GW, AK – Proverbs 4:1-6

“1¶Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,

2For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.

3When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,

4Then he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live;

5Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

6“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you;
Love her, and she will watch over you.”

Verse 1: First, in what way should we receive the instruction from the Lord? As verse 1 says, like a son to a father. This is not a emotionless command, or a thoughtless order. This is an instruction from the One Who loves you and created you. Thus He is tied to your well-being in that your success gives testimony to His greatness! He is great regardless. But His greatness being displayed in His creation gives testimony to His loving kindness!

The the Scripture states that we ought to give attention or literally “תַּעַזְבֶ֥הָ” which is “do not forsake.” But as you notice, the reason for this is so that you may gain understanding. In what way? Only the Lord and your life can attest. Nevertheless in an infinite and finite number on Earth God’s wisdom is displayed time and again. Thus give attention! And as you give attention you will see application as time and study permit to understand better the ways and works of Jesus!

Verse 2: Now in verse 2 we read that the writer gives us “sound teaching. That is the oversimplification of the millennia! To have the Savior and creator of time, matter, energy, life, and everything in between promise to give understanding and wisdom, LISTEN! Then as you begin to understand, you will begin to worship at the marvelous grave and forgiveness He extends all along the journey!

Following the encouragement to abandon abandonment, we are shown to cleave to the Father’s instruction! This appears to be a sort of progression of maturity. Just as a nursing child when first born cleave’s to his mother’s breast for life and sustenance after being brought into the world from her womb, the child is to outgrow to the bottle, then the baby food, then gruel (oatmeal and the like), then solid food! This is echoed in Hebrews 5:12-13 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.”

Verse 3: “When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,”

When the author was a son to father, meaning his relationship to world was interpreted through his upbringing by his father, his reputation and existence was tied to his parents. But now that he is grown, he has to answer for his decisions! This is why his relationship to the world and testimony matured! As verse 4 indicates.

Verse 4: “Then he taught me and said to me, ‘let your heart hold fast my words;
Keep my commandments and live;'” Not that the Father’s instruction was general but specifically aimed at his child. Here we see that it is the heavenly Father to His children! Solomon is told to keep the commandments of the Lord and thus live!

I wonder at the power in the simple phrase “keep my commandments and live.” Not for justification but for glorification in the Father! If we love Him, then our walk with Him should grow closer and our dependence on Him stronger! Truly, “keep His commandments and live!”

Verse 5: “5Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!”

Acquire form the Lord and the wisdom from Him! As elsewhere it says “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge… (Pro. 1:7) Thus if we are to acquire wisdom we should fear and honor Him more! Not as an outsider to the alien in our midst but as a child who has finally come home to His family!

Then acquiring wisdom consists of learning from Him and others the individual testimonies of His faithfulness to them! Likewise, as others are sharing with you, you can share with them His faithfulness to you! And in so doing, you will “get understanding” in seeing how God intimately and individually worked your your life interwoven with others all for a greater body to worship the Father!

Finally, 6“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; love her, and she will watch over you.”

As you gain wisdom and get understanding, do not forsake her meaning learn from our past mistakes so that in the future we can help others avoid the same! Then as we hear from heaven, the Lord will guard our steps as we walk!

Lastly, as we love the Lord more, we will love His correction and wisdom. With that wisdom we will be guarded by Him as Jesus was wanting all along! We must understand as we walk that we are not going to meet Jesus. We have already met Him for those who have received Him. Thus walking with Him is a journey of gaining wisdom and knowledge in how to help others walk. As I understand, technically we are not seeking Jesus. We are seeking others to walk WITH Him out into the fields white into harvest!

Blessings as you go!