Proverbs 9: Two Banquets

What is Wisdom?

• “The Fear of the Lord” Prov 1:7, 1:29, 2:5, 15:33, 9:10: Inseparable from RELATIONSHIP to the Source

• CHOKMAH: “Skill”• Skill in Proverbs: “Skill at living your life which

requires knowledge, understanding, and volition to act on it.”

• Life in Proverbs: Existence in God’s presence according to His design, which is your happiness, contentment, and fulfillment in Him

• CHOKMAH is God’s skill at creation and man’s skill at living.

What is the Alternative to Wisdom?

• KASILUTH: “Folly”

• KASIL: “Fool”– Categories of KASIL• Gullible, PETIY

• Sluggard, ATSEL

• Worthless or Good-for-nothing, NABAL

• Scoffer, LETS

• Man of worthlessness, ISH BELIYYAL

A Continuum of Folly and Wisdom

Wisdom has built her house

She has hewn out her pillars seven

She has slaughtered her slaughter

She has mixed her wine

She has set = ordered (ORECH) her table

She has sent out her attendant maidens.

She is calling out.

Upon the top of the heights of the city:

“Whoever is gullible (PETIY), let him turn aside here.”

The one lacking heart, she speaks to him.

“Come! Eat (LACHAM) of my bread (LECHEM)

“And drink of the wine I have mixed.

“Forsake gullibility (PITIYIM) and live!

“Stride on the road of understanding.”

A Closed Conversation: The Wise instructing the Wise

The one who instructs (YASAR) a scoffer (LETS) is the one who gets for himself shame.

And the one who rebukes (YAKACH) a wicked man, ___ injury to himself

Do not rebuke (YAKACH) a scoffer lest he hate you.Rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Give to a wise man and he will become wiser.Cause him to know, a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

The Rule: Why This Is

The starting point of wisdom is the fear of the LORD.

And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

For by me multiplied will be your days

And they will cause to add to you years of life.

If you are wise, you are wise for yourself.

And if you are a scoffer, your heart will bear it.

The Woman of Folly13The woman of folly is boisterous,Gullible and not knowing anything!

14And she sits in the doorway of her houseUpon a seat at the heights of the city15In order to call out to those who pass over the roadThose who are making straight their paths

16”Whoever is gullible let him turn aside here!”And the one who lacks heart, she speaks to him:17“Water stolen is sweet“And bread of secrecy is pleasant!”

18And he does not know that the dead spirits are there;In the depths of Sheol are her guests

The Woman of Folly13The woman of folly is boisterous,Gullible, and not knowing anything!

14And she sits in the doorway of her houseUpon a seat at the heights of the city

15In order to call out to those who pass over the roadThose who are making straight their paths

16Whoever is gullible let him turn aside hereAnd the one who lacks heart she speaks to him:

17“Water stolen is sweet“And bread of secrecy is pleasant!”

18And he does not know that the dead spirits are thereIn the depths of Sheol are her guests

A Portrait of Foolishness

1. In describing the “woman of folly” we find some character attributes to avoid.

2. Boisterous: this means to be loud in volume or tumultuous in lifestyle. It describes the city streets in Prov.1:21 and the adulteress in 7:11.

3. The problem with the boisterous person is not the external display but the internal lack of satisfaction.

4. The outward depiction of inward discontent signals to the wise that this is a dangerous person.

5. Boisterous does not mean “talkative” or “outgoing” but the frantic external tumult of a hollow person.

6. Underlying the outward noise is Gullibility, that category of foolishness that is without Truth but not necessarily rebelling against it.

7. But Gullibility is the consequence of our sinful nature combined with ignorance of God— “Not knowing anything.”

8. Notice the “compatibility” between the prey and the hunter. They are both Gullible.

9. Folly is self-serving, simply doing “what comes natural.”

10. In a fallen world, “what comes natural” generally leads to death.

The Two Banquets Compared1Wisdom has built her houseShe has hewn out her pillars seven2She has slaughtered her slaughter She has mixed her wineShe has set = ordered (OREK) her table3She has sent out her attendant maidens. She is calling outUpon the top of the heights of the city:4“Whoever is gullible, let him turn aside

here.”The one who lacks heart, she speaks to him.5“Come! Eat (LACHAM) of my bread

(LECHEM)“And drink of the wine I have mixed.6“Forsake gullibility (PITIYIM) and live!“Stride on the road of understanding.”

