Date Written: 900 B.C. – 700 B.C. Solomon wrote & compiled most of these proverbs early in his reign.

Author: Solomon wrote most of this book, with Agur & Lemuel contributing some of the later sections.

Setting: This is a book  of wise sayings, a textbook for teaching people how to live godly lives through the repetition of wise thoughts. Proverbs begins with the command to fear the Lord & ends with the picture of a woman who fulfills this command. Her qualities are mentioned throughout the book – hard work, fear of God, respect for spouse, foresight, encouragement, care for others, concern for the poor, & wisdom in handling money. These qualities, along with fear of God, lead to enjoyment, success, honor & worth. Proverbs is very practical for our day because it show us how to become wise, make good decisions & live according to the Word of God.  

Key People: Solomon

Purpose: To teach people how to get wisdom, discipline, a prudent life & how to do what is right & just & fair. To teach people how to apply divine wisdom to daily life & to provide moral instruction.

Key Verses: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom & discipline. 1:7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart & lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, & He will make your paths straight. 3:5-6

Chapter Outline:

1-9 Wisdom For Young People

10-24 Wisdom For All People

25-31 Wisdom For The Leaders

Importance of reading Proverbs:

What we read: God wants His people to be wise. Proverbs gives wisdom for godly living. The wise person seeks to know & love God. What we can learn: God’s Word will teach us to live right, have right relationships & make right decisions. It’s important to read the Bible & then apply it to your life. You will find the source of wisdom, the value of wisdom & the benefits of wisdom. It’s practical suggestions for effective, everyday life.  

What we read: We find advice for developing personal relationships with friends, family members & coworkers. What we can learn: God’s Word gives us wisdom in how to treat others. If we don’t treat others according to the wisdom God gives, our relationships will suffer.

What we read: What we say reveals what we are really like. Our speech tells others if we are wise or foolish. What we can learn: Our words matter. It’s so important to have self-control with your words.

What we read: We are accountable to God to carry out our work with diligence & discipline. He doesn’t want us to be lazy. What we can learn: God cares about our work ethic. He wants us to work hard & not be lazy.

What we read: Although people work hard for money, God views success as having a good reputation, moral character & the spiritual devotion to obey Him. What we can learn: Our relationship with God is for eternity. Everything else is perishable.

What we read: We read about people like us – fathers, mothers, children, friends, colleagues. We find people of wisdom & we find fools. We see the passionate & the lazy. We see those tempted by sin & those who do the tempting. We see those who embrace God’s ways & those who don’t. What we can learn: Every verse in Proverbs will provide you with insight, some way to think or be, that will make your lives better. You will find biblical wisdom in these verses.

Things to think about as you read Proverbs:

• Are you walking in the fear of the Lord? To fear God is to have an awesome respect of who He is & a reverential trust in His Word & His character & to live accordingly.
• There’s the wisdom of the world & the wisdom that comes from God. Which is of more value to you? How quick are you to seek God’s wisdom in the matters of everyday life?
• What do you need to do or change now that you have read the wisdom from these proverbs?
• Journal what you learn as you read proverbs. Things such as: be teachable, guard your tongue, reign in pride, fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom, stay away from temptation, seek truth, live honestly, give generously….. Make your own list as you read. Then spend time with God & ask Him what needs to change in you.

Link to Video: https://youtu.be/fHZXc72a79c?si=rtrHswhKMHoZywJH

Blessings,

Nichole Henson, Fullness of Joy Ministry