1.  Grace is the free gift of God (Rom 5:15).

2.  A bribe is a gift that is given to obtain favor.

    a.  It is an attempt to buy favor (or grace).

    b.  It is giving with strings attached, quid pro quo.

3.  The same word may refer to a present or a bribe.  The purpose of the present makes it a bribe.

     Hebrew shachad (dj^v*), v. = give a present; to bribe (Job 6:22).
     Hebrew shochad (dj^v)), n. = a present, a bribe (2 Ki 16:8; Prov 17:8, 23; 21:14)

1.  Grace is the free gift of God (Rom 5:15).

     a.  God's gift of Grace is apart from the merit of the object.

     b.  The gift of Grace is free.  There are no strings attached.  Grace does not seek to manipulate the object, and it requires nothing in return.

     c.  The gift of Grace does not violate God's Integrity.  His Righteousness, Justice, and Love are not compromised.

2.  A bribe is a perversion of Grace.

     a.  It is not freely given.  It is an attempt to secure favor from the object.

     b.  A bribe has strings attached.  It expects something in return, a quid pro quo.

     c.  A bribe violates integrity (1 Sam 12:3; Eccl 7:7; Isa 45:13).  It may disregard authority, subvert justice, pervert righteousness, or compromise love (Isa 33:15; Mic 3:11).

For oppression (e.g. from bribes) makes a wise person insane,
And a bribe destroys the heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:7)

Oppression refers to pressure from things like bribes that prevent a person from receiving justice.  Injustice in the system can lead to pressure and stress in the soul that drives a wise person insane.  A bribe destroys the heart, the right lobe of the soul.  The heart, as the seat of love, corresponds to the integrity, conscience, and understanding of the soul.  A bribe alters the truth and justice of the heart and overrides the norms and standards of the conscience.  When the heart breaks down, Emotional Revolt of the Soul, Reversionism, and and insanity follow.

3.  A bribe is an attempt to tamper with the system and play God.

Their hands are on evil to make it good.  The prince asks, the judge is for a bribe, and the great man speaks the craving of his own soul.  So, they weave it together. (Micah 7:3)

Those engaged in evil may attempt to spin the news to redefine evil to make it good.  This is tampering with the defining principles of the system.  The prince asks for condemnation of an innocent person, and the judge does it in exchange for a bribe.  The rich man contributes by speaking of his own evil desires and cravings in the case or by spinning the news.  The three symbolize parts of the Cosmic System, which are woven together.

1. Prince - Political Babylon (Y-axis) - asks for perversion of justice
2. Judge - Cosmic Babylon (Z-axis) - takes a bribe.
3. Great man - Ecumenical Babylon (X-axis) - speaks about his evil desires and spins the news.

      a.  A bribe may pervert the Judicial System (Ex 23:8; Num 35:31; Deut 16:19; 1 Sa 8:3; Prov 17:23; Isa 5:23).

You shall not take a bribe, because a bribe blinds those who see and subverts the cases of the just. (Ex 23:8)

A person who sees clearly will be blinded or look the other way when given a bribe.  And a bribe can subvert justice in the case of a just litigant.

You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality; you shall not take a bribe, because a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the case of the just. (Deut. 16:19)

     b.  A bribe may attempt to buy favor for self-promotion (Mic 7:3).

     c.  A bribe may operate on the principle that the end justifies the means.

     d.  A bribe may show partiality (Lev 19:15; Prov 28:21; Jas 2:2-4, 9).

Appeal to the Old Sin Nature

1.  Bribes appeal to the sins and desires of the Old Sin Nature (Am 5:12).

2.  The bribe may appeal to:

     a.  The love of money, a root of all evil (Prov 17:8; 19:4).

A bribe is a lucky charm in the eyes of its receiver;
Which ever way he turns, he wins. (Proverbs 17:8)

The one who receives the bribe is in a win-win situation.  If he goes with the bribe, he prospers; or if he goes the other way, he still has the bribe.  This does not condone bribery.  Although bribery is still a sin, this verse describes how the world works.

     b.  Jealous desires or impatience.

     c.  Lust – e.g. lust for materialism or sex.

     d.  Human good or evil.

Bribes Function in the Cosmic System

1.  Giving or accepting bribes rejects Grace and enters a person into the Cosmic System.  Bribes are tickets to join Satan in his Cosmic System.

2.  The love of money is the coin of the realm in the Cosmic System in lieu of Bible Doctrine as the true value in the Kingdom of God (Prov 15:27; Matt 6:24; Luk 16:13; 1 Tim 6:10).

The one who is greedy for unjust gain, troubles his own household;
But the one who hates bribes will live. (Proverbs 15:27)

Greedy for unjust gain includes using violence and criminality (Psa 10:3).  Such people bring trouble to themselves and those in their household.  Those who live by the sword often die by the sword and have their life cut short, but those who hate bribes will live (Psa 55:23; Prov 1:19; 28:16).

