Proverbs Chapter 1 - Free Bible Commentary With Pastor Teacher, Dr Bob Utley

hello welcome to free Bible commentary with Pastor teacher dr. Bob be sure to visit free Bible commentary at WWE Bible Commentary org now there'll be in proverbs chapter 1 today we've studied chapters 1 verses 1 through 7 in an earlier lesson which is a basic introduction to proverbs but I think I'll go back quickly over the introduction so we can kind of get a a thumbnail sketch of this book okay the word proverbs comes from a Hebrew word Michelle which basically means comparisons analogies that which is like unto and it characterizes a whole farm of ancient wisdom literature mostly in the sense of couplets sometimes alternating couplets sometimes contrasting couplet sometimes antithetical or synonymous couplets depending on the kind of Hebrew poetry were in but also it uses a of a longer discussion of a subject maybe like the virtuous women of Proverbs 31 and so it's not always the same thing it kind of became a catch word for this whole type of literature that's obvious solomon is the major author behind this you might want to see chapter 1 verse 1 chapter 10 verse 1 in chapter 25 verse 1 that asserts all Solomon's authorship although 25 1 says that it was finally recorded by the wise men our stages during Hezekiah reign Sodom was often noted for his wisdom as first Kings for 30 through 32 well it says there are some lies in the inner stages that also have some proverbs 22 17 24 23 and a man named augur Agee you are speaks in 30 verse 1 and then then King Lemuel mother speaks in chapter 31 ones there are several authors let me give you a brief outline of the Proverbs if I could I think it'd be helpful to see where we're going there is a praise of wisdom chapters 1 through 9 there is the Proverbs of Solomon in contrasting couplets chapter 10 1 through 22 16 and there is the words of the wise the general sayings of the wisemen 22 17 through 24 34 and then again the sayings of Solomon but more in a thematic order in chapters 25 through 29 the words of augur and that's basically to the agnostic chapter 30 the words of King Lemuel mother chapter 31 verses one through nine in a praise of a godly wife which is an acrostic piece of poetry chapter 31 verses 1 through 31 what is the basic purpose of Proverbs to train young men for leadership would be number one number two to balance the message of the law and the prophets as you know proverbs like all wisdom literature has a practicality to daily life a success oriented aspect not laid to the history and theology and ritual of the kotas of Israel and finally daily practical divine horse sense for successful living and I think you can see kind of where we're going in that with that in mind let's turn if we could to proverbs chapter 1 and let's look at this general introduction in 1 through 6 and I think the motto for the whole book found in 7 the Proverbs the comparisons the Maxim's of Solomon the son of David king of Israel and again I hope you'll look at first Kings 4 29 through 34 now he may not be the altar or the whole thing but he is the author of most of it chapter 10 verse 1 through 22 16 is obvious Solomon and then again 21 25 1 through 29 27 again is obviously Solomon this which says to know wisdom now this is not wisdom in its Greek sense of Sophia but this is wisdom in the practical moral sense of the Hebrew faith it was a godly lifestyle based on who God is and instruction and of course the word instruction has the root for discipline wisdom does cost it's once knowledge is gained the life must be lived for the Hebrew to know it and not live it was an abomination and so it cost something to gain wisdom notice it says to discern the sayings of understanding and here again we're trying to understand life so as to live it not all the deep mysteries but just how to live in light of God's truth in God's law and then it says in verse 3 here to receive instruction and wise behavior notice one aspect of the wise is that you're willing to receive instruction that's kind of what verse five is all about a wise man is someone who continues to learn throughout his life and as he learns he would put into practice would be the corollary of the book of Proverbs now wise behavior I think is very interesting it's the ideal of practical wisdom it's from the Hebrew root to be successful and of course that's what these Proverbs are all about originally two young men going into government service but as verse five shows for all who are seeking how to live for God that it says righteousness justice and equity now here again this would make Israel's wisdom literature very different from the other wisdom tour around it it was linked to a religious theological aspect and the word righteousness comes from a measuring read it was about 15 to 20 feet long it was used to measure the horizontal aspect of buildings and God took that construction metaphor for his own moral character by which he will judge the world you know we'll see Leviticus 11 44 Matthew 5:48 for we have to be perfect or righteousness our Father is perfect or righteous and aren't you glad you have the imputed righteousness of Christ and don't have to do it yourself and the word equity basically means to be straight and of course this is playing on the word righteousness or a measuring Reed and it's all the words for sin both in Hebrew and Greek I mean a deviation from the standard which is God to give prudence to the naive now prudence here is the ability to escape that's what it meant the literal route is to be smooth or to be nekkid but it was used of sailors who were used to using the ropes to steer a ship so it became a attractive effectual learning of a task and that's the idea to the to the youth knowledge and discretion and of course here we have the youth mentioned most of these nouns through here are very important they have slightly different aspects in Hebrew it'll be very good to