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CHAPTER 20 – Proverbs

Proverbs is the twentieth book of the Bible. The title of the book in the Hebrew Bible is Mishle Shelomoh meaning “Proverbs of Solomon.” The English title comes from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate which has the title Liber Proverbiorum, “Book of Proverbs.”

Authorship

King Solomon of Israel wrote the book of Proverbs. In the last two chapters we have the words of Agur, a symbolic name for Solomon (Chapter 30), and king Lemuel, another name for Solomon (Chapter 31). Proverbs was written in the early part of Solomon’s reign which started in 971 B.C. and ended in 931 B.C.

Summary

The book of Proverbs is a collection of moral instructions in the form of short, wise sayings, often making comparisons and contrasts.

The first nine chapters consist of “the proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel” (Proverbs 1:1) is in the form of counsels and warning from a father to a son. Chapters 10 through 24 are entitled “The proverbs of Solomon.” Chapters 25 through 29 are the “proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.”

Chapter 30 consist of “the words of Agur the son of Jakeh,” a symbolic term for Solomon. Chapter 31 is attributed to “king Lemuel,” also a symbolic name for Solomon, which for the most part describes an ideal, virtuous wife.

The topics discussed in Proverbs include: Anger, benevolence, the correction of children, enticers, God’s ways, the fear of God, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, fools, friendship, indolence, oppression, pride, scorners, strife, temperance, the tongue, unjust gain, wealth, deceit, evil, prayer, the wicked, the righteous, evil women, and godly women.

Themes

• Diligence.
• Honesty.
• Thrift.
• Temperance.
• Purity.
• Godliness.
• Wickedness.
• Wisdom.
• Knowledge of God.
• Understanding, that is, turning away from evil.
• Truth.
• Deceit.
• Holy speech and evil speech.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God loves the righteous, but He hates the wicked.
• God loves those who are truthful, but hates liars and their deceit.
• God loves the prayers of the upright.
• God blesses the righteous with eternal life, but will reward the wicked with eternal death (annihilation by God).
• God knows the heart of every human being.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

The book of Proverbs is largely symbolic. Its “dark sayings” (Proverbs 1:6) which are puzzles or riddles require, as also does the entire Bible, the help of the Holy Spirit to solve and understand them.

Topics covered by this symbolism include the conflict between God and Satan, Christ, Satan, the Christian church, the word of God which is the Bible, and salvation. We will now look at some of the literal and symbolic connections of Proverbs with the rest of the Bible.

God says, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils [plunder].” Luke 11:21, 22.

Here in this prophecy regarding the conflict between God and Satan, Satan is the strong man and Christ is the man stronger than he. For the world is caught in “the snare of the devil [Satan], who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Timothy 2:26. But “if the Son [Christ] therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36) and, so, cease from sinning.

Satan’s captives among humanity have Satan as their spiritual father. So, God says to these captives, “Ye are of your father the devil [Satan], and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44.

“Christ Jesus, [is He] who of God is made unto us wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:30) such that we belong to “the church of God…to them that are sanctified [made holy] in Christ Jesus, called to be saints [true followers of Christ, that is, true Christians].” 1 Corinthians 1:2.

For God says, “Come, ye children, hearken unto [obey] me: I will teach you the fear [the reverential awe] of the LORD [God].” Psalm 34:11. “I [God] will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalm 32:8. And God desires that all humanity should say in response to Him, “O thou [God] that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh [every human being] come.” Psalm 65:2.

Now “the righteous LORD [God] loveth righteousness” (Psalm 11:7), “but the wicked and him that loveth violence his [God’s] soul hateth.” Psalm 11:5. Thus, God has given the Bible to humanity and they all should be able to say of themselves in truth, “Thy [God’s] word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee [God].” Psalm 119:11.

That is, every human being should obey God’s command, “Give diligence to make your calling and election [by God] sure [secure].” 2 Peter 1:10. “Watch ye [be vigilant] therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things [God’s judgments] that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man [Christ]” (Luke 21:36) without condemnation.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Obey God’s instructions given in the Bible.
• Learn wisdom from God and so be able to discern good and evil.
• Get to know God through the Bible and a personal experience.
• Depart from all evil, including pride.
• Do not lie.
• Be diligent in studying the Bible.
• Avoid all unjust gain.
• Economise and save so that you can give to the cause of God.
• Do not drink alcohol.
• Do not commit adultery and so violate your marriage vows.
• Do not allow others to entice you into sin.
• Do not hate your fellow human being, but instead love them.
• Do not engage in strife.
• Do not be angry without a just cause.
• Correct your children and do not permit them to continue in evil.
• Do not speak evil.
• Pray to God every day.
• Let your thoughts be holy and pure.

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