Read for This Week’s Study: Proverbs 10:1–14, Matt. 19:19, Proverbs 11:1-12:28, John 3:16, Proverbs 13:1-35. Memory Text: Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked (Proverbs 10:6, NKJV). As the title suggests, this lesson looks at the blessings of the righteous. The Hebrew wordzaddiq, for righteous, is … Continue reading –>
Travis didn’t know what to do with his camper. At age 12, Logan* was the toughest kid in the cabin and wanted to be in charge of everyone and everything. One night, Logan decided he wasn’t going to bed, so Travis and his co-counselor came up with a plan. OK, they told the obstinate camper, … Continue reading –>
Further Study: The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate — a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … Continue reading –>
In Proverbs 8:12, Wisdom personified informs us that she is the key to finding knowledge. Unfortunately, her counterpart, Folly, has the upper hand when it comes to getting attention (Prov 9:15). If you haven’t already, watch this video: “MONSTER Energy drinks are the work of SATAN!!!” It’s received over eight-million views on YouTube alone, a … Continue reading –>
Following wisdom’s appeal, the inspired author of Proverbs 9 urges his audience to make a choice now between two lifestyles: wisdom or folly. The first and last six verses (Prov. 9:1–6, Prov. 9:13–18) are symmetrical and bring out the contrast between the opposite camps. Compare Proverbs 9:1–6 and Proverbs 9:13–18. What is the difference between … Continue reading –>
The last few verses of this proverb return to the personal — to the practical application of what it means to have wisdom. By contrast, the intellectual knowledge about wisdom’s preexistence, about wisdom’s presence at Creation, is certainly deep. But in the Bible, truth must always at some point come down to the human level … Continue reading –>
In Genesis 1 we see that each step of the Creation concludes with the same refrain: God saw that it was good (see Gen. 1:4, Gen. 1:10, Gen. 1:12, Gen. 1:18, Gen. 1:21, Gen. 1:25, Gen. 1:31). The last step (Genesis 1:31) goes even further: It was very good. The Hebrew word for good contains … Continue reading –>
Read Proverbs 8:22–31. How is wisdom related to Creation? In these texts wisdom is mysteriously related to the Lord as the Creator. This poem shares many common words with the Creation account in Genesis 1 and 2, and even reflects its literary structure, organized around the three basic elements of heaven, water, and earth. The … Continue reading –>
Read Proverbs 8:1–21 (NKJV). According to these verses, what is the value of wisdom? Wisdom is so important that it must reach everyone. God created all human life, and Christ died for each one of us. So wisdom, the knowledge of God and the salvation He offers, is for every human being. Look at the … Continue reading –>
Proverbs is familiar territory for most of us, particularly if we grew up in the days of learning doctrinal texts and Sabbath School memory verses. I can still remember many of them: Prov 1: 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov 3: 5, 6 Trust … Continue reading –>
