Wisdom's Blueprint: Illuminating Paths
Proverbs 14:1-35
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)
#Anger
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
Themes
Wisdom vs Folly
The Consequences of Righteousness and Wickedness
The Power of Speech
Integrity and Deceit
Understanding vs Ignorance
Topics
Wisdom and Folly
Righteousness and Wickedness
Power and Impact of Words
Honesty and Deception
Understanding and Ignorance
Potential Sermon Titles: ??
Intro Questions to get us thinking:
- When building a house of sand, wooden blocks, Lincoln logs or cards, how did you make sure it stood up? How much easier was it to tear down? Why is that?
- If forced to choose, which lot in life would you prefer and why: (a) Farmer without oxen to plow? (b) Museum curator without artifacts to display? (c) King without subjects to rule? (d) Love life without bitterness or joy?
ESV Text with Highlights
#God
#People = The wise, The foolish, The righteous, The wicked, The mocker
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#Obedient faith =
#Sin =
#Key Idea =
#People = The wise, The foolish, The righteous, The wicked, The mocker
#Time =
#Place =
#Obedient faith =
#Sin =
#Key Idea =
Proverbs 14 ESV
The wisest of women builds her house,
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy makes the bones rot.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
but folly with her own hands tears it down.
2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the Lord,
but he who is devious in his ways despises him.
3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie,
but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,
but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool,
for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way,
but the folly of fools is deceiving.
9 Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy acceptance.
10 The heart knows its own bitterness,
and no stranger shares its joy.
11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache,
and the end of joy may be grief.
14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways,
and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
15 The simple believes everything,
but the prudent gives thought to his steps.
16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly,
and a man of evil devices is hated.
18 The simple inherit folly,
but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
19 The evil bow down before the good,
the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor,
but the rich has many friends.
21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner,
but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
22 Do they not go astray who devise evil?
Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness.
23 In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
24 The crown of the wise is their wealth,
but the folly of fools brings folly.
25 A truthful witness saves lives,
but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence,
and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,
that one may turn away from the snares of death.
28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king,
but without people a prince is ruined.
29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,
but envy makes the bones rot.
31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing,
but the righteous finds refuge in his death.
33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding,
but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people.
35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor,
but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
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
Wisdom instructs about the fear of the Lord.
THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH (14:1–9): The wise build up their houses; the wicked tear them down.
TRUE JOY (14:10–13): Laughter conceals a heavy heart.
PERSONALITY PATTERNS (14:14–21): The prudent carefully consider what they do while fools rush in without a thought.
GENERAL DOS AND DON’TS (14:22–28): Plan for good, work hard, be truthful, and fear the Lord.
ANGER AND ENVY (14:29–33): If you control your anger, you have great understanding. If you are jealous, your life rots away.
LIFTING UP KINGDOM AND KING (14:34–35): Godliness exalts a nation, and a king rejoices in it.
STUDY RESOURCES (This takes some work and here are more resources than you can go through completely)
StudyLight (New Revised Standard) (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 (King James Version) (A variety of resources and good on Phones / better on Computers)
Bible.com (Lexham English Bible)
Biblia.com (New Century Version) (Great on a computer especially if you have a logos account)
Literal Word (New American Standard Bible) (Works well on a smartphone or computer + for searching for words like a printed concordance)
KnowingJesus (Phone / Computer and great for comparing translations)
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- How might verse 1 serve as a good "subtitle" for this chapter? Compare 9:1-12, for the house built by wisdom. What building blocks of wisdom do you see here in chapter 14 that would help ensure that one's "house” flourishes? What stumbling blocks of the foolish would you avoid for that same reason?
- Some proverbs arrest our attention due to a figure of speech that is ambiguous. Such is the case with verse 4. What could it mean: (a) Growth (corporate and spiritual) is never neat, but often messy like an ox? (b) Take care of your means of production if you want a rich harvest? (c) Be kind to animals and they'll be kind to you?
- What does the "fear of the Lord" imply for living today (vv. 2, 26, 27)? What will future retribution for present inequality look like (vv. 14,18,19, 24, 32)?
- How should we relate to our neighbors in need (vv. 21, 31)? What happens if we follow this advice? How does a shabby treatment of the unfortunate reflect on one's relationship with God? How does the good we do for the poor honor God and exalt one's nation as morally righteous? Why is that?
APPLICATION(God wants us all to arrive at action, life-changing faith)
The Message (MSG) (An easy-to-read paraphrase that helps some with application)
Heartlight (Great for practical application of scripture)
- Comparing your life to a "house," what condition is it in: (a) Crumblings foundation, but good soil? (b) Good foundation, but tacky additions? (c) Fancy exterior, but shabby interior? (d) Under-priced fixer-upper? (e) Well lived in? (f) Ready for sale?
- If you had a choice of the following, which would you like to work on and why? (a) Strong back? (b) Wise lips? (c) Rich friends? (d) Caring heart? (e) Discerning heart? (f) Quick temper? (g) King's delight? (h) Nation's righteousness? How can your group study of Proverbs help you in this one area?
- To what extent do you and your church practice shunning the "fool," as in verse 7? How do you avoid worshipping, socializing or working with a "fool"?
- Where do you find security: Job? Money? Home? Family? Friends? Possessions? What could happen to each of these in time? What SO alone provides true security (v. 26)? Have you found your security there? Why or why not?
- Are you experiencing "body life," or “bone rot” (v. 30) these days? What causes the two conditions? What cures them? Where does the heart-felt peace come from?
- Is yours an exalted nation, or a disgraced one (v. 34)? Why do you think so? What is your contribution or solution to that?
- If, after making a bad decision, someone quoted verse 12 to you, how would you feel? What is a proper context for "the way leading to death" (see 7:21-27)?
- When have you had laughter and joy turn to grief and sadness (v. 13; see Mt 5:4)?
- 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.
#Anger
- Proverbs 6:34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
- Proverbs 11:23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
- Proverbs 12:16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
- Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
- Proverbs 14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
- Proverbs 14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
- Proverbs 14:35 The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.
- Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
- Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
- Proverbs 16:14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.
- Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
- Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
- Proverbs 19:12 The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass.
- Proverbs 19:19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again.
- Proverbs 20:2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
- Proverbs 21:14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath.
- Proverbs 21:19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
- Proverbs 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.
- Proverbs 22:8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
- Proverbs 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
- Proverbs 25:23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
- Proverbs 27:3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.
- Proverbs 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
- Proverbs 29:8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.
- Proverbs 29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.
- Proverbs 30:33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
#envy #covetousness
- Proverbs 3:31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
- Proverbs 6:34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
- Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
- Proverbs 21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. 26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.
- Proverbs 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but bethou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
- Proverbs 24:1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
- Proverbs 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked:
- Proverbs 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
- Proverbs 28:16 The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.
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