Our Favorite Proverbs: Proverbs 20:8

by David Chadwick

“A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.”

Proverbs 20:8

Today’s proverb is all about the importance of strong, godly leadership. We are going to look at what Solomon had to say about his “throne of judgment.”

Proverbs 20:8 says, “A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes.”

Let’s take a look at the definition of the word “winnow.” It means “to remove the unwanted parts of something or to narrow down a large list of options into a smaller, more desirable selection.”

Agriculturally speaking, “winnowing” is “the process of tossing harvested grain into the air so the wind can blow away the lightweight chaff, leaving only the heavy, valuable grain to fall to the floor.” What a powerful picture! Solomon is essentially saying that one of his major responsibilities is to remove evil so that those under his leadership can prosper.

This proverb teaches that one of the major purposes of someone in governmental leadership is to eliminate evil and to protect its citizens from any and all forces of darkness.

Now take a moment and look at the end of this verse. Solomon says that this king “winnows evil with his eyes!” Somehow a righteous king is able, with a mere gaze, to expose evil and throw it to the ground. A Godly king, filled with the Holy Spirit, can often discern evil by looking at a person or situation.

This is why we have a police force. To protect citizens from criminals. This is why we have a military force. To protect a nation from enemy invasions and forces. Much like kings, these are the ones who have been given authority to winnow evil from our midst.

Many have joked through the ages that the best and most efficient form of government is a benevolent dictator. I’d add a benevolent, Christian dictator. One who functions by God’s Word and makes immediate decisions for the good of the citizens and the nation.

A deeper dive on the importance of biblical leadership within government can be found in Romans 13, where Paul dives deeply into God’s original design for government. It is to serve its citizens and to protect its citizens–to winnow evil immediately whenever it’s seen.