Week 29 The Sweet Honey of Wisdom
What you look for you will find and what you don't turn from you will keep
“When you go in search of honey you must expect to be stung by bees.”
Joseph Joubert
Passage
13My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
14Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off.
Proverbs 24:13–14 (NASB95)
"File:CSIRO ScienceImage 7113 Honey bee comb showing cells.jpg" by Nick Pitsas, CSIRO is licensed under CC BY 3.0.
Background
Quote-Joseph Joubert (French: [ʒɔzɛf ʒubɛʁ]; 6 May 1754 in Montignac, Périgord – 4 May 1824 in Paris) was a French moralist and essayist, remembered today largely for his Pensées (Thoughts), which were published posthumously.
Joubert published nothing during his lifetime, but he wrote a copious number of letters and filled sheets of paper and small notebooks with thoughts about the nature of human existence, literature, and other topics, in a poignant, often aphoristic style. After his death his widow entrusted Chateaubriand with these notes, and in 1838, he published a selection titled, Recueil des pensées de M. Joubert (Collected Thoughts of Mr. Joubert). More complete editions were to follow, as were collections of Joubert's correspondence.
Somewhat of the Epicurean school of philosophy, Joubert even valued his own frequent suffering of ill health, as he believed sickness gave subtlety to the soul.
Passage- The genre of Proverbs is mainly “Proverbs” as the name describes, there are also some Parables and Poetry. This book was written mainly by Solomon, the wisest king ever to rule. It was written during Solomon’s reign 970-930 B.C. He asked God for wisdom to rule God’s nation and He granted the request.
The main purpose of this book is to teach wisdom to God’s people. These are things which are typically true however, not always. They deal with life, principles, good judgment, and perception. They often draw distinctions between a wise man and a foolish man with parable type examples.
Lesson Notes
Opening Statement
Wisdom isn’t repeating the same actions expecting, wanting, or hoping for a different outcome. That’s the definition of insanity or another, less flattering word. If we want something different, something smarter we have to be able to admit we don’t know and change, learn something new.
Ask: If honey equates to wisdom from our passage today, and honey is made from pollen, what is wisdom made from?
Point: Instruction. Please read the following:
31He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof Will dwell among the wise.
32He who neglects discipline despises himself, But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding.
33The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility.
Proverbs 15:31–33 (NASB95)
Ask: What is the “…life-giving reproof…?”
Point: The instruction of experience is the pollen that makes the honey of wisdom as we learn what is successful and what fails.
Ask: Is learning from experience, gaining instruction in life in all things gaining wisdom?
Point: Does learning how to lie better or be a more successful thief or murderer mean I’m gaining wisdom? No, it does not.
Ask: If all things cannot teach us wisdom, then what can?
Point: RE-read verse 33 from Proverbs 15 above.
Ask: If the fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, then where do we learn about the “fear of the Lord?”
Point: The Bible.
Ask: Okay, so what is the fear of the Lord?
Point: Please read the following:
12I wisdom dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 8:12–13 (KJV 1900)
Ask: Is Fear of the Lord all that we need to gain wisdom?
Point: Please read the following:
14“If you will fear the Lord and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the Lord, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God.
15“If you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the command of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
1 Samuel 12:14–15 (NASB95)
Ask: Is there a single word we can use to describe what is being talked about at length in that 1 Samuel passage?
Point: Yes, repent.
Ask: What is that one word hinted at in those two passages from 1 Samuel?
Point: Repent. Please read the following:
3“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be consulted by them at all?
4“Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols,
5in order to lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel who are estranged from Me through all their idols.” ’
6“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations.
7“For anyone of the house of Israel or of the immigrants who stay in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, I the Lord will be brought to answer him in My own person.
8“I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 14:3–8 (NASB95)
Ask: What does all this doom and gloom, fear and repentence have to do with bees, honey, stingers, and wisdom?
Point: Please read the following:
24“Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
25“But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.”
1 Samuel 12:24–25 (NASB95)
Ask: If the honey we are in search of is wisdom, why should we expect to be “stung by bees” as the quote suggests?
Point: Some people will disagree with our conclusions concernign what is wise.
Ask: What should we do about people who think we are wrong?
Point: Understand why they think we are wrong.
Ask: What does that mean to understand why someone thinks we are wrong?