do some etymological study on these nouns and verses 2 & 3 and you can do that by comparing English translations our excellent little book is synonym from the Old Testament by griddle stone it's an excellent book I like it very much now verse 5 shows this is much wider than simply the youth a wise man will hear an increase in learning and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel these are in a parallel Hebrew relationship it's obvious they mean that those who are already considered sages can continue to learn you're never through learning in this life may be a way this is expressing now when we get to verse 6 it's a slight change in the Hebrews some say it's a parenthesis I think not it's just another way of saying how we can understand the riddles and mysteries of life and of men through the study of wisdom then verse 7 is kind of set apart I think it's the motto of the whole book it's repeated several times throughout this this whole aspect that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom see if I can find all the places that's used no I wrote that down but the life me I can't figure out where I write down right now so it's in your notes you can look for it there the fear the word here is basically the idea of reverence or all it's a worldview a worldview of one creator Redeemer God who wants to work through a people to reach the whole world it's it's a it's a worldview that issues in respectful living moral living our life is controlled by our worldview that's what it means the fear of Yahweh it's of course the Covenant name for God from the verb to be the everliving only living God maybe a good way to put that and it goes come from the name given in Exodus 3:14 is the beginning I think this means the first and controlling principle of knowledge there's demonstrating knowledge and wisdom knowledge is the accumulation of facts wisdom is how to live practically and and this last part of our seven fools despise wisdom and they are unwilling to learn now the word fools this again is the two ways there's the way of the godly man in the way of the ones who reject the fear of the God to walk in his ways the fool is sometimes seen as a will for willful rejecter of god's truth other times he's seen as someone who is just ignorant of God's truth and I'm not sure every chance where it is now in verse 8 really chapter 1 verse 8 through 9 18 is kind of parental advice both the father and the mother will speak this is very characteristic of wisdom literature both in Babylonia and Egypt and Israel unity the father speaks but in Israel the mother is parallel that's very interesting I think here it's imperative command my son very very common in with the literature this student is addressed as son the teacher sees himself in the parents place and again I want to say this is another way of saying that the training was meant to be done at home that's a constant refrain throughout particularly the book of Deuteronomy give you some of that because I think we can't send our kids to Sunday school to get religious training and send in the secular school to get the supposedly worldly knowledge no we must train them at home and our day it may mean talking through both of those things with them the religious aspect of life and the intellectual aspect of life but listen the number of times in Deuteronomy that parents are to be involved in education of their children chapter 4 verse 9 chapter 6 verses 6 through 9 chapter 6 verse 20 through 25 Deuteronomy 11 19 and 32 46 those were all in the book of Deuteronomy I hope you'll look at that to me it's beautiful that a father and a mother's advice are paired together it shows the place of honor and a Jewish home for a Jewish mother and also how the father is usually the way used to train the children indeed they are a graceful wreath to your head and ornaments about your neck now what I guess is talking about that let's see some say it's a special head wreath that that would have a something on it that may be true what I really think is it's an obvious are imitation for all to see you mean parental wisdom can be an art iment even a jewel that somebody wears yes it's worth far more than money and those who have accepted parental guidance which is really godly guidance given to the family it's obvious to everybody like a beautiful wreath around their their head or a beautiful necklace and I think that's the idea here my son if sinners entice you know the word theis here has the idea of try to make a fool of you try to bring them in to their foolishness there is a tremendous pull and fallen man to rebel against God to go the way of the world and what the fool does is he lures others by appealing to that fallen nature aspect most if you would in verse 11 word says if they say come with us let us look at all - let us at verse 11 look at the with us and verse 14 here is the terrible pull and young people's lives of peer pressure be a part of our group come to what we're doing that is a pull to young people we know that's obvious the parent says here be careful son I don't run with this crowd I don't go with them don't play the fool with that group it's very true that the people we make friends with tends be the kind of people we become that that's just a fact of life and these particular people are a pleasure seekers but pleasure seekers through violence I think it's the shortcut to getting what we want and one of the things mentioned here specifically is wealth verse 13 the desire for money but it's not just a desire for money or worldly things it's the immediate desire the successful desire and the desire that says I'll have it no matter what I have to do to other people now that's the port of pool to sin here in verse 12 it mentioned let us swallow them alive like she oh this idea of she owes the realm of the dead that opens its mouth personified to swallow people you spent in Isaiah 5:14 but I think a beautiful thing