Proverbs: The Wisdom of Christ

Proverbs Thematic Sermon - A Heart that Fears the Lord (Erik Veerman)

The Heart of the Matter: Fear the Lord We started our Proverbs study last August. Today we are wrapping it up. I trust and have prayed that the Lord would use this in our lives. And based on conversations with some of you, I believe he has. Before I read our concluding verses, I want to reminder you of how Proverbs defines wisdom. Do you remember? Biblical wisdom is (1) seeking to know God and his Word, (2) humbly reflecting God’s goodness and righteousness in everyday life, and (3) striving to discern what is true and right and good, and what is not. So, 3 things – knowledge, righteousness, and discernment. Not any knowledge, but the knowledge of God and his Word. Not righteousness as we define it, but righteousness as God has revealed. And not a general discernment, but discerning what is true, right, and good on the path of life. That is wisdom – that is what God revealed to us through Solomon in the very first chapter. And that is what we’ve seen all throughout the book. Knowledge, righteousness, and discernment from God contrasted with the selfish foolishness and wickedness of the world. One path leads to life and peace and the other path to death and condemnation. Today, we are going to end where we began. We are going to end with the very first step on the path of wisdom. And that first step is to fear of the Lord. We’ve come across that phrase many times. To be exact, a dozen times so far – so it’s not new. And today, we’ll conclude with a few more references. So, if you would take your proverbs insert out one last time. On the inside, you’ll note the two groupings of verses. The first is about the heart and the second is about fearing the Lord. Reading of selected verse --------------------------- Knowing Your Heart and Knowing Him Who Knows Your Heart 14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. 15:11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD;     how much more the hearts of the children of man! 15:13 A glad heart makes a cheerful face,     but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil,     but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,     and good news refreshes the bones. 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,     and the LORD tests hearts. 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 19:3 When a man's folly brings his way to ruin,     his heart rages against the LORD. 20:5 The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water,     but a man of understanding will draw it out. 20:9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,     but the LORD weighs the heart. 27:19 As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man. The Blessings of Fearing the Lord with Your Heart, the Curses of Rejecting Him 14:2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD,     but he who is devious in his ways despises him. 14:26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,     and his children will have a refuge. 15:16 Better is a little with the fear of the LORD     than great treasure and trouble with it. 15:33 The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,     and humility comes before honor. 16:6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,     and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil. 16:20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good,     and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. 27:21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,    and a man is tested by his praise. 28:14 Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always,     but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. --------------------------- Prayer A couple times in our series, we’ve considered the mighty lion Aslan. He’s the Christ figure in CS. Lewis’s Narnia series. And if you remember from an earlier sermon, he’s described by the Beavers as “not safe…. but good.” Well, in Lewis’ book, The Silver Chair, he writes about a young girl named Jill who had been transported to Aslan’s Country. Jill soon found herself lost in the woods. She’s been separated from her friend Eustice. And Jill was extremely thirsty. She was lost and afraid and desperately needed to drink. As she wandered, Jill came across a bubbling stream of fresh water. But as she approached it, standing in her way was a great lion, and she froze ---------------------- “Are you not thirsty?" said the Lion. "I am dying of thirst," said Jill. "Then drink," said the Lion. "May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?" said Jill. The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience. The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic. "Will you promise not to — do anything to me, if I do come?" said Jill. "I make no promise," said the Lion. Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer. "Do you eat girls?" she said. "I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms," said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it. "I daren't come and drink," said Jill. "Then you will die of thirst," said the Lion. "Oh dear!" said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then." "There is no other stream," said the Lion. It never occurred to Jill to disbelieve the Lion – no one who had seen his stern face could do that – and her mind suddenly made itself up. It was the worst thing she had ever had to do, but she went forward to the stream, knelt down, and began scooping up water in her hand. It was the coldest, most refreshing water she had ever tasted. You didn’t need to drink much of it, for it quenched your thirst at once. --------------------------- Jill had stood there trembling… she recognized Aslan’s strength and that her life was in his hands. And then, she submitted to him. In the novel, that was the defining moment for Jill in her journey. And it illustrates fearing the Lord. You see, fear of the Lord is absolutely where every journey of wisdom needs to begin. And the beautiful thing is that as you grow in your recognition of and trust in the Lord, your godly fear of him will also grow. It will more and more become the source of hope and trust and peace that you can draw upon in all of life. We’ve come across that phrase “fear of the Lord” many times in the book of Proverbs. One commentator said it’s like the vein of gold that runs throughout the book. It’s used 19 times throughout Proverbs. We find the phrase in chapter 1 verse 7… and it’s in the second to last verse of the whole book. 1. Fearing the Lord Now, you may be thinking, can you explain more what it means to fear the Lord? Am I supposed to be scared of God? I want to begin by defining fear of the Lord more thoroughy. We’ve considered fearing the Lord in a general sense throughout our Proverbs study. We’ve talked about it as the reverent awe and worship of God. Do you remember that? It’s a good starting definition. But now that we’ve made it through Proverbs, we’re able to go much deeper. We’ve already seen several things about fearing the Lord. Let me remind you of them. ·      In chapter 1, verse 7 and chapter 9 verse 10, fearing the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, the beginning of knowing the Holy One – God himself. As you know, that’s been our theme for our Proverbs study – the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. ·      Similarly, in chapter 2, we learned that when you fear the Lord, you will find the knowledge of God. That’s why fearing the Lord is so pivotal in your life. ·      In chapter 8, a reverent fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. In other words, fearing the Lord is hating what the Lord hates. ·      In chapters 10 and 14, fearing the Lord is a fountain of life for you beyond the snares of death. That is one of the many results of fearing the Lord. ·      And similarly, in chapters 19 and 22, we learned that the fear of the Lord is life! When we fear the Lord, we have life in him. Some of those themes are found in our verses today. Look at the bottom left of your insert. 14:2 - Someone who “walks in uprightness fears the Lord.” That’s what it looks like to fear the Lord – it’s walking in God’s righteousness. And the next verse listed,14:26 - when you fear the Lord, you will have “strong confidence.” In other words, you’ll have assurance in him. And one more: 15:33 on the right. Fear of the Lord “is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” Similar to other verses, the source to wisdom is fearing the Lord, which necessarily requires humility. Remember that call to humility from chapter 30 – the wisdom of Agur. Let me say it this way – No one verse in Proverbs gives us a full definition of fearing the Lord. Rather, what Proverbs has done over these 31 chapters, is give us different camera angles of fearing the Lord. It’s revealed various layers like the source of fearing the Lord, the blessings that come from fearing the Lord, and how fearing the Lord recognizes the transcendence of God’s very nature. In fact, that is where fearing the Lord begins. You need to see the glory and might and majesty of God. That is why the word “fear” is used. We think of that word and terror comes to mind. But when it comes to fearing the Lord, it’s having a humble understanding of the one true God of the heavens and earth who is unsurpassed in his transcendence. Remember our thematic study on the omniscience, the omnipresence, and the omnipotence of God. How he is all-knowing and present every where and all powerful. Your life and my life are dependent fully on him. He has the power to move mountains and destroy empires. Nothing is hidden from his sight, and nothing is out of his control in the vast universe that he has created. As Jill gazed on Aslan – she saw for the first time, the majesty of the great lion. And she knew that he had the power to give her life or else, she would die. And what did she do? She trusted him That is the next step. After recognizing the grandeur of