* See a copper-plate engraving from a book titled "The new and complete family prayer-book..." by Wright, Paul (1785). A father teaches his son the Ten Commandments as a witness to the parent's duty in catechism. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.
>1. What will prolong our life according to verses 1 and 2?
* Proverbs 3:1-2 "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity."
* "My son"
* "do not forget my teaching"
* "keep my commands in your heart"
* "they will prolong your life many years"
* "bring you prosperity."
>How is this possible in this life and the life to come?
*
* The Father again addresses his son as he did in the first two chapters. The Father beseeches his son to not forget his teachings. Forgetting the teachings of God and the wise is much easier to do than most are willing to accept. Just how easy it is to forget is found when temptation requires me to a quick decision.
A great help to remember the sound and wise ways is to keep God's commands in my heart. BDBD, prayer, meditation, and meeting with other like-hearted followers of Jesus are methods I use to keep Jesus' teachings and commands in my heart. Yet, even these good habits are not always enough to help me when I allow the troubles and stresses of life to control my emotions and thoughts.
The greatest gift God has given me is his Holy Spirit in my soul. The Spirit supplies me with love and faithfulness (3). The Spirit plants his good seed on the tablet of my heart. The Lord wrote the 10 commandments on tablets of stone (Exodus 24:12, 31:18) However when Jesus sends the Spirit to his followers to be with us forever we become "a letter from Christ... written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts." (2 Corinthians 3:3)
The Spirit enables me the extra strength to overcome the wicked impulses of the flesh. The Father promises that my life will be prolonged for many years and bring me prosperity (2). He promises me that the good habits and Spirit will help me live righteously and win favor and a good name in the sight of God and others (4).
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:1-4.
>How do love and faithfulness prolong life? (3)
* Proverbs 3:3 "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."
* "Let love and faithfulness never leave you"
* "bind them around your neck"
* "write them on the tablet of your heart."
*
>What is the tablet of the heart and how might this be related to the 10 commandments? (Exodus 24:12, 31:18; 2 Corinthians 3:3)
* Exodus 24:12 "The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction."
* Exodus 31:18 "When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God."
* 2 Corinthians 3:3 "You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
*
>What happens when love and faithfulness becomes a life style?
* Proverbs 3:4 "Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."
* "Then you will win favor"
* "and a good name"
* "in the sight of God and man."
*
* See a drawing to the right by an unknown author is now in public domain. Proverbs 3:3, 12:10, 20:23, 23:10-11, and 27:18 are noted.
>2. What does verses 5 and 6 mean when it says "all your heart" and "all your ways"?
* Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
* "Trust in"
* "the LORD"
* "with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"
* "in all your ways acknowledge him"
* "and he will make your paths straight."
>What is some limitations of mankind's understanding?
*
* Search my heart. Do I trust in the Lord with all of my heart? Am I leaning on my own understanding? When Jesus approached Jerusalem he gave two disciples a set of instructions that would have been impossible for someone to predict could happen to find a donkey and her colt. (Matthew 21:1-5) The same was true when they were told to prepare the Passover, the Last Supper. (Mark 14:12-16)
Do I think about (acknowledge) God and his Son in all my ways? Am I ever mindful of God? Do I serve him with a willing and faithful heart? Am I like Nathanael who was under the fig tree before Philip brought him to Jesus? (John 1:48-50)
I see today is a day of self-examination questions. I start out the day with the simple prayer as I shower, "Cleanse me with the blood. Fill me with the Spirit. Show me your way and give me the power, strength, will, and what is needed to carry it out." I am given what is needed. Yet, I was reminded Sunday when I watched the 2016 movie "Experimenter" of the flawed human soul. We try to convince ourselves we are good and yet willingly submit ourselves to leadership that leads us down horrendous ways.
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:5-6.
>Why does humility have to do with fearing of the Lord? (7-8)
* Proverbs 3:7-8 "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."
* "Do not be wise in your own eyes"
* "fear the LORD and shun evil"
* "This will bring health to your body"
* "and nourishment to your bones."
*
>What are the results?
*
* "Fear the Lord" is often repeated in the Bible, especially in the book of Proverbs. "Shun evil" is also repeated though not as much. Job was a man who feared God and shunned evil (Job 1:1, 2:3, 28:28)
Fearing God and shunning evil is stated to be healthy for the body and nourishment to the bones. Yet what of Job whose body became infected with painful sores? (Job 2:7) Was fearing the Lord and shunning evil good for his body? Sure, the painful sores were only for a short time. Most of his life before and after was very pleasant for he lived wealthy. Yet, remembering the good times do not help when to body is in pain.
One key fact is that these verses do not state that God will bring health and nourishment. Rather, these verses state humility, fearing the Lord, and shunning evil will. Job's pain was caused by Satan, who was jealous of Job. The majority of his life was prosperous because he was humble, feared the Lord, and shunned evil.
