Wednesday: Proverbs Series – Lesson 1 – Introduction
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PROVERBS
God’s Handbook for His Image Bearers
Lesson 1 • Introduction
THESIS: Proverbs is how God equips ordinary people to image Him in everyday life.
SERIES INTRODUCTION
God created us to share a relationship with Him and to fill the world with His image. But sin entered the world and disrupted both of those purposes.
BUT GOD promised to redeem and restore what sin has broken. Because we are to image God’s character we must have wisdom and discretion for life. That is where the book of Proverbs is helpful:
Proverbs is God’s handbook for imaging Him in everyday life — teaching us what it looks like to image Him with our words, decisions, relationships, finances, work and integrity.
This study in Proverbs will equip us with wisdom to image God in every area of life.
HOW IS PROVERBS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE BIBLE?
The Bible consists of 66 books. Not all books are written in the same style or format. For this study we will break them into 7 categories / genres.
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GENRE |
# OF BOOKS |
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Law |
5 Books |
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Historical / Narrative |
13 Books |
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Wisdom Literature |
5 Books |
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Prophetic |
17 Books |
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Gospels |
4 Books |
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Epistles |
21 Books |
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Apocalyptic |
1 Book |
Match the description to the genre:
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DESCRIPTION |
GENRE |
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Which genre tells us about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? |
Gospels |
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Which genre is known as letters to people or churches? |
Epistles |
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Which genre is made up of the first 5 books of the Bible and includes the 10 commandments? |
Law |
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Which genre is most noted for the phrase “Thus saith the Lord”? |
Prophetic |
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Which genre teaches what God did in and through His people and is written in more of a storyline form? |
Historical / Narrative |
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Which genre uses visions and imagery to reveal hidden truth about the future and speaks about the four horsemen? |
Apocalyptic |
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Which genre uses poems, songs, and life observations? Includes Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Song of Solomon. |
Wisdom Literature |
Now that we know Proverbs fits into the Wisdom Literature genre, we will learn more about this genre and how it fits into the Bible storyline.
THE TITLE
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Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; |
The title “Proverbs” comes directly from this opening line.
The Hebrew word translated proverbs is mashal — meaning “to be like” or “to represent.” Most proverbs teach by comparing one thing to another so the truth becomes clear. For example:
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Proverbs 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. |
That is mashal — a comparison that makes you see the truth immediately.
Some people think of Proverbs as a collection of fortune-cookie type sayings, but Proverbs is a collection of observations presented in a format that forces the reader to think and discover wisdom.
A few of the early church fathers called it the Book of Wisdom.
Proverbs teaches through comparison and analogy, delivering truth about character and conduct in the spiritual, moral and social areas of life in the most direct way possible.
WHO WROTE PROVERBS?
Proverbs was compiled over approximately 250 years by four author/editors.
Solomon is the main contributor. He not only wrote many proverbs, he also collected them.
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Ecclesiastes 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. |
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1 Kings 4:32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. |
Solomon was not the only contributor to Proverbs.
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Proverbs 25:1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out. |
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Proverbs 30:1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, |
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Proverbs 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. |
So when you come to the book of Proverbs, keep in mind it was not a single author and it came together over 250 years.
THE PURPOSE OF PROVERBS
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Proverbs 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; |
David had many sons, and Solomon was not the oldest — so he was not the most likely to become king after David. So why did he become King of Israel? He was God’s choice.
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1 Chronicles 22:9–10 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. |
God chose Solomon to be king before he was born. Who was his mother? Bathsheba.
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Solomon’s Background Solomon was born into a home marked with moral failure. His father David had sex with Bathsheba while she was married to another man. She became pregnant and David tried to cover up his sin by bringing her husband home from battle so he would think the child was his. When that failed, David arranged to have her husband Uriah die in battle, then took Bathsheba as his wife. Their first son died after birth (2 Samuel 12:14–18). Then Solomon was born to them (2 Samuel 12:24). After David sinned, God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him. David responded with repentance. God still judged David’s sin and their first child died. But God restored David and blessed him with Solomon — the child God chose to inherit David’s throne. |
So Solomon had a deep personal understanding of sin, repentance and redemption. He understood God’s grace. This is why he will teach so much about sexual purity and the dangers of sexual sin — he could draw directly from his father’s experience and failure.
SOLOMON’S WISDOM
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1 Kings 3:12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. |
God gave Solomon a wise and understanding heart above all those who lived before him and anyone who would live after him.
Why did God do this?
When Solomon became King, God appeared to him and told him to ask for anything he wanted. Solomon could have asked for wealth, power, or an expanded kingdom. Instead he asked for an understanding heart to lead the nation and rule well.
Solomon was humble and admitted he was not up to the task of being king. He knew he did not deserve to be king but was there because of God’s grace. He did not ask for anything for himself — he just wanted to serve God and people well.
This pleased God and He agreed to give Solomon wisdom. Not just some wisdom — He made Solomon the wisest person to ever live.
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1 Kings 3:7–12 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. |
In addition, God also promised to give Solomon wealth and power.
In the book of Proverbs, Solomon will speak about humility as the key to wisdom and being exalted by God.
SOLOMON — USING WISDOM TO SEEK WISDOM
Did Solomon have to work for wisdom or did God just give him wisdom? Both.
God gave Solomon wisdom, but God expected Solomon to apply wisdom to seek more wisdom. In other words, Solomon took the talent God gave him, invested it and increased in wisdom.
Take a few moments to consider what these verses teach us about Solomon investing God’s wisdom into seeking more wisdom:
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Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. |
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Ecclesiastes 7:25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: |
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Ecclesiastes 1:16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. |
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Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: |
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Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. |
These verses show that although Solomon was granted great wisdom by God, he chose to apply himself and cultivate and increase in wisdom.
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God’s Means of Granting Wisdom Notice that God gave Solomon wisdom, but He did not give him all the wisdom at once. Solomon had to work for it and grow in it. |
Reflection Questions1. What does that look like for you? 2. Are you pursuing wisdom? 3. What are you doing to increase your knowledge and wisdom? |
SOLOMON’S USE OF WISDOM
What was the reason Solomon desired wisdom from God?
He wanted to serve God
God not only chose Solomon to be king, He did so before Solomon was born. It was not based on anything Solomon had done. His parents were connected to a serious scandal that shook the nation. But God in mercy appointed Solomon as king and showed His grace. Solomon wanted to serve God in this appointment — therefore he asked for wisdom.
He wanted to serve people
In his prayer Solomon made clear he understood that God placed him over people not so they could serve him, but so he could serve them. He was responsible for their welfare, safety, provision and leading them in the ways of God.
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1 Kings 3:7–9 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? |
Therefore Solomon desired wisdom and understanding so he could serve God and serve God’s people.
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Ecclesiastes 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. |
Solomon invested his wisdom into others. He made people wiser by learning himself and then investing what he learned into people. Notice that he sought out — that means he did the work. Then he set in order many proverbs. This means Solomon assembled, edited and made wisdom available for other people.
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1 Kings 4:34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom. |
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1 Kings 10:23–24 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. |
Solomon was not putting his wisdom on display as a side show. People were not coming to Solomon to be entertained — they were coming for counsel. They were coming to seek wisdom. And he was sharing with them what God had invested in him.
THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
The book of Proverbs is the result of Solomon’s work to grow himself in wisdom, to serve God with wisdom and to serve people with wisdom. He collected and edited the wise sayings and left them for others to learn from. He did what we could not have done on our own.
We are still benefiting from the work that has outlived him.
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Reflection Questions 1. How will you invest in and apply yourself to wisdom? 2. How will you serve others with the wisdom God is equipping you with? |
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