Proverbs
#1
Proverbs 1 (Pg. 449) says:
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of
2 for
attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for
acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving
prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young-
5 let the
wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance-
6 for
understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear
of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools [a] despise wisdom and discipline.
8
Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
9 They will
be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
10 My son,
if sinners entice you,
do not give in to them.
11 If they
say, "Come along with us;
let's lie in wait for someone's blood,
let's waylay some harmless soul;
12 let's
swallow them alive, like the grave, [b]
and whole, like those who go down to the
pit;
13 we will
get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
14 throw in
your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse"-
15 my son,
do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
16 for their
feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.
17 How
useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!
18 These men
lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!
19 Such is
the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the lives of those who get
it.
20
Wisdom calls aloud in the street,
she raises her voice in the public
squares;
21 at the
head of the noisy streets [c] she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her
speech:
22 "How
long will you simple ones [d] love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you
had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.
24 But since
you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I stretched out
my hand,
25 since you
ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn
will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you-
27 when
calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a
whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28
"Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find
me.
29 Since
they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD,
30 since
they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will
eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their
schemes.
32 For the
waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy
them;
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of
harm."
·
The author
identifies himself as the son of David, King Solomon of
·
It is
believed that Solomon gathered together many proverbs from other sources.
·
He was the
editor of all and the author of some.
·
And we are
told that he wrote more proverbs than appear in this book.
·
Proverbs is
believed to be written about 700 B.C.
·
Although
these proverbs were written 2700 years ago, they could have been written
yesterday and are still relevant for today.
·
Chapters 1-9
contrast the difference between wisdom and foolishness.
Vs.
1
1
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of
2 for attaining wisdom and discipline;
for understanding words of insight;
·
The word “wisdom”
in the scriptures means “the ability to _____________(use)
knowledge _____________________(rightly)”.
·
The word,
“Wisdom” occurs in the book of Proverbs 41 times.
·
Wisdom
includes skill in living by following God’s _____________________(design) for ________________(life) as outlined in the
pages of the ___________________(Bible) and thereby avoiding moral ____________________(pitfalls).
Matthew 7:24-28 (pg 686) says:
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of
mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the
rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the
winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its
foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these
words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who
built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with
a great crash."
·
Proverbs
urges people to get wisdom for it is ___________________(worth)
more than ___________________(gold) or silver.
·
The New Testament
refers to Christ as “________________________(wisdom)
from God” because the _____________________(Word) of _______________(God) is
________________(Wisdom) and ___________________(Jesus) is the Word.
John 1:1,14 (pg. 750) says:
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the
beginning. 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling
among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,[d] who came from the Father, full of grace and
truth.
·
The Word of
God ________________(lived) among us in the form of
Jesus ___________________(Christ) and still __________________(lives) among us
today in the form of the ____________________ __________________(Holy Spirit)!
·
Those who are
born again of the Holy Spirit have the ________________(mind)
of _________________(Christ) which has access to God’s
___________________(wisdom).
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 (pg. 807) says:
The Spirit searches all things, even the
deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the
thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one
knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We
have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that
we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This
is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by
the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.[a] 14The man without
the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for
they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are
spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man makes
judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's
judgment:
16"For who has known the mind of the Lord
that he may instruct him?"[b] But we have the mind of Christ.
·
The _____________________(thoughts)
you ___________________(think) and the ____________________(words) you ____________________(speak)
are either ______________(truth) and wisdom from _______________(God) or
______________(lies) and deceptions from the ______________(devil).
John 8:31, 43-44 (pg. 758) says:
31To
the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching,
you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free."
43Why is my
language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry
out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to
the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native
language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
·
Words are like
_____________________(containers) – they _________________(carry) either
_____________(faith) &_______________(truth) from _______________(God) or
they carry ________________(lies) & ___________________(deceptions) from
the ________________(devil) and they produce after their kind.