Ask Job after his health was restored what he thinks of his time of pain I am sure it is a mature response. "I did not like the pain and do not want such pain to return. Yet, through the pain, I met my maker and learned from him." All are tested and pain usually accompanies the test. This does not take away from the statement here, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." In fact, from a certain perspective, it proves it true for the faithful make proper choices through both prosperity and pain.
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:7-8.
II. The Lord Disciplines Those He Loves (3:9-26)
>3. How can we honor the Lord according to verse 9?
* Proverbs 3:9 "Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops."
* "Honor"
* "the LORD"
* "with your wealth"
* "with the first-fruits of all your crops."
>What is promised if we do? (10)
* Proverbs 3:10 "then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."
* "then your barns"
* "will be filled to overflowing"
* "your vats will brim over with new wine."
*
* This drawing by an unknown author citing Proverbs 3:10 is now in public domain.
>4. What does it mean that the Lord disciplines his people? (11-12)
* Proverbs 3:11-12 "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
* "My son"
* "do not despise the LORD's discipline"
* "and do not resent his rebuke"
* "because the LORD disciplines those he loves"
* "as a father the son he delights in."
>What are some benefits of disciple?
*
* Wealth, prosperity, health, and love are the desires of life under the sun. The Bible has a lot to say about these. Most start out our adult life dismissing what God has to say believing we have life all figured out and what we don't know we are sure we will figure it. If we succeed we are full of destructive self-pride. If we fail we blame others.
God gives a promise in verses 9 and 10 about wealth and prosperity. Honor the Lord with wealth = prosperity. To honor is to recognize the value of someone or something and to act accordingly. Jesus equated honoring God with doing what he says. (John 8:42, 14:15) He also said, "You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:26) Giving money during offering time while not loving God is not honoring God.
Honoring God is to accept his disciplines as love (11,12) When the Lord's disciplines often prosperous times end. During the loss of wealth, prosperity, and perhaps even health God is teaching that "Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Matthew 4:4) We are learning that "God disciplines us for our good." (Hebrews 12:10)
Verses 13-18 is a short poem that expounds on the value of wisdom and understanding. God is stating that these are more valuable than any treasures in the world. This poem begins and ends with the fact that a blessed life is found and established in wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge and wisdom is the method to true riches and honor. They are pleasant ways and paths of peace (17). They are the tree of life (18).
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:9-18.
>How did the Lord disciple some of this people in the Bible?
* Abraham is regards to Sarah's maid servant.
* Job in all ways except death.
* David in regards to his sin with Bathsheba and her husband.
* Jeremiah who told God that he no longer wanted to be the Lord's prophet because of all the harm it brought him.
* The nations of Israel and Judah.
>5. What is promised to the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding in verses 13-18?
* Proverbs 3:13-18 "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,
for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed."
* "Blessed"
* "is the man who finds wisdom"
* "the man who gains understanding"
* "for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold"
* "She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."
* "Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace."
* "She is a tree of life to those who embrace her"
* "those who lay hold of her will be blessed."
>Where else in the Bible is the tree of life mentioned? (Genesis 2:9; Revelation 2:7, 22:2, 14)
* Genesis 2:9 "And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
* Revelation 2:7 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."
* Revelation 22:2 "down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."
* Revelation 22:14 ""Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city."
>How did God create the universe and what does this have to do with wisdom in our life? (19-20)
* Proverbs 3:19-20 "By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew."
* "By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations"
* "by understanding he set the heavens in place"
* "by his knowledge the deeps were divided"
* "and the clouds let drop the dew."
*
* See a drawing titled "The Earth Changes" in a book title "Voor-bereidselen tot de bybelsche wysheid, en gebruik der heilige en kirklijke historien: uit de alder-oudste gedenkkenissen der Hebreen, Chaldeen, Babyloniers, Egiptenaars, Syriers, Grieken en Romeinen... Door een liefhebber der Joodische oudheden." by Willem Goeree. (1635-1711) Representations of how the earth changed over time. Cracks begin to show as Adam and Eve give into temptation (top left) and Cain kills his brother Abel (top right); people are feasting and do not realize that the flood is about to come (bottom left). Verses sited include Genesis 2:10, 3:23, 3:24, 7:11; Job 6:17, 7:17-18, 12:15, 36:30-31, 38:19, 38:26; Ief? 40:21; Proverbs 3:19-20; Matthew 24:38-39. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.
>6. How is it possible to not let sound judgment and discernment out of your sight? (21-22)
* Proverbs 3:21-22 "My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck."
* "My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment"
* "do not let them out of your sight"
* "they will be life for you"
* "an ornament to grace your neck."
