Proverbs 28:1 – “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”
Really? The wicked flee, and righteous people are bold as lions? Many Psalms lament the success of the wicked. Bullies often rule school playgrounds. Bad guys win their share of wars. So how is this proverb true?
The Living God, Maker of heaven and earth, cut a covenant with Israel after He rescued them from slavery in Egypt. He would be their God, and they would be His People, obeying His Law, which contained blessings and curses to enforce it.
One of God’s curses was this: “I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you (Leviticus 26:17, 36).” When God’s People live wickedly, they lose courage and retreat even when no one is after them. Sinners who know better fear being found out and become paranoid and jumpy, fleeing from rumors and imagined dangers.
Why does the Christian Church in the West steadily retreat? It tolerates sin and has a bad conscience. Catholic bishops decline to discipline politicians who defy Catholic teaching on such basic things as murder (abortion) and marriage (same sex), while Protestant churches have given up disciplining members for unbiblical divorces.
The young David, in contrast, was “bold as a lion.” Goliath’s challenge of Israel and her God outraged him. He would fight the giant. So a teen-aged shepherd with his sling and a few stones ran at a huge, armed, and armored professional soldier. Who was the lion and who was the prey? David’s stone slung from a distance knocked Goliath out, and David’s bold follow-up using Goliath’s own sword to cut off his head made it clear: David, not Goliath, was the lion!
Jesus, the lion of the tribe of Judah, combines what seems false about this proverb with the deeper truth that it conveys. He fell before His enemies, crucified, but He did so boldly, never quailing before His enemies. In fact, He unsettled Roman Governor Pilate (John 19:11-12), and the centurion in charge of the crucifixion said at last, “Truly, this man was the son of God (Mark 15:39).” On the third day after His death, God gave Jesus victory, raising Him from the dead and making Him King over all nations. When His Body in the world, the Church, follows in His footsteps, it is triumphant even in martyrdom, like the Egyptian Coptic Christian beheaded on the seashore in Libya in 2015, who gave his Arabic Bible to his executioner and cried “Jesus, help me,” as he died victorious.
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Dr. Bill Edgar, Geneva College Board of Trustees Member, Former Geneva College President and longtime pastor in the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA)
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Dec 1, 2017
Faithful Doubt: Habakkuk, written by pastor Travis Scott, explores the short prophetic book of Habakkuk, in a practical and meaningful way through the lens of a doubter. Travis approaches the passage of scripture from an honest and humble perspective, recalling difficulties experienced as a husband, father, and pastor.
Dr. J. Ligon Duncan of Reformed Theological Seminary delivered the spring 2021 Commencement address at Geneva College on May 10, 2021. Here is an excerpt of that message, entitled, "Every Good Work," from 2 Timothy 3. This excerpt first appeared in the Summer 2021 edition of Geneva Magazine.
When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
When the Bible teaches one thing and your “instincts,” as it were, disagree, whose wisdom do you trust, your own or God’s? Do we really need to be told not to trust in our own minds? Yes, because we want to trust ourselves, and because in our day putatively wise people constantly tell us that high self-esteem brings success.
As busy as college students are, it can be profoundly beneficial for them to seek out and engage in a routine Bible study. Diving deeper into their faith, exploring what the world’s challenges mean to them, and creating a Christian-based path forward can give any college student the direction he or she needs to achieve their best life. Still, it’s not always easy to make that decision—instead of a night with friends or yet another study session for a high-level math class, go to Bible study instead.
Handing our cares and worries over to God gives us peace which keeps us from falling into doubt, as stated in Philippians. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
What should someone with wealth do? Solomon writes, “Pay attention to it and know its condition.” He uses the example of sheep and goats. Wise parents blessed with wealth will teach their children how to work to maintain it. Wise children will accept the burdens of responsibility that go with family wealth, always remembering that riches do not last forever.
The Book of Proverbs has no use for the gullible, viewing them as willful fools. Even when everyone else can see a hateful, deceitful person for what he is, the gullible choose to believe gracious words.
At Easter, a good question to ask is, "How are people saved?" This should be a question that Christians can easily answer, and indeed most can. However, sometimes Christians are less knowledgeable about the doctrine of justification and its important distinctions than perhaps they should be.
How should leaders deal with difficult situations in difficult times? Geneva College’s John Gallo and Jenna Bieber provide a guidebook for leaders. "Lessons from Cain and Abel to Guide Leaders Through Turbulent Times" walks readers through the account of Cain and Abel to teach leaders the importance of justice, mercy, harmony and equality.
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