Many are the plans in
the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord
that will stand..
Prov 19:21
(ESV)
May 27 Song of Solomon 5:2-8:14; Psalm 45
May 28 Proverbs 1-4
May 29 Proverbs 5-8
May 30 Proverbs 9-12
May 31 Proverbs 13-16
June 1 Proverbs 17-20
We began the week with the remainder of the Song of Solomon.
When I read Chapter 5, I saw our relationship with Christ. He asks us if He can
come in. We make all kinds of excuses (for our sins), and then finally we
decide to let Him in. He seems so far away by the time we’re ready to ask Him
for help! Does Jesus ever seem far away? Do you feel like you have to search
for Him? Of course He is there all along, but our sins can bring us to a place
where it seems hard to find Him. We see a picture of Christ’s grace as He comes
back to His beloved. We see a picture of the splendid clothing the bride wears
and we hear of the commitment of the bride and groom.
I
am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.
Song 7:10 (KJV)
I am my beloved’s. Jesus desires ME! What a beautiful
sentence.
Who is the little sister? I think it’s someone who has yet
to accept Christ. We need to build walls of protection around them. Look around
you at all the “little sisters” that you can encourage. (Could they be baby
Christians as well? Maybe, but the “vineyard” suggests that these are people
who have heard the Gospel but have yet to respond).
The last two verses exhort us to continually pray and watch
for His return, while showing the longing we have to see Him again.
Would anyone like to do a study on this book? If you would,
let me know and I will prepare one for my other blog
(onlinegracegroup.blogspot.com).
Proverbs: the wisdom of Solomon. There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. If you get
in the habit of reading one chapter per day, you can read through this book of
wisdom every month. Can you imagine how your life would change if you could
read this book for about 5 minutes a day? Don’t have an extra 5 minutes? There are
free Bible apps for Android and iPhone, some (such as YouVersion Bible), with
multiple translations and speech so you can listen to the Bible during
your daily commute.
The theme of Proverbs is teaching/learning. At the very
beginning we are told to be teachable.
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. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov 1:5-7 (ESV)
Knowledge happens
when we focus on understanding the world and our part in it as creations of
God.
Wisdom happens
when we apply knowledge correctly.
The fear of the Lord
brings the beginning of knowledge and wisdom because we began to learn God’s
morality as we humble ourselves before Him. Proverbs reminds us that Biblical
knowledge is different from the world’s knowledge because only through
submission to God can we gain true knowledge. In His word we find black and
white. There are no shades of gray, no “what’s all right for you may not be
right for me”, nothing that allows us to worship any God but Jesus (and the
remainder of the Trinity).
Jesus said to him, “I am the way,
and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me. John 14:6
(ESV)
At the beginning of the book we find two types of people:
the wise (who desire Biblical wisdom and knowledge) and the fool (who despises
wisdom and knowledge).
·
Don’t be enticed by sinners or be influenced by
money. Wisdom calls – turn to her and you will learn; turn away and God will
laugh at your calamities (God is not
a “heavenly life preserver”).
·
Listen and you will be secure and at ease (you
get from life what you put into it).
·
Wisdom:
what’s in it for us? (did you notice that chapter 2 is only one sentence?)
If we heed wisdom we understand the fear of the Lord because God gives it to
the upright. As Christians, we receive protection through wisdom.
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and
understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to
those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over
the way of his saints. Prov 2:6-8 (ESV)
·
Fear the
Lord: live humbly, faithfully and open yourself to God’s reproof. Honor God
– use your wealth for righteousness – give Him the firstfruits and you will
have plenty. This differs from the “prosperity gospel” preachers you may see on
television or hear on the radio. There, you are frequently exhorted to give “seed
money” or some specific amount of money with a promise that God will do something for you. God isn’t in the “multiplication”
business. Your giving should always be with the right spirit, worshipfully, and
with no expectation of “payback” from God. Your gift should be the best and not
whatever is left over. Your motive matters to God.
The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the
house of the Lord your God. Ex
23:19 (ESV)
·
Wisdom, the way God founded and established
creation (3:19) is more precious than anything. True peace comes only from
wisdom (3:17)
·
Walk securely in wisdom. God blesses (gives
grace) those who walk humbly, honestly and peacefully.
But
he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth
grace unto the humble. James 4:6 (KJV)
Likewise, you who are younger, be
subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one
another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1
Peter 5:5 (ESV)
·
Sex, part
1. Immorality is enticing but deadly. Stay away from promiscuous women [and
men]. Sex is to be between a husband and his wife. Be intoxicated with your
mate – not with the world.
·
The folly
of security. When you offer to cosign for a debt, you have taken on
something you cannot control. Get out of the situation as quickly as possible.
·
Labor. Take
the initiative, even when your bosses aren’t looking. Work and prepare. Don’t
be lazy. The ant works without supervision and prepares for the time when it
will be impossible to do so.
·
Shut your
mouth! Don’t cause strife. Don’t act deceitfully because “in a moment [you]
will be broken beyond healing] (6:15).
·
What does
God hate? Obviously this is not an all-encompassing list. God hates all sin.
o
Pride
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and
arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Prov 8:13 (KJV)
o
Lies
Lying
lips are abomination to the Lord:
but they that deal truly are his delight. Prov
12:22 (KJV)
o
Murder
When you spread out your hands, I
will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not
listen; your hands are full of blood. Isaiah 1:15 (ESV)
o
Evil
Intent
And
GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. Gen 6:5 (KJV)
o
People
who run toward evil
My
son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For
their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Prov
1:15-16 (KJV)
o
Slander/libel
Teach
me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in
a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of
mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe
out cruelty. Psalms 27:11-12 (KJV)
o
Those who
sow discord
A
worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his
eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart
devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come
upon him suddenly. Prov 6:12-15 (ESV)
·
Don’t listen
to this woman! Adultery – the consequences of sin. (This can be applied to
all areas of your life). Listen to the teachings. Turn from the outward beauty
of adultery. It’s cheap and can take your life. How can you expect to sin and
not be burned? You may think your sin is secret, but you won’t go unpunished!
The adulterer lacks sense. Stay away and don’t be seduced because the way to
Sheol is estrangement from God.
·
Listen to
this woman! Wisdom speaks nobly and utters truth. It is righteous and more
precious than money and jewels. Nothing compares to God’s wisdom. Wisdom has
been present since the foundation of the world. Follow wisdom, love God and
choose life. You will be blessed. Choose folly and chose death.
·
Pick one woman;
choose wisely!
WISDOM/RIGHTEOUS FOLLY/UNRIGHTEOUS
Made
by God for a purpose Made by God
for a purpose
Has
a sure reward Loud, Seductive, Enticing
The
Lord delights in her “is stupid”
Will
be delivered Will be
destroyed
Desire
ends in good Falls by
their own deeds
Accepts
reproof Scoffs at
reproof
Increase knowledge
through Hope/expectation of
wealth
the fear of the Lord perish upon death
Root
will be unmoved Will not go
unpunished
Thoughts
are just Thoughts are
deceitful
Commended
by God Abomination to God
Obtains
the Lord’s favor Held captive
by lust
Delivered
from death Place in depths
of Sheol
Runs
to God as strong tower Walks into
trouble
Slow
to anger Quick to anger
Quiets
contention Stirs strife
Keeps
secrets Reveals
secrets
Soft
words Harsh words
Will
listen to others Will not
listen to others
Thinks
before speaking Speaks before
thinking
Tongue
brings healing Mouth brings
destruction
Sensible Lacks sense
Covers
offenses to preserve love Gossips and
separates friends
Restrains
her words Only wants to
express
his
opinion
Overlooks
offenses Quarrelsome
Gives
freely and earns riches Pays
deceptive wages
Brings
blessing and is enriched Withholds and
suffers want
Prudent Co-signs
Cares
for those “below” him Cruel,
prideful, haughty
Labors
for her own food/reward Covets what
others have
Generous Cursed because they
withhold
Joyful Anxious
Glad Bitter
Honest Deceitful
Diligent Slothful
Confident
in the Lord Filled with
trouble
Hates
falsehood Treacherous
Has
great wealth in God Follows
worthless pursuits
Has
honor Has
nothing
Disciplines
children Does not
discipline children
Quite a list! I will strive to act with
characteristics on list “A”. How about you?
And finally this week, let’s see some of
the things Proverbs says about the tongue.
The lips
of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked, what is
perverse. 10:32
There is
one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue
of the wise brings healing. 12:18
Whoever
restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of
understanding. 17:27
Even a
fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed
intelligent. 17:28
A fool
takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. 18:2
(This is my personal favorite!)
A fool’s
lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. 18:6
Do you have a favorite Proverb? Were you swept away by the
beauty of God’s love story in the Song of Solomon? Please share! It’s always
interesting to hear what others find useful in the pages of God’s Word. The best
part is that next year, when you read through the Bible again, you’ll find
different verses and aspects of the text to focus on. Truly, it is the Living
Word.
I look forward to our visit next week. Enjoy the beginning
of your summer!
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