V.
The Outline of the Book of Proverbs
B.
The Proverbs of Solomon on Wisdom’s Values ()
1.
() The value of wisdom in giving honor
2.
() The value of wisdom to avoid a life of crime ()
3.
() The two responses to wisdom’s value ()
4.
() The moral values of wisdom ()
5.
() The blessings of wisdom ()
6.
() The high value of wisdom ()
7.
() Wisdom’s value in building good interpersonal relationships ()
8.
() An exhortation to acquire divine wisdom ()
9.
() Wisdom’s value in preserving from trouble ()
10.
() Wisdom’s value in leading to the right path ()
11.
() Wisdom’s value in preserving from adultery ()
12.
() Wisdom’s value in preserving from unwise decisions and poverty ()
13.
() Wisdom’s value in preserving from evil men ()
14.
() Wisdom’s value in preserving from immorality ()
15.
() Wisdom’s value demonstrated in her virtues and rewards ()
16.
() Wisdom’s origin in eternity past and availability to us today ()
17.
() Wisdom’s value contrasted with folly’s loss ()
B.
The Proverbs of Solomon
1.
(; ) Proverbs contrasting wise and foolish living () Antithetic Parallelism is featured here in contrasted statements, separated by “but” in 6 chapters.
2.
(; ) Most of these Proverbs righteous living () The
rest are contrasted statements, separated by “but.”
C.
The Sayings of the Wise Men
1.
( ) Sayings similar to pagan moral sayings () Proverbs from the Wisdom of Amenemope (2504 BC Egypt). The Amenemope has 30 sayings. has 30 sayings, too. The two sets of sayings have similarities. We’ll investigate the Wisdom of Amenemope in Part 2 of Proverbs, W26.
2.
() Unique sayings of the wise in twelve verses ()
D.
The Later Proverbs of Solomon
1.
(; ) Proverbs compiled by Hezekiah’s men (25–29) 27-29 have many contrasted statements, separated by “but.” They are Antithetic Parallelism.
2.
(vss. 2-4: ) Seeking knowledge about God
3.
() Observations about life ()
F.
() The Queen Mother’s Instructions to the King, Her Son
a.
() The queen taught her son about loose women, avoiding drunkenness, ruling fairly, and helping defenseless subjects. ()
G.
() Epilogue: The Ideal Wife Acrostic ()
This will be treated in Lesson 8.
VI.
The Theme of Proverbs
A.
“Fear of the Lord” occurs 11 times in Proverbs. “Fear” in Hebrew is behind two doors: What do we mean by fear normally? (1) afraid of and (2) awed and reverential toward. “Fear of the Lord” is the meaning behind Door #2. This involves looking up every reference to a word in Scripture to fill in the word’s meaning. Here is every occurrence in Proverbs of “Fear of the Lord.”
1.
() If we cry and lift our voices for discernment and understanding, we will find it in a personal relationship with God (the personal knowledge of God). We will understand that the fear of the LORD is to have a reverential fear (door #2: awe and reverence in God’s presence).
2.
() It begins the same as and adds, “knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Personal knowledge of God’s attribute of holiness is to understand the demonstration of door #2: awe and reverence to One who is always holy.
3.
() Hebrew: “The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be cut short.” Note (. What about the righteous dying early and the wicked living a long time? Solomon’s teaching is of one possible outcome of the fear of the Lord prolonging of your life. Good health, not usually connected with wicked living, is conducive to a long life (but no guarantee of it). Antithetic Parallelism: good and bad results in sentence.
4.
( ) “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death” (). A fountain of life is a source of life-giving wisdom (“the law of the wise” [ Hebrew]). The fear of the LORD is the way to eternal life and how to avoid eternal death.
5.
() “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and turmoil with it.” How much better to have few physical riches with the fear of the Lord than to have great wealth without it.
6.
