Psalm 119:129-136 and Proverbs 1 - 3
In summary:
The first three chapters of the book of Proverbs convince a young man of wisdom’s great value and unveil the strategies of the wicked who want to deceive him. Overall they instill the fear of Yahweh as a solid foundation for wisdom.
The first three chapters of the book of Proverbs convince a young man of wisdom’s great value and unveil the strategies of the wicked who want to deceive him. Overall they instill the fear of Yahweh as a solid foundation for wisdom.
In more detail:
As the introduction and foundation for the book of Proverbs, the following motto will call our attention first: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbios 1:7). Notice:
“Wisdom” or “knowledge” – In our reading of 2 Chronicles 1 – 5:1, we defined wisdom by saying that Biblical wisdom is very different from the mere accumulation of experiences. It is the knowledge of Yahweh’s just dominion to the degree that the wise person knows how to apply His precepts to daily life. Specifically, he uses wisdom to submit to Yahweh in obedience, to relate to others in righteousness and to exercise authority justly over other people, places, resources and time, whether within the family, in the community or in the nation. Wisdom’s importance comes from its role in directing us to exercise authority and relate to others in accordance with Yahweh’s just dominion over all creation. When someone demonstrates wisdom, he or she acts in agreement with the Creator’s justice and righteousness. Therefore one must know Yahweh, fear Him and submit to Him to begin receiving wisdom.
Notice too, that wisdom is distinguished from Yahweh’s law (the first five books of the Bible) in that the law defined the formation of Yahweh’s people, their approach to Yahweh through the tabernacle sacrifices and the preservation of holiness through laws about food, etc. The book of Proverbs supposes that the reader already understands the law. Proverbs refines or extends the law to cover topics of daily life that may not appear to be directly related to holiness: how to handle one’s relationship with authority, for example, or how to manage God-given time and resources properly, how to enjoy peace in our relationships with others, how to resist temptation, etc. Wisdom in the book of Proverbs is closely related to the law in that both direct the believer to live in joyful submission to Yahweh’s dominion over His creation. Therefore, wisdom in the book of Proverbs does not form a theme apart from the law; it accompanies the law to reveal another facet of life in communion with Yahweh.
“The beginning of wisdom / knowledge” – “The beginning” refers to the initial point or the most essential. For example, when we teach our children to read, first we teach them the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds. It is impossible to read English without first distinguishing and identifying the letters of the alphabet. In the same way, we cannot manage daily life wisely if we do not know first how to identify, define and apply fear of Yahweh.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom / knowledge” – Let’s look at four important characteristics of fear of Yahweh:
1) It describes a reaction on our part. It is a reaction of fear, respect, trembling and awe. In one aspect we feel the terror of His holiness; in another, we feel the desire to approach Him because of His beauty, love and mercy. It is a fear that does not end in our wanting to flee but one that draws us to Him in trembling and leads to worship.
2) It is the fear of Yahweh, a fear directed toward the Being revealed in the books of the Bible that we have read up to this point. It is fear directed toward the Creator, the One who chose Abraham to form His holy people, who rescued them from slavery in Egypt and worked in their history toward judgment and salvation.
Perhaps we can better understand fear of Yahweh as we see it portrayed in two passages from the book of Exodus. Recall how the people of Israel reacted when they heard Yahweh’s voice on Mount Sinai: “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die’” (Exodus 20:18-19). That is the initial reaction of fear. But notice that it doesn’t stop there. Moses reveals Yahweh’s purpose in inspiring fear: “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin” (Exodus 20:20). Notice too, the two directions in the following verse: “The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:21). Fear that separates alongside the attraction that calls closer – that is the fear of Yahweh.
The fear of Yahweh shows itself again in Moses in Exodus 34. After the sin of the golden calf, Moses intercedes for the people and even dares to ask Yahweh: “Please show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18). Yahweh responds, “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin’” (Exodus 34:6-7). He proclaims His glory; He calls; He invites him to know the forgiving and merciful God. At the same time: “But who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 34:7). His mercy invites Moses to approach and know and at the same time, His holiness inspires fear and keeps its distance – and Moses’ reaction is appropriate to both: “And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped” (Exodus 34:8). This worship in hope and trembling is the beginning, the alphabet, of wisdom.
3) But the fear of Yahweh is more than a reaction. Go back to Proverbs 1:7 and notice that it is described by another word in the second part of the verse: “Fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). Just like in Psalm 19:9, “the fear of the LORD” is a description of His word – His commandments, His testimonies, His law. In other words, the beginning of wisdom is the Bible, the word of Yahweh, His law… because it reveals the Being who motivates the believer to separation in fear, attraction and worship. To know Yahweh, we begin with His word; we submit ourselves joyfully and with fear to His revelation. Without the beginning in Yahweh’s word, we have no hope of managing daily life according to His will, just like someone who cannot distinguish between letters has no hope of reading. On the other hand, if we tremble at His word and submit ourselves to it, we have the foundation to living in agreement with His wise dominion.
4) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom / knowledge” also implies the obligation of submitting ourselves to Him. Psalm 111:10 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” The fear of Yahweh motivates us to put into practice what we learn, not only to remember it as a curious piece of knowledge. If we do not put into practice what we learn, we will be judged just like the second half of Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” If we have a foolish reaction to fear of Yahweh, we are under His wrath and worthy of condemnation. But we who put His wisdom into practice in fear of Yahweh will demonstrate wisdom and righteousness.
