Wickedness Brings Instability to a Nation – (Proverbs 28:2)

Daily Bible Study
This proverb speaks of the social and political instability that can reign in a country where the wicked rule. A country where unrighteousness has become common in the land. Wickedness by its very nature brings instability and chaos. Moreover, wickedness never stands still, it always wants to grow and consume all its allowed to corrupt. And when the people of a land become corrupt social and political instability usually follows as wicked people vie for power and influence. Wisdom promotes social order, stability and peace; however, without God man is left to his own wickedness, because mankind in our fallen state has no true wisdom.

And the increasing number of rulers or officials as indicated here by the term princes is perfectly illustrated in the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. As its leaders became more corrupt each term became shorter and more wicked than the next resulting in a rapid succession of leaders. As wicked people did what they could to harm and disrupt those currently in power there was constant turmoil in the land. In addition, laws, regulations and bureaucracy, increased as the wicked more and more wanted control of the people and the resources. Historically, this in turn can also lead to a breakup of centralized leadership resulting in numerous much smaller groups fighting for control. This passage and others like it highlight the consequences and downhill path which eventually leads to the destruction of any nation who abandons God.