Proverbs Part I: The Beginning of Wisdom

Why is wisdom important?

Wisdom creates in us the necessary skills we need for everyday life.

Proverbs 1:1–6 CSB

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 For learning wisdom and discipline; for understanding insightful sayings; 3 for receiving prudent instruction in righteousness, justice, and integrity; 4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man— 5 let a wise person listen and increase learning, and let a discerning person obtain guidance— 6 for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles.

Where does wisdom come from?

Wisdom comes from a right understanding of who God is.

Proverbs 1:7 CSB

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.

God Himself is the source of wisdom. Any world view apart from the Christian world view is foolish. How can I say that? A world view without God in the center is a world view without wisdom. Wisdom is a person and His name is Jesus. Before we can consider wisdom we need to think about what we believe to be true about God. It begins with realizing we do not know more about how this world works than the one who created it. Wisdom begins with humbly laying ourselves at the Lord’s feet and saying, Lord you know far more than me and this world cannot offer me the wisdom that you can. Lord please show me how I should live!”

God is...

A Triune God

Holy

Worthy of all Worship and Reverence

Creator and Sustainer of all things

A Promise Keeper

Unchanging

The Source of Wisdom

The world cannot offer the same wisdom that God offers. In fact looking for wisdom outside of God has been a foolish thing to do even from the very beginning.

Genesis 3:1–7 CSB

1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

What use is wisdom in my life?

Wisdom can protect us from the danger of sin.

Proverbs 1:8–19 CSB

8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching, 9 for they will be a garland of favor on your head and pendants around your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded. 11 If they say—“Come with us! Let’s set an ambush and kill someone. Let’s attack some innocent person just for fun! 12 Let’s swallow them alive, like Sheol, whole, like those who go down to the Pit. 13 We’ll find all kinds of valuable property and fill our houses with plunder. 14 Throw in your lot with us, and we’ll all share the loot”— 15 my son, don’t travel that road with them or set foot on their path, 16 because their feet run toward evil and they hurry to shed blood. 17 It is useless to spread a net where any bird can see it, 18 but they set an ambush to kill themselves; they attack their own lives. 19 Such are the paths of all who make profit dishonestly; it takes the lives of those who receive it.

Walking in wisdom leads to honor.

Wisdom is like wearing a crown on your head and a necklace around your neck.

Walking with sinners leads to destruction.

The fool seeks opportunities to sin leading to their own death.

You are either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.

Romans 6:15–23 CSB

15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey—either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 19 I am using a human analogy because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you offered the parts of yourselves as slaves to impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness. 21 So what fruit was produced then from the things you are now ashamed of? The outcome of those things is death. 22 But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Proverbs 8:1–4 CSB

1 Doesn’t wisdom call out? Doesn’t understanding make her voice heard? 2 At the heights overlooking the road, at the crossroads, she takes her stand. 3 Beside the gates leading into the city, at the main entrance, she cries out: 4 “People, I call out to you; my cry is to the children of Adam.

Can you hear Wisdom’s call on your life? At every turn, every decision, Christ is calling us to trust and follow Him. What will you decide to do?

The call to follow wisdom begins with a right understanding of who Jesus is and what He has accomplished by His life, death, and resurrection.

Only when we are transformed by the Gospel can we begin to live a life of Wisdom.

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

As we follow Christ, we find Wisdom to be worth more than anything ___________ can offer us.

Proverbs 8:5–21 CSB

5 Learn to be shrewd, you who are inexperienced; develop common sense, you who are foolish. 6 Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right. 7 For my mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips. 8 All the words from my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse. 9 All of them are clear to the perceptive, and right to those who discover knowledge. 10 Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. 11 For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can equal it. 12 I, wisdom, share a home with shrewdness and have knowledge and discretion. 13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. 14 I possess good advice and sound wisdom; I have understanding and strength. 15 It is by me that kings reign and rulers enact just law; 16 by me, princes lead, as do nobles and all righteous judges. 17 I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me. 18 With me are riches and honor, lasting wealth and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than solid gold, and my harvest than pure silver. 20 I walk in the ways of righteousness, along the paths of justice, 21 giving wealth as an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

The call to live wisely is a call to action. Wisdom is more than knowing a lot of things. It is living a life of humility and service to God.

Wisdom has been around long before us and will be around long after us.

Proverbs 8:22–36 CSB

22 “The Lord acquired me at the beginning of his creation, before his works of long ago. 23 I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began. 24 I was born when there were no watery depths and no springs filled with water. 25 Before the mountains were established, prior to the hills, I was given birth— 26 before he made the land, the fields, or the first soil on earth. 27 I was there when he established the heavens, when he laid out the horizon on the surface of the ocean, 28 when he placed the skies above, when the fountains of the ocean gushed out, 29 when he set a limit for the sea so that the waters would not violate his command, when he laid out the foundations of the earth. 30 I was a skilled craftsman beside him. I was his delight every day, always rejoicing before him. 31 I was rejoicing in his inhabited world, delighting in the children of Adam. 32 “And now, sons, listen to me; those who keep my ways are happy. 33 Listen to instruction and be wise; don’t ignore it. 34 Anyone who listens to me is happy, watching at my doors every day, waiting by the posts of my doorway. 35 For the one who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, 36 but the one who misses me harms himself; all who hate me love death.”