() Hebrew: “The fear of the LORD is the instruction in wisdom.” The wisdom of the Lord is taught when we have awe and reverence for our Teacher. The Hebrew word for wisdom (hókmah) means skilled with knowledge and understanding.
7.
() Hebrew: “In the fear of the LORD men turn aside from evil.” God gives guidelines to keep us safe. Out of bounds we find evil. As we are tuned in to God, we are tuned away from temptations.
8.
() “The fear of the LORD leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.” Here the fear of the LORD brings the presence of God into our lives. When we face temptation, so does He, and temptation cannot touch Him. We can sleep and be untroubled because the Lord is on duty when we sleep. Synthetic Parallelism (one statement, one shadow)
9.
() Hebrew: “The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, riches, honor, and life.” One has to be humble to fear the Lord. This person’s benefits are spiritual riches, honor of men, and eternal life.
10.
() “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the LORD always.” Living in the fear of the LORD is another way to express a personal relationship with God (as subjects of the King). It may seem that sinners prosper, no matter how much they reject and cry against God. It is only an illusion. “But” is the key to Antithetic Parallelism.
B.
“The beginning of knowledge” in implies that knowledge apart from God is false knowledge or deception of Satan. Compare . (In the Truth Project, we contrast the truth of God with the lies of Satan, and see the many ramifications of Satan’s deceptions and lies in society today.)
C.
What eally means: “The fear of the LORD” (a personal relationship between the King of kings and His subjects [who show (door #2): awe and reverence to Him]) is “the beginning of knowledge” (since the Lord is the fountain of divine wisdom, when our relationship with Him begins, so does divine knowledge).
VII.
The Purpose of Proverbs
A.
The Purpose Is Given in (): Hebrew
1.
() To know wisdom and instruction
2.
() To understand the words of understanding
3.
() To receive instruction in prudence, justice, judgment, and uprightness
4.
() To give sense to the simple
5.
() To give knowledge and discretion to the young men
6.
() So the wise hear and increase learning, and the understanding get wise counsel are two examples of Synthetic Parallelism (statement and shadow)
7.
() To understand a proverb and an enigma (hard to understand), the words and riddles of the wise
B.
This Book Will Help the Reader Develop Mental Acumen (quick insight).
1.
To know and discern is to develop mental acumen.
2.
The book of Proverbs will force us to put a calculator to the proverb, because it’s really a trade-off. Something must be given up to obtain some other thing. Example: give up gossip; obtain the trust and respect of others. Don’t and lose their trust.
a.
As we wrestle with these proverbs, we will develop mental skills. The proverbs are challenging, but they will lead to mental discipline. These various maxims, parallel thoughts, and symbolisms, will force us to wrestle with them until we arrive at a wise decision.
C.
An In-Depth Exegesis of () Will Give Us a Summary By Which We Can Understand the Purpose of the Book.
1.
We are told that by reading this book we are to know wisdom and instruction. This word “wisdom” is in the original the Hebrew word hókmah (which means to have a skill [with what you know and understand]). Here’s an example of hokmah: An example is a block of wood in the hands of a woodworker. Skill with knowledge and understanding transforms the block of wood into a carving of great value.
a.
Most of us are victims of our environment. We are surrounded with the trappings of 21st Century technology. As a result, many can scarcely write anymore. Rather than write, they dictate or type on a computer keyboard. Rather than carry out the functions of mathematics, they use a pocket calculator.
b.
Imagine yourself going back some 2000 years and finding yourself in the court of Caesar, stripped of the tools that you use today and having nothing left but your mind and your hands. Should Caesar turn to you and ask what you can contribute to his success, what would you reply? Are you able to plan and construct with just your minds and hands? Have you spent time synchronizing all the philosophies that have come your way and made a decision on each so you can give a clear-cut description of your own views and beliefs? Have you taken time to think about principles and precepts? Have you enough Scripture in your mind to be an evangelist in a court in Rome (without any Bible in hand)?