Context
King Solomon wrote many of the Proverbs as practical life tips to teach others. He was in fact the wisest king of Israel. The first seven verses of our Proverbs 1 bible study teach the value of continual learning. These verses that follow provide more straightforward instructions for younger Christ followers.
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The Enticement of Sinners
1:8-19
8Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, 9for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. 11If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; 12 like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; 13 we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; 14 throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse”— 15 my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths,16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. 17For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird,18 but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. 19Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.
Highlighting
Now we get into categorizing the verses. Check out my post on studying the Bible on your own for what the different colors stand for and where I get that info. Verses can almost always fit into more than one category so if you start highlighting according to the Good Morning Girls categories know that your highlights aren’t going to be identical to mine. The purpose is to get you to analyze the scripture and what topic its covering.
- Verse 8= teaching/instruction
- Verse 9= teaching/instruction
- Verse 10= command/instruction
- Verse 11= sin/evil
- Verse 12= sin/evil
- Verse 13= sin/greed
- Verse 14= sin
- Verse 15= command/instruction
- Verse 16= sin
- Verse 17= teaching
- Verse 18= death
- Verse 19= sin/greed/death
OBSERVATIONS & APPLICATIONS
Verses eight and nine remind me to listen to the wisdom that comes from others with life experience. Sometimes that can be annoying. You feel lectured. But if we can manage to turn our perspective around regarding this and continually hunt for advice (like in verses 1-7) then we’re more open to it. And let’s admit it. The advice will come regardless of whether or not we ask for it, so why not go ahead and ask?
Another observation from this text is that sinners LAWV company! Have you ever noticed someone doing something wrong and inviting others along with them? Its as if they don’t feel it so wrong if there’s a large group of people doing it alongside. Wrong is wrong. No matter how many people are doing it. These verses are teaching us to recognize the invitation to do wrong and steer clear of the sin because we know the end result.
PROMISE FROM GOD
I love the promise we find in the first two verses. We will adorn a graceful garland on our head and pendants around our neck. I love accessories! 😉 Our father’s instructions and our mother’s teachings are graceful garlands and beautiful pendants. Blessings – we get the promise of blessings when we listen to the wisdom of our elders!
There is also a promise on the other end of the spectrum. Foolish living full of greed and sin holds the promise of death. The traps laid for others will ensnare and bring harm to the foolish.
COMMAND TO KEEP
Again, verse eight! Listen and respect the teachings of your father and mother. I don’t think this is necessarily your biological parents but includes mentors, guardians, etc (esp if bio parents weren’t in the picture). This ties into saying no to others tempting you to sin. I can just see King Solomon sitting on his throne with young ones criss-cross applesauce on the floor around him as he gently but firmly teaches them that mother and father were right. Do not get caught up with the bad crowd that tries to talk you into doing what you know is wrong.
TIMELESS PRINCIPLES
Proverbs 1:8-19 holds this simple truth — what goes around comes around. Look at what Solomon says towards the end of this section. All that turmoil and trouble caused and in the end it is the sinners that lose their life and pay the price. It is a heartbreaking situation.
TAKEAWAY
I feel like a ten year old girl again reading this scripture. Listen to mother and father and stay away from people who try to talk me into doing wrong. But really when we start to dig into it a bit we realize that we are taught this when we are young to protect us from harm. God doesn’t want us to miss out on one single moment of the blessed life He has for us.
Stay golden pony boy 😉
To get to know me better, read about me & my saved love.
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