Proverbs 22:16 Commentary and Bible Study

Here is someone who has power and influence in this world. He has sufficient power to be able to significantly affect the lives of others. This could be something which he uses to do good and to benefit the needy, but instead in his self-serving arrogance, he uses this power only to enrich himself. Such people are indifferent to the hardship that others suffer in the process of exalting their own fortunes in the world. Everything is made to serve their interests. It does not matter how valuable it is: they would sell nations into slavery to obtain a more comfortable lifestyle. The hardship of others is of no consequence to them; it weighs very little in their scales. It is outweighed by a small increase in their own riches. The rest of mankind is there to serve their interests. They distort reality around them so that they become the most significant object in the universe. But the same phenomenon is present in every other unregenerate human being. No wonder the world is incapable of peace and harmony. Such is the disease by which the human ego is afflicted. In particular, this person looks for an easy target and finds one in the poor, who are the least able to defend themselves. They are most easily taken advantage of, their slender means are most easily taken away from them. Who will come to their defence when there is so little to be gained by doing so?But God sees all, and knows the horrible cruelties that are committed in the earth in the interests of greed. He notes every injustice and notes every coercion and extortion. He marks these things even when they are done against the unbelieving poor. But he especially sees when his believing people suffer at the hands of the oppressor. God’s justice chooses a suitable punishment for all, and it is highly appropriate that those who have taken advantage of the poor and ridden on their back, indifferent to their suffering, should themselves be reduced to poverty. This is the meaning of the saying, ‘(Luke 6:31) As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise’, for when men do to others what they would not have others do to them, God will visit them with the same evil and there will be no one for them to turn to for deliverance.To oppress the poor and to give to the rich are two sides of the same coin. The rich are favoured for what they will give back in return. They do not need any gift but in the corrupt workings of the earth, they receive lavish gifts while the poor go hungry. The greedy do not lend to the poor because they know they will get nothing back in return.How different is the Lord in his gifts: ‘(Luke 1:53) He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.’ For this his people love him, and they desire to be like him, giving freely without prospect of repayment in this world, but ready to wait for the reward that God has promised to the merciful.