God, fearing the Lord necessarily requires trusting in him and worshiping him. That’s where humility comes into play. To see God in all his wonder and power, our response needs to be one of humble worship… bowing down to the one in whom we have our life and being, bowing down to the one who can give you life… and bowing down because you know he will judge your foolishness and wickedness and you will die if you do not fear him. And there are amazing blessings when you do. I’ve already highlighted some of them. In fact, that word bless is found a couple of times in these verses. Look on the right. Proverbs 16:20 – the second line. “blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” And just 2 verses below that, 28:14 – “blessed is the one who fears the Lord.” What are those blessings? Well, so many! Besides life, which we already considered, we have peace which comes from fearing the Lord. We’re given wisdom in this life when we fear the Lord. Think back to our definition of wisdom. When we fear the Lord, we’re given knowledge of God and his way. When we fear the Lord, he enables us to pursue his righteousness. And that leads to all the blessings and joy of living out his commands. And we are given discernment as we navigate the complexities of the world – life’s joys and sorrows. Do you see how Proverbs has not just called us to fear the Lord but has revealed what it means to fear him, how to fear him, and the blessings of fearing the Lord. Some of you will be familiar with Sinclair Ferguson. He’s a Scottish pastor and scholar. Listen to this summary definition of fearing the Lord. He says that it’s the “indefinable mixture of reverence, fear, pleasure, joy, and awe which fills our hearts when we realize who God is and what he has done for us.” If I could mimic his Scottish accent, I would. That definition pretty much captures it. Again, Ferguson says it’s “That indefinable mixture of reverence, fear, pleasure, joy, and awe which fills our hearts when we realize who God is and what he has done for us.” That’s a good transition to where we’re heading next. The phrase, “which fills our hearts” and the phrase “what he has done for us.” So, let’s move on from what fearing the Lord means to now, where that fear needs to live. Hearts that Fear the Lord Our reverent fear of the Lord needs to be the center of our hearts. If you look at the first set of verses, you’ll see that word “heart” several times. I want to remind you that the Hebrew use of that word heart is much more expansive than our use of it today. Pretty much today we equate the word heart with our feelings. But the use back then encompassed the very center of what one cherishes and believes. To be sure, we do have feelings that come from the core of what we hold to be right. But we can also have feelings which contradict our beliefs. What I am saying is that the word heart, as used here, goes much deeper. It is the core of your inner life. It’s what you love most, which motivates and directs you. Proverbs 14:13 is a good example of that. It’s on the left. “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.” There may be moments when on the outside your are joyful or you laugh – but deep down your heart may ache or grieve. Do you see how the word heart goes deeper? Other words here confirm this. Bitterness is one of them. Bitterness is like cancer of your soul. It can consume you and cause self-pity that rots your heart. If you know someone driven by bitterness, you’ll know what I mean. Another one is “a crushed spirit.” A heart so sad with either grief or sorrow that you despair of life. Friends, this is why the fear of the Lord needs to be at the center of your heart! Because it will help turn your crushed spirit and bitterness to deep joy and peace. I’m not saying that someone with a godly fear of the Lord will never struggle with bitterness or discouragement. No. But over time as that fear of the Lord matures and sinks deep into your heart, the Lord will give you (more and more!) a deep joy. Listen to some of the phrases in these verses – 15:13 - “a glad heart,” 15:15 “a cheerful heart,” 17:22 “a joyful heart.” That comes when your heart fears the Lord. To put this all together – fearing the Lord is to fear him from the deepest part of your soul – the very center of your being – who you are and what you cherish the most – fearing the living Lord of heaven and earth, who made you, and who calls you to fear him with your heart. And when you fear him, he will be at work turning your bitterness into peace, your sorrow into joy – it will be refreshing to your bones as it says. Fearing the Lord is to believe in Christ Ok, there’s one more thing here. And this is the key to it all. Fearing the Lord requires believing by faith in Christ. As Ferguson put it, realizing not just who God is but as he says, “what he has done for us” Look at Proverbs 16:6. It’s there on the right “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.” To atone for something is to make amends after a