Proverbs 2 Series

Wisdom | Proverbs 2

Verses 1-5 (The Gift of Wisdom)

“My son if you…”

- Solomon continues his instruction in the ways of wisdom (from chapter 1)

- Solomon puts personal responsibility on us:

o Receive, treasure, incline, apply, cry out, speak up, seek, search.

o It requires EFFORT on our part.

- Wisdom is found in revelation words and commandments.

- The terms receive my words and treasure commandments implies that the teaching will not often be immediate, and time will pass before its effects are felt. (Goes against immediate gratification).

“Then you will understand…”

- Solomon already established that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and here he is teaching us that without us putting forth the effort to seek wisdom, we will lack in our fear and knowledge (intimacy obtained by obedience) of God.

Verses 6-9 (The Benefits of Wisdom)

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

- The wisdom God wants to give us is found is his written, revealed word. He is not hiding it.

- To those who follow after God, he is a shield, he is a guard and preserves his own.

o He is actively involved in your life.

o He is active in his protection and perseverance.

Verses 10-15 (The Power of Wisdom)

“When wisdom enters your heart and knowledge is pleasant…”

- The more wisdom we learn, the more we desire and enjoy wisdom.

“To deliver you from the way of evil…”

- The protection wisdom provides is that it keeps its followers from making decisions that bring regret / death. Understanding keeps you from foolish decisions and consequences.

- It also rescues us from bad company. We are delivered from men who want to work for the darkness.

“Who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perversity of the wicked…”

- Sinful natures are attracted to evil and delight in evil!

- Gender Dysphoria = Choosing our own pronouns.

- Feminism Movement = Their desire is man’s headship (Genesis 3)

- LGBTQ Movement.

Verses 16-22

“To deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead; none who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life…”

- Wisdom protects us from immoral women!

- Immoral women = it’s not always the man that is the predator.

- Harlot / Adulteress: “One who is outside the circle of a man’s proper relationships.

“Who flatters with her words…”

- Her words are powerful!

“Who forsakes the companion of her youth.”

- She has a pattern / history of disloyalty and unfaithfulness.

“For her house leads to death…”

- This is where she is going.

- What if we started to look at the end results (consequences) of our actions rather than the immediate feelings / results?

- Death:

o STD’s.

o Our Spirit.

o Lust.

o Jealousy of family / friends / her husband (breaks families apart).

o God’s wrath (He gives sinners over to their own desires).

None who go to her return

o Biblical Commentator Garrett: “Those who enter the house of the immoral woman, on the other hand, find only the ghosts of those who preceded them and discover too late that there is no exit.”

[How to Fight Lust]

1. Be Faithful in Little

a. Luke 16:10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”

b. God cares about the small things and he gives us small samples to build our character and when we show him our faithfulness, he gives us more.

c. Be mindful of EVERYTHING you are looking at. My struggle with lusting after women began by looking at a female in a wrestling magazine.

2. Have Urgency in Spiritual Warfare

a. Matthew 5:27-29 “You have heard that is was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”

b. This is a call to urgency! Misplaced sexual desires (not just sexual acts) are serious.

3. Fight Like A Dead Man

a. Colossians 3:1-5 “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God”

b. Mediate on this: If you’re a follower of Jesus then you are dead and your call is to crucify your flesh and its passions and DO NOT RESUCITATE your flesh.