Proverbs

Proverbs 1:1-7

The Proverbs are to teach the lessons that come from life experiences.  Lessons come in many ways, the Psalms prepare the mind and heart to receive.  They warn of the decisions to be made and instruct on how to make them.  The wisdom and knowledge seem interchangable yet different words are used.  The 'wisdom' of verse 2 is not the same as verse 3.  One seems to be the accumulation of knowledge and the other the understanding that what one has is, in fact, wisdom.  Knowledge in and of itself does nothing.  It must be recognized, we must understand how to apply it, then it instructs our life. 

• Wisdom – right thinking
• Justice – right decision making
• Judgement – right application
• Equity – done fairly and equitably; no discrimination or dishonesty

Something for everyone:

Proverbs makes prudence (direction in practical affairs) available to the simple.  This simple person is gullible and succeptible to falling to temptation.  The young man lacks sense and discipline because of his age.  The proverbs offer him the knowledge and discretion to protect him.  The wise mand will receive instruction from the proverbs.  He is teachable and increase knowledge.  This 'man of understanding' receives strategies to conduct his life. 

The fear of the Lord is the gatekeeper to the proverbs.  There seem to be two paths of varying degrees:

• Those who fear the Lord;
  • characterized as the way of the wise
  • teachable; welcome instruction
• Those who don't fear the Lord;
  • characterized as the way of the fool
  • Unteachable; despise instruction

The fear of the Lord establishes the context of man and his Maker.  It recognizes our need, a humility and submissiveness.  The one who rejects the Lord is the fool; his heart is hard and he has to live a carefully jaded life to ignore all the evidence of Amighty God.  Wisdom and instruction threaten his identity; which would subsequently harm his pride and show him his responsibility to acknowledge God.  Without the fear of the Lord, man is destined to foolishness.  He lacks the context and the tender hear to truly receive wisdom.

Proverbs 1:8-19

Our parents are our most diligent teachers.  They invest in us with their lives, passing along life lessons to us.  Others will teach, but none other will teach with the love and caring of your parents.

The wisdom is to not be enticed by sinners.  These enticements don't always seem wicked or appear as sin.  They may sound fun and easy to justify, "what can it hurt?"  The bird sees the spreading of the net and sees the trap and avoids it.  But the greedy don't see that their sin lurks secretly for their blood and their life. 

Proverbs 1:20-33

In contrast to the enticements of the sinner, we can also hear wisdom call.  The call of wisdom is personified as a woman urging the simple to listen.  She cries in the streets, admonishes the simple, scoffers and fools to just pay attention to her words.  To ignore her would bring distaster and eventually destruction. 

Wisdom is attained daily, diligently, little by little over time.  It's not something to shun and ignore, then when trouble comes, attempt to pick up and apply.  When destruction comes, wisdom is far off and seems to mock those who shunned it or hated it.  Wisdom begins with the Lord.  The ultimate failure in wisdom is to reject the Lord.  In doing so, they have set the course for their life and eternity. 

Alternately, whoever listens to wisdom dwells safely, securely and without fear.  It's the wise man who chooses the Lord.

Proverbs 2:1-9

Wisdom calls for us to receive it and treasure it.  To receive is to incline your hear and endeavor to take it in.  To apply your heart to understanding is the commitment that shows you treasure it.  From the crying out, searching and seeking we will be rewarded with understanding the fear of the Lord.  Wisdom comes from Him and He gives abundantly to the upright.  By this, He:

• Is a shield to us
• Guards our justice
• Preserves our ways

Wisdom teaches us God's way of righteousness and justice and the way we should walk. 

Proverbs 2:10-22

Wisdom does a work:

• Discretion will preserve you
• Understanding will keep you

This is done:

• To deliver you
  • From evil
  • The perverse
  • The unrighteous
• To deliver you
  • From the immoral woman

 This is done so we can walk in righteousness and goodness.  In contrast the wicked are cut off.  Wisdom defines the line of the righteous from the unrighteous.

Proverbs 3

The father offers his commands to his son.  The commans are important to a long and peaceful life.  The son will make a decision; either heed the commands and enjoy the benefits; or, ignore the commands, seek other advice, become a fool, scorner or simple man.  The commands are warnings and encouragements as pertaining to attitudes, actions and treatment of others. 

3-4; This speaks of a loyal love and faithfulness.  The son can't allow these things to abandon his life.  They should be tied on, so as not to slip off, be lost or abandoned along the way.  They are worn externally.  They should also be written on the tablet of the heart.  A 'tablet' was a place sufficient to print this permanent message. This message then exists internally.  The attitude and actions are to be formed by the loyal love and faithfulness.  You will have a reputation before both God and man. 

5-6: Trust, minus your own understanding, plus acknlwedgment of your ways to God = God's guidance on your paths.  The more you lean on your own understanding, the less guidance you will have, not because God withholds it, but because you won't feel the need to seek it or heed it. 

7-8: Being wise in your own eyes is likened to putting yourself in the company of evil.  Instead, the command is to flea evil, fear God and enjoy the benefits in your life. 

9-10; This speaks of honoring God with all you have and the firstfruits of harvest.  The firstfruits are a representative offering; an acknowledgment that its all His.  In doing so, there is a promise of an abundant provision.

11-12; An important aspect of being a son loved by the the Father in heaven is that He will correct us.  It is His delight to correct us; not for the sake of correction but because it is best for us in the long run.   

13-18; Wisdom is likened to the tree of life.  This is more precious and valuable than anything we pursue in this world.  There is no comparison.  We are commanded to 'take hold' of wisdom and make sure we 'retain' her.  This implies it can slip away from our grasp.

19-20; The Lord used wisdom in the creation process.  Wisdom is woven into the fabric of the creation; it is visible in the design. 

21-26; Wisdom goes hand in hand with discretion.  This 'discretion' the ability to make judgments and decisions in life.  This equates to life, grace, a safe walk, no fear, blessed sleep; all of these are summed up in having confidence in the Lord.

27-35;  When wisdom and discretion are lived out in every day life, it looks a little something like this.  There is generosity, trustworthiness, humility, godliness, purity.  These form a contrast of the upright and the house of the wicked.

• The wicked are fools and scorners and receive scorn, shame is their legacy.
• The just and humble man is blessed and will inherit glory. 

©2017 Doug Ford