wrongdoing. Atonement requires a suitable compensation or action to make things right or to restore a relationship. That is atonement. Think back on all the descriptions of foolishness and wickedness in Proverbs. It’s been a lot! All of it is rebellion against God and his Word and righteousness. The only way that our iniquity against God can be atoned for is by God himself making things right. And that atonement has been accomplished through Jesus Christ, alone. He gave his life as an atonement for our sin, so that we may have new life. That is the “steadfast love and faithfulness” of 16:6. And he gives us a new heart so that we may fear him. Have you ever thought about that? Because of God’s steadfast love in atoning for our foolish and wicked ways and because he has giving us a new heart, we can now fear the Lord with reverent awe in our hearts.  If the promised Christ had not come, our fear would only be terror. If we knew the utter holiness and power and justice of God but knew not the Gospel, our fear would be dread. But in fact, Christ has come, and through him we can rightly fear the Lord in reverent awe for who he is, and what he has done. As we read earlier from 1 Corinthians 1, that is why “we preach Christ crucified.” Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God... Who, as it says, “became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Fearing the Lord is believing in Christ. One of the most popular books every written, besides the Bible, is John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s progress. It was published in 1678. And it remained the second most popular book in the world behind the Bible for 300 years – until about 50 years ago. And it’s a novel or really an allegory about the journey of faith. The main character is a man named Christian. And he is on the path to the celestial city. And on his journey, he comes across temptations and trials like… meeting Mr. Worldly Wiseman or getting stuck in the Slough of Despond. Really, Christian comes across a lot of the foolishness and temptations we’ve read in Proverbs. One of his friends is Hopeful. And at one point they both meet Ignorance. Well, ignorance has no ears to hear about faith in Christ alone. And Christian and Hopeful notice that many in the world are just like Ignorance. Here’s some of their conversation, which, by the way, I’ve revised into modern English. Christian said this to Hopeful: “[they] do not understand that their feelings of guilt and shame and fear are for their good. They instead desperately seek to suppress them and to stubbornly continue to deceive themselves by following their own desires.” Hopeful replied. “I do believe, as you say, that fear is for their good, and will put them on the right path at their beginning of their journey.” “Without a doubt,” Christian responded, “for as the Word of God rightly says, ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’” “How would you describe that right fear?” Hopeful asked. “True or righteous fear,” Christian said, “can be known by three things: 1. First, its origin, which begins with a conviction of sin that reveals a need for salvation. 2. Second, righteous fear drives the soul to hold fast to Christ for salvation. 3. And third, [a right fear of the Lord] instills and maintains a deep reverence for God, His Word, and His ways, keeping the soul sensitive to him, and fearful of straying from or dishonoring God, or forgetting the peace he gives, or ignoring the conviction of the Spirit, or allowing the enemy to speak his lies.”  “Well said,” hopeful agreed, “You have spoken the truth.” As we close out this series, there’s one thing that I hope you will remember from our Proverbs study. And that is this: Christ is the key to all of it. You cannot read Proverbs without seeing your need for salvation in him. You cannot understand the fear of the Lord without trusting in Christ and believing by faith in his Gospel. And you cannot pursue the path of wisdom and righteousness without Jesus going before you in his perfect wisdom and righteousness. King Solomon and his sons looked to the Holy One, the Messiah, who would come to fulfill all of this. We look to him who has come. Conclusion In closing, there’s one more thing in these verses. The Lord knows you. He knows your heart. Proverbs 15:11 “Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD (by the way, that’s talking about the grave and hell); how much more the hearts of the children of man!” There’s nothing hidden from his sight. He knows your thoughts and your motivations. He knows everything about you. Proverbs 17:3 “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.” And similarly, just a few verses later, “the LORD weighs the heart.” He knows whether your heart fears him. And he desires you to know and fear him. If you do not know and fear the Lord through Christ, it’s time. In the words of Aslan, “There is no other stream.” May we all fear the Lord… because, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Amen.

