Practical Insights for Living: 40 Bible Studies from Proverbs

~Forward~

For many years, I had felt somewhat overwhelmed in reading and studying the Old Testament book of Proverbs, chapter by chapter. Why? Because there was so many topics. I wanted to learn all of the pearls of wisdom, but it was so dense with practical knowledge, and seemed to jump around quite a lot and not follow any pattern of teaching.

While reading Proverbs, one sees instantly that the topics from verse to verse and chapter to chapter vary significantly. From friendship to boldness to laziness to what God hates to adultery to evangelism to sin; as an example, all can be discussed within a few verses.

Many Christian believers like to read a chapter of Proverbs a day. Therefore, in one month, they can cover the entire book. As you can see with a casual eye within one chapter of Proverbs there may be over fifty topics can be discussed. That’s simply a lot to take in for our brains to comprehend at one sitting. That is the first reason why I wrote this book; to add structure to studying it. The second reason is this: Bible Study books are difficult to find on Proverbs for personal or group reference and discussion.

Why not have a more practical approach to this incredible wisdom-filled book in the middle of the Bible?

This book helps to solve the problem of organization of the teaching principles in Proverbs. With over 900 topics, alphabetized from A to Z, "Practical Bible Studies from the Book of Proverbs" is a hands-on book for those that want to study Proverbs. It will help you navigate Proverbs in a way that you have never been able before. The topical Bible Studies is a special aspect of this book that helps you in preparation for many meaningful Bible Studies. There are 40 Devotional Studies in this book for you to discover. Don’t forget to teach Proverbs to your children or grandchildren! You will enjoy examining the book of Proverbs in a new and refreshing way.

The majority of the biblical Proverbs were written by Solomon. Solomon, one of King David’s sons, was one of the wisest, if not the wisest man who ever lived. Look what it says in 1 Kings 4:29-31. Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations.

If you accept the Bible as the inerrant word of God representing absolute truth and your final authority in all matters, then you will believe that Solomon was a really bright guy. You should listen to him and study Proverbs!

In spite of his wisdom, Solomon made mistakes in his life and gave into the temptations of this sinful world on many occasions. This should be an encouragement to us that though we can attain wisdom, nobody is perfect.

Solomon also penned the Book of Ecclesiastes. There, Solomon gives a summation of his life. In looking back over his life, having had all that anyone who lives in this world could ever want, the word that Solomon used over and over was meaningless. It is actually a pretty sobering book until you get to the next to last verse. As only the wisest man who ever lived could, in six words Solomon summed up what this life is all about, FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.

That should always be our attitude towards God; one of awe and reverence.

Keeping his commandments refers to obeying the Word of God. My friend, if we can focus on this throughout our life, to fear God and keep His commandments, we have found the key to what this life is really all about since this is the whole duty of mankind. May the Holy Spirit help you stay the course.

You see, this world honors those who lead great armies into war, rule empires and nations, those who have amassed tremendous wealth, people who are responsible for accomplishing incredible feats during their life. But all of these great accomplishments are only temporary. The truly great accomplishments in this life are the things we do that will stand for eternity.

Sharing with people the truth of God’s Word, leading the lost to an everlasting relationship with Jesus Christ, helping those who know Christ become all God wants them to be are the keys to success for the believer.

Solomon, at the end of his long, successful, and distinguished life on this earth summed it all up by saying that the whole duty of man was to keep their head on straight and be obedient to Yahweh God.

Wisdom is the theme of the book of Proverbs. Wisdom is a skill that we learn in order to honor God by how we act and speak. God wants instill in us principles to change us and make our character and heart more like him. We can’t be complacent about it. We must be intentional.

In the New Testament, Jesus commands us to possess wisdom. For example, in Matthew 10:16, He says, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." James 3:13, 17 says, Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Proclaim the values and principles taught in the book of Proverbs, and bask in the insights taught there.

Robert M. Gullberg M.D.

Racine, Wisconsin

Robert is also author of Principles for the Christian Life, Principles for the Christian Life: Bible Study Edition, Encountering Grace in Genesis: A 50-Chapter Bible Study of Genesis, and Wisdom from the Word.

Introduction to Proverbs

In the Old Testament, the book of Proverbs is considered Hebrew poetry, along with Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. It is not just another book filled with ancient sayings that don’t apply to today. King Solomon, the son of King David, is thought to have written the majority of the book of Proverbs. He reigned from 970-930 BC. Why Solomon? Look at the Scriptures. Both 1 Kings 3:11-12 and 1 Kings 4:29-34 give us some insight into the answer.

