Proverbs: Wise Words for Wise Living

Sunday, June 1^st 2025

 Proverbs 1:1-7

 Introduction

 Wise Living Begins with the Fear of the Lord

1. Purpose of Proverbs

These 7 verses serve as the introduction to Proverbs

• To know wisdom and instruction
• To Understand words of insight
• To Receive instruction is wise dealings, in righteousness, justice and equity
• To Give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth

 “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverbs and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.”

1. Key to Proverbs and Wise Living

v.7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

 This verse sets the spiritual foundation: fear (terror, awe, reverence) of God is the starting point of all true wisdom.

 “Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.” Proverbs 1:28,29

 “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”  Proverbs 3:7

 “The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short.”

Proverbs 10:27

 “In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.” Proverbs 14:26

“And he said to man, ‘Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.”  Job 28:28

 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! Psalm 111:10

• Proverbs and Jesus

They did not follow their own wisdom. But the Prophet Isaiah prophesied about a Messiah who will embody the book of Proverbs.

 “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear…” Isaiah 11:1-3

 When Jesus is born and grows into a young man look at what Luke says about him!

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

 “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” Matthew 12:42

 Jesus is not only the embodiment of God’s wisdom – He IS wisdom (1 Cor. 1:24,30)

 “…that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love, to reach all the riches and full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in who are hidden

1. Proverbs, James and Us

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him.” James 1:5

 Proverbs 1:7 finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the source and embodiment of divine wisdom. The fear of the Lord leads us to Jesus. James invites us to continue to walk in that wisdom daily, prayerfully depending on God to guide us – trusting that He delights in giving wisdom to His children through His Son!