Podcast E35 - A Heart That Fears the Lord

14:10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. 15:11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD; how much more the hearts of the children of man! 15:13 A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast. 15:30 The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes[ab] the bones. 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts. 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 19:3 When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD. 20:5 The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out. 20:9 Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart. 27:19 As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man. 14:2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. 14:26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. 15:16 Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. 15:33 The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor. 16:6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil. 16:20 Whoever gives thought to the word[ad] will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. 27:21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise. 28:14 Blessed is the one who fears the LORD[h] always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity. 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

Podcast E34 - Learning to Love What is Yours

14:30 A tranquil[w] heart gives life to the flesh, but envy[x] makes the bones rot. 15:27 Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live. 27:4 Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? 27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man. 28:16 A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days. 28:22 A stingy man[j] hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him. 12:12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit. 23:17-18 Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day. Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off. 24:1-2 Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. 24:19-20 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. 28:25 A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the LORD will be enriched.

Proverbs Thematic Sermon - The Proverbs 1-31 Woman (Erik Veerman)

The Proverbs 1-31 Woman Our sermon text this morning comes mainly from Proverbs 31. Verses 1-3 and 10-31. You can find that on page 654 in the pew Bible. There are also 3 other verses from earlier in Proverbs. Those are printed on the first page of the hymn insert. We’ll begin with those and then I’ll read from chapter 31. By the way, Proverbs 31 is the last chapter of Proverbs. But we have 2 more thematic sermons, so we will conclude our series in two weeks… on June 23. Before I read, let me note that in Proverbs 31, we’re told that these are the words of King Lemuel. They are an oracle taught to him by his mother. Similar to Agur from last week, we don’t know anything about King Lemuel other than his name, nonetheless, this is God’s very Word. Reading of Proverbs 12:4, 18:22, 19:14, 31:1-3, 10-31. It was the middle of the night in the spring of 1523 in northern Germany. 9 nuns lay awake. You see, they were waiting to escape the convent. And then it happened. A horse drawn carriage pulled up to the main gate and was let in. The driver was there, allegedly, to pick up empty fish barrels, from the prior day’s Easter celebration. But he had more important cargo to take away. He cracked his horse whip. That was the signal. The nuns tiptoed quietly from their beds into the hallway, then through the shadows of the night, hid themselves in the cart, some even allegedly hiding in empty barrels. The nuns gave the all clear signal and were soon free at last. It was a bumpy ride, but they made it to their destination. Wittenburg, Germany and the home of Martin Luther. You see, Luther had helped orchestrate the convent escape. And within a matter of weeks, Luther had these young former nuns matched with young men in the town. But there was a problem. One stubborn nun, named Katherine Von Bora, would have none of it. No, she would not be set up with the guy that Luther picked. She had other plans. And she made those plans known. It was Luther himself, she wanted. Well, they were soon married. Former nun, former monk, and quite the couple. Luther would write, “God gave me Katy, I would not trade her for Venice and all the kingdoms of France … I love her so dearly.” His nick names for her included “my rib” of course, referring to Eve being created from the rib of Adam. He also called her “doctor” because she cared for him. And also “queen of the pig farm” because she owned and managed a nearby pig farm. Katy loved the Lord. She managed the house and finances. She brewed beer for Luther and his many guests. She would rise at 4am and work until 9pm overseeing all matters of the household. Luther called Katy, “the morning star of Wittenberg.” They were very affectionate with one another. She honored and loved him, and he honored and loved her. Katy embodied the Proverbs 31 description. Now, if you are a woman and you and are feeling like “I’ll never be a Katy Luther.” Well, I do want take that heavy burden off of you. Because, while the Proverbs 31 woman is indeed a model, there’s so much more here. My goal is that all of us would see her heart and purpose…  and all of