What The Wise Do

Introduction So today we are beginning a summer-long series entitled, " A Season of Wisdom." This summer we will be focused on the wisdom writings of the Bible. Our messages will come from two books, Proverbs & James. Though James isn't considered officially a wisdom book, anyone who reads it knows it contains a wealth of wisdom. These two books are wisdom literature at its best. In fact, to me, these two books are the standard of wisdom writings. And in age where common sense isn't too common, and wisdom seems to be dying a quick death, we all need refreshers on wisdom, Specifically Godly wisdom. So today we begin with Proverbs chapter one, What the Wise Do. But let's begin with a quick intro to Proverbs.

A proverb has been defined as a “short statement based on long experience,” which makes the Book of Proverbs as modern as today as it was when it was first written. It deals with the problems of life that each of us has to face. If any book in the Bible could be beamed into people’s minds, this one should. A proverb is a statement of wisdom, often worded cleverly to make it easy to remember. Proverbs is the world’s finest collection of sound, sanctified common sense. The purpose of Proverbs is to give wisdom and understanding so that we will find true blessedness in life and escape the snares and pitfalls of sin.

Proverbs has been called, “Laws from heaven for life on earth.” That describes its contents very concisely. This book is sometimes called “The Proverbs of Solomon,” since most of these sayings are directly attributed to that very wise king. 1 Kings 4 tells us that Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs, so these are the several hundred the Spirit of God inspired to be Holy Scripture.

Chapter 30 is said to contain “the words of Agur the son of Jakeh” (30:1). Chapter 31 is introduced as “the words of King Lemuel” (31:1). We have no knowledge today as to the identity of these two men. Some think that these were other names used by Solomon in his prolific collection of writings.

Solomon came to the throne with great promise, privilege, and opportunity. God had granted his request for understanding, and his wisdom exceeded all others according to 1 Kings 3&4. However, the shocking reality is that he failed to live out the truth that he knew and even taught his son.

Proverbs contains a gold mine of biblical theology, reflecting themes of Scripture brought to the level of practical righteousness, by addressing man’s ethical choices, calling into question how man thinks, lives, and manages his daily life in light of divine truth. More specifically, Proverbs calls man to live as the Creator intended him to live when He made man.

Proverbs covers a wide range of subjects, and the verses are not arranged in topical order. The theme of Proverbs is wisdom, the right use of knowledge. This wisdom is more than an intellectual pursuit; it also involves devotion to the Lord. The wise person fears the Lord, trusts Him, and seeks to obey His will. The wisdom described in Proverbs is like a spiritual “sixth sense.” It enables you to evaluate circumstances and people and make the right decisions in life. The three main topics of Proverbs are Man’s relationship to God, Man’s relationship to himself, and Man’s relationship to others. We'll see that previewed in Chapter 1 today.

From the beginning of Proverbs, Solomon outlines not only the importance of wisdom to navigate this life but also the purpose of these wisdom writings. So let's jump in to discover what the wise do.

Bible Passage Proverbs 1:1-7 (ESV - English Standard Version) 1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction,  to understand words of insight, 3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,  in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple,  knowledge and discretion to the youth— 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,  and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying,  the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;  fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Scriptural Analysis As we look at each verse the interconnections of the entire seven verses will be obvious. These verses are all tied together as the preamble to the book of Proverbs. The prologue challenges the reader to commit himself to the mastery of this book. It offers the significant benefit of acquiring the key to attaining a fuller life. Through this book, one can learn the principles that determine success or failure in the major arenas of human activity, including business, personal relationships, family life, and community life. The opening verse, verse 1, identifies Solomon, son of David, king of Israel as the book’s author. The book’s opening sets the initial stage in terms of a father passing on the inheritance of wisdom to his son. But the book is for all of God’s people. Only through wisdom may all learn righteousness, justice, and equity. The closing verse of the preamble reveals the chief purpose of the book, namely, to teach the fear of the Lord (1:7).