While at Gibeon where the Tabernacle stood, Solomon had just sacrificed one thousand burnt offerings. God then appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked him to make a request. Rather than asking for wealth and power, King Solomon asked from the Lord for a discerning heart. Wow! How unusual for a king. God was impressed! Because of Solomon’s attitude, God promised him that there will never have been anyone like him (Solomon), nor will there ever be. He gave to Solomon wisdom, insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He spoke three-thousand proverbs and his songs numbered one thousand and five. We only have 1000 proverbs in the Book of Proverbs that he wrote. People of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom. He so impressed the Queen of Sheba with his wisdom that she exclaimed, the half was not told me in 1 Kings 10:7. However, Jesus rebuked the pious learned of his day by telling them, something greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:42) It was hard for them to believe this statement.

What is a proverb? A proverb is a saying that conveys a specific truth in a pointed way. It is a short sentence drawn from long experience. Historically, the Orient and the Far East are the homes of proverbs (i.e. Confucius says). Literature on wisdom had been written previously in Egypt, Babylonia, and other countries. Solomon was thought to have gathered proverbs from many sources and edited them. For example, many were obtained from the Egyptian literature from 1000-700 BC. Egypt had a School for the Wise which matriculated its students into successful careers in state service. The biggest difference between Proverbs and the other literature written on wisdom is the Hebrew concept of wisdom was rooted in the fear of the Lord which was the beginning of knowledge --see Proverbs 1:7. According to Solomon, without this incredible awe for God, one can’t be called wise.

There are four key characteristics of the Proverbs. The first is that Proverbs bears no unscientific statements or inaccurate observations. Second, Proverbs don’t contradict themselves. This contrasts to man’s wisdom. Look before you leap, He who hesitates is lost, A person gets no more than he pays for, and The best things in life are free are all examples. Third, the proverbs are written on a high moral plane. And finally, fourth, they are practical for anyone, especially young people, as their principles transcend time.

What is the literary structure of Proverbs? Mostly, they are written in the form of couplets. These couplets are generally two clauses that usually relate to one another. In Hebrew poetry, this is termed parallelism. There are three kinds of parallelism: 1) Synonymous; the 2nd clause restates the 1st or expresses the same thought in a different way, or it clarifies the 1st clause. Proverbs 10:26 is an example: As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him. 2) Antithetic (contrast); the truism stated in the 1st clause is mad stronger in the 2nd clause by contrast with an opposite truth. Proverbs 13:9 says, The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. 3) Synthetic; the 2nd clause develops the thought of the first. Proverbs 20:2 is an example of the synthetic proverb. A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion; he who angers him forfeits his life.

A general outline of the Book of Proverbs is as follows: Chapters 1-9- Wisdom and folly are contrasted; the way of Wisdom is superior. Chapters 10-24- Proverbs of Solomon written by himself for advice on living. The scribes of King Hezekiah (who reigned in 715-686 BC), who lived about 250 years after Solomon, compiled additional proverbs and listed them in chapters 25-29. Chapter 30 of Proverbs is written by an oracle of Agur, an unknown sage. Chapter 31 are cherished proverbs of a mother to Lemuel.

The Hebrew word for wisdom is chokmah. Chokmah pointed to experience and efficiency in using ones’ skills whether it be in craftsmanship (Exodus 35:35), sailing (Ezekiel 27:8), or administrative capabilities. In the spiritual life, having chokmah showed both knowledge and experience in following God’s way. For the Jews and teachers, attaining chokmah was a high priority. Wise living required the ability to reach sound decisions and make the right choices, and thus the ability to discriminate between right and wrong, important and unimportant, wise and foolish. With it came insight and prudence.

The frequent use of my son in Proverbs raises the question about Solomon’s audience. There are two schools of thought: 1.) The verses were originally spoken orally to the students of Solomon’s royal court or 2.) The verses were spoken by Solomon and others (such as mothers) to their sons and other children) in the home environment. Whatever the case, the proverbs hold wonderful, practical wisdom for people of all ages, but especially the young. The Jews believed that the home was the center of education for their children, whom they highly esteemed. The noted historian Josephus wrote, Our ground is good, and we work it to the utmost, but our chief ambition is for the education of our children. Even though there were good schools, the responsibility of educating the child was placed heavily on the parents (see Proverbs 1:8, 6:20).

