Welcome to Wisdom Today with Bill Kelley. On today's podcast we will be going over Proverb 4. I will then focus on the first 13 verses of this beautiful proverb. In this proverb Solomon (inspired by the Holy Spirit) pleads with us to obtain wisdom in our lives. He tells us it is the principal thing, and we should do all we can to get it.
Scriptures referenced in today's lesson:
Deuteronomy 6: 6-8'; Psalm 78: 3-4
My call to action is to reread Proverb 4, verses 1-13 three times before you go to bed tonight.
[00:00:06] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. In this podcast we will be exploring the book of Proverbs.
[00:00:21] Open in prayer. Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this podcast today. Lord, I pray that you give everyone ears to hear and a heart to receive everything you have in store for them today. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
[00:00:37] This is Proverb 4, beginning in verse 1.
[00:01:07] I ask you, I will not be your host of God, but you must raise your heart to my commands and live. Get wisdom. Get understanding. Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the Principal Thing. Therefore, get wisdom. And in all you're getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you.
[00:01:35] She will bring you honor when you embrace her.
[00:01:39] She will place on your head an ornament of grace, a crown of glory she will deliver to you.
[00:01:48] Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life will be many.
[00:01:55] I have taught you in the way of wisdom.
[00:01:58] I have led you in right paths.
[00:02:00] When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.
[00:02:08] Take firm hold of instruction.
[00:02:11] Do not let go.
[00:02:13] Keep her, for she is your life.
[00:02:16] Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil.
[00:02:22] Avoid it.
[00:02:23] Do not travel on it.
[00:02:25] Turn away from it and pass on.
[00:02:28] For they do not sleep unless they have done evil, and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
[00:02:37] For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
[00:02:43] But the path of the just is like the shining sun that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.
[00:02:51] The way of the wicked is like darkness.
[00:02:55] They do not know what makes them stumble.
[00:02:58] My son, give attention to my words.
[00:03:03] Incline your ear to my sayings.
[00:03:06] Do not let them depart from your eyes.
[00:03:10] Keep them in the midst of your heart,
[00:03:12] for they are life to those who find them,
[00:03:15] and health to all their flesh.
[00:03:18] Keep your heart with all diligence,
[00:03:22] for out of it spring the issues of life.
[00:03:26] Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
[00:03:29] and put perverse lips far from you.
[00:03:33] Let your eyes look straight ahead,
[00:03:36] and your eyelids look right before you.
[00:03:39] Ponder the path of your feet,
[00:03:42] and let all your ways be established.
[00:03:45] Do not turn to the right or the left.
[00:03:49] Remove your foot from evil.
[00:03:52] Friends, as on Monday's podcast,
[00:03:55] when we went over the first 13 verses of Proverb 2,
[00:04:00] today I'm going to do likewise.
[00:04:02] I am going to go over the first 13 verses of Proverb 4.
[00:04:07] And Proverb 4,
[00:04:09] the entire proverb is entitled,
[00:04:12] Security in Wisdom.
[00:04:15] Now friends,
[00:04:16] I am starting my 33rd month of doing this podcast,
[00:04:21] and before I started this podcast,
[00:04:24] the Holy Spirit informed me
[00:04:26] that I was supposed to start a podcast on wisdom.
[00:04:31] And I have mentioned this a number of times,
[00:04:34] but some of you may be listening for the first time
[00:04:37] and may not have heard this,
[00:04:39] and you may be asking,
[00:04:41] why is he doing a podcast on wisdom?
[00:04:45] I know this is different.
[00:04:47] I, you know,
[00:04:48] I'm sure there are some podcasts on wisdom,
[00:04:51] but I know there's not that many.
[00:04:53] But anyway,
[00:04:55] God,
[00:04:55] the Holy Spirit is the teacher.
[00:04:57] So the Holy Spirit is the one that informed me.
[00:05:01] And a number of people tried to dissuade me from doing this.
[00:05:07] And they asked,
[00:05:08] well,
[00:05:08] what is your particular audience?
[00:05:09] Who exactly are you trying to reach with this podcast?
[00:05:14] And God said,
[00:05:15] not so quick.
