The Zone Gathering

I know that we have already done a Bible Drill on the book of Proverbs, but I wanted to issue a challenge to our leaders to read a chapter of Proverbs every day for the month of March.

Why should we spend time reading Proverbs?  What could we possibly learn from these wise (and sometimes humorous) statements to apply to our daily lives?

The book of Proverbs is classified as “wisdom literature.”  It does not refer to key historical events but, according to The Bible for Dummies, “constitutes a search for order or truth amidst life’s mysteries.”  The word “proverb” comes from the Hebrew word mashal, which means “to rule” or “to govern.”  The proverbs are not merely wise sayings; they are rules covering a broad range of topics that govern life.  In short, proverbs are “rules to live by.”  Halley’s Bible Handbook likens Proverbs to an “owner’s manual for life.”

Most of the book of Proverbs is thought to have been written by King Solomon, although other sections are attributed to Agur (ch. 30) and Lemuel (ch. 31).  The central thesis of Proverbs is that true wisdom comes from God and is centered in respect and reverence for Him.  Proverbs 9:10 makes this point: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One brings understanding.“  God is both the source and example of true wisdom.

The book of Proverbs contains many popular statements that express general truths on a wide variety of subjects, including wisdom, choosing the right companions, the dangers of strong drink, the perils of adultery, the proper treatment of the poor, business transactions, the value of hard work, the values of strong family ties, the folly of pride and anger, the characteristics of genuine friendship, laziness, justice, common sense, control of the tongue, and honesty, to name a few. 

In reading the proverbs, it is important to remember that these wise sayings are just that and should not be interpreted as literal promises!  For example, it is generally true that those who keep God’s commandments will enjoy “length of days and long life” (3:2), but that should not be considered as an ironclad guarantee.  However, even though we cannot bank on these statements as literal promises, it is always important to keep God’s laws and live righteous lives.

As you read, you will notice that the book of Proverbs is broken down into five basic parts: (1) Way of Wisdom (ch. 1-9), written by Solomon; (2) main collection of Solomon’s proverbs (ch. 10-24); (3) Hezekiah’s collection of Solomon’s proverbs (ch. 25-29); (4) the words of Agur (ch. 30); and (5) the words of King Lemuel (ch. 31).  Most of these are brief statements that express general truths.  However, some include longer, connected exhortations (e.g., chapter 2).  Many proverbs express a contrast (e.g., 19:21) while some state an elaboration or consequence of a certain action (e.g., 19:20).  Others use figurative language (e.g., 16:24) to convey a truth about life.

The essence of human wisdom lies in keeping God’s commandments.  Reading through the book of Proverbs opens our eyes to how rich the Word of God is and how obeying Him and following His laws will improve our daily lives.

31 chapters of Proverbs, 31 days in March.  In addition to your daily Bible reading/study, I challenge you to read one chapter of Proverbs every day for the next month.  As you read, pray that God will give you wisdom and open your eyes to His plans and purpose for you!   

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 28th, 2007 at 9:55 am and is filed under Bible Drills. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.