The following Bible studies were hand-picked by the author to allow you to navigate through the book of Proverbs easily and to cover an array of topics that have practical insights for your daily living.

Psalm 139:17 says The Bible is filled with the precious thoughts of God. These 40 Bible studies (with over 900 topics) from Proverbs will give you more understanding of God’s Word as they teach you insights into daily living. Know God’s thoughts!

Forty Bible Studies: Table of Contents

1) Proverbs found in the New Testament

2) What God teaches us about fruit of the Spirit

3) How God uses parts of the body to teach wisdom

4) What God teaches us about the family

5) What God teaches us about friendship and being a neighbor

6) How God uses things around the house to teach wisdom

7) What God’s teaches us on sex education

8) What God teaches us about humility versus pride

9) What God teaches us about the Ten commandments

10) What God teaches us about our speech: Good and Bad

11) What God teaches us about happiness versus heartache

12) What God teaches us on contentment versus envy/jealousy

13) What God teaches us about poverty

14) What God teaches us about foolishness

15) What God teaches us about wisdom

16) What God teaches us about temptation, sin and evil doing

17) How God uses food and eating to teach wisdom

18) How God uses mother nature to teach wisdom

19) How God uses animals and creatures to teach wisdom

20) What God teaches us about the danger of alcohol

21) What God teaches us about business, wealth and money

22) What God teaches us about his will versus man’s will

23) What God teaches us about himself and his character

24) What God teaches us about are our responses to him

25) What God teaches us about adversity and conflicts

26) What God teaches us about good virtues

27) What God teaches us about vices

28) What God teaches us about the heart of a person

29) What God teaches us about discipline

30) How God uses countries and cities to teach wisdom

31) What God teaches us about legal issues

32) What God teaches us about wisdom while on the job

33) What God teaches us about time

34) How God uses metals and jewels to teach wisdom

35) What God teaches us about ‘life and death’

36) What God teaches us about laughter

37) What God teaches us about luck

38) How God uses medical issues/illness to teach wisdom

39) What God teaches us about wives and women

40) What God teaches us about the Scriptures

1)    Proverbs found in the New Testament:

Luke 14:10 / Proverbs 25:6-7

Romans 12:16 / Proverbs 3:7

Romans 12:20 / Proverbs 25:21-22

2 Corinthians 9:7 / Proverbs 22:9

Hebrews 12:5-6 / Proverbs 3:11-12

Hebrews 12:13 / Proverbs 4:26

James 4:5 / Proverbs 3:34

1 Peter 2:17 / Proverbs 24:21

1 Peter 3:13 / Proverbs 16:7

1 Peter 4:8 / Proverbs 10:12

1 Peter 4:18 / Proverbs 11:31

2 Peter 2:22 / Proverbs 26:11

Enjoy these biblical comparison verses and discuss their significance.

2)    What God teaches us about fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. The fruit of the Spirit are works of the Holy Spirit in us. We can find descriptions of this fruit in Proverbs!

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Faithfulness

Gentle

Good

Self-control

3)    How God uses parts of the body to teach us wisdom

Arms

Body

Bones

Deaf

Ear(rings)

Eyes

Face

Feet

Fingers

Flesh

Gray hair

Hands

Head

Hearing

Inmost parts

Jaws

Legs

Lips

Mouth

Neck

Nose

Stomach

Teeth

Vision

Voice

Womb

4)    What God teaches us about family

Children

Father

Mother

Grandchildren

Grandparents

Parents

Son

Brother

Sister

Husband

Wives

Marriage

Widows

5)    What God teaches us about friendship and being a neighbor

Accountability

Associate

Boundary stone

Companion

Friendship

Neighbor

Peer Pressure

6)    How God uses things around the house to teach wisdom

Barn

Bed

Cloak

Clothing

Coals

Crops

Door

Earthenware

Fire

Fountain

Furnace

Garment

Gate

Grain

Grass

Gravel

Grow

Harvest

Hay

House

Household

Kindling

Knives

Lamp

Linen

Maid

Manger

Mortar

Net

Oil

Ornament

Path

Perfume

Pit

Plow

Reaping/Sowing

Ring

Roof

Smoke

Stone

Street

Table

Tent

Threshing wheel

Vat

Vineyard

Wall

Well

Wine

Winnow

Wood

Wool

7)    What God’s teaches us on sex education

Kiss(es)

