Summary of Proverbs 1:

Solomon lays out the reasons for the book of Proverbs, including to be wise, to have understanding, to be prudent, and to fear the Lord. Solomon says to listen to your parents, to ignore sinners, and to be wise and listen to him, so you will learn about life.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 25, Day 2: Proverbs 1:

3) Personal Question. My answer: Once you fear the Lord, as in revere Him and fear Him as Lord in your life and creator and controller of all things, you can begin to live. God should be regarded with respect, reverence, and awe. This proper attitude of the creature toward the Creator is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

4) Part personal Question. My answer: Wisdom is remembering to pray, ask God for things, and wait on His response. It’s to ask Him for knowledge of the world. Wisdom brings safety, ease, and without fear of harm.

5) Part personal Question. My answer: Keep God’s commands in your heart. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Let love and faithfulness never leave you. Fear the Lord. Honor the Lord with your wealth. Don’t resent God’s rebuke. Have good judgement and discernment. Don’t withhold good from those that deserve it. Have no fear of sudden disaster. Don’t envy. Don’t plot against neighbor or accuse him. The wicked is cut off from the land. If I ask God more for understanding, He’ll give it to me.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25 Day 2: Proverbs 1:

The point of Proverbs is this: Godly, moral, hardworking, and wise people will reap many rewards. Wisdom starts with the fear of God. Starts. Wisdom is a life-long process of getting to know God. Many of us need to get started!

We did read and study Proverbs 1 in Lesson 24, Day 3.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25, Day 2: Proverbs 1:

Commentary Proverbs 1:

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of practical life wisdom given mostly in short, memorable statements. Though part of a larger body of wisdom literature that includes Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, the Book of Proverbs is unique.

• The book of Proverbs is mostly a collection of individual statements without much context or organization by topic.
• The book of Proverbs is unique in its theology, being concerned with practical life wisdom more than ideas about God and His work of salvation.
• Proverbs is also unique in its connection with the secular literature of its time. Neighboring kingdoms had their own collections of wisdom literature, and in some places, there are significant similarities to these writings.

There are several sections of Proverbs (22:17-23:14, 22:23, 22:26-27 are examples) that seem to be borrowed from The Teaching of Amenemope, an ancient Egyptian writing. There is debate as to whom borrowed whom, but most scholars believe Amenemope is earlier.

Proverbs teach wisdom

Proverbs teach wisdom through short points and principles but should not be regarded as “laws” or even universal promises.

“Proverbs are wonderfully successful at being what they are: proverbs. They are not failed prophecies or systematic theologies. Proverbs by design lays out pointed observations, meant to be memorized and pondered, not always intended to be applied ‘across the board’ to every situation without qualification.” (Phillips)

He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:32-34)

There are a few other authors specifically mentioned for the book of Proverbs. Solomon may have collected all these other proverbs and set them in his book — scholars are unsure.

“The book tells us that it is the work of several authors. Three of these are named (Solomon, Agur and Lemuel), others are mentioned collectively as ‘Wise Men’, and at least one section of the book (the last) is anonymous.” (Kidner)

Purpose of book of Proverbs

• The book of Proverbs is to give the attentive reader wisdom, instruction, perception, and understanding.

Knowledge and wisdom are different. Knowledge is the collection of facts; wisdom is the right use of what we know for daily living.

“It is probably a safe bet to say that most people today are not much interested in wisdom. They are interested in making money and in having a good time. Some are interested in knowing something, in getting an education. Almost everyone wants to be well liked. But wisdom? The pursuit of wisdom is not a popular ideal.” (Boice on Psalm 111

Simple means gullible

Simple: “The word indicates the person whose mind is dangerously open. He is gullible, he is naïve. He may have opinions, but he lacks deeply thought-through and field-tested convictions.” (Phillips)

True knowledge and wisdom flow from the fear of the LORD.

God should be regarded with respect, reverence, and awe. This proper attitude of the creature toward the Creator is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.

The instruction and law given from parent to child will adorn the life of their children, if they will only receive it.

Warning to choose friends wisely

Significantly, this first instruction and warning in the book of Proverbs speaks to the company we keep and the friendships we make. There are few more powerful forces and influences upon our life than the friends we choose. It has been said, show me your friends and I can see your future. It speaks to the great need for God’s people to be more careful and wise in their choice of friends.

Stay away from the wicked and all their plotting.

