Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
Though multitudes unite and support one another in wrongdoing, even in secret leagues and for selfish ends, their punishment is certain and inescapable, while the righteous and their descendants will be delivered. No majority, widespread custom, or prevalence can make evil right or acceptable to God, excuse sin, or change His law and judgment. His patience and apparent silence are not approval, for every work will be brought into judgment and His retribution is sure and near. Keeping Sunday together for unity or because everybody does it is therefore no excuse, for the many on the broad way perish while the few on the narrow way find life. That deliverance was seen when Noah was preserved from the destroyed ungodly world, Lot was spared from overthrown Sodom and Gomorrah, and Elijah was vindicated though alone against popular Baal worship.
Hands Joined Together
"Hand join in hand" means people joining together in large numbers and uniting to support one another in wrongdoing. Even when multitudes combine, encourage one another in an evil matter, form secret societies and leagues, and unite for selfish purposes, such union does not make the wrong right nor shield anyone from its due punishment. The joining does not excuse sin because many commit it, does not make it acceptable or pleasing to God, and does not free the wicked when they stand with the majority rather than obeying God though only a few do so. This holds for Sabbath-breaking and first-day observance, where following the many is no reason to disobey.
The joining of hand in hand also shows that human beings are bound to one another so that conduct and influence always reach others whether intended or not. No one can claim that disobedience or wrongdoing concerns only his own soul, because a way of life leaves its impression on others.
Numbers Cannot Excuse Sin
Though hand is joined to hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished and shall not escape punishment, and their punishment is certain and irreversibly true. Numbers and multitude, majority and widespread agreement, custom and prevalence, do not make wrongdoing right or acceptable or pleasing to God, do not excuse sin, and do not change His law or judgment. Moral right and wrong are fixed by God's absolute decree, appearances do not change reality, and right ultimately prevails even when joined hands seem to oppose it. Widespread wrongdoing only makes sin more offensive to God, and the Lord does not excuse sin because many commit it.
Joining the wicked in large numbers does not make wrongdoing right nor free anyone from its due punishment, so obedience is required even when only a few obey rather than treating majority practice as a reason to disobey. A majority cannot make sin acceptable or pleasing to God, and widespread agreement does not shield the wicked from punishment while the righteous are promised deliverance. The excuse that many people follow a practice is therefore rejected.
God's patience and apparent silence do not mean He approves wrongdoing or will acquit the guilty. His judgments in past ages warn sinners to flee the coming wrath while there is still time, because every work will be brought into judgment. Though the wicked combine together in secret societies and leagues to commit murder and outrage, no human measures can stop them because men work in the dark and cannot tell where to strike, but God's retribution is sure and near at hand with the near coming of the Saviour. God sees injustice and holds people accountable, as when Saul's killing of the Gibeonites brought famine upon Israel, and the verse affirms the fact of punishment while the question of when it occurs is left for further argument.
In the choice of which day to keep, breaking the Sabbath, observing the first day, or keeping Sunday together for the sake of unity cannot be excused by numbers or common practice or the claim that everybody follows it. The fact that most people follow a practice does not make it right nor protect those who reject the right path. Following the majority is no proof of being right, for many choose the broad way that leads to destruction while the few who choose the narrow way find life. Those who replace the day Scripture declares holy remain responsible even when numerous, and joining together in great numbers does not spare them.
Righteous Seed Delivered
By contrast the second half of the verse promises that the righteous and their seed or descendants shall be delivered, while the wicked shall not escape punishment even when they join together in great numbers. God's justice in this makes a distinction between those who obey Him and those who do not, so that a majority cannot make sin acceptable or pleasing to God. Following the majority is no proof of being right, for many choose the broad way that leads to destruction while the few who choose the narrow way find life. In the choice of which day to keep, the fact that most people follow a practice does not make it right nor protect those who reject the right path.
That deliverance was shown when Noah was preserved at the time the ungodly world was destroyed, when Lot was spared at the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, and when Elijah was vindicated though he stood alone against popular Baal worship and the kingdom of Israel. The certainty that right ultimately prevails stands even when appearances or people joining together seem to oppose what is right, because moral right and wrong are fixed by God's absolute decree and appearances do not change reality. The promise about the descendants of the righteous being delivered is not always explained, even where the punishment of the wicked is affirmed as irreversibly true.
Presumptuous sinners are greatly imperiled even when hand joins in hand and men encourage one another in an evil matter, since the wicked shall not go unpunished. That peril gives Christians an urgent motive to hasten to their rescue. The image of joined hands applies to those who ally themselves with former opponents of God's law and the Sabbath, and such company is evidence that they have not become more holy. It also applies to people in the last days growing more wicked and deceiving others, whose united efforts do not make their wrongdoing right.
