We have been fellowshipping for some time on the Psalms. And, God willing, starting from this morning, we will go into Proverbs.
Please turn to Proverbs 1. We will read the first seven verses.
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction;
To discern the words of understanding;
To receive instruction in wise dealing,
In righteousness and justice and equity;
To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion:
That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
To understand a proverb, and a figure,
The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.— Proverbs 1:1-7
This is a collection of proverbs. It is called the Proverbs of Solomon. Now, what is a proverb?
A proverb is usually a short sentence which conveys a moral truth in a concise and pointed form. In other words, proverbs are usually pretty short, very concise, and very pointed.
Sometimes a proverb is very clear. At other times, it is very deep and needs much meditation.
Proverbs are usually the result of a long history of meditation and searching through the ages. Usually, you cannot trace a proverb to any one particular person. A proverb is a product of the ages.
Gradually, you find that a proverb is developed and passed on. We do not know where it began, but we know that it is there. Every nation has its proverbs.
They are the accumulation of civilization. You find that the proverbs of many nations are often very similar. We have proverbs in China; you have proverbs here. Yet you will find great similarities among these proverbs.
Why? Because in this universe there are basic moral and philosophical foundations. We all come from one source, and that is the reason why you find proverbs in many different nations that are quite similar. Their differences are due only to their background and special environment, yet the basic truth is the same.
Proverbs are national treasures. They are very precious. Proverbs usually teach people how to live wisely on this earth.
Now, brothers and sisters, after we have fellowshipped on the Psalms, I wonder if we feel that perhaps Psalms are the expressions of the sentiments of the godly in their experience of God through their daily lives.
If you read the Psalms, they seem to help lift you up to heaven, to be very close to God. There is a certain spirituality in reading Psalms.
But when you come to Proverbs, they are the wise sayings concerning this world. You may wonder whether we are dropping down to earth.
But, brothers and sisters, if we live very close to God, if one enters into the feeling of the psalmist, certainly he will live before man and in this world with the wisdom that you find in Proverbs.
In other words, Proverbs gives us the practical side of our life. How should we live on this earth? How should we live wisely before man?
Of course, there is a great difference between the proverbs you find in the Bible and the proverbs of the nations.
First, the proverbs you find in the Bible are based upon the foundation of God. In other words, God is the foundation of all these proverbs.
The proverbs of the nations are not founded on God. They are the wise sayings of men—witty, clever, the meditations and experiences of the ages—but without God.
Yet, when you come to the book of Proverbs in the Bible, you know that all these proverbs have a foundation, and the foundation is God. The proverbs in the Bible not only teach men how to live wisely, but how to live wisely in the eyes of God, according to God.
These proverbs are attributed to King Solomon: the proverbs of Solomon. Now, we do not know whether he was the one who collected these proverbs, improved and refined them, or whether he spoke these proverbs himself. It might be both.
But anyway, we know that Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs. In 1 Kings 4, you find that Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs, and the whole book of Proverbs is only about six hundred verses—about a quarter of what Solomon spoke.
Solomon is a symbol of wisdom. You remember how, when he ascended the throne, he went to Gibeon to offer to God because he loved God. God appeared to him in a dream by night and asked him what he wanted.
You remember how Solomon prayed and said, “Lord, I am but a little child. I do not know how to judge Your people. I do not know how to go out and come in among this great people of Yours. Give me understanding. Give me wisdom. That is what I need, that I may judge Your people according to You.”
God was greatly pleased with him, and the Bible says God gave him great wisdom, understanding of heart, largeness of heart, and a hearing heart—a heart that could hear the voice of God. His wisdom excelled all the wisdom of the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
His wisdom excelled even the wisdom of Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His wisdom excelled everybody.
Now, you can see here that Solomon’s wisdom was of another kind. His wisdom was of a higher kind than the wisdom of this world. In other words, his wisdom came from above. His wisdom came from God.
He perceived things with the eyes of God. He could hear God’s voice and God’s messages in all things. Therefore, the book of Proverbs in the Bible is very unique and very different.
It is not wisdom from beneath; it is wisdom from above. It has God as its foundation. Because of that, it will teach us how to walk wisely according to God on this earth. It is very practical.
I do believe that we need such wisdom.
I believe it is very profitable for us if we will study the book of Proverbs. Martin Luther once suggested that people should use this book as a book of devotion.
