The Strand Study Bible

PROVERBS

961

PROVERBS

Pillar #4 (Wisdom’s What )

Lesson #4. What are we to hate?

The answer – we are to hate in our lives what God hates ( Prov 6: 12- 16 -19). The answer – what God says we should look for in a mate ( Prov 18:22 )

Lesson #5. What are we to look for in a mate? Lesson #6. What’s the price for rejecting wisdom?

The answer – what God says the price for rejecting wisdom is: (1) hurt parents (Prov 10:1 & 15:20 & 17:21,25 & 19:13,26 & 28:7,24 & 29:3,15/II Sam 13:1-39 – Amnon); (2) unhappiness (Prov 19:10/II Sam 18:31-33 – Absalom); (3) a hurtful and wasted life (Prov 10:13 & 15:32 & 19:2,3,29 & 21:18 & 26:3,6 & 30:5,6/I Ki 1:5-6, 50-53 & 2:13-25 – Adonijah); (4) bondage (Prov 11:29 & 14:19/II Chro 33:1-3,9-11 – Manasseh); (5) foolishness, confusion, and dishonor (Prov 18:2,3 & 23:9 & 24:7-9 & 26:7-9,11 & 29:9/I Ki 11:1-11 – Solomon); (6) poor leadership (Prov 28:16/I Ki 12:1- 10 – Rehoboam); (7) poverty and shame (Prov 13:18 & 21:20 & 22:5/II Ki 23:28-33 – Jehoahaz); and (8) destruction and death (Prov 1:24-32 & 8:36 & 10:29 & 13:13,20,23 & 15:10 & 17:12 & 21:7,15,16 & 29:1/I Ki 3:5-14 & 11:41-43 – Solomon) APPLICATION: Pillar #4 ( Wisdom’s What ) deals with studying the Word for answers to life (II Tim 2:15 and Prov 24: 13- 14 ). Question: What are you digging for? The eternal (truth – Mt 6:33) or the temporal (treasure – Lk 12:16-31)? How to have more faith or how to have more fame and fortune? The choice is yours… However, if you want to start digging the right way, you’re going to have to start asking the right what (Mt 9:9-13). These Pharisees were digging for the wrong what. What they wanted to know had to do with the temporal (vs 11). What Jesus wanted them to know had to do with the eternal (vs 12-13). Question: What are you digging for? Answers to the temporal (Mt 6:31-32 & 26:6-8, 14-15) or answers to the eternal (Mt 24:1-3)? What you’re searching for determines what you’re going to find. Fact: One of the seven pillars on which your Christianity stands is to start digging for truth ( I Cor 2:13 ). Pillar #5 (Wisdom’s Why ) The answer – because: (1) wisdom comes from God and God cries to be heard so that He can direct, protect, and bless our lives (Prov 1:20-32 & 2:6 & 3:5-6 & 8:1-9 & 9:1-5 & 20:24 & 21:30 & 28:5,25 & 30:5); (2) wisdom pleases God (Prov 8:17,21,30 & 11:20 and Heb 11:6); (3) wisdom leads to prudence (a careful conduct concerning practical affairs – Prov 8:12 & 15:5 & 16:21); (4) wisdom leads to righteous living (Prov 8:20 & 15:21 & 21:8): (5) wisdom leads to proper leadership, safe counsel, and good advice (Prov 8:14-16 & 13:10 & 18:4 & 20:5 & 22:17-18 and I Sam 25:1-33); (6) wisdom is superior to physical strength (Prov 21:22 & 24:5,10-12 and Eccl 7:19 & 9:16 & 10:10); (7) wisdom compensates for weaknesses in our life (Prov 30:24-28); (8) wisdom leads to establishing eternal priorities (Prov 8:22-31); and (9) wisdom acquired is God’s greatest priority for a person’s life (Prov 4:7). APPLICATION: Pillar #5 ( Wisdom’s Why ) deals with questioning why we believe what we believe ( Acts 17: 10, 11,12 & I Cor 13:12 ). Do you ever question what you believe or what you’ve been taught? The Bereans did, and it led to their salvation. If we are to be “set free” religiously, we are to learn to search the Scriptures for ourselves (Jn 5:39). Question: Why do you believe what you believe? Is it because it’s what you’ve been taught in life or is it because it’s what you’ve caught in life due to questioning why you believe what you believe ( Heb 11:26 )? Question: Why are you a Christian and not a Mormon or a Jehovah’s Witness or a United Pentecostal or a Catholic or a Muslim? Why do you believe in salvation by grace and not works (Gal 2:21 and Rom 4:1-6)? Question: If you are a Christian, why are you a Baptist and not a Methodist or a Lutheran and not a Presbyterian or a Calvinist and not a Charismatic ( Gal 3:1-3 )? Fact: One of the seven pillars on which your Christianity stands is to question why you believe what you believe . It’s never wrong to “question” things; it’s only wrong to come to quick conclusions. Pillar #6 (Wisdom’s How ) The answer – via: (1) knowing the Word of God (Prov 2:6); (2) obeying the Word of God (Prov 1:5 & 2:1-5 & 9:12 & 18:1 & 22:17 & 23:19, Ezra 7:10, II Chro 12:13-14 and Jn 8:31-32); (3) humility (Prov 11:2 and I Ki 21:17-29); (4) proper counsel (Prov 12:15); (5) reproof (admonition) and the rod (nurture) (Prov 29:15 and Eph 6:4); (6) paying a price (Prov 2:1-4 & 4:5-7 & 17:16 & 23:23 & 24:13-14); and (7) prayer (Jms 1:5-6).

Lesson #7. Why should wisdom be acquired?

Lesson #8. How can wisdom be acquired?

Lesson #9. How does God instruct, correct, and chasten His own?

The answer – via: (1) reproof (admonition – II Chro 33:1-10); and (2) rod (nurture – II Chro 33:11-13, Prov 13:24 &