Straightforward

Greetings everyone. We’re going to start a series of Bible Studies through the book of Proverbs. The plan is to go verse by verse through this tremendous book, which is inspired of God, and we’re not going to take too much time on any one verse or chapter. We’re going to move along fairly quickly, but not too quickly, and yet we’re going to take enough time to give an overview of the meaning of this book, this incredible book of Proverbs.

We’re going to focus on the principles of everyday life as it is outlined in this book. We’re going to talk about practical Christian living principles. We’re going to find that these proverbs inspired by God will help us to relate to our creator even more, and to our fellowmen, and to our families.

The chapters in this book inspired by God cover so many tremendous subjects—wisdom, righteousness, fear of God, knowledge, morality, control of the tongue, kindness to enemies, honesty, cheerfulness, children—and you will find great overall subjects in this book covered as well—wisdom, instruction, understanding, righteousness, justice, equity, discretion, sound counsel, and so on. So there is so much here.

Now Solomon is the author of this book. There were a couple other authors perhaps in one or two chapters, but he’s the primary author of this book. Of course, it was inspired by Almighty God, all scripture is. It was written about 1000 B.C. So we’re going to be reading inspired words of God that were given through Solomon, a very wise man. We’re going to be reading these words that are around 3,000 years old and yet they’re totally and completely up–to–date in today’s world and in today’s society.

Just by way of a little background, this book of Proverbs is divided into five parts. We will take note of that as we go through although we’re not going to be emphasizing all that much, the historical and scholarly aspects of the book. We would if we had time. It’s a very interesting study. We’ll note those things occasionally as we go through.

As I said, primarily we’re going to be focusing on the practical principles of Christian living in this book, and there are a lot of them here. The first part of the five parts in this book, Chapter 1 through 9 is the first part, Chapter 10 through 24 is the second part, Chapter 25 through 29 is the third part, Chapter 30 is the fourth part, and Chapter 31 is the fifth part. Once again, we’ll talk about that a little bit more as we get into the book.

So I hope you’ll take your Bible and I hope you’ll follow right along with us and perhaps take notes. You can use a good translation, whatever you choose. I recommend the New King James version or the Authorized King James version. There are other translations that also can be very helpful as we go through to clarify certain words and certain phrases that we will find. But generally speaking, if you use the King James or the New King James, you’ll be able to understand what we’re going to dig into here as we go into this gold mine, the spiritual gold mine called the book of Proverbs written by King Solomon.

Let’s start in Chapter 1. Chapter 1 in verse 1. It tells us right here in this first part of this book: “These are the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, King of Israel.” Now, once again, it tells us who the human author is but we know that all Scriptures given by inspiration of God. We also know that we’re to live by every word of God.

So even though this book was written hundreds and even 3,000 years ago, it is inspired of God, it is the word of God, and it is Scriptures that came from God, made up of Scriptures. It is made up of these Scriptures that came from God, and so we can read the principles mentioned here and we can live by them, and we will get the results that it says we will get as we understand and follow these principles.

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity;

4 To give subtlety—

or prudence

4 —to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

So Solomon just kind of lays the foundation for the book of Proverbs here. It’s about understanding. It’s about wisdom. It’s about acquiring proper learning. It’s about taking heed to these principles and living by them, and reaping the rewards and the benefits and the blessings as a result of that.

Now, let’s just notice as we begin through this first chapter how practical these instructions and these principles are. They’re not highfalutin’. They are not principles that are beyond understanding especially if God is working with us and opening our mind, and especially if we ask Him to help us to understand them. These are not words that have to do with some kind of vague, complex, complicated, out of reach subject. These are words that are full of meat and full of clear direction, and full of practical knowledge that we can apply in our everyday lives. Tremendous words that if we follow will produce tremendous fruits in our lives.

Notice here in verse 7, Chapter 1.

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

Now, in what university and what college and what class can you go to, to acquire knowledge and the class will start off being taught by the professor in that way?

Standing in awe of God is the principal part of knowledge. Where will you find that? And yet that’s exactly what it says here. Here’s the creator God who made heaven and earth and all human beings. Here’s the one who knows all that can be known and what He says here is, if you want to have knowledge, the very principal part of knowledge is to stand in awe of the Great God.

