Proverbs chapter 2 - The moral benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs chapter 2.

Summary:  How to gain Wisdom? Various Benefits of Wisdom. Deliverance from Wicked Men. Deliverance from Adulterous Woman. Walk in way of Goodness, in path of the Righteous.

The Moral Benefits of Wisdom.

1 My son, if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
2 2 turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding—
3 3 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
4 4 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 55 then you will understand the fear of the Lord    and find the knowledge of God.  (NIV)

1 My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
    and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 3 yes, if you cry out for insight
    and raise your voice for understanding,
4 
4 if you seek it like silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasures;
5 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord    and find the knowledge of God.  (RSV)

How to acquire Wisdom?
1) Accept the words of wisdom in out heart and mind.
2) Store/treasure up the commands of wisdom.
3) Listen attentively to wisdom.
4) Emotionally involved in the understanding of wisdom.

To what extent shall we acquire wisdom?
1) Keenly, seriously and zealously desire for wisdom. Hunger for wisdom.
2) Search for wisdom as it is money and wealth (silver and treasure), something precious and important.

What is the end result of wisdom?
1) Primarily, the fear of the Lord.
2) Secondarily, the knowledge of God.
In conclusion, loving and honouring God is the main Wisdom.

6 6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 7 He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
8 8 for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.  (NIV)

6 6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
    he is a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 8 guarding the paths of justice    and preserving the way of his saints.  (RSV)

Why is Wisdom related to "fear of the Lord"?
Primarily,
Because the Lord gives wisdom,
and God's words are source of knowledge and understanding.

Secondarily,
God helps the upright to have Success and sound wisdom.
God protects those who walk in integrity and blamelessly.
God guards the path of those who are just.
God protects the way of his faithful believers.

9 9 Then you will understand what is right and just
    and fair—every good path.
10 10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 11 Discretion will protect you,
    and understanding will guard you.  (NIV)

9 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice
    and equity, every good path;
10 10 for wisdom will come into your heart,
    and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
11 11 discretion will watch over you;
    understanding will guard you;  (RSV)

What are the benefits of Wisdom and fearing the Lord?
1) Understand what is right/righteous, just and fair.
2) Understand every good path.
3) Wisdom is in our heart. Our feelings are in line with wisdom.
4) Knowledge fills our soul and mind.
5) Our discretion and understanding will protect and guard us. 


12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
    from men whose words are perverse,
13 13 who have left the straight paths
    to walk in dark ways,
14 14 who delight in doing wrong
    and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 15 whose paths are crooked
    and who are devious in their ways.  (NIV)

12 12 delivering you from the way of evil,
    from men of perverted speech,
13 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness
    to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 14 who rejoice in doing evil
    and delight in the perverseness of evil;
15 15 men whose paths are crooked,    and who are devious in their ways.  (RSV)

12 12 To deliver you from the way of evil,
From the man who speaks perverse things,
13 13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness
To walk in the ways of darkness;
14 14 Who rejoice in doing evil,
And delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15 15 Whose ways are crooked,
And who are devious in their paths;  (NKJV)

What is another benefit of Wisdom and fearing the Lord?
Wisdom will deliver us from the way of the evil / wicked men.

Who are the evil/wicked men?
1) Those who speak perversely.
2) Those who forsake/abandon the way of uprightness/righteousness. Those who deviate from the straight/correct path.
3) Those who walk in ways of darkness.
4) Those who delight in doing evil. Those who enjoy wrongdoings. Those who delight in pervousness of evil.
5) Those who are crooked in their ways.
6) Those who are devious in their way of life.

1616 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 17 who has left the partner of her youth
    and ignored the covenant she made before God.
18 18 Surely her house leads down to death
    and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 19 None who go to her return
    or attain the paths of life.  (NIV)

16 16 You will be saved from the loose woman,
    from the adventuress with her smooth words,
17 17 who forsakes the companion of her youth
    and forgets the covenant of her God;  (RSV)
16 16 To deliver you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words,
17 17 Who forsakes the companion of her youth,
And forgets the covenant of her God.  (NKJV)

What is another benefit of Wisdom and fearing the Lord?
Wisdom will save us from the adulterous, loose. immoral woman.

What are the characteristics of the Adulterous, Loose, Immoral woman?
1) Seductive words. Seductive and wayward.
2) Flattering speech.
3) Divorced or separated from her husband.
4) Forget the covenant of God.
5) Ignored the marriage vows/covenant made before God.

What is the result of fooling around with the Adulterous/Loose/Immoral woman?
1) Leading to spiritual death.
2) Not attaining the path of spiritual life.

20 20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 21 For the upright will live in the land,
    and the blameless will remain in it;
22 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
    and the unfaithful will be torn from it.  (NIV)

20 20 So you will walk in the way of good men
    and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
    and men of integrity will remain in it;
22 22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,    and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.  (RSV)

20 20 So you may walk in the way of goodness,
And keep to the paths of righteousness.
21 21 For the upright will dwell in the land,
And the blameless will remain in it;
22 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the earth,
And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.  (NKJV)

In conclusion, what is the greatest benefit of Wisdom and fearing the Lord?
Wisdom will cause us to walk in the GOOD way, in the path of the RIGHTEOUS.

What is the result of that (walking in GOOD way, in path of the Righteous)?
We will live and remain in God's promised land. We will enjoy the blessings God has promised. We will blessed with countless blessings. We will be blessed with abundance, fruitfulness, success. We will be blessed wherever we are, wherever we go. We will be blessed in everything we do, everything business we venture into, every job we undertake.

Saturday, Jan 4, 2014.
Michael Yeap.

NIV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%202&version=NIV 

RSV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%202&version=RSV

KJV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%202&version=NKJV 

Commentaries:
1)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.2.1-Prov.2.9
2)  http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Prov.2.10-Prov.2.22