Proverbs 15

Lesson 15 of 28

D. JEHOVAH

JEHOVAH THE LORD

We have studied many proverbs, some about the words we say and others about the thoughts of the heart. Now in this section we will read over fifty proverbs about Jehovah the Lord.

24. His Wisdom and Knowledge
25. His Great Power
26. His Supremacy over All
27. Sacrifices to the Lord
28. Salvation from the Lord
29. The Blessing of the Lord
30. The Way of Life

The Bible has 66 books about God. We should study every book and ask ourselves, what does this book teach about God? In Proverbs we will see that He knows everything, can do anything, and rules supreme above all others. Men should bring sacrifices to the Lord; He will save us, bless us and show us His way.

24. THE LORD KNOWS EVERYTHING

Proverbs 3:19-20 - The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. - The Lord created heaven and earth by His wisdom and knowledge. In this section we will see that He knows men’s hearts and will judge all men fairly.

Proverbs 15:3 - The eyes of the Lord are in every place, behol ding the evil and the good. - The Lord can see and know what men are doing, both good and bad, all over the world. Solomon may have learned this truth from his father, David, who wrote Psalm 139.

God knew all David’s thoughts, - Psalms 139:3-6- Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it,

And He is everywhere - Psalms 139:7-12 - Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Even if David went to the grave he could not get away from God, Psalms 139:8 - If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

Proverbs 15:11 - Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? - So Solomon said that the Lord knows the place of the dead and the place of destruction. Of course He knows the hearts of all men.

Proverbs 16:2 - All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Men and women may think that they live good lives, but what does God think? God can test our inner motives. He asks not only, What did you do? but also, Why did you do it? 

Proverbs 5:21 - For theways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

Proverbs 17:3 - The fin ing pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts. Men can melt silver and gold in a furnace, to see if these metals are pure, or to remove anything impure. God knows how to test men’s hearts. He tried or tested Job through sickness and the loss of property and family, and Job came through like pure gold, Job 23.10 - But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Proverbs 20:27 - The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly. Man is not only body and soul, man has also a spirit, 1 Thessalonians 5.23 - And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is Spirit, John 4.24 - God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth, and He can speak to man’s spirit through His Spirit. He warns us through our conscience and His Word. So man’s spirit is like the Lord's candle. God can know our thoughts and motives, and we can know that God is eternal and supreme, Romans 1.20 - For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: We can know God through creation, through Scripture, and through His Son.

Proverbs 22:12 - The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor. Of course there are many false religions and false teachers in the world. But God knows how to guard the truth about Himself, which is man’s greatest knowledge. His Word is eternal - 

Psalm 119:89 - For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:152 - Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

1 Peter 1.25 - But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

God can and will destroy all false teaching, 2 Peter 2.1 - But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even deny ing the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

25. THE LORD'S GREAT POWER

Proverbs 20:12 - T he hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.- He created the world and everything in it. Man is His creature. Perhaps the ears and eyes are the most wonderful parts of the human body. Agur knew that God made it all, Proverbs 30:4 - Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

Proverbs 21:1 - The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. - God can control what He has made. He can guide the affairs of men through their rulers. God partly allows kings and all men to go their own way, but He still keeps control.

We ought to pray for all who are in authority, 1 Timothy 2.1-2 - I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Proverbs 16:33 - The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. - In early days men could learn God's will by casting lots. After prayer they would throw some small stones on the ground or into a fold of the clothing. Then they understood by the way the stones fell what the Lord would have them do. This method was used to decide which of two goats should be killed, Leviticus 16.8-10 - And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness; and how Israel should divide the land of Canaan among the twelve tribes, Joshua 14.2 - By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

Here we see that the Lord can indeed guide men by controlling the casting of lots. This method was used to settle quarrels, Proverbs 18:18 - The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty and to choose who should be considered an apostle, Acts 1.26 - And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. Today it is better for Christians to pray to the Lord and wait for the Spirit’s guidance.

26. HIS SUPREMACY OVER ALL

God created all and keeps control of all things. He is able to guide the thoughts and hearts of men.

Proverbs 16:1 - The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. The Lord can control man’s plans, thoughts and words.

Proverbs 16:9 - man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. He can show us the right way even when our thoughts might be different. For example, Paul and Silas would have been glad to go into the province of Asia or Mysia or Bithynia, but the Spirit led them to Troas and Macedonia, Acts 16.6-10 - Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

Proverbs 19:21 - There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Wicked men make their plans, sometimes they try to hurt God's people. We do not need to be afraid, the Lord's will cannot be defeated. For example, the king of Assyria planned to capture Jerusalem, but the Lord delivered His people, - Isaiah 36.2 - And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field. Isaiah 37.15 - And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying. Isaiah 37.36 - Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

Proverbs 21:30 - There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. In fact no men are so wise that their plans against the Lord can succeed. Daniel’s enemies thought they had a clever plan to trap the man of God, but it did not work, Daniel 6.5-9 - Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Daniel 6.24 - And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

We need God's own wisdom, Proverbs 4:5-7 - Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Proverbs 16:4 - The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. All things were made by the Lord and for Him, Colossians 1.16 - For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him; Revelation 4.11 - Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

He can even use wicked men who refuse to obey Him. For example, He punished the people of Sodom and Gomorrah for their own sins, but this was a warning and a lesson to all others. 2 Peter 2.6 - And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; Jude 7 - Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

The Lord must punish His own people also when they sin, and He often uses wicked men for this, Jeremiah 21.9 - He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey. 

Wicked people will be punished in the end, Job 21.30 - That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath, and even this will show forever God's perfect righteousness.

27. SACRIFICES TO THE LORD

Death is the punishment for sin, and we are all sinners. Abel brought a lamb to the Lord as a sacrifice; he knew he should have died for his sins, but the lamb died as a substitute for Abel. Christ is our Sacrifice and Substitute, 1 Corinthians 5.7 - Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; 1 Corinthians
15.3 - For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; but before He came millions of animals were offered as sacrifices to God. In Proverbs we have four verses about sacrifices.

Proverbs 21:3 - To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. The priests taught Israel that men should bring an offering when they came to confess some sin. People soon got the idea that they could commit any sin and then just bring an offering and all would be well. Here Solomon through the Holy Spirit taught that righteous living is more important than animal sacrifice. Samuel taught this in 1 Samuel 15.22 - And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams, and later the prophets preached the same thing, for example, Micah 6.6-8 - Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?.

Proverbs 28:9 - He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. This is much the same. If I allow sin to remain in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer, Psalm 66.18 - If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. We should pray every day and read the Bible (and obey it.) These things go together.

Proverbs 21:27 - The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? A wicked person may bring a sacrifice to the Lord, but in his heart he has never repented. Today a sinner may give a large gift of money to the church. This cannot please God, it is an abomination. Proverbs 15:8 - The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Proverbs 20:25 - It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. A godly man or woman in Israel might promise to give a sacrifice to God if He answered some special prayer. Jacob did this, Genesis 28.20-22 - And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee; a Nazarite, or any person might do so, Numbers 6.2 - Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord; Numbers 15.3 - And will make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the Lord, of the herd, or of the flock; and Jonah did the same, Jonah 2.9 - But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. Here Solomon warned against making a vow to the Lord without thinking, and then trying to get out of it, Ecclesiastes 5.4-7 - When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. Jepthah was sorry he had not been more careful in his vow, Judges 11.30-31 - And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

Everything we have belongs to the Lord already, so we should not make any vows. He answers our prayers and we should thank and praise Him.