>What kind of safety is verses 23 and 24 referring to?
* Proverbs 3:23-24 "Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet."
* "Then you will go on your way in safety"
* "and your foot will not stumble"
* "when you lie down"
* "you will not be afraid"
* "your sleep will be sweet."
>What does sound judgment and discernment guarantee?
*
*
>7. What does verses 25 and 26 promise and why?
* Proverbs 3:25-26 "Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared."
* "Have no fear of sudden disaster"
* "or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked"
* "for the LORD will be your confidence"
* "and will keep your foot from being snared."
*
* Many have problems sleeping at night. Some may have a physical problem; health, environment, or perhaps their bed is uncomfortable. Others may have problems sleeping because their soul is in torment. Some lament the past and live in regret while others have vague or real fears. Others are heart broke or mentally unstable. Others worry about the future; money, health, or relationships. They toss and turn all night.
The Lord God promises a way to be in safety. He gives guidance to the secret way where I can lie down and not be afraid; a way where sleep is sweet, comes quickly, and refreshing in the morning (24).
A key life practice to refreshing sleep is sound judgment and discernment during the day. Almost every moment of the day I make judgments. Should I say this or that? Should I do this or that? Should I walk away? Should I stay?
Every moment of the day I need to discern. Some decisions concern major life events. Others are everyday decisions.
Habits do not have to be bad. Forming good habits is good discernment. Getting out of bad habits is leaving wagon wheel ruts that lead to sleepless nights and blazing new trails. When God created the earth he made everything run in set paths that are good (19,20). I have been given this gift to set good life paths by faith in God. When I repeatedly use good discernment I will find the secret to sweet restful sleep. It's never too late to create my own world full of wise habits and sleep well
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:19-24.
>Is this a promise that sudden disaster or ruin will not happen in your lifetime?
*
>What then is promised?
*
*
* Fear is a base emotion that all humans share. There are many reasons to fear. God's direction here is to not fear sudden disaster or the ruin that overtakes the wicked (25). God promises that he will be my confidence and will keep my foot from being snared (26). I should not have vague fears of future doom.
This morning I sit thinking about this from many perspectives. God is not promising that a sudden disaster will not happen. Rather, he is just telling me to not fear that it might happen in the future. During disasters, the Spirit gives me confidence. I won't get caught in a snare.
I have gone through some hard events in my life. Yet, I don't consider them sudden disasters because God enabled me to have faith in those times. Even when I wanted my life to end the Lord gave me confidence. I have at times had fear of the future hit me hard as if a prize fighter had swung at me. Yet just as fast as the blow came, I was able to bounce back and push it off. The blow did not knock me down and its sting quickly dissipated. This was God.
I don't want to spend my life in fear of imagined dangers. I can have confidence now that my God will keep me in times of sudden disaster. I am safe in the Master Prize Fighter's gloves.
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:25-26.
III. The Lord Detests a Perverse Man (3:27-35)
>8. What does God require of those who have power? (27)
* Proverbs 3:27 "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act."
* "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it"
* "when it is in your power to act."
*
* The engraving from a book "De Bykorf des Gemoeds : Honing zaamelende uit allerley Bloemen / Vervattende over de Honderd konstige Figuuren ; Met Godlyke Spreuken En Stichtelyke Verzen" by Luiken, Jan (1649-1712) now in public domain is titled "The Merchant Ship: What is Near, One Seeks from Afar".
In the foreground, one large merchant ship sails on the sea. Two other ships can be seen in the background. The coast is on the right. The Dutch artist and poet Jan Luiken (1649-1712), whose initials are at the lower right, was responsible for drawing and etching this emblem, as well as for the poem that accompanies it (below). The attendant Scripture text is Proverbs 3:13-14. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.
The motto is "He who departs for the best realm, Fetches the best Wares, to his shore". The accompanying poem is:
So the Ship sails away,
To the strange and faraway land,
To bring varied Merchant's Wares,
To that and this shore.
One dares to take a share in that,
Hoping for an easy profit,
Based on the Merchant's judgment and assurance,
Who often doesn't aim for the least.
Even though it has to contend with danger,
From Waves, Robber, sand and reef,
Threatened from above and below,
One still finds Outfitters for the Ship.
They dare to risk dear money,
Even on such a gamble,
Thus sweet pleasure draws,
Thus it's all done for profit:
But the Ship that Christ contracts,
From his poor brotherhood,
Almost no one feels like outfitting that,
And if it comes, it's only inadequate.
The country is for him too far,
The Sea is for him too deep and wide,
Although profit and great blessing,
Have been promised him clearly;
And not as uncertain as the other,
Where it depends on luck or misfortune:
O Nimble man, though thou art clever,
Here emerges the irrational part:
Thou dost dare risk Chance,
And not the most Faithful God,
Think how one day it will appear,
When this action will be ridiculed.