Absolutely no servant is able to serve two masters; for you see, either he will hate the one and love the other, or cling to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon! (Luke 16:13)

A servant, or domestic slave, cannot serve two masters.  There is only one authority in his life, and that is the person who owns him.  If he tried to serve two masters, he would love one and hate the other.  The illustration was for the principle, "You cannot serve God and mammon!"  Mammon is derived from the Aramaic @/omm* (mamon), meaning wealth personified.  The contrast of serving God and mammon means God is true authority and mammon is in the Cosmic System.  Thus, serving mammon is rejection of God and slavery to Satan in the Cosmic System.  The coin of the realm in the devil's world is mammon.

     a.  Use of money as a bribe takes a person into the Cosmic System.

     b.  The love of money is a source of temptation to take a bribe.

    c.  The Prostitute of Babylon lives extravagantly and tempts others to do the same (Rev. 18:3, 7, 9).

Revelation 18:3, 7, 9
3 "For all the nations have drunk from the wine of the passion of her prostitution; and the kings of the earth have committed prostitution with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the power of her extravagance."

7 To the degree that she glorified herself and lived extravagantly, to the same degree give her.

9 And the kings of the Earth who committed prostitution with her and lived extravagantly with her, will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning.

3.  Sex lust in the soul links with the demons of the Prostitute of Babylon to lure people into the Cosmic System.  The Prostitute of Babylon, who engages in illicit business, also uses sex lust inspired by demons to lure her customers.

4.  Bribes may be associated with the opposites of Lawlessness or Legalism of the Cosmic System (Psa 26:10).

5.  Bribes may be associated with criminality (Isa 1:23; Ezek 22:12; Matt 26:15).

Bribes in Business

1.  Bribes, like fraud, racketeering, embezzling, and cheating, are attacks on the Business Establishment.

2.  Paying money for goods or services is legitimate under the Laws of Establishment.

3.  Under free enterprise individuals are free to engage in business without outside interference.  Freedom only exists within the boundaries of an integrity envelope that includes authority, truth, peace, and security (Prov 28:6).

Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity,
Than a double-crossing crook, who is rich. (Proverbs 28:6)

The poor person who walks in his integrity is sanctified from the world by an integrity envelope.  He is in fellowship with God and under God's protection.  In contrast is the double-crossing crook, who is rich.  "Double-crossing crook" is a translation of the Hebrew idiom composed of two words, `iqqesh (crooked) and derek (way) in the dual.  A crook will not be able to enjoy his riches because he is subject to Divine punishment, the criminal justice system, and antagonism from other crooks.

     a.  Bribes, like other unscrupulous practices, such as fraud, cheating, and criminality, violate the integrity envelope (Business Integrity) and subvert free enterprise (Psalm 26:10-11).

     b.  Bribes are tampering with the system.

4.  A business contract is an agreement to provide goods or services accompanied by the exchange of money.  The buyer pays money and the seller delivers the goods per the contract.  The buyer is obligated to pay and the seller is obligated to deliver per the contract.

     a.  Bribes may be used to circumvent the contract.

     b.  Mobsters may refuse to allow a delivery until they are paid a bribe, or they may demand a bribe to allow a business to operate in their neighborhood.

     c.  The seller may demand more money than specified in the contract.

     d.  The deliveryman may demand a bribe before delivering the goods to the buyer.

     e.  The buyer may bribe employees of the seller to obtain better service.  This is a violation of the authority of the business owner or operator.

5.  The Prostitute of Babylon runs the commerce of the world (Rev 18:3); therefore, a Christian doing business in the devil's world must be keenly aware of God's Grace provision for Business Integrity.

Reverse Prostitution

1.  In prostitution, a man pays a woman for sex.  In reverse prostitution, a woman bribes the man for sex (Ezek 16:33-34).

Men give presents to all prostitutes, but you gave your presents to all your lovers and bribed them to come to you from every side for your prostitution. (Ezekiel 16:33)

This is much higher than a lesson about immorality.  Paying lovers is an allegorical description of the foreign policy of the Southern Kingdom of Judah when King Ahaz (11th King of Judah, father of Hezekiah) sent bribes to the King of Assyria for protection against the Kings of Syria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel (2 Ki 16:7-9; Isa 57:9).  Judah bribed Assyria for protection with gold from the Temple and treasury.  Later Judah also paid tribute to Babylon.  For God's Holy and sanctified Client Nation to pay bribes to Evil Kings in the Cosmic System  with gold from the Temple was a spiritual perversion.

"And you have journeyed to the king with oil
You have expanded your line of perfumes;
You have sent your envoys a great distance,
And greatly abased yourself, all the way to Hades (Isaiah 57:9)

Oil was made from animal fat.  Perfumes were sensual stimulants for the amorous pleasures that Judah sought in her relationship with Assyria and Babylon.  Her envoys went out of their way, traveled a great distance, and bent over backward all the way to Hell (corresponding to Satan's Cosmic System).

2.  After bribing Assyria, King Ahaz led Judah into idolatry and ritual prostitution. When he saw the altar to idols in Damascus, he had one built to replace the Altar of the Lord in Jerusalem and offered sacrifices on it (2 Ki 16:10-18).

3.  The relationship of the Client Nation of the Southern Kingdom of Judah with Assyria and Babylon was symbolized by reverse prostitution.

Thus, you were opposite from those women in your prostitution, that they did not go after you to practice prostitution.  In that you gave payment, and payment was not given to you, thus, you were the opposite. (Ezekiel 16:34)

     a.  Judah bribed Assyria for military protection (Isa 57:9; 2 Ki 16:7-9).

     b.  Judah paid tribute to Babylon, which was like bribery (Ezek 23:14-20).

     c.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel bribed Assyria (Hos 8:8-14; 12:1).