The Way of the Wise - Proverbs
1 - The Sin Trap
These proverbs are all parables or illustrations about life. How do you regard this book? Do you see it as a random assortment of lazy sayings? Well, it is actually an educational course in the life of wisdom. Chapters 1 to 9 are evangelistic telling us how we can find the Christ so clearly revealed in the New Testament. The central portion is for young believers and the final portion is for more mature believers.
Solomon explains his purpose in writing in chapter 1:2 to 7. He tells us how to attain wisdom and discipline and understanding. Do we need wisdom? Yes we do! Wisdom is a major theme in this book. This wisdom has been described as a rainbow of colours, they all merge into one another; any one of these can be used to represent them all. What are these colours? In chapter 1:2, we have just two of them, they are wisdom and understanding. Wisdom means spiritual shrewdness and it suggests this wisdom will be hard won. It is a quality of character as much as of the mind. So it is not just about knowledge and insight, it is about lifestyle; it is about the fashioning of a godly character; it is about head knowledge becoming heart knowledge.
This wisdom is only for true disciples, those who come to trust in Christ for themselves. It is wisdom and discipline. Proverbs is not for armchair Christians; it is about real life in the real world, and it is a very practical book. We should add a word of warning. In studying the book of Proverbs, we have to say this: “This book could seriously change your life”.
Verse 2 also speaks about understanding or insight. Solomon once prayed, “That I may discern between good and evil”, so here is another colour in the wisdom rainbow. We need to pray for discernment, and we need to pray for spiritual understanding. Verse 3 describes the lifestyle of the believer. It is to be a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair, that is the Christian life.
We see from verse 4 there is something for the simple. It is doesn’t sound very flattering, but simple here means the naïve, the uninitiated, those who have not yet entered into the life that God offers. It has got nothing to do with intelligence; this is a spiritual condition. People today are generally ignorant of God; ignorant of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; ignorant of God’s word. They do not know who God is. It is in this sense that they are simple. But please note that the book of Proverbs is a very warm, sympathetic, affectionate book. It is the glorious gospel of Christ presented in the Old Testament. Remember the Old Testament is actually full of Christ; we meet him everywhere we look. Jesus said on one occasion, “Search the scriptures for these are they which testify of me” (John 5:39).
In verse 4 we find there is something for the young person. There is knowledge and discretion for those young in years and young in the faith. Proverbs teaches us knowledge and discretion. Here is an element of cunning in a good sense; in other words cleverness means to know the ropes, to be able to plan your life in accordance with God’s wisdom.
Verse 5 has something to say to the mature believer, “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.”
Verse 7 describes the first steps to conversion. Solomon says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” To fear the Lord is to reverence Him and enter into a relationship with Him, to really know Him. In the Old Testament, wisdom is a picture of Christ, and this wisdom is for those who are humble and eager to know God. It is only through Christ that we can truly know God and true wisdom.
In verse 8 Solomon addresses his son: “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.” His son was Rehoboam who became the King of Judah. The picture is this: here is the father at home on the smallholding; each member of the family has a task and a trade. Solomon is referring to the foundation of family life here. It is practical wisdom. The father’s instruction is important for the building of a wise life. The mother’s teaching, as it is called, speaks of the simplest basic things, in other words those things that are taught at a mother’s knee.
Verse 9 describes how such wise teaching, if taken heed of, will make a life beautiful. Solomon says that it will be like a garland to grace the head and a chain to adorn the neck. So too, for the Christian believer, the application of the true wisdom found in the Bible and the imitation of Christ, will make a life that glorifies God. I well remember as a young person, before I was converted, being very challenged by the lives and the very faces of Christian young people when I realised that they had something that I didn’t have. The teaching of the Bible had enriched and beautified their lives.
Then in verse 10 is a word of warning: “My son if sinners entice you do not give into them”. In other words, listen to what God is saying to you, don’t listen to the alternatives.
Now in verses 11 to 14 certain characters are introduced to us. First, we meet the local gang leaders; then, later on in the book, we will meet a young bride, then the local prostitute and then the slick salesman. After these we will be introduced to a very remarkable window.
In verse 11 we have the local criminal gang. You can imagine one of them saying to this young person, “I need to have a word with you, there’s a way to get easy money; you don’t need to work on the farm day after day.” It almost reminds us of the prodigal son in the New Testament who was tempted away from that which was good to that which was dangerous and tragic. Well, this young person has a very attractive plan put before him. They say, “Come along with us, let’s lie in wait for some one and kill them; let’s waylay some harmless soul. If you join in with us we will share the money.” It sounds very attractive, because sin can be very appealing.
In verse 14 we have an accurate picture of the pressure of teenage years in particular: “Throw in your lot with us, come and be part of the crowd”, they say. It can be a very powerful pressure indeed, and we can all experience something of it. We don’t want to miss out on being part of the group that we belong to. It is so tempting to just go along with the crowd. We find that the sin trap is very subtle. These men plan to lie in wait to trap others, but they waylay only themselves. Sin affects and infects the life; sin is very, very destructive. Verse 19 tells us this. It takes away the lives of those who get involved with it. Sin is like fire it burns; sin is powerful it destroys; sin is the greatest problem of all humanity. Someone has well said, “The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.”
Then in verse 15 we have this very tender, affectionate, caring warning of Solomon to his son, “My son do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths.” There is a better way than the way of the group or the crowd. Jesus reminds us that there are two roads through life and only two. He said there are many who are on the broad road that leads to destruction and there are few on the narrow road which leads to life. Which road are you on?