Tragically, Solomon’s company with sinners – in the form of his wives given to idolatry – became a trap he himself was caught in.

“The greatest tragedy is that there’s so much noise that people can’t hear the things they really need to hear. God is trying to get through to them with the voice of wisdom, but all they hear are the confused communications clutter, foolish voices that lead them farther away from the truth.” (Wiersbe)

The problem with these simple ones was that they loved their simplicity. They preferred their foolish ignorance than the effort and correction required by the love and pursuit of wisdom.

The end result of this love of foolishness and scorn will be death (will slay them) and destruction (will destroy them).

“The eleven other occurrences of turning away are all in Hosea or Jeremiah, always with reference to Israel’s apostasy, faithlessness, and backsliding from God and from the Mosaic covenant.” (Waltke)

Summary Proverbs 14:

Here we see words about being wise. Think about your ways. The good man will be rewarded. A wise man fears the Lord. Those who are kind to the needy are blessed. Hard work pays off. Fear of the Lord leads to life. You’ll live longer if you’re wise.

Summary Proverbs 16:

Motives matter to God. Commit to God. God works out everything. You’ll avoid evil if you fear the Lord. Be honest. Trust God, and you’ll be blessed. Be patient. Speak pleasant words.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 25, Day 3: Proverbs 14 and 16:

6) Part personal Question. My answer: The wise build their own house, think about their ways, fear the Lord and shuns evil, and gain knowledge. Thinking about my ways.

7) Part personal Question. My answer: God desires us to have fear of Him, so we can have wisdom, and He’ll be our secure fortress. God is just for He brings down the wicked. God wants us to be kind, think about our ways, and to grow in wisdom with Him. Cultivating wisdom is hard work, and it’s easier to be evil in a sense. I need to be better at going out of my way to be kind to others and think about my ways.

8 ) Part personal Question. My answer: Honesty is valued. Pleasant words are instructive, sweet to the soul of the other person. Our wisdom is shown by what we speak, and by the control we have over the words that come from our mouth.Gossip separates close friends. I need to speak more words that flow from the honeycomb and be more instructive with them.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25 Day 3: Proverbs 14 and 16:

There is always so much packed into a chapter of Proverbs that it’s hard to take it all in. Proverbs is meant to be read slowly and in small, digestible pieces. It’s hard when we have to cover two chapters to digest it all.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25, Day 3: Proverbs 14 and 16:

Commentary Proverbs 14:

This is all about the contrast between wisdom and folly.

Wisdom builds; foolish tear down.

The fool deserves the rod of correction (Proverbs 10:13), which is made of the fool’s pride and comes from his own mouth.

Proverbs 14:4: Upheaval and a mess to clear up is the price of growth.

A witness does not lie.

Proverbs 14:6: Scoffer – someone whose pursuit of wisdom and the truth is cynical and superficial.

Proverbs 14:7:  “One cannot increase in knowledge by associating with a fool—nothing comes from nothing.” (Ross)

Proverbs 14:9: Fools mock sin because they don’t fear the LORD (Proverbs 1:29 and 8:13)

Proverbs 14:10: Joys that you have to understand personally, according to Spurgeon:

• The joy of sin forgiven.
• The joy of sin conquered.
• The joy of restored relationship with God.
• The joy of accepted service.
• The joy of answered prayer.
• The joy of usefulness for God.
• The joy of peace in time of trouble.
• Highest of all: the joy of communion with God.

Proverbs 14:11: The tent is literally a tent. “The tent is by no means used for any kind of dwelling but refers to a nomadic tent. It is a bell tent, supported in the middle by a wooden pole and composed of several dark, goatskin curtains. It was fastened down to pegs with cords.” (Waltke)

Proverbs 14:12: The way is the path of life a man or woman walks upon. Solomon observed that this way often seems right to a man. However, it can be the way of death. To really know if we are on the way of life (instead of the way of death), we need to fear the LORD and receive His wisdom, especially as revealed in His word.

The principle of this proverb is so important that God repeated it again at Proverbs 16:25

Proverbs 14:14: The backslider slips in obedience to God.

Proverbs 14:19:  “The Egyptians and Joseph’s brothers bowed before Joseph. The proud Pharaoh and his people bowed before Moses. The saints will judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:2).” (Bridges)

Proverbs 14:20: Poor people don’t have many friends; rich people do. This proverb is an example of just a fact of life.

