Proverbs

 

Proverbs. A difficult book to study! This year I have been trying to match books to the bible in order to help in my reading and journaling. The Wisdom of Proverbs by Bob Beasley was on my Kindle for the past 5 years and I never actually opened it up.

It's a devotional type book. Ther is a chapter that relates to the bible book chapters. It gives a summary of what the entire chapter is about. Then it breaks down the bible chapter into chunks. At the end of the reading an example from a character or situation in the bible that relates to the chunk of text is given followed by a prayer. It makes me want to start reading Proverbs all over again and take notes from this book rather than from my Enduring Word Commentary!

Some snippets from The Wisdom of Proverbs by Bob Beasley

Chapter 1 verses 1 to 6

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb

Many benefits of godly wisdom are listed. They are boil down to one: good decision making. An older person looks back to see that life has been a progression of many decisions Some seem unimportant but even those "small" decisions are extremely important because they team up with other decisions to become pathways then highways.

Example from scripture: Rehoboam, Solomon's son - what a difference a generation can make! Faced with a decision that would determine the future of Israel this foolish young man tossed aside the wise teachings of his fathers, of the elders and travelled his own road to ruin - 1 Kings 12.

Our first decision - what shall we do with God? No middle ground with God. On the one hand he is a God of ultimate wrath, on the other he is a God of ultimate love. Our God is altogether righteous and holy and he demands that we reflect his character.  Fear the Lord and be obedient to his every commandment. That fear is the beginning of wisdom's path.

Examples from scripture: The people of Korah - despised the leadership of Moses and Aaron. They showed lack of fear of God. God opened the earth and swallowed Korah and his followers faced fire from heaven - Numbers 16.  Judas - he walked with God throughout his earthly ministry and yet despised his wisdom and discipline.

Chapter 1 verses 8 and 9

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head and chains about thy neck.

The fifth commandment is the first that deals with our relationships with other humans. it is the foundational commandment requiring obedience to all those in authority over us. Whether they are in the family, the church or in the secular government.

Examples: Hophni and Phinehas - they disgraced their righteous father Eli by their ungodliness. They would not listen to their father's rebuke so God eventually put them to death.  Adrammelech and Sharezer - the wicked sons of Sennacherib committed the ultimate sin against their father when they cut him down with the sword 2 Kings 19 verse 37.

Chapter 1 verses 10 to 16

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:  My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

When God took the nation Israel into the Promised Land he told them to be careful to drive the pagans that were there out of the land. If they didn't the pagans would become a snare and lead Israel astray. So also we Christians should beware of developing intimate friendships with non-Christians. We should be diligent to teach our children to choose their friends carefully. Today's choices will bear tomorrow's fruit.

Examples from scripture: Aaron who foolishly went along with the crowd and made a golden calf. After they had worshipped the calf they indulged in pagan revelry - Exodus 32 verses 1 to 6.  The crowd in Jerusalem - any who welcomed Jesus as a king now turned against him and shouted "crucify him!" They were swept along by the others, not realizing what they were doing - Matthew 27 verses 15 to 26

Chapter 1 verses 17 to 19

Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

What goes around comes around! Whatever you do, your behaviour will eventually catch up with you. Establish this principle early on in life: "you can never ever get away with sin." The one we truly hurt when we sin is ourselves. You spread the net in full view of the one bird it will catch - you! "God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." Galatians 6 verse 7. Hosea 8 verse 7 "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind."

Examples: Ahab and Jezebel - they conspired to take Naboth's vineyard. By false witnesses they had Naboth stoned to death - 1 Kings 21.  Haman built gallows for Mordecai. The king used the same gallows to stretch his neck. Judas thought he was a net to catch the Lord but he only netted himself.

Chapter 1 verses 20 to 23

Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:  She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,  How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?  Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Who is this “wisdom” who calls? It is the very voice of the God of creation. David speaks of the elements of the created order literally shouting of God’s existence, of his personhood, omnipotence, oneness, reason, holiness and beauty (Psalm 19 verses 1 to 4). Many people choose not to hear this voice that goes out even to the uttermost reaches of the universe (Romans 1 verse 20).

If by grace, you respond to God’s natural revelation, God will make more of h

is thoughts known to you. He will reveal his special revelation to you: Jesus Christ and the holy scriptures. These words make people wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 2 verse 15). But even the knowledge of this higher level of revelation is despised by fools.

How long will the simple love their ways? Until the Spirit of God gives them new birth.

Examples from scripture: John the Baptist urged people to turn from their simple ways and their foolish mockery. Likewise, the whole creation shouts of the One who brought it all into being, and sustains it by his powerful word (Luke 3 verse 4, Hebrews 1 verses 2 and 3)

Chapter 1 verses 24 to 31

Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

There is a sense in which God gives every man and woman on this earth exactly what he or she wants. God plants in some a desire to know him and his wisdom. For these, every event in their lives moves them closer to that desire being fulfilled, as they draw closer to their God (Romans 8 verse 29). But God allows some to follow the natural desires of their own hearts and even though he holds out his hand to them and tenderly calls they "ignore his advice and reject his rebuke". In the end, they will "eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes". God will laugh at their disaster. "Choose to fear the Lord" and receive his free salvation.

Chapter 1 verses 32 and 33

For the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil

We see 2 marks of a fool. First, he is disobedient to the light of God has given him. he is self-willed. This path will kill him, even as God has promised the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6 verse 23). Second, the foolish person is complacent, or self-content. He has no need of a Saviour. He thinks he's basically a good person whom God will gladly welcome into heaven. But God's wisdom is diametrically opposed to this simpleton's. God demands righteousness of every person. How can a perfect, just and holy God have fellowship with anyone who bears the stain of sin? The person who obeys God's wisdom has God's righteousness imputed to him as a gift of grace through Jesus Christ (Romans 5 verse 17). This imputed righteousness restores fellowship between people and their creator. Jesus Christ came to earth to reconcile us to the Father by "making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1 verse 20; Ephesians 2 verse 15). We who have been saved by grace through faith need not fear harm (Luke 12 verses 5 and 5)

Examples from scripture: One man built on the rock of God's wisdom. His house was secure even when the floods came. The other built on the shifting sands of man's wisdom. The onrushing waters brought disaster (Matthew 7 verses 24 to 27). The rich young ruler trusted in his self-righteousness. He claimed that he kept the Law of Moses, but Jesus discerned that he loved the riches of this world more than the true riches of God. The man rejected Jesus' advice and went sadly on his way to destruction (Matthew 19 verse 22)

Introduction to Proverbs Chapter 2

Godly wisdom is readily available - we just need to ask God for it!

Verse 1 - memorization is a component of one's search.

Verses 2 to 4 - prayer is important

Verse 7 - wisdom brings victory

Verses 8 to 11 - wisdom brings protection

Verse 10 it is pleasant to the soul

Verses 10 to 15 wisdom protects from wiles of wicked people and from the seduction of the adulterer whose pathways lead only to death.

Verses 21 to 25 wisdom brings stability in life.

The "wise in heart will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous." Such paths are stable and secure, free from ultimate trouble and full of joy.

First the treasure hunter needs to accept wisdom's words (verse 1) The serious student will diligently study God's word and 

 

A map for the greatest treasure imaginable. The directional arrows are the verbs. 

Chapter 2 verses 1 to 5

My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.