Day #162

Sermon - Audio
Proverbs 22-24 - Audio
Proverbs 22-24 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Proverbs 22.1-9: God’s Sovereignty Over Wealth

• 22.4: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. This proverb teaches that a wise life leads to well-being; however, we must not absolutize this proverb for proverbs are situation and it takes wisdom to discern when to apply their teaching. Some have taken this proverb and taught that “God wants us to be rich,” or “if you are following God you will never suffer and be wealthy.” While it is true that living wisely rooted in the fear of the LORD will help us understand this world, it does not mean a guaranteed life of well-being or wealth.
• 22.7: This verse shows the relationship that occurs between those who borrow and lend money. It can also be seen as a warning against going into debt. In the Old Testament, it was common for the poor to sell themselves into servitude to other families in order to provide for their families. This verse puts these types of practices into perspective and warns against them.

Proverbs 22:10-16: Moral Instruction about Wealth

Throughout the book of Proverbs wealth, how it is gained and how it is used, is seen as a moral issue. Here the writer gives some moral instructions about how to use wealth.

• 22.16: This verse concludes the section and brings it back to the theme of wealth. Here how we use our wealth is a moral issue. The writer attacks a system or use of wealth which makes the “rich, richer and the poor, poorer.”

Proverbs 22.17-29: The Beginning of the Sayings of the Wise

The Book of Proverbs contains several different sections. Proverbs 22.17-24.24 contain the “Sayings of the Wise.” These sayings are mostly brief admonitions to the reader.

Proverbs 23

• 23.23.6-8: “stingy” is literally “an evil eye”--notice the New Testament connection where Jesus talks about having a bad eye, Matt. 6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Wise people don’t eat with those who are stingy. There is not true joy in sharing the meal. The meal will actually turn your stomach sour no matter how good the food.
• 23.12-35 form a unit calling on children to yield to discipline and not to be undisciplined in their drinking.
• 23.26-28: The NIV’s wayward wife is literally the “strange woman” that we have encountered in Proverbs. She is one who does not belong to the son.

Proverbs 24

• 24.3-4: For a home to be built well it needs to be founded on wisdom and understanding. These verses connect to God and Wisdom building the house of the cosmos and so remind us that all human “building” needs to be done in harmony with the way the world has been established by God. When we “build” in harmony with God’s created order good results and people are blessed.
• 24.7: The gate is where the elders of the city gather (and where the king would sit) to render justice and give insight. In this place the fool has nothing to say because he does not know the ways of wisdom. The idea is not that he doesn’t say something, rather that no matter what he says is worthless.
• 24.9: Often in Proverbs we are expected to know that something is sin. In this verse that expectation is dropped and we are told straight out that people who pursue folly i.e. who refuse to live in creational norms and with humility before God, are people who sin.
• 24.10-12: These verses are a set. The day of adversity is a time when people are losing their lives due to injustice. The person of strength on this day will stand up to rescue those who are being put to death. The final words of this proverb set tell us that we can’t pretend we didn’t know what was happening for God sees through our lies and we deal with us accordingly.
• 24.21-22: This proverb ends this section of the book. Since the king represents God, it is a disaster to rebel against him. When it comes to rebellion against a king and ruling authorities we see that we are called upon to obey our leaders to the best of our ability--but if they break God’s commandments his people are called to respond appropriately.
• 24.23-34: This short section adds to the sayings of the wise that began in chapter 22. The “more sayings of the wise” indicate that this section was added as the book was put in its final form.