us, would pursue her ways from a similar heart and purpose. To get there, we’ll consider three things. ·      First, the important question – to whom does this chapter apply? ·      Second, we’ll consider the qualities of this virtuous wife. ·      And third, we’ll conclude with Christ and the church. That’s the relationship to which this ultimately points. #1 To whom does this apply? And again, if you are feeling overly burdened by these verses, I want to try and both relieve that burden but also inspire you. First, notice in verse 10 that the section begins with the question, “an excellent wife, who can find?” It’s a recognition up front that the woman described is a rare jewel. It is not saying that if you don’t measure up, then you’re failing. Rather, it’s a picture of a beautiful, Godly woman. One that you can, yes, seek to emulate – but not in your own strength. No - the most important description is in verse 30. “a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Everything else comes out of her reverent fear and worship of the Lord God. Her heart, which loves and honors God, is what motivates and enables her in her wisdom and work. So, instead of feeling the moralistic weight of this unattainable standard, recognize that this can never be achieved in your own strength. No, rather, it is the Godly fear of the Lord that enables this. And another thing, the woman described has many resources to help her - servants, family finances, other things that enable her to produce clothing and plant vineyards. Also, her husband is an elder of the land. He’s esteemed and wise. What I am saying is that her situation is likely very different from your situation. Furthermore, not every woman is called to be married, nor is every man. The apostle Paul was single and encouraged those who are single. But even if you are not married, you still have a household to manage and steward – and therefore, these pursuits in the Lord are for you as well. So that is one thing. But also, this chapter is not just written to women. In fact, it is actually written to young men. For the younger guys here, I want you to see this. Remember, this is an oracle which King Lemuel received from his mother. Why would his mother pass along this word to Lemuel? Well, because she knows the heart of young men. Ok, there are many of you young men here. Teenage boys and twenty-something single guys. Look with me at verses 2 and 3. “What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings.” In other words, do not be seduced by charm and external beauty and therefore blind to true matters of beauty. That’s exactly what verse 30 says. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain” It’s talking about external beauty. Instead, what is the most important quality in a wife? A reverent fear of the Lord – that’s what it says. Young men, are you hearing this? Do not let your feelings deceive you. By the way, young women, this is for you, too. Charm and seductive dress and looks will attract the wrong guy. He will not be an elder in the land. To be sure, I am not saying that attraction is not important. But it is secondary to a heart that loves the Lord and pursues him. SO, young men and women, ingrain this in your hearts and minds now, before you “fall in love.” Ok, there’s one more category of people to whom this chapter is written. And that is, all of us… men, women, and children. I will argue, later, that this chapter is a picture of the relationship that we, as God’s people, have with Christ. The Scriptures are full of the language of God’s people being betrothed to God. In the New Testament, Christ is the bridegroom and the church is the bride. But even in the Old Testament, as we read earlier, God’s people are described as the unfaithful wife, whom the Lord loves and forgives and redeems. What I am saying is that even though the description is of a virtuous wife, this is also a description of us, God’s people. We are to honor the Lord in our calling as the bride of Christ. So, in other words, do not tune this chapter out if you are young or old, or married or single – this is for all of us. We’ll come back to that. #2 The Virtuous Wife But before we do, let’s consider this beautiful description The woman described here is often referred to as The Proverbs 31 Woman - for good reason, of course. But I want to tweak that. Really, the description here is a bride who embodies all of Proverbs. So, I think it is better to call her the Proverbs 1-31 woman. Think back over these last 9 months. We have seen a contrast, over and over, between the way of wisdom and righteousness versus the way of foolishness and wickedness. And the virtuous wife described here fulfills the categories of wisdom and righteousness. Almost every single positive category in Proverbs is modelled by this women. Let me list them: ·      She is trustworthy – verse 11, her husband trusts in her. She has a heart of integrity and honesty. She is praised at the gates, verse 31. ·      Her words are kind, and she teaches kindness (verse 26) because her words bring life and not death – remember those Proverbs verses? She speaks what is true and builds up. Verse 12 – she does not harm her husband. Meaning, she does not speak ill of him behind his back. ·      She is also generous to the poor - verse 20. She manages the finances and resources of the family with wisdom. She’s a