Category: Devotions

The Prospect: These are the words of Christ, who, under the name Wisdom, is heard crying without, in the streets, in the opening of the gates. We may take this as the public preaching of the Word, by Christ Himself or His ministers. Yet, in spite of the open disregard and contempt for the message, God still displays His purpose of grace to sinners. Now there remedies are proposed (v.23), following the three questions of verse 22.

Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly speak with opposing voices. There are those who seek to point youth to the Lord, and those who would seduce them for the Devil. In a very real sense we all stand here. It is not enough to listen to those nobler voices. We must say No to the baser, often the loudest voices. To be weak is usually to be wicked.

Sin digs deep graves. If a man could see sin in all his hideousness, he would no more embrace it than he would a leper! Only as we see sin through the spectacles of God will we know it aright, for it seldom shows its true colours. Again the proverbs prove that they are never out of date or out of place among us.

When a Boy Scout, we learned to tie knots. How often, in later years, this skill proved very useful. Bishop Ryle wrote a book entitled, Knots Untied. Its purpose was to “unit” difficult Bible “knots” that troubled many sincere believers. It has proved a useful tool. In today’s proverbs we will show the importance of “tying” three Bible nots which are specific in their bearing and practical in their application. “Tying” these “knots” will strengthen young people to honour both parents for both are responsible to God.

It is vitally impossible to see that the word knowledge is used into two distinct ways. Fallen man has knowledge, but no according to wisdom. Paul distinguishes these two types of knowledge. He points out that man knows God, yet morally he does not know God at all! This is not an intellectual problem. It is a moral one! Paul’s point is that all men do know God, involving covenant obligations on man’s part. Either man accepts or rejects his obligations to his Creator. Accordingly man acts either wisely or foolishly. Dr. C. Van Til, with Paul, taught that man was either a covenant-keeper who knowledge honours God, or a covenant-breaker who knows God, yet acts as a rebel (Rom. 1:18-20), and jettisons God, who is the source of all knowledge.

This verse (1:7) is the Motto of Proverbs (Pr. 9:10), and deserves special treatment because it is also the theme of the whole Bible (Ps. 111:10, Job 28:28). To acknowledge the Sovereignty of God in every area, is the first step to knowledge and to successful living.

Here is a summary statement of the purpose of Proverbs. The opening verses contain words of wisdom unmatched in any other literature. The word wisdom gathers up the whole teaching of Proverbs. The facets of wisdom “all shade into one another, and any one of them can be used to represent the whole” (Kidner). Wisdom is instruction, equity, understanding, and judgment. It gives subtilty to the simple. Meaning, knowledge, and discretion are perceived, where to hear is to obey. Wise practice is true wisdom! “The most intensely practical thing in life is godliness.” The one who does not practice godliness is the real fool. Here is the perfection of sanctified sense (Ps. 19:10-11).

The king of Jerusalem, we might think from what follows, was hardly qualified to be the teacher of morality to mankind. Yet, in the Providence of God, does it not make what he taught all the more remarkable, and at the same time provides the most fearful warning to all who read this book. Remember, a greater than Solomon is here, for Christ speaks to us by His Word and Spirit.

To whom are these proverbs mainly addressed? In other words, what is the relationship between Solomon and his “audience”? There are fifteen exhortations to my son in chapters 1-7, and seven more in other chapters. My sons or my children appear four times, all from Solomon. This suggests that the proverbs are from “fathers to sons” rather than from “teachers to disciples,” as some would have them.

It is difficult to give an outline of this Book. It has so many topics but little apparent structure. It mostly runs on from one verse to another. Almost every verse could be a sermon or a principle standing alone. Yet there is a general design that runs through the whole that is always kept in view by the author. Its purpose is to instruct all, young as well as old, in the secret for a life of true joy, for time and eternity. In the end the choice is between Wisdom of God or the Folly of man.