“From whence come wars and fightings among you?”

(Pro 28:17-28)

[Study Aired May 7, 2026]

The answer to the question posed in the title is found in (Jas 4:1-10) and the accompanying proverbs we will look at in this last section of chapter 28 explains how we rob ourselves of a rich and abundant life in Christ by wanting the riches of this life at all costs, losing sight of the true riches which are incomparable to that which God has set before those who love him, and who are called according to His purpose (Php 3:8 , 1Co 2:9 , Rom 8:28).

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

As we go through these last proverbs of chapter 28 we’ll look at how they correlate with these commandments of Christ (Mat 5:44 , Luk 6:27 , Luk 6:35) that tell us to love our enemies. The world cannot reconcile these verses in their hearts, and a warring spirit, one that hates, is associated with one who is wanting and willing to do what it takes to get what we want. The result is war in our hearts, and whether we know it or not, this avarice is the breeding ground for the entire history of humanity’s warring ways.

Pro 28:17  A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him.

This proverb is true of everyone who has ever picked up a sword and thought that an eye for eye and a  tooth for a tooth was the way to go, whether you picked up a real physical sword or not (1Jn 3:15).

1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

But this is what Christ commands us today: (Mat 5:38-42). Everything that follows (Mat 5:38) tells us what we must actively be doing to demonstrate by our actions that we love our enemies (Mat 5:39-42). Violence does not have to be physical violence, it can a violent act of neglect, or seeking vengeance in some way when God tells us that this belongs to him (Rom 12:19).

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

“let no man stay him” is just another way of saying “let the dead bury the dead” (Luk 9:60). We don’t try to shelter the guilty, not within the body of Christ or without, but we bury our own dead in Christ in the prescribed manner God has ordained found in (Mat 18:1-20) along with our own dying daily examination of whether we be in the faith or not (Rom 14:4).

Luk 9:60  Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

The court measures itself (Rev 11:2), and as hard as it was for Cain to be a marked man, God did not shelter him from the punishment that was due for his actions of murder against his brother (Gen 4:12-14). The Corinthian fornicator was not sheltered from the punishment of being put out of the church, and neither was Paul or any of us exempt from being buffeted by “the messenger of Satan” as Paul was (1Co 5:5 , 2Co 12:7).

Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not;[Luk 9:60] for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

Pro 28:18  Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once.

We are all perverse in our ways at first as we read in (Eph 2:1-3), and not able to walk “uprightly” in order to be saved. Only Christ can change our walk and wrestle our old man to the ground and leave us in a state for the rest of our lives (2Co 12:7-8) knowing that we can only be more than conquerors through Christ, as this story of Jacob typifies (Num 14:22 , Gen 32:24-25).

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

Num 14:22  Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Gen 32:25  And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

It is a lifetime of overcoming that is required as we completely fall seven times (Pro 24:16) and by God’s grace get up and keep overcoming as we confess our iniquities to our merciful and forgiving Father who knows our frame and is cleansing us through Christ. This judgment and wrestling match that the elect have their whole lives (1Pe 4:17) is how our “life is preserved” (Lev 26:40 , Eph 4:22-26 , Lev 16:21 , Gen 32:30).

Gen 32:30  And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

Pro 28:19  He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

Howbeit in vain Christ said do they worship me (Mar 7:7), and that vanity spoken of in this verse, “but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough”, points to our labours in Babylon where there was no stay of bread and water (Isa 3:1), and we were in fact building our own houses, and bigger barns, as opposed to examining ourselves and being led unto true repentance which is what this statement is a shadow of, “He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread”.

The harvest comes after the hard work of tilling the land, which is symbol of examining ourselves, and being prepared in heart to receive the word of God that our Father will give increase to in our lives as He wills “plenty of bread”. It is when we labour for the meat that does not perish (Joh 6:27), that we do so without vanity, as a result of presenting our lives to him as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1-2 , Joh 6:44). This is what will give us “plenty of bread” and enrich our lives in Him.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Pro 28:20  A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

The “faithful man” represents the elect in this age who are blessed with Christ’s wisdom (1Co 1:29-30). It is the Lord who makes us as such so that we can provide our portion or be a joint that supplies in love in due season that which the body needs to the edifying of itself in love (Luk 12:42-43 , Eph 4:16).

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

Luk 12:42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Luk 12:43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Pro 28:21  To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

Christ is the one who has kept us thus far, and Christ is the one who will give us the power to endure until the end (Php 4:13), no one taking us out of the Father’s hand (Joh 10:28). If we contributed one iota to our salvation then perhaps we could “have respect of persons”. But God tells us in this proverb that glorying in men or the flesh of men is akin to this statement, “for for a piece of bread that man will transgress”. We do this at first when we are dragged to the body of Christ when we innately, because of our past making an idol of the beast (Rev 14:9-11), continue in this vein falling at the feet of John to worship him approach (Joh 6:44 , Rev 19:10 , Rev 22:9).

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Pro 28:22  He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

An evil eye is an eye that is not single (Mat 6:22) and tries to serve both God and mammon (Mat 6:24). By doing this spiritual poverty is certain to “come upon him”.

Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Seeking the kingdom of God first (Mat 6:33), and laying down our lives for each other is what will bless us with peace that passes all understanding (Php 4:7), whether we have a little or a lot (Php 4:12).

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Pro 28:23  He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

Everyone that Christ rebuked will benefit from His correction, as God’s elect are today (Heb 10:26 , Pro 27:6). The many examples of Christ rebuking in the bible is for our sakes as scripture tells us “that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God” (2Co 4:15).

Below are some of the examples of Christ rebuking, and never flattering flesh, including His own flesh of which He told someone right after he explained that we must be as humble as a child to enter into the kingdom of God, “And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”[in other words having a right perspective of what flesh is, including Christ’s flesh, is absolutely needful if we are going to “inherit eternal life”]

Christ rebuked the religious leaders (Mat 23:27-28), his disciples (Mat 16:23), again his disciples for a lack of faith (Mar 16:14), the sons of thunder were rebuked (Luk 9:55), he rebuked the crowd, the wicked and adulterous generation (Mat 12:39), He rebuked the corruption in worship (Mat 21:12-13), and the unrepentant cities mentioned in (Mat 11:20-24).

Pro 28:24  Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.

Wherein have we robbed you Lord? That was the question in the book of Malachi (Mal 3:7-9).

Mal 3:7  Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
Mal 3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Mal 3:9  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.[the fig tree cursed Mar 11:14]

We have robbed God in tithe and offerings which represents the whole of our life (Rom 12:1). We naturally rob God of His glory when we don’t present our lives a living sacrifice and continue to conform to this world (Rom 12:2). And when we take glory unto ourselves by being found operating in our flesh, by our own righteousness, our companionship at that moment is with the devil who is called a destroyer, making us “the companion of a destroyer”(Rev 9:11).

Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon^G3, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon^G623.

G3 Abaddōn ab-ad-dohn’
Of Hebrew origin [H11]; a destroying angel: – Abaddon.
Total KJV occurrences: 1

G623Apolluōn ap-ol-loo’-ohn
Active participle of G622; a destroyer (that is, Satan): – Apollyon.
Total KJV occurrences: 1

It is our “father or his mother” we are robbing, who typify God the Father and Christ who is the head of the church, or we could say it is Christ and the church who we are robbing, when we don’t present our bodies a living sacrifice unto Him (Rom 12:1-2). The opposite effect of robbing Him is pronounced in these verses that proclaims that if we keep his commandments, his words, the Father and the Son will abide in us (Joh 14:20-23).

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:22  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Pro 28:25  He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
Pro 28:26  He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

A proud heart is a heart that trusts in his own righteousness (Php 3:9). Pride comes before a fall, and what causes that fall is the inability to walk humbly with God and mankind (Mic 6:8 , Zec 4:6). God therefore humbles His children so that we can walk humbly with Him, no longer trusting in our hearts but yielded to His will (2Co 1:8-9 , Pro 3:5-6).

2Co 1:8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

When we don’t bind His laws around our hearts we are going to bring strife upon others and not know the way to peace (Deu 11:18 , Pro 3:3 , Pro 6:21 , Pro 7:3 , Isa 59:8). When we trust God emphatically it is because we have been going through fiery trials (1Pe 4:12) which create zeal within us so that we can bind God’s laws continually upon our hearts.

Pro 3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
Pro 3:4  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Pro 6:21  Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

Pro 7:3  Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

It is a fool who trusts in his own heart (Jer 17:9-10), and a wise man who sees the need to examine himself and die daily (1Co 15:31) so that we can walk wisely and be delivered from our flesh (Pro 3:5-10).

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;(Jer 17:9) and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Pro 28:27  He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

We are to do good unto all men, but especially unto the household of faith (Gal 6:10), and this is the way of life we’ve been called unto (Luk 6:38 , Pro 19:17).

Luk 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Pro 19:17  He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

If we forsake this way of life it will bring “many a curse” on us (1Jn 3:17), but if we present our bodies a living sacrifice and give our entire life to God as a living scapegoat sacrifice, we “shall not lack” and will be blessed for helping the poor in spirit who Christ says the elect are (Mat 5:3).

We are poor because we truly see the impoverished state that flesh is in, and the need for continual deliverance, as opposed to those who we once were, thinking, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev 3:17 , Joh 9:41).

Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Pro 28:28  When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Another way of saying this part of the proverb, “but when they perish, the righteous increase”, is found in (Joh 3:30).

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

The wicked within us must be made manifest, and those giants in the land may cause us to hide ourselves, but not in a negative sense but rather in the Lord who will do battle against those giants in our land, those powers and principalities that He is far higher than (Eph 6:12 , Eph 1:19-21).

Every battle in history is just a reminder for God’s elect that the main battlefield we are always to be identifying is within us, “From whence come wars and fightings among you?”(Jas 4:1-7).

This is where the battles are taking place and why Christ tells us not to worry, because the battle is of the Lord and we will be more than conquerors through Him (1Sa 17:47 , Mat 24:6 , Rom 8:37).

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, [within the hearts and minds of His children]
Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

1Sa 17:47  And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.