[00:05:16] He said,
[00:05:17] actually,
[00:05:18] everybody needs wisdom.
[00:05:20] And friends,
[00:05:21] everybody needs wisdom,
[00:05:22] whether you are a middle school child,
[00:05:25] a high school child,
[00:05:27] if you're college age,
[00:05:29] if you're in the military,
[00:05:30] and you're just beginning your military career
[00:05:33] as a young person,
[00:05:34] 20 years old,
[00:05:36] 21 years old,
[00:05:37] but also people in midlife,
[00:05:39] and even people in their elderly years.
[00:05:44] So everyone needs wisdom.
[00:05:46] And God said,
[00:05:47] do not limit this.
[00:05:49] And so,
[00:05:49] you know,
[00:05:50] I put my foot down and said,
[00:05:52] you know,
[00:05:52] I'm sorry,
[00:05:52] I really can't identify exactly who.
[00:05:56] I'm not going to try to pinpoint a particular demographic or audience
[00:06:01] because I think everyone needs wisdom.
[00:06:04] So anyway,
[00:06:05] what I'm going to do is read the first four verses,
[00:06:08] for Proverbs 4,
[00:06:10] hear my children,
[00:06:12] the instruction of a father,
[00:06:14] and give attention to no understanding.
[00:06:18] For I give you good doctrine.
[00:06:21] Do not forsake my law.
[00:06:23] When I was my father's son,
[00:06:26] tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
[00:06:30] he also taught me and said to me,
[00:06:33] let your heart retain my words.
[00:06:36] Keep my commands and live.
[00:06:39] Now,
[00:06:40] friends,
[00:06:40] as most of you know,
[00:06:43] most of the book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon,
[00:06:48] a king in the country of Israel many,
[00:06:51] many years ago.
[00:06:54] Solomon here is talking to us as though we are his children.
[00:07:00] He literally is talking to us here as though he is God himself.
[00:07:05] Now,
[00:07:07] for those of you not all that familiar with the Bible and not familiar with listening to Christian podcasts,
[00:07:14] this is what I'm going to say.
[00:07:16] Every word in the Bible is God breathed.
[00:07:21] Every word in the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit.
[00:07:26] It tells us that in scripture.
[00:07:28] Now,
[00:07:29] I am reading out of the Nelson Study Bible,
[00:07:33] and what I'd like to do is go over the commentary found in my Bible for the first four verses of Proverbs 4.
[00:07:41] In most of the ancient Middle East,
[00:07:45] instruction in wisdom was primarily a matter of training for the court.
[00:07:51] The masters were regarded as fathers of the students.
[00:07:56] But in Israel,
[00:07:58] training in wisdom extended to the home.
[00:08:02] Instruction of a father implies warmth and affection,
[00:08:07] as well as a parent's concern and discipline.
[00:08:11] Verse 1 begins a little like the first parental section.
[00:08:17] But the addressee is now plural,
[00:08:21] my children.
[00:08:23] As his father had taught him,
[00:08:25] so the son now teaches his own sons,
[00:08:30] one generation instructing another.
[00:08:34] The call for parents to teach the things of God to their children
[00:08:38] is based on Deuteronomy 6,
[00:08:42] verse 7,
[00:08:44] and is reflected in the Psalms,
[00:08:47] as in Psalms 78,
[00:08:48] verses 3 and 4.
[00:08:51] Now, what I'd like to do is to go over
[00:08:53] those two passages of scripture.
[00:08:57] And in the book of Deuteronomy,
[00:08:59] chapter 6,
[00:09:00] what I'm going to do actually is read three verses.
[00:09:04] I'm going to read verses 6 through 8.
[00:09:07] And these words,
[00:09:09] which I command you today,
[00:09:11] shall be in your heart.
[00:09:14] You shall teach them diligently to your children,
[00:09:17] and shall talk of them
[00:09:19] when you sit in your house,
[00:09:21] when you walk by the way,
[00:09:24] when you lie down,
[00:09:25] and when you rise up.
[00:09:27] You shall bind them
[00:09:29] as a sign on your hand,
[00:09:32] and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
[00:09:36] You shall write them on the doorposts of your house,
[00:09:40] and on your gates.