Matthew 5:21-25 (pg. 684) says:
21"You have heard that it was said to the people
long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to
judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry
with his brother[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone
who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone
who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.
23"Therefore,
if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother
has something against you, 24leave your gift there in
front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and
offer your gift.
25"Settle
matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you
are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the
judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have
paid the last penny.[d]
·
The Bible
says that your words can ______________(kill) and if they do, you are know
aligning yourself with the ____________________(devil) who is the father of
_________________(lies), who comes to _______________(kill),
__________________(steal) and ______________________(destroy).
John
0The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
·
Be careful
about Speaking your ___________________(problems) to others because most people
will ________________(agree) with you and then you will have ________________(more)
of what you agree ____________________(together) on whether you _________________(want)
it or ____________(not).
Matthew 18:18-19 (pg 695) says:
18"I
tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[c]bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be[d] loosed in heaven.
19"Again,
I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it
will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where
two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
·
I have always
taken this passage in the positive, but also see how it can work in the
negative.
·
When a person
makes a negative comment like “we are under a curse from the devil” and you
say, “That’s for sure” you just bound yourself with your words.
·
That’s why it
is so important to take ___________________(control)
of every _____________________(thought) and throw it out of our mind before we
____________________(speak) it because after it is spoken it will lead to
________________________(destruction) if is not wisdom from God.
2 Corinthians 10:5 says:
5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets
itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to
make it obedient to Christ.
·
Wisdom from
God confesses __________________(love) in the face of
apparent persecution and ____________________(hatred).
·
Wisdom from
God confesses ___________________(victory) in the face
of apparent ____________________(defeat).
·
Wisdom from
God confesses ____________________(abundance) in the
face of apparent ___________________(lack).
Romans 4:15-25 says:
16Therefore,
the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to
all Abraham's offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those
who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As
it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."[a] He is our father in the sight of God, in
whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are
not as though they were.
18Against
all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,
just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."[b] 19Without weakening
in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was
about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet
he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was
strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being
fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This
is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The
words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for
us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He
was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our
justification.
·
Jesus has
told his followers that they can ___________________(have) what they pray and
say in faith, but many professing Christians are ___________________(saying)
and praying what they __________________(have) instead and then thy wonder why
they get ________________(more) of the things the don’t ______________(want).
·
It is because
they are not praying and speaking their wisdom, the world’s wisdom, the devils
wisdom instead of God’s wisdom by faith
Mark 11:22-24 (pg. 717)
says:
22"Have[a] faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain,
'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes
that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore
I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it,
and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if
you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven
may forgive you your sins."[b]
·
Jesus rebuked
his disciples for _______________________(discussing) the
___________________(facts) instead of speaking God’s
___________________(wisdom) and truth by ___________________(faith).
Mark 8:14-21 (pg. 713) says:
14The
disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them
in the boat. 15"Be careful," Jesus warned
them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod."
16They
discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no
bread."
17Aware of
their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no
bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?
And don't you remember? 19When I broke the five loaves
for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
"Twelve," they replied.
20"And
when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of
pieces did you pick up?"
They answered, "Seven."
21He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
·
From God’s
perspective real wisdom is not just _______________________(discussing) the
____________________(facts) regarding your _______________________(problems) but
instead speaking God’s _____________________(promises) as
___________________(revealed) by the _________________(Word) and the
_________________ ___________________(Holy Spirit).
·
Jesus did not
____________________(call) Lazarus or the young girl
who died, __________________(dead) - instead He said they were only
___________________(asleep). John 11:1-44; Luke 8:41-42, 49-56
·
Jesus was not
lying – he was telling the truth because he knew that they both were going to
________________(live) after he rose them from the dead and he did not want to
____________(say) anything that would ________________________(contradict) that
_____________________(truth).
·
Jesus knows
that words either carry truth or lies and so he always calls “things that are
not as if though they _________________(were) – wisdom
from God does that!
·
·
Simon Peter
acted like a _________________(reed) that blows in the
___________________(wind), but Jesus called him a ___________________(rock) in
which he built his church.