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

So you can study books and you can study more books, and you can study more and more and more books. But if you don’t start out and if I don’t start out, and if we don’t start out standing in awe of Almighty God, then we’re not going to really attain the right kind of knowledge and we’re not going to really attain knowledge that produces the right kind of fruit.

8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother:

Right away, he gets into the importance of the family. We know that the fifth commandment is the one that says honor your father and mother. Here we find God inspiring Solomon to write:

8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother:

Obviously, this must be fathers and mothers who are trying to give good instruction and trying to give good guidance, and trying to instruct their children out of love and the right principles, and they are to be honored and they are to be respected, those kinds of parents. Your mother and your father.

Even if you are an adult, you should still hold your mother and father in high regard and honor them, and you should still consider their instruction. You have to weigh it against what God says but you should still consider their guidance and their instruction.

9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto your head, and chains about your neck.

10 My son, if sinners entice you, consent not.

Now, this enticement can be very tempting. It can be very alluring and seductive, and it can seem so interesting and so inviting, and yet if it’s coming from a sinner, then what he or she is trying to do is entice you to sin.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood—

A better translation would actually be to shed blood.

11 —let us lurk privately—or secretly

11 —for the innocent without cause:

Now we see that happening around us all the time in today’s society. We see gangs that are bloodthirsty and kill for the sake of killing. We see people who are violent and they like to commit violent acts just for the thrill of it. Solomon knew about that 3,000 years ago and yet look how up to date this book is in today’s world.

11 —Come and let us lay wait to shed blood, let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.

12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

If we do this, this is what will happen. They will invite and they will entice, and they will deceive you if you let them into thinking.

13 We shall find all precious substance—or wealth

13 —we shall fill our houses with spoil:

Or with plunder. We will commit violence. We will commit robbery. We will commit mayhem and we can get all that they have and we’ll just have all this wealth around us. This is the pitch. This is the indoctrination that they will try to fill you with, and yet notice what verse 14 says.

14 Cast in your lot among us; let us all have one purse:

See how alluring it can sound? Now notice verse 15.

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain your foot from their path:

16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privately for their own lives.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain;

In other words, you’ll pay the price and you’ll pay it deeply, and you’ll pay it over a long period of time if you cast your lot in among those who want to shed blood. Those who want to commit violent acts. Those who want to rob. Those who want to plunder the innocent. Those who want to get wealth like this. It will come back and it will create tremendous problems for you.

Whatever you sow, you reap, the bible says. So if you throw your lot in with the violent, you will become violent and you’ll go the way of violence, and the wealth that you might gain for a little while will be not wealth, it will be full of penalties and full of pain and suffering and sorrow. So don’t go that way is what he’s urging here in this set of verses.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which takes away the life of the owners thereof.

Now gain and growth is good, but not gain gotten this way, and not having the attitude of being greedy of gain. Notice verse 20.

20 Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:

Now we see Solomon presenting wisdom in the first person, personifying wisdom.

20 Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:

21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words, saying,

22 How long, you—naive ones

22 —you simple ones, will you love—naivety

22 —will you love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

“How long will you not want wisdom? How long will you not want understanding? How long will you not begin to seek guidance from Almighty God? How long will you not stand in awe of Me so you can have wisdom and knowledge and understanding, and avoid the pitfalls and the pain and the suffering that comes from disobeying me?” is the message here.

22 How long you simples ones, will you love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

24 Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But you have set at nought all my counsel, you would none of my reproof:

God said in the first person of wisdom as wisdom is personified here. I’ve tried to reach you. I’ve given you a chance. I’ve tried to help you. I’ve been patient. I’ve called out. I’ve wanted to help. I’ve wanted to give you so many things. I‘ve wanted to intervene. I’ve wanted to give you guidance. I’ve wanted to bless you. I’ve wanted to pour out all kinds of benefits and perks and blessings that I have to pour out on you if you will listen to me, if you will heed, if you will answer with proper action, and I’ve been patient. I’ve been trying to do this. He says this to all of mankind. He says this to individuals. He is saying it to you. He is saying it to me.

