PROVERBS LESSON 11


    In this lesson we will begin in Proverbs 9:1 "Wisdom hath builded
her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:"

    The first thing we must look at here is the "house". The wise
person (Christian) is building a house. This is a spiritual house that
we read about in I Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up
a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." We can read a great
deal about the Christian being God's house in chapter 3 of Hebrews. It
would be good to read from verse 1 through 6. I will just quote verse
6 here, Hebrews 3:6 "But Christ as a son over his own house; whose
house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the
hope firm unto the end." In Revelation chapter 21 verse 3, we see that
the tabernacle of God is with men.  God is our house, and we are His.
These "seven pillars" are similar to the seven pillars in the temple
in Jerusalem.  "Seven" means spiritually complete, and we see the
perfection that God will build His house. We also see seven churches
in Revelation which are symbolic of all Christendom. We also see the
seven gifts of the Spirit which supports the church.

    Proverbs 9:2 "She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her
wine; she hath also furnished her table."

    We see here in the "mingled wine" the wine that has been diluted
with water for drinking in the temple. The table is well furnished
with beasts and wine.

    Proverbs 9:3 "She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the
highest places of the city,"

    We see in this Scripture the "she", of course, is wisdom.
"Maidens" in God's sight are the bride of Christ. In this case, these
would be those who are going out with a wise message to invite people
to the marriage supper of the Lamb.  This then would be ministers who
go everywhere and bring God's message calling them to be saved and to
come to this supper.


    Proverbs 9:4 "Whoso [is] simple, let him turn in hither: [as for]
him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him," Proverbs 9:5 "Come,
eat of my bread, and drink of the wine [which] I have mingled."

    God sends to the lowly of the earth the invitation to come to Him.
In fact, the invitation is to whosoever will. You see, ordinarily it
is not the worldly wise who come humbly to God, but it is just
ordinary people like you and I.  The invitation here in V-5 is the
same Jesus gave the disciples. He broke the bread and said eat of His
body and served the wine and said drink of His blood. Bread and wine
are communion dishes. They are the communion of the saints with the
Lord.

    Proverbs 9:6 "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of
understanding."

    Only a fool would say there is no God. We are to turn from our
foolish ways (forsake) so that we might have everlasting life. To go
in the way of understanding, is to accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior
and Lord.

    Proverbs 9:7 "He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself
shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked [man getteth] himself a blot."

    When you witness to someone about the Scriptures trying to get
them saved and they ridicule you for it and want to argue about it, it
is best not to argue.  Sometimes their guilt becomes so great, that
they might tell lies and do you harm. This does not mean that we are
to stop trying to help people come to the Lord; but it does mean if we
see they are angered by our trying to help them, just go on and leave
them alone.

    Proverbs 9:8 "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a
wise man, and he will love thee."

    We see here that some people will not accept your message if it
corrects error in their life. Some people, if you remind them of sin
in their life, will hate you.  I have heard people say in church, if
the preacher doesn't step on their toes pretty often, he is not a good
preacher. These are the wise who want to be reminded of their sins so
they can repent.

    Proverbs 9:9 "Give [instruction] to a wise [man], and he will be
yet wiser: teach a just [man], and he will increase in learning."

    There is really no question about what this means. Those who are
wise are eager to take instruction from someone who knows a little
more about the subject.  The only people who can increase in learning
are the ones who want to learn.

    Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom:
and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding."

    We touched on this earlier in Proverbs, but we will say here, fear
of God is reverence of God. I Samuel chapter 12 verse 14 and 15 tells
us about the advantages of those who fear the Lord over those who do
not . I Samuel 12:14 "If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and
obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD,
then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue
following the LORD your God:" I Samuel 12:15 "But if ye will not obey
the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD,
then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as [it was] against
your fathers." The holy here is God.  So this is saying the knowledge
of God is understanding.

    Proverbs 9:11 "For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the
years of thy life shall be increased."
    This is not only speaking of our life being extended here on
earth, but for all of eternity.

    Proverbs 9:12 "If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself:
but [if] thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear [it]."

    We see here that it is our own responsibility to seek wisdom, and
it is our own loss if we reject the Lord.

    Proverbs 9:13  "A foolish woman [is] clamorous: [she is] simple,
and knoweth nothing."

    This has a literal meaning. A foolish woman is a woman who does
not have godly ways. This describes a woman with poor morals. This
also can be symbolic of the opposite of wisdom. Foolishness is
rejection of God. Certainly this person would know nothing that is
truly important.

    Proverbs 9:14 "For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat
in the high places of the city," Proverbs 9:15 "To call passengers who
go right on their ways:"  Proverbs 9:16 "Whoso [is] simple, let him
turn in hither: and [as for] him that wanteth understanding, she saith
to him,"

    The literal of this woman would be that of the harlot woman who
waits on the street corner and seduces her victims. The men who are
not of God get involved in her sin. The spiritual, here, has to do
with those who reject God and go the way of the world. In both cases,
we would have to say that they are lacking in understanding.

    Proverbs 9:17 "Stolen waters are sweet, and bread [eaten] in
secret is pleasant." Proverbs 9:18 "But he knoweth not that the dead
[are] there; [and that] her guests [are] in the depths of hell."

    "Stolen waters" here is speaking of a man having an affair with a
harlot. This is not his wife. Adultery, as we have said before, leads
to hell and destruction. It is interesting that wisdom offered meat
and wine to her guests and the foolish offers bread and water. It
seems that the world wants only the forbidden fruit. But just as it
led Adam and Eve to destruction, so will it bring the foolish down.
Death and hell await the foolish who reject God.













                         Proverbs 11 Questions

1.  In verse 1, how many pillars have been hewn?
2.  What had seven pillars in the building?
3.  Who is building a spiritual house?
4.  What are the Christians called in I Peter chapter 2?
5.  In Hebrews chapter 3 verse 6, we are God's house if we do what?
6.  In Revelation chapter 21 verse 3, the tabernacle of God is where?
7.  What other seven can be thought of as holding up the church?
8.  What does "mingled wine" mean?
9.  Maidens in God's sight are whom?
10. In this particular use of "maidens", it is probably who?
11. In V-4, calling of the simple is what?
12. In V-5, the bread and wine remind us of what?
13. Forsake the foolish and -------------.
14. What does "forsake" mean?
15. In V-7, what does reproving a scorner mean?
16. If you repove a scorner, he will ----------------.
17. Rebuke a wise man and he will --------------------.
18. The wise are eager for what in V-9?
19. The knowledge of the holy is  --------------.
20. Who is holy?
21. What is meant by fear of God?
22. By wisdom what can happen to your life?
23. Whose responsibility is it to receive wisdom?
24. What kind of woman is clamorous?
25. What is the literal meaning of this type of woman?
26. What lie does she tell them to seduce them?