THE BOOK OF PROVERBSGet Wisdom!

Get Wisdom!

Have you ever found yourself in a really bad situation and realized that: You should have seen it coming There were things you could have done

earlier that would have prevented the problem from ever happening in the first place?

The book of Proverbs teaches us that wisdom (such as that found in the book of Proverbs) equips us to begin avoiding these kinds of experiences.

Get Wisdom!

The Book of Proverbs was primarily written by King Solomon, a man who was wiser than all the kings of his day (1 Kings 4:29-34).

The purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to give wisdom to all who read it (cf. 1:1-7): To those who lack wisdom and are

therefore in desperate need of it To those who have wisdom that they

might have even more!

Get Wisdom! The book of Proverbs has a total of 31

chapters. Solomon spends most of the first nine

chapters of the Book of Proverbs dealing with the topic of wisdom itself.

So, starting this morning and for the next few lessons, I plan to focus on various aspects of the topic of wisdom drawn from these first nine chapters.

But before I do that, it is important for us to first make sure that we understand what Solomon means when he talks about “wisdom”.

Definition of Wisdom

Wisdom (Hebrew: HOKMA) generally means “masterful understanding, skill, or expertise”. In the Bible it is used of: Technical and Artistic skills (Ex 28:3; 31:6) The Arts of Magic (Exodus 7:11; Isaiah 3:3) The Ability to Govern Well (1 Kings 5:7;

Proverbs 8:14-16; 20:26; 2 Samuel 14:20) The Ability to Have Success in War (Isaiah

10:13) The Ability to Judge Justly (1 Kings 3:28;

Isaiah 11:1-6)

Definition of Wisdom

The possession of wisdom enables humans to cope with life and to achieve what would otherwise be impossible. Through wisdom weak and vulnerable creatures such as the ant and the rock badger, cope and survive against insuperable odds. (Prov. 30:24-28) (Bruce Waltke, p.76-77)

Wisdom is competence with regard to the realities and complexities of life. Wisdom is the ability to know the right thing to do in the 80% of life where the rules of morality don’t apply. Being good and moral is not enough – you’ve got to be wise. (Tim Keller)

Definition of Wisdom

True Biblical Wisdom begins with a proper understanding of God and a right attitude towards Him: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Proverbs 9:10)

Note: “The fear of the LORD” is that affectionate reverence by which the child of God carefully learns what pleases the LORD and humbly conforms himself to it.

Get Wisdom! In the first chapter of Proverbs (1:20-

33), wisdom is personified or pictured as a woman going throughout the city, calling out to anyone who will listen to her warnings:

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

And she is pleading with them, over and over, to get wisdom – before it’s too late!

Get Wisdom! The message here is this: wisdom is

readily available to all who desire it. Do you lack wisdom? If so, it isn’t

because it’s not available! There must be another reason…

Get Wisdom! The Proverbs describe three major

categories of people who lack wisdom: The Simple – those who have not fully

committed themselves to pursuing wisdom and are therefore gullible and easily led astray. They are in grave danger, but there is still hope for them.

The Fool – The fool is worse off than the simple: he lacks wisdom (17:16; 24:7); despises discipline and correction (1:7; 15:5); is hot-tempered (12:16; 20:3) and finds pleasure in evil conduct (10:23), etc.

The Scoffer – is everything a fool is, only worse! He is proud and arrogant and filled with overweening pride (21:24)

Get Wisdom! Wisdom’s plea here is addressed to all

three categories – there is no reason for anyone to continue on in their lack of wisdom:

22 "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

Get Wisdom! Anyone who responds to wisdom’s

invitation can eventually become wise: 23 If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.Or as the NIV puts it: If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.

Get Wisdom! If you’re not willing to get wisdom today

while it’s still available to you, some day you could end up being blindsided by a huge problem and you won’t have the insight to see it coming or to know how to deal with it:

24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, 25 because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, 27 when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.

Get Wisdom! When disaster strikes you may realize

your mistake and try to get a quick dose of wisdom to patch things up, only to find that it’s too late to undo the damage…

28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. 29 Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, 30 would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, 31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

Get Wisdom! If you are among the simple do not

procrastinate in your pursuit of wisdom – in the end it will kill you.

32a For the simple are killed by their turning away

You’re a fool if you think you can ignore wisdom and still be okay – in the end it will destroy you.

32b the complacency of fools destroys them; But if you listen to what the Proverbs have to

say and get wisdom while it is available, you will be prepared when the time comes to use it.

33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.