Proverbs1-2

In 1:7 Solomon had referred to the fear of the Lord and this is what he now returns to. If you want to know this awesome respect for God, if you want to know God and know about God, there are certain heart conditions that must be fulfilled.

First of all there must be an openness of heart to receive teaching, or to have a teachable spirit if you like. Unless you are willing to learn you will never progress in your knowledge of God. Any progress in the Christian faith starts with this.

Second, there must be a real yearning to know. Solomon piles word on word, picture on picture, to capture this truth. Calling out (v.3) or crying aloud is the expression of a person who is uninhibited in their desire. They express their desire powerfully and loudly. Looking for silver, or searching for treasure (v.4) are two pictures of someone who is urgent in their search.

In Deut 4:29 Moses wrote, “If you seek (him) with all your heart you will find him”. It is almost as if the Lord knows that only those with aching, yearning hearts for Him, will ever truly respond to Him, and so He keeps Himself in the shadows where only true seekers will find Him. In his sermon on the mount Jesus said, “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Mt 5:6). He knew the same thing. When we start feeling like this, we come to a place where we cry out to the Lord, “Please help me find you, please make yourself known.” for we recognise we need Him to help us even in the search. Without Him we can do nothing (Jn 15:5)

D. Application:

1. Do I understand more of God now that when I first came to Him?

2. Do I yearn to know God, to know Him more fully?

Chapter: Proverbs 2

Passage: Proverbs 2:6-8

A. Find out :

1. What 3 things come from where? v.6

2. He holds what for whom? v.7a

3. He is a what, for whom? v.7b

4. He guards what, of whom? v.8a

5. He protects what, of whom? v.8b

B. Think:

1. List the 5 things God provides in verses 6 & 7.

2. List the people for whom He does things in verses 7 & 8.

3. How do these verses flow from the first five verses?

C. Comment:

In the first five verses of this chapter Solomon listed a number of requirements of the person who was to find true wisdom and concluded that the person with a teachable, searching heart would find the Lord and find wisdom. He now states again and again that all blessings come from God. God and wisdom are intertwined.

From the Lord come the three basic fruits of learning: wisdom (the knowing how to do), knowledge (the facts on which it is based) and understanding (the recognition of why things are as they are).

He then identifies things that the Lord will do – give victory, act as a shield, guard and protect – and the people He will do it for – the upright, those with a blameless walk in life, the just and the faithful ones of the world. These are the people who will walk close with God and who will receive His blessings. These people will be able to walk secure through life. They are people who have an open, teachable heart, who yearn for truth and righteousness, have come into relationship with the Lord and who He now cares for. The foolish He cannot care for and protect because they are doing their own thing which often leads them into harm and danger, but these people God leads through wisdom into victory and security, simply because they listen to Him.

D. Application:

1. Have I learnt the “how-to” of life (wisdom), the truth behind that

    (knowledge), and do I then know why these things are as they are

    (understanding) from the Lord?

2. Is my life upright, blameless, just and faithful?

Chapter: Proverbs 2

Passage: Proverbs 2:9-15

A. Find out :

1. What will you then understand? v.9

2. What 4 things will do what for you? v.10, 11

3. From whom will wisdom save you? v.12a

4. What is their speech like? v.12b

5. What 4 things do they do? v.13, 14

6. How are they finally described? v.15

B. Think:

1. What does the “Then” of v.9 apply to?

2. How are verses 9-11 consequences?

3. How are verses 12-15 a warning?

C. Comment:

Verse 9 picks up from the “If”s of the earlier verses. IF we have an open, teachable heart and IF we yearn for God's wisdom, then we will find the knowledge of God and THEN we will receive wisdom, understanding, knowledge and discretion. All these things come AFTER we have yearned, AFTER we have found God; they are fruits that God grants to us. Note that they will be pleasant and they will guide and protect us. Sometimes we ask for God to protect us, but one of the ways He does that is to give us all these things which help us AVOID wrong paths and SEEK good paths.

