The Beginning of Knowledge
November 9, 1997
Proverbs 1:7

Introduction:

A. Solomon’s proverbs

1. Three sections: ch. 1-9; ch. 10-24; ch. 25-29 (this last group was put together by the scribes of Hezekiah.)
2. I Kings 4:32 "He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five."
3. About 800 are in this book
4. Ecc. 12:9 "Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs."

B. "Wisdom and instruction" means "skill and discipline"

i.e. there is no skill without discipline

C. This book gets its name from the first Hebrew word that occurs: Proverbs

1. Our English version of this word comes from two Latin words: Pro – verba
2. Means "For – words" and has reference to the condensed wisdom of the book & can mean UpWords

D. The purpose is clearly stated

1. Mental clarity and perception (verses 2 & 6)
2. Moral clarity and discretion (verses 3-5)
3. The most practical skill: living in right standing with God
4. Two key verses: this week’s text and next week’s text

I. The Fear of the Lord: Positive

A. Defining the FOT Lord

1) It is the most often used form of the word "fear" in the Bible
2) God’s majesty and might provokes fear in us

Job 37: 22 "Out of the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty. The Almighty--we cannot find Him; He is exalted in power And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness. Therefore men fear Him; He does not regard any who are wise of heart."

  • e.g. staring into the face of the raging sea
  • staring across the vast Creator Lake and imagining the force and destruction of the volcano
  • how much more to look into the throne room of God or see Him face to face
  • Judges 13: 22 So Manoah said to his wife, "We will surely die, for we have seen God."
  • Isaiah 6: 5 Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined!"
  • John fell as dead man
  • Heb. 10: 31 "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
  • About Jesus the Word Says:
  1. Isaiah 11: 3 "And He will delight in the fear of the LORD..."
  2. Isaiah 33:6 "The fear of the LORD is his treasure."

The Spectrum of fear: fright to awesome respect

B. Beginning of knowledge (1:7)

  1. FOTL is something God wants from us: Exodus 20: 20 "Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."
  2. FOTL is required for obedience: Lev. 19: 14 'You shall not curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the LORD.
  3. It is not knowledge but the beginning: Paul explains this in Romans 1: 21 "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."

C. Beginning of wisdom (9:10)

1. teaches wisdom (15:33 "The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom")

  • Wisdom is a Hebrew also translated skill... i.e. the skillful use of knowledge
  • You want to wisdom? Fear, honor and reverence God.

2. it is wisdom (Job 28:28 )

  • The fear of the Lord keeps us from succumbing to the fear of man

D. To hate evil (Proverbs 8:13)

  • Whatever is contrary to the nature of God, is rejected.
  • Do you love God enough to reject evil?
  • Do you love God enough to seek Him?

II. The Fear of the Lord: Negative

A. Fools despise: the poetic contrast

  • Vain in their imaginations (Romans 1:21)
  • Instead of honoring/despise
  1. functional atheists
  2. ignoring God rather than honoring God

B. Fools despise wisdom

  • They don’t mind knowledge but reject understanding what to do about it = wisdom
  • They despise some of the most logical understanding:
    e.g. the evolutionist’s view of the Puluxis River in Texas
    e.g. the evolutionist’s view of science (spontaneous life; definition of evolution; philosophically – personality birthed from accidents of non-living material?)

C. Fools despise discipline

  • Don’t mind knowledge but hate discipline: wisdom without discipline is just foolishness
  • Instruction, remember, is literally "discipline"
  • To be instructed of the Lord takes discipline
  • "Discipleship"
  • "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Rom 3:18

III. Some Observations

A. This is the beginning

1. Where do you begin for wisdom?
2. Where do you begin for discipline?
3. Where do you begin for you day?
4. Where do you begin parenting?
5. Where do you begin you marriage?

B. This more than an emotion, it is our first responsibility

Exodus 20:1-7, the first four Commandments makes this abundantly clear. "Thou shall have no other God before me, thou shall not worship it, you shall not use My name for any other purpose, you shall not even use My time (i.e. the Sabbath) for any other purpose"