John
1:41-42 says:
41The
first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We
have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42And
he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son
of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter[a]).
·
How you see
yourself is how others will eventually see you – what you ___________________(project) to others will be _______________________(mirrored)
back to you.
·
How you see
others will become in time, how they see themselves because life is a
_____________________(mirror) that reflects the ____________________(truth) or
________________(lies) contained in our ____________________(thoughts and
_______________________(words).
·
Over time, we
will __________________(reap) what we ____________________(sow) – if you do not
like the _______________________(Harvest) you are
________________________(reaping), _________________(sow) a better
____________________(seed) of hope faith and love because in life we will reap
the Harvest of the seed you sow.
·
When you
operate in the ___________________(world’s) wisdom you
will read a harvest of ________________________(selfishness).
·
When you operate
in God’s wisdom you reap a harvest of ________________________(righteousness).
·
Real wisdom
from God is not always __________________(seen), but
____________________(invisible) to the physical eye.
·
Real wisdom
from God is only seen through the eyes of _________________(faith).
Hebrews
11:1-2 , 13-16 (Pg. 1871) says:
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the
ancients were commended for.
13All these people were still living by faith when they died.
They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them
from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on
earth. 14People who say such things show that they are
looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been
thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to
return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better
country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them.
·
There are a
great many brilliant people who have knowledge; yet they lack wisdom from God.
·
Wisdom in the
Old Testament means Jesus Christ for the believer today.
1
Cor.
It
is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom
from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
·
Christ is the
wisdom for the believer today and to know wisdom is to know Jesus Christ.
Philippians
10I
want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of
sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
·
True Wisdom
is knowing Jesus Christ – _________________(hearing)
and _________________(obeying) His voice!
Vs.
3-4
3
for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young-
·
“Prudence”
means good sense.
·
Outside of
Proverbs, the Hebrew word is used in the negative sense of “shrewd” or “crafty”
·
“Simple”
occurs 15 times.
·
Simple
denotes those who are easily persuaded who lack Judgment”, who are immature,
inexperienced and naïve.
·
The word
“instruction” appears 26 times in the book of Proverbs.
·
Sometimes the
same Hebrew word is translated by the word chasten.
Proverbs
24
He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to
discipline him.
·
The word “instruction”
means to _______________________(teach) by _______________________(discipline).
·
Instruction
is to teach by discipline.
·
The Bible
says that God ______________________(disciplines)
those whom he ______________________(loves) so they will _______________(grow
_______(up) spiritually becoming more like Jesus and less like the world.
·
“To perceive
the words of understanding”.
·
To perceive
God’s truth, we need the “eyes of our heat” to be _________________(opened) by the Holy Spirit.
·
In V. 3 the
word justice means righteousness – “right behavior”.
·
Right
behavior is not ___________________(relative) and is not determined by our _____________________(cultural)
norms - What is right and wrong is _____________________(declared) by God and
written down in the ________________(Bible).
·
Right and
wrong have become relative terms in our culture today by which the norm is
decided by the culture.
·
The
prevailing feeling in our culture today is that what the average man does
becomes the norm; it becomes the standard.
·
This is one
of the reasons why there is so much dishonesty and gross immorality today.
·
Right and
wrong have become relative terms and God is opposed to such relativism.
·
God is a God
of _____________________(absolutes) and The Bible is
the Christians ____________________(guide) for what is right and wrong.
·
There is such
a thing as absolute truth and such wisdom is found in the Bible from Genesis to
Revelation.
·
“Judgment”
means that you and I are to make judgments/decisions.
·
People say “I
don’t know whether I should do this or not”.
·
If you cannot
enter into a decision enthusiastically, you ought not to do it at all.
·
If we do enter
into a decision, we ought to do with anticipation, excitement, and joy.
·
We should be
fully persuaded in our own minds that this is the right course of action.
·
Happy is the
man whose conscience does not condemn him in the things which he allows.
