All gave some. Some Gave All. Lest we forget.

Daily Devotional Sunday 1st May 2022

by William Moody

Proverbs 1

The Beginning of Knowledge

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

  To know wisdom and instruction,
    to understand words of insight,
  to receive instruction in wise dealing,
    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 proverb and a saying,
    the words of the wise and their riddles.
  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The Enticement of Sinners

  Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,
    and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
  for they are a graceful garland for your head
    and pendants for your neck.
10   My son, if sinners entice you,
    do not consent.
11   If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood;
    let us ambush the innocent without reason;
12   like Sheol let us swallow them alive,
    and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
13   we shall find all precious goods,
    we shall fill our houses with plunder;
14   throw in your lot among us;
    we will all have one purse”—
15   my son, do not walk in the way with them;
    hold back your foot from their paths,
16   for their feet run to evil,
    and they make haste to shed blood.
17   For in vain is a net spread
    in the sight of any bird,
18   but these men lie in wait for their own blood;
    they set an ambush for their own lives.
19   Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain;
    it takes away the life of its possessors.

The Call of Wisdom

20   Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
    in the markets she raises her voice;
21   at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
    at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22   “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
  How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools hate knowledge?
23   If you turn at my reproof,1
  behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
    I will make my words known to you.
24   Because I have called and you refused to listen,
    have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25   because you have ignored all my counsel
    and would have none of my reproof,
26   I also will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when terror strikes you,
27   when terror strikes you like a storm
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
28   Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29   Because they hated knowledge
    and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
30   would have none of my counsel
    and despised all my reproof,
31   therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
    and have their fill of their own devices.
32   For the simple are killed by their turning away,
    and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33   but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
    and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Footnotes

[1] 1:23 Or Will you turn away at my reproof?

(ESV)

The book of Proverbs is written as a father giving wisdom to his son. The opening verses 1-6, highlight the goal to grow in wisdom, instruction, learning and understanding. The challenge is having a teachable spirit.

The crown of the teaching of the whole book is verse 7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. Wisdom and understanding are not separated from a right view of God.

The danger is the enticement of sinners (v10-19). In the end we must realise the futility of the wicked (v17-19). In order to be wise, we need to consciously resist wrong and sinful influences that come to us so persuasively.

Instead we’re to hear the call of wisdom (v20-33). The big challenge is that people resist wisdom and sometimes prefer to live their simple life of ignorance (v22-25). The result of this resistance is devastating (v26-32). There is a real choice here, of either resisting or listening to the wisdom of God. It is only those who are open to God’s wisdom who will rest secure (v33).

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.