LIFE QUEST - A STUDY IN PROVERBS

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom... Proverbs 9:10

Proverbs - Chapter 1

Verses 1-4 explain the purpose of the sayings in the book of Proverbs:

Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

Instruction means to teach by discipline, chastisement, reproof, correction.
Justice means right behavior, righteousness.
Judgment means to make decisions.
Equity means evenness, equality, uprightness.
To give subtly means with discretion or prudence.
Simple means foolish or silly, not mentally retarded.

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.

The word hear is the Hebrew word shama, as in "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD." (DEUT 6:4)

Shama means to hear intelligently with attention and obedience.

Solomon tells us that a wise person will listen attentively to his godly advice and be obedient to put that wisdom into practice in their life.

Dark sayings are riddles, parables, hard to understand sayings which require the hearer to ponder for understanding.

The Bible says that spiritual things cannot be understood by the natural mind:

I Corinthians 2:12-16 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Solomon states this principle in vrs 1:7:

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

We cannot obtain divine wisdom outside of the Lord! We must be born again to understand (spiritual things) from God.

Fools, those that despise godly wisdom and instruction, remain fools and go to destruction. It is foolish to reject God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.

REF:

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom; and to depart from evil [is] understanding.

Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments]: his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.

John 3:18-21 {He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.} {And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.} {For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.} {But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.}

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

Leviticus 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my Sabbaths: I [am] the LORD your God.

Proverbs 30:17 The eye [that] mocketh at [his] father, and despiseth to obey [his] mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

The verses tell us to hear instruction and not to forsake the law. This is speaking in part about the wise, godly counsel of our parents. We must remember that God holds parents responsible to train up a child in the knowledge of God and His righteous standards. This is why a child is instructed to listen. If however, parents instruct children against the things of God or to depart from righteous standards, the child should cleave to what God instructs.


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

REF:

Genesis 39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what [is] with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; [There is] none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou [art] his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

This is concerning Joseph and the incident with Potifer's wife. If Joseph had followed after her enticements, the entire history of mankind may have been altered. Joseph would not have gone to prison, met the baker, interpreted pharaohs dream, become second in charge of Egypt, and saved Israel from starvation, (which included the tribe of Judah from whom Messiah, Jesus Christ was descended, by whom we are saved through faith)!!!

We should be careful to obey God's commandments and flee from evil. Even though we don't always understand the reasons for God's commandments and instructions or direction in our lives, we nevertheless should be obedient. Our stubbornness and rebellion may just start in motion terrible circumstances or thwart blesssings we never imagined.


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.

Turn means to repent or change our direction as God corrects us and shows us the right direction to go. Repentance is a necessary step for salvation.

Obedience to God's direction is also necessary daily in our Christian walks to maintain our fellowship with God and to keep growing. When we follow God's direction, He pours out His Spirit to us and teaches us His word. This causes us to grow in our knowledge of the Lord and gain godly wisdom.


Proverbs 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

The wages of sin is death. -- When we live ungodly, sinful lives our actions and deeds will come back upon us. In other words, we create our own problems! If a person continues in this direction, ignoring God's commandments and rejecting His correction and plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, that person is traveling on the road that leads to death and eternal separation from God.

In sharp contrast -- The gift of God is etenal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) -- When we ask God to forgive us, God takes our sins away, we are forgiven and we receive God's most special and precious gift of eternal life! That gift is made available to us through our faith in what Jesus did on the cross; He died in our place so that we might be pardoned and live through Him!

To be wise is to know Jesus Christ and trust in the wonderful work He did to save us and to receive the eternal life He promised to those who believe. Then let Him change your life as you obey Him, follow Him, and keep His commandments. Praise his Holy Name!!

For further study in the Book of Proverbs proceed to:
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