Invitations of Wisdom and Folly

Proverbs 9:1-18

Reminder: Pray to God to set your heart right as you engage His word. The text you are about to study was not written to you but is written for you. So, before applying we must ask the following questions:

What did it mean to the original reader or original audience?

READ THE SCRIPTURE(Multiple times & translations and notice the words that standout)

Biblegateway (NIV) (My choice of all-round site. Great app, better on computers or on phone)

StepBible (ESV) (Great on phone or computer with good resources.)

Hashtags:

#Wisdom

#Decision-Making

#Folly

#Change

#Repentance

Topical Bible

Kevin's Teaching Blog About Folly

Themes

Wisdom and Folly

The Consequences of Choices

Fear of the Lord

Instruction and Reproof

Topics

Wisdom’s Banquet

The Invitation of Wisdom

Folly’s Invitation

The Consequences of Ignorance

Potential Sermon Titles: ??

Intro Questions to get us thinking:

Describe a memorable dinner you've attended. What made it memorable: The food? The people? The gifts exchanged? The lobbying or prospecting that went on?
Who in your family is the loudest, lacking any volume control?

ESV Text with Highlights

#God
#People = Wisdom (personified), Folly (personified), The simple, The mocker, The wise
#Time =
#Place = The House of Wisdom, The highest point of the city, The House of Folly
#Obedient faith =
#Sin =
#Key Idea =

Proverbs 9:1-18 ESV

The Way of Wisdom

9 Wisdom has built her house;
    she has hewn her seven pillars.
²She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine;
    she has also set her table.
³She has sent out her young women to call
    from the highest places in the town,
⁴“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    To him who lacks sense she says,
⁵“Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.
⁶Leave your simple ways, and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”

⁷Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
⁸Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
⁹Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.
¹⁰The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
¹¹For by me your days will be multiplied,
    and years will be added to your life.
¹²If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;
    if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

The Way of Folly

¹³The woman Folly is loud;
    she is seductive and knows nothing.
¹⁴She sits at the door of her house;
    she takes a seat on the highest places of the town,
¹⁵calling to those who pass by,
    who are going straight on their way,
¹⁶“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
    And to him who lacks sense she says,
¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet,
    and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
¹⁸But he does not know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

OBSERVATIONS(Reflect on the topic and build the concept the writer is trying to communicate to the original audience)

ebible (NLT) (Best for having Bible sections divided by "pericope" or sections by thought)

Bible Project (NLT) (Helpful videos and instructions for the bigger picture)

Thematic Bible(Books and Chapters Structure)

Bible Hub = Outline, Themes, Topics, People, Locations, and Questions

This chapter of Proverbs talks about the importance of wisdom. wisdom is described as a woman who builds her house, while folly is built by seven pillars.

(PROVERBS 9)

Wisdom spreads a banquet and gives instructions.

I. Wisdom’s Fruits (9:1–12)

A. Its palace (9:1): “Wisdom has built her spacious house with seven pillars.”

B. Its provisions (9:2, 5–6): Wisdom “has prepared a great banquet, mixed the wines, and set the table.”

C. Its plea (9:3–4): “She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.”

D. Its platform (9:10): “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

E. Its promises (9:7–9, 11–12)

1. The effects of rebuking the wise (9:7–8): Rebuking a wicked man will cause hurt; the wise will love you all the more.

2. The effects of teaching the wise (9:9): The righteous will learn more, and the wise will be wiser.

3. The benefits of gained wisdom (9:11–12): It will add abundant years to one’s life.

II. Whoredom’s Folly (9:13–18): Folly is likened to a loud and brash harlot.

A. What sexual immorality promises (9:13–17): “Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!”

B. What sexual immorality produces (9:18): “Her former guests are now in the grave.”

STUDY RESOURCES (This takes some work and here are more resources than you can go through completely)

StudyLight (LEB) (Great site with commentaries by Burton Coffman)

NETBible (New English Translation) (Great for original text information)

BibleHub (HCSB) (Good on computer or app/phone with lots of well-organized information.)

BlueLetter (KJV) (A variety of resources and good on Phones / better on Computers)

Literal Word (NASB) (Works well on a smartphone or computer + for searching for words like a printed concordance)

Biblia.com (NCV) (Great on a computer especially if you have a logos account)

KnowingJesus (Phone / Computer and great for comparing translations)

https://www.openbible.info

God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
If this poem were set to music and sung, how many stanzas would there be? Where is the chorus? (Note the structure and repetition of key phrases and concepts.) What instruments would underscore the major and minor themes? What parts would a soloist sing?
Compare and contrast Wisdom (ch. 8) and Folly: What are their personalities? Lifestyles? Residences? Messages? Results

Link to More Questions

APPLICATION(God wants us all to arrive at action, life-changing faith)

Heartlight (Great for practical application of scripture)

The Message (MSG) (An easy-to-read paraphrase that helps some with application)

Precept Austin Devotionals

Scripture Graphics

https://www.openbible.info

In practical terms, what is the difference between a "mocker" and a "wise man” (vv. 7-9)? When have you tried to correct one or the other? What happened?
How easy is it for someone to correct you? Why is that? What would make it easier for you to hear the input your critics have to offer?
How do you feel being around loud, undisciplined people? What does this say about you? About the person you want to become? What can your group do to help?
The first nine chapters of Proverbs serve as an introduction to the whole book (see 10:1). Why do you think Solomon closes his introduction as he does? Why is choice so important in a person's life?
I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.

Extra Proverbs on Topic
#Folly #Foolishness #Fool #Wise #Wisdom

Proverbs 13:14 NIV - 14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death.
Proverbs 14:24 NIV - 24 The wealth of the wise is their crown, but the folly of fools yields folly.
Proverbs 15:24 NIV - 24 The path of life leads upward for the prudent to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.
Proverbs 16:22 NIV - 22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools.
Proverbs 17:12 NIV - 12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.
Proverbs 24:7, 13–14 NIV - 7 Wisdom is too high for fools; in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. ... 13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. 14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Dealing with Fools

Proverbs 26:4–11 NIV - 4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes. 6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one's feet or drinking poison. 7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 8 Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. 9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard's hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 10 Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. 11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
Proverbs 27:22 NIV - 22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.
Proverbs 29:9 NIV - 9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

Wisdom & Folly Larger Context in the Bible