Proverbs 1:1-19
Fear the LORD. Some redefine the fear of God as simply respecting Him. While respect is definitely constituent in the concept of fearing God, there much more contained in this concept. A Biblical fear of the LORD, for the believer, includes an understanding of how much the LORD hates sin and the wicked.
Listen to instruction. The son in vs. 8-9 is commanded to listen to the instruction of his father and the teaching of his mother. As believers, we are to listen to those whom the LORD has placed over us, and what higher authority has He placed over us than Scripture? So then, make Scripture your ultimate authority, and it will be like the wisdom of Solomon "a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck." vs. 9
Don't let your judgement be swayed by sinful men. Solomon shows how going along with sinful man may seem very appealing. They promise great wealth and strong community. In the end though, they take away their own lives(vs. 18-19). Don't be like them.
Wisdom is within your reach. She calls out too you. Don't be a fool or a mocker. What makes a fool? He hates knowledge. What makes a mocker? Someone who mocks. Therefore, don't hate knowledge or love mockery. If you are a fool or a mocker (and we all are to some degree) Repent! The LORD see's this, and will pour His thoughts into you, and impart to you His wisdom.
I totally agree with this, and I would like to add another conviction of his passage. 1:5-6 says, "Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles." This passage is speaking of how we need to be trying to understand the wise and how they speak. not just shrug it off as a guy that can't speak proper English. Notice also where this comes from. It comes from vs. 5, that tells us to obtain guidance. The same idea is found in vs. 8 which uses a different word: "instruction." Ultimately we learn wisdom through our authorities on earth, but ultimately it's His Word that gives us our most insightful and soul-piercing instruction. Once we start to learn from His Word and understand it, everything else in this world, no matter how complicated, seems to fall back in rank. There's really nothing as simple and, at the same time, as complicated as His Word. Wes, I love that this blog id up. Keep up the posts.
ReplyDelete