V2 Verse 2 tells us that wisdom and discipline can be attained; they can be learned. The terms for “knowledge” and “understanding” join with the literary forms of “words of insight,” “proverbs and parables,” and “sayings and riddles of the wise” to indicate that learning wisdom is an intellectual activity that requires study and reflection. It demands intentionality and the use of the mind. However, wisdom is not a pursuit of academic study that remains detached from real-life issues. The teaching function of Proverbs should be understood as a work of formation that brings the demands of the intellectual life together with concerns for moral character and a faithful relationship with God.

V3-4 In verse 3 we find the triad of godliness; righteousness, justice, and equality.  This triad is at the center of the prologue’s structure, and its goal for life is at the heart of the whole book. Righteousness, justice, and equity are also often used describing God in the Psalms, and as attributes of God, they set the standard for human interaction. They appear throughout Proverbs to show us how disciplined and prudent living is recognized.

In verse 4 we meet, for the first time, the person who is to receive this instruction in wisdom. That person is “simple” or “untutored”, more lacking in instruction than intelligence. Throughout Proverbs and Psalms, the statutes of the Lord make the simple wise. The simple can be led astray, so there is sometimes a sense of “gullible” or “naive” included as well. It is a significant term, for we will see in Proverbs that personified Wisdom rebukes the simple for remaining in ignorance. The term “simple” is set in parallel with “the young”; thus, it seems that the first objects of wisdom teaching are those who need education in every area of life. Solomon is calling for the young, the immature, & the new believer to wisdom. They are to learn “prudence,” “knowledge,” and “discretion.”

V5-6 Those who are already mature and learned also have a great deal to learn from this book, and they should not shun it as unworthy of their time. The vocabulary of this section indicates four characteristics of biblical wisdom. First, it is practical. “Wisdom” includes the idea of “common sense” and the ability to cope with daily problems and can also refer to occupational skills. Second, it is intellectual. This is implied in words like “understanding” and “knowledge.” Third, it is moral and involves self-control. This is indicated in words like “right and fair” and “discipline." Fourth, Proverbs draws the reader into the mysteries of life. This is implied in terms like “parables” and “riddles.” The ancients were intrigued by riddles, but more is involved here than casual entertainment. Biblical wisdom seeks to resolve or at least adjust to the ambiguities of life. Solomon affirms that the believer can understand many of life's mysteries through Godly wisdom.

V7 Biblical writers waste no time with anything less than matters of the highest priority. They go to the heart of the matter, especially when dealing with first things: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1); “in the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). At the beginning of Proverbs we have an introduction that declares without apology that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (1:7). Verse 7 declares the fundamental principle of biblical wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." The Hebrew word for “beginning” (rešiʾt) has the sense of what comes first, what stands at the head of the line. Therefore, it can refer to what is first in time, a beginning, but also it can designate what is first in importance. “Fear of the Lord” is central to the wisdom teaching of Job, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes. While injunctions to fear gods are not unique to Israel, the Hebrew Bible gives it an emphasis not found in any other ancient Near Eastern literature. “Fear of the Lord” in Proverbs is certainly the most important of the “sayings of the wise.” It appears as a key theme that is sounded repeatedly throughout the book. Each time it appears, “fear of the Lord” is paired with a phrase or partner to highlight a different dimension of this essential attitude. This pairing reminds the reader that without fear of God, there can be no instruction in wisdom. “Fear of the Lord” leads to knowledge of God; hatred of evil, pride, and arrogance. There is no wisdom that starts without "fear of the Lord."

TODAY'S KEY TRUTH THE WISE SEEK TO LEARN & LIVE GOD'S WAYS

Application A few weeks ago I talked about the legacy we should leave is the proclamation of the Gospel. The purpose of the Bible is to declare the Gospel message: The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came, died for our sins, and rose again, eternally triumphant over sin and death, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy.

After we have encountered the Gospel and been changed then what? That's when we seek to learn and live God's ways. That's where we begin to become wise. THE WISE SEEK TO LEARN & LIVE GOD'S WAYS

“Wisdom” in its most general meaning is the acquired learning that helps one know what to do in a given situation. It includes knowledge and skill, whether that skill is applied to craft work or to the business of right living, as it is here. Wisdom is not a pursuit of academic study that remains detached from real-life issues. The teaching function of Proverbs should be understood as a work of formation that brings the demands of the intellectual life together with concerns for moral character and a faithful relationship with God.

