Book of Proverbs - Part 3

Today, I want to look at the main purposes of the Book of proverbs - based on the first 7 verses of this wonderful book:

Proverbs 1:1-7

1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

² To know wisdom and instruction,

To perceive the words of understanding,

³ To receive the instruction of wisdom,

Justice, judgment, and equity;

⁴ To give prudence to the simple,

To the young man knowledge and discretion—

⁵ A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

⁶ To understand a proverb and an enigma,

The words of the wise and their riddles.

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

• Proverbs teaches us how to learn and apply the fear of the Lord to our lives

• Proverbs teaches us the knowledge and skills needed to live successfully based on God's word as opposed to man's instincts

• Proverbs teaches us to know wisdom and instruction - what we ought to know and follow and what we ought to refuse (1:2)

• Proverbs teaches us to have wise dealings in righteousness, justice and equity - equity is knowing what to do whether there is law or injustice (1:3)

• Proverbs teaches the simple to gain insight (prudence, carefulness) and the youth to gain knowledge and discretion (1:4)

• Proverbs teaches us to increase our learning, become wise and to acquire skill in understanding (1:5)

• Proverbs teaches us to understand parables, wise sayings, riddles and the mysteries of God (1:6)

• Proverbs teaches us how to walk and live in the fear of the Lord (1:7)

The book of Proverbs is a springboard into God's wisdom. Godly wisdom is seeing things from God's point of view.

These first 7 verses give and overview of the entire book.

Never before in human history has so much information been available to so many people via the Internet etc. Some have said that human information doubles approximately every year and a half.

In the light of this, we can understand this question by T. S. Elliot:

"Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"

T. S. Elliot, Collected Poems 1909-1962, p. 147

Book of Proverbs Part 2 HERE
Book of Proverbs Part 4 HERE