January 4, 2024 – Solomon, The Main Writer 

Solomon, The Main Writer
January 4, 2024

DAILY PROVERB:

Proverbs 1:1-4 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

 

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

        Timeless treasures, waiting to be mined by the hearts of humankind, are the words written in the Book of Proverbs. Penned hundreds of years ago, these proverbs remain relevant and have the potential to be profoundly life-altering if applied. The wisdom contained in this book transcends all cultures, eras, and denominations.

 

        The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings drawn from years of experience, both written by King Solomon and compiled by him from others. We find evidence of this in another book authored by this esteemed preacher. In Ecclesiastes 12:9-10, it is mentioned that the preacher sought out and organized many proverbs. It also emphasizes the fact that the ones he wrote were upright and true.

 

        The closing words of Ecclesiastes provide us with a magnificent introduction to the Book of Proverbs.

Ecclesiastes 12:8-14

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

   

      After a life marked by heartbreak and a quest for truth, Solomon concludes that the essence of it all is to fear God. In this context, the word ‘fear’ does not imply being afraid but rather holding reverence or respect for God and to heed His guidance.

 

      In essence, the proverbs collated and organized in this book can be regarded as the divinely inspired words of God, spoken through Solomon for our enlightenment.

 

      Over his lifetime, Solomon gathered many such wise sayings. In fact, what we find in the Book of Proverbs represents just a fraction of what he had imparted in person.

1 Kings 4:32

And he spake three thousand proverbs:
 and his songs were a thousand and five.

 

      It is believed that what we find in this book, which has at times been referred to as the Book of Wisdom, represents the finest pieces of wisdom that Solomon had gathered.

 

THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

      In life, there are essentially two ways to learn about how the world will treat you and where sin will lead you. By far, the most common way is through trial and error. By following this path, one will experience the harsh consequences of sin and the perils of life. However, God’s way is always better. It involves heeding His warnings and embracing His wisdom in everything we do.

 

      It is nothing short of amazing to realize that the God who created the entire universe cares so deeply about our day-to-day lives that He has provided us with easily memorable and applicable principles for a good life in this world. He does not regard it as unimportant to guide us in matters of love, family, our interactions in society, or how we conduct ourselves in the marketplace. Everything about us and our well-being is significant to Him.

Tomorrow we will look into the divisions of this wonderful book.

GOD TALKING TO ME: JANUARY 4, 2024

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH A DAILY PROVERBS
   

This week we will:

Fri.       January 5,  The Divisions of the Proverbs  
Sat.      January 6,  Proverbs 1       
Sun.     January 7,  No Passages Assigned

If you’re Following the Traditional Reading Schedule,
Today’s Reading will be:

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
 

          Genesis 9-11   /      Matthew 4