[00:09:42] Now, friends,
[00:09:43] if you really listen to those three verses,
[00:09:45] you can understand why God is telling us
[00:09:50] this is important for you.
[00:09:55] God, throughout the Bible,
[00:09:58] is telling us the importance
[00:10:00] of reading his words.
[00:10:02] Now, what I'd like to do
[00:10:03] is go to Psalm 78.
[00:10:06] Now, earlier,
[00:10:07] I had referenced verses 3 and 4,
[00:10:10] but what I'd like to do
[00:10:12] is actually begin
[00:10:13] Psalm 78
[00:10:15] and read the first four
[00:10:16] verses to you.
[00:10:17] And it says,
[00:10:19] Give ear, O my people,
[00:10:21] to my law.
[00:10:23] Incline your ears
[00:10:24] to the words of my mouth.
[00:10:26] I will open my mouth
[00:10:28] in a parable.
[00:10:29] I will utter dark sayings
[00:10:32] of old.
[00:10:33] And this is verses 3 and 4,
[00:10:36] which we have heard
[00:10:38] and known,
[00:10:39] and our fathers
[00:10:41] have told us.
[00:10:42] We will not hide them
[00:10:44] from their children,
[00:10:46] telling to the generation
[00:10:47] to come,
[00:10:48] the praises of the Lord
[00:10:50] and his strength
[00:10:52] and his wonderful works
[00:10:54] that he has done.
[00:10:55] So, friends,
[00:10:57] these verses
[00:10:58] are telling us
[00:10:59] it's not only important
[00:11:01] that parents
[00:11:03] read the Word of God,
[00:11:06] but it's also important
[00:11:08] that you sit down together
[00:11:10] as a family
[00:11:12] and you share
[00:11:14] the importance
[00:11:15] of the Word of God
[00:11:16] with your children.
[00:11:18] But not only that,
[00:11:20] they talk about
[00:11:21] the importance
[00:11:22] of sharing it
[00:11:24] from generation
[00:11:25] to generation
[00:11:27] to generation.
[00:11:29] And I can't overlook
[00:11:31] the importance
[00:11:32] of that fact.
[00:11:34] So, great-grandparents
[00:11:36] would even be talking
[00:11:38] to their great-grandchildren
[00:11:40] about the Word of God.
[00:11:42] The entire Jewish family
[00:11:45] and community
[00:11:47] understood
[00:11:48] the importance
[00:11:49] of God's Word.
[00:11:51] Let's go back
[00:11:52] to Proverb 4,
[00:11:54] beginning in verse 5.
[00:11:55] Get wisdom,
[00:11:57] get understanding,
[00:12:00] do not forget,
[00:12:02] nor turn away
[00:12:03] from the words
[00:12:04] of my mouth.
[00:12:05] Do not forsake her,
[00:12:07] and she will preserve you.
[00:12:09] Love her,
[00:12:11] and she will keep you.
[00:12:13] Wisdom
[00:12:14] is the principal
[00:12:15] thing,
[00:12:17] therefore,
[00:12:19] get wisdom.
[00:12:20] And friends,
[00:12:22] I'm going to read
[00:12:23] verses 5
[00:12:25] through 7
[00:12:26] again.
[00:12:27] Listen to God
[00:12:29] Himself
[00:12:30] speaking to us.
[00:12:32] Get wisdom,
[00:12:34] get understanding,
[00:12:36] do not forget,
[00:12:38] nor turn away
[00:12:39] from the words
[00:12:40] of my mouth.
[00:12:41] Do not forsake her,
[00:12:43] and she will preserve you.
[00:12:45] Love her,
[00:12:46] and she will keep you.
[00:12:48] Wisdom
[00:12:49] is the principal
[00:12:50] thing,
[00:12:52] therefore,
[00:12:53] get wisdom.
[00:12:54] So, friends,
[00:12:55] my first point
[00:12:56] of the day
[00:12:57] is wisdom
[00:12:58] is the principal
[00:13:00] thing.
[00:13:01] And friends,
[00:13:02] that
[00:13:03] is
[00:13:04] how important
[00:13:05] wisdom
[00:13:06] is
[00:13:07] to God.
