Knowledge, Wisdom Knowledge, Wisdom and Foolsand Fools

- Kay Arthur- Kay Arthur

Wisdom is knowledge rightly applied.Wisdom is knowledge rightly applied. Without wisdom, we are all fools – our Without wisdom, we are all fools – our

decisions a foolish, and we live foolishly. decisions a foolish, and we live foolishly. Proverbs of men

The Book of Proverbs

Accumulations of human experiences from the world’s perspective on success.

God’s wisdom for right living and eternal success.

Day Day 11

Read the first seven Read the first seven verses of Proverbs 1verses of Proverbs 1

Identify the authorIdentify the authorList his purposes for writing List his purposes for writing

proverbsproverbsExamine your heart:Examine your heart:

1.1. Do I want this?Do I want this?2.2. If you do, dig in and study If you do, dig in and study

ProverbsProverbsMark the key words:Mark the key words:

1. The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:2. To know know wisdomwisdom and instructioninstruction,,

 to understand understand words of insight,3. to receive instructioninstruction in wisewise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;4. to give prudence to the simple,  knowledgeknowledge and discretion to the youth—5. Let the wisewise hear and increase in learning,  and the one who understandsunderstands obtain

guidance,6. to understandunderstand a proverb and a saying, the words

of the wisewise and their riddles. 7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of

knowledge knowledge   fools despise wisdomwisdom and instructioninstruction. Proverbs 1:1-7Proverbs 1:1-7

1 Author: The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel (verse 1)

2 List the purposes for writing proverbs: To know know wisdomwisdom and instructioninstruction, ,   To understand understand words of insight, To receive instruction instruction in wisewise dealing,

in righteousness, justice, and equity; To give prudence to the simple,  knowledgeknowledge

and discretion to the youth

3 Key words: know know understand understand wisdom wisdom instructioninstruction

What are the relationships among wisdom, fools and the Lord?Wisdom Fools The LordKnow, hear, learn, obtain, understand, receive, fear

Despise wisdom and instruction

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Instruction,prudence,guidanceRighteousness, justice, equity

The The WiseWise The The

FoolFool

Read verses 8-19 and underline the phrase my son. How do you think this phrase relates to the author and his purpose for writing?

  8 Hear, 8 Hear, my sonmy son, your father’s instruction,, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,

9 for they are a graceful garland for your9 for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.head and pendants for your neck.

10 10 My sonMy son, if sinners entice you, do not , if sinners entice you, do not consent.consent.

11 If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in 11 If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason;innocent without reason;

12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive,12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive,  and whole, like those who go down to   and whole, like those who go down to

the pit; the pit; 13we shall find all precious goods,13we shall find all precious goods,

  we shall fill our houses with plunder;  we shall fill our houses with plunder;14throw in your lot among us;  we will 14throw in your lot among us;  we will

all all have one purse"—have one purse"—1515my sonmy son, do not walk in the way with , do not walk in the way with

them; hold back your foot from their them; hold back your foot from their paths, the life of its possessors.paths, the life of its possessors.

 16 for their feet run to evil,16 for their feet run to evil,    and they make haste to shed blood.    and they make haste to shed blood.17 For in vain is a net spread17 For in vain is a net spread  in the sight of any bird,  in the sight of any bird,18 but these men lie in wait for 18 but these men lie in wait for

their own blood;  they set an ambush their own blood;  they set an ambush for their own lives.for their own lives.

19 Such are the ways of everyone who is 19 Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.the life of its possessors.

This proverb is King Solomon’s warning to his son to avoid being a fool, and exhortation to become wise.

1. Who are the adversaries of 1. Who are the adversaries of “my son”? “my son”? (sinners, greedy for unjust (sinners, greedy for unjust gains)gains)

2. What is their intent? (“Come 2. What is their intent? (“Come with us, with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us lie in wait for blood; let us let us ambush the innocent ambush the innocent without reason”) without reason”)

3. What will be their end?(it 3. What will be their end?(it takes away takes away the life of its possessors.) the life of its possessors.)

Throughout Proverbs, wisdomwisdom and fool fool are personified. Personification is the literary device that treats inanimate objects as persons and gives them a voice. So, pronouns such as me, my, I, and you are references to whatever is personified.With that in mind, read verses 20-33 and mark wisdomwisdom and fool fool s as before, including any pronouns that refer to them.

Day Day 22

20 WisdomWisdom cries aloud in the street,    in the markets she raises her voice;

21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates

she speaks: 22 "How long, O simple ones, will you love

being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?

23If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.24 Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,25because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof,

26I also will laugh at your calamity;   I will mock when terror strikes you,27when terror strikes you like a storm   and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,   when distress and anguish come upon you.28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;   they will seek me diligently but will not find me.

 29Because they hated knowledge   and did not choose the fear of the LORD,30 would have none of my counsel   and despised all my reproof,31therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,   and have their fill of their own devices.

32For the simple are killed by their turning away,   and the complacency of fools destroys them;

33but whoever listens to me will dwell secure   and will be at ease, without dread of disaster."

Wisdom The FoolsCry out, raises her voicePromise to pour out her spirit to the simple onesPromise to make her words known to the fools

Refuse to listen

Stretch out her hand

Do not heed the warning

Wisdom The FoolsWill laugh at the fool’s calamity

Ignore wisdom’s counsel

Will mock when terror strikes the fool

Would have none of wisdom’s reproofTerror will strike like a stormCalamities comes like a whirlwindDistress and anguish come upon him

Wisdom The FoolsWill not answer Will call wisdomWill not be found Will seek wisdom

in troubleHat knowledgeDo not choose the fear of the LordWould have none of wisdom’s counselDespise Wisdom’s reproof

Wisdom The FoolsWill not be found Shall eat the fruit

of their wayHave the fill of their own devicesKilled by their turning wayComplacent- and be destroyed by it.

Whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease without dread of disaster

Verse 7 : The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge

Fools despise wisdom and instruction

Wise people listen to wisdom and seeks instruction from her

Verse 29 Fools hate knowledge and do not choose the fear of the Lord

They will gain knowledge

Fools will be destroyedFools listen to the evil ones’ enticement

How does the person without wisdom end up? (The fools will eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. V. 31)

Why does he suffer this fate?(Because they hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. V. 29)

List the characteristics that contribute to this end. – consent to sinners, walk in the way with sinners, greedy for unjust gain, simple, scoffers, delight in scoffing, hate knowledge, scorn at wisdom’s reproof, refuse to listen to wisdom, not fear the Lord, not heed wisdom’s warnings, complacent

List the characteristics that contribute to this end.

- consent to sinners, - walk in the way

with sinners, - greedy for unjust

gain, - simple, - scoffers, - delight in scoffing,

- hate knowledge, - scorn at wisdom’s

reproof,- refuse to listen to

wisdom, - not fear the Lord, - not heed wisdom’s

warnings, - complacent

Hebrew Words for “The Hebrew Words for “The Fool”Fool”

Kesiyl Kesiyl : the dull, closed, stubborn mind that

rejects information from othersNabal Nabal : no spiritual perceptionEviyl Eviyl : : an arrogant, flippant, mentally

dull, coarse and callous person

Hebrew Words for “The Hebrew Words for “The Simple”Simple”

Pethiy Pethiy simple, foolish, open-simple, foolish, open-minded to the point minded to the point

of naïveté of naïveté