WISDOM FOR LIVING – A STUDY OF PROVERBS
PROVERBS 20-23
WISDOM FROM THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
Luke
2:52
Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Luke
2:40
There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Luke
7:35
But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it. ”
But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it. ”
Luke
21:15
for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you![1]
for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you![1]
THEMES/ TOPICS
Alcohol Warnings
20: 20 Wine produces mockers; alcohol
leads to brawls.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
Those led astray by drink cannot be wise.
21:17 Those
who love pleasure become poor;
those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.
those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.
The
mischief of drunkenness: Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging. It is
so to the sinner himself; it mocks him, makes a fool of him, promises him that
satisfaction which it can never give him. It smiles upon him at first, but at
the last it bites. In reflection upon it, it rages in his conscience. It is
raging in the body, When the wine is in the man, either he mocks like a
fool or rages like a madman.
Drunkenness,
which pretends to be a sociable thing, renders men unfit for society, for it
makes them abusive with their tongues and outrageous in their passions. The
folly of drunkards, he suffers as he is drawn into this sin when he is
so plainly warned of the consequences of it, it is not wise - it is a sin that infatuates and besots men (def:
to stupefy with drink. to make stupid or foolish), and takes away their heart.
23:29-35
29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow?
Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?
Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,
trying out new drinks.
31 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,
how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;
it stings like a viper.
33 You will see hallucinations,
and you will say crazy things.
34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea,
clinging to a swaying mast.
35 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it.
I didn’t even know it when they beat me up.
When will I wake up
so I can look for another drink?”
Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining?
Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns,
trying out new drinks.
31 Don’t gaze at the wine, seeing how red it is,
how it sparkles in the cup, how smoothly it goes down.
32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous snake;
it stings like a viper.
33 You will see hallucinations,
and you will say crazy things.
34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea,
clinging to a swaying mast.
35 And you will say, “They hit me, but I didn’t feel it.
I didn’t even know it when they beat me up.
When will I wake up
so I can look for another drink?”
23:29-35. These verses present the longest
and most articulate warning in Proverbs against drunkenness Six questions call
attention to emotional problems (woe and sorrow), social problems
(strife and complaints), and physical problems (bruises-from
beatings or bumping into things while staggering-and bloodshot eyes)
that stem from lingering long over wine and mixed wine. Wine
seems attractive (Prov. 23:31);
it is red, sparkling, and smooth-the senses of sight and taste. But
eventually (in the end) it is as devastating and painful as a snake
bite.
Drunkenness also leads to mental problems (23:33): hallucinations and imagining
confusing “perverse or abnormal things. Physically a drunkard is
off balance as he walks. In his stupor he may imagine himself moving like a
sailor swaying at the top of a ship’s rigging. Also a drunkard is
insensitive to pain when people hit him (cf. “bruises, ” 23:29). Sensing his stupor he still
longs to escape by having another drink. Alcohol controls him; he is a
slave to IT.
As the Apostle Paul said (paraphrase) I have liberty.. there are things I am free to participate in (drinking for example), but not all things are beneficial.. and..at times, we must forsake our liberty for the sake of those around us as well. We must ask ourselves: Is it wise to drink alcohol at all?
Relationships
20:3 Avoiding a fight is a mark of
honor;
only fools insist on quarreling.
only fools insist on quarreling.
5 Though good advice lies deep within
the heart,
a person with understanding will draw it out.
a person with understanding will draw it out.
6 Many will say they are loyal
friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
but who can find one who is truly reliable?
20:19 A gossip
goes around telling secrets,
so don’t hang around with chatterers.
so don’t hang around with chatterers.
21:19 It’s
better to live alone in the desert
than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.
than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.
21:23 Watch
your tongue and keep your mouth shut,
and you will stay out of trouble.
and you will stay out of trouble.
James 1:19
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
22:6 Direct your children onto the right
path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.
and when they are older, they will not leave it.
KJV 6 Train up a child in the way
he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
22:24 Don’t
befriend angry people
or associate with hot-tempered people,
22:25 or you will learn to be like them
and endanger your soul.
or associate with hot-tempered people,
22:25 or you will learn to be like them
and endanger your soul.
22:9 Don’t waste your breath on fools,
for they will despise the wisest advice.
for they will despise the wisest advice.
Matthew
7:6
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
23: 19-21 19 My
child, listen and be wise:
Keep your heart on the right course.
20 Do not carouse with drunkards
or feast with gluttons,
21 for they are on their way to poverty,
and too much sleep clothes them in rags.
Keep your heart on the right course.
20 Do not carouse with drunkards
or feast with gluttons,
21 for they are on their way to poverty,
and too much sleep clothes them in rags.
Character/ Integrity
4 Those too lazy to plow in the right
season
will have no food at the harvest.
will have no food at the harvest.
7 The godly walk with integrity;
blessed are their children who follow them.
blessed are their children who follow them.
9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my
heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?
I am pure and free from sin”?
11 Even children are known by the way
they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.
21:3 The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just
than when we offer him sacrifices.
than when we offer him sacrifices.
21:4 Haughty (def. blatantly and disdainfully proud) eyes, a proud heart,
and evil actions are all sin.
and evil actions are all sin.
VINDICATION /VENGEANCE 22 Don’t
say, “I will get even for this wrong.”
Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
Wait for the Lord to handle the matter.
Sovereignty
24 The Lord directs our steps,
so why try to understand everything along the way?
so why try to understand everything along the way?
21:12 The
Righteous One[f] knows what is going on in the homes of the
wicked; he will bring disaster on them.
21:30 No human
wisdom or understanding or plan
can stand against the Lord.
can stand against the Lord.
21:31 The
horse is prepared for the day of battle,
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
but the victory belongs to the Lord.
21:25 Don’t
trap yourself by making a rash promise to God
and only later counting the cost.
and only later counting the cost.
PERSONAL INVENTORY
21:2 People may be right in their own
eyes,
but the Lord examines their heart.
but the Lord examines their heart.
21:13 Those
who shut their ears to the cries of the poor
will be ignored in their own time of need.
will be ignored in their own time of need.
21:21 Whoever
pursues righteousness and unfailing love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
will find life, righteousness, and honor.
22:4 Don’t wear yourself out trying to
get rich.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
22:5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
for it will sprout wings
and fly away like an eagle.
Be wise enough to know when to quit.
22:5 In the blink of an eye wealth disappears,
for it will sprout wings
and fly away like an eagle.
23:12 Commit
yourself to instruction;
Listen carefully to words of knowledge.
Listen carefully to words of knowledge.
WISDOM FOR LIVING – A STUDY OF PROVERBS
PROVERBS
20-23 – GROUP WORK
GO THROUGH
EACH CATEGORY/ TOPIC FOUND IN THESE PASSAGES AND SHARE YOUR ‘AH HA’ MOMENTS
WITH ONE ANOTHER – WHAT DID YOU LEARN THAT YOU DID NOT KNOW PRIOR TO READING AND HEARING ABOUT
THESE PROVERBS?
ALCOHOL
WARNINGS
RELATIONSHIPS
CHARACTER/
INTEGRITY
SOVEREIGNTY
VINDICATION
PERSONAL
INVENTORY
SHARE LIFE
EXPERIENCES THAT RELATE TO YOUR LACK OF ADHERING TO GOD’S WISDOM FOUND IN THESE
PROVERBS OR .. THE PRAISES WHEN YOU HAVE.
[1]Henry,
Matthew: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible : Complete and
Unabridged in One Volume. Peabody
: Hendrickson, 1996, c1991, S. Pr 20:1
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