Proverbs 11:21 "Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered."

In our world, there is often strength in numbers. In any government, but especially in a democracy, there is strength in numbers. In a democracy, political power belongs to the party that has the most people. Even in a government where power is inherited, that power can be threatened or lost when the majority of people in that nation unite against it. For any business, there is strength in numbers. The more customers a business attracts, the stronger it becomes. The more workers a business employs, the stronger it becomes. For any military, there is certainly strength in numbers. Anyone familiar with the classic boardgame, Stratego knows that more soldiers generally equates to more strength and higher odds in winning the battle. In our world, it is often true that there is strength in numbers.
Unfortunately, this even applies to evil. Take our present democracy for example. If more people vote to protect the murder of unborn children rather than to protect unborn children, abortion will continue. If more people choose to celebrate sexual immorality instead of maintaining sexual integrity, sexual chaos and confusion will continue to destroy our culture and the minds of our children. If the majority of educational institutions teach and promote the theory of Evolution, the concept of a Creator and the responsibility we have to Him will be rejected and eventually, mocked. There is strength in numbers, even when for the cause of evil. Riots are harder to stop when the crowds increase in size. Looting is difficult to control when the number of looters expands. Ungodly trends and campaigns are nearly impossible to reverse when the number of supporters and promoters grow.
In our world, it is true that there is strength in numbers, even when humans resist God’s desires. This has been the case since the beginning of time as illustrated in the story of Babel in Genesis 11. After the flood, people were afraid to leave the known civilization and as a result, they chose to congregate in one city. In time, their city grew as the engine of reproduction roared. Soon, they began building a skyscraper that they intended to reach unto heaven. God made the observation that nothing would be too hard for them. Because God wanted them to replenish the Earth, He confounded their language in order to scatter them throughout the Earth. This scattering of the population weakened the city and stopped the construction. Had God not intervened, they would have been able to resist the will of God together as there would’ve been strength in numbers.
This proverb addresses the sad fact that there is strength in numbers, even if it is strength to resist God. The wicked stay strongly wicked because they do so, “hand join in hand.” Our world so easily unites for evil causes. Our world so easily supports the resistance of Biblical truth. It is almost astonishing how many people today support and even passionately defend the killing of an unborn child in a society where babies and children outside the womb are so intensely protected. It is almost shocking how many people today support and even passionately promote the lack of sexual boundaries in a society where women and children are so frequently assaulted. It is almost amazing how many parents support and even passionately justify removing references to God from our schools while introducing references to witchcraft, satanism, gender conversion, violence and sexual experimentation in a culture where our young people are killing and sexually assaulting each other. In our world, wickedness is very contagious and catchy. When someone starts a social media knock-out trend, thousands of people punch out random strangers on the street and post the brutal attack on social media. When someone starts a Tik-Tok trend of stealing cars, thousands of teens jump into Kia cars and take them for joy rides. When someone breaks a window during a riot, hundreds quickly join in and when someone steals a television, the mob joins the looting. Our world practices its evil together. Our world works is wickedness “hand join in hand.”
We participate in evil activity when the crowd increases and the trend grows because we feel the strength in numbers. If everyone else is doing it, we feel emboldened to do it. If everyone else is doing it, we feel protected. In our minds, we feel like we won’t be caught if everyone is doing it. For those who don’t “join hands” with the wicked, it is easy to see things the same way and conclude that the wicked are getting away with their evildoing because it seems impossible to catch and punish everyone. This is the proverb that addresses that discouraging thought. To the law-abiding citizen and to the Bible-heeding Christian, it would be easy to think that evil prevails when the masses and the mobs are behind it. According to Solomon, there is no strength in numbers when it comes to God’s judgment. There may be strength in numbers when it comes to man’s military or to a community’s law enforcement or even as it pertains to a nation’s government but there is no strength in numbers when it comes to God’s justice system.