Therefore, this is the attitude with which we want to read the book of Proverbs – with the fear of Yahweh who is righteous and just in condemning sin and at the same time marvelous in love, calling us by His word to submit to His just dominion to enjoy rest and peace. May we humble ourselves joyfully with love, trembling and worship to the God who grants His wisdom.
As the introduction and foundation for the book of Proverbs, the following motto will call our attention first: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbios 1:7). Notice:
“Wisdom” or “knowledge” – In our reading of 2 Chronicles 1 – 5:1, we defined wisdom by saying that Biblical wisdom is very different from the mere accumulation of experiences. It is the knowledge of Yahweh’s just dominion to the degree that the wise person knows how to apply His precepts to daily life. Specifically, he uses wisdom to submit to Yahweh in obedience, to relate to others in righteousness and to exercise authority justly over other people, places, resources and time, whether within the family, in the community or in the nation. Wisdom’s importance comes from its role in directing us to exercise authority and relate to others in accordance with Yahweh’s just dominion over all creation. When someone demonstrates wisdom, he or she acts in agreement with the Creator’s justice and righteousness. Therefore one must know Yahweh, fear Him and submit to Him to begin receiving wisdom.
Notice too, that wisdom is distinguished from Yahweh’s law (the first five books of the Bible) in that the law defined the formation of Yahweh’s people, their approach to Yahweh through the tabernacle sacrifices and the preservation of holiness through laws about food, etc. The book of Proverbs supposes that the reader already understands the law. Proverbs refines or extends the law to cover topics of daily life that may not appear to be directly related to holiness: how to handle one’s relationship with authority, for example, or how to manage God-given time and resources properly, how to enjoy peace in our relationships with others, how to resist temptation, etc. Wisdom in the book of Proverbs is closely related to the law in that both direct the believer to live in joyful submission to Yahweh’s dominion over His creation. Therefore, wisdom in the book of Proverbs does not form a theme apart from the law; it accompanies the law to reveal another facet of life in communion with Yahweh.
“The beginning of wisdom / knowledge” – “The beginning” refers to the initial point or the most essential. For example, when we teach our children to read, first we teach them the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds. It is impossible to read English without first distinguishing and identifying the letters of the alphabet. In the same way, we cannot manage daily life wisely if we do not know first how to identify, define and apply fear of Yahweh.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom / knowledge” – Let’s look at four important characteristics of fear of Yahweh:
1) It describes a reaction on our part. It is a reaction of fear, respect, trembling and awe. In one aspect we feel the terror of His holiness; in another, we feel the desire to approach Him because of His beauty, love and mercy. It is a fear that does not end in our wanting to flee but one that draws us to Him in trembling and leads to worship.
2) It is the fear of Yahweh, a fear directed toward the Being revealed in the books of the Bible that we have read up to this point. It is fear directed toward the Creator, the One who chose Abraham to form His holy people, who rescued them from slavery in Egypt and worked in their history toward judgment and salvation.
Perhaps we can better understand fear of Yahweh as we see it portrayed in two passages from the book of Exodus. Recall how the people of Israel reacted when they heard Yahweh’s voice on Mount Sinai: “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die’” (Exodus 20:18-19). That is the initial reaction of fear. But notice that it doesn’t stop there. Moses reveals Yahweh’s purpose in inspiring fear: “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin” (Exodus 20:20). Notice too, the two directions in the following verse: “The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:21). Fear that separates alongside the attraction that calls closer – that is the fear of Yahweh.
The fear of Yahweh shows itself again in Moses in Exodus 34. After the sin of the golden calf, Moses intercedes for the people and even dares to ask Yahweh: “Please show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18). Yahweh responds, “The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin’” (Exodus 34:6-7). He proclaims His glory; He calls; He invites him to know the forgiving and merciful God. At the same time: “But who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation” (Exodus 34:7). His mercy invites Moses to approach and know and at the same time, His holiness inspires fear and keeps its distance – and Moses’ reaction is appropriate to both: “And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped” (Exodus 34:8). This worship in hope and trembling is the beginning, the alphabet, of wisdom.
3) But the fear of Yahweh is more than a reaction. Go back to Proverbs 1:7 and notice that it is described by another word in the second part of the verse: “Fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). Just like in Psalm 19:9, “the fear of the LORD” is a description of His word – His commandments, His testimonies, His law. In other words, the beginning of wisdom is the Bible, the word of Yahweh, His law… because it reveals the Being who motivates the believer to separation in fear, attraction and worship. To know Yahweh, we begin with His word; we submit ourselves joyfully and with fear to His revelation. Without the beginning in Yahweh’s word, we have no hope of managing daily life according to His will, just like someone who cannot distinguish between letters has no hope of reading. On the other hand, if we tremble at His word and submit ourselves to it, we have the foundation to living in agreement with His wise dominion.
4) “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom / knowledge” also implies the obligation of submitting ourselves to Him. Psalm 111:10 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.” The fear of Yahweh motivates us to put into practice what we learn, not only to remember it as a curious piece of knowledge. If we do not put into practice what we learn, we will be judged just like the second half of Proverbs 1:7 tells us, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” If we have a foolish reaction to fear of Yahweh, we are under His wrath and worthy of condemnation. But we who put His wisdom into practice in fear of Yahweh will demonstrate wisdom and righteousness.
Therefore, this is the attitude with which we want to read the book of Proverbs – with the fear of Yahweh who is righteous and just in condemning sin and at the same time marvelous in love, calling us by His word to submit to His just dominion to enjoy rest and peace. May we humble ourselves joyfully with love, trembling and worship to the God who grants His wisdom.