(Translation by Josephine V. Brown, with editorial assistance from William G. Stryker)
>When we power to do good when should it be done? (28; Luke 11:5-8; James 2:15-16)
* Proverbs 3:28 "Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"-- when you now have it with you."
* Luke 11:5-8 "Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs."
* James 2:15-16 "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?"
* "Do not say to your neighbor"
* "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"
* "when you now have it with you."
>What is the wisdom of verse 29?
* Proverbs 3:29 "Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you."
* "Do not plot harm against your neighbor"
* "who lives trustfully near you."
*
* Wise interaction with others involves love and knowledge; spirit and truth. "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. (27)." I am not to do good to everyone; only those who deserve it. The wisdom in this is the ability to know who deserves it. Giving money to someone who will use it to buy destructive items like liquor or drugs is not wise. They do not deserve good. Wise interaction means I am not an enabler of someone's destructive habits.
Wise, loving, and knowledgeable interaction do not find excuses to put off sacrificial love till later when it is convenient for me. If someone calls for help and advice when I am tired and about to go to bed it would be unloving to say, "Call me back later and I'll help you" (28).
Love and wisdom are character traits of God. The Lord God does not plot harm. Therefore, I should not plot harm against my neighbor for any reason (29). This does not mean that God does not discipline his people (11,12). Discipline may seem like harm. It is not for in the end discipline turns us into adults who with the Spirit overcome sinful impulses.
Love should control the tongue (30). Unfortunately, the tongue is usually only connected to the heart bypassing the brain. The place where it connects to the heart is especially close to the areas of malice and revenge, not the areas of love and compassion. The tongue was originally designed to connect to both the mind and love. It is disconnected when a relationship with God is lost for God is love. So a reminder is needed, "Do not accuse another for no reason-- when they have done me no harm."
My mother use to tell my bitter tongue, "If you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything at all." A better piece of advice is, "If I do not have anything nice to say, then I need to think about what is nice about another and say that. If I cannot think of anything nice then I need to pray for the eyes of God."
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:27-30.
>What some reasons we are tempted to give false witness? (30)
* Proverbs 3:30 "Do not accuse a man for no reason-- when he has done you no harm."
* "Do not accuse a man for no reason"
* "when he has done you no harm."
*
>What are some reasons we envy violent people? (31-32)
* Proverbs 3:31-32 "Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence."
* "Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways"
* "for the LORD detests a perverse man"
* "but takes the upright into his confidence."
*
* Envy is an emotional trait humans share. Envy can be defined as a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, and possessions joined with the desire to possess the same advantage. Envy rots the bones (14:30).
Though envy is sometimes a motive for doing good, usually it has unwanted results most notably emotional restlessness. Envy is never satisfied for what envy craves never satisfies. Envy is a faith and perspective problem.
The Father's advice is to not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways (31). The appearance of someone's life does not see into the soul. Everything a violent man possesses has the image equivalent to a magician's act; illusions that only appeal to the audience.
Thus, the Lord detests a perverse man (32) and his curse is on the house of the wicked (33). He mocks proud mockers (35) and fools he holds up to shame (35). In contrast to this, the Lord takes the upright into his confidence (32) and he blesses the home of the righteous (33). He gives grace to the humble (34) and the wise inherit honor (35).
Listen to the above comments on Proverbs 3:31-35.
>9. What does God promise us in verse 33?
* Proverbs 3:33 "The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous."
* "The LORD's curse" -Joshua 7:24-25 and Zechariah 5:3-4.
* "is on the house of the wicked" -Not just the wicked are cursed, but all that is theirs.
* "he blesses the home of the righteous." -Job 42:12-14.
* This contrast is also in Deuteronomy 11:26-28.
>What does it mean that God mocks proud mockers?
* Proverbs 3:34 "He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble."
* "He mocks proud mockers" -The Lord mocking mockers is not an expression of heartlessness but a reaction to the absurdity of fools, who laught at wisdom and bring disaster on themselves.
* "but gives grace to the humble." -Here giving grace is showing favor.
*
>How do we obtain honor and shame? (35)
* Proverbs 3:35 "The wise inherit honor, but fools he holds up to shame."
* "The wise inherit honor" -In order for there to be an inheritance someone must die. The honor of Jesus' followers is to be call his brothers.
* "but fools he holds up to shame." -Same for their actions.
* Wisdom is more than a matter of knowing rules of right and wrong; it is a matter of knowing God. The wise trust in the Lord rather than in their own wisdom. They fear and honor Him and accept His discipline. The Lord, not just their awareness of certain principles, protects them. (Holman Concise Bible Commentary)
>10. What did Jesus teach us about how to treat others?
* "Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you."
