 Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 1:29 – Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, We Need the Book of Proverbs Throughout Proverbs, we have some wonderful words of wisdom from Solomon to his sons. It’s too bad Solomon didn’t always practice what he preached. But isn’t that true of all of us? We know the better course; we take the lesser. I don’t know about you, but I desperately want knowledge, discernment, insight, understanding, discipline, and wisdom. I pray for those things often. It was his desire to impart those very things to his sons which moved Solomon to share his words with them and the rest of us. The verses of Proverbs 1:1-6 express this, Proverbs 1:1-6 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: [2] for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; [3] for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; [4] for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young– [5] let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance– [6] for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. Who wouldn’t want all Solomon offers in these verses? God, through Solomon, tells us how to get such things. He writes, Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. The Key to Knowledge and Wisdom There is no separation of spiritual, volitional, emotional, intellectual, or moral categories in the Bible. They are all interrelated and interdependent. To have the attributes on Solomon’s list (or at least, to move toward acquiring them), one must fear the Lord. People often bend over backwards to point out that such “fear” simply means “reverence.” And, of course, there’s some truth in that. But fear also means fear. For example, when Isaiah stood before the throne of God in Isaiah 6, he immediately knew how sinful he was. He shrieked in terror and was beside himself with the overwhelming feelings of dread and unworthiness. That sounds like fear. Or, how about when Jesus calmed the sea and the disciples wanted him to depart because they felt the weight of their radical shamefulness. There’s something to that understanding of fear we shouldn’t immediately dismiss, simply because it makes us uncomfortable. But, of course, fear means more than that. A Covenantal Relationship “Fear,” in our Scripture, also means covenantal submission to the Lordship of God. We show we properly fear God when we submit, reverentially, to who he is, and to what he has commanded us to do. We aren’t instructed to merely give him lip service. Our obedience must have hands and feet to it as well. To know God is to know him covenantally and relationally. It is to know about him (his character, attributes, decrees, commands, etc.), and to humbly, gratefully, and joyfully live our lives in response to him. We can know we are approaching what it means to properly fear God when we are living in such a way. And this, according to our text, is the beginning of knowledge. There are some who do not desire such knowledge nor do they fear God. They are spiritually, intellectually, morally, and emotionally numb to the things of God. The Bible calls them fools. Such people don’t desire God or his ways. And, sadly, Proverbs reminds us that to such people God responds, “thy will be done.” Read Proverbs I love the book of Proverbs. Like Solomon, I want to pass such wisdom on to my children. In Proverbs we find treasure contained therein that our children desperately need to be taught in this day and age. The average prime time television program will run in complete antithesis to the pearls of wisdom Solomon communicates to his sons. Our children need to ingest this wisdom long before they become adults. But for those who were not introduced to this wisdom as children, it’s still not too late to dive in. Have you read Proverbs lately? You may be interested to know there are 31 chapters, one for each day of the month. Doctor’s Prescription: A Proverb a day will help keep sin away. Of course, it will also help you live a wise and godly life. I would encourage you to read more than Proverbs, but you can’t go wrong by adding it to your spiritual diet. Walking Points
Prayer Heavenly Father, thank you for the Book of Proverbs. It truly is a treasure chest of your wisdom. But more than that, it teaches me to seek you and be dependent upon you. It reveals to me that I must be in covenant with you to get all from the Proverbs that you intend. I truly cannot begin my journey to great knowledge, wisdom, and depth of insight without you. Please give me the humility to be a lifelong learner of your wisdom and not a fool who thinks he has nothing else to learn. In Christ’s holy name I pray. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petitions – prayers for yourself · Give me greater knowledge, depth of insight, and understanding of God’s Word. · Remind me daily of who I am in Christ. Let me be defined by who God says I am, not the world around me. · Guide me into greater understanding and faithfulness of God’s call in my life. · This week’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My family · My pastor(s), church staff, and missionaries · Those struggling with anger, anxiety, or the overwhelming desire to please people at all costs · Other needs
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