I’m going to start a new study in Proverbs. It’s going to be long. It’s going to likely be long-winded on the personal commentary part. Frankly, it’s my study with my own life as the only segment of application points I can draw from. Hopefully, it’s also going to be interactive. Because God willing I’m going to “get wisdom” from His Word and “apply knowledge” at this chronological juncture. However, what I’m essentially driving at is two questions. First, what did the Lord do in the life of the writer to pen his words? Second, what is the application point for me as I journey down this road a little ways farther?
The study will be personal. The application likely will be as well. Yet I will type it here to show how God is active among His people today as He was since before the beginning of time. And I type it here as a sort of confession so that what I record here I can look back on years from now and see how the Lord worked and moved to move me from my point of yearning for Him to the point I will be at. So with that said, Proverbs 1:1-7.
“1The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Verse 1 begins with Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel. The sentence structure is such that you see Solomon claiming authorship, the son of David, king of Israel being Solomon’s lineage, and I would surmise that it was this family history that let the reader see, being perfect in the eyes of man is not the goal! Solomon’s point is the know wisdom and instruction.
Verse 2 uses “know” which is the Hebrew yada. In Genesis 3:5 we read that “God knows…” This is the same word. In Genesis it is used by the serpent speaking to Eve to deceive. Here in Proverbs, we have the same word but more exhortative. God tells the reader that the purpose of proverbs is the now or to immerse oneself in the wisdom and instruction of God. We immerse ourselves in His wisdom by fearing Him as a son fears his father (respects, looks up to, admires, and obeys). In the same context we see that Solomon identifies himself as “…son of David, king of Israel.”
Solomon wants it known that his father was David, king of Israel. It was not that Solomon needed to remind everyone that David was king. It was not Solomon needed to remind himself that David was king by my reckoning. Rather, Solomon wanted a framework to be assembled that allowed for the reader to scale with Solomon to the heights of the Lord with Solomon to see the lineage and heritage that brought Solomon to this point. Then from that view, lead the reader beyond to see where the Lord wants to direct His people to. This is perhaps the reason that Solomon mentions that he is a son of David (the shepherd turned king). Let us not become too consumed with our own self worth that we forget that you and I are children of parents who are just as flawed and sinful as we are. But God uses us in spite of rather than because of our heritage to show that He can use anyone.
In verse 3 we read “To receive instruction in wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity;” The purpose of the writing was to receive not give instruction on wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity.” With the riots, the civil unrest, and the demonstrations, I wonder how many on either side are willing to receive instruction on wise behavior? Would looting constitute wise behavior? Would the standing on the neck of….nevermind. The emotions and realities of life are too fresh and too raw to be discussed at the moment.
The admonition in verse 3 states to receive instruction in wise behavior (the right action), righteousness (Godly weighing of action), justice (Godly acting in response to actions), and equity (evenness, uprightness). To receive these weights an measures, we have to first exchange our scales however! If by weighing how wrong something was against my personal measures, I would be offended most if someone with a brain injury was unjustly treated. And please don’t misunderstand, I am grieved when that happens. But should I not also be grieved when a homeless person is abused because they are without shelter? Should I not be grieved when a child is left in the cold in winter in the mountains with no one to provide for him or her? Should I not have my heart despairing for the soldier and civilian alike in a war torn country who merely follows orders given by an unjust ruler? My point is, you and I are caught up in this world of sin of our own making and the only way out is to cry out to the One Who 2000 years ago cried “it is finished” (cf. John 19:30, NASB).
Further in verse 4-5, “To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,” we hear that Solomon wants to give prudence to the naive. The rendering is of the word used in Exodus 21:14 for premeditated murder. To essentially give careful wisdom and thought to the naive or those unencountered with the new types of thinking. You can imagine there are decisions that you will have to make or perhaps already have made that have affected someone’s very life forever. God is saying He penned the book of Proverbs to give fallen humanity a chance to rethink the decisions tumbling about in the mental realm of possibility in the light of His Word before acting on them.
Verse 5 again reads “5A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel…” If you an I are to increase in learning and become the “man” of understanding it will not be on our own. It was said by Helen Keller ““Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” We are not able to hear the differing opinions in our private prisons. We need to hear the thoughts and opinions of others to increase our learning an then understand by acquiring wise counsel. Do you want to know how to acquire wise counsel? Surround yourself by those who speak His truth. We read a few verses down “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…” (Prov. 1:7).
Next in verse 6 we have “To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles” (Prov. 1:6). The point of the proverbs is the understand a proverb in light of His understanding not our own. This again is not to hear a proverb but understand. I have a wife and children. If I had a dollar for every time I heard words coming out of their mouths but didn’t understand but just acted, I would probably be a rich man. My point is that understanding a proverb is much more than hearing it. The understanding the implications of wise sayings and figure gives light to the totality of a situation.
Not to follow this rabbit trail too far but when we understand the things of the Lord and the purposes of His plan, often in retrospect we can see that the point at the time was not for just that time but so that years later we can use that situation as a testimony for others to speak of the deliverance and victory only found in Him.
Now to conclude this first posting in the Proverbs verse 7 says “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The fear or literal terror of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. We who are redeemed understand that the fear is not for destruction but rather proper respect for the power and awe of His majesty. Yet for the person who does not have the personal relationship with Jesus, their life is quite literally a ticking time bomb. It could at any moment end an thereafter begin their eternal punishment for the murder of the King of kings!
Hence to sum it up these first few verses, the point of these verses for today for us, is to understand Him better by reading and meditating His truth. Do not reject His wisdom found in His instructions but rather allow the healing salve and balm of His instruction to sooth the rough edges of this pottery that He is shaping my life into on His pottery wheel (cf. Rom. 9). Friend, you and I must hear His voice, not harden our hearts (cf. Heb. 3:15), and learn just how “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…” Eph. 3:18 (NIV).
Blessings as you go!
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