Journey Through Proverbs
Many years ago, someone told me, “A proverb a day keeps the devil away.” While not entirely true, a proverb a day does help you know what to do when the devil comes around. We all need wisdom for living, and as we journey through Proverbs, we will find that this is what this book is all about.
The Book of Proverbs is one of the most practical books in the Bible. It instructs us how to live as Christians. What Psalms is to our devotional life and worship, Proverbs is to our practical life and our walk. Out of the overflow of our time with God, we learn how to deal with people, make decisions, manage our finances, and excel as employees and employers.
The Book of Proverbs touches every aspect of the Christian life. As someone aptly said, “Psalms is the Christian on his knees, and Proverbs is the Christian on his feet.” There is a divine order here. No Christian is prepared to be on their feet until they have first been on their knees. We begin by learning to worship God, to dwell in His presence. We do not leave that presence: we enter into the presence of God each day. The Book of Proverbs is about living rightly before the Lord and walking in His ways.
Listen: Journeying through Proverbs
Overview of Proverbs
The English word proverb literally means to say a great truth in a few words. The Book of Proverbs fulfills this perfectly. Yet, the Hebrew word for proverb, mashal, means to rule or to govern. What God sets forth in these sentence sermons are eternal, unchanging truths that He intends to guide and govern our lives.
The Book of Proverbs draws from many different sources, including human penmen and various sayings passed down through the centuries. But they were compiled and recorded under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The vast majority of the book is written by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, who, according to 1 Kings 4:32, spoke 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. Roughly 800 of those 3,000 proverbs are found in this book. Solomon’s wisdom encompassed every area of life. He was a musician, poet, botanist, zoologist, businessman, administrator, builder, philosopher, and king. However, this man, who was blessed with God-given wisdom, made many foolish decisions.
We can learn much from Solomon, not only what to do, but also what to avoid. Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is our teacher as we journey through Proverbs.
Key Verse of Proverbs
The key verse of the Book of Proverbs is found very near the beginning. Proverbs 1:7 declares: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” There are a host of individuals and personalities that we are introduced to as we journey through Proverbs. As a matter of fact, that is one of the tools that Solomon uses. There are about 26 different personalities in Proverbs, and each one of these individuals has a unique message for us.
The Wise Man and the Fool
We are introduced to two of the main characters in Proverbs 1:7: the wise man and the fool. The wise man is the man who learns to fear the Lord, walk in His presence every day, and keep his eyes on the Lord. The foolish man, however, is the man who decides to reject wisdom and instruction, believing that he needs neither.
As young people, we sometimes think, “When I get older, no one is going to tell me what to do.” But the truth of the matter is, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:” (Proverbs 6:23). Proverbs is not just good for young people, though it addresses young men from the very outset. It is good for all of us, at every age and at every stage in life. God has wisdom and instruction to give us. How does He give that wisdom and instruction? Through His Word. And the Book of Proverbs is just that. It is God’s Word and God’s wisdom for us all.
Parallels Between the Book of Proverbs and James
The Book of Proverbs has a New Testament parallel, and that is found in the book of James. The Book of James has been called the Proverbs of the New Testament, just as the Book of Proverbs has been called the James of the Old Testament. Why? Because James speaks of the wisdom from above. James 1:5 offers the following promise, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him.” Proverbs says to those who desire wisdom and want to know God’s way, “This is the Lord’s way. Walk in it.” This is God’s plan for your life, principles to build your life upon.
This is more than education. It is not wisdom from below, but is truly wisdom from above. It is God’s wisdom. We need that wisdom today. How do you get that wisdom?
Divisions of Proverbs
Our key verse, Proverbs 1:7, unlocks the door to wisdom. It begins: “The fear of the Lord.” There are two kinds of fear. There is the fear that God would hurt me, and there is the fear that I would hurt him. Many of us only know the fear of God as it relates to His judgment and chastening, which God uses to get our attention. But the greatest fear is a fear that G. Campbell Morgan said, “was closely akin to the love of God.” I do not want to grieve the heart of a God who loved me so much that He gave His own Son for me.
Chapters 1-9 – The Commendation of Wisdom
As you journey through Proverbs, the first nine chapters contain a commendation of wisdom. For nine chapters, God says wisdom is best, and wisdom is God’s way. We learn something about the priority. Proverbs 4:7 states, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Why? Because this is the best life.
Chapters 10-24 – The Contrast of Wisdom and Folly
When you come to the middle of the book, chapters ten through twenty-four, there is a contrast of wisdom and folly. One of the tools used in the Book of Proverbs is contrast and comparison. God sets one over against another. In these chapters, we find keywords like rather and better. God is saying, “There is a foolish way. There is a pathway that is folly. But God’s wisdom is so much better than all of that.” Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Do not follow your way, or man’s way. Find God’s way.
Chapters 25-31 – The Counsel of Wisdom
When you come to chapter 25 through chapter 31, you have the counsel of wisdom. Folly is fading into the background. Folly will not last, but God’s wisdom is eternal. The Book of Proverbs ends with numerous counsels for us. It touches our relationships to our neighbors, enemies, and gossips, just to name a few. It regulates different areas of our lives, instructing us on how to deal with those who are over us and those who are under us.
The book concludes with Proverbs 31. What a chapter it is! People often refer to it as “the virtuous woman”, but it is actually the wisdom of a mother to her son. The Book of Proverbs begins with a father speaking to his son, and it ends with a mother speaking to her son. Proverbs 31 is not only about women. It is first about being the right kind of leader. The first nine verses all deal with wisdom for leadership, and verses ten through thirty-one deal with wise women. Proverbs 31 applies to all men and women.
Conclusion
God wants us to be virtuous and wise. Wisdom is wrapped up in Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” Christ is wisdom. Seek him today.
Related Article: 5 Ways to Get More Out of Your Bible Reading
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