Though multitudes unite and support one another in wrongdoing, even in secret leagues and for selfish ends, their punishment is certain and inescapable, while the righteous and their descendants will be delivered. No majority, widespread custom, or prevalence can make evil right or acceptable to God, excuse sin, or change His law and judgment. His patience and apparent silence are not approval, for every work will be brought into judgment and His retribution is sure and near. Keeping Sunday together for unity or because everybody does it is therefore no excuse, for the many on the broad way perish while the few on the narrow way find life. That deliverance was seen when Noah was preserved from the destroyed ungodly world, Lot was spared from overthrown Sodom and Gomorrah, and Elijah was vindicated though alone against popular Baal worship.
Hands Joined Together
"Hand join in hand" means people joining together in large numbers and uniting to support one another in wrongdoing. Even when multitudes combine, encourage one another in an evil matter, form secret societies and leagues, and unite for selfish purposes, such union does not make the wrong right nor shield anyone from its due punishment. The joining does not excuse sin because many commit it, does not make it acceptable or pleasing to God, and does not free the wicked when they stand with the majority rather than obeying God though only a few do so. This holds for Sabbath-breaking and first-day observance, where following the many is no reason to disobey.
The joining of hand in hand also shows that human beings are bound to one another so that conduct and influence always reach others whether intended or not. No one can claim that disobedience or wrongdoing concerns only his own soul, because a way of life leaves its impression on others.
Numbers Cannot Excuse Sin
Though hand is joined to hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished and shall not escape punishment, and their punishment is certain and irreversibly true. Numbers and multitude, majority and widespread agreement, custom and prevalence, do not make wrongdoing right or acceptable or pleasing to God, do not excuse sin, and do not change His law or judgment. Moral right and wrong are fixed by God's absolute decree, appearances do not change reality, and right ultimately prevails even when joined hands seem to oppose it. Widespread wrongdoing only makes sin more offensive to God, and the Lord does not excuse sin because many commit it.
Joining the wicked in large numbers does not make wrongdoing right nor free anyone from its due punishment, so obedience is required even when only a few obey rather than treating majority practice as a reason to disobey. A majority cannot make sin acceptable or pleasing to God, and widespread agreement does not shield the wicked from punishment while the righteous are promised deliverance. The excuse that many people follow a practice is therefore rejected.
God's patience and apparent silence do not mean He approves wrongdoing or will acquit the guilty. His judgments in past ages warn sinners to flee the coming wrath while there is still time, because every work will be brought into judgment. Though the wicked combine together in secret societies and leagues to commit murder and outrage, no human measures can stop them because men work in the dark and cannot tell where to strike, but God's retribution is sure and near at hand with the near coming of the Saviour. God sees injustice and holds people accountable, as when Saul's killing of the Gibeonites brought famine upon Israel, and the verse affirms the fact of punishment while the question of when it occurs is left for further argument.
In the choice of which day to keep, breaking the Sabbath, observing the first day, or keeping Sunday together for the sake of unity cannot be excused by numbers or common practice or the claim that everybody follows it. The fact that most people follow a practice does not make it right nor protect those who reject the right path. Following the majority is no proof of being right, for many choose the broad way that leads to destruction while the few who choose the narrow way find life. Those who replace the day Scripture declares holy remain responsible even when numerous, and joining together in great numbers does not spare them.
Righteous Seed Delivered
By contrast the second half of the verse promises that the righteous and their seed or descendants shall be delivered, while the wicked shall not escape punishment even when they join together in great numbers. God's justice in this makes a distinction between those who obey Him and those who do not, so that a majority cannot make sin acceptable or pleasing to God. Following the majority is no proof of being right, for many choose the broad way that leads to destruction while the few who choose the narrow way find life. In the choice of which day to keep, the fact that most people follow a practice does not make it right nor protect those who reject the right path.
That deliverance was shown when Noah was preserved at the time the ungodly world was destroyed, when Lot was spared at the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, and when Elijah was vindicated though he stood alone against popular Baal worship and the kingdom of Israel. The certainty that right ultimately prevails stands even when appearances or people joining together seem to oppose what is right, because moral right and wrong are fixed by God's absolute decree and appearances do not change reality. The promise about the descendants of the righteous being delivered is not always explained, even where the punishment of the wicked is affirmed as irreversibly true.
Presumptuous sinners are greatly imperiled even when hand joins in hand and men encourage one another in an evil matter, since the wicked shall not go unpunished. That peril gives Christians an urgent motive to hasten to their rescue. The image of joined hands applies to those who ally themselves with former opponents of God's law and the Sabbath, and such company is evidence that they have not become more holy. It also applies to people in the last days growing more wicked and deceiving others, whose united efforts do not make their wrongdoing right.