Test 3 Flashcards
Anthropomorphism – He sees all
Omniscience
The eyes of the Lord are in every place,
keeping watch on the evil and the good.
15:3
The Lord is sovereign over human speech
The Lord determines outcomes
The plans of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord
16:1
God already has a sovereign plan
Everything He does and allows achieves the purposes He has designed for them
“There are no loose ends in God’s universe” (Kidner)
Even the wicked man will “get his answer” (Waltke)
“God ensures that everyone’s actions and their consequences correspond” (Ross)
The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
16:4
God controls apparently random events
The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.
16:33
God guides us by means of our conscience
The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord,
searching all this innermost parts.
20:27
God directs thoughts like a farmer designs irrigation canals
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
21:1
The Path to Destruction
Contrast with the Fear of the Lord, which is the path to wisdom
- Pride goes before destruction,
and a haughty spirit before a fall.
16:18
The Hopelessness of Pride
Note verses 1-11
The proud man is worse than the fool!
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
26:12
The Ultimate Test We are tested by the praise we receive We are tested by what we praise The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.
27:21
Promotion
Cf. Luke 14:8-11, where Christ uses this proverb to rebuke the pride of the Pharisees
Included in this lack of self-promotion is the proper response when we receive promotion from others
25:6-7
Candid Self-Assessment
Unknown wise man (cf. 1 Kings 4:30-31)
Despite displaying significant knowledge, Agur confesses that he does not know anything as he ought to know
His confession puts us, his readers, in our place
The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.1
The man declares, I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and worn out.2
- Surely I am too mstupid to be a man.
I have not the understanding of a man.
30:1-2
The Highest Knowledge
Agur desires to know God better
This poetically speaks of how awesome God is
Verse 4 reminds us of Job 38-41, where similar questions are asked
God’s name = His character, which his incomprehensible
His son’s name – probably refers to Israel, exalted by God as His chosen people to receive revelation beyond any other people (contra Steveson)
- I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of nthe Holy One.
- Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is his son’s name?
Surely you know!
30:3-4
Trusting God’s Word, not My Mind
Tried = purified in a smelting pot
Scripture has no imperfections (cf. 1 Pet. 2:2)
The proud man does not rest in Scripture but insists on adding his own thoughts
Second manifestation
-Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
- Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
30:5-6
Desiring the Middle Way of Life
He prays for character – don’t let me be vain, believing things about myself that are not true
He prays for circumstances conducive to character
Not rich, because he might be self-sufficient (not thinking he needs the Lord)
Not poor, because he might be self-reliant (taking matters into his own hands)
-Two things I ask of you;
deny them not to me before I die:
-Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
- lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God
30:7-9
Kindness to Others
We find joy ourselves by being kind to others
-Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor
14:21
Fear of the Lord
Happiness is found in constantly fearing
- Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always,
but whoever ahardens his heart will fall into calamity.
28:14
Faithful A strong marriage is rooted in trust -Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. -Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? -Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.
5:15-17
Intimate
A strong marriage is nurtured through giving of oneself unreservedly
Let your fountain be blessed,
and srejoice in the wife of your youth,
a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
be intoxicated always in her love.
Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
5:18-20
Not “spoils” but “hates”
Nothing harms children more than being left to their own sinful natures
“Betimes” = early (literally) or earnestly; discipline should be one of the parents’ highest priorities
Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
13:24
“Findeth good”
He who finds a wife finds a good thing
and obtains favor from the Lord.
18:22
These verses are parallel
Both verses teach that discipline will protect a child from death (premature physical death and, ultimately, spiritual death)
Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.
If you strike him with the rod,
you will save his soul from Sheol.
23:13-14
Training Children
Three primary interpretations
Psychological view – train a child according to his own gifts, abilities, tendencies, etc.; training should be adapted to each child
Promise view – if parents are faithful in their discipline and example, this verse guarantees that their children will turn out right (at least, eventually)
Proverb view – this verse expresses the parents’ responsibility and attaches the encouragement that most children respond appropriately to such training
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
22:6
AV translators emended the first half to achieve clarity
“Friendly” is Hebrew word that means “will be shattered”
First half is literally: “A man of [many] friends will come to ruin”
Contrast is between one true friend, who sticks closer than a brother, and many fair-weather friends, who will ruin you
A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother
18:24
“Countenance” = face (literally), character
Good friends sharpen one another’s character
Iron sharpens iron,
and one man sharpens another.4
27:17
Conciliatory – the key is responding properly in tense situations
Considered – not just having knowledge, but expressing it correctly
Wholesome – our words can be a source of vitality to others, like the Tree of Life
-A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.
-The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
-A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
15:1-2, 4
V. 13 – “Not a shirker but a ‘realist’”
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!”
V. 14 – “Not self-indulgent but ‘below his best in the morning’”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so does a sluggard on his bed.
V. 15 – “His inertia is ‘an objection to being hustled’”
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth.
V. 16 – “His mental idolence [is] a fine ‘sticking to his guns’”
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven men who can answer sensibly.
26
How one treats animals is an index to character
Note God’s attitude in Jonah 4:11
Balance with biblical teaching that animals are for man, not man for animals
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but he who hates reproof is stupid
12:10
Quoted by Paul in Romans 12:20
Bad interpretation: coals of fire = doing someone kindness by supplying fire for him
Do we do our enemy kindness so that God will judge him?
No, we act kindly and leave room for God to sort things out
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat,
and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
for you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
25:21-22
Wile E. Coyote Principle
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
26:27
“Virtuous” = valorous or heroic
Like wisdom, her value surpasses rubies
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
She is a rare find (10)
She has earned her husband’s absolute confidence
He doesn’t need to go out to the wars to get plunder
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She is trustworthy (11)
Key criterion: does this activity do my family good?
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She is family-focused (12)
Honored by her children
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Praised by her husband
“You’re the best wife a guy could have!”
She is praiseworthy (28a)
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
She is appreciated (28b-29)
She has the beauty that doesn’t fade
Cf. 1 Peter 3:3-4
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
She is godly (30)
God notices what the godly housewife does
We should too!
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
She is rewarded (31)
• In 10:24 what ultimately is the “fear of the wicked”?
o God
• What is the root idea of the Hebrew term translated virtuous in 12:4?
o Strength and worth
• Proverbs 11:17 says, “The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth is own flesh.” Kidner summarizes this as
o “The deed affects the doer most.”
• Which of the following best expresses the meaning of “love covereth all sins”?
o Love does not stir up or harp on sins
• Why primarily do we condemn dishonesty?
o For God’s sake
• What is the most misleading way to feel wise?
o To feel superior
• Which of the following is NOT one of the rules for the use of words found in 10:19-21?
o Speak truth in love; they are what you make of them, use them sparingly, they are worth what you are worth
• A righteous man will be considerate even to animals because he respects the due relations and proportions of things. What is the other reason Kidner suggests?
o As a man of God, he himself has been a recipient of mercy
• What is the lesson of the following proverb?
o Where no oxen are, the crib is clean:
o but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
o Upheaval, and sometimes a mess, is the price of growth