These seven verses tell us that the book of Proverbs is primarily concerned with the formation of character through the cultivation of wisdom. It is in these verses we actually see the universal call of scripture to the believer. It describes three fundamental dispositions that those who would be Godly and wise ought to display: humility, love of others, and fear of God. These verses show us what godly people are concerned with as they seek to learn and live God's ways. These verses show us the humility of the learner (to learn wisdom and discipline), love for one’s neighbor (to practice wisdom and virtue), and fear of Yahweh (to consistently return to the beginning) is what the wise do. Let's look at those for a moment. To learn and live God's ways shows the humility of the learner. Wisdom is not so much a goal to be attained as a posture of humility, a willingness to receive instruction. A wise person is a learning person, a person in process, never a finished product. A wise person knows that they don't know. After we pass the teenage years we often begin to see that we don't know as much as we think we did. A wise person knows they don't know so they are completely dependent on God to learn. Being humble is a message in the Bible from beginning to end. To learn and live God's ways shows Love for our neighbor. We have also seen that the thematic center of this introduction is the triad of virtues that are found in verse 3 when it says, "receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity." Righteousness, justice, and straight dealing cannot be understood in abstraction; they must be practiced. And they cannot be practiced in isolation; they show themselves in the way we treat others. Loving our neighbors is a message in the Bible from beginning to end.

To learn and live God's ways shows Fear of God. The fear of Yahweh is the first principle of knowledge. It is often rejected by the fool, who despises wisdom and discipline. To submit to instruction is to acknowledge an authority higher than the fool’s own. Therefore the fool, wishing to be his own authority, does not know whom he should fear. Yet without that fear, that acknowledgment of God’s gracious authority, there can be no knowledge of wisdom as described in Proverbs. In fearing the Lord, we will recognize that He is the Creator and we are the creatures. He is the Master and we are the servants. He is the Father and we are the children. We are the sinners and He is our rescuer. This attitude will manifest itself in our having respect for God, and His word, and in our desire to do what He tells us to in His Bible. To put it simply, the fear of the Lord is a deep-seated reverence for God that causes men to want to please Him at all costs. Oswald Chambers wrote, “The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else.” Maybe that speaks to our culture of anxiety and fear. Fear, respect, and reverence toward God is a message in the Bible from beginning to end.

Be humble, love your neighbor, fear the Lord. That's what the wise do. THE WISE SEEK TO LEARN & LIVE GOD'S WAYS Conclusion We often shy away from phrases like “the fear of the Lord” because we want to say that God is loving, like a father looking down the road for his prodigal son, or tender, like a mother nurturing her newborn child. But fear of God is about turning from rebellion to teachability before God. Wisdom comes by embracing all of reality, including our need to submit to an authority greater than our own. The life of wisdom is not just good sense or a list of principles for a happy life (true as this may be); it is above all an attitude toward God that influences all of our decisions and actions.

THE WISE SEEK TO LEARN & LIVE GOD'S WAYS

God's ways are to Be humble, love your neighbor, and fear the Lord. That's what the wise do.

Solomon lived an incredible life but eventually turned from all the wisdom God gave him. Although the Lord did not take Solomon's kingdom from him as punishment, Solomon's disobedience resulted in his kingdom being divided at his death. Like Saul and David who preceded him, Solomon began his reign in favor of God and man, but he soon let the power of the throne turn his heart away from God. Despite all His significant accomplishments, the Hebrew scriptures indicate that the decline of Solomon was similar to the fall of the previous kings of United Israel - similar, in that personal vanity and religious/moral compromise led to social disintegration and strife.

Saul, David, and Solomon all show us the grandness of God's wisdom, and they all show us how bad life can go when we turn away from God's ways. God's ways aren't meant as a killjoy or to live a lesser life. God's ways are for our protection and the fullness of life.

THE WISE SEEK TO LEARN & LIVE GOD'S WAYS And God's ways: Be humble, love your neighbor, fear the Lord. That's what the wise do.

THE WISE SEEK TO LEARN & LIVE GOD'S WAYS