Fear of the LORD Proverbs 9
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Proverb \PRAH-vuhrb\
A short saying that, once you hear it, you know it’s true; valuable for those who don’t know it.
A proverb is a short saying that teaches a practical truth based on common experience. Every coach or music teacher knows dozens of proverbs, such as, “Can’t is a four-letter word. We don’t use four-letter words here.” Or, “Focus on what you can control.” These aren’t in the Bible. But this one is: “Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly” (
Describe the proverb. 3 Parts, 6 verses each.
The first six verses are the woman wisdom who invites the naive to come to her. She invites the naive who wish to gain wisdom to a banquet that they might know the knowledge of God.
The middle six verses are some sayings about those who are scoffers and those who are wise. These are verses that help the reader to understand what happens with those who hear the truth and those who ignore it.
And then the final six verses are the woman folly who gets her turn. She makes the same invitation as lady wisdom but you see life from her point of view. And her point of view is the complete opposite of Lady wisdom.
In the middle six verses are the meat of the proverb.
Proverbs 9:10-12 says:
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
Transitional Sentence: These three verses provide the reason for choosing wisdom over folly.
So let’s take a look at:
Proverbs Chapter 9 - This sermon is entitled Wisdom’s Invitation
The first six verses which compares wisdom to a woman says:
Proverbs 9:1-6
1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table;
3 She has sent out her maidens, she calls From the tops of the heights of the city:
4 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says,
5 “Come, eat of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 “Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.”
So Lady Wisdom built a house with seven pillars (a mansion). The idea of a house with seven pillars has many explanations. One of them is that the number seven expresses completeness in Scripture. The passage communicates that the application of wisdom results in a complete, orderly, well-furnished house, a house or life that lacks nothing. A house full of wisdom.
Lady Wisdom has set a table for anyone who wishes to come in and enjoy. This meal is sumptuous and full, lacking nothing. (photo) The banquet is set and ready for the invited guests to arrive. The call is come in and partake freely of the bounty that is set before us.
And then Wisdom sent out her maidens to invite many to the banquet. The maidens went out to invite the needy not the rich and powerful. The rich and powerful don’t want what Lady wisdom provides but the needy must be given the chance to gain wisdom in their lives. This idea parallels Jesus’ parable about a big banquet in Luke 14:16-24. (Explain)
ii. Those who are in need are the naive. Those who lack understanding, they are called that they may eat and drink so they might forsake Folly.
The naive show a lack of experience, wisdom or judgment. Some might call them ignorant because they lack knowledge or information, which includes a failure to know the person, will and ways of God. Scripture emphasizes the importance of a true knowledge of God and makes such knowledge available. Those who lack this information and knowledge are the ones that need to turn to wisdom, they need to come into her house and sit down at the table.
When the naive have accepted the invitation to come and they have entered the house they need to sit down at the table. They need to partake of the banquet she has prepared. They need to eat their fill until they have the true knowledge of God. Knowledge which leads to eternal life.
After eating their fill at the banquet of Lady Wisdom then they can forsake Folly. They will live in understanding and will be wise enough to not turn into Folly’s house. So turn to wisdom, Learn about the Lord, know His ways and His will for your life. Don’t be that guy who follows folly. Don’t be the naive one be the wise one.
Which leads us to:
b. Proverbs 9:13-18 where Folly is Compared to a Woman who mimics Lady wisdom’s words to seduce the naive into her home.
13 The woman of folly is boisterous, She is naive and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high places of the city,
15 Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight:
16 “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,” And to him who lacks understanding she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
i. The woman Folly is boisterous and naive. She knows nothing. She is ignorant of the knowledge of God. She is like the woman in Proverbs 7:10-27. Proverbs 7:10-12 says:
10 And behold, a woman comes to meet him, Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home;
12 She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner.
The woman Folly is modeled after a harlot. A lady of the night who entices the naive with illicit, sinful activity.
She too has a house. She sits in her doorway enticing the naive to enter. She also sits in the high places of the city. The dark places, the remote places, places where people go when they are up to no good. Places people go when they wish to participate in illicit, sinful activity. She calls to those who are passing by. She calls to those who are trying to make their paths straight. She seeks to seduce the naive into her house.
Do you know the song The House of the Rising Sun by the “The Animals?” Part of it goes like this:
“There is a house in New Orleans, They call the Rising Sun, And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy and God, I know I’m one.”
“Oh, mother, tell your children Not to do what I have done, Spend your lives in sin and misery In the House of the Rising Sun.”
That’s the house of Folly. That’s the house that leads people to live their lives in sin and misery.
But that is the house that Folly wishes to share with:
ii. Whoever is naive and lacks understanding. This group of people will not listen to Lady Wisdom and her maidens. This group of people will believe the lie that stolen water and bread are better than that which is worked for. Proverbs 5:15 says:
15 Drink water from your own cistern And fresh water from your own well.
Covetousness leads people to want the water and bread of others that the woman Folly promises. Unfortunately this group of people don’t realize that sin and misery lead to death. Verse 18 ends with her guests being in the depths of Sheol. Folly’s guests wind up in hell because they don’t know the truth about God.
Now we find ourselves in the middle of the proverb. These sayings are meant to show the reader why wisdom is preferable to folly.