But notice here in verse 24.

24 Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But you have set at nought all my counsel, you would none of my reproof:

Where in the world today do you see anyone paying any attention at all to what God says? Whether you look at the highest echelons of power or you look at the man on the street, or you look at poverty–stricken nations, or you look at wealthy nations. Where can you point to where men and women or anybody is paying any attention at all to what God says? Where are the homes where people listen to what God says? Where are the people who in their lives really are paying attention to what God says? You will find few and far between.

What about in your life? What about in my life?

Well, here’s a very serious warning from Almighty God to those who will not heed what He says, to those who will not listen to what He says, to those who will not pay any attention at all whatsoever to His reaching out and to His calling, and to His wisdom, whether it be nations, whether it be families, whether it be individuals.

25 But you have set at nought all my counsel, you would none of my reproof:

And because of that,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes;

In other words, vengeance is mine, I will repay. We are not to seek vengeance, but God is God and He does repay and He does punish. He gives us lots of mercy. He gives us lots of opportunity. He gives us lots of chances. He keeps calling. He keeps reaching out. He keeps hoping, but after a while, His mercy and His patience run out and now it’s time for correction.

Then when He begins to correct, He continues to correct. Then when people see that they are suffering, and when they see that they are having pain, and when they see that things are going wrong, if they start saying, “Okay, okay, I get the point. Okay, okay, I’ll do what you say.” Then what His answer to that is: “I will not respond to that because all that is, is worldly sorrow. That is not Godly sorrow. That’s simply saying, ‘I’m sorry because of the pain.’ That is not saying, ‘I‘m sorry because I’ve sinned against you.” ‘That is not true repentance.

You waited too late. You had all this opportunity to listen to me and to respond to me and to change. You chose not to do that but go your own way and ignore me and laugh at me and mock me. Now when things start coming down on top of your head and your individual lives, and in your homes, and in your nation and on society, and all of a sudden you start crying out to me. It’s going to be too late.”

27 When your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you—

in your personal lives, in your nation, and in the great tribulation

28 —Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

They lost the opportunity because of their carnality and their rebellion, and their refusal to listen to Almighty God to have the tremendous blessings and tremendous deliverance that He was offering to them. Make sure that you are not caught in that vice. Make sure that you’re not left facing that horrible fate by negligence or by laziness, or by rebellion. We all have to examine ourselves and apply what we are reading here to our lives.

29 For they hated knowledge—

That’s very serious!

29 For they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

They wanted no part of me. “Who needs God? I’m having a great time.” But when everything starts falling apart, all of a sudden we need God, He won’t be there. We did not put Him first. Now out of desperation, we start making all these promises, “Okay we’ll put you first.” But you see, that’s playing games with God and He doesn’t play those kinds of games.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way—

Now they’re going to suffer the consequences of their actions.

31 —and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them‐

It wasn’t God that slayed them. It was the turning away of the simple. It was their own actions. It was their own rebellion. It was their own hatred of God and of His knowledge that ends up slaying them.

32 —and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

They look and they say, “Well, how can I be doing anything wrong? Look at all these things I have. Look at how many things I’ve got. Look at how many places I’ve been. Look at how much money I’ve got stashed in the bank. Who needs God?” But when all that starts falling off and falling away and disappearing and caving in, and all of a sudden we cry out to God. It’s going to be too late and then God is going to say, “Your turning away from me is going to slay you and your own attitude of complacency and of greed and prosperity, and how you use the prosperity you have will destroy you.”

But notice what it ends up with here in Proverbs 1:33. Look at this.

33 But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely—

Whoso will stand in awe of me, whoever will seek knowledge and wisdom, and understanding, whoever will reject what this society and world and Satan has to offer, and embrace what my word and what I have to offer shall dwell safely.

33 —and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

We’ll be looked after, protected, watched over, kept safe, provided for, and will not have to live their days and years in fear of evil. Why? Because they stood in awe of God. They sought His wisdom, His knowledge, His understanding. They listened to what He said. They changed their ways and they submitted to Him, and they “shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil.”

We’ll stop there and pick it up next time with Chapter 2 of Proverbs.

This is Charles Bryce with the Enduring Church of God.