Proverbs 14:22: Plan good, not evil.

Proverbs 14:23: Hard work is rewarded.

Proverbs 14:25: Truth brings light, freedom, blessing, and God.

Proverbs 14:30: When we are sound on the inside, we’re healthy on the outside. Envy corrupts us from within and poisons other aspects of life.

Proverbs 14:31: To oppress the poor is a direct sin against God.

Proverbs 14:32: Righteous go to heaven (with Jesus as accepted Savior).

Proverbs 14:34: Righteousness is to follow God’s will and God’s way.

Proverbs 14:35: The king favours an able minister; his anger is for the incompetent.

Commentary Proverbs 16:

Proverbs 16:1:  “A somewhat obscure proverb which recognizes that man has to exercise his own reason in making his plans, but that he is dependent on the Lord for the answer of the tongue.” (Morgan)

Proverbs 16:3: Solomon tells us to first commit our works, then trust that our thoughts and plans will be established. We usually think of this in reverse.

Proverbs 16:6:  God’s mercy prompted the great sacrifice of Jesus Messiah on the cross, and His truth made it necessary to make atonement in a way that honored the righteousness of God.

Proverbs 16:9: We plan as we can and should, but we should never think our ability to plan makes us lord over our lives. It is the LORD who directs our steps.

Proverbs 16:11: Fair and honest business is God’s business.  “Balance [weights] refers to a stationary balance with beams and bolts, and scale (see Proverbs 11:1) possibly refers to the hand-held balance.” (Waltke)

Proverbs 16:13: Kings need to hear honesty and wisdom.

Proverbs 16:14: Kings can put people to death when angry, but wisdom will help us to have the right reaction.

Proverbs 16:15: The welcome and approval of a king is like life-giving rain, especially the latter rain which ensured a good harvest.

Proverbs 16:18: God hates pride.

Proverbs 16:20: Obedience to God brings good.

Proverbs 16:21: True wisdom is demonstrated in life. Wise teachers choose their words carefully and in so doing enhance the learning experience for their students.

Proverbs 16:23: Our wisdom is shown by what we speak, and by the control we have over the words that come from our mouth.

Proverbs 16:24: “Jonathan’s eyes brightened when he ate the honeycomb (1 Samuel 14:27); such is the uplifting effect of pleasant words.” (Ross)

Proverbs 16:25: The repetition of this proverb (also at Proverbs 14:12) emphasizes its importance.

Proverbs 16:26: Hunger makes a man work hard.

Proverbs 16:27: An evil man spreads evil.

Proverbs 16:28: Whisperer denotes a malicious gossip.

Proverbs 16:30: Evil men don’t take evil seriously.

Proverbs 16:31: Value the wisdom of old age of those who walk in righteousness.

Proverbs 16:32: Under God’s wisdom and strength, to rule one’s own spirit is a greater accomplishment than to conquer a city. This is a powerful victory because you have to fight Satan with your own hands.

The Roman emperor Valentinian on his deathbed, that among all his victories one only comforted him:  “I have overcome my worst enemy, mine own naughty heart.”

Proverbs 16:33: To cast the lot was to use some tool of chance to make a choice. The lot was used to divide the land of Israel among the tribes (Numbers 26:55, Joshua 14:2) and to arrange the workers for the temple (1 Chronicles 24:5). The disciples used lots to fill the vacancy left by Judas (Acts 1:26).

To cast the lot was a way to commit the decision to God, and when we commit our decisions to Him, God guides us (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Summary Proverbs 28:

Follow the law. A leader with wisdom can keep order. Don’t take advantage of others. Confess your sins and you’ll find mercy. Hard workers are rewarded. Those who trust the Lord will prosper. Give to the poor, and you’ll lack nothing.

Summary Proverbs 29:

A wise man keeps himself under control. Evil doers hate men of integrity. Punishment teaches your wisdom. Blessed are law-keepers. The Lord administers justice. Don’t speak in haste. The humbled are honored.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 25, Day 4: Proverbs 28 and 29:

9) Personal Question. My answer: A leader must be just, listen to the truth, and judge fairly. This is more in the realm of my kids than anything. A leader has to gather all the facts before making a judgement and surround himself or herself with valued advisors, or a core group of Christian friends in our book.

