Proverbs Lesson 1(Discover the author, purpose and power)

Here is the study sheet that goes along with it, you may use this one or click on the following link to pull up the document.

http://www.saltondemand.net/pdf/women/proverbs-lesson1.pdf


Discover the Author, Purpose, and Power - A Series on Proverbs – Part 1
Heather Baxter
September 2009
1. Do you really want to make WISE choices?
2. Do you really want to live well?
3. Do you want to ward off danger for yourself and loved ones?
4. Do you want to be a woman who knows what to do in life’s complex situations?
Who is the author of Proverbs? ______________
A young man was the son of King David. He took the throne at a very young age. He reigned 40 years.
About 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs are attributed to Solomon. He authored most of the book of
Proverbs and that is appropriate because he was the WISEST person in his time.
1 Kings 4:29-34 ______________________________________________________________________
Solomon’s strengths were meditation, organization of thoughts, planning and negotiation.
Except for Moses, Solomon wrote most of the Old Testament. He wrote the following:

Song of Solomon in his youth.

Proverbs in his mature years and at the height of his power.

Ecclesiastes in his later years as he reflected on life and experiences.
He was a very real person that did not feel up to the task of being a king!
KEY VERSE: 1 Kings 3:9 _____________________________________________________________
Look at how God answered Solomon 1 Kings 4:29-30 _________________________________________
KEY PRI(CIPAL: God gives wisdom to those who ask!
KEY WORDS (in the book of Proverbs): Wisdom and Fear
The Hebrew word for wisdom is hok-mah. The meaning of this word is the ability to have a skill and do
something well.
PSALMS 107:23-27 describes the skills of sailors in a violent storm.
EXODUS 28:3 explains the skilled men that can make garments.
The study of Proverbs was written to make us wise and skilled so we may handle in the best way
whatever comes our way!
EXAMPLE: Driving a car on a road trip we would need the skill of driving a car. Speed, reaction to a
situation, alert, judgment, looking all around, blind spots, we try to do our best no matter what.
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STUDYING PROVERBS IS GOD’s SPIRITUAL DRIVERS ED.
A. Know the detours and how to respond.
B. Understand the road signs.
HOK-MAH/WISDOM starts with a right relationship with the creator our God!
PROVERBS 1:7 ______________________________________________________________________
The fear of the Lord is:
 Reverence to God.
 Respect in getting to KNOW Him.
 A love for the things of God.
 A desire to learn.
 An AWWWW not an anxiety of the wrath of God!
5. Does it matter if you “walk in God’s ways”?
6. What is the relationship between obedience and wisdom?
7. In what areas of your life do you need to listen to God in order to gain wisdom?
As you navigate thru Proverbs, you’ll encounter four different kinds of people. These groupings may
help you understand people and their varying responses to God’s instructions.
1) SIMPLETONS: ignorant people who need to be taught.
2) FOOLS: impulsive, unbalanced people who resist God’s instruction and hate discipline.
3) MOCKERS: wicked, scoffers, evil people who ridicule God’s wisdom.
4) WISE: upright, humble and righteous people who seek Gods instruction and display skill.
PROVERBS has 31 chapters. This means you have a chapter for each day of the month!
Proverbs has 3 sections:
SECTION ONE: Chapters 1-9
• Implore us to soften our heart and get ready.
• Are we willing to sit and be taught (Proverbs 1:8)?
• Get ready for Hok-mah!
SECTION TWO: Chapters 10-29
• “Little Rascals” - are little quick riddles with principles that will get into your lives.
• Remember these are principals and not promises!
• Be careful on how we handle God’s word.
• Hebrews memorized the book of Proverbs by topics. (Examples: patience, love those we
dislike, portrait of perfection, words that matter.)
SECTION THREE: Chapters 30-31
• Portrait of perfection: King Lemuel’s mother/Agur