Introduction to Proverbs: Proverbs 1:20-33

Roger Cooper

Bible Study • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

Proverbs 1:1–7

Proverb

Addressees of Proverbs

Writer of Proverbs

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Prayer: Gabbie

Give Scripture: Proverbs 1:20-33

Proverbs 1:20–33 KJV 1900

20 Wisdom crieth without; She uttereth her voice in the streets: 21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: In the city she uttereth her words, saying, 22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, And your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; When distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord: 30 They would none of my counsel: They despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, And the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, And shall be quiet from fear of evil.

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The last two weeks, we have unpacked the first two sections of Proverbs 1. It has been incredibly informative as we have uncovered the purpose of the book of Proverbs, its authorship, dates, and other things. Written by King Solomon, likely while he was relatively young and still in great service/ or commitment to God. We know this because Solomon declares, from a place of wisdom, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom. This in the sense that by fearing and trusting in the Lord we can act according to his will which is crafted in view of his absolute holiness and wisdom.

We then proceed into section 2 which clearly underscores the issues that human beings have with faithfulness and trust in the will and way of God. From the Garden, even to now, many humans have spent their entire lives working to be in their own will without regard for the will, purpose, or plan of God. In this section, the author then lays out an example of the temptation that can befall people when we ignore the will of God and heed to the sayings and ideas of people. And so, the words of our Father and the rules of our Mother come to be an important proving ground for our faithfulness. Of course, personifying the responsibility to uphold the words and rules of God while simultaneously referring to our parents directly. That said, the scriptures by elevating the relationship between mothers, fathers, and children provides new insight into the expectations of our parents as stewards over God’s children while also providing a framework for the respect to be given to our parents.

This moves us into this section of scripture which walks out this presumed connection between the idea that uses parents to step out the relationship between God and Wisdom. The scripture says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom but then goes on to discuss parents as a connected component of this selfsame conversation.

Allow for Questions?

Write some of the questions down if possible.

Scripture Study

Proverbs 1:20–22 The Message

20 Lady Wisdom goes out in the street and shouts. At the town center she makes her speech. 21 In the middle of the traffic she takes her stand. At the busiest corner she calls out: 22 “Simpletons! How long will you wallow in ignorance? Cynics! How long will you feed your cynicism? Idiots! How long will you refuse to learn?

The first and most important point here, to me, is the personification of the spirit/ or idea of wisdom being done in the form of a Woman.

Here the scriptures takes a step out as it personifies the spirit of wisdom, as given by God, while simultaneously supposing that personification should be as a woman.

That said, it is important to understand that wisdom is a gift of God much like the gifts of the spirit and other things that God sends as gifts to the people of God.

But then we take that a step further and begin to walk out the process of wisdom, as she seeks to share her wisdom with the world.

The chief thing to take away is that wisdom is not some hidden thing that we are meant to pursue as a secret but it is freely available to those who would seek after it.

I am reminded of the scripture James 1:5 “5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

God wants to share his wisdom with you as a gift, but it is up to you whether you will accept it and learn from it.

Hence where we hear the scripture say unto us verse 22.

Here we see the truth of wisdom, conveyed through the use of very intense language designed to help us see ourselves.

Here wisdom is essentially asking us HOW LONG WILL YOU TRY TO LIVE IN YOUR OWN WISDOM.

How long will we continue to depend on our own self?

How many times will we make the choice of our forefathers in the garden, to try making ourselves righteous before God through the lens of our own righteousness?

Proverbs 1:23 AMP

23 If you will turn (repent) and give heed to my reproof, behold, I [Wisdom] will pour out my spirit upon you, I will make my words known to you.

Here wisdom again makes the offer to us that if we will turn away from our own wisdom, that Wisdom will pour its wisdom upon us to make us know the things of wisdom.

In this verse, we see further clarity that Wisdom is not God himself but is a gift or impartation of God.

This in mind this word used here is Ruah, the Hebrew word for breath.

