Do you want to be a wise person in all the ways of your life? Proverbs is a book of the Bible, which has been attributed to Solomon and other wise men. Enter here and learn everything about this wonderful text.
book of proverbs
Among all the characters who played a fundamental role in God's perfect plan, there is Solomon. There has been no wiser man, besides the Lord Jesus, than King Solomon.
Salomón after living the pleasures of life and everything that she gave him, understood that nothing satisfied him and nothing made him happy. When he comes before Jehovah, the only thing he asks for is wisdom to be able to understand life.
He wanted to be able to guide the people chosen by God, in a wise way, discerning the good and the bad. Of course, this was very pleasing to Jehovah, so he granted his heart's desire.
El bible book of proverbs is found, was written by King Solomon, after God gave him an understanding heart full of wisdom. Where he recounts through 31 chapters, this king makes great revelations about: wisdom, way of life, laziness, morality, virtuous woman and more.
El book of proverbs of the Reina Valera, is found within the poetic or wisdom books, after the book of Psalms.
1 Kings 4: 29-30
29 And God gave Solomon great wisdom and prudence, and a breadth of heart like the sand that is on the seashore.
30 Solomon's wisdom was greater than that of all the Orientals, and that all the wisdom of the Egyptians.
The outline of this wonderful book is as follows:
- Introduction (1.1-7)
- First collection of poems (1.8-9.18)
- Second collection: Proverbs of Solomon (10.1-22.16)
- Third collection: words of the wise (22.17 – 24.22)
- Fourth collection: sayings of the wise (24.23-34)
- Fifth collection: Solomon's proverbs (25.1-29.27)
- Sixth Collection: words of Agur (30.1-33)
- Seventh collection: words of King Lemuel (31.1-9)
- Appendix: Praise to the Virtuous Woman (31.10-31)
El book of proverbs study it has to be paused, reflecting on each verse and contrasting it with other verses of God's word. If you take advantage of, reflect on and apply the things established therein in this book, God's blessings will not be long in coming.
As Christians we also need various tools that allow us to further understand the word of God. A Bible dictionary, the concordances, if possible internet and a laptop. These will help us understand and deepen the word of God.
Introduction to the book of Proverbs
The book of proverbs, as we have already stated, the author of it was King Solomon. With the exception of chapters 31 and other verses, where King Lemuel and Agur intervene.
From the start we can understand what is the book of proverbs about and in the introduction we find the word: wisdom.
Proverbial 1: 2-3
2 To understand wisdom and doctrine,
To know prudent reasons,3 To receive the advice of prudence,
Justice, judgment and fairness;
The wisdom that we find in the book of proverbs is closely related to intelligence, prudence and advice. It is the most important word that we will find in the book of proverbs.
Wisdom in Hebrew also known as chokhmah means: the ability that God gives a person to be able to use the knowledge of God.
A person can be full of the knowledge of God, know the books that are found in the Bible, how all the events took place, even understand the original plan of God. However, if the person with this knowledge does not apply it in his life, he is not a wise person.
That is, if a person begins to study the Bible and God begins to reveal his true will and the way of life of each human being. This person should not be left alone with intellectual knowledge, but must know that all these things help him or her and apply it to his life.
By applying this knowledge in our lives, Jehovah of Armies rewards us with wisdom. Having correct responses to the adversities that rise up against one.
We could then define a wise person as a person who has an intelligent attitude towards the circumstances of life and knows how to choose how to face them. We need God in our life and having the humility to recognize him makes us a wise person.
Purposes of Wisdom in the Book of Proverbs
In this collection of poems in the book of Proverbs, King Solomon reveals to us the importance of accepting being rebuked, exhorted, corrected and disciplined. Because the opposite of this, is to overlook and without a minimum of importance, that every day we must be corrected to become better people.
The Christian must not only be corrected daily in his daily life, thus obtaining a good testimony before men. But the daily walk with Christ requires exhortations, corrections and rebukes that bring us closer to the Creator.
That person who rejects wisdom, ignores it and is not interested in knowing what the living word of God says, their parents, bosses, among others. These people have as a consequence an uncertain future, of failures, ailments and separated from the presence of the Almighty.