God is just. God will judge the wicked in this life or in the next or even more likely, in both. It doesn’t matter if a wicked man is committing wickedness with the partnership of one soul or one billion souls – he will be punished. It doesn’t matter if a wicked man has the support of his family or the support of an entire country – he will be punished. It doesn’t matter if a wicked man has the funding of one person or the funding of an entire political party – he will be punished. God is absolutely unphased by the masses and mobs of our world. The White House may be moved by lobbyists, but God isn’t. The Supreme Court may be influenced by “supporters,” but God isn’t. Juries may be intimidated by mobs, but God isn’t. God is just and He will judge each of our world’s souls without respect of persons. If you think or even fear the wicked escaping justice, hear Solomon say, “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.” Furthermore, if you think you may get away with wickedness because everyone else is doing it, hear Scripture read, “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.”
There is no strength in numbers when it comes to God and His righteous execution of justice.
This proverb is intended to combat the discouragement that comes so easily to the righteous when they watch the world so quickly unite around wickedness. This proverb promises punishment for the majority while promising deliverance for the minority. On one side of the proverb, we see the wicked mob united and on the other side of the proverb, we see the righteous family almost isolated. On one side of the proverb, we see God’s disregard for the number of the wicked and on the other side of the proverb, we see God’s regard for the number of the righteous. God will judge the wicked regardless of family, friend and supporter while at the same time, God intentionally considers the family of the righteous. For the wicked person who thinks his family, friends and supporters will somehow protect him from judgment, God won’t even consider his loved ones. For the righteous person who sees himself responsible only to God, God will consider his loved ones and take a special interest in their lives. What does this all mean? “Numbers” mean nothing to God; morality means everything to God. If we make our morality a priority, our “numbers,” or those we care about it, will then mean something to God.
There is a sad illustration of this proverb in the Book of Numbers. Moses instructed twelve leaders of Israel to go search out Canaan, which was the land God PROMISED to Abraham’s seed. All twelve saw the same fertile and blessed land. All twelve also saw the inhabitants of the land, including some who were described as giants. While we don’t know which spy or spies started the sentiments, the majority of spies saw the land as unconquerable. Ten of the twelve spies chose to see the giants of Canaan as bigger than the God of Israel. Ten of the twelve spies chose to believe the God of Israel Who just destroyed Egypt and parted the Red Sea was unable to defeat the giants of Canaan. Ten of the twelve spies were “hand join in hand” in their EVIL report. They probably felt justified in their unbelief because there were nine other men who saw it that way. They probably felt protected in their unbelief because there were only two out of twelve who didn’t see it that way. In our world, we unite in our wickedness foolishly thinking that God won’t single us out and punish us. These ten spies found out that they, “though hand join in hand, would not be unpunished.” Each of them would be held accountable for their unbelief and would die in the wilderness, never seeing the Promised Land again. The righteous spies who were in the minority would watch their seed be delivered from the sorrow, pain and consequences of sin as they enjoyed the Promised Land with their fathers. Caleb’s children in particular would experience great prosperity and blessing with their father in Canaan.
In our eyes, there is strength in numbers. In God’s eyes, there is no strength in numbers. He cares what we do, regardless of what others do. He cares how we think, regardless of how others think. Furthermore, this proverb teaches us that if we care about WHAT God cares about, He will care about WHO we care about.
Unfortunately, this even applies to evil. Take our present democracy for example. If more people vote to protect the murder of unborn children rather than to protect unborn children, abortion will continue. If more people choose to celebrate sexual immorality instead of maintaining sexual integrity, sexual chaos and confusion will continue to destroy our culture and the minds of our children. If the majority of educational institutions teach and promote the theory of Evolution, the concept of a Creator and the responsibility we have to Him will be rejected and eventually, mocked. There is strength in numbers, even when for the cause of evil. Riots are harder to stop when the crowds increase in size. Looting is difficult to control when the number of looters expands. Ungodly trends and campaigns are nearly impossible to reverse when the number of supporters and promoters grow.
In our world, it is true that there is strength in numbers, even when humans resist God’s desires. This has been the case since the beginning of time as illustrated in the story of Babel in Genesis 11. After the flood, people were afraid to leave the known civilization and as a result, they chose to congregate in one city. In time, their city grew as the engine of reproduction roared. Soon, they began building a skyscraper that they intended to reach unto heaven. God made the observation that nothing would be too hard for them. Because God wanted them to replenish the Earth, He confounded their language in order to scatter them throughout the Earth. This scattering of the population weakened the city and stopped the construction. Had God not intervened, they would have been able to resist the will of God together as there would’ve been strength in numbers.
