"OVERVIEW OF PROVERBS"
Notes
Transcript
Background info –
Author – The majority of the book is written by Solomon – “The final two chapters of the book were written by Agur and King Lemuel. We know nothing of certainty about either of these two men.”
Do you think the book of Proverbs is important? Why?
Solomon wrote the majority of the proverbs – Recall that Solomon in 1 Kings 3:9 asks the Lord for Wisdom and understanding – the wisest man has pinned the proverbs and you and I have the joy of having in our hands.
Theme – “Wisdom and Fear of the Lord” – “Wisdom for practical living”
Proposition – As we seek to do an overview of the book of Proverbs – we will see how the believers are called to pursue wisdom, then we will look at two possible ways that we can respond to wisdom.
The call of every believer –
The Call –
Fear the Lord –
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Pr 15:33
The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
What does it mean to “Fear the Lord?”
Fear of the Lord defined –
Listen to how these commentators define the “Fear of the Lord” –
Harper’s Bible Dictionary defines as - “fear of the Lord, the awe that a person ought to have before God (Prov. 5:7; Eccles. 12:13).As such it can be said to constitute ‘true religion’ (Ps. 34:11). This ‘fear of the Lord’ is represented by the ‘fear and trembling’ with which Paul exhorts the Philippians to work out their salvation (Phil. 2:12). It describes the piety of the growing church in Acts 9:31. However, it may also carry overtones of judgment (2 Cor. 5:11; 1 Pet. 1:17). [i]”
Newheiser in his book entitle “Opening up Proverbs” – says this regarding the “Fear of the Lord” –
What does it mean to fear the Lord?
“To fear God is to regard God with reverent awe. He alone is holy, awesome, and glorious (Isa. 6:3). He is worthy of our respect. Because God is righteous, we should be concerned about the consequences of displeasing him. Our fear is not one which leaves us cowering and terrified but rather is like the respect a son should have towards his father. The fear of God leads to wise and pure living: ‘By the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil’ (Prov. 16:6b).
To fear God is to submit to him, turning from self-assertion and evil: ‘Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil’ (3:7). We are not autonomous beings, free to assert our own will and decide what is right for us. We must acknowledge the Lord’s sovereign moral governance of the universe. We should be open to his training and correction and trust that his way is always best. To fear God is to know God. To know God is to have life (19:23a). When you fear God, you no longer fear men (29:25).
The fear of the Lord is not a beginning like the first stage of a rocket which is cast aside after it has served its purpose. Rather, the fear of the Lordis the beginning of wisdom in the same way in which a foundation is the beginning of a house: everything that comes after the foundation is built upon it.”
The fear of the Lord is the foundation; notice the progression of the verses that just read –
Gain Wisdom –
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Pr 15:33
The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
It is interesting to notice that the foundation of gaining knowledge, wisdom, (wisdom simply means “to be wise” – this is the process of becoming Christ like in our conduct) and instruction is to “fear the Lord” that is to have an awesome awe and reverence of who God is.
Believers we first must have the foundation of a deep reverence for God and who He is. Then we can begin to build on that foundation by pursuing wisdom, knowledge, and instruction. Which we find within the whole of Scripture, but this morning we will see briefly how the book of Proverbs is overflowing with wisdom and instruction for the believer. Keep in mind that as a result of our reverence and love for God we then are compelled as a result of our faith to pursue wisdom.
Notice what this next verse tells us –
Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
If you and I truly “fear the Lord” then we will learn to hate evil. Notice that if we are going to hate evil then we must be gaining wisdom about what is evil. Again this just makes the point that we are building on the foundation of fearing the Lord.
Throughout the book we are commanded to fear the Lord and pursue wisdom, (for the sake of time we will not be able to look at the specifics of how we as believers can obtain wisdom but I assure that the entire book is overflowing with specifics on how to gain wisdom in fact I would encourage you to read through Proverbs this next week)
Now, let us transition and look at the two responses to the call –
Respond to Wisdom by Being Wise
Benware defines the wise as one who – “heeds and receives the truth and thus becomes discerning” – in other words one who applies what wisdom says. (Christ likeness)
Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdomand inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lordand find the knowledge of God.
The point that Solomon is making is that wisdom is extremely valuable and if you and I will listen to it and obey it then we will be wise. Remember that the word wisdom simply means “to be wise.”
Proverbs 3:13-15
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, 14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. 15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
The individual who finds how to be wise will be happy – The author talks about how great it is to gain wisdom. Guys and gals the way that we gain wisdom is through the Word of God.
Prov 3:7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Prov 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
He puts it in the negative and says do not be wise in your own eyes. The flip side of that is do what is wise according to wisdom that is what God wants you to do. Notice that it says fear the Lord have a reverence for Him and then turn from evil. Why? b/c that is what wisdom tells you what to do.
Wisdom tells us so many things to do –
Take a moment and flip through your Bibles and see if you find something that wisdom tells us to do –
Wisdom tells us –
Trust in the Lord – 3:5 Listen to our father’s instruction – 4:1 Pursue Wisdom – 4:5 Hold onto wisdom – 5:1-2,7:1-3 Don’t be lazy – 6:6-7 Makes parents glad – 10:1 Loves covers up those who hurt you – 10:12 Watch your words – 10:19 Be thankful for discipline – 12:1 Friends will affect us – 13:19,18:24 Speech/answers – 15:1 Pride – 16:18 Joy is good – 17:22 Listen – 18:13 Train your children – 22:6,15 Don’t answer they way people want – 26:4 No boasting – 27:1-2 Gals don’t focus on outward appearance – 31:30
Prov 3:35
The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.
Those who fear the Lord and pursue wisdom will inherit honor.
Respond to Wisdom by Being Fool
Benware defines the Fool as one who – “has rejected God’s wisdom and as a result is dull and wicked both morally and spiritually”
Prov 3:35
The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.
Prov 1:11-19
If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; 14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse"— 15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, 16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 17 For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, 18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. 19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.
Prov 2:12-19
delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, 14 who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. 16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, 17 who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; 19 none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.
Prov 7:22-23
All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.
Prov 7:27
Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.
Prov 13:20
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Take a couple of minutes and flip again through your Bible (specifically proverbs) and see if you can find what it says about people who do not respond to wisdom –
Naïve
Benware defines the Naïve as one who – “does not listen to wisdom and is easily deceived in life, believing what he wants to believe”
Scoffer
Benware defines the Scoffer as one who – “is cynical and sarcastic in regard to the wisdom of God and spiritual things, making in impossible to live correctly”
Sluggard – lazy person
Prov 6:9
How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?
Prov 15:19
The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
Prov 13:4
The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Prov 18:9
Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.
Prov 19:15
Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.
Prov 19:24
The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.
Prov 20:4
The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
Prov 22:13
The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!"
Prov 24:30-34
I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, 31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. 32 Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. 33 Alittle sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.
Prov 26:13-16
The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets!" 14 As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. 15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.
This Week –
We have just briefly touched on the book of Proverbs – I would encourage you to do a couple of things this week –
If you are really ambitions, I would encourage you to read through the entire book this week, and really strive to put specifics into practice each day!
As believers we are called to “Fear the Lord” and to pursue wisdom – Ask yourself – How am I doing at fearing the Lord and pursuing wisdom? Are you responding by being wise or being a fool? It is one or the other there is no middle ground, you can not be on both sides of the fence.
[i] Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary (1st ed.) (305). San Francisco: Harper & Row.