Mary E Houston

A Complete Study of Proverbs Mary E Houston

"Why study the book of Proverbs?" For several years I have tried to find a Bible Study plan that worked for me. I struggled with several plans, they all seemed redundant, boring and monotonous. I just couldn't get my head and my heart on the same page. I chose to start with Proverbs instead of a book in the New Testament because further study of the history of this book showed that this book provides wisdom and understanding concerning wise behavior, righteousness, justice and equity. The wisdom in this book is distinctive in that is given in the context of God and His righteous standards for His covenant people. The theme that ties the book of Proverbs together is "wisdom for right living". It gives advice concerning the family, youth, sexual purity, marital faithfulness, honesty, hard work, generosity and discipline. It also warns us about the folly of sin, strife, dangers of the tongue, foolishness, alcohol, gluttony, lust, immorality, falsehood, laziness and keeping the wrong company. We also see a comparison and contrast of discretion and folly, the righteous and the wicked, pride and humility, laziness and diligence, poverty and wealth, love and lust, right and wrong, and life and death. Again I ask, knowing all of this, "Why should we study the book of Proverbs?" We should study the book of Proverbs because it teaches us how we are supposed to live. It guides us through many subjects that we have to face everyday. King Solomon had no idea the situations we would face in today's society, but he manages to hit on most of them in this book that was written around 970-700 BC. King Solomon, through the divine wisdom of God wrote this book as a simple way to guide us through the world at this time when death, sexual immorality, drugs, lies, adultery, laziness, lust, etc are running rampant around us. Satan's hold on the world is getting stronger and only through the help of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit can we fight him off and become victorious.