I am reminded of the words of Joel 2:28 “28 And it shall come to pass afterward, That I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions:”

Here the Lord says he will pour his SPIRIT upon all flesh in a sense that he is not literally pouring out HIMSELF but he will breath upon us and through his breath we will gain access to heavenly things.

In the case of Joel it is the prophetic but in the case of proverbs, it is wisdom.

Proverbs 1:24–25 KJV 1900

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, And would none of my reproof:

Here wisdom is walking out our choice to turn our back on Wisdom in much the same way we frequently turn our back on God.

Wisdom here is creating a degree of separation between Godly wisdom and Godly righteousness.

You can follow God’s wisdom independent of relationship with him

You can have relationship with God independent of his wisdom

However, the two lead you to one another in that if you will walk in his wisdom, you will find relationship but if you will walk in relationship you will pick up his wisdom.

My wife is still my wife, even when she does not do everything the way I do it.

And, on some things, she learned from me before we were ever close as friends, colleagues, or anything else.

However, in coming to know me she is bound to pick up on how and why I do some things and simultaneously as she learns from me we become closer and closer.

In this dichotomy we can begin to understand how God can separate his wisdom Wisdom from him while the wisdom can still be Godly wisdom.

This same ideology is why Solomon could be the wisest man ever to walk the Earth and still sell off half of his Kingdom and help to breed an environment for idle worship.

These things underscore why we need Godly given wisdom in addition to the things of God as given by the spirit.

Proverbs 1:26–27 NLT

26 So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you— 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster engulfs you like a cyclone, and anguish and distress overwhelm you.

Here it is not that wisdom is laughing out of a desire to see you in your situation but instead is laughing at the entirely preventable nature of your circumstance.

You could have just as easily been in a good place through the application of Godly wisdom.

But instead, many people would rather have calamity and strife than to admit their own failure or inability.

How long will you try to live and act in your own wisdom?

Proverbs 1:28–29 The Message

You’ll need me then. You’ll call for me, but don’t expect an answer. No matter how hard you look, you won’t find me. 29–33 “Because you hated Knowledge and had nothing to do with the Fear-of-God,

The 28th verse presents one of the greatest problems for many people, especially when it is read through the lens that God and wisdom, in the context of this text, are one in the same.

God hears you and while he may not answer like you want, this scripture is not an attempt to rewrite how God works but is instead a personification of Wisdom wherein people often turn to wisdom too late.

It is a lot like the person who refuses to go to the Doctor until it is too late but then demands the doctor fix them/ or work on them.

It is important to fear the Lord and give yourself over to him.

Proverbs 1:30–31 The Message

Because you wouldn’t take my advice and brushed aside all my offers to train you, Well, you’ve made your bed—now lie in it; you wanted your own way—now, how do you like it?

God will turn you over to your own choices and selections.

Proverbs 1:32–33 The Message

Don’t you see what happens, you simpletons, you idiots? Carelessness kills; complacency is murder. First pay attention to me, and then relax. Now you can take it easy—you’re in good hands.”

Wisdom will lead to reprieve from the pain and struggles that are created in life around us.

Provide Key Takeaways

How long will you trust in your own wisdom & knowledge?

Do you see or hear wisdom as she calls out to you from a Godly place?

Are you living in Godly wisdom and relationship, or have you abandoned one or the other?

Allow for Final Questions?

Write some of the questions down if possible.

Prayer Requests

Sheree

Academic Motivation

Roger

Prayer for vocal chords and voice

Prayer that I will see my need to lean and depend on God.

Cannot depend on people to be God.

Zach

Encouragement through this week

Traveling mercies

Understanding his purpose and finding his purpose in God and in life.

Coming to terms with his imperfection

Coming to terms with where God is calling him and how he can be “qualified”

Gabbie

Having conversation with her parents, about how she has felt about them recently

Creating boundaries or go into detail with her feelings

Feeling unwanted in the family, especially with her weight (their most recent tool of antagonism)

Combatting suicidal thoughts, may warrant the reintroduction of her suicidal thoughts

Relationships have been hard for her to develop and cultivate, in this season of unease