An Introduction to the Book of Proverbs

How to Live Wisely and Successfully in the Fear of the Lord

One year after my first daughter was born, my wife and I had to make some decisions. Our finances were extremely tight. So much so that there was no way we could live off of my income alone. I either needed to get a significant promotion or my wife was going to need to go back to work.

We knew this day would come, but it felt like it came fast then we thought. When we first found out we were pregnant, we were both working. However, we had previously talked about my wife staying home with our children when we first got married.

The time had come, in nine months, my wife would stay home with our child and we would need to live off of my income alone. At that time, I was working for a non-profit and not making very much money.

We sought wisdom and guidance from those around us as well as asking God what he had planned for us. From these times of prayer, we felt that I would need to find a new job and once we did, we would need to save all of my wife’s income from that time until the baby was born.

That’s exactly what we did. It turned out to be enough to help us make it on my brand new, entry-level job for just over one year. Once again, we found ourselves needing wisdom on what to do next.

When You Have A Big Decision Turn To The Book Of Proverbs

Have you ever experienced this before? You have important decisions to make. Ones that would impact your life for years to come. What do you do when this happens? Where do you turn? Do you just go with your gut? Or do you seek the advice of others?

How have your decisions turned out? Did everything go as planned? Or did you experience failure?

We often have the moments in life that are lynchpins in our story. You might need to make a decision like I did to quit a job you love. Sometimes we have to decide to sacrifice. Other times, we get to enjoy something brand new after some struggle.

You might be facing a decision like this right now. You need wisdom. In fact, you might need to have some kind of outside-the-box answer. Often enough, you need to make a decision that requires something more than what you have within you.

It is in these moments when we need to turn to the Book of Proverbs.

Why Read The Book Of Proverbs?

When your life feels out of control or you don’t know where to turn, there is an answer. Every time I have had to make a big decision, I have found myself turning back to the Book of Proverbs.

You might be feeling this now. Everyone is telling you to do one thing, but it doesn’t feel right. Or you want to be doing something specific, but you don’t know how to get there.

You are not alone. You are not the first person to experience this in life. This is why we have been given the Book of Proverbs. But, you will need to make one choice first. You will need to decide right now if you are willing to listen to the instruction and advice that the Book of Proverbs provides.

You don’t have to do what the Book of Proverbs says. It’s a book of the Bible with simple advice. You can decide to do what you want or you can listen to words inspired by God and make a decision that lines up with the will of God.

This is why we need to be reading the Book of Proverbs.

What We Know About The Book Of Proverbs

Before you read any book of the Bible, it is important to learn a little bit about the back story for each book. You must know a little about who wrote it, when it was written, who was the original audience, and the main themes and purposes.

When you learn these details about a book of the Bible, you can better understand how it applies to your life today.

In this section, you will learn these details about the Book of Proverbs and how it can apply to your life. It will be in this section you will begin to understand the nature and role of this book in your life for the big decisions and the everyday decisions.

• Author(s): The Book of Proverbs is attributed to King Solomon of Israel. However, it is generally accepted that he was not the only author. In fact, this book was likely finished long after his life and reign with King Hezekiah and other wise men.
• Date: The Book of Proverbs is a great work. It started with King Solomon who had accounted for over 3,000 proverbs in his lifetime. However, it was likely completed sometime between 715 and 686 BC.
• Audience: Originally written for the people of Israel, this book was quickly encouraged by the early church and was quoted by the New Testament writers.
• Purpose: The purpose of the Book of Proverbs was to provide people with instruction, knowledge, skills, and wisdom for people to live a Godly life with success, abundance, and prosperity.
• Theme: The theme for this book is that wisdom can be found through the fear of the Lord, meaning that we can live a Godly life when we trust in Him, seek His will, study His will, and pursuit it with great discipline.

While most of us know and understand that the Book of Proverbs is about finding and receiving wisdom the key to all of it comes from the pivotal verse found in Proverbs 1:7 which tells us a lot about what we will find in this book:

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and disciple.” Proverbs 1:7, NLT

There are three parts to this verse that is important for us to understand when we read the Book of Proverbs. Each part matters for us as we desire to live Godly lives and live the way God calls us to live on a daily basis.

What We Need To Remember When Reading Proverbs

When we read through the Book of Proverbs we must be thinking about the three parts of Proverbs 1:7. These three parts again are:

• Fear of the Lord
• Foundations for True Knowledge
• Fools Despise Wisdom and Discipline

These three parts give us insight into how we can read the Book of Proverbs, how we can understand what we read, and how we can apply it to our lives.

Fear of the Lord

Many times when we hear this phrase we think brimstone and fire. But the fear of the Lord isn’t about fear in the human sense. It is about reverence for and reliance on God. The fear of the Lord is about our dependence. Without God, who is holy, mighty, and powerful, we cannot do what he has called us to do in life.

Foundations for True Knowledge

True knowledge comes from God. He is the creator of everything and therefore is the one who provides true information. If knowledge comes from God, then wisdom and understanding are from him as well. What God puts before us in this book can lead to Godly living, prosperity, and security.

Fools Despise Wisdom and Discipline

This is important to remember as we read the Book of Proverbs because it is the opposite of wisdom. Fools or the foolish are the ones who refuse to fear the Lord and refuse His knowledge and wisdom. Such people are addressed in this book as well.

The Book of Proverbs Will Change Your Life

If you are seeking to live a life that is full, happy, and prosperous the Book of Proverbs is the place to start. In this book of the Bible, we can learn practical information on how to live according to God’s design as well as information that provides insight into the world around us.

However, it is more than simply read the Book of Proverbs. It is about connecting the information read in this book with and experience with Jesus. When we bring the written word before Jesus and ask Him what it means, He will give us direction and insight to change our lives.

The Book of Proverbs will change your life.

You must commit to doing the work that will actually help you see change. When you intentionally connect with Jesus every day and read through the Book of Proverbs, He will give you knowledge, wisdom, and understanding that will change your life.

Are you ready to see your life changed?

Want to cultivate a regular Bible reading habit? Check out these prayer and meditation guides that will help you read through books of the Bible!

***This story was originally published on Transformed Faith, 5/13/2021***