Lust

Mistress

Prostitution

Seductive

8)    What God teaches us about humility versus pride

Arrogance

Bragging

Glory of man

Haughty

Humility

Opinionated

Pride

Selfish

Wise in his own eyes

9)    What God teaches us about the Ten Commandments

Idols

Vanity

Kill

Murder/Anger

Adultery

Stealing

Lies

Lying

Coveting

10)    What God teaches us about our speech: Good and Bad

Answer

Blurt out

Boisterous

Chattering

Curses

Gossip

Mocking

Slander

Speech-Good qualities

Speech-Bad qualities

Talk

Truth

Verbose

11)    What God teaches us about happiness versus heartache

Anxiety

Blessings

Blessings (lack of)

Depression

Elation

Glad

Happy

Heartache

Joy

Pleasant

Pleasure

12)    What God teaches us on contentment versus envy/jealousy

Content

Envy

Jealousy

Satisfaction

Security

13)    What God teaches us about poverty

Needy

Oppression

Orphan

Poor

Poverty

14)    What God teaches us about foolishness

Folly

Fool/Foolish

Godless

Ignorant

Joke

Naïve

Stupid

15)    What God teaches us about wisdom

Counsel

Discernment

Elders

Guidance

Insight

Instruction

Knowledge

Learn

Lesson

Listen

Proverb

Prudent

Skills

Teach

Understanding

Wisdom

16)    What God teaches us about temptation, sin and evil doing

Atonement (of sins)

Dishonoring God

Disobedience

Disowning the Lord

Enemies of God

Evil

Evil behavior

Revenge

Sin

Temptation

Undisciplined

Unfaithful

Unfriendly

Ungodly

Waywardness

Wicked

17)    How God uses food and eating to teach wisdom

Appetite

Apple

Banquet

Bread

Dish

Drink

Eat

Feasting

Fruit

Honey

Hunger

Meal

Meat

Milk/Butter

Nourishment

Satiated

Starving

Taste

Thirsty

Vegetables

Vinegar

Wine

18)    How God uses mother nature to teach wisdom

Clouds

Darkness

Dawn

Day

Desert Place

Dew

Earth

Fig Tree

Hill(s)

Land

Leaf

Light

Morning

Mountains

Oceans

Plants

Rain

Sand

Sea

Season

Sky

Snow

Springtime

Storm

Summer

Thorn(s)

Tree

Vapor

Water(s)

Whirlwind

Wind

19)    How God uses animals and creatures to teach wisdom

Animals

Ants

Bear

Bird(s)

Calf

Coney

Deer

Dog

Donkey

Eagle

Flock

Goat

Horse

Lamb(s)

Leech

Lion

Lizard

Locusts

Oxen

Pig

Raven

Rooster

Snake

Sparrow

Swallow

Viper

Vultures

20)    What God teaches us about the danger of alcohol

Beer

Wine

21)    What God teaches us about business, wealth and money

Abundance

Borrower

Buy

Debt

Earn

Earnings

Finances

Gains

Income

Inheritance

Lend

Loan

Luxury

Merchants

Palace

Pay

Payback

Profit

Profits from gambling

Sell

Squander

Stingy

Trading

Treasury

Wages

Wealth

22)    What God teaches about his will versus man’s will

Against the Lord

Direction of people

Faith (lack of)

Mankind

Men

Motives

Path

Person’s spirit

Plans of a person

23)    What God teaches us about himself and his character

Abomination of the Lord

Acceptable to the Lord

God avenges

God blesses

God condemns

God defends

God delights

God delivers

God desires

God disapproves

God disciplines

God frustrates

God gives

God’s glory

God’s grace

God guards life

God hates

God judges

God’s knowledge

God listens

God loves

God is mysterious

God’s omniscience

God protects

God punishes

God rewards

God’s sovereignty

God’s trustworthiness

God’s truth

God understands

God’s wisdom

God’s wrath

Names of God

Pleasing to God

Understanding God

Way of the Lord

24)    What God teaches about are our responses to him

Dishonoring God

Fearing the Lord

Forgetting God

Honoring God

25)    What God teaches us about adversity and conflicts

Blows

Brawler

Calamity

Disputes

Dissension

Fights

Flog

Meddle

Quarrels

Rod

Strife

Sword

Trouble

Turmoil

Violence

War

26)    What God teaches us about good virtues

Blameless

Bold

Commitment

Cool tempered

Diligence

Even tempered

Faultless

Forgiveness

Generous