The Poor Oppressing the Poor - Proverbs 28:3

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “for the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged”, and in chapter twenty-eight and verse three of Proverbs Solomon shared about, “the poor man that oppresses the poor” where we read,

A poor man that oppresses the poor

is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food.

The verse begins, “A poor man that oppresses the poor ...” Solomon began with the words, “a poor man” or “a person whether male or female who is impoverished, lacking, in want and destitute” “that oppresses the poor” which means “who violates, defrauds, deceives and does violence to people who are impoverished, lacking, in want and destitute” is similar to the following. Solomon said the person who is impoverished and defrauds and deceives another person who is impoverished is similar to the following. 

The verse goes on to say, “... is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food.” Solomon continued with the words, “is like a sweeping rain” or “exist similar and in likeness to a scraping off and beating down rain from the clouds” “which leaves no food” which means “that allows for and retains not any grain, meat or victuals”. Solomon said an impoverished person who takes advantage of another impoverished person exists similar to a “rain from the sky” that beats down and allows no food or grain to remain. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon how we are not to take advantage of others especially when they are in want and need because doing so is like rain that beats down and allows no food at all to remain. God wants us to care for others in the same manner that He cares for us, (See 1 Peter 5:7; John 13:34), and He proved His love toward us when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for our sins. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us through His Holy Spirit how to attend to the needs of others in the same manner that He attends to us. 

Next time Solomon says, “they that forsake the law praise the wicked”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".