[00:13:09] That is
[00:13:10] how much
[00:13:11] God
[00:13:11] wants
[00:13:12] each
[00:13:13] of us
[00:13:14] today,
[00:13:15] listening to this podcast,
[00:13:17] to have wisdom
[00:13:18] in our lives.
[00:13:19] Let's look at the commentary
[00:13:20] for verses 5
[00:13:21] through 7.
[00:13:22] Verses 5
[00:13:23] through 9
[00:13:25] present
[00:13:26] an impassioned
[00:13:27] plea
[00:13:28] from the Father
[00:13:29] to His sons
[00:13:31] to get
[00:13:32] wisdom
[00:13:32] whatever the cost.
[00:13:34] The presentation
[00:13:36] in these early chapters
[00:13:37] of Proverbs
[00:13:38] follows the pattern
[00:13:39] statement,
[00:13:41] restatement,
[00:13:43] and embellishment.
[00:13:44] By making
[00:13:45] generous use
[00:13:47] of creative
[00:13:48] restatement,
[00:13:49] the ideas
[00:13:50] come through
[00:13:50] all the more
[00:13:52] strongly.
[00:13:53] Particularly striking
[00:13:54] are the words
[00:13:55] of verse 7,
[00:13:56] wisdom
[00:13:57] is
[00:13:58] the principal
[00:13:59] thing.
[00:13:59] The word
[00:14:00] principle
[00:14:01] is
[00:14:02] translated
[00:14:03] the beginning
[00:14:04] of,
[00:14:05] but here
[00:14:06] it has the force
[00:14:08] of first
[00:14:09] in
[00:14:10] importance.
[00:14:11] Now,
[00:14:12] let's go to verse 8.
[00:14:14] Exalt her,
[00:14:15] meaning wisdom,
[00:14:16] and she will
[00:14:18] promote you.
[00:14:19] She will bring you
[00:14:20] honor
[00:14:20] when you embrace
[00:14:22] her.
[00:14:22] She will place
[00:14:23] on your head
[00:14:24] an ornament
[00:14:25] of grace,
[00:14:27] a crown
[00:14:28] of glory.
[00:14:29] She will deliver
[00:14:31] to you.
[00:14:32] So friends,
[00:14:33] my second point
[00:14:34] of the day,
[00:14:35] when you embrace
[00:14:36] wisdom,
[00:14:37] she will bring
[00:14:38] you honor.
[00:14:40] I want you
[00:14:41] to think about that.
[00:14:42] When you embrace
[00:14:44] wisdom,
[00:14:45] she will bring
[00:14:47] you honor.
[00:14:48] Now,
[00:14:49] let's listen
[00:14:50] to the commentary
[00:14:50] for verses 8
[00:14:52] and 9.
[00:14:52] These verses
[00:14:54] emphasize
[00:14:55] the supreme
[00:14:56] value
[00:14:57] of wisdom.
[00:14:59] The person
[00:14:59] who holds
[00:15:00] wisdom
[00:15:00] in highest
[00:15:01] esteem
[00:15:02] and embraces
[00:15:04] it fully
[00:15:04] will be
[00:15:06] exalted
[00:15:06] and honored.
[00:15:08] Its very
[00:15:09] presence
[00:15:10] becomes
[00:15:11] an ornament
[00:15:12] of grace
[00:15:13] and a crown
[00:15:14] of glory.
[00:15:16] These metaphors
[00:15:17] are compelling
[00:15:18] calls
[00:15:19] for a
[00:15:20] heartfelt
[00:15:21] response.
[00:15:22] Now,
[00:15:23] let's go to
[00:15:24] verses 10
[00:15:25] through 13.
[00:15:27] Hear,
[00:15:28] my son,
[00:15:29] and receive
[00:15:30] my sayings,
[00:15:31] and the years
[00:15:31] of your life
[00:15:32] will be many.
[00:15:33] I have taught
[00:15:34] you in the
[00:15:35] way of wisdom.
[00:15:36] I have led
[00:15:37] you in right
[00:15:38] paths.
[00:15:39] When you walk,
[00:15:40] your steps
[00:15:41] will not be
[00:15:42] hindered,
[00:15:42] and when you
[00:15:44] run,
[00:15:44] you will not
[00:15:45] stumble.
