Daily reading

Today’s reading is: Prov. 1-4

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Proverbs Chapter One

  1. Proverbs begins with an introduction to the author, and the purpose for the collection (Prov. 1:1-7).
    1. Solomon is the primary author of the Book (Prov. 1:1).
    2. There are four purposes for learning proverbs.
      1. To know.  יָדַע yāda‘ #3045: to know.  39x in Prov.
        1. Wisdom.  חָכְמָה chokmāh #2451: wisdom, skill, shrewdness, prudence.  42x in Prov.
        2. Instruction.  מוּסָר muwcār #4148: discipline, correction, instruction.  30x in Prov.
      2. To discern the sayings of understanding.  בִּין biyn #995: to discern, understand, consider, to perceive.  בִּינָה biynāh #998: understanding, discernment.  39x & 14x in Prov.
      3. To receive instruction (muwcār) in wise behavior.  שָׂכַל shākal #7919: to have insight, act prudently, wisely.  19x in Prov.
        1. In righteousness.  צֶדֶק tsedeq #6664: justice, rightness, righteousness.  10x in Prov.
        2. In justice.  מִשְׁפָּט mishpat #4941: judgment, justice.  20x in Prov.
        3. In equity.  מֵישָׁרִים mēyshariym #4339: evenness, uprightness, equity.  7x in Prov.
      4. To give
        1. Prudence to the naïve.  עָרְמָה ‘ormah #6195: shrewdness, craftiness, prudence.  3x in Prov.
        2. Knowledge and discretion to the youth.  דַּעַת da‘ath #1847: knowledge, understanding.  40x in Prov.  מְזִמָּה mezimmah #4209: purpose, discretion.  10x in Prov.
    3. It is the wise man (chakam), the man of understanding (biyn) who knows that there is more to learn (Prov. 1:5,6).
    4. The introduction closes with a summary statement for the book (Prov. 1:7).
      1. The fear of the Lord יִרְאַת יְהוָה (lOx in Prov.) is the beginning of da‘ath.  
      2. Fools despise chokmāh and muwcār.  אֱוִיל ’eviyl #191: fool.  19x in Prov.
  2. It is the responsibility of parents to impart wisdom to their children, through the teaching of disciplined instruction (Prov. 1:8-19).  Hear, my son, your father’s muwcār, and do not forsake your mother’s towrāh.
    1. It requires humility to listen to parents.
    2. It takes wisdom to not listen to peers.
  3. Wisdom personified (the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ Jn. 1:1) communicates the Truth, and accomplishes the Father’s purpose (Prov. 1:20-33; Isa. 55:11; Heb. 4:12; 1st Thess. 2:13).
    1. Wisdom is not obscure.  It is shouting to us.
    2. Wisdom is either accepted and embraced in love, or it is rejected and hated.

Proverbs Chapter Two

  1. It is the responsibility of parents to instill within their children a passion for learning the Word of God (Prov. 2:1-2).
  2. The academic process of learning the word begins with making the believer teachable (Prov. 2:2-4).
    1. Make your ear attentive, and incline your heart to chokmāh and tebuwnāh.
    2. How do you do this?  Prayer.  Ask the Father.  “Cry” for biynah and “lift your voice” for tebuwnāh.
    3. Be so eager to receive the Word, its value to you will be like silver, or hidden treasure.
  3. Seek and ye shall find! (Prov. 2:4-5; Matt. 7:7-8).
  4. God is the only source for God’s wisdom (Prov. 2:6; Jas. 1:5).
  5. The Word of God implanted does a marvelous work in the life of a believer (Prov. 2:10ff.; Jas. 1:21).
  6. The believer walking according to wisdom will be delivered from the evil man (Prov. 2:12-15), and the strange woman (Prov. 2:16-19), and will walk with good men (Prov. 2:20-22).

Proverbs Chapter Three

  1. It is the responsibility of parents to warn their children of the dangers of forgetfulness (Prov. 3:1).
  2. In general terms, principles for blessing are established for faithfulness to taking in God’s Word (Prov. 3:1-12).
    1. Keeping God’s Word will add peace and length of life to the believer (vv.1,2).
    2. Keeping God’s Word will produce a good name in the sight of God and man (vv.3,4).
    3. Trusting God’s faithfulness will result in straight paths (vv.5,6).
    4. The humble fear of the Lord produces a beneficial physical effect in the body (vv.7,8).
    5. Grace giving to the Lord is rewarded with greater capacity to do so (vv.9,10).
    6. Acceptance of divine discipline produces appreciation for divine love (vv.11,12).
  3. The man of wisdom and understanding is a man of great wealth (Prov. 3:13-18).
  4. The man of wisdom and understanding is an imitator of God, and has great confidence in God (Prov. 3:19-26).
  5. The man of wisdom and understanding will manifest that wisdom in his relationships within the community (Prov. 3:27-31).
  6. Great contrasts are set forth (Prov. 3:32-35).
    1. The devious versus the upright (v.32).
    2. The wicked versus the righteous (v.33).
    3. The scoffer versus the afflicted (v.34).
    4. The fool versus the wise (v.35).

Proverbs Chapter Four

  1. Solomon was raised by his father in the path of wisdom (Prov. 4:3-9), and desired to pass that wisdom along to his own sons (Prov. 4:1).
  2. Wisdom is the principle thing (KJV, NKJV); Wisdom is supreme (NIV); The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom (NASB); The first thing is wisdom—get wisdom (YLT).
  3. Abiding in the Word is vital for the believer to turn away from evil (Prov. 4:13-17,19).
  4. The path of the righteous is the course of God the Father, manifest through Jesus Christ, and progressing to the perfect day—the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times (Prov. 4:18; Eph. 1:10).
  5. Wisdom teaches the believer to guard his heart, benefiting the mouth, eyes, and feet (Prov. 4:20-27).