Proverbs 1

On Sunday 7/13/2014, our preacher started a study of the book out Proverbs.  He made some good point about how to read the book of Proverbs, which I will cover in a later post (I forgot my notes at home). Well at the end of his lesson he challenged use to read the book with him.  The book has 31 chapters.  This is Chapter 1, while reading I will make some notes about what the book says to me.    

Proverbs 1

The first couple of verses tell us who the this chapter is written for.  then we get in to the meat of the chapter. 

Verses 10 -19

This passage  tell me that we need to be careful about who we allow to influence our life.  If people influences you to do bad thing s our go against your teaching you should not listen to them.  You need to stand up for what you believe in.  I need to stand up for what I believe in an not be influenced by the people who tell me not to.  The people who influence us to go against what we believe in just want to use us got there own gain.  We need to start listening to that voice in side of us that tells us what we are doing is wrong.

Verse 20-21  

Talks about Wisdom as being a woman, I found this interesting.  I know that Proverbs can't be read literally, but i still find it interesting. There is 2 parts that I think makes this interesting.

1. Wisdom as a woman, why if it is not to be read literally why not use he, or him?

2.  If woman have a leadership role in the old testament, why do we have such an issue about in today's Church?

Part 2 is really a longer study and discussion then I want to talk about today, just remember part 2 for later. Part 1 I emailed my preacher about  here is his response:

Referring to wisdom as a woman is a figure of speech called "personification." In English, most nouns don't have gender, but in most foreign languages, including Hebrew, nouns may be feminine or masculine or neuter. In Hebrew, "wisdom" is a feminine noun. Why? Don't know. It just is. It may be no more complicated than to say that wisdom is a "she" because it's a feminine noun and we shouldn't make much more of it than that. Proverbs 8-9 contrasts worldly wisdom (folly - 9:13) and godly wisdom using the metaphors of a virtuous and a loose woman. It's a personification - a figure of speech not meant to be taken literally.

Which makes since to me, so part one is answered for me.

Verses 22-33

Is "Wisdom" talking about what happens if you do not listen to wisdom.  "Wisdom" is calling you and me to listen and follow the Lord.  yet when we do not listen and follow to her she will be there when disaster happens.  

Yet there is HOPE.

"Wisdom"closes the chapter with a verse of hope. Verse 33 from the NIV reads: 

33but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

If we listen to Wisdom, if we follow the Lord, we will have safety and be at ease.  that is Awesome, but how do we know we are listening to the correct wisdom?

I hope the rest of the book of Proverbs will tell us.