:24). Cemented by Other Scriptures • Proverbs 29:2: “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.” • Psalm 125:3: “For the scepter of the wicked will not rest upon the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong.” Walking It Out Today • Keep truth public—speak up, vote, disciple, and refuse to hide. • Cultivate personal holiness; righteous influence begins at home. • Pray for bold, godly leaders (1 Timothy 2:1–2). • Stand together; isolation feeds tyranny, unity restrains it (Ecclesiastes 4:12). The wicked rise when righteousness retreats, truth is rejected, and God allows a people to taste the bitter fruit of their choices. The remedy is to enthrone the Lord in every sphere and let His righteous ones shine without fear. |
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