An Introduction To The Book Of Proverbs

Intro:

1. Calvin Coleridge, “Wisdom is common sense, in an uncommon degree.”

2. Solomon certainly had that kind of wisdom to an almost unbelievable degree.

3. Introduction to the Book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 1:1 (NKJV)

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

I. First, the Manner of the writing.

Proverbs – “The word means “to represent; something in the place of many words. It has the idea of comparison or similarity…Put simply, Proverbs is a book of godly advice.”

[Swindoll]

“The Hebrew word translated “Proverbs “mishlai” is derived from the root word mashal, which means “to rule” as in Gen. 1:18 and 3:16. Mishlai therefore are words and saying that are supposed to rule and govern life. The book of Proverbs then is not simple a collection of bits of human wisdom. It contains God’s rules.” [Phillips]

“The root can have the idea of “likeness.” The related Niphal verb means “to be like, be like, be comparable with” e.g., “he is like the beast that perish” (Psa.49:12). The noun can mean an object lesson based on or using a comparison or analogy. It may be a short pithy statement (Ezk. 16:44), object lesson drawn from experience (Psa. 78:2-6), saying or by-word (Deut. 28:37) or an oracle of future blessing (Ezk. 21:1-5). Here it means an object lesson, setting out courses of action. It helps one choose the course of action to follow or avoid.” [NET]

Proverbs 1:1 (NCV)

1 These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, king of Israel.

Proverbs 1:1 (MSG)

1 These are the wise sayings of Solomon, David's son, Israel's king—

Proverbs 1:1 (AMP)

1 THE PROVERBS (truths obscurely expressed, maxims, and parables) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

II. Finally, the Man who wrote the book.

A. The Spiritual influences that Prepared Solomon.

This section is gleamed from Bible teacher David Jeremiah…

1. God Prophesied blessings upon him before he was born (I Chron. 22:9-10)

2. God Pronounced blessing upon him at his birth (2 Sam.12:24-25)

3. God Pointed him out as Israel’s next king (1 Chron. 29:1)

4. David Prayed for God’s blessing to be upon him (I Chron. 29:19)

5. God Poured out a blessing upon Solomon when he became King (I Chron. 29:25)

6. David Prepared him for the challenges he would face (I Chron. 28:9-10/I Ki. 3:12).

B. The Scriptural experience that Endowed Solomon. 1 Ki. 3:1-28

[David Jeremiah]

Intro: Spurgeon defined wisdom “as the right use of knowledge” but where does such knowledge come from? As Solomon discovers, from God alone.”

I. For starters, the Privation [lack] of wisdom. I Ki.3:1-4

A. Foreign Woman. 3:1 (I Ki. 11:1-4)

A Sunday school teacher was discussing King Solomon and all his faults with the class. One student objected, “Maybe were being to hard on him?” Another student replied, “That’s ok, anybody with that many wives is use to it!”

B. False Worship. 2-4 (I Ki. 11:5-8)

Solomon was still a sinner, both before and after receiving wisdom, just like all of us!

Martin Luther’s companion in the reformation Melanchthon once received a letter from Luther, who was working on the translation of the N.T. He writes:

“I sit here at ease, hardening and unfeeling – alas! Praying little, grieving little for the Church of God, burning rather in the fierce fires of my untamed flesh. It comes to this: I should be afire in the spirit; in reality I am afire in the flesh, with lust, laziness, idleness, and sleepiness…It is perhaps because you have all ceased praying for me that God has turned away from me. For the last eight days I have written nothing, nor prayed, nor studied, partly from self-indulgence…I really cannot stand it any longer. Prayer for me, I beg you, for in my seclusion here I am submerged in sins.”

II. Furthermore, the Petition for wisdom. 3:5-15

A. The opportunity was Derived from God. V. 5 (Jn. 14:14)

B. He Decided to respond. 6-9 (Ja. 4:2)

We must ask! E. Stanly Jones, “In prayer you align yourselves to the purpose and power of God and He is able to do things through you that He wouldn’t do otherwise…God has left certain things open to prayer – thing which will never be done except as we respond in prayer.”

Ron Dunn, “The important thing is to pray. How important? Only this: There are some things, God will do if we ask Him too, and things that He will not do, if we do not ask Him. We carelessly say, “Well, whatever happens is God’s will. If God wants me to have this, I will get it. That is only partially true. The words of Jesus, “If you ask, I will do,” carry the implication that if we do not ask, Jesus will not act.” Ja. 1:5