10) Personal Question. My answer: Don’t take advantage of others to gain wealth. Hard work leads to wealth. Give to the poor, and you’ll lack nothing. Don’t be stingy. If you trust in the Lord, you’ll prosper. If you’re faithful, you’ll be blessed. I need to give more to worthy causes and to the poor and trust more in the Lord, so I’ll prosper. And I can be stingy at times.

11) Personal Question. My answer: The righteous are bold. The righteous thrive when the wicked perish. The righteous sing and rejoice and care about justice for the poor. The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright people. In essence, God will handle the wicked, so we don’t need to fret about them.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25 Day 4: Proverbs 28 and 29:

This lesson was a big “what did you learn” with no real tie back to Solomon’s reign where we left off, besides this is his advice. It was too much to take in, and I had a hard time doing so.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25, Day 4: Proverbs 28 and 29:

Commentary Proverbs 28:

Proverbs 28:1:  The wicked, prompted by a guilty conscience or a fear of judgment, become fearful and suspicious of everyone.

Proverbs 28:2: Many rulers speak of how a large, complex, and multi-layered government can be a curse to a people.

Proverbs 28:3: There are poor who oppress the poor. Man’s nature doesn’t change just because of how much money you have in your pocket.

Proverbs 28:4: As the Apostle Paul would later explain in Romans 13:1-7, one reason God gives law and government to men is to restrain the wicked.

Proverbs 28:6: There are worse things than poverty, and to live without integrity is worse. We are defined more by our character than our bank account.

Proverbs 28:7: Just being a companion to a glutton makes you guilty as well. Choose your friends wisely.

Proverbs 28:9:  God is not bound to hear or honor the one who neglects His word.

Proverbs 28:10: There are those who take pleasure in causing the godly to go astray.

Proverbs 28:11: There are some lessons only poverty can teach, and one should never forget those lessons, even if he or she becomes wealthy.

Proverbs 28:12: Examples of this include: Moses fled and hid himself from Pharaoh, David from Saul, Eliah from Ahab, Obadiah’s clients from Jezebel, Jeremiah from Jehoiakim, Joseph and the child Jesus from Herod.

Proverbs 28:13: Spurgeon describes the ways man attempts to hide his sin from God, all in vain:

• With excuses and justifications.
• With secrecy.
• With lies.
• With schemes to evade responsibility.
• With time.
• With tears.
• With ceremonies or sacraments.

The path to receiving God’s mercy is to confess and repent (forsake) our sin. This is the way to prosper spiritual and in life in general and receive God’s mercy.

The Biblical practice of confessing sin can free us from the heavy burdens (spiritual and physical, as in James 5:16) of unresolved sin, and it can remove hindrances to the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a tragedy when the confession of sin is neglected or ignored among believers, and a cause of much spiritual weakness and hypocrisy.

Proverbs 28:17: People need to suffer the consequences of their sin.

Proverbs 28:18: Under the Old Covenant, God’s blessing and protection was upon those who walk blamelessly.

The one who is twisted and crooked in his dealings can’t expect God’s blessing and protection. That crooked, twisted person should expect to suddenly fall one day.

Proverbs 28:20: Proverbs always rejects greed. The one who hastens to be rich is almost always willing to cheat or compromise to gain wealth.

Proverbs 28:21: Don’t bribe others.

Proverbs 28: 24: Examples of those who robbed parents in the Bible: Micah robbed mother of her gold; [Judges 17:2] as Rachel robbed her father of his gods; as Absalom robbed his father, David, of his crown.

“The language is strong. The word for ‘robs’ could be rendered ‘plunders.’ ‘Him who destroys’ is someone who causes havoc in society.” (Garrett)

Proverbs 28:25: Greedy is rendered proud in original translations. The proud demand attention and thus cause strife.

Proverbs 28:26: Today’s society is always telling us to “follow our heart” instead of following God’s values, morals, and wisdom. We are a fool if we do. We need to look to the Lord, not ourselves.

Proverbs 28:28:  “In the early ages of the Christian church, after the death of the persecuting Herod, the Word of God grew and multiplied.” (Bridges)

Commentary Proverbs 29:

Proverbs 29:1:  As in many places in the Bible, the hard neck is used as a figure of speech to speak of the stubborn attitude that resists and disobeys God. This proverb speaks about the man who is often rebuked but doesn’t listen to the rebuke; instead he hardens his neck.

Proverbs 29:4: A nation can only expect strength and progress when it is ruled with justice.  Bribes destroy the foundations of fairness and equality before the law, allowing the rich and devious to prosper.