The final four verses (v.12-15) are a simple and a straight forward warning against those who are described as wicked, perverse and devious. These men veer towards evil, they have unpleasant, crooked thoughts that are self-centred and harmful to others. As Paul said (Rom 1:32 ) they don't only do them they rejoice and delight in them. Now, says Solomon, if you have wisdom you will avoid these people. Wisdom will reveal to you the sort of people they are, you will see the folly of what they think, say and do and you will see the consequences and steer well clear of them.

The Christian life is to be straightforward, honest, clean, pure and full of integrity. Seeking out and receiving wisdom will help us lead this sort of life.

D. Application:

1. Do I rejoice in wisdom, understanding & knowledge from God?

2. Do I see the folly of the people described in the latter passage today?

Chapter: Proverbs 2

Passage: Proverbs 2:16-22

A. Find out :

1. From whom will Wisdom save you? v.16

2. What has she done? v.17

3. What is her end? v.18,19

4. Instead what way are we to walk? v.20

5. Who will live and survive? v.21

6. Who will but cut off? v.22

B. Think:

1. What is the sin of the adulteress?

2. What clearly is her end?

3. What are the contrasts in these verses?

C. Comment:

The “It” of verse 16 refers to the “Wisdom” of verse 12. Thus Solomon gives us yet another benefit of wisdom – it will help us be aware of and reject the adulterer. Remembering that he is addressing his son in these general warning passages and so the adulterer warned against is a woman. It could easily be a man.

In an age when “relationships” come and go, we have lost the concept of adultery. Solomon had more than one wife – that was polygamy, acceptable in those days (but with often foolish consequences). But adultery was breaking the marriage covenant (v.17) and going with another. Many in our society seem to accept this as normal yet the warnings in verses 18 & 19 are still valid. When you join yourself to another person a bond is formed. When one of the partners break that, it creates a hardening of heart in the one leaving and hurt of heart in the one left. The one committing the adultery thus creates grounds for spiritual and eventual physical death which may or may not ensue (that needs thinking about).

Wisdom, on the other hand, will ensure we walk in good, wholesome, secure paths where goodness prevails. Wisdom helps us see the sense of these things, wisdom helps us realise the awfulness of them and to avoid them. Thank you Solomon!

D. Application:

1. Do I see the awfulness of adultery?

2. Am I ensuring I walk in good and wholesome ways?

RECAP - "Conditions & Benefits of Wisdom" - Proverbs 2

SUMMARY :

In this second group of 4 studies we have seen Solomon stating :

- the need to have a yearning teachable heart (v.1-4)

- the fruit of that is to know the fear of the Lord (v.5)

- the ongoing fruit is in the mind (v.6)

- the benefits are practical protection (v.7,8)

- the outcome will be mind transformation (v.9-11)

- it will also protect from

- the ways of the wicked (v.12-15)

- the adulteress (16-19)

- and help you walk in goodness & righteousness (v.20-22).

COMMENT :

This second chapter is a ‘no messing' chapter; it declares from the outset who it is who will find wisdom, who will find the fear of the Lord – the person with a yearning, teachable heart. As this comes it will bring a complete heart and mind transformation and that in turn will provide protection against those who are not righteous, and will keep us in good company. Wisdom is very practical – it affects our entire life.

LESSONS?

1. A heart yearning for wisdom is essential if I am to find it.

2. When I have that I will learn the fear of the Lord.

3. The Lord provides victory & protection for such people.

4. Wisdom will protect me and keep me from evil.

5. Wisdom will keep me from those who do evil.

6. Wisdom will keep me from adultery.

7. Wisdom will help me walk with other righteous people.

PRAY :

Seek the Lord with all your heart. Ask Him to give you a hungry and yearning heart. Ask that the teaching of these chapters will transform your thinking, and subsequently your life.

PART 3 : "More Benefits of Wisdom"

In this next Chapter we will see even more benefits of wisdom. These things, we will see, are very practical. There is nothing theoretical about all this. Watch very carefully and you will see that guidance is given for very practical things to be done in your life.