·
If you look
back on what you did yesterday and say, “I wish I hadn’t done that,” then it
was wrong for you to do that thing.
·
In
questionable matters about which the scriptures are silent, this is a great
principle that will guide you in your conduct.
·
If you can
look back on what you did yesterday and say, “Hallelujah, it was a great day
for me,” then you know that what you did was right for you to”.
·
We should
bear with each other’s infirmities, rather than simply pleasing ourselves.
·
We should ask
ourselves, Is this thing I am doing an offense to my
brother or sister in Christ?
·
These are
great principles of conduct that should guide the believer.
·
“Give subtlety
to the simple.”
·
Being prudent
is the meaning of giving to the simple; it is to act prudently – it means to be
wise in what we do.
·
A child of
God ought not to act foolishly.
Matthew
16I
am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes
and as innocent as doves.
·
“Next to
knowing is knowing where to find out.”
·
That is one
reason it is good to have the Bible handy and to learn to read it – if you
don’t know, you surely can know where to find out.
·
“Discretion”
means thoughtfulness.
5
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance-
·
Great leaders
never stop learning.
·
This has been
the characteristic of all great men. They never reached the place where they
felt they had learned everything.
·
Proverbs says
that a fool will not ___________________(listen) to ___________________(others),
but a wise man will hear and ____________________(increase) his ________________________(learning).
·
“A man of
understanding shall attain unto wise counsels”
·
This is the
challenge of the whole book.
·
Solomon says
that if you are _________________(smart), you will _________________(listen)
and _________________(apply) to what is being said in this book.
Matthew
7:24-27 says:
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and
puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and
beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on
the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine
and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house
on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the
winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
·
The spirit of
God has a lot of choice things to say in this Book of Proverbs. They are great
truths, expressed in short sentences.
6
for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
·
Another
Proverb carries the same thought in Proverbs 25:2
Proverbs
25:2 says:
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of
kings.
·
God has given
the gospel message clearly to be declared from the housetops.
·
But there is
a great deal of truth in the Word of God that is like diamonds.
·
God has not
scattered diamonds around on the ground.
·
Jewels and
that which is valuable have been hidden away for the man to look for and to
find.
·
Just like diamonds
must be __________________(mined) and oil must be ___________________(drilled)
for; so to ___________________(wisdom) must be ___________________(searched)
out and ___________________(discovered) in the Bible.
·
That is the
way that God does it – it is the glory of God to conceal a thing.
·
The Lord
Jesus said, “search the scriptures for in them you
have eternal life”.
·
John
39You
diligently study[a] the Scriptures because you think that by
them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,
·
God has put
these great truths in his book.
·
You cannot
get the nuggets out of the Word of God without study.
2
Timothy 2:14-16 says:
14Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before
God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who
listen. 15Do your best to present yourself to God as one
approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles
the word of truth. 16Avoid godless chatter, because
those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
·
God has
hidden some great truths in his Word for those who will take the time to mine
them out.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools [a] despise wisdom and discipline.
THIS
IS THE THEME OF THE BOOK!
·
THE THEME OF
THE BOOK OF PROVERBS IS THE HUMBLE GRATEFULLY _______________________(RECEIVE)
GOD’S WISDOM, BUT FOOLS DO NOT TAKE THE ________________(TIME) TO
_________________(LISTEN) TO IT.
·
“Fear of the
Lord” means a loving reference for God that includes submission to his Lordship
and to the commands of his Word.
·
Fools are
those who despise wisdom and knowledge, who are quick to quarrel and give full
vent to their anger, an who are complacent and trust
in themselves rather than in God.
8
Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
V. 8 represent a typical
introduction to an instruction speech in Proverbs, evoking a domestic situation
of a father preparing his son for life in the world.
·
The mother is
also depicted as a teacher.
9 They will be a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.
·
The wise
child listens to the biblical advice of their godly parents.
·
Those who
follow wisdom add beauty and honor to their lives.
