Tag Archives: Proverbs 1

July 10, 2023 Bible Study — The Wicked Seek to Silence Voices So That We Do Not Hear What Wisdom Has to Say

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Proverbs 1-4.

We come now to the Book of Proverbs, which was put together to provide a means for gaining wisdom and receiving instruction in prudent behavior.  The writer makes clear that wisdom teaches us to not let sinful people entice us into violent or other sinful behavior.  Those who seek ill-gotten gain ultimately harm themselves.  But wisdom will save you from the self destructive ways of the wicked and perverse.  Wisdom is not hard to find, it calls to us loudly in the public square.  In fact, the ease with which we hear wisdom and know its truth is why the wicked want to silence some voices in the public square.  Wisdom, if allowed to speak, will drown out all other voices.  Seek insight and understanding and you will find the knowledge of God, you will understand that which is right and just.  Following the straight paths which wisdom shows us will allow us to live in safety without fear of harm.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

July 10, 2022 Bible Study –Wickedness Is Foolishness

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Proverbs 1-4.

One gets the most out of Proverbs by taking note of Proverbs 1:7

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools[c] despise wisdom and instruction.

All of it is important, but I think we often miss the important aspect highlighted by the translators’ note designated by that “c”.  That note points out that the word generally translated as “fool” in Proverbs, and much of the rest of the Old Testament indicates a person who is morally deficient.  We today view a fool as one who does things which they have not thought through, that a fool may be well-meaning but misguided.  However, Proverbs implies that foolishness results from trying to get away with the morally reprehensible.  You may imagine that doing something you know is wrong will result in positive outcomes for you, whether that will be pleasure, or wealth, or power, or something else which you think will benefit you, but, while you may get the outcomes you imagined, you will also get negative outcomes much greater than anything positive which comes from doing so.  On the other hand, you may imagine in certain circumstances that doing what you know to be the right thing will have negative consequences you do not wish to face.  Again, you may be correct, but you are passing on blessings of which you are unaware.  The writer of Proverbs tells us that doing the wrong thing will always come with a price higher than you would be willing to pay if you realized in advance you would have to pay it.  While doing the right thing always has a reward for which you would pay much more than whatever price taking that action costs you.

 

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

July 10, 2021 Bible Study — Fear Of The Lord Is The Beginning Of Knowledge

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Proverbs 1-4.

The words contained in the Book of Proverbs are useful for gaining wisdom and understanding.  They will give insight to those who heed them.  They are words of prudence and discretion for those who have yet to acquire either while adding learning and guidance to those who are already wise.  Then the writer tells us the first building block of wisdom: Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (or as other translations put it, understanding).  One does not truly begin to acquire wisdom until one begins to fear God.  But perhaps one of the greatest insights one can get comes from the translators notes on verse 7 in chapter 1: the word translated “fool” here denotes a person who is morally deficient.  Which shows us that foolishness and moral deficiency are interchangeable.  Those who are morally deficient are foolish and those who are foolish are morally deficient.  Or to put it another way, no matter how simple minded or naive someone may be, if they are morally upright they will not be foolish.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

July 10, 2020 Bible Study Finding Wisdom The Easy Way

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Proverbs 1-4.

There is a meme which says, “Wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from making mistakes.”  There is a lot of truth to that.  However, the Book of Proverbs tells us that there is another, less painful, way to acquire wisdom.  In fact, the Book of Proverbs was written to help us acquire wisdom without making many of the mistakes we might otherwise require to do so.  The book starts by telling us the essence of wisdom and where it comes from.  True wisdom comes from fear of God.  Its essence is twofold.  First, wisdom is disciplined.  Second, wisdom is avoiding evil, in particular avoiding those who do evil.

Further, the Book of Proverbs tells us that wisdom is freely available to all who seek it.  The writer not only says that wisdom is freely available to those who seek it, it calls out to everyone who passes by.  Truly, we have no excuse for doing foolish things, wisdom was right there warning us against them if only we had listened.  Once again there is a twofold method to find wisdom.  Seek knowledge of God and His commands, and choose to do what is right, just, and fair.  Knowledge of God and His commands will show us what actions are right, just, and fair.  And doing what is right, just, and fair is never foolish.

July 10, 2019 Bible Study Only a Fool Thinks He Has No More to Learn

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Proverbs 1-4.

The Book of Proverbs was composed to teach wisdom and discipline.  Wisdom tells us to do what is just, right, and fair.  Those who are simple-minded will gain insight by studying these sayings, and those who think they are too wise for such guidance are greater fools than the most simple-minded.  Wisdom does more for us than any amount of wealth.  Yet, we so often ignore what it tells us.  There is a saying, “Common sense isn’t common.”  While that is unfortunately true, it does not have to be.  Anyone can be wise, they just have to seek wisdom.  If you want to be wise, seek out wisdom, then do what it says to do.

The proverb writer starts with some ideas which are intertwined with each other.  Do not be enticed by the pleasures people tell you are to be had by doing wrong.  Rather trust in God and do good.  Every time you do the wise thing, the right thing, you will gain a better understanding of what is right and wise.  Conversely, every time you choose to do what you know is wrong you will find it harder to know, let alone do, the right thing.  When you suffer because you did wrong (whether that suffering comes as punishment from some earthly authority,, or is the natural result of your foolish choice), accept the suffering and learn from it.  

 

 

July 10, 2018 Bible Study — The Foundation of Wisdom

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Proverbs 1-4.

    The purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to teach wisdom and discipline. Today’s passage focuses on the advantages of wisdom and a basic primer on what it is. Wisdom teaches us to do what is right, just, and fair. If you lack wisdom, study the proverbs of this book and you will gain wisdom. If you are already wise, study the proverbs of this book and you gain more wisdom. There is no such thing as begin too wise.

    Wisdom comes from listening to your parents’ instructions and learning from what they try to teach you. Wisdom cries out to anyone who will listen. It does not require great mental ability to be wise. Wisdom begins with fear of the Lord. The first step on its path is recognizing that the pleasures promised by sin are a trap. Sin fails to deliver the full measure of pleasure which it promises and leads to unpleasant consequences later.

    Wisdom teaches us not to be enticed by evil people, even when we do not know what is wrong with their plan. The wise recognize that they can never have complete understanding. They know that kindness and loyalty are positive values, even when abandoning them seems to be the best course of action (it never is). Never fall into the trap of thinking you are wiser than God. It may seem that the commands He has given us are too constraining to fulfill His love. The truly wise know that there is a reason for those commands, even when they cannot see what it could possibly be. Fix your eyes on God and doing His will. Do not let the distractions of this life redirect you towards evil.