Proverbs 02

Lesson 2 of 28

LESSON 2 – PROVERBS

THE IMPORTANCE OF WISDOM

Chapters 1-9

The first part of the book is in the form of connected paragraphs, with a few short proverbs included, for example, -

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7.

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Proverbs 3:11-12.

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19.

The largest part of the book, Proverbs chapters 10 through 29, is in the form of short sentences or proverbs, mostly one or two verses each. The last two chapters again consist of short paragraphs.

The first part tells us about the value of wisdom, in Proverbs chapters 1 through 3; advice on how to live, Proverbs Chapters 3.27 to 4.27. Young men are warned against immoral women in Proverbs Chapters 5, 7 and 9. Proverbs Chapter 6 contains other warnings. In Proverbs Chapter 8, Wisdom is like a great woman, and it is something that God has always had.

WISDOM, Chapter 1

1. The purpose of the book, Proverbs 1:1-6
2. How to get wisdom, Proverbs 1:7-9
3. Three Voices, Proverbs 1:10-33.

THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK

Proverbs 1:1 - The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; this is the title of the book.

This book contains wise sayings spoken by Solomon. His father was David, the King of Israel.

Proverbs 1:2-3 - To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 

Solomon’s purpose was to know, to get wisdom and to be able to understand. He wanted to receive wise instructions so he could judge fairly.

Proverbs 1:4 - To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

Then he desired to give this wisdom to those who need it, simple people, young people who want to act wisely.

Proverbs 1:2-4 - 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 - contain ten Hebrew words, desirable things which Solomon wanted for himself and others.

Proverbs 1:5-6 - A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings 

Those with some wisdom will learn more easily. They should be able to understand proverbs, and to explain the difficult words of wiser persons.
The Lord will help us to understand hard verses in the Scriptures. When we do, we should try to teach others also.

HOW TO GET WISDOM

Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

There is a great deal in Proverbs about how to get wisdom. The first thing is to get knowledge and the first thing to learn is to fear the Lord. This does not mean we should be afraid to come to the Lord, but we should reverence and respect Him as a Holy God, as well as love Him as our Father. It is important that children should early learn to show respect to God. The fear of the Lord is also the beginning of wisdom - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10.

Proverbs 1:8 - My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

Solomon told his son to listen to the advice of his father and not to give up his mother’s laws. The word father is found twenty-six times in Proverbs and mother fourteen times. Fathers and mothers should know the word of God so they can teach their children, - And, ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4.

It is a great blessing for anyone to have Christian parents who will first teach them to fear the Lord, then to love Him, - And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15.

Proverbs 1:9 - But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.2 Timothy 3:9. - Fearing the Lord makes a young person beautiful in God’s sight. This is more important than wearing fancy clothes or gold ornaments, 1 Peter 3.3 - Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

THREE VOICES

1. Proverbs 1:11-14 - Here Solomon told his son what wicked men would say to him.
2. Proverbs 1:15-19 - The father strongly advised him not to yield to them.
3. Proverbs 1:20-30 - The rest of the chapter is the voice of Wisdom inviting and warning.

1. THE VOICE OF SINNERS, verses 10-14

Proverbs 1:10 - My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

The father had more experience than his son, so he could warn him what to expect. Some Christians do not receive good advice from their fathers, but our heavenly Father teaches us through His Word.

Proverbs 1:11 - If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause - Criminals may ask a young man to join their gang. Some say, let’s go out and kill someone, anyone, a person who had not done anything wrong to them.

Proverbs 1:12 - Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: - They say they will kill people suddenly so they cannot fight back. The criminals at first speak of one person, but his family would want to get revenge. One sin always leads to more sins worse than the first. So, now, they talk about killing several persons. God judged some men of Israel who had rebelled against Moses. He suddenly opened a pit and these men fell into it and were killed, Numbers 16.32 - And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

The gang of criminals forgot that God knows everything. He saw Abel's blood on the ground, Genesis 4.10 - And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground, and He will surely punish wicked people. The criminals were thinking only about killing innocent people suddenly so no one could fight back.

Proverbs 1:13 - We shall find all precious substance; we shall fill our houses 
with spoil: Why did they want to do this? They thought they would be able to grab all the money of those whom they had killed. This would make them all very wealthy. They were quite willing to take away the most precious thing anyone has in his life in order that they, the criminals, might get rich without working.