good steward of all that is entrusted to her. ·      Let me pause here and remind you again. This is for all of us. In other words, don’t tune out. ·      Discipline and diligence describe her. Verse 17 – she dresses herself with strength. Similarly verse 25, strength and dignity are her clothing. And wow is she disciplined, rising early. Taking care of many things. ·      Related to that, she is industrious. That is exemplified, really, all through these verses. Verse 27 – she does not eat the bread of idleness. ·      She’s the opposite of self-centeredness and pridefulness – She cares for her household, providing clothing and food. They need not fear cold or hunger. ·      And last, wisdom and knowledge describe her! That is explicit right there in verse 26. She’s been given discernment. She considers a field and buys it, verse 16. And verse 18, she perceives the value of her merchandise. That’s quite the list. And of course, as I already mentioned, underlying all of this is her fear of the Lord. Actually, the fear of the Lord is going to be our concluding sermon in two weeks. It is the theme that has come up over and over and over. It is seeing and knowing the eternal God of the universe – whose judgement is just and whose ways are pure. Underlying this entire description is her reverent worship of the one true God. She considers his nature and truth and righteousness above all others. What an amazing picture of the Proverbs applied to life. A picture for us to see and seek and emulate, especially in marriage. In fact, this chapter is meant to be a model. Verses 10-31 are in the form of an acrostic. That means that every verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order. Verse 10 starts with Aleph which is the first letter of the alphabet. And verse 31 starts with the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet, Tav. 22 verses and 22 letters. It shows us that this description is a pattern. It’s not just one example of how wisdom can be applied. No, it is the ideal model for marriage. It models of what God has ordained for marriage on earth. Eve was created in the garden as a “help-meet” for Adam, as the Hebrew words puts it. Together they complement one another as they seek to fulfill what God has called them to do. That call in Genesis 1:29 is for them to be fruitful and multiple and fill the earth and subdue the earth and have dominion over the earth. Sometimes we call that the cultural mandate. It is for all of us, but part of it is for married couples, who work together but with different roles. Back in Proverbs 31, notice verse 11 - the husband’s trust in his wife yields him “gain,” it says. Her work is his gain. That indicates the responsibility given to the husband. But what’s very clear is how the wife oversees matters of the household. That word “household” is used several times here. She works to care for those whom the Lord has entrusted to her care – including caring for her husband. It is a very full and rich description of that responsibility worked out. In other words, this chapter beautifully displays the sphere to which Eve is called. Now, some in the church (a minority) believe that submission means the husband makes all the decisions and the wife should never work outside the home. That is not how Proverbs 31 describes her responsibilities. No, she clearly is making decisions and is applying the wisdom that God has given her in matters within her domain. ·      She considers the value of a field and buys it and oversees it. ·      She works both in the home and outside the home. She provides for her household… but also verses 18 and 24 – she makes garments and sashes and sells them in the market. Here is what I am saying: Proverbs 31 a beautiful model of what God has ordered for marriage. Husbands and wives are equal in dignity and status before God. They are both created in his image. But each is given roles and responsibility that support and work together to accomplish God’s mandate… the mandate to fill and subdue the earth. And again, we are talking about the domain of the home and marriage. Let me put it this way: Proverbs 31 helps us not to fall off the rails on one side or another. It helps a husband see his role not as authoritarian or dictatorial. Rather it demonstrates entrusting his household to his wife’s care, enabling her to fulfill that responsibility with dignity and wisdom. It also reveals that there are unique areas of responsibilities to which a husband and wife are each called. Now, obviously this is a much larger conversation. There are several New Testament verses that further clarify and direct us. I would be glad to talk more. #3 Christ and the church But moving on, I mentioned that this chapter applies to all of us. What I mean is that the model of the excellent wife is a model we are all called to emulate. The reason I can say that is because this chapter also typifies the relationship of Christ to the church. We, the church, are his bride, called to fulfill all these things. And let me work this out by showing you another structural element. Besides an acrostic, verses 10-31 are in the form of a chiasm. We occasional come across this. As a reminder, a chiasm is a form of parallel which we find both in Hebrew and Greek. The parallel ideas work from the outside into the center. Here, we see both themes and words that draw us to the center