[00:15:46] Take firm
[00:15:47] hold
[00:15:48] of instruction.
[00:15:50] Do not
[00:15:50] let go.
[00:15:51] Keep her,
[00:15:52] for she
[00:15:53] is your
[00:15:54] life.
[00:15:55] Friends,
[00:15:56] my third
[00:15:57] and final
[00:15:57] point for
[00:15:58] today's
[00:15:59] lesson
[00:15:59] is keep
[00:16:00] instruction,
[00:16:02] for she
[00:16:03] is your
[00:16:04] life.
[00:16:05] Now,
[00:16:06] friends,
[00:16:06] I could
[00:16:08] go on
[00:16:08] and finish
[00:16:09] the rest
[00:16:10] of this
[00:16:10] proverb,
[00:16:11] but the
[00:16:11] point is
[00:16:12] these
[00:16:13] 13 verses
[00:16:15] are so
[00:16:16] powerful
[00:16:17] that I
[00:16:18] am going
[00:16:19] to make
[00:16:20] this
[00:16:20] my call
[00:16:22] to action.
[00:16:23] And what
[00:16:24] I'd like
[00:16:24] to do
[00:16:25] is ask
[00:16:26] you to
[00:16:27] do a
[00:16:27] homework
[00:16:28] assignment.
[00:16:29] And before
[00:16:30] you go to
[00:16:31] bed tonight,
[00:16:32] I would like
[00:16:33] for you to
[00:16:34] read
[00:16:34] Proverb 4
[00:16:35] and read
[00:16:37] verses 1
[00:16:38] through
[00:16:38] 13
[00:16:39] again.
[00:16:40] I'd
[00:16:41] actually
[00:16:42] ask
[00:16:42] that you
[00:16:43] read them
[00:16:43] maybe
[00:16:44] three times.
[00:16:45] This
[00:16:46] is
[00:16:47] the
[00:16:47] heart
[00:16:48] of
[00:16:48] God
[00:16:48] speaking
[00:16:49] to
[00:16:50] his
[00:16:50] children.
[00:16:51] We
[00:16:51] are
[00:16:52] all
[00:16:52] his
[00:16:53] children.
[00:16:53] You
[00:16:54] can
[00:16:54] hear
[00:16:55] in
[00:16:55] this
[00:16:55] passage
[00:16:56] of
[00:16:56] scripture
[00:16:57] that
[00:16:57] God
[00:16:58] is
[00:16:58] pleading
[00:16:59] with
[00:17:00] us
[00:17:01] and
[00:17:02] he's
[00:17:02] saying
[00:17:02] wisdom
[00:17:03] is
[00:17:04] the
[00:17:05] principle
[00:17:05] thing.
[00:17:06] More
[00:17:07] than
[00:17:07] anything
[00:17:08] else
[00:17:09] in your
[00:17:09] life,
[00:17:09] this
[00:17:10] is
[00:17:11] something
[00:17:11] I
[00:17:12] want
[00:17:13] you
[00:17:13] to
[00:17:14] have.
[00:17:15] So
[00:17:16] friends,
[00:17:16] embrace
[00:17:17] that,
[00:17:18] embrace
[00:17:19] that
[00:17:19] thought,
[00:17:21] embrace
[00:17:21] that
[00:17:22] concept,
[00:17:23] and I
[00:17:23] believe
[00:17:24] your
[00:17:25] life
[00:17:25] will
[00:17:26] begin
[00:17:26] to
[00:17:27] change.
[00:17:28] Friends,
[00:17:29] I will
[00:17:29] never
[00:17:29] end
[00:17:30] a podcast
[00:17:31] without
[00:17:31] giving
[00:17:32] anyone
[00:17:32] an
[00:17:33] opportunity
[00:17:34] to receive
[00:17:34] Jesus
[00:17:35] as their
[00:17:35] Lord
[00:17:36] and Savior.
[00:17:37] If there
[00:17:38] is anyone
[00:17:38] listening today
[00:17:39] and you've
[00:17:39] never
[00:17:40] taken
[00:17:40] that
[00:17:40] step,
[00:17:41] I
[00:17:41] invite
[00:17:42] you
[00:17:42] to
[00:17:42] repeat
[00:17:42] a
[00:17:43] simple
[00:17:43] prayer
[00:17:44] after
[00:17:44] me
[00:17:44] today.
[00:17:45] Father
[00:17:45] God,
[00:17:46] thank
[00:17:47] you
[00:17:47] for sending
[00:17:47] your
[00:17:48] son
[00:17:48] Jesus
[00:17:48] to
[00:17:49] earth.
[00:17:49] Jesus,
[00:17:50] thank
[00:17:51] you
[00:17:51] that you
[00:17:52] were
[00:17:52] willing
[00:17:52] to
[00:17:53] come
[00:17:53] to
[00:17:53] earth
[00:17:54] and
[00:17:54] die
[00:17:54] on
[00:17:55] a
[00:17:56] cross.
[00:17:56] For
[00:17:57] everyone
[00:17:58] listening
[00:17:58] to this
[00:17:59] podcast
[00:17:59] today,
[00:18:00] I
[00:18:00] believe
[00:18:01] that
[00:18:01] you
[00:18:02] are
[00:18:02] the
[00:18:02] son
[00:18:02] of
[00:18:03] God.
[00:18:03] I
[00:18:04] believe
[00:18:04] that
[00:18:04] you
[00:18:04] died
[00:18:05] on
[00:18:05] that
[00:18:05] cross
[00:18:06] and
[00:18:07] were
[00:18:07] buried.
[00:18:08] On
[00:18:08] the
[00:18:09] third
[00:18:09] day
[00:18:09] you
[00:18:10] rose
[00:18:10] again
[00:18:11] and
[00:18:12] now
[00:18:12] sit
[00:18:13] at
[00:18:14] the
[00:18:14] right
[00:18:14] hand
[00:18:15] of
[00:18:15] God
[00:18:15] the
[00:18:15] Father.
[00:18:16] Jesus,
[00:18:17] thank
[00:18:17] you
[00:18:18] for
[00:18:18] forgiving
[00:18:19] me
[00:18:19] of
[00:18:19] all
[00:18:20] of
[00:18:20] my
[00:18:20] sins.
[00:18:21] I
[00:18:21] ask
[00:18:21] you
[00:18:22] to
[00:18:22] come
[00:18:22] into
[00:18:22] my
[00:18:23] heart.
[00:18:23] I
[00:18:24] make
[00:18:24] you
[00:18:24] my
[00:18:25] Lord
[00:18:25] and
[00:18:26] Savior.
[00:18:27] Friends,
[00:18:28] if you
[00:18:28] said that
[00:18:29] prayer,
[00:18:29] I
[00:18:29] believe
[00:18:30] that
[00:18:30] you
[00:18:30] are
[00:18:30] now
[00:18:31] a
[00:18:31] member
[00:18:31] of
[00:18:32] the
[00:18:32] family
[00:18:32] of
[00:18:33] God.
[00:18:33] Welcome
[00:18:34] to
[00:18:35] the
[00:18:35] family.
[00:18:36] Now,
[00:18:37] may
[00:18:37] the
[00:18:37] Lord
[00:18:37] bless
[00:18:38] you
[00:18:38] and
[00:18:39] keep
[00:18:39] you.
[00:18:39] The
[00:18:40] Lord
[00:18:40] make
[00:18:40] his
[00:18:41] face
[00:18:41] shine
[00:18:41] upon
[00:18:42] you
[00:18:42] and
[00:18:43] be
[00:18:43] gracious
[00:18:43] to
[00:18:44] you.
[00:18:44] The
[00:18:44] Lord
[00:18:45] lift
[00:18:45] up
[00:18:45] his
[00:18:46] countenance
[00:18:46] upon
[00:18:47] you
[00:18:47] and
[00:18:48] give
[00:18:48] you
[00:18:49] peace.
[00:18:49] Friends,
[00:18:50] please
[00:18:51] join me
[00:18:51] again
[00:18:51] tomorrow
[00:18:52] as we
[00:18:53] further
[00:18:53] explore
[00:18:54] wisdom
[00:18:55] today.