13The woman of folly is boisterous,

Gullible, and not knowing anything!14And she sits in the doorway of her house

Upon a seat at the heights of the city15In order to call out to those who pass over the road

Those who are making straight their paths (ORECH)16 “Whoever is gullible let him turn aside here”

And the one who lacks heart, she speaks to him:17“Water stolen is sweet

“And bread of secrecy is pleasant!”18And he does not know that the dead spirits are there

In the depths of Sheol are her guests

The Two Banquets Compared

1Wisdom has built her houseShe has hewn out her pillars seven2She has slaughtered her slaughter She has mixed her wineShe has set = ordered (OREK) her table3She has sent out her attendant maidens. She is calling outUpon the top of the heights of the city:4“Whoever is gullible, let him turn aside

here.”The one who lacks heart, she speaks to him.5“Come! Eat (LACHAM) of my bread

(LECHEM)“And drink of the wine I have mixed.6“Forsake gullibility (PITIYIM) and live!“Stride on the road of understanding.”

13The woman of folly is boisterous,

Gullible, and not knowing anything!14And she sits in the doorway of her house

Upon a seat at the heights of the city15In order to call out to those who pass over the road

Those who are making straight their paths (ORACH)16 “Whoever is gullible let him turn aside here”

And the one who lacks heart, she speaks to him:17“Water stolen is sweet

“And bread of secrecy is pleasant!”18And he does not know that the dead spirits are there

In the depths of Sheol are her guests

Wisdom is Busy

1. Wisdom demonstrates her character by working hard to prepare the banquet.

2. She is so busy she must enlist her attendants to invite the guests to the banquet.

3. Folly lacks character and so is merely described: boisterous (outside), gullible + no knowledge (inside).

4. Her preparations for the guests amount to the setting of a trap.

5. Notice the difference in character: Wisdom prepares a banquet for her guest’s benefit; folly prepares a trap for her guest’s detriment.

6. How we treat people says a lot about our character.

7. Our character is also evident by what we say.

8. Wisdom offers sound counsel as the meal; folly offers unrighteousness.

9. Wisdom’s meal will produce two results: Negative: “Forsake folly”

Positive: “Live” = “Stride on the road of understanding”

10. Folly’s meal produces an awareness of geography: You realize you are in Sheol = dead.

Mutually Exclusive Options

1. The Word of God demands that we appreciate the importance of individual volition.

2. You have the choice between the two banquets, but you cannot attend both.

3. Here we find the Bible’s claim to exclusivity in blessing.

4. Principle of Bible Doctrine: TRUE happiness and blessing are found in God’s plan for your life or WISDOM, not in the alternative.

The Center: Relationships7The one who instructs (YASAR) a scoffer is the one who gets for himself shame.And the one who rebukes (YAKACH) a wicked man, ___ injury to himself8Do not rebuke (YAKACH) a scoffer lest he hate you.Rebuke a wise man and he will love you.9Give to a wise man and he will become wiser.Cause him to know, a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

10The starting point of wisdom is the fear of the LORD. And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.11For by me multiplied will be your daysAnd they will cause to add to you years of life.12If you are wise, you are wise for yourself.And if you are a scoffer, your heart will bear it.

The Center: RelationshipsThe one who instructs (YASAR) a scoffer (LETS) is the one who gets for himself shame.

And the one who rebukes (YAKACH) a wicked man, ___ injury to himself

Do not rebuke (YAKACH) a scoffer lest he hate you.Rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Give to a wise man and he will become wiser.Cause him to know, a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.

The starting point of wisdom is the fear of the LORD. And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.For by me multiplied will be your daysAnd they will cause to add to you years of life.If you are wise, you are wise for yourself.And if you are a scoffer, your heart will bear it.