is that one day God will swallow see oh that's been in isaiah 25:8 kind of reverse here even hole as those who go down to the pit other it's the idea of the grave it's synonymous with the word Sheol that means death they're planning on killing people and taking their treasure for themselves notice it says in verse 13 throw your lot in with us this is this is a metaphor for dividing spoils kind of put in your life with us be a part of our group again a real pull my son do not walk in the way with them nor keep your feet from their path now of course here's the ideal of paths or feet using the sense of lifestyle I love that little bit of a keishon bible school verse that says thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path you follow God's ways this is the this is the dark path the path of sin and immediate gratification and and the running over other people just for what I want indeed it is used it to spread the net in the eyes of a bird there's two possibilities here only the very very wealthy could afford tame Birds this is like trapping wild birds mostly to eat but possibly for pets I think mostly to eat if you set a net for a bird and he's watching you will the bird go in it probably not but if the bird is overcome by hunger he may go in it that's what the last verse is saying about sinners that sinners are going to be overcome by their greed and their passion their lust so are the ways of everyone who gains by violence oh my it takes away the life of its possessors look at verse 18 but they lie in wait for their own blood they ambush their own lives now this is our famous metaphor you live by the sword you die by the sword it's it's the Galatians 6:7 put in beautiful poetic language be not deceived God is not mocked whatsoever a man sows that shall he reap it reminds me of Psalm 37 15 I think you ought to look at that sin has the seeds of its own destruction in it and it will come to fruition it will and I think you can see that they gained a few a few bucks of they gained a fellowship but it was a large price to pay for such a fleeting moment of pleasure yes what if a man gained the whole world and lose his own soul the beginning in verse 20 through 30 3 is wisdoms loving call it's cheese personified as a woman maybe a mother maybe the young woman of wisdom sometimes in Greek literature wisdom is personified that way but this is Hebrew of course probably the mothers a better idea and she's standing not hidden somewhere but in the busiest parts of town shouting for anyone who will listen to her you see wisdom is not hard to find it's not a difficult thing God wants to give us wisdom you don't have to be have an IQ to get wisdom you have to have a desire and you have to have enough knowledge to come to God for wisdom wisdom it's plural here we think if it is it's this idea of the highest wisdom the fullest wisdom shouts in the streets she lifts her voice in the square I think King James has about the walls in one of these but that's a in verse 20 and 20 that's a hard thing it seemed to be to say in in the busiest parts of town wisdom cries out for whosoever will listen to her and I think that's the idea here wisdom is available to every man it's the whosoever will of the wisdom literature how long on ieave one's will you love simplicity now I think in verse 22 there seems to be three groups and maybe a good definition of each group the naive here is one who simply is a simple-minded person they they they're not really thinking they're just kind of going through life in a daze they haven't really thought through why they're here they haven't really thought through a purpose in life they're not evil they're not rebellious they're just kind of floating along you know in their own little fog maybe that's not naive but they're the second the scoffers delight themself in scoffing maybe I could kind of characterize this Hebrew verb is the loose-lipped ones those who are always talking they talk when they know what they're talking about or not they're just always chattering that's what a scoffer kind of is and in a field there's a thorough hate's knowledge now here the fool is the man who knows what's right but knowingly and willfully Jex it he turns from light to darkness kind of reminds me of John chapter 3 verse 17 through 21 because men love darkness more than light because their deeds were evil that's the idea here it's a willful turning turn to my reproof now reproof is much like the word discipline it kind of is the parental instruction and guidance there is a turning from as well as a turning to in biblical faith as well as biblical wisdom we know some things are wrong and we must turn from them and we know some things are right and we must turn to them this is very similar to I think to a book of Hebrews New Testament chapter 12 verse 5 it talks about the discipline of the Lord some see it very similar to the word in Jeremiah about turn shove turn to me repent come back to me behold I will pour out my spirit on you I will make my words known to you again as wisdom shouts in the streets come whosoever will come this is the same truth in the latter part of verse 23 God wants to pour his spirit out on whosoever will will come to him and notice this I will make my words known to you this is one point I'm so against this elitism in biblical faith whether it's the leap and elitism of intellectualism the elitism of wealth the elitism of a race the elitism of a parental background whatever it might be there is no elitism biblical faith is on the table for anybody and everybody to come and receive God has no secret no D clubs right no special knowledge no everything God teaches available and who's sort of a will can have it yes teachers are a gift to the church in difficult areas and categories and kind of getting the overall picture but God's truth is available for anybody of normal intelligence that wants to receive it we need to hear that you'll pour