Proverbs 2 -3

- 3

This morning we continue our study of the book of Proverbs. Anyone remember who wrote the majority of the book?

Today we will be looking at and 3.

Know as we begin our study it is important to notice that what we view as “proverbs” really doesn’t begin until Chapter 10. The first 9 chapters are Solomon’s observations regarding Wisdom, Knowledge & Discretion. Additional, he gives advice and warning regarding, the “immoral woman, money, adultery, scoffers, and the values hard work and doing the correct thing.

Now as we get into Ch 2 the topic is the Value of Wisdom. As we read notice that getting wisdom is not passive. It takes work and searching diligently.

Luke 11:9 NKJV

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Look at what Jesus told us:

Luke 11:

,

9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Finally before we read:

is a unit to itself. “The ‘alphabetic’ poem is a single sentence consisting of 22 verses, matching the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, probably to suggest its completeness.” (Bruce Waltke)

Read Ch 2

Vs 1 -4 Notice the action words here.

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures;

Incline, apply, cry out, lift up your voice, seek

God doesn’t just spoon feed you. As Pastors we are charged with feeding the flock of God but each individual believer is responsible for themselves.

How does one search for hidden treasure or seek after gold & silver? Have you seen the “curse of oak island” or any of the shows about treasure hunts. These guys are going to a lot of trouble!

Vs 5 is the reward.

Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.

Knowledge and wisdom come as a results of searching for it. There is no easy quick way.

But God has given us a map with the answers and its all in this book. So make of habit of reading every day.

V6 - 9 tell us the reason this is true!

For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.

Did you ever wonder why it is called The Word of God? John refers to Jesus as the Logos or the Word.

Notice in Vs 7 God has store of wisdom waiting for you.

He promises to shield us as well, those who are making an effort to walk uprightly.

Notice the action words used of God for those who are on the way.

Vs 10 - 15 Wisdom preserves us from evil people

When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you,

To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths;

from those who speak perverse things

from back sliders

from those who delight in perversity

from the devious

Vs 16 - 22 From the immoral woman

To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words, Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, And her paths to the dead; None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life— So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths of righteousness. For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

In this section Solomon brings a few more topics he will mention over and over.

the immoral woman, the seductress

the upright and blameless will continue in the land

the unfaithful and wicked will be cut off

. Immoral woman…seductress: “Both these terms mean lit. ‘foreigner’ or stranger; i.e., in such a context (cf. 17b), ‘one who is outside the circle of [a man’s] proper relations, that is, a harlot or an adulteress’.” (Kidner)

Today there is the tendency to view things without nuance; for example, to think of all women as victims to all men. This rejects the idea of the immoral woman, thinking that if there is a sexual liaison between a man and a woman, he must be the perpetrator and she must be the victim. The Bible recognizes that human beings and human relationships are far more complicated than that.

Things to identify:

Who flatters with her words: “Hechelikah, she that smooths with her words. The original intimates the glib, oily speeches of a prostitute. The English lick is supposed to be derived from the original word.” (Clarke)

Who forsakes the companion of her youth: The immoral woman Solomon had in mind had a past record of disloyalty and unfaithfulness.

Forgets the covenant of her God

Vs 17 Where this all leads: For her house leads down to death, Her paths to the dead - the spirits of the dead.

The New King James Version Chapter 2

19 None who go to her return,

Nor do they regain the paths of life—

None who go to her return None who go to her return

None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life—

It is very difficult to recover from sexual sins.

So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths of righteousness. For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

God’s desire is always that we would choose life and the paths of righteousness.

Ch 3 Solomon continues with more counsel for his son

My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.

My law and my commands are speaking of what? Gods word

Note the promise, long life and peace,

Vs 3 & 4 Importance of Mercy and Truth

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.

How do you write them on your heart?

Do want favor in your life? Be a man of mercy and truth.

Vs 5 through 10 are famous and worth memorizing.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

“The word translated ‘trust’ in verse 5 means ‘to lie helpless, facedown.’ It pictures a servant waiting for the master’s command in readiness to obey, or a defeated soldier yielding himself to the conquering general.” (Wiersbe)

Lean not: “Do not rely, or lean as on a broken crutch, depicts what is meant by ‘trust.’” (Waltke) Trusting God with all our heart means to decide to put away our own understanding and instead to choose to trust God and His understanding, especially as declared in His word.

When we do those things, we can trust that God will direct our paths.

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

Trusting God has healthy consequences.

Flesh is literally navel, and is usually taken as a center point referring to the entire body.

Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Here the writer tells us to honor God through our giving.

Firstfruits indicates our best, the best of what we have.

The promise, plenty and increase. You can’t out give God.

Vs 11 -12 Discipline of God

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Part of being a son loved by their father is being disciplined or corrected. Solomon will visit this topic many more times.

This passage is quoted in Hebrews as encouragement that chastening and suffering are a sign of sonship.

He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

How might God discipline us?

The particular discomfort or affliction could come in many ways. God may do it through the inward conviction of the Holy Spirit. It may come through critics and adversaries. It may come through disappointing and sour circumstances. However it may come, it will not feel good, but before God could be allowed to do much good in the life of the believer.

“Sometimes He chastens because we have rebelled and need to repent; other times He chastens to keep us from sinning and to prepare us for His special blessing. No matter how much the experience hurts us, it will never harm us, because God always chastens in love.” (Wiersbe)

Vs 13 -18 The benefits of wisdom

Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her.

So what are the benefits lists in this section?

Happiness

Proceeds better than silver and gold

more valued than rubies

Long life

Riches and honor

Pleasntness

Peace

Eternal life

Vs 18-20 The Wise Creator

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew.

Vs 21 - 22

My son, let them not depart from your eyes— Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.

God’s wisdom and discretion brings abundant life

Vs 23 -26 You will not be afraid

Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

Walk safley

no fear

sleep sweetly

Vs 27 -30 Pay your debts on time

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

Vs 31 - 35 The perverse person is an abomination to the Lord

Do not envy the oppressor, And choose none of his ways; For the perverse person is an abomination to the Lord, But His secret counsel is with the upright. The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just. Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

secret counsel is with the upright.

He blesses the home of the just.

gives grace to the humble. The wise shall inherit glory,