I think especially it is good for young people. We should study it, read it, and memorize it until it really becomes part of our life.
That will teach us how to live on this earth, how to walk on this earth. So, if you feel that you need wisdom, read the book of Proverbs.
Of course, the whole book of Proverbs is a collection of many proverbs, and every one of these proverbs is precious. You need to read them one by one and take them seriously, every one of them.
But that is something that you can do yourself.
I think what we are doing is this: as we read the book of Proverbs, we remember that there is One who is greater than Solomon.
Here Solomon gives us all these proverbs, but there is One greater than Solomon. We hope that, by going through the words and proverbs of Solomon, we may hear the voice of the One who is greater than Solomon.
In other words, you find that Solomon speaks great wisdom. But what is wisdom? Who is the wisdom that Solomon is speaking about? We know that even in the book of Proverbs, wisdom is personified.
Wisdom here is not just an abstract idea, a skill, or an ability. Wisdom here is a person, and we know that person is none other than our Lord Jesus.
So here you find that Solomon is talking about wisdom, but thank God, we have the Lord Jesus in us. He is our very life. God has made Him wisdom unto us, and because He is our very life, He is our very wisdom.
Therefore, you find that the whole book of Proverbs is not just an outward teaching on Christian ethics. It is not merely something telling us, “Now, this you should do; this you should not do,” giving us rules, regulations, or ethics.
It is ethics; it is Christian ethics. But there is a difference. It is not something that you try to remember, improve yourself by, and then attempt to do. Rather, you find that wisdom resides in us. Christ is enough.
In our union with Christ, as we walk with Christ and follow Him, you find that all these things in Proverbs will be the outflow of this life—of His wisdom.
In other words, it is not self-improvement; it is cooperation with the life of Christ in us.
This is the difference between morals and spirituality. This is the difference between the ethics of this world and Christian ethics. The ethics of this world are rules and laws outside of you, and you try to cultivate and improve yourself.
But Christian ethics means that God has first given you the life. God has first given you the wisdom. If you cooperate with that life and that wisdom, then all these things will be the natural outflow.
We find that the book of Proverbs is a book of wisdom on practical living. Of course, you know that in the New Testament, the Sermon on the Mount is of the same category.
The One who is greater than Solomon is telling us things in the Sermon on the Mount, and you find that it is of the same category as the book of Proverbs. In the Epistles, when you come to the practical part, it is the same as Proverbs.
Therefore, you find that Proverbs has an important place in our life. Our life is not only vertical—a life with God, which you find in Psalms—but there is also a horizontal life, a life before the world, which you find in Proverbs.
On the one hand, the Lord gives us the spiritual part, as it were, that we may receive the life. Then, out of that life flows practical daily living, and it will be a testimony unto God.
So, dear brothers and sisters, I do hope that we realize the importance of the book of Proverbs. Our practical life on earth should be an outflow of the life in us, that we may be a living testimony to our Lord Jesus. That is the reason why we must study Proverbs.
Roughly, the book of Proverbs can be divided into three parts. This morning, we are just laying some foundation, so I hope you will bear with me. I do hope that you will start to read Proverbs from now on, so that when we come together, you will have some background with you.
The first nine chapters, from Proverbs 1 through Proverbs 9, serve as an introduction. It is wisdom’s call. Wisdom is calling us to Himself.
Then, from Proverbs 10 through Proverbs 24, you have the proverbs. There are three hundred and seventy-five proverbs there. In this second section, you have the proverbs of Solomon. Wisdom instructs; wisdom flows.
Of course, in this section, from Proverbs 22:17 through Proverbs 24:34, you have the words of the wise. They are not the proverbs of Solomon; they are the words of the wise. We do not know who these wise men were. Probably they were those who stood before Solomon. As you stand before Solomon, you become wise too.
Then the last part is from Proverbs 25 through Proverbs 31. Wisdom continues to instruct, or wisdom overflows. These are the proverbs of Solomon collected by King Hezekiah three hundred years later.
Of course, the last two chapters are again an appendix. In the last two chapters, you find the words of Agur and Lemuel, probably two kings, sons of the princess of Massa. That is roughly how the book of Proverbs is divided.
This morning, we will go through the introduction very quickly.
The first six verses of Proverbs 1 tell us the purpose of this book of Proverbs.
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction;
To discern the words of understanding;
To receive instruction in wise dealing,
In righteousness and justice and equity;
To give prudence to the simple,
To the young man knowledge and discretion:
That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning;
And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
To understand a proverb, and a figure,
The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.— Proverbs 1:1-6
Here you find the purpose of Proverbs. What will these proverbs do for us? Why do we need these proverbs? To whom are these proverbs given? Who will be helped by them?
Altogether, you find twelve different aspects of what a proverb can give or really is.
First, to know wisdom. The word wisdom here actually means skill. It is different from knowledge.
Knowledge is something that you accumulate, but wisdom is the skill to make use of that knowledge. In other words, wisdom is the practical side of knowledge. How do you apply the knowledge that you have and use it wisely? That is wisdom—skill.
So these proverbs will give us skill in the practical use of knowledge.
Then, instruction. The word instruction here is not only teaching; it includes correction and discipline.
We are not only to know morals, but also the discipline connected with them. It is not just an abstract philosophical idea. You find that there are very real disciplines, corrections, and warnings for our life.
Third, to discern the words of understanding. Oh, that we may have understanding, that we may understand things—not just hear the word, but discern it. There is discernment; there is understanding.
To receive the instruction of wisdom means to be intelligent: to know righteousness, judgment, equity, prudence, knowledge, discretion, reflection, learning, and counsel.
These are the various things that you will begin to have when you learn the proverbs. How important these are! These twelve things are very necessary to our practical living.
To whom are the proverbs given? Who will profit by them? “To give prudence to the simple.” The simple here means those who are ignorant, those who do not know. When you read Proverbs, you will begin to gain prudence.
Second, “to the young man knowledge and discretion.” This is especially good for young people. I really urge young people to read Proverbs. It will make you wise, give you knowledge, discretion, and reflection, so that you may not be merely superficial, but will go deep.
“And the wise man will hear.” Proverbs are not only for the simple, though they need them; not only for young people, though they need them; but also for the wise. If you think you are wise, if you think you are intelligent, you need Proverbs to make you wiser.
So you find that Proverbs are useful for everybody. We all need Proverbs. We all need them.
In the first nine chapters, we can find things concerning wisdom: where wisdom comes from, what wisdom is, the attributes of wisdom, what wisdom will do for us, how we should respond to wisdom, and how wisdom is contrasted with folly.
First, where does wisdom come from?
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
— Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.— Proverbs 9:10
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom;
Out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.— Proverbs 2:5-6
Where does wisdom come from? Here you find that wisdom comes from above; it comes from God. If you seek God, you will find wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and of knowledge.
Of course, in Old Testament times, the highest a person could ever arrive at was to fear the Lord. If a person feared the Lord, that was the beginning of knowledge and the beginning of wisdom.
In New Testament times, of course, the highest that a person can arrive at is the love of God. Why? Because Christ has already come. He has already given us His own life. Therefore, the highest a person can arrive at is to love God.
But I think there is a misunderstanding. Sometimes we think that if there is love, then there is no fear. People even quote 1 John and say, “Perfect love casteth out fear.” Now, that is true.
If there is perfect love, there is no fear. But the fear there means the fear of punishment. If there is perfect love, you are not afraid of being punished. That fear is gone.
But even in love, there is an element of holy fear. It is not the fear of being punished; it is the fear of displeasing the One whom you love.
That fear is always in love. If that element is missing in love, that love is not perfect. It is not perfect.
So, brothers and sisters, you find that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is the beginning of knowledge. If you do not fear God, if you are not afraid of displeasing God, you have no knowledge and no wisdom whatsoever.
You may be very intellectual. You may have great learning. You may know many things in heaven and earth, and yet all the knowledge and wisdom you have are from beneath. You do not have that wisdom and knowledge which comes from above. You do not have that heavenly knowledge and heavenly wisdom; you have not even begun with them.
So let us remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Oh, we need to learn to fear God. We need to learn to be afraid that somehow we may displease Him.
There should always be the desire within us: “Oh, we want to please Him. Because we love Him, we want to please Him.” As we have this strong desire within us, there is a holy fear, and this is very healthy. This is wisdom. This is knowledge.
Look at Joseph. Because he feared God, there was wisdom. Because he feared God, he was delivered from evil and from falling into temptation. There was a fear with him.
So, brothers and sisters, we need to cultivate that holy fear—not in the sense of punishment, but in the sense that we love Him and do not want to displease Him.
Now, of course, wisdom here is personified. It is Christ. Having Christ in us, you know the life of Christ.
In Isaiah, it is prophesied of Christ that the Spirit of God is upon Him. One of the sevenfold descriptions of the Spirit of the Lord upon Him is the fear of the Lord.
In other words, in the life of our Lord Jesus, you find that there is always that holy fear. He was afraid that He might displease the Father. Oh, how He did everything to please the Father. He did not want to do anything that might in any way displease His Father.
That is wisdom. That is the life of Christ. Having the life of Christ in us, there should be that strong desire within us.
Now, second: what are the attributes of wisdom? What does wisdom have? What are the qualities of wisdom?
If you read Proverbs 8, we are just picking a few verses as examples. You need to read the whole chapter.
I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling,
And find out knowledge and discretion.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil:
Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,
And the perverse mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge:
I am understanding; I have might.
By me kings reign,
And princes decree justice.
By me princes rule,
And nobles, even all the judges of the earth.— Proverbs 8:12-16
Here you find sevenfold qualities of wisdom: prudence, reflection, the fear of the Lord, counsel, sound wisdom, intelligence, and strength.
I think sound wisdom is sanctified common sense.
All these are the qualities and attributes of wisdom. Because they are so precious, we shall seek wisdom. As you find in the book of Proverbs, we shall seek wisdom more than silver and gold, because wisdom is the most precious thing in this world that you can ever get.
Third, what does wisdom give to us? I will just read a few sample verses.
Turn you at my reproof:
Behold, I will pour out My spirit upon you;
I will make known My words unto you.— Proverbs 1:23
If we listen to wisdom, He will pour out His Spirit upon us.
But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell securely,
And shall be quiet without fear of evil.— Proverbs 1:33
Wisdom will give us protection, deliver us from fear, and give us peace and rest.
Discretion shall watch over thee;
Understanding shall keep thee:
To deliver thee from the way of evil,
From the men that speak perverse things;
Who forsake the paths of uprightness,
To walk in the ways of darkness.— Proverbs 2:11-13
Wisdom will deliver us and preserve us.
For length of days, and years of life,
And peace, will they add to thee.— Proverbs 3:2
For they are life unto those that find them,
And health to all their flesh.— Proverbs 4:22
Wisdom is life to us; it is health to us.
That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance,
And that I may fill their treasuries.— Proverbs 8:21
In other words, we will be filled with heavenly treasures. All these are given to us by wisdom.
Finally, what should be our attitude—our response—toward wisdom?
My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
And lay up my commandments with thee;
So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom,
And apply thy heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou cry after discernment,
And lift up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hid treasures:
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.— Proverbs 2:1-5
Oh, how we need to receive wisdom, seek for it, and search for it as the most precious thing in life.
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee:
Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.— Proverbs 3:3
We should bind it upon our neck and have it written upon our heart. That is the way we should respond to wisdom.
My son, attend to my words;
Incline thine ear unto my sayings.— Proverbs 4:20
How we need to listen and incline our ears to it. That is our response to wisdom.
Brothers and sisters, as we mentioned in the beginning, this wisdom is Christ Himself. Because Christ is our wisdom, He is in us. How we need to treasure Him, hear Him, and seek after Him.
If we do, then you will find that in our daily walk we will live wisely according to God, toward man, and before man. That is our good testimony.
So I do hope that this serves as an introduction to our study of Proverbs. I hope that during the week you will start to read Proverbs, and we will seek the Lord together that we may learn some precious lessons from the book of Proverbs.
Oh, Heavenly Father, how we praise and thank Thee that the wisdom which is from above is nothing abstract. It is Christ, our Lord.
Oh, how we praise and thank Thee that Thou hast made Christ our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. We do find our all in Christ, and for this we are thankful.
We pray that we may have a right attitude toward wisdom, toward Christ. Oh, that we may seek Him, that we may incline our ears and our hearts to Him, that we may listen to Him, that we may walk wisely on this earth.
O Lord, do make all these things very practical to our daily life, that it may all be to Thy praise and glory. We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.