This proverb addresses the sad fact that there is strength in numbers, even if it is strength to resist God. The wicked stay strongly wicked because they do so, “hand join in hand.” Our world so easily unites for evil causes. Our world so easily supports the resistance of Biblical truth. It is almost astonishing how many people today support and even passionately defend the killing of an unborn child in a society where babies and children outside the womb are so intensely protected. It is almost shocking how many people today support and even passionately promote the lack of sexual boundaries in a society where women and children are so frequently assaulted. It is almost amazing how many parents support and even passionately justify removing references to God from our schools while introducing references to witchcraft, satanism, gender conversion, violence and sexual experimentation in a culture where our young people are killing and sexually assaulting each other. In our world, wickedness is very contagious and catchy. When someone starts a social media knock-out trend, thousands of people punch out random strangers on the street and post the brutal attack on social media. When someone starts a Tik-Tok trend of stealing cars, thousands of teens jump into Kia cars and take them for joy rides. When someone breaks a window during a riot, hundreds quickly join in and when someone steals a television, the mob joins the looting. Our world practices its evil together. Our world works is wickedness “hand join in hand.”
We participate in evil activity when the crowd increases and the trend grows because we feel the strength in numbers. If everyone else is doing it, we feel emboldened to do it. If everyone else is doing it, we feel protected. In our minds, we feel like we won’t be caught if everyone is doing it. For those who don’t “join hands” with the wicked, it is easy to see things the same way and conclude that the wicked are getting away with their evildoing because it seems impossible to catch and punish everyone. This is the proverb that addresses that discouraging thought. To the law-abiding citizen and to the Bible-heeding Christian, it would be easy to think that evil prevails when the masses and the mobs are behind it. According to Solomon, there is no strength in numbers when it comes to God’s judgment. There may be strength in numbers when it comes to man’s military or to a community’s law enforcement or even as it pertains to a nation’s government but there is no strength in numbers when it comes to God’s justice system.
God is just. God will judge the wicked in this life or in the next or even more likely, in both. It doesn’t matter if a wicked man is committing wickedness with the partnership of one soul or one billion souls – he will be punished. It doesn’t matter if a wicked man has the support of his family or the support of an entire country – he will be punished. It doesn’t matter if a wicked man has the funding of one person or the funding of an entire political party – he will be punished. God is absolutely unphased by the masses and mobs of our world. The White House may be moved by lobbyists, but God isn’t. The Supreme Court may be influenced by “supporters,” but God isn’t. Juries may be intimidated by mobs, but God isn’t. God is just and He will judge each of our world’s souls without respect of persons. If you think or even fear the wicked escaping justice, hear Solomon say, “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.” Furthermore, if you think you may get away with wickedness because everyone else is doing it, hear Scripture read, “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished.”
There is no strength in numbers when it comes to God and His righteous execution of justice.
This proverb is intended to combat the discouragement that comes so easily to the righteous when they watch the world so quickly unite around wickedness. This proverb promises punishment for the majority while promising deliverance for the minority. On one side of the proverb, we see the wicked mob united and on the other side of the proverb, we see the righteous family almost isolated. On one side of the proverb, we see God’s disregard for the number of the wicked and on the other side of the proverb, we see God’s regard for the number of the righteous. God will judge the wicked regardless of family, friend and supporter while at the same time, God intentionally considers the family of the righteous. For the wicked person who thinks his family, friends and supporters will somehow protect him from judgment, God won’t even consider his loved ones. For the righteous person who sees himself responsible only to God, God will consider his loved ones and take a special interest in their lives. What does this all mean? “Numbers” mean nothing to God; morality means everything to God. If we make our morality a priority, our “numbers,” or those we care about it, will then mean something to God.