Proverbs 1:14 - Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: So they want the young man to join them. They promised to share with him whatever they could steal, but they probably wanted him to give them his money to start with.

2. THE VOICE OF THE FATHER, verses 15-19

Proverbs 1:15 - The father said the son should not walk with such people, or even start going with them by putting his foot in the same path. It may seem like a simple thing, just to walk with sinners, but you will soon be standing and sitting with them also as one of them. This leads to death, - Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalms 1:1-6.

Proverbs 1:16 - For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
Which way are these people going? They are in a hurry to do something wicked, and this quickly leads to murder. Many people start off just having fun, but they wake up in jail to find they have killed somebody. The Holy Spirit used these words to describe sinners in Israel, - Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. Isaiah 59:7; and both Jews and Gentiles, - Their feet are swift to shed blood: Romans 3:15.

Proverbs 1:17-18 - And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes, - You have been warned. No one would expect to catch a bird in a trap if the bird saw him setting the trap. The criminal gang are really laying a trap for themselves. They will surely be caught and put to death. But even if not, God knows all and no murderer has eternal life, - Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 1 John 3:15.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Revelation 22:15.

Proverbs 1:19 - So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof. - The way may seem to lead to happiness, but really the end is terrible sorrow. You are told that you will be happy if you become rich. But you may hurt or kill someone to get his money. You will surely have to suffer for it. In the New Testament we are told to be content with what we have, - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5. Those who love money may pierce themselves through with many sorrows, - For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10.

3. THE VOICE OF WISDOM, Proverbs 1: 20-33

A. Proverbs 1:20-23 - Now we hear the voice of Wisdom as though wisdom were a person like a woman. She calls to people and asks them to hear her.
B. Proverbs 1:24-31 - If not, she warns them of the trouble they will have.
C. Proverbs 1:32-33 - There is a great difference between those who hear and those who refuse.

A. TURN AND HEAR, Proverbs 1: 20-23

Proverbs 1:20-21 - 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, - Wisdom is very anxious to speak. She goes out where the people are and calls to them, in the streets, in the city, at the gate of the city, where the judges come to hear any cases as in a court of law.

Proverbs 1:22 - How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? - She speaks to those who are simple and who want to remain that way; to those who laugh-at wiser people and are very happy in what they do; to fools who do not even want to learn, - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7.

Proverbs 1:23 - Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. - She calls on these persons to turn from their foolish ways, as God did later in Ezekiel - Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33:11.

She promises to pour the spirit of wisdom on them and give them still more teaching. This is really a word from God. We should turn from our sins, and if we do, He will give us the Holy Spirit, - And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: Acts 2:18

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

The Spirit gives us true wisdom; - But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10.

B. WISDOM’S WARNING, Proverbs 1: 24-31

Proverbs 1:24-25 - 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: - Some foolish sinners refused to hear the voice of Wisdom. She invited them to come near by stretching out her hand, but none of them paid any attention. They ignored her advice and refused to listen. Some do not believe the truth or obey the Gospel. They will believe the lie and be punished with eternal destruction, -

In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9.

And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.

Proverbs 1:26-27- 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. - So Wisdom would laugh at them when trouble came, and they suddenly become frightened, worried and very sad.

Proverbs 1:28 - Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: - These fools will start to pray when it is too late. They are like the foolish virgins who had no oil, - Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. Matthew 25:11; or the rich man, who began to think about his brothers too late, - Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house. Luke 16:27.

Proverbs 1:29-30 - Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. - They hated the knowledge which would have led them to fear the Lord. They decided that the words of Wisdom were not worth listening to.

Proverbs 1:31 - And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. - The result is certain.

They will have to pay the penalty.

There will be no way of escape.

C. A GREAT DIFFERENCE, Proverbs 1: 32.33

Here wisdom puts in short form the difference between those who hear her voice and those who refuse. She invited ignorant people to turn and hear her, - Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Proverbs 1:23.

Proverbs 1:32 - For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. - They refused and this will result in death. They were happy in their own ways, not knowing that these ways would destroy them.

Proverbs 1:33 - But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil. - But some listen. They will live in security; they will not worry about any trouble which may come.

 Lesson 2 of 28