Proverbs 1:1-7 [+/-]Proverbs 1:1-7
[1:1]The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of
Israel:
[2]To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
[3]to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
[4]to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth--
[5]Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
[6]to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
[7]The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
The Book of Proverbs was brought into being by God as a parenting manual. The formal part of the book begins in chapter one verse 8 where God speaks first to fathers as the ones who are raised up by God to take the lead in establishing both the spiritual context and content of the home and then God speaks to mothers. The book ends with that beautiful passage in Proverbs 31 [+/-]Proverbs 31
[31:1]The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his
mother taught him:
[2]What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of
my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
[3]Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
[4]It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
[5]lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
[6]Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
[7]let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
[8]Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
[9]Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
[10] An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
[11]The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
[12]She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
[13]She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
[14]She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
[15]She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
[16]She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
[17]She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
[18]She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
[19]She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
[20]She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
[21]She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
[22]She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
[23]Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
[24]She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
[25]Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
[26]She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
[27]She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
[28]Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
[29]"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
[30]Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
[31]Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
[+/-]Proverbs 31 [+/-]Proverbs 31
[31:1]The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his
mother taught him:
[2]What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of
my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
[3]Do not give your strength to women,
your ways to those who destroy kings.
[4]It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
it is not for kings to drink wine,
or for rulers to take strong drink,
[5]lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
[6]Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress;
[7]let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.
[8]Open your mouth for the mute,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
[9]Open your mouth, judge righteously,
defend the rights of the poor and needy.
[10] An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
[11]The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
[12]She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
[13]She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
[14]She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
[15]She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
[16]She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
[17]She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
[18]She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
[19]She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
[20]She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
[21]She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
[22]She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
[23]Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
[24]She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
[25]Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
[26]She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
[27]She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
[28]Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
[29]"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
[30]Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
[31]Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
[31:1]The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: [2]What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? [3]Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. [4]It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, [5]lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. [6]Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; [7]let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. [8]Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. [9]Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. [10] An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. [11]The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. [12]She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. [13]She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. [14]She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. [15]She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. [16]She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. [17]She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. [18]She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. [19]She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. [20]She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. [21]She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. [22]She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. [23]Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. [24]She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. [25]Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. [26]She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. [27]She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. [28]Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: [29]“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” [30]Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. [31]Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV. that opens with the question, “who can find and excellent wife?” And the rest of the book is a description of this beautifully godly woman. The beginning and the ending are no accident. A man is to take the lead in leading his family toward being a family that honors God in worship and obeys God in witness. The father is the one who leads the way in establishing the context and expressing the content that makes it clear that the commitment of his family to God is foundational to everything else. But in order for that to happen, he has to have alongside him a godly wife. Pray for the man who wants to be a godly man and lead his family as a godly husband but whose wife does not support him in this endeavor. Oh, she may or may not come to church; what is clear at home, however, is that she is more committed to the things of this world than she is the things of God. This man lives in a very difficult place. So pray for him and for his wife that our heart may be changed. And pray for our young people who are dating that they would understand that if they are serious about loving and serving God that the first requirement of anyone they would date is simply that this person be deeply devoted to Jesus. This issue matters more than any other for all of us who call ourselves the children of God. So, the formal part of the book begins and ends with a focus on a father and the father in relationship to the godly wife and mother.
Learn more about this message by downloading the sermon notes here!
