Proverbs by Scott Risley (2011)

This introduction to the book of Proverbs describes the author, King Solomon, how he gained his wisdom, and compiled the book. Wisdom is described as ?how to live life well and skillfully.? King Solomon begins his book by describing the benefits of reading Proverbs and dictates what attitudes are needed in order to gain wisdom. These attitudes are: 1) have a humble listening posture, 2) seek to learn how to interpret the proverb, and 3) cultivate a fear or reverence for the Lord.

Jesus' first declaration that He is the fulfillment of ancient messianic prophecies and His teaching is followed by miraculous acts of healing and exorcism, challenging the naturalist to consider the existence of the supernatural. Supernatural claims in the Bible are compared to those of other world religions, showing Biblical miracles to be astoundingly unique, indicating that Jesus' miracles are symbolic of his deity. Skeptics are invited to approach God with a desire to be convinced of the supernatural, and with an expectation that the same God who created the universe will answer by bringing the miraculous into their own lives.

King Solomon reflects on the fool and the sluggard. The first twelve verses define the fool and how to interact with him. The last four verses describe the cousin of the fool, the sluggard. Steps to overcome laziness are presented. Gary DeLashmutt's paper on combating besetting sins of the phlegmatic temperament is recommended. A quote from Watchman Nee's "The Normal Christian Worker" is included.

These proverbs were written by King Lemuel as dictated to him by his mother. In this 22 lined acrostic poem, his mother describes what attributes to look for in a future wife of godly character. Her descriptions are not just limited to a potential wife but are wise guideposts for all Christians who are waiting and searching for a godly spouse. The teaching concludes with personal advice from Scott Risley on how he approached the significant and spiritual decision of choosing a spouse.

Wealth is a prominent theme throughout Proverbs. In fact, Proverbs says the most about wealth and poverty than any other book in the Bible. Various proverbs, observations, and principles on why some people are wealthy while others remain impoverished are discussed. Proverbs also warns us about greed. Teachings from the New Testament regarding the dangers of wealth are included. Listeners are encouraged to read Ron Sider's book "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger" for more insight on the issue of poverty.

Choosing and cultivating friendships is a prominent theme in the book of Proverbs. Throughout Proverbs, there are warnings against befriending the fool. In contrast, it also highlights qualities of godly friendships, among those being loyalty, transparency, patience and generosity. The foundation of a good friendship is the fear of the Lord, receiving and giving His sacrificial love.

A significant theme throughout Proverbs is our speech and how we can use our words to bring either good or harm. The ability to speak is a significant and unique characteristic of God's image-bearers. When words are used in a godly and wise way, they can bring life, peace, instruction and encouragement to others. In contrast, words uttered by a foolish person can ignite fights, breed cynicism and bring death.