Proverbs 29:5:  A flatterer does not flatter to please you, but to deceive you and profit himself.

Proverbs 29:8: Mockers are so settled in their combative, cynical rejection of God and His wisdom that they may bring the judgment of God and fury of man against their own city.

Proverbs 29:11: Anger will destroy you before it destroys anyone else.

Proverbs 29:13: God gives some kind of light, some kind of revelation in creation and conscience, to every person (Romans 1:19-21). One may obey or reject God’s message in that light, but God gives light to the eyes of both.

Proverbs 29:14: John Trapp thought of how this pointed to the throne of Jesus Messiah, established forever: “Lo, such a prince shall sit firm upon his throne; his kingdom shall be bound to him with chains of adamant, as Dionysius dreamt that his was; he shall have the hearts of his subjects, which is the best life-guard, and God for his protection; for he is professedly the poor man’s patron, [Psalms 9:18-19] and makes heavy complaints of those that wrong them. [Isaiah 3:13-15; Isaiah 10:1-3; Amos 5:11-12; Amos 8:4-6; Zephaniah 3:12].”

Proverbs 29:15: We learn through correction.

Children who are never trained with loving correction often bring shame to their parents. “His mother, and father too; but he names only the mother, either because her indulgence oft spoils the child, or because children commonly stand in least awe of their mothers, and abuse the weakness of their sex, and tenderness of their natures.” (Poole)

Proverbs 29:18: The revelation in mind here is not the spontaneous word from a purported prophet. It is God’s great revelation, His revealed word through the Hebrew prophets and later the apostles and prophets who gave us the New Testament. When God’s word is unavailable or rejected, the people cast off restraint. They no longer have a standard greater than they own feelings or current opinions.

Proverbs 29:19: This refers to someone of menial service who has slave-like mentality that can’t be lifted above his or her present misery. That person is unlikely to be corrected by mere words. Tough life experience and discipline will be more likely to teach them.

Proverbs 29:20: Fools speak hastily.

Proverbs 29:21: The one who pampers his servant will make the servant so attached to him that he will end up with another obligation and another person who expects an inheritance.

Proverbs 29:24:  To partner with a thief is to reject wisdom and embrace folly. The one who steals from others will steal from you, and perhaps with violence threatening your own life.

Proverbs 25-26: Many worry far too much about what people think, instead of first being concerned about what God and wisdom say, and what integrity would lead them to do. The ‘fear of man’ describes any situation in which one is anxious about not offending another person. We are called to do what is right. Saul, Aaron, and Peter are examples of men who were stained by the fear of man.

Proverbs 29:27: The righteous life is an unwelcome rebuke to the wicked.

“Here is the oldest, the most rooted, the most universal quarrel in the world. It was the first fruit of the Fall (Genesis 3:15). It has continued ever since and will last to the end of the world.” (Bridges)

“This proverb…serves as an apt summation of the whole Hezekiah text. Righteousness and immorality are mutually exclusive. One must follow one path or the other (Jeremiah 6:16).” (Garrett)

Summary Proverbs 30:

God’s word is flawless. Agur asks to be neither rich nor poor, so he can rely on God continually. Agur rails against those who have cursed their mother and father. He lists things that are never satisfied, that are too amazing, that are small and wise and stately.

Summary Proverbs 31:

King Lemuel advises against spending strength on women and beer. He says to speak up for those who can’t. He lists the wife of noble character who is priceless, who provides for her family, who works vigorously, who helps the poor, speaks with wisdom, watches over the house, is never idle, and fears the Lord.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 25, Day 5: Proverbs 30 and 31:

12) Personal Question. My answer: I like the ants who store up food for winter. They are also hard workers. And the eagle in the sky. I love eagles as if I ever had the chance to be an animal for a day, I’d pick a raptor for sure.

13a) Personal Question. My answer: She is priceless, who provides for her family, who works vigorously, who helps the poor, speaks with wisdom, watches over the house, is never idle, and fears the Lord.

b) These are daily tasks we all do that we take for granted. We need to realize all that we do and be thankful for it and for God’s strength to do it.

14) All.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25 Day 5: Proverbs 30 and 31:

Very similar to yesterday’s questions. I personally did not like these two passages (except the Wife of Noble Character) as they don’t seem aligned with what we are studying and Proverbs 30 was more