The Fear of the LORD

Pastor Jim Thomas

Three goals for today:

1. Introduce the book of Proverbs
2. Identify the central theme of Proverbs
3. Show how the wisdom of God finds its ultimate expression in the person and work of Jesus

Proverbs: The Wisdom and the Ways of God

• Genre: wisdom literature
• Structure and contents
  • 31 chapters
  • 915 verses or sayings
  • 15,043 words
• Authorship and date

Proverb = Hebrew: mashal

Proverbs will often teach by comparing and contrasting things:

• Right and Wrong
• Wisdom and Folly
• Righteousness and Wickedness
• Discipline and Recklessness
• Better and Best
• Diligence and Laziness
• Honesty and Falsehood
• Humility and Pride
• Confidence and Fear
• Instruction and Impulse
• Friends and Foes

Questions We Ask

• What should we value in life? 
• What kind of people turn out to be faithful friends and what does it mean to be a good friend?
• What’s the wisest way to manage money, time, and other resources?
• What’s the wisest way to discipline children?
• What should we do with our anger and hurt feelings?
• How should we manage our desires for things like food, sex, and power?
• What’s the wisest way to express ourselves when using words?
• What does wisdom have to say about the more notorious sins: lying, drunkenness, greed, anger, and pride?
• Can wisdom help us avoid temptation, trials, conflict or calamity?
• Can wisdom help me get a better night’s sleep?

“All the wisdom of this world is but a tiny raft upon which we must set sail when we leave this earth. If only there was a firmer foundation upon which to sail, perhaps some divine word.” 
– Socrates (469-399 B.C.)

Proverbs 1:1-7

• The Significance of Wisdom
• The Source of Wisdom
• The Secret of Wisdom

“The wisdom of God does not stand aloof, as if she were too good for us. She graciously moves toward us, into our real world where we live and struggle day by day. She offers us her very best, if we will only listen. With the overwhelming flood of information and opinion in our times, much of it a mixture of spin, sound bites, and trivialities, it is a relief to turn back to the Bible. It is a relief to slow down and pay close attention to deep insights that have stood the test of time.” 
– Ray Ortlund, Proverbs: Wisdom that Works

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
– Proverbs 1:7

“The greatness of God rouses fear within us, but His goodness encourages us not to be afraid of Him. To fear and not be afraid – that is the paradox of faith.” 
– A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

“In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that – and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison – you do not know God at all. A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” 
– C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

The Significance of Wisdom

• Instruction
• Understanding
• Wise behavior
• Prudence
• Knowledge and discretion
• Increased learning

“Wisdom is the power to see and the inclination to choose the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.” 
– J.I. Packer, Knowing God

“Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD.”
– Proverbs 1:29 

“Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God.”
– Proverbs 2:5 

“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.”
– Proverbs 8:13  

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
– Proverbs 9:10  

“The fear of the LORD prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.”
– Proverbs 10:27  

“In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.”
– Proverbs 14:26

“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, That one may avoid the snares of death.”
– Proverbs 14:27 

“Better is a little with the fear of the LORD Than great treasure and turmoil with it.”
– Proverbs 15:16

“The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.”
– Proverbs 15:33 

“By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil.”
– Proverbs 16:6 

“The fear of the LORD leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.”
– Proverbs 19:23  

“The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor and life.”
– Proverbs 22:4  

“Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always.”
– Proverbs 23:17 

“For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

– Proverbs 2:6

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”  
– James 1:5  

How does the wisdom of God find its ultimate expression in the person and work of Jesus?

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.’”
– 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

“…that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
– Colossians 2:2-3

“When the right fear of the Lord takes possession of our hearts, we are both lost in amazement and struck by awe, even terror, for we discover that God, since the beginning of time, has not hated or threatened you and me, but has loved and chosen us.” 
– Karl Barth, Deliverance to the Captives

“When we look at the cross we see the justice, love, wisdom and power of God.  It is not easy to decide which is the most luminously revealed, whether the justice of God in judging sin, or the love of God in bearing the judgment in our place, or the wisdom of God in perfectly combining the two, or the power of God in saving those who believe… The cross assures us that this God is the reality within, behind and beyond the universe.” 
– John Stott, The Cross of Christ