of this text. To begin, both verses 10 and 29 use the word excellent to describe the wife. That’s the outer parallel. In 11 and 28 - moving one verse in on both sides - Her husband trusts her and praises her. That’s the second level. If you go in one more level – she provides for her household. That is in verses 12-15 and also down in verse 27. Do you see how it’s working it’s way in from both sides? Wisdom is next, and then strength and dignity after that. Let’s move closer to the middle. Look down at verses 22 and 24. In 22, she makes bed coverings, and in verse 24, she makes linen garments. See that parallel? And at the very center is verse 23. By the way, the center reveals the main emphasis in this kind of parallel. Verse 23 is the center. Let me read it. “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.” You see, the respect and honor that her husband receives comes, in part, through his wife. Her virtue in overseeing his household makes him known and brings him greater honor. Her faithfulness increases his influence in the community. His wisdom is lifted up as she acts in wisdom and righteousness. Beloved, this is the relationship that we, the church, have with Christ. As we oversee the household of faith with diligence and integrity and care of one another and generosity to the poor and in wisdom and righteousness. When we do all those things, Jesus is exalted. He is made known and honored at the gates of the city. The world will see him more clearly, when we, his bride, are faithful to the call that he has given us… that is, when we seek to live and acts in all the ways that Proverbs has taught us. We are the Proverbs 1-31 woman - the bride of Christ. Our strength comes from him. We’re honored because of his honor. And just like the Proverbs 31 husband, Christ, as our redeemer, enables and empowers us to live out that calling to which he has called us. Do you see the parallels? Christ is the husband, here, the bridegroom. He has redeemed and forgiven and restored us from our unfaithfulness to be his faithful bride. … more on that when we get to the Lord’s Supper. And to be sure, that does not take away how this applies to husbands and wives. No, these words are for marriages here and now… but the heart of these verses is the union between Christ and his church. Let me try summarize it this way: When Proverbs 31 is lived out in the relationship between a husband and a wife then (1) the husband is honored and his wisdom known, (2) the wife is built up and praised by him for her faithfulness and work, and (3) their household receives the rich blessing of their marriage. And similarly, when Proverbs 31 is lived out in the relationship between Christ and the church then (1) Christ is honored and his wisdom known, (2) the church is built up and praised by him for her faithfulness and work, and (3) the household of faith receives the rich blessing of the marriage between Christ and the church. Proverbs 31 is a beautiful testimony for marriages but especially our spiritual marriage with the Lord. Conclusion Going back to the Luthers - Even considering their failures and sins, and let me say, there were many, Martin and Katy’s marriage modeled a Proverbs 31 marriage. Her care over his household was a tremendously rich blessing to thousands of people. Luther was known among the elders of the land, due in no small part to her wisdom, diligence, hospitality, and labors. Some have said that their marriage transformed the institution of marriage. I think its better to say, their marriage restored the institution of marriage to the model found in the Word. Briefly, in closing, I had always wondered why these verses closed out the book of Proverbs. But now, I think I know why. These verses are for all of us and they direct us to Christ. They bring together all the wisdom of Proverbs. May we emulate this wife, through our reverent fear of the Lord, because we are the bride of Christ.

Podcast E33 - Proverbs 1-31 Woman

Proverbs 31:10–31 The Woman Who Fears the LORD [10] An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. [11] The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. [12] She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. [13] She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. [14] She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. [15] She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. [16] She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. [17] She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. [18] She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. [19] She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. [20] She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. [21] She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. [22] She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. [23] Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. [24] She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. [25] Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. [26] She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. [27] She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. [28] Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: [29] “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” [30] Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. [31] Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. (ESV)