The key phrase in the Book of Proverbs is found in at least 18 references. (1:7, 29; 2:5; 3:7; 8:13; 9:10; 10:27; 14:2, 26–27; 15:16, 33; 16:6; 19:23; 22:4; 23:17; 24:21; 31:30). It’s also found in Job 28:28 and Psalm 111.10. Briefly summarized, it says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”  We will never be all that we can be until we take God seriously. Those who refuse to take God seriously are often referred to as fools in the Bible. Psalm 94 is one of the key passages that express this. “In a series of rhetorical questions, the psalmist presents the LORD as Creator and clearly superior to the creature (vv. 8–11). Those who do not take God seriously are blind fools (v. 8), their thoughts but empty breath (v. 11). Yet the purpose of these questions is to call the wicked to their senses. Thus, the psalmist plays a pastoral role, encouraging and supporting the discouraged and hurt as the people of God.”^[1]

Wiersbe says that it means, “…we acknowledge from our hearts that He’s the Creator, we’re the creatures; He’s the Father, we’re His children; He’s the Master, we’re the servants. It means to respect God for who He is, to listen carefully to what He says, and to obey His Word, knowing that our disobedience displeases Him, breaks our fellowship with Him, and invites His chastening.” We live our lives in such carefree luxury that we don’t take God seriously. It is a plague on the 21st-century church. We want our church services to be as entertaining as a variety of TV shows. We’re not interested in Biblical Truth, which requires some thought and contemplation. We want things fed to us. We’re even beginning to see Artificial Intelligence in the form of apps like “ChatGPT” write our sermons and devotions. Ryken observed this and said, “More than anything else, failing to take God seriously is the problem with the contemporary church. We trivialize the holiness of God, so we end up with a trivial view of sin. We trivialize the majesty of God, so we end up with trivial worship. We trivialize the truth of God, so we end up with a trivial grasp of his Word. We trivialize the judgment of God, so we end up with a trivial appreciation for the atonement of Jesus Christ. Our God is too trivial!”^[2]

Jeremiah and Zechariah both condemned the preachers of their day for not taking God seriously. They denied that God would judge their sin. He was a loving, gracious, and forgiving God, and they need not worry about their lifestyle choices. One commentator wrote the following: Their people needed an emergency heart transplant, but these quack pastors came around with their Band-aids and their lollipops. “There, there,” they said, “you’re okay. God will not judge your sin.” “Peace, peace,” they said. “Shalom, shalom.” One reason they wrongly divided the word of truth was because they did not take God seriously. More than anything else, failing to take God seriously is the problem with the contemporary church. But true wisdom comes only when we begin to take God seriously. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

^[1] Waltner, James H. 2006. Psalms. Believers Church Bible Commentary. Scottdale, PA; Waterloo, ON: Herald Press.

^[2] Ryken, Philip Graham. 2001. Jeremiah and Lamentations: From Sorrow to Hope. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Solomon urges his son and other readers to take his lessons seriously. Proverbs 7:1 says, “Guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” This is reminiscent of the Jewish practice of writing down the Ten Commandments and then binding them around their chest to hold them near their hearts physically. Of course, the intent of this passage is for Solomon’s son and those who identify with God the Father to give priority to God’s instructions in the Bible. We need to give the Bible the attention it deserves and take its principles seriously.

The Christian statistician George Barna, tells us that most Christians ignore Solomon’s exhortation. He says, “Evangelicals are embracing secularism: A majority (52%) of evangelicals reject absolute moral truth; 61% do not read the Bible on a daily basis; 75% believe that people are basically good. The study found that one-third to one-half of evangelicals in the survey embrace a variety of beliefs and behaviors counter to biblical teaching and longstanding Evangelical beliefs. • Pentecostals and charismatics take secularization a step further: Two-thirds (69%) reject absolute moral truth; 54% are unwilling to define human life as sacred, with half claiming the Bible is ambiguous in its teaching about abortion, and 69% say they prefer socialism to capitalism. A full 45% did not qualify as born-again Christians. • Mainline Protestants are the most secular of the four faith families: Sixty percent (60%) of mainline Protestants’ beliefs directly conflict with biblical teaching. Three key values define this group: truth and morality are relative; life has no inherent value or purpose, so individuals should pursue personal happiness or satisfaction; and traditional religious practices are no longer seen as central or essential to their Christian faith. Only 41% of mainline Protestants are born[1]again. • Catholics are increasingly secular and permissive: Catholics’ beliefs are surprisingly similar to those of mainline Protestants but considerably different from those of evangelical and charismatic Protestants. They are most likely to believe in salvation through works or living a good life and least likely (28%) to be born again. Today’s Catholics are more permissive than other groups, being most likely to accept sexual relations outside of marriage, lying, speeding, and refusing to repay a loan as morally acceptable behaviors.”[1]

There is some discussion as to how the term “Apple of the eye” should be understood. The Hebrew term refers to the center of the eye, the pupil. Some scholars want to focus on that idea, but the expression is used elsewhere in scripture to describe something that is of primary importance or of extremely high value, as in “His son is the apple of his eyes.” In Deuteronomy 32:10, we read that God holds his chosen people as the “apple of his eye.” In Psalm 17:8, the Psalmists ask God to keep him as “The apple of your eye.” Solomon wants his son and other readaers to hold his teachings as the apple of their eyes. The Institute for Scripture research suggests we understand Proverbs 7:1 this way, “My son, guard my words, And treasure up my commands with you. Guard my commands and live, and my Torah as the apple of your eye.”^[2]

[1] Year in Review: Barna’s Top 10 Releases of 2020 – Barna Group

^[2] Institute for Scripture Research. 2000. The Scriptures. South Africa: Institute for Scripture Research (Pty) Ltd.

When Solomon was offered the opportunity to ask God for anything he wanted, he didn’t ask for gold, fame, or pleasures. He asked God for wisdom.  According to 1 Kings 4:29, God granted his request.  It says, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.  For he was wiser than all other men…He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005.”  In Matthew 12:42, Jesus confirms the Old Testament historical account of the great wisdom of Solomon.  In this quote, Jesus also commends the Queen of the South.  He says, “The queen of the South…came from the ends of the earth to hear the Wisdom of Solomon…” We also read about other kings and queens coming from long distances to hear the wisdom of Solomon. There were no airplanes, trains, or automobiles in those days. Solomon didn’t have all the technological advances that we enjoy today, but he had something more important. He had divine wisdom. The wisdom that Solomon offered was the most desirable thing in the world. Today, it seems like “information” is the most desirable thing. Information and knowledge without wisdom is a dangerous brew. Tom Morris says, “Knowledge without wisdom, just like action without wisdom, can take a person, or an organization, off the rails as quickly as anything. Because of this, as well as for many more reasons, we ought to be hiring for wisdom, training for wisdom, promoting wisdom, and encouraging it in every way we can in business, politics, and our personal lives. Any other course is, of course, unwise.”[1]

We don’t have to travel vast distances to get advice from the wisest man who ever lived. We need only open our Bibles to the book of Proverbs.  Both wisdom and folly call out to us every day, according to the first ten chapters of Proverbs.  Every day, we need to seek its advice. We will face many decisions each day of our lives that demand a decision in the form of a thought, word, or action.  What Timothy George said about the Bible as a whole is especially appropriate for the book of Proverbs. He writes, “The Bible is a living book. You cannot read it and put it down the way you might the sports page or a Stephen King novel. It addresses you, provokes you, questions you, commands you, and calls out to you. It has your number.”

During the course of the book of Proverbs, Solomon promises his readers something special. Proverbs 8:34 says, “Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.” Proverbs are not “promises.” They are general observations of truth to which one might point out that they don’t always come true. It’s clear that the Bible does not guarantee a life without trials. Jesus told us that in this world, we will have trials, but to take heart because He has overcome the world. Job shows us that even the righteous sometimes suffer. Yet we cannot deny the truth that those who align with truth are more likely to experience success than those who are foolish. In that sense, wisdom can rightly speak of the benefits her lessons bring.”

[1] The Dangers of Knowledge Without Wisdom — Tom Morris (tomvmorris.com)

The world’s economy used to be based on agriculture. During the Industrial Revolution, the economy shifted to an economy of production. The age of the machine took over as the basis of the economy. Then we moved into what is called the “information age.” Since the advent of the computer, knowledge has increased exponentially, and there is now at your fingertips more information about everything in the world than ever. But many argue that the information age is over. We are now in the age of “Artificial Intelligence.” I suggest we’re still in the information age, but artificial intelligence currently manages that information. I remember 1969. That was a long time ago, and a duet from Lincoln, Nebraska, had a number one hit on pop charts, “In The Year 2525.” This is how it went: “In the year 2525 If man is still alive. If woman can survive They may find. In the year 3535 Ain’t gonna need to tell the truth, tell no lies. Everything you think, do and say Is in the pill you took today. In the year 4545 Ain’t gonna need your teeth; won’t need your eyes. You won’t find a thing to chew. Nobody’s gonna look at you. In the year 5555 Your arms are hanging limp at your sides. Your legs got nothing to do Some machine’s doing that for you In the year 6565 Ain’t gonna need no husband; won’t need no wife You’ll pick your son, pick your daughter, too From the bottom of a long glass tube In the year 7510 If God’s a-comin’, he oughta make it by then. Maybe he’ll look around Himself and say Guess it’s time for the Judgment day.” My point is that the advances in every area of human life lead to a frightening future. I’m not sure Zaiger and Evans, the singers, are right with their doomsday prophecy, but things seem to be tending that way. If everything we think do and say comes from Google today and tomorrow from some kind of artificial intelligence program or robot. Information is increasing!

Although there is more information and more knowledge available at any time in history, there seems to be an increasing lack of wisdom. “Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?” asked the late British poet, T.S. Eliot.  No time in the history of man is the need for wisdom more acute than it is today. Warren Wiersbe said it well, “What’s needed today is wisdom. The Book of Proverbs is about godly wisdom, how to get it, and how to use it. It’s about priorities and principles, not get-rich-quick schemes or success formulas. It tells you not how to make a living, but how to be skillful in the lost art of making a life.”

The book of Proverbs was written over 3000 years ago and still addresses some of life’s most critical issues with real wisdom. When I read Proverbs, it makes me think about how I live. Socrates was famous for saying, “The unexamined life isn’t worth living.” Solomon promises his readers wisdom, not information. The first five verses explain why Solomon wrote the book. It says, “To know wisdom and instruction; to understand words of insight; to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning.” But the most potent phrase is in Verse 7. It summarizes the key lesson of the whole book. It says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7