2. The Truth of Wisdom Proverbs 9:7-9
7 He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.
8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.
a. Verse 7 says that if you correct a scoffer you get dishonor and reprove a wicked man you get insults. Scoffers and the wicked will not hear the words of a teacher who is attempting to correct them. A scoffer and wicked man will mock and ridicule others for their ideas. They won’t hear the words of the teacher and will most likely treat the the teacher with contempt which is dishonorable. So if you attempt to correct or reprove a scoffer or wicked person be realistic about your expectations. They probably won’t hear you and they might even ridicule you in return. There minds will be closed and their attitude set. Have you ever beaten your head against a brick wall. That’s the point of this verse. Teaching the scoffer and wicked will be like beating your head against that brick wall. Painful because your words won’t get through but also because they just might retaliate with words or actions.
But take heart:
b. Verse 8 shows a different story. Here we see the difference between a scoffer and a wise man. Here we are told not reprove a scoffer. We are told not to because a scoffer will hate you. The scoffer will insult and ridicule you just like verse 7 said. However the good news is that if you reprove a wise man he will love you. This response is the complete opposite of a scoffer. A wise man will be open to teaching. A wise man will listen and accept the teaching that you provide. A wise man will gain knowledge and understanding from the words of the teacher.
Which leads us the the happy side of the coin:
c. Verse 9 Tells us that if you instruct the wise he will be wiser and a righteous man will increase his learning. Those who are wise and righteous will listen and grow wiser. Those who are wise will even seek out wise counsel. Proverbs 1:5 says:
5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,
Those who are wise are open minded. Not shut off and closed to the words of wisdom.
Those who are wise will seek out more wisdom which leads us to the rest of the story.
3. Proverbs 9:10-12 tells us where Wisdom begins
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it.
a. Verse 10 tells us it all begins with the fear of the LORD. Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom leading to knowledge and understanding.
There are some good words here and here are some good biblically based definitions of these words.
Fear - a feeling of profound respect for someone or something, often a deity, conceived of as fear. In the Bible, fear is often regarded not as an emotion but as wise behavior.
Wisdom - The quality of discernment and understanding characteristic of God himself. True wisdom, seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ, is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Scripture affirms that true human wisdom is a gift from God and points out the folly of trusting in mere human wisdom.
Knowledge - A state of awareness and understanding, resulting from information which has been obtained or revealed concerning people or objects. This points to a relationship with God through Christ Jesus.
Understanding - God-given perception of the nature and meaning of things, resulting in sound judgment and decision-making; in particular the ability to discern spiritual truth and to apply it to human disposition and conduct.
Fear or a reverence for the Lord is the point where believers begin knowing God. It’s the point where our behavior glorifies and honors God. And the point where the gift of wisdom, a gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us begins to grow our knowledge, our ability to put the wisdom into action in our lives. Our knowledge grows out of the relationship that we have with Christ Jesus and our Heavenly Father. As our knowledge grows our understanding grows. Understanding keeps us walking in the paths of righteousness. Walking in the paths of righteousness will keep us dwelling in the house of the LORD forever.
The fact that fear is the beginning of wisdom points to a continuous process of growing in our relationship with the LORD. If you believe you do not have wisdom or are lacking in wisdom the best way to get more is to ask God for it. God, the one who gives generously to those who ask without doubting will receive more. James 1:5 says:
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
So go ahead and ask, He will provide the wisdom that is needed.
This continuous relationship that begins with fear leads us to:
b. Verse 11 which says days are multiplied and years are added to life. The me is God. Only He can multiple days and add years. Fear of the LORD leads to wise behavior and the consequences of wise behavior are generally extended days and years of life. Folly, or unwise behavior, on the other hand generally leads to fewer days and a shorter life. This same idea is echoed in Proverbs 4:10 which says:
10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings And the years of your life will be many.
This leads us to a comparison of wisdom and folly.
c. Verse 12 says the wise are wise for themselves and scoffers will bear their own burden.
This points to the fact that each of us carries personal responsibility for our choices. Those who choose fear and wisdom choose for themselves. I can try and get others to see this but like I said earlier scoffers will have closed minds to the truth. My choice will show in my life and your choice will show in yours.
The scoffer will bear the burden of their own sin and misery. They will bear the burden of their folly. The woman folly will carry them away with her desires and they will have no hope. Be wise and be rewarded.
The NIV has this verse as - If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you, and if you scoff, you alone will suffer.
So according to the NIV those who follow wisdom will be rewarded and those who follow folly will suffer. This is the choice to make. Receive a reward or suffer, what’s it going to be?
Exit:
So Proverbs 9 provides us a choice. Wisdom or Folly, Reward or suffering. Life or death. Choose wisdom and choose life. Choose folly and choose death. In choosing wisdom you choose understanding which leads to Christ Jesus and eternal life. Choosing folly leads to death. She leads the scoffers and wicked to sheol.
The Knowledge of the Holy One leads to understanding. Which results in sound judgment and decision-making; particularly the ability to discern spiritual truth and to apply it to human disposition and conduct. So we must conduct ourselves in the fear of the LORD. Behave wisely, as one who knows the LORD and not as one who does not.
Pray:
