Adultery (Pr 5)

What are the results of faithfulness and unfaithfulness in marriage? How can we avoid the trap? Let’s begin in Proverbs 5.

Is adultery made to look appealing, but where is it headed?

My son, pay attention to my wisdom, and listen closely to my insight, so you may carefully practice discretion and your lips preserve knowledge. For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead to Sheol. You aren’t thinking about where her life is headed; her steps wander, but you do not realize it. (Pr 5:1-6 ISV)

Why should we distance ourselves far from adultery? What are some of its consequences?

Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. (Pr 5:7-14 KJV)

Are there blessings from lifelong faithfulness to one spouse and curses for unfaithfulness?

Drink water from your own cistern And fresh water from your own well. Should your springs be dispersed abroad, Streams of water in the streets? Let them be for you alone, And not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, And be glad in the wife of your youth. As a loving hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be intoxicated always with her love. So why should you, my son, be intoxicated with a strange woman And embrace the bosom of a foreign woman? For the ways of a man are before the eyes of Yahweh, And He watches all his tracks. His own iniquities will capture him who is the wicked one, And with the cords of his sin he will be held fast. He will die for lack of discipline, And in the abundance of his folly he will stumble in intoxication. (Pr 5:15-23 LSB)

How does Jesus handle this very delicate subject? How can we follow His hyperbolic advice in practical ways?

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Now if your right eye is causing you to sin, tear it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. (Mat 5:27-29 NASB)

What are the results of faithfulness and unfaithfulness in marriage? How can we avoid the trap? You decide!

Wise Instruction (Pr 4)

Can wisdom come from an honorable father? Should a man also value a faithful woman’s advice? Let’s look at Proverbs 4.

What is something that every one of us should highly esteem in life?

Hear, children, fatherly instruction; pay attention to gain understanding. I’ll teach you well. Don’t abandon my instruction. When I was a son to my father, tender and my mother’s favorite, he taught me and said to me: “Let your heart hold on to my words: Keep my commands and live. Get wisdom; get understanding. Don’t forget and don’t turn away from my words. Don’t abandon her, and she will guard you. Love her, and she will protect you. The beginning of wisdom: Get wisdom! Get understanding before anything else. Highly esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will honor you if you embrace her. She will place a graceful wreath on your head; she will give you a glorious crown.” (Pr 4:1-9 CEB)

Should we avoid following the bad example of cruel and evil people? What is the lifestyle like of good people who use wisdom?

My child, if you listen and obey my teachings, you will live a long time. I have shown you the way that makes sense; I have guided you along the right path. Your road won't be blocked, and you won't stumble when you run. Hold firmly to my teaching and never let go. It will mean life for you. Don't follow the bad example of cruel and evil people. Turn aside and keep going. Stay away from them. They can't sleep or rest until they do wrong or harm some innocent victim. Their food and drink are cruelty and wickedness. The lifestyle of good people is like sunlight at dawn that keeps getting brighter until broad daylight. The lifestyle of the wicked is like total darkness, and they will never know what makes them stumble. (Pr 4:10-19 CEV)

How attentive are we to the words of the wise among us who taught us right from wrong? How attentive are we to the wisest words ever written, scripture?

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Pr 4:20-27 ESV)

Though many people are wise in the scriptures, is there a vital ingredient that can be missed, a child-like humility?

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants.” (Mat 11:25 HCSB)

Can wisdom come from an honorable father? Should a man also value a faithful woman’s advice? You decide!

Wisdom in Scripture (Pr 3)

What can we learn from God’s wisdom throughout the entire Bible? Let’s look at Proverbs 3.

Though Christians are justified by faith apart from works of the law, does the Spirit of the law still help us live a long and prosperous life?

My child, remember my teachings and instructions and obey them completely. They will help you live a long and prosperous life. (Pr 3:1-2 CEV)

Should we live lives of love or hate of our neighbors?

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. (Pr 3:3-4 ESV)

Even though we may not always understand a Bible passage, do we trust God rather than our own understanding?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones. (Pr 3:5-8 HCSB)

How should we act in regard to churches that are faithful to God and His Word?

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first of all your produce, so your barns will be filled with abundance, and your vats will burst open with new wine. (Pr 3:9-10 ISV)

Should we feel dejected or depressed when God uses circumstances to chastise us?

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (Pr 3:11-12 KJV)

Are finding wisdom and discernment great treasures? What benefits do they give?

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who obtains discernment. For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her produce better than fine gold. She is more precious than pearls; And nothing you desire compares with her. Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and glory. Her ways are pleasant ways And all her pathways are peace. She is a tree of life to those who seize her, And all those who hold her fast are blessed. (P4 3:13-18 LSB)

How important was wisdom to God in creating everything?

The Lord founded the earth by wisdom, He established the heavens by understanding. By His knowledge the ocean depths were burst open, And the clouds drip with dew. (Pr 3:19-20 NASB)

What will wisdom, understanding, judgment and discretion do for us if we keep them in sight?

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. 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. Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared. (Pr 3:21-26 NIV)

When it is within our grasp, should we do good for our neighbors?

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. Do not devise evil against your neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety’s sake. Do not strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. (Pr 3:27-30 NKJV)

Who should we honor and respect and seek to make our closest friends?

Don’t envy violent people or copy their ways. Such wicked people are detestable to the Lord, but he offers his friendship to the godly. The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble. The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame! (Pr 3:31-35 NLT)

What profitable things can we learn from the Scriptures?

Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16-17 WEB)

What can we learn from God’s wisdom throughout the entire Bible? You decide!

Wisdom Chooses Good (Pr 2)

In the battle between good and evil what helps us choose the good? Let’s look at Proverbs 2.

What happens to those who welcome the wisdom of Proverbs?

My son, if you accept my words, and treasure my instructions—making your ear attentive to wisdom, and turning your heart to understanding—if, indeed, you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and learn to know God. (Pr 2:1-5 ISV)

Where does wisdom actually come from, a king who failed in the end, or the Lord? When imperfect church leaders fail like Solomon, can we separate human failure from God’s Good News?

For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He watches over the way of His godly ones. (Pr 2:6-8 NASB)

How can we learn what is right and just and fair in a world of confused values?

Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. (Pr 2:9-11 NIV)

Can wisdom actually save us from evil, from those who walk a dark path in life?

To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; (Pr 2:12-15 NKJV)

What will wisdom teach us about the dangers of sexual temptation?

Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman, from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman. She has abandoned her husband and ignores the covenant she made before God. Entering her house leads to death; it is the road to the grave. The man who visits her is doomed. He will never reach the paths of life. (Pr 2:16-19 NLT)

What are the blessings of choosing what’s right, and the curses of choosing what’s wrong?

Therefore walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright will dwell in the land. The perfect will remain in it. But the wicked will be cut off from the land. The treacherous will be rooted out of it. (Pr 2:20-22 WEB)

Is wisdom meant for good or evil? How wise are we about our choices?

The news of your obedience has reached everybody, so I’m happy for you. But I want you to be wise about what’s good, and innocent about what’s evil. (Rom 16:19 CEB)

In the battle between good and evil what helps us choose the good? You decide!

Why Proverbs (Pr 1)

What is the purpose of the book of Proverbs? What can we learn? Let’s begin in Proverbs 1.

Do proverbs benefit young people? Can proverbs clarify difficult puzzles?

The proverbs of Solomon, King David’s son, from Israel: Their purpose is to teach wisdom and discipline, to help one understand wise sayings. They provide insightful instruction, which is righteous, just, and full of integrity. They make the naive mature, the young knowledgeable and discreet. The wise hear them and grow in wisdom; those with understanding gain guidance. They help one understand proverbs and difficult sayings, the words of the wise, and their puzzles. (Pr 1:1-6 CEB)

Where do we begin? Who rejects wisdom and discipline? What does that say for atheists?

The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline. (Pr 1:7 LSB)

Do we object to the wording because it is a personal attack? Do we realize that ad hominem is a logical argument if a person’s character is the problem? What does the fear of the Lord mean in a different translation?

Respect and obey the Lord! This is the beginning of knowledge. Only a fool rejects wisdom and good advice. (Pr 1:7 CEV)

Do we listen to our parents’ advice? What should we do when enticed to do what is wrong? Are those trying to trap others actually trapping themselves?

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”—my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. (Pr 1:8-19 ESV)

Is wisdom hidden or available publicly to anyone who cares to listen?

Wisdom calls out in the street; she raises her voice in the public squares. She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates: “How long, foolish ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge? If you respond to my warning, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words. Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention, since you neglected all my counsel and did not accept my correction, I, in turn, will laugh at your calamity. I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when trouble and stress overcome you. Then they will call me, but I won’t answer; they will search for me, but won’t find me. Because they hated knowledge, didn’t choose to fear the Lord, were not interested in my counsel, and rejected all my correction, they will eat the fruit of their way and be glutted with their own schemes. For the turning away of the inexperienced will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. But whoever listens to me will live securely and be free from the fear of danger.” (Pr 1:20-33 HCSB)

Is there someone greater than the wisest man who ever lived? Is repentance more important than great wisdom?

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (Mat 12:41-42 KJV)

What is the purpose of the book of Proverbs? What can we learn? You decide!