We are familiar with the designation of nobility or gentlemen classes, vs. lower or servant class distinctions in film or literature depictions of European monarch culture which developed over the centuries and lingered for quite some time in these societies. These dynamics seem foreign and wrong to us given our modern egalitarian sensibilities. Proverbs stands, indeed, as a correction of presumptions of social order from this time, but for different reasons than we might think.  An observation worthy of critique in this era was the arbitrary and often ironic nature of these class structures.  Whether or not one was truly a gentleman in character often had no bearing on whether or not he was a gentleman by social class.  Likewise a noble servant trustworthy and faithful may never attain the title of nobleman as far as society was concerned.  Proverbs teaches us that while there is to be rank order in areas of life & society, our classifications and incentive structures ought to be based on the criteria of Biblical wisdom, not the arbitrary whims of any given culture.  Verse one sets the tone of the chapter which is followed by knowledge that those who embrace discipline will appreciate.

Again revealed in the title, Psalm 57 was also written in hiding during David’s fugitive wanderings.  This occasion served to inspired David to seek the assurance of divine protection far greater than the refuge the cave in Adullam could ever provide him. I Sam 22:1-2 documents the first congregation to ever sing this song. There were gathered to him and his family in this hideout, a motley crew of those in distress, debt, and bitter of soul about 400 strong. We can imagine David singing softly with pen in hand accompanied by a waning candle, his voice and the flickering light reflecting off of ancient stone cavern walls.  Some distance away at the cave’s entrance, several of his men stand guard with watchful eyes probing the distance for the dust of enemy horsemen. After repeating his new chorus several times, the cave begins to echo with hundreds of outcast voices singing: “…With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.

The practical application sections of Paul's epistles are often interspersed with governing principles. Paul is constantly “teaching the 'what' and preaching the 'why'. I find this inferred principle/application distinction especially helpful for discipleship and instruction in Christian 'orthopraxy' – the 'day to day' practical concerns of the believer. Paul allows for latitude in application areas like whether or not to eat food in Corinth that has been dedicated to idols. He instructs the Corinthian believers to use their judgement in case by case situations according to governing principles in scripture. Today we will highlight several of these timeless truths.

A word to prepare our hearts to receive the message of proverbs 11 today. The times in life we most need the convicting reminder of God‘s word usually require a change of heart to receive it. This is evident in our worship text today. When the prophet Malachi called the returning people of God to order their affairs according to their calling in the promised land, it was not for lack of the book of Proverbs they had failed thus far to do so, but rather their own conviction to apply the words of Solomon.  Hence the prophet called them to repentance in the areas of worship, family, finances, and love of neighbor.  This is the role of preaching yet today.  Thus if any of Solomon’s instruction hits close to our home as it is proclaimed in our ears, let us repent and reform.

When Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God in His great sermon he included these well known words from Matthew 6:33 “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Thousands of years earlier His message had been preceded by an understanding of the rewards of righteousness through the pen of Solomon in the great book of Proverbs. The blessing and benefit of living according to God‘s terms in this world cannot be overstated, but can easily be misunderstood.  In our fallen frame of mind, benefits can often be mistaken for curses and vice versa. How can we seek to untangle the confusion that we often face in our day-to-day lives? Solomon’s instruction, corroborated by words of Jesus, offers much in that regard. Let us behold and esteem the blessings of righteousness revealed by someone with authority on the matter gleaned from his experience as a great king, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

One can easily imagine the context inspiring David’s words here. A good portion of his early days were spent on the run as a fugitive from King Saul. For years, due to this providential hardship, David was likely unable to participate in tabernacle worship.  Nevertheless, we hear his heart in this song as he prays that the Lord would count his prayer and praise as a legitimate incense offering.  Spurgeon writes of this song: “David's case seemed hopeless: the cause of God in Israel was as a dead thing, even as a skeleton broken, and rotten, and shoveled out of the grave, to return as dust to its dust. There seemed to be no life, no cohesion, no form, order, or headship among the godly party in Israel: Saul had demolished it, and scattered all its parts, so that it did not exist as an organized whole. David himself was like one of these dried bones, and the rest of the godly were in much the same condition.“ in the Providence of God, this occasion provides a Spirit inspired example of prayer in crisis. David demonstrates how to face trials unto the glory of God.

We’ve considered at length the contrasts illustrated in Proverbs 9 by way of a dinner invitation to Lady Wisdom’s house vs. the meal served at the Woman Folly’s place.  The first is a promise of provision unto eternal life, the second is a gateway to Sheol disguised as a party. Which table will you gather around for dinner? Choose carefully because this situation represents where you turn for provision, the company you keep, the ritual worship you practice, the covenant relationships you countenance, and the foretaste of eternity. The Apostle Paul picks up on this theme addressing issues and diagnosing the spiritual condition of the church in Corinth. He calls them to the repentance, fear, and faithfulness worthy of the table of the Lord.  This text couldn’t be more relevant for our assembly today as we have gathered in this place to take communion and share a meal together

Wisdom is an indispensable virtue to the discipline of applying the Law of God.  The wise man seeks to understand all of life and thought in terms of the absolute moral order of God’s Word & God’s world. Wisdom equips the moral agent for the discipline of measuring all things by the standard of divine revelation. Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (II Cor 10:5) requires wisdom and discernment that comes by way of practice (Heb 5:14).  Diligently processing and applying the scriptures is an ordinary means of the Spirit to equip saints for glorifying God in life & ministry. Wisdom literature is an instruction manual for ‘casuistry’…The task of judging case by case situations by the universal standard of Biblical truth.  Proverbs contains hundreds of examples of God‘s law applied to various situations - or cases- in every day life.  The book of Proverbs along with all of scripture is a Just Weight by which to measure everything else.

As we continue to familiarize ourselves with this great literary form of scripture otherwise foreign to us, let us pause to appreciate its great value! How different and infinitely more valuable are the words of Proverbs than the quasi – wisdom literature of our day. What is the popular “wisdom” of our day? Whether it’s the motivating appeals to the hope of success designed to inspire a sense of determination, so-called ‘influencers’ promoting the latest shiny thing, or sports figures and celebrities exalting the virtue and reward of chasing one’s dreams… one thing is certain, no one will be listening to these messages a thousand years from now.  Yet today we have before us a record of wisdom that has stood the test of 3,000 years.  If you didn’t have access to the Proverbs of scripture, it would be worth selling all that you had to own a copy of this book we are beholding this morning.

As we consider the 2nd major section in the book of Proverbs, the most obvious difference is in the form Solomon’s instruction is presented.  Chapters 10-24 proceed with a collection of single sentence wisdom sayings or ‘aphorisms’ under the title: “The Proverbs of Solomon”.  The style of writing compiles straightforward statements without expounding or illustrating the nuances of their application in practice.  As such, the order of the book is intuitive.  After the student masters the “My Son Oracles” of chapters 1-9, he can more effectively process and deploy the aphorisms of Proverbs in fruitful ways.  The operating assumption is that the exercise of wisdom is a discipline honed by diligent practice.  Solomon does not anticipate every case-by-case contingency, rather he writes to inform the student’s moral intuition. From this database, the wisdom practitioner is better equipped to draw his own conclusions given any number or variation of situations he may face in his life and calling. These are rules of thumb (Webster) “...methods of procedure based on experience and common sense. General principles regarded as roughly correct but not intended to be scientifically accurate.