Wisdomfied-Study Introduction
The times we are living in have often been described as the “information age.” There are countless resources at our fingertips. From blogs (I know you follow them too if you’re reading this) to podcasts, e-readers that give you a new book within seconds- even TV on demand. Our information is plentiful and available at our convenience.
With such a variety of information it is easy to miss truth in the melee of choices. It is human nature to listen to the things that we want to hear, that align themselves with our selfish desires. 2 Timothy 4:3 says: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires. So how do you know what is true? What will be firmly rooted as the theories and philosophies of men shift with the times? What can you lean on when opinions change daily? Where can you go for advice when the trials come? How can you comfort others?
I hope by now you know the answer is the Word! Jesus describes us sharing the truth (light) in a dark world in Matthew 5:14-20:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teachers them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
So to teach yourself and others, we need wisdom from God and not from man.
There is a section of your bible known as poetic and wisdom literature, spanning from Job to the Song of Solomon. For our study we are going to be looking at wisdom for life found in the book of Proverbs. This book is full of advice for how God has designed the world to work, from topics such as sexuality, finances, relationships, parenting, our speech…but it is not organized topically. So I will do that for you (with help from my chronological bible) and we will study the book in sections of similar topics.
Some basic information about the book is that Proverbs cites Solomon as the author and collector of the sayings (1:1, 10:1), though there are other contributors (Agur and Lemual and a group simply called “the wise”). To interpret this book, be aware that because the literary style used is poetic couplets, one must use figures of speech to interpret. I’m taking this list from my inductive bible to outline some common types of figurative language you will read when studying Proverbs:
1. Metaphor: implied comparison between two things that are different: Jesus says I am the bread of life (John 6:48)
2. Simile: expressed comparison ex: his eyes were like flames of fire (Rev 1:14)
3. Hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration for emphasis ex: my soul is filled with longing (Psalm 119:20)
4. Personification: and object is given qualities that are compared to people ex: the trees clap their hands (Isa 55:12)
Another tip in correctly interpreting this book is to realize that the book characterizes humans into types, specifically the wise (someone who follows god’s law whose example is worth following), the fool (one who is opposed to God’s law), and the simple (one who is easily mislead). The book’s main teachings are based on virtues and consequences. As you read,discern what the proverb commends or disapproves of and what the outcome will be to live as wise or foolish. Don’t confuse these proverbs with promises. They are not if/then statements, but a way of living intentionally with godly council.
Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself for this study. Read Proverbs daily, or at least every day for a month. You might want to start at chapter one and read a chapter a day. If you want to read through the book daily until our study is over, try the following method. As there are 31 books and 31 days in a month in our longest months, read the chapter that corresponds to that day. For example, if it’s the 18th of August read chapter 18 in Proverbs. Also read an introduction to the book in a study bible. Read an introduction to the book of Proverbs in your study bible at home.
I hope at the end of this study we will be ready to share God’s wisdom with others and apply it to our lives.
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