out on your spear on anyone you'll make known his truth to anyone God loves the common man and wants to work with him not the elite you say well Bob proverbs written to a leaked group of young men that is true in his day but as you can see it widens out to all men it's not just the young man speaking to but that's the group that was sitting by the teacher the teacher speaks to all men to come and listen and respond because I called and you refused I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention you neglected all my counsel you did not want my reproof and look down at verse 29 and 30 the same thing they hated knowledge they did not choose to fear the Lord they would not accept my counsel they spurned my reproof what God's saying they turned away from me it was available to them it was readily available to them I pleaded within but they would not this is willful rejection of God not ignorance of God this is knowingly turning your back on the truth of God because why because you want to live your own life you want to do your own thing you got your own plans you want to fulfill so what God what is God going to do well look at this I I will even laugh at your calamity I will mark when dread comes when dread comes like a storm your calamity comes like a whirlwind when distress and anguish come on you then you will call on me but I will not answer you will seek me diligently that's a strong word in Hebrew but you shall not find me now what is this all about Oh folks I think this is the truth we need to hear that God refuses to be God of just the crisis times oh how many there are that calling the God in the foxhole make promises to God in the foxhole but then refused to live for God when he fulfills his part of the vow yes this is not oh I'm sick god help me oh I'm in trouble God help me no God says I won't respond to you when you have refused to walk with me day by day you've been selfish with your life and now in some crisis you call out to me he says I will not hear you I will not be found by you though you seek me diligently this is the culmination the fruit if you please of daily rejection of God God is not the god of the crisis God is not the god of the gaps God is the god of daily fellowship with his people it's as strong words scary words now the prophets used this a lot but the prophets are using it a little bit different here than here so this is a whole different thought first 30 so they shall eat the fruit of their own way oh my Galatians 6:7 in it and be satisfied with their own devices kind of like in Romans chapter 1 God says fine I'll give them over to their own way well it's nothing more serious than God giving us over to our own way especially when our own way is evil an evil that leads to self destruction for the waywardness of the naive shall kill them and the complacency of the fools shall destroy them but he who listens to me shall live securely and shall be at ease from the dread of evil it's the two ways here again one way is a willful rejection of God for self and sin and momentary pleasure and the other one there are problems there are pains there aren't there aren't things that hurt and are not understandable in life but those who trust in the Lord those who wait upon the Lord God will work with him God will be with them they may suffer problems but governor forsake them but the others the last moments of life in the depth of problems call out to God he says I've been calling to you for years I've been knocking on the door of your heart over and over again and you would not now I will not be found by you now I think we have to clarify this from the New Testament which says ideologically I believe that God never never quits working with people but the truth is when you say no to God so long it becomes impossible to say yes to God first few times it may be hard but it gets easier and easier and finally we just don't turn to God and I think that is probably a a better theological understanding as we look at this proverbs chapter 1 it's really setting the stage for much of proverbs basically it's divine har sense for day living but it's divine Harsens for daily living linked to the philosophy and worldview of a moral order based on the covenant of God it's a worldview there is one aunt one only one God he is a moral ethical God he wants me to live in certain ways with my fellow man and with him now based on that how do I do daily life and based on that theological perspective proverbs is guidelines to godly wisdom daily living successful living this is what makes Israel's wisdom literature distinct from others it has this theological orientation that's rooted in the very fabric of the wisdom literature not something alien or imposed on it it is the heart of this truth I hope as you go through here one of the best ways to do this is to look at note your paragraph divisions in Proverbs it's not like prose but I think if there's been a good job in the paragraph divisions and proverbs and try to sum up in your own words in one simple sentence the major truth of every paragraph division and if you'll do that I think you'll catch the essence of this wisdom nurturer be careful not to push all the details be careful not to base theology on this poetic aspect of Hebrew writing that is not verified and corroborated in other parts of the Bible don't read too much in here I don't this is not a basis of theology it's a basis of how to do life it's predicated on theology but you can't farm theology here this will repeat and amplify and strengthen what is taught elsewhere in the Old Testament and the new but again you can't use this is the only source for bringing major truths about God or his world well I've really enjoyed being with you and I'll see you again same time same place next week God be with you

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Length: 26min 26sec (1586 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 14 2018