Fathers' of Wisdom
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Pre-text: Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Solomon writes the first ten chapters with basic instructions for understanding the nature and way of wisdom. You’ll find these spelled out in general principles, Descriptions of Woman Wisdom, and what are called the letters from a father. The Father in question is none other than Solomon himself and his subject is Rehoboam the heir to the throne of Israel.
He rights in urgency and with the heart of someone that has a vested interest in his Son being wise. He will open each of these letters with the Phrase “my son” and you can spot these instructions through out the first ten chapters.
1. Proverbs 1:8-19: The father advises his son to avoid the enticement of sinners.
2. Proverbs 2:1-22: The father extols the benefits of pursuing wisdom.
3. Proverbs 3:1-12: The father encourages trust in the Lord and adherence to His commandments.
4. Proverbs 3:21-35: The father speaks on the importance of sound wisdom and discretion.
5. Proverbs 4:1-9: The father reminisces about the instruction he received from his own father.
6. Proverbs 4:10-19: The father contrasts the paths of the righteous and the wicked.
7. Proverbs 4:20-27: The father advises his son on guarding his heart and maintaining moral integrity.
8. Proverbs 5:1-23: The father warns against the dangers of adultery.
9. Proverbs 6:1-19: The father gives various warnings, including against suretyship, laziness, and deceit.
10. Proverbs 6:20-35: The father further warns against adultery and its consequences.
11. Proverbs 7:1-27: The father provides a vivid warning against the seductive woman.
Text: Proverbs 4:1-13
Long-haired David
After getting his driving license, David visited home during vacation and asked his dad for the family car. His dad agreed, but put forwarded three conditions - good grades in school, a neat room and a decent haircut. After several months, David came home again. He had followed the three things that he had promised his dad, except getting his hair cut. When the father saw that his son had disobeyed him, he asked for an explanation. David smartly said, "Hey dad, even Jesus had long hair." His Father was not someone to be taken for a ride and smilingly replied, "Yes, son, you're absolutely right. And Jesus also walked everywhere he went."
You have to love the way of a father. He is direct and to the point. More importantly he has a responsibility. A generational responsibility. Solomon points out how wisdom works in an ideal world.
He taught me also, and said unto me,
Let thine heart retain my words:
Keep my commandments, and live.
Solomon says that I had a father and he taught me.
For I give you good doctrine,
Forsake ye not my law.
But it was not enough that Solomon hears wisdom but that he gives it away.
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom;
I have led thee in right paths.
This is a view of wisdom that carries throughout Scripture. One generation passes wisdom and doctrine to another.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Consider for a moment what this requires.
A man ready to learn wisdom
A man ready to pass wisdom on
A man ready to learn wisdom
A man ready to pass wisdom on
This is why Solomon has this simple instruction about wisdom.
Wisdom is the Principle thing therefore get wisdom.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:
And with all thy getting get understanding.
There is the primary job. This is the basic responsiblity.
Get wisdom; don’t forget it. (5)
Love wisdom; don’t forsake it. (6)
Exalt wisdom, don’t favor foolishness. (8)
Embrace wisdom, don’t let it go. (13)
There is a major theme running through these verses explaining why a father would want his children to be wise.
Because wisdom is what brings a life and a life worth living.
He taught me also, and said unto me,
Let thine heart retain my words:
Keep my commandments, and live.
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace:
A crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.
Rembember He is speaking of a king. Many of us will never wear a crown but we can lead and influence as one that deserves a crown of glory.
Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;
And the years of thy life shall be many.
When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened;
And when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go:
Keep her; for she is thy life.
Keep this in mind more important than ability in sports or skills in a craft a wise father wants his children to be wise. And fights against anything that would steal it from him.
Avoid it, pass not by it,
Turn from it, and pass away.
What could steal away the wisdom?
to forsake it
to forget it
to favor foolishness
to let it go
Make no mistake about it our world, our culture, our enemy desires for you to make you fall.
So even here we get closer to SOlomon’s point.
Get wisdom for a lifetime. In other words.
Get Wisdom don’t ever not be getting wisdom.
Tortoise and the Hare…
You remember that though superior in speed the Hare loses the famed race with the tortoise because he was destracted and stopped along the way.
This is very close to the imagery of Solomon. He sees wisdom as a journey on a path that one who is wise will continually walk down. And will not stop. But along the path the wicked with no other desire than to trip you up, offers you distractions all along the way.
These offers are described as
Bread of Wickedness
Wine of Violence
CIT: Notice the nature of what the world offers. It’s not progress it is consumption. These are meant only to be consumed not accomplished.
The world offers you all types of entertainment. That has only one job and that is endoctrination. Solomon says I have good doctrine for you that will take you on a journey of more and more godliness. The world offers endoctrination. That is a phony doctrine passed on through subversive means.
Much of what the world wants you to get hung up on will never be overt. They wont sit you down and explain their view they will slide it into children’s programming and classroom material because otherwise youd’ see right through it.
For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
20 years ago I was teaching through Proverbs and I came across this verse and I realized that much of what young teenage boys were consuming were what are called first person shooters. A video game style that put the player behind the muzzle of a weapon and had them point the simulated gun at simulated people. Then the game was one when you shot and killed these simulated people. I can feel the acceptance already. It struck me that what the world uses to keep us inoculated from wisdom is a wine of violence. The consumption of violence was a precursor to the destination of wisdom.
My boys play video games from time to time. But since all those years ago my hope and prayer has been and the rule of our home is no games where violence is the point of the game.
Why because our hope is that they’ll choose wisdom.
We should keep our eyes open for the agendas of the world around us.
Movies
games
streams
podcasts
political veiwpoints
social media
These all have an agenda.
Sadly, today many that call themselves believers are more worked up for the cause of Trump than the cause of Christ.
We are more worked up with the Woke crowd than wisdom.
We are more enamored with a hobby than Christ likeness
Indoctrination:
HI: Wisdom continues when we recognize that the world has an agenda to take it from you.
CIT: Get Wisdom; and let not agenda take it from you.
Preacher the world is full of these distractions how in the world are we to
get past the desire to be entertained constantly
get past the desire to be advertised to by the world
get past the distractions of indoctrination.
Let me remind you how…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.