PROVERBS  Chapter 1

Introduction

Most everyone desires to have wisdom, and to be considered wise by others.  We look up to those who are wise and want to be esteemed and appreciated in the same way:  where you always have the right answer and do the right things.  In fact, many see wisdom as a way to basically obtain a better life through your brain - always one step ahead of the next guy.

Table of Contents

Proverbs 1:1-7  -  The Purpose and Theme of Proverbs

1. Proverbs 1:1
   1. "The proverbs of Solomon ..."
      • This Wisdom of Solomon: 1Kings 3
      • God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.  Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.  He was wiser than any other man  ...  and his fame spread to all the surrounding nations.  He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five  ...  Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom; sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. (1Kings 4:29-34)
   
   
2. Proverbs 1:2-4
   1. "Instruction, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, discretion, learning."
      • What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
      • What is the difference between wisdom and understanding?
      • When we have knowledge, we can then exercise wisdom, which will give us understanding.
      • Men and women both have trouble reaching true knowledge (which will produce wisdom), but often from two different directions. Women tend to believe everything and men tend to believe nothing.
        
      • How many different truths are there?  There is one absolute truth. (John 14:6)
        • There is one truth  -  Christ
        • There is one way  -  Christ and him crucified
        • There is one life  -  in Christ and that more abundantly
   
   
3. Proverbs 1:5-6
   1. "A wise man will listen ... and a man who listens will attain wise counsel"
      • In order to listen, you must have humility.
      • It's tough when someone tells you that you are wrong.  How do you react?  Do you accept it or reject it?
   2. "... the words of the wise and their riddles."
      • Life is full of riddles, but they are not always jokes and can be very serious
        • How come a successful guy can fall in love with some girl, but she doesn't like him.  Yet she is in love with another who can't hold a job and is actually a jerk.  Furthermore, the guy doesn't really care for her, etc.
        • Why does a good Christian person who is leading dozens of people to Christ die of a heart attack at age 40 and another person who produces child pornography lives an easy life to 100.
   
   
4. Proverbs 1:7
   1. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge ... "
      • Prov 9:10  "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"
      • What does it mean by fear?  Holy fear, Reverence, Respect.
      • Why is "the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom and knowledge"?
        • If you don't fear the Lord, you will not have a whole lot of motivation to change.
        • Is the Bible 100% accurate word of God? 
          If you don't believe it is, then you will start to judge what is God's word and what isn't; then the Scriptures will be as dumb as you are.  However, if you accept the Bible 100% and trust God, then even if the Bible is 10% corrupted (which it isn't), you will grow exponentially more than if you judge God's word.  (This is true humility and reverence)
        • Does your lifestyle show that you really fear God?  (In a healthy sense)
      • Examples of the concept of fearing God:
        • Ex 20:18-21  The people fear the Lord which keeps them from sin.
        • Job 1:1,4-5  Job feared the Lord by shunning evil and doing everything possible to make amends with God.
        • Psalm 112:1  Blessed is the man who fears God, by delighting in His law he does the right thing which brings blessing.
   2. "But fools despise wisdom and instruction."
      • Have you ever gone to a party and said, "remember, if you drink too much you will get sick".  If you did, your wisdom would be utterly rejected.
      • The fact that they despise wisdom is what makes them fools.
      • Prov 3:11  Do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction.
      • Prov 9:8  Don't reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.

1. Proverbs 1:8-9
   1. "... listen to your father, ... do not forsake the law of your mother;"
      • Both the father and the mother are involved in teaching the children wisdom.
   2. "... they will be graceful ornaments on your head ..."
      • You can really understand this if your parents didn't teach you wisdom (social, work, manners, etc.).  Eventually you will end up in a situation where you just don't know what to do or how to act.  And you do something foolish which makes you feel like a buffoon.

1. Proverbs 1:10-19
   1. "... let us swallow them up like Sheol, ... like those who go down to the pit" (v.12)
      "... we shall find all kinds of precious possessions, ..." (v.13)
      "... cast your lot with us ..." (v.14)
      
      • Notice that the fool is enticed (v.10) with power, greed, and gang membership.
      • Those who lure you into their plans are usually fools themselves.  They will usually try to diminish your worries with words like, "what could go wrong?"  without mentioning what really could go wrong.
   2. "In vain the net is spread in the sight of the bird ... but they lie in wait for their own blood"
      • The bird is not smart enough to understand the trap.  And even though the bird watches you build the trap, he can still get caught.
      • But notice the evil fools:  They build a trap for themselves and trap themselves.
      • People realize this too late when they are caught.  For they are in jail with witnesses and evidence and their foolishness is fully revealed.  How can they escape?
      • Whenever you do something wrong, you set a trap for yourself.
      • They lurk secretly (v18).  I find it interesting that you set out to destroy your own life without anyone knowing about it, including yourself.

1. Proverbs 1:20-22  WISDOM PERSONIFIED
   1. "Wisdom call aloud in the street, she raises her voice ... "
      • If wisdom is calling out loud, then shouldn't everyone be able to hear it?
      • How come people don't hear wisdom?  Either not listening or deaf.
   2. "Simple ones love simplicity ... Scorners delight in scorning ... fools hate knowledge"
      • There are three kinds of fools here:
        1. The simple is someone who is naïve or inexperienced.
        2. The scorner is the type that produces nothing, yet ridicules all those who do.
        3. The full-blown fool hates what is right (he knows what is right and chooses wrong).
      • The one thing these three types of fools have in common is the fact that they all love their lack of understanding.
   
   
2. Proverbs 1:23-31
   1. v. 23 -- is wisdom's promise of blessing to the wise
      • Notice wisdom does not only reprove you, but blesses you.
      • Who here takes reproof or criticism well?  We all need to pray for humility.
   2. v.24-27 -- is wisdom's promise of curse or scorn
      • "I will laugh at your calamity"  Have you ever noticed that when you do something really stupid how the thought of, "we should have done it right", will mock you.
      • How can you avoid doing something wrong were wisdom will laugh at you?  Pray that God will give you the opportunity to do things right before you do them wrong.
   3. v.28-31 -- is wisdom's promise not to be found by those who hate her
      • "They will call to me, but I will not answer"  Why will wisdom not answer?
        • It seems as if once you give yourself over to practicing foolishness, it is then impossible to exercise wisdom.
      • "They shall eat the fruit of their way ..."  or in other words, "they shall reap what they sow" (Gal 6:7).
        • Do you feel that sometimes you reap what you sow because you are foolish?
        • In life, there can be exceptions to this rule.  And many times we step outside of wisdom because we think our situation is "different".  However, it is very important to NOT LOOSE SITE OF THE TRUTH.   The fool is the one who thinks all of their circumstances fall under the exception.  Obey God and let Him work out the exceptions.  (In other words, be steadfast)
   
   
3. Proverbs 1:32-33  THE FOOL VS. THE WISE
   1. "... the waywardness of the simple will slay him"
      • The gambler, drug addict, adulterer, liar, will be slain by their lifestyle.  These people may achieve some gain or power or excitement, but no peace or joy, and eventually death.
      • "... the complacency of the fool ..."
        • Could be their laziness in seeking wisdom.
        • Could be that fools are naturally lazy which will cause them to fall.
        • Wisdom comes by humility and discipline and focus and prayer.
   2. "But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, ..."
      • Listening to wisdom will bring freedom and security, but it takes an effort in which the benefit may not be realized for years.
        • Examples: Saving for retirement.  Attending College.  Changing jobs so you can spend more time with your family.  Paying off loans early.
      • Having a warrant out for your arrest does not bring peace.
      • Hiding a secret life will not bring peace.
   
   

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