Proverbs
After enjoying the sweeping poetry of Psalms we come to the down-to-earth, wise sayings of Proverbs. Largely attributed to Solomon, Proverbs was also written and collated by others, two of whom are named: Agur and Lemuel. It seems likely that Proverbs was written and compiled from the times of Solomon to Hezekiah, maybe even later
Wise Living
Being largely a collection of sayings, Proverbs is different to the books that have preceded it. It covers a wide range of topics and themes dispensing godly advice on many issues, such as marriage and family life, friendship, work and finances, self-control, anger, justice and honesty are covered. In the same way that our lives are not divided up into neat, discrete compartments, Proverbs goes from one area to the next in apparently random fashion, jumping, for example, from gossip to leadership to loans, and so on, in quick succession.
The first few verses (v2-7) spell out the purpose of the book. They are to teach people wisdom, discipline and understanding. They will make the simple-minded clever and the wise even wiser. They give guidance and purpose. They tell us how to live the way God wants us to, showing us how to do what is right, just and fair.
The subjects of wisdom and foolishness run as continuous threads throughout the book. We are urged to live wisely, following God’s ways and avoiding the folly of living our lives for ourselves, a sure recipe for death and destruction.
Proverbs is intensely practical in teaching us to become wise in our everyday lives. For example, it teaches us wisdom in what we say and demonstrates clearly the folly of careless talk and the way that our words can build up or tear down. It teaches us wisdom in the area of finances, both for those who have little and those who have much. It teaches us the virtues of hard work and the pitfalls of laziness. It has a lot to say about friendship and the value of close friends.
The style of the writing is often very direct; pulling no punches it hits you right between the eyes by saying very clearly, ‘Doing this is wise. Doing that is stupid.’ At other times it is necessary to give time to reflecting on what a particular verse is teaching you. Various illustrations, comparisons, similes and humour are used in communicating truths.
The Fear of the Lord
Perhaps the heart of it all is found in the verse, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in understanding” (9:10). All wisdom finds its roots in God and is more than about knowing a lot of wise things. Ultimately the truly wise are those who have given their lives over to God and walk in a personal relationship with Jesus. As we read Proverbs and allow the Holy Spirit to instruct us we will not only discover much about how God wants us to live but about what God himself is like.
The Adulteress and the Noble Wife
In the exhortations to wise living, the reader is often warned away from the adulteress and her wayward paths. As well as a literal warning, this is an application of the picture that is used throughout the Bible of unfaithfulness on our relationship with a covenant God as his people often prostituted themselves with the love of this world. In contrasts the wife of noble character that the book of Proverbs culminates in is pointing to the faithful and pure bride that Jesus is coming back for when he returns for his church.
This background was written by Trevor Shotter who is an elder at Community Church HUddersfield