There is a sad illustration of this proverb in the Book of Numbers. Moses instructed twelve leaders of Israel to go search out Canaan, which was the land God PROMISED to Abraham’s seed. All twelve saw the same fertile and blessed land. All twelve also saw the inhabitants of the land, including some who were described as giants. While we don’t know which spy or spies started the sentiments, the majority of spies saw the land as unconquerable. Ten of the twelve spies chose to see the giants of Canaan as bigger than the God of Israel. Ten of the twelve spies chose to believe the God of Israel Who just destroyed Egypt and parted the Red Sea was unable to defeat the giants of Canaan. Ten of the twelve spies were “hand join in hand” in their EVIL report. They probably felt justified in their unbelief because there were nine other men who saw it that way. They probably felt protected in their unbelief because there were only two out of twelve who didn’t see it that way. In our world, we unite in our wickedness foolishly thinking that God won’t single us out and punish us. These ten spies found out that they, “though hand join in hand, would not be unpunished.” Each of them would be held accountable for their unbelief and would die in the wilderness, never seeing the Promised Land again. The righteous spies who were in the minority would watch their seed be delivered from the sorrow, pain and consequences of sin as they enjoyed the Promised Land with their fathers. Caleb’s children in particular would experience great prosperity and blessing with their father in Canaan.
In our eyes, there is strength in numbers. In God’s eyes, there is no strength in numbers. He cares what we do, regardless of what others do. He cares how we think, regardless of how others think. Furthermore, this proverb teaches us that if we care about WHAT God cares about, He will care about WHO we care about.
Recent
Archive
2023
January
February
March
April
2022
January
February
June
September
October
November
2021
November
2020
November
December
Categories
Tags
Rehoboam
Solomon
fear of God
health
pride
self-sufficiency
wisdom
1 Corinthians
2020
5th Commandment
Aaron
Abel
Abigail
Abortion
Abraham
Absalom
Accident
Accomplishment
Achan
Acts 17
Adam
Adolescence
Adolf Hitler
Adulterer
Adulteress
Affair
Age
Ahijah
Ahithophel
Albany
Alcoholism
Ally
American
America
Amnon
Andrew Finch
Answered Prayer
Apple of Eye
Arrogance
Asaph
Athletes
Backbone
Back
Balance
Bank Accounts
Bathsheba
Beauty
Bedroom
Beecher
Behavior
Benefit
Benjamin
Bethlehem
Bezaleel
Bible reading
Bible teacher
Bible
Biblical instruction
Bin Laden
Birth
Boasting
Bonar
Bondage
Boomerang
Boyfriend
Budget
Buffalo Bills
Building
CA Rt 1
Cable News
Calamity
Call of Duty
Calvin
Canaan
Cancer
Candidates
Careers
Casey Viner
Character
Christian upbringing
Christ
Churches
Clamor
Clinton
Clothes
Clothing
Coaches
College
Communication
Conception
Confidentiality
Conflict
Conservation
Contrast
Conversation
Corinthians
Corrupt
Cosigner
Cosigning
Cosign
Countenance
Courting
Coworkers
Creation
Creator
Crime
Criminals
Crooked
Cruel
Curiosity
Currency
Danger
Daniel
Data
Dating
Daughters
David
Death
Deceit
Deceptive
Delilah
Democracy
Democratic
Desire
Deuteronomy
Devil
Diligent
Discovery
Disease
Dishonesty
Dishonor
Divorce
Dress
Drink
Drug lords
Drunk Driver
Drunk
Early Adulthood
Ecclesiastes
Economic Stability
Eden
Elderly
Elihu
Elijah
Emerson
Encouragement
Engagement
Enoch
Ephesians
Ephraimites
Esau
Esther
Evening
Eve
