Proverbs 28:28 and persecution

[satz]

Proverbs 28:28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

How does this verse affect the way christians should behave when in societies that are hostile toward our religion?

Does this teach that when wicked men rise to power in society righteous men will "hide" or make themselves less noticeable to avoid persecution? Is this why Elijah had no knowledge of the righteous remenant in the days of Ahab and Jezebel?

Scripture references for your answers would be appreciated!

 

[Pergamum]

I think it is descriptive,not normative. It describes what is, not what we should do.

 

[Tim]

At first, I was going to ask the context, but with Proverbs, these verses come by themselves! Here are some related verses. Certainly they seem indicative, not imperative. (EDIT: Pergy said descriptive, not normative = same thing as what I am saying).

Pro 28:12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

Pro 11:10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

Psa 12:8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

When the wicked ascend to power in the land, the righteous fade into obscurity, retire to privacy and sometimes find it necessary to flee. Does this contradict Prov. 28.2, which speaks of the righteous as being as bold as a lion? Not at all. But the "prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself" (Prov. 27.12). You know the saying "discretion is the better part of valor"? Sometimes taking a stand and fighting is the right and brave thing to do; sometimes running away is the wise thing to do. Discerning which is best under the circumstances is a mark of wisdom. Joseph fled when he was tempted by one with greater authority than himself and is commended for it. When the wicked reign, or abound, the prudent man takes shelter, valuing the sanctity of his own soul over the corruption that compromise for the sake of peace will bring.

When the Marian exiles fled England rather than face certain death, it was not cowardice but prudence that motivated them. When the Pilgrims fled England, then Holland, to avoid the wrath of English authorities and Spanish declarations of war, it was prudence that motivated them. When the Waldenses fled southern France and piedmont Italy to the Cottian Alps to avoid persecution, it was so they could live and worship God apart from Romish idolatry, preferring exile to spiritual compromise.

Some saints have found it necessary to fight (the Huguenots in France did so until the Fall of La Rochelle); some have found it necessary to flee (after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, Huguenots fled France so that they might live and worship God). This parallels the examples of the saints in Hebrews 11, some of whom fought valiantly, and some of whom wandered in caves and deserts.

Also, when the wicked are preferred, the godly may be scattered, and may seem to be less prominent, but it is wise to remember that God still has his seven thousands which have not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19.18; Rom. 11.4). In times of darkness, the light and witness of the church may be scattered or diluted, not greatly visible, but it is always there, wherever godly men are willing to maintain the faith even in the midst of widespread idolatry and corruption. If the path to advancement or government service involves sin, the godly will stay home rather than corrupt themselves. When ministers were faced with swearing an unlawful oath in order to keep their pulpits, as happened in 1662, over two thousand refused and were ejected from their pulpits rather than sin to keep them. When the church was persecuted in Acts, the godly were scattered, yet God worked this out providentially to the advancement of the gospel, because the leaven needed to be spread and this was the divine means for doing so. The Huguenot diaspora likewise had the effect of bringing blessings to the nations which received the Huguenots. The candlestick was removed from France but the light of the French Reformed Church was distributed to other lands. Thus God works to the advantage of the church even when the wicked rise to power and the godly are suppressed, because all things work to the good of them that love God (Rom. 8.28).

Haman ascended to power but Esther meekly fasted and prayed, and she along with God's people prevailed. Thus shall the meek inherit the earth (Mat. 5.5).

I think these Scripture and historical examples help to flesh out what is meant here in Prov. 28.28. I hope this helps.

 

[satz]

Thanks Andrew! That definitely does help a lot.

 

[OPC'n]

Proverbs 28:28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

How does this verse affect the way christians should behave when in societies that are hostile toward our religion?

Does this teach that when wicked men rise to power in society righteous men will "hide" or make themselves less noticeable to avoid persecution? Is this why Elijah had no knowledge of the righteous remenant in the days of Ahab and Jezebel?

Scripture references for your answers would be appreciated!

Could the "hide" mean more that they are so few in number that it seems they are hiding? Seems like they are speaking of one group increasing as another group decreases...doesn't it?