“Woe to those who devise iniquity, and work out evil on their beds! And at morning light they practice it, because the power is in their hand.” (v.1)
Here in chapter 2 we read of the sins of covetousness and pride among the ruling classes. This time period was one of material prosperity, but the true power was in the hands of the rulers. They planned and plotted in the night ways of using their power to oppress others. Then in the day, they carried out their plans of oppression simply because they could. Sound familiar?
This gives force to the declaration: "Behold against this family do I devise an evil" (v.3). Meaning, because they devise iniquity against their fellow man, so God would devise evil against them. G. Campbell Morgan wrote of God's omnipotence, “There is no escape from God; and that fact is the reason of confidence to us, and the secret of peace, in the days most full of the apparent triumph of evil men.”
We all have our ugly moments, thoughts, revengeful desires, but there are some sins we could never commit, because we would never possess the power to commit them. But, the real test comes when something is in the power of our hand to commit (some sin). Then when the morning light comes, we will know to whom we remain faithful.
The Truth: “When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.” (Matthew 27:6,7)