Point: See things from their point of view.
Closing Statement
God’s wisdom is to our soul like the sweet savor of honey from the comb on our tongue. Study His Word, His Ways, and learn them. Discern good from evil, embracing the good and moving away from the evil. Where we find things God doesn’t like within our own lives we repent of our sins so that we show God we understand He doesn’t like it. We do that to show we are His, becoming more like Him so that we might reflect His love to the world around us better and more correctly. The consequence of deciding we know better than God has already been prophcized by Isaiah.
11Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.
Isaiah 13:11 (NASB95)
Questions for the Week
Question 1 Review the Definitions page at the end of the lesson.
Question 2 Read Proverbs 8 at the end of the lesson.
Question 3 Read Proverbs 9 in your favorite translation.
Question 4 Record your thoughts on those two chapters in the Bible in light of the words defined at the back of the lesson.
Wisdom
1Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice?
2On top of the heights beside the way, Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3Beside the gates, at the opening to the city, At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4“To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.
5“O naive ones, understand prudence; And, O fools, understand wisdom.
6“Listen, for I will speak noble things; And the opening of my lips will reveal right things.
7“For my mouth will utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8“All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.
9“They are all straightforward to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge.
10“Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold.
11“For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her.
12“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion.
13“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14“Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.
15“By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice.
16“By me princes rule, and nobles, All who judge rightly.
17“I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.
18“Riches and honor are with me, Enduring wealth and righteousness.
19“My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold, And my yield better than choicest silver.
20“I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice,
21To endow those who love me with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
22“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.
23“From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.
24“When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water.
25“Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills I was brought forth;
26While He had not yet made the earth and the fields, Nor the first dust of the world.
27“When He established the heavens, I was there, When He inscribed a circle on the face of the deep,
28When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed,
29When He set for the sea its boundary So that the water would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
30Then I was beside Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
31Rejoicing in the world, His earth, And having my delight in the sons of men.
32“Now therefore, O sons, listen to me, For blessed are they who keep my ways.
33“Heed instruction and be wise, And do not neglect it.
34“Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at my doorposts.
35“For he who finds me finds life And obtains favor from the Lord.
36“But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 8:1–36 (NASB95)
Definitions
froward
[froh-werd,froh-erd ]
adjective
willfully contrary; not easily managed: to be worried about one's froward, intractable child.
instruct
[ in-struhkt]
verb (used with object)
to furnish with knowledge, especially by a systematic method; teach; train; educate.
to furnish with orders or directions; direct; order; command: The doctor instructed me to diet.
to furnish with information; inform; apprise.
Law.(of a judge) to guide (a jury) by outlining the legal principles involved in the case under consideration.
knowledge
[nol-ij ]
noun
acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition: knowledge of many things.
familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning: A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.
acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report: a knowledge of human nature.
the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.
awareness, as of a fact or circumstance: He had knowledge of her good fortune.
something that is or may be known; information: He sought knowledge of her activities.
the body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time.
the sum of what is known: Knowledge of the true situation is limited.
Archaic. sexual intercourse.: Compare carnal knowledge.
adjective
creating, involving, using, or disseminating special knowledge or information: A computer expert can always find a good job in the knowledge industry.
discern
[ dih-surn, -zurn]
verb (used with object)
to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by the intellect; see, recognize, or apprehend: They discerned a sail on the horizon.
to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different; discriminate: He is incapable of discerning right from wrong.
verb (used without object)
to distinguish or discriminate.
learn
[ lurn ]
verb (used with object),learned[lurnd]orlearnt[lurnt],learn·ing[lur-ning].
to acquire knowledge of or skill in by study, instruction, or experience: to learn French; to learn to ski.
to become informed of or acquainted with; ascertain:to learn the truth.
to memorize: He learned the poem so he could recite it at the dinner.
to gain (a habit, mannerism, etc.) by experience, exposure to example, or the like;acquire: She learned patience from her father.
(of a device or machine, especially a computer) to perform an analogue of human learning with artificial intelligence.
Nonstandard.to instruct in; teach.
SEE LESS
verb (used without object),learned[lurnd]orlearnt[lurnt],learn·ing[lur-ning].
to acquire knowledge or skill: to learn rapidly.
to become informed (usually followed by of):to learn of an accident.