Evolution
Exodus
Expectations
Expectation
Experience
Face
Faithful
Famine
Fashion
Favor of God
Fear of the Lord
Fearing God
Feast of Purim
Financial Advisor
Financial Security
Fingers
Food
Foolish
Football
Free-will
Freedom
Friendships
Friend
Froward
Fruit
Fumble
GPS
Galatians
Gamble
Gang
Garden
Gender Differences
Genesis
Gideon
Gileadites
Girlfriend
Girls
Giving
Glad
Godhead
Goliath
Gossip
Graciousness
Grandchildren
Gratitude
Grave
Grief
Guide
Guns
Hagar
Haman
Hamlet
Hannah
Harlot
Hate Evil
Hatred
Healthy
Heaven
Hebrews
Herod
History
Hollywood
Holy Spirit
Homicide
Honesty
House
Humble
Humility
Hypocrisy
Hypocrites
Immorality
Independence
Inherit
Insecurity
Insight
Instagram
Instructing
Integrity
Internet
Interview
Inventions
Isaac
Israel
Jacob
Jairus
James
Jealousy
Jeremiah
Jeroboam
Jerusalem
Jesus Christ
Jesus
Jewish Law
Jewish
Jobs
Job
John the Apostle
Jonah
Joseph
Joshua
Josiah
Joy
Judah
Judaism
Judas Iscariot
Judges
Judgmental
Justice System
Kindness
King David
King Hezekiah
Kings
King
Language
Law Enforcement
Law
Leaders
Learn
Liar
Lies
Life Lesson
Lion
Loan
Longevity
Look
Looting
Lori Loughlin
Lottery
Love Triangle
Lowliness
Luke 7
Luke
Luther
Lying
Magazines
Majority
Makeup
Manna
Mark
Martyr
Marvel
Mary
Matthew
Media
Men
Merciful
Mike Tyson
Mindset
Mob
Mocking
Monopoly
Moody
Morality
Mordecai
Morning
Moses
Mouths
Natural Disaster
Naughtiness
Nebuchadnezzar
Negative
Nehemiah
New Tricks
News Anchors
Noah
Nobles
Numbers
O.J. Simpson
Obama
Observation
Obtain
Old Dogs
Order
Others
Parenting
Passion
Pastors
Paul the Apostle
Paul
Perspective
Perverse
Perversion
Peter
Pharisees
Pharoah
Philippians
Physical Appearance
Plant
Pleasure
Politicians
Politics
Polygamy
Poor
Popularity
Positive
Possessions
Potiphar's Wife
Potiphar\'s Wife
Potiphar\\\'s Wife
Potiphar\\\\\\\'s Wife
Praise
Prate
Prating
Pregnancy
Pregnant
Preparation
Princes
Prince
Principal Thing
Principal
Procrastinate
Procrastinator
Profit
Prophecy
Prophet
Prosperity Gospel
Prostitute
Protests
Proverbs
Proverb
Psalm 21
Psalm 35
Psalm 37
Psalms
Psalm
Punishment
Pure
Purity
Purpose
Rachel
Rage
Rebekkah
Reels
Rehoboam
Rehoboma
Relationship
Remember
Reporter
Reprove
Republican
Reputation
Research
Resume
Resurrection
Revealing
Revelation
Reward
Rich Man
Rich
Ridicule
Right
Riot
Road
Rulers
Rules
Sabbath
Sadness
Samson
Samuel
Satan
Saul
Saving
Scale
Scam
Science
Scientist
Scripture
Sea of Galilee
Seasons
Secrets
Seed
Seek
Self-Confidence
Selfies
Selfishness
Servitude
Sexual Chaos
Sexual Confusion
Shakespeare
Shame
Shane Gaskill
Shenandoah Valley
Shoe Laces
Siblings
Sickness
Silence
Simon Peter
Simon
Social Media
Society
Solomon
Song of Solomon
Sons
Sorrow
Source
Speaking
Speak
Speech
Spies
Spiritual Security
Sporting
Sport
Spouses
Steal
Stephen
Stock Market
Strange Woman
Strangers
Stratego
Strength
Stress
Surely
Surety
Swatting
Sweat
Talebearer
Talkative
Talking
Tamar
Taylor
Teachers
Teaching
Teenagers
Teens
Tendency
Theft
Theocracy
Timothy
Tithes
To be or not to be
Toddlers
Tolerance
Tomb
Tongue
Tour Guide
Travel
Treasure
Treatment
Trickery
Trinity
Trips
Trouble
True Love
True Wisdom
Turner
Tyler Barriss
Understanding
Unforgiveness
Unhealthy
Universities
Unjust
Unrighteous
Upright
Value
Vehicle
Vengeance
Videos
Virtuous
Vision
Voting
Walk
Washington
Watsom
Way of Life
Way
Weight
Winking
Wink
Wise Men
Witnessing
Womb
Women
Work Ethic
Worth
Wrong
Yankees
YouTube
Zechariah
addiction
adultery
advertisements
advertiser
advertising
advice
advisor
affection
affirmation
aggression
alcohol
amos
angels
anointing
ant
anxiety
appetite
argument
assumption
as
attractions
authority
background
backyard
bankrupt
battle
beginning
birds
bitterness
blessed
brain
bright
broken nose
buckler
campfire
cardinal sins
career
carelessness
car
cause
certainty
charity
chastening
childhood
childrearing
children
child
choices
church attendance
church
command
confidence
confident
consequences
considerate
contention
contentment
conversaion
correction
counselor
counsel
covetousness
criticism
cruelty
cynicism
dads
dad
darkness
dark
daughter
debt
deception
decisions
defend
defense
demands
destruction
determination
diamonds
diligence
direction
disappointment
discernment
discipleship
disciples
disciple
discipline
discontentment
discord
discretion
distractions
distress
doctrine
dogs
drinking
drugs
dying
ear
education
effort
emotions
employee
employer
employment
enemies
enticement
enticing
envy
equity
evil communications
evil men
evil women
evil
example
eyelids
eyes
ezekiel
facts
failure
fairness
faith
family
fathers
father
favor
fear of God
fear
feelings
feminine
fighting
fight
filthy
finances
fire
flattery
focus
following
foolishness
foolishnes
fools
fool
forgiveness
fornication
friends
future
gambling
gender
gold
good men
good
government
grace
greed
guard
guilt
happiness
happy
harm
hate
headlights
health
heart
hear
hold your peace
holiness
home
honor
hope
hunger
husbands
husband
ignorance
illustration
income
inequality
infidelity
influence
iniquity
insomnia
instincts
instruction
intimacy
investigation
isaiah
issued
issue
jewelry
judgment
justice
just
kidnapper
kidney
kids
knowledge
labor
law of sowing and reaping
laziness
lazy
leadership
learning
legacy
length of days
lessons
let
life
light
lips
listening
listen
little
liver
living
loans
loneliness
long life
love
lucifer
lust
man
marketing
marriage
math
memorization
memory
mercy
messenger
millions
mind
ministry
mischief
misery
mistakes
mom
money
mothers
mother
motive
mouth
movies
nature
necklace
neck
neighbor
obscenity
observant
oil
oppression
oppressor
organs
ornaments
parable
paranoia
parenthood
parents
parent
pastoring
path
peace
peer pressure
peers
peer
permission
personification
pleasant
politician
ponder
pornography
pottymouth
poverty
power
prayer
preservation
pride
priests
private
procrastination
prodigal
profanity
prosperity
prostitution
protection
protect
prudence
public restroom
purchases
reading
reaping
reason
rebellion
rebuke
regret
rejection
relate
relationships
relevant
remedy
remembrance
remorse
repetition
replacement
reproof
respect
responsibility
responsible
retain
retention
riches
righteousness
righteous
risk
robber
romance
rubies
safety
sailor
salvation
schools
scorner
secret
security
seduction
seeing
see
self-sufficiency
self-sufficient
serpent
seven deadly sins
seven
sexist
sexual sin
sex
silver
simple
simplicity
sinners
sin
skepticism
slander
sleeplessness
sleep
slothfulness
sluggard
smoke to the eyes
smoke
son
soul
sowing
spleen
spouse
stability
stranger
strange
strife
striving
successful
success
suicide
talents
talk
taxes
teacher
television
temptation
tendencies
thief
thieves
thinking
think
thoughtfulness
thoughts
thought
threats
time
tithe
tree of life
trust
truth
tv
vehicles
vice
video games
vinegar to the teeth
vinegar
violence
violent
virtue
virtuous woman
visual
voice of God
voice
vulgar
walking
war
wealth
well
wickedness
wicked
wife
will
wine
wisdom
wise sayings
wise
wives
woman
word of God
words
workplace
work
worry
young man
young people
young
youth