Some folks are so full of themselves there ain’t no room for anything like facts, truth, good judgment, and such. They think they’re the only ones that know what’s right.”
–B.N. Rundell (High Country)
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
–John 8:32 (NKJV)
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“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” –Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)
Here we have the key verse, the thesis statement of Proverbs. All the rest can be traced back to this idea. Note that the first six verses tell us that life is full of choices, full of decision-making, and here we see the first decision that must be made–to fear God or become a fool. Bob Beasley, puts it this way, “If one doesn’t get this decision right, all the decisions that follow will be wrong as well.” We see in this verse the introduction of the fool and his characteristics. I also like the way the NIV translates the latter part of the verse, “fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
If a person wants to be wise, wants to obtain true knowledge, they must start here. “Fear of the Lord motivates us to obey God’s commandments, and obedience to them constitutes true wisdom” (NKJV Study Bible). Here is the starting point. Here we see the basic ingredient in wisdom and God’s knowledge–the fear of the Lord. It is vital that we understand that true worship is knowing the character of God and reacting to it. Solomon concludes his magnificent Book of Ecclesiastes with this declaration: “Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man” (12:13, KJV). “Of all knowledge, the knowledge of God is the principal. There is no true knowledge without godliness.” (Charles Bridges).
We see, right from the beginning of Proverbs, the introduction of the fool and two of his characteristics: the despising of wisdom and instruction or discipline. Wisdom/knowledge is offered, but the fool despises it and casts it away. This is one of the great tragedies of life. Why they go this way, only they truly know. Warren W. Wiersbe points out one such reason, “There’s so much noise that people can’t hear the things they really want to hear.” Hundreds, if not more, voices and sound call them. They may seek truth, but only find confusion and chaos. They come to despise God’s truth and listen to confused communications and foolish voices. These lead people away from the truth that God offers.
The fool rejects the truth, godly wisdom, and godly morals choosing to listen to other voices or to do what is right in their own eyes. He rejects what Charles Bridges says is, “The fear of the Lord is that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law.” The fool is his own man, he goes his own way, he does things his own way. He rejects, “the necessary foundation of true wisdom is unfeigned righteousness and pureness” (Henry Moore). Now, we must define a “fool.” The Oxford Dictionary says that a fool is, 1) to be gross and dull of understanding; 2) to turn away from; 3) perverse — therefore, God has no influence upon their hearts; to them, practically, there is no God. Beasley states, “Many who are in pews today are practical atheists. They don’t tremble at God and neither do they hold Him in affectionate awe.” It is this person that Paul writes about, “Professing to be wise, they became fools… They exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” (Romans 1:22,25, NKJV) This is the man or woman that Jesus declares in Matthew 7:23, “depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (NKJV).
One other term to look at in this study–“despise.” Look around you at those who despise God’s Word and His moral values. Somebody bluntly said, “Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.” The truth is before them, but they refuse to see it and refuse to accept it rather trusting in the wisdom of man instead. To define “despise” is 1) to feel contempt or a deep repugnance for; 2) something detested; 3) a loathing. There are many who loathe the truth of God’s moral standards, thus they are fools. Job gives us some guidance, “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” (28:28, NKJV)
——————————
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” –Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)
Here we have the key verse, the thesis statement of Proverbs. All the rest can be traced back to this idea. Note that the first six verses tell us that life is full of choices, full of decision-making, and here we see the first decision that must be made–to fear God or become a fool. Bob Beasley, puts it this way, “If one doesn’t get this decision right, all the decisions that follow will be wrong as well.” We see in this verse the introduction of the fool and his characteristics. I also like the way the NIV translates the latter part of the verse, “fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
If a person wants to be wise, wants to obtain true knowledge, they must start here. “Fear of the Lord motivates us to obey God’s commandments, and obedience to them constitutes true wisdom” (NKJV Study Bible). Here is the starting point. Here we see the basic ingredient in wisdom and God’s knowledge–the fear of the Lord. It is vital that we understand that true worship is knowing the character of God and reacting to it. Solomon concludes his magnificent Book of Ecclesiastes with this declaration: “Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man” (12:13, KJV). “Of all knowledge, the knowledge of God is the principal. There is no true knowledge without godliness.” (Charles Bridges).
We see, right from the beginning of Proverbs, the introduction of the fool and two of his characteristics: the despising of wisdom and instruction or discipline. Wisdom/knowledge is offered, but the fool despises it and casts it away. This is one of the great tragedies of life. Why they go this way, only they truly know. Warren W. Wiersbe points out one such reason, “There’s so much noise that people can’t hear the things they really want to hear.” Hundreds, if not more, voices and sound call them. They may seek truth, but only find confusion and chaos. They come to despise God’s truth and listen to confused communications and foolish voices. These lead people away from the truth that God offers.
The fool rejects the truth, godly wisdom, and godly morals choosing to listen to other voices or to do what is right in their own eyes. He rejects what Charles Bridges says is, “The fear of the Lord is that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law.” The fool is his own man, he goes his own way, he does things his own way. He rejects, “the necessary foundation of true wisdom is unfeigned righteousness and pureness” (Henry Moore). Now, we must define a “fool.” The Oxford Dictionary says that a fool is, 1) to be gross and dull of understanding; 2) to turn away from; 3) perverse — therefore, God has no influence upon their hearts; to them, practically, there is no God. Beasley states, “Many who are in pews today are practical atheists. They don’t tremble at God and neither do they hold Him in affectionate awe.” It is this person that Paul writes about, “Professing to be wise, they became fools… They exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” (Romans 1:22,25, NKJV) This is the man or woman that Jesus declares in Matthew 7:23, “depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (NKJV).
One other term to look at in this study–“despise.” Look around you at those who despise God’s Word and His moral values. Somebody bluntly said, “Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.” The truth is before them, but they refuse to see it and refuse to accept it rather trusting in the wisdom of man instead. To define “despise” is 1) to feel contempt or a deep repugnance for; 2) something detested; 3) a loathing. There are many who loathe the truth of God’s moral standards, thus they are fools. Job gives us some guidance, “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” (28:28, NKJV)