Prov 3:1-12
SS Lesson for 09/04/2011
Devotional Scripture: James 3:13-17
The outline of the lesson came from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator. It teaches about Righteousness and Wisdom. The study's aim is to understand that right living comes from following the wisdom of God. The study's application is to stress that when we learn to trust God for His wisdom to guide us, He will show us how to live in His righteousness.
Healthy Fear
Growing up I had a healthy fear of my dad. He was a fairly strict disciplinarian who did not hesitate to spank with his hands on my rear end when I did something that displeased him. My fear, however, did not always translate into obedience. Once when I was about 10 years old, I spent a leisurely day during Christmas break shooting at birds with a new slingshot I had made. It was my responsibility to keep the wood box full for the stove in our house, our only source of heat. On a cold January day as the sun was going down, I realized I had let the box get empty, and there was no fire in the stove. I could see my dad coming home from work from the sawmill, and I knew I was in trouble. So I ran to the woodpile behind the house and started chopping wood as fast as I could.
It was too late. Dad had already been in the house and discovered the empty wood box and a cold house. It was very difficult to cut wood while my dad was spanking me! Years later we talked and joked about that incident, for it was one of the last spankings I received from my dad. I told him what made it so memorable was that I had both back pockets full of rocks since I was shooting at birds throughout the day and I needed plenty of ammunition. Dad said: “I wondered why my hand hurt so badly after that!” Well, I didn’t have to wonder why I hurt on the other side of that hand. I determined then that I would obey my dad from that point on. Such are the benefits of discipline that results in wisdom.
Lesson Background
Proverbs is a collection of wisdom sayings. The book as a whole is credited to “Solomon son of David, king of Israel” (Proverbs 1:1). This is probably based on the fact that Solomon was the patron of wisdom during the period of the unified kingdom (see 1 Kings 4:29-34; 5:12). Those who described Solomon’s reign did so on the basis of wisdom (see 1 Kings 3:16-28 for a wise decision and 10:6-9 for the Queen of Sheba’s conclusion). The major role wisdom plays in the book of Proverbs is clearly stated in the opening verses of 1:2-7. The book divides itself into three major sections: (1) a long introduction to the collections of proverbs (Proverbs 1-9), (2) the collections of the proverbs themselves (10:1-31:9), and (3) an acrostic conclusion (31:10-31). The collections themselves form six subdivisions: (a) proverbs of Solomon (10:1-22:16), (b) words of the wise (22:17-24:22), (c) more words of the wise (24:23-34), (d) more proverbs of Solomon (25:1-29:27), (e) words of Agur (chapter 30), and (f) words of King Lemuel (31:1-9). Most scholars see 10 fatherly appeals or lectures in Proverbs 1-9. These are 1:8-19; 2:1-22; 3:1-12; 3:21-35; 4:1-9; 4:10-19; 4:20-27; 5:1-23; 6:20-35; and 7:1-27. Our text for today is the third of these lectures. It includes 6 basic principles (the odd-numbered verses) and the benefits derived from them if obeyed (the even-numbered verses). I call them principles because they are not specific commands or detailed things to do. Rather, they have more to do with attitudes and a stance one takes in a lifestyle. The benefits are not necessarily immediate or magical, but they can be expected as coming from the God of wisdom himself.
Our world has access to information as never before, and learning is taking place on all levels. Areas of the world once deprived of education now revel in newfound knowledge. Yet while learning is widespread, wisdom is rare. Wisdom goes beyond depth of knowledge, for wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge to useful, right, and lasting goals. Although "wisdom" has many shades of meaning in the Bible, it is used predominantly as an attribute of God and of those who are properly related to Him. Just as He pursues proper goals and uses proper means to accomplish them, so the truly wise person submits to those same goals and means and thus adopts the mind of God as his own. While not all traditions are wise, those grounded in godliness will lead to right paths and should be heeded. Every day we make choices. These choices determine the outcome of our lives for that day. When we make wrong choices, we fall into sin and disappoint God. When we make right choices, we please God and honor Him. Our lesson this week shows us the importance of trusting God's wisdom in all our choices and actions. We are warned against trusting our own human wisdom, for it can often lead us away from the pathways of our God. This week we learn how to please God.
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
15 You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
21 O Lord, the king rejoices in your strength. How great is his joy in the victories you give! 2 You have granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. 3 You welcomed him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him — length of days, forever and ever.
14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
165 Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
2 because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:
8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. 14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16 Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
2 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
6 I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.
22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
13 If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house.
21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body.
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
8 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
16 Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice,
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction;
12 For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Let us review the six principles we have discovered, along with their benefits. First, obey the instructions of your parents and God—that will give you the best shot at a long and successful life! Second, be committed to God’s truth—you will win a good reputation with God and humanity! Third, trust only in the Lord and not in yourself—he will make your paths smooth! Fourth, have great reverence and awe for God while fleeing evil—you will live a very healthy life indeed! Fifth, put God first in your giving by giving your most and your best—you will discover more blessings than you can imagine! Sixth, accept the sufferings and difficulties in life—you will find behind them a loving Father who desires your best! Living a lifestyle that embraces the six principles above will produce the best kind of life: one that pleases God.
Prov 3:5 gives us a fundamental principle for anyone who wishes to walk in the path of wisdom and righteousness: trust God, not self. The text makes this point using a common technique in Hebrew poetry: parallelism. In parallelism such as we find here, two lines state the same idea but Different words to help us understand the idea more fully. The first line "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart." The second line reinforces the idea using different words: "and lean not unto thine own understanding." At first glance, "heart" and "understanding" do not seem to be referring to the same thing; but for the Israelites, the two words were synonyms. In Western culture, when we talk about the heart, we are usually referring to emotions or to romantic love. But when the Israelites used the term "heart," they often meant the intellect, what we would call the mind. Basing our understanding of the world around us on God's truth rather on our own ideas is the only way to live wisely and righteously. This is true for at least two reasons. First, God knows all things, and we do not. From our limited perspective, things may seem to be a certain way, but God sees the complete picture. For example, " from a human perspective, the wicked '''often seem successful and prosperous (cf. Job 21:7). But God has made it clear this prosperity is only temporary. All men ultimately will be judged by God (cf. Rom. 2:6). Second, God is completely good, while we are sinners by nature. As sinners, we can easily convince ourselves that we are acting righteously when we are actually sinning. The Bible uses an idiom to describe thoughts and actions that are contrary to God's will and wisdom. They are described as "in one's own eyes." Just a few verses after verse 5, we are warned, "Be not wise in thine own eyes" (Prov. 3:7). Similarly, another proverb warns that "the way of a fool is right in his own eyes" (12:15). The periods of sin and rebellion in the book of Judges are described as times when "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (21:25). We walk in the path of righteousness when we do what is right in God's eyes. David was commended because he "did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord" (I Kings 15:5). The contrast between doing what seems right to man and what is wise in God's eyes reaches its climax in the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus came according to God's design, not according to human expectations. Thus, Jesus warned His unbelieving hearers, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). For both the Gentiles and the Jewish people, the idea that God would come to die on a cross seemed like utter foolishness; yet it is the greatest manifestation of God's wisdom (cf. I Cor. 1:18-31). By placing our trust in the Lord Jesus, we forsake human wisdom. We no longer try to earn a reward from God but accept it as a free gift. We live a life of gratitude in which we forsake temporary pleasures that appeal to human wisdom for the eternal inheritance revealed to us by God.
1. Obedience goes deeper than externals; true obedience must be from the heart (Prov. 3:1-2)
2. Neither mercy nor truth is expendable; a Christian must cling to both (vs. 3-4)
3. God's understanding is infinite and perfect; a human's is limited and prone to error (vs. 5)
4. A person cannot acknowledge God with only part of his life (vs. 6-8)
5. Honoring God first demonstrates not only gratitude but also faith that God will continue to provide (vs. 9-10)
6. God's discipline flows out of His love (vs. 11-12)
Proverbs are short statements that set forth practical wisdom. As a literary form, proverbs are found in many languages and cultures. Biblical proverbs, however, are divinely inspired instructions for living. Proverbs are found throughout the Bible, but the book of Proverbs is devoted exclusively to them. Proverbs was written primarily by King Solomon (1:1), but others also contributed to this collection of sayings (cf. 30:1; 31:1). Solomon wrote the early chapters of Proverbs as a father's instruction to his son.
Primary among Solomon's instruction is "Forget not my law," that is, the father's teaching. The wise instruction of a godly father is to be heeded, for doing so will bring "long life, and peace." Like all proverbs, this expresses a general truth that can be observed in life. It is not an absolute promise. While obedient children, like those who fear the Lord (Prov. 10:27), generally prolong their lives, there are exceptions. Godly people sometimes suffer and die at relatively young ages. Still, the point is that those who follow the godly counsel of parents enjoy blessings the disobedient never know. Likewise, those who follow "mercy and truth" (Prov. 3:3), making them a part of their lives, enjoy the favor of both God and men. "Mercy" here refers to loyal love or commitment. Those who faithfully seek to develop and practice this divine attribute will be rewarded.
The familiar words of verses 5 and 6 remind us of a truth the Bible teaches throughout its pages. We are to put our faith in the Lord, not in ourselves and not in anyone or anything else. When we learn to live by faith in God, we can be sure He will direct our paths in the right way and put us where we can best fulfill His plans for us. Fearing the Lord means revering, honoring, and trusting Him. It means placing Him and His will above our own. Such a response to God actually brings better physical health. Certainly it causes us to avoid things that can do harm to our bodies. Solomon also taught that honoring God with our wealth results in greater wealth. God's law called on Israel to offer the firstfruits of their harvest to the Lord in thanksgiving for what He had given them and in recognition that everything belongs to God (Deut. 26:1-15; Ps. 24:1). Such thankfulness brings God's blessing. We should not seek to buy God's blessings by giving to Him. Rather, we should give out of grateful hearts; in so doing, we will experience His blessing, whether it is material or spiritual.
Finally, Solomon reminds us that a loving father disciplines and corrects a child precisely because he loves that child. The child who accepts such discipline, seeing it as an act of love, will benefit from it greatly. In the same way, the believer should never despise the Lord's discipline. It comes from a loving Father who desires our spiritual growth into Christlikeness. The writer of Hebrews tells us, "No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness" (12:11).