·
Parent’s have
a responsibility to ______________________(instruct)
their children according to biblical ____________________(discipline).
10
My son, if sinners entice you,
do not give in to
them.
·
Now the
movement is outside the home.
·
When the you child goes away, who is the first person he meets?
·
Generally
that conduct will be with a sinner because most of the human race falls into
that category – they have not come to Christ.
·
All of us are
born into sin, but the boy will meet an unredeemed sinner who is really living
in sin.
·
The boy
should not associate with such rebellious children who do not live for God.
·
Parents needs to be
involved in the selection of the boys friends when he are young.
·
In this book
you can find a proverb to fit every Bible character.
·
This proverb
fits Joseph.
·
When he was
enticed by Potiphar’s wife, he did not consent to her.
11
If they say, "Come along with us;
let's lie in wait for someone's blood,
let's waylay some harmless soul;
·
Their goal is
personal enrichment by theft or oppression, even if they have to commit murder.
12 let's swallow them alive, like the grave, [b]
and whole, like those who go down to the
pit;
13 we will get all sorts of valuable things
and fill our houses with plunder;
·
By contrast,
the book of Proverbs teaches that wisdom brings the greatest riches man could
ever gain.
·
The sinner
has a plan and a program to get something for nothing. He lives off someone
else and makes someone else suffer in order that he might prosper.
14 throw in your lot with us,
and we will share a common purse"-
·
This is the
philosophy of the day – it is a welfare mentality.
·
Generally
those who hold onto this philosophy of living out of the same purse, are doing
nothing themselves.
·
They want
working people to share what they have worked for, but they don’t have any
contribution to make to it at all.
·
That is false
philosophy, but it is one that is common among young people today.
·
It is the
thinking and mood of our current culture, to use all kinds of methods, even
crooked methods, to get something for nothing.
·
It is easy
for a young man or woman to fall in with a group that is doing shady things.
·
And it is
easy to join in with a group who “goof off” at work.
·
They do not
return a full day’s work for a full day’s wages.
·
It is easy to
cooperate in that type of thing.
·
That is why
the young man is given is advice when he leaves home.
15 my son, do not go along with them,
do not set foot on their paths;
·
Wisdom tells
this young man to separate from such company.
2
Cor.
17"Therefore
come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."[a]
16 for their feet rush into sin,
they are swift to shed blood.
17 How useless to spread a net
in full view of all the birds!
18 These men lie in wait for their own blood;
they waylay only themselves!
·
When you
associate with such a person, it will eventually lead to your own destruction –
You will be caught in your net.
19 Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain;
it takes away the lives of those who get
it.
·
Covetousness
is the great sin of the hour and this is the sin that this proverb is
condemning.
·
Wisdom is
urging the young man to come to his senses and return to true wisdom as found
in the Bible.
21 at the head of the noisy streets [c] she cries out,
in the gateways of the city she makes her
speech:
·
Gateways
where the leaders of the city met to hold court and where the market place was
located.
·
As a young
man confronts life in it’s social context, two voices lure him, appear for
allegiance, and seek to shape his life:1) The voice of wisdom 2) the voice of
folly
22 "How long will you simple ones [d] love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you had responded to my rebuke,
I would have poured out my heart to you
and made my thoughts known to you.
·
Wisdom is
like a fountain. Her words would constantly refresh and strengthen.
24 But since you rejected me when I called
and no one gave heed when I
stretched out my hand,
·
As God was
rejected by
25 since you ignored all my advice
and would not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you-
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a
whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 "Then they will call to me but I
will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find
me.
·
Just like God
refused to listen to
Dt
45
You came back and wept before the LORD, but he paid no attention to your
weeping and turned a deaf ear to you.
Isa
15
When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood;
29 Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD,
30 since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their
schemes.
·
What you sow
is what you reap.
Galatians
6:7-9 says:
Do
not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that
nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to
please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let
us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a
harvest if we do not give up.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy
them;
·
It is
spiritual suicide to turn from Christ.
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of
harm."