Signs a Culture is on the Decline - Proverbs 17:26

It is also not good to fine the righteous, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.  Proverbs 17:26

Today's proverb has to do with the issues of injustice in a society.  By the time this kind of injustice begins to take place, a society is beginning to experience its death throes.  When what is good is called evil and what is evil is called good, very dangerous days lie ahead for that society.  It will not endure long when this begins to happen.  Then we read that is it not good to fine the righteous.  These are the godly ones who follow the rules.  They are being fined and punished by their government - which is wrongly defining the righteous and the wicked - the noble and the ignoble. 

According to this passage - the righteous are being fined.  We are beginning to see this more often in our country.  People, doing what is right and good - are being fined for being successful - fined for doing what is right.  The reason for this is because the society itself is beginning to call what is good evil and what is evil good.  That is a point where the society begins a downward spiral. 

Not only are the righteous being fined - but the noble and godly one is being struck simply because they are righteous.  Consider today's world in which the godly man says homosexuality is a sin - agreeing with God and what He has revealed to us in His Word.  This creates a problem with an ungodly society that says that we should not only tolerate all sexual choices – we should celebrate them!  Thus in our society we have the righteous being fined and honestly,  threatened with jail time if they continue to hold views contrary to those being forced upon the rest of the populace.  Here is where we find the righteous being fined and the noble being struck.  Consider the radical homosexual movement which has gone so far as to invade churches – throwing condoms on the membership while two lesbians passionately kiss on the stage area.  In such a society righteousness and uprightness has been redefined by the more deviant parts of society.  Anyone who holds to a biblical view of such things is labeled a “hater” or is called “intolerant” or even accused of committing a “hate crime” because of their views. 

Before you think I am picking on the Gay movement – we also have problems standing for biblical morality when it comes to other issues too.  Issues like abortion, purity before marriage, racism, greed, work ethic, and a host of others also bring out the worst in our society.  Let’s face it . . . we are a fallen people who do not appreciate biblical morality.  We hate God’s ways – because we love sin.  This is why societies get to the point where they fine the righteous and strike the upright. 

These are the signs or a rapidly declining cultures.  They are signs that there are very serious problems within the society.  The rotting morals of a nation have begun to  taken hold when we see the abuse of the righteous and the upright.  The proper thing to do at times like this is humble ourselves and pray that God will work in such a way to turn the society from their sinful thinking - and turn them instead to the Word of God.  What is truly sad is that often the striking of the godly is even happening in the church by this point.  Thus the first place a return to Godly principles is needed is among God’s people – the church.  Only a God-sent, God-empowered revival can rescue such a culture from these kind of things.  May God grant us such a gracious move soon!