Wisdom for a Happy Life

Introduction

Good morning, please open in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 31, that is Proverbs chapter 31. That is on page 522 if you are using one of our Bible’s spread throughout the chairs. That is page 522 Proverbs chapter 31. When I young I remember being told the two most important decisions you will make in your life are: Will you follow Jesus? and Who will you marry? As we conclude our study of the Proverbs are given the words of King Lemuel, which were taught to him by his mother. And as this mother speaks to her son she first tells him what not to do as king, and then tells him what he ought to do. He is to seek an excellent wife, the text then explains in detail what an excellent wife really is.

The book of Proverbs is a guide to living the wise life. It teaches us in the first nine chapters that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and that we must choose to either follow the path of lady Wisdom or lady Folly. Chapters 10-29 then give us saying after saying of practical down to earth wisdom that covers everything from Money, Family, Friendship, Emotions, Words, and more. And the book concludes with the words of Agur and Lemuel. Two unknown kings, but Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, knew we needed these words. He knew that the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom and that in order to live a wise and happy life, a man needed to deny sensual pleasure and seek an excellent wife.

Deny Sensual Pleasure v. 1-9

Read v.1-9.

These words spoken by Lemuel’s mother resonate with every mother of boys in this room. What are you doing, my son? Her words are endearing as she refers to him as her son, the son come from her body and her marriage to the boy’s father. Her motherly love is felt in the text but this is not a shy woman. She is unafraid to deal directly with her sons sinful desires. She implores him Proverbs 31:3 “Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.” A lesson King Solomon the complier of these proverbs and author of most of the book of Proverbs was all too familiar with. In 1 Kings 11:1–3“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.” These wives turned away his heart, they struck at the source of his strength, his relationship with God. Like Delilah with Samson, he desire for sensual pleasure did not stay in the bedroom, it seeped into the rest of his life and lost his strength as king when he worshiped false idols. 1 Kings 11:9–11“And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.” His strength was given to women and his kingdom was destroyed after his death. Civil war split the kingdom into the northern and southern kingdom preparing the way for eventual complete takeover by the Assyrians then Babylonians and forcing Israel’s last king to live off an allowance from the king of Babylon. Listen to the words of this wise mother, sin will not stay in the bedroom or on the computer or cell phone. Sin kills, it destroys kingdoms.

Her warnings continue as tells her son Proverbs 31:4–7 “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.” The king is tempted to use his wealth on women and wine, but his mother reminds him of who he is and what his responsibilities are. She reminds him that drunkeness will impair his ability to rule well. It cause him to forget the law and afflict the poor. He will not be a good king, if his a drunk king. Ephesians 5:15–21“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Paul tells that sobriety and wisdom is not just for earthly kings, but for all Christians. That to be drunk is debauchery. Some translations us the word dissipation. It is a waste, it is excessive, it only feeds sensual desire.

King Lemuel’s mother does not point to the poor as means to justify drunkeness for some, but rather to tell her son. You are too good to go around getting drunk. You’re a king, act like it. Mother’s are you reminding your sons of who they are in Christ. They that they are not to profane the name of God by indulging in sensual pleasure. Sons, do you hear the words of this wise mom? You are made for more than booze and girls. It is a frivolous and wasteful life.

You are made expand the kingdom of God in this world. You have been blood bought by Christ not to waste you time on sensual pleasure, but to do good in this words. She commands her son, Proverbs 31:8–9“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Open your mouth, but not to consume alcohol of kiss promiscuous women. Open you mouth to fulfill your role as king. Open your mouth for the sake of the mute. Judge righteously, and defend the rights of the poor and needy. Good kings, do not use their power, wealth, and status for their own sake. They leverage their royalty for the sake of others.

And there is no better example than Jesus Christ. In Luke 4 Jesus returns from being tempted in the wilderness and he teaches in the synagogue. Luke records this message Luke 4:16–22“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth…

This king is supposed to reject sensual pleasure and instead open his mouth on behalf of the poor and needy. Jesus comes and denies Satan’s temptations and then opens his mouth to teach. And proclaims good news to the poor, liberty to the captives, sight to the blind, liberty to the oppressed, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. They marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. Are you this kind of man? Are you like Jesus? Do you deny sensual pleasure and open your mouth to speak gracious words. Would the people in your life marvel at the grace that comes from your mouth? Or are you wasting time and energy and money on sensual pleasure? You were made for more.

T/S- Lemuel’s mother doesn’t stop here. She has another poem for her son. A poem that describes what he is to seek, an excellent wife.

Seek an Excellent Wife v. 10-31