Proverbial 1: 24-26
24 Because I called, and you refused to hear,
I stretched out my hand, and there was no one to attend,25 But you rejected all my advice
And my rebuke you did not want,26 I too will laugh at your calamity,
And I will mock when what you fear comes to you;
A person separated from God is a person who lives with anger and fear of life. No hand does not prosper and his resentment grows. He lives an empty life and places his hopes on this world that is temporary and that only gives momentary joy.
One of the first consequences of rejecting God's advice is that when adversities come, Jehovah laughs at them. When these types of people experience deep and harsh tribulations for any human being. The Most High will not intervene to change this situation nor comfort or lift the person who is far from Him.
This shows us one of the characteristics that make up the character of our Heavenly Father. We must always keep in mind that the Lord left us his word as a guide, answers to the doubts we may have, the future times and that we know him more.
wisdom and correction
The more we do this book of proverbs study, the Lord Jesus reveals to us the great importance, the radical and profound change that our life can have. Being a wise person comes from above and to acquire it, we must correct our steps with the knowledge we have of God.
King Solomon teaches us that if a person decides to keep and value the teachings that God, our parents and superiors have given us, our foot will not stumble. Wisdom will always go with us and our paths will be straight.
Proverbial 4: 5-6
5 Acquire wisdom, acquire intelligence;
Do not forget or turn away from the reasons of my mouth;6 Do not leave her, and she will keep you;
Love her, and she will keep you.
To obtain knowledge about the word of God and how it is structured I recommend the following link parts of the bible and thus take the first step to the wisdom of God.
Wisdom is more valuable and powerful than gold and silver, it gives understanding about the word of God guiding us on straight paths. In chapter 8 of the book of proverbs, entitled: excellence of wisdom, we find that the Heavenly Father himself is the one who makes the speech and calls himself Wisdom.
Although sometimes the rebuke can hurt, feel joyful and victorious that the Lord is guiding you to be perfected in his grace, that makes you a true son loved and wanted by God. Apply the corrections in all areas of your life and you will see the great change that you will see and what one day was crying will become fervent joy in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
Laziness, deception and arrogance
Likewise, within this first section we will find the characteristics of a lazy, arrogant and ambitious person. Incredibly, the Holy Spirit reveals this context to us in the way we work.
A lazy person is one who does not value the blessing that Jehovah our God gave us through honest work. He is that person who does not fulfill his responsibilities on time, is unpunctual, does not have a good appearance, is not grateful and is even dishonest in the work he does.
We must keep in mind that God blesses the person who makes an effort, who is honest and grateful with how much or how little (as some may think) that He gives us.
The Lord exhorts us to keep our word and carry out (as long as it is honest) what we have promised. He reveals to us that it is better not to rest our eyes until we are fulfilled, than to be a lazy person who enjoys sleeping.
It also teaches us that a person who is not productive in their day-to-day life can plot evil and harm another, just to cover up their laziness. This is abominable in the eyes of the Most High.
Proverbial 6: 16-19
16 Jehovah hates six things,
And even seven abominate his soul:17 The haughty eyes, the lying tongue,
The hands shedding innocent blood,18 The heart that devises wicked thoughts,
The rushing feet to run to evil,19 The false witness who speaks lies,
And he who sows discord among brothers.
King Solomon is an example of a person who, having all the power, money and greatness of this world, showed great simplicity and humility of heart. When instead of prolonging his life, to continue enjoying it as he had been doing, he asks Jehovah for wisdom to guide his people well.
It is important to highlight that God knows the heart of all men and women and according to the true intentions of this, grants the intentions that go according to his will. That is why we can affirm that this really was Solomon's wish and that is why it was granted.
A haughty or arrogant person is one who feels that with their own strength they can solve any difficulty that comes their way. It is a person who says in his heart: I do not need God, I am worth it alone.
Anyone who speaks deceit, desires riches at all costs, does not stop to help and really loves his neighbor and always seeks the easy way, is someone who is separated from our Lord Jesus.
As we have already expressed, the wonderful and powerful word of God truly shows us what it is like and another of the characteristics that make up the personality of our Creator, is that he is wise, there is no deception in his words and with him is good advice.
Proverbial 8: 13-14
13 The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance, the bad way,
And the wicked mouth, I abhor.14 With me is advice and good judgment;
I am the intelligence; mine is the power.
Work is a great blessing for any human being, carry out your activities grateful to the Lord and work as if it were for Him and not for men. This is pleasing to our Lord Jesus and does not leave us without sustenance. Trust in the Lord and he will do it, do not fall into false promises, do not believe that it is not worth the effort, fulfill what has been given to you and you will be blessed.
spiritual intelligence
It is interesting when reading the book of proverbs to find that one of the central themes is the language. The Holy Spirit reveals to us that there is a power in what we speak and this can lead us to life or death.
Proverbs 18: 21
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And whoever loves her will eat her fruits.
With words we can bless or curse, build or despise, advise good or bad, to give life or give death. Words carry a hidden power that many people, including Christians, have failed to understand or discern.
The tongue in the spiritual area is as dangerous as it is beneficial depending on how we use it. If, for example, we make a destructive and harmful comment about someone, we can contaminate fifteen more people about it.
If, on the contrary, with our words we try to bless, comfort and help a person, we can change the opinion of many people around him.
Our words can contaminate our body and our soul. Let us always keep in mind that everything we reap is what we sow.
As children of God we must ask Him and Him alone to help us control and bridle the tongue. For no man alone can curb this evil filled with deadly poison.
A wise person is one who knows these truths and seeks to control the words that he expresses to his family, friends, colleagues and other people every day and at all times.
If you are angry or sad for a moment, it is better that you breathe and enter into prayer so that the Lord gives you clarity and you can speak with justice but without hurting anyone. It is important to be very aware of what we speak and how we say it, because our words can lead someone away from the feet of Christ.
taking care of our heart
The heart is the most important area in the eyes of Jehovah in our being. The word of God in the book of proverbs exhorts us to above all things, guard our hearts.
Proverbs 4: 26
23 Above all else, guard your heart;
Because life flows from it.
The reason for the Lord to command us to guard our hearts, we find in that verse and it is because life flows from the heart.
There is a difference between the physical heart and the spiritual heart. Like the spiritual heart, this is the most important organ in the human body. The heart keeps human beings alive, earthly speaking. The whole body may be paralyzed, some organ may not function at all, but as long as the heart is functioning, there is physical life.
However, Heavenly Father reveals to us that there is another heart and this is the spiritual one. A truth that we find in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 36, verse 26. God promises us long before Jesus Christ came, the spiritual renewal of a heart according to Christ Jesus.
God spiritually speaking gave us a new heart, at the exact moment when we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. We became a new creature and were never the same again.
This is a reality that we see when we remember how we were before Christ and how we are today. The things we think and of which we are aware if they are good or not for our life.
This new spiritual creature that was formed from that miraculous, unique and powerful moment, left the darkness to live in the presence of the Light. Our ways were perverse, there was no holiness and much less communion with God.
However, although we live in the Light, we continue to inhabit a world ruled by darkness. We can perceive and see temptations and sin when we leave our homes, turn on the radio, watch television, in our work, in short, anywhere.
We also continue in a corruptible body that is weak, so daily we must present ourselves before our Lord to forgive us for our sins.
Living in Christ we understand that temptation may be presented to us and pray fervently not to fall. Other times, when we sin, the Spirit himself makes us feel bad and understanding what we did, we turn to our Father to forgive us.
It is important to understand, as we have already said, that the Lord knows our hearts and knows perfectly well if a person is repentant or not. Thanks to his mercy that is renewed every morning and through his powerful blood, we find forgiveness and peace in our hearts.
actions of the heart
A heart according to the will of God, is one whose thought perseveres in Christ, the words that emanate are of life and his actions are his testimony. A person who bears this in mind in all areas of his life is a wise person.
A Christian must follow the example that Christ gave us when he came into the world to fulfill God's perfect and wonderful plan. When Christ preached, many believed and converted to Him. His actions also brought many people closer to listen to what he had to say, understanding the plan of salvation.
That is why our words and our way of living must be in accordance with that of Christ Jesus. Being fair, merciful, speaking the truth, honest, seeking God, loving your neighbor, carrying the message of our Father and more, are characteristics of a true child of God. These differentiate us from the world and it is these same characteristics that draw the attention of some people, approaching to know our living, faithful and true God.
Proverbial 5: 1-2
1 My son, be attentive to my wisdom,
And to my intelligence incline your ear,2 For you to keep advice,
And your lips preserve science.
Through these verses we can understand the importance of intimately knowing the thoughts of God. Thoughts that we find in his word, to act and stand firm against the snares of the evil one.
If we continue reading this chapter of the book of Proverbs, the Lord shows us that the things that this world offers us can seem sweet and perfect. However, their end is bitter and they lead directly to death.
Our foot will not slip or hurt if we stay close to God and maintain a communion with our Creator. The heart can be deceitful and the Bible does not show this.
That is why it is so important to ask our Lord daily to keep us and to teach us to discern more and more good from evil. Christ is the one who reveals to us through his Spirit the intentions of another, what is right or wrong, whether or not it is his will, and it is he who renews our strength.
The art of advice
In daily life, human beings turn to other people, philosophical thoughts, psychologists, psychiatrists, seeking advice to help us recover from any circumstance.
We are looking for a profound change and a solution that the person has obviously not found. Sometimes these can be problems from the past, that marked your life and that do not find peace. Other times, recent circumstances that can bring negative consequences in your life. Even many others looking for answers to why? of things that happen in the world.
While it is true that these answers may have some explanation in the life experience of another person, in science and sometimes in some medicine. We know as Christians that it is not the answer that will completely transform that person's mind and soul.
Also many times the person who advises another does not do it with a sincere and disinterested heart. Sometimes they can advise with deceit and malice, because they are envious, jealous or it is simply the nature of the person.
Proverbs 26: 28
28 The false tongue torments the one it has hurt,
And the flattering mouth makes you slip.
When someone approaches us asking for advice, we not only understand the earthly environment that may be surrounding this person. But also the spiritual realm and why anger, fear, illness and confusion have been unleashed in it.
Also as children of the Most High God, our hearts were renewed by faith in Christ Jesus and we want to do good, because this is what our Lord taught us. The
The Bible is a spiritual guide, it gives us the answers of the past, present and future. It reveals to us how we should behave and what decisions to make. What is good and bad for us. The foods we should eat and how important it is to stay healthy. He invites us to practice justice and mercy with those around us. In short, the answer to this life and even to the filly.
That is why it is important that when we see a person or even a brother with some anguish or confusion, we approach and through the Holy Spirit, give the answers that person so longs for.
rejecting wisdom
As we have seen throughout this blog, a person who accepts advice and correction begins to develop wisdom. As Christians, if we accept this from our brothers in faith, from the Father himself or members of the Church, we are accepting to walk within the paths of God.
This makes us grow and have a growing spiritual intelligence about the mysteries of the Bible, which we can share with other people around us.
A person who has these characteristics is guided by the Spirit of God and we are not going to regret our decisions. God wants to save us suffering, He has come to give us life in abundance. His will is to give us a life of peace.
Proverbial 8: 4-5
4 O men, to you I cry;
My voice is to the children of the man.5 Understand, oh simple ones, discretion;
And you fools, come to your senses.
A person who rejects wisdom is a foolish person with mental problems. Impressive, all the consequences that come with rejecting the advice and word of God!
There is a reality and that is that not all the people around us are children of God or Christians. Some of them really don't even care about the blessings or curses of living a life with or without Christ.
If we stop to think about these people for a moment, we find that their moods are unstable, that they rarely have peace and even their behavior does not intertwine with a person with sanity.
This reflection is not to lord it over us, judge or do nothing about it, it goes much further. It is important that as Christians, we have these people in constant prayer, so that their hearts do not continue to harden and accept Christ.
The word of God reveals to us that not everyone will convert and that is a reality, but as Christians we must try to bring the message of Christ to every corner. A saved person is a person who will eternally be in the presence of the Almighty and not burning in hell.
Praise to the virtuous woman
It is the last chapter of the book of proverbs and gives us the characteristics of the virtuous woman. We must remember that Solomon was a king who had many women and it is incredible that among all of them, he understood the importance of having a virtuous woman as a companion.
King Solomon understood that it was a lie for a man or a woman to have many wives. This really was not the pleasure and happiness that, apparently for many, is the ideal life. Solomon understands that God's initial plan was perfect and that a virtuous woman is the perfect complement for a man.
God wants his children to share with that ideal person that he created for each one of us and together form a family under his protection and blessing.
In the book of proverbs we can find the characteristics that a virtuous woman possesses: reliable, hard-working, a good example, she knew, she brings joy to her husband, her internal beauty has no comparison, she is a gift from God and guides other young women.
Not all women have these characteristics, it is like a precious stone and that is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, through the word of God.
Proverbs 31: 10
10 Virtuous woman, who will find her?
Because his esteem far exceeds that of precious stones.
The virtuous woman is one who is a victorious, courageous, strong and courageous woman, that is, a warrior woman. Even in her fragility and weakness, she is a woman who does not give up, transforming her marriage into a piece of heaven.
Being a virtuous woman is a quality that can only be achieved with the fear of God. A woman who reads the characteristics of the virtuous woman and reflects on them to be applied in her daily life, makes her a wise woman. She is that woman whose center is the Most High God and that her faith does not faint even in adversity.
The man who has a virtuous woman by his side is a blessed man and should be treated like the precious stone that she is. It is the gift that God granted him from heaven to be his helpmate in all aspects of his life.
book of proverbs summary
The book of Proverbs has really enriching themes and spiritual growth for life. One of the great distinctions that we can appreciate in this book is that it focuses on the realm of life and not on religious issues.
Every Christian who is starting in the ways of the Lord or who already has years as a child of God, the book of proverbs is one that we should meditate on day and night. Here are issues related to education, work, advice, family, morality.
It gives us a clear and simple way to understand the importance of wisdom and how this is a precious blessing given by God. It is the profound knowledge of our Lord, which makes us understand that it takes us to another level in our spiritual life.
Proverbial 7: 1-2
1 My son, keep my reasons
And treasure my commandments with you.2 Keep my commandments and you will live,
And my law like the girls in your eyes.
The proverbs of King Solomon was left to us thanks to the Holy Spirit to give us intelligence and to be able to make the best decisions. So that these dig deeper into our hearts every day, it is important to study them calmly and reflecting verse by verse.
It is not by reading the book of proverbs that we become wise from one day to the next. We must understand what the Lord means to us in each word found there and apply them in our spiritual and earthly lives.
Everything that is written here can be summarized in that to be wise we must fear the Lord. Understanding that the fear of Jehovah, is that our love is so deep and our renewal was so real, that we do not want to fail him.
Walking and walking in his ways, studying and delighting in his word, presenting ourselves every day before his throne, is fear of God.
They give us a perspective of the reality of the world and the marked differences that exist between a Christian and a person who does not have salvation. The word of God tells us that we are the Light of this world.
Reflecting on the deception, the pride, the lazy, the evil heart, the rebellious son, we understand that they really are people who live under the darkness that dominates the world.
While if we reflect on the path that many times is not easy for the Christian, we find that even in difficulty there is hope, joy and faith. This because we firmly believe in the promises that our Father has given us.
A person alone cannot face the problems that life gives you, but with the wisdom of God everything is possible. Have enough humility to understand and bend your knees before Jehovah to tell him: I am here, I need you, give me your wisdom and walk with me. Only a person who is simple at heart and who really has knowledge of the Most High does it.
I invite you to start applying these teachings in your home with your family, then extend it to your church and finally to everything around you. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and to guide you to see and feel even more of his wonderful presence.
I hope that this post gives you a deeper understanding of the word of God and that is why I am giving you this audiovisual that talks about the beginning and importance of this wonderful book that we find in the Old Testament.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S-XbjQj2og