Q’s
For what benefit are the proverbs? (2-4)
Who will hear these and increase learning? (5)
What is the beginning of knowledge? (7)
What should you do if sinners entice you? (10,15)
How do many incorrectly respond to the cry of wisdom? (22,24-25,30)
What reward is there for those who listen to wisdom? (33)
A’s
Question 1: The purpose of the proverbs it to teach wisdom, especially to the young, for who needs wisdom more than they. With age, wisdom can come also, but this is through mistakes and hardships that could have been avoided, except for the lack of wisdom. By learning and studying the Proverbs, youth can gain wisdom in order that they may make wise decisive decisions instead of foolish mistakes. We gain an understanding of discipline and how to enact that in our daily lives (2). Not only do we gain wisdom, but proverbs teach us how to understand wisdom when he hears it spoken. The Proverbs teach us what good conduct is whereby we may walk in a position that is pure and righteous. This book also gives us a clear understand of what good is and teaches us how we are you to be just, right and fair (3). Those of us without a quick wit, those of us who are simpleminded, can be transformed through the studying and application of the proverbs, so that we may be clever (4).
Question 2: Those who are wise will listen to the proverbs, and those who seek to understand what this book says, gain guidance. Those who have wisdom, become increasingly wise as they will incline their ear to the word.
Question 3: Fearing God is the beginning to knowledge. Only recently did I begin to understand what it truly means to fear my God. It’s an understanding of how great and mighty He is, and letting yourself be held accountable to him. Essentially, you give God sovereignty over your life. So, by fearing God, we freely give god control over our life and OBEY his commands and LISTEN to what he says in his word. By submitting to him, by humbling ourselves below Him, He now has the ability to teach us. Not that He was in able before, God has complete and ultimate control, but most of the time, if we choose to not listen to him, we fail to hear what he tries to teach us.
Question 4: When friends, family, or anyone else try to tempt us away from the narrow path, we are to turn are back, to FLEE from them with all haste (10). The Bible says that their path is a road to destruction, and so that will be your end to if you follow them on their fruitless escapades. “but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives.” (Proverbs 1:18 ESV). We are not to follow these people! We are to keep a distance from the path that these people follow, lest we receive their fate as well (15). “Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life” (Proverbs 1:19 NLT).
Question 5: People shut out the call of wisdom, they choose not to listen, they choose to mock and debate over facts rather than face truth and gain understanding (22). We ignore the cry of wisdom and choose not to see what is sometimes so clearly in front of our eyes (23-25). There may even be times when we see the wisdom, we comprehend the truth, yet we decide to turn and walk on our path of sin (30). These poor people, POOR ME! We all are sinners, we ALL choose our own way, even when we desire not too! Do you remember what Paul wrote in Romans, “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:21-24). We who turn our hearts away from wisdom - turn to death! (32). “They are fools, and their own complacency will destroy them” (Proverbs 1:32 NLT). Did you notice a key word there? Complacency. We rarely stumble upon wisdom, and even rarer still do we actually put this wisdom to use! It is something that we must seek, and something we have to put a conscious effort into, in order that me may gain wisdom.
Question 6: But there is hope! Those who actively seek wisdom, who strive to gain understanding, will find it and “live in peace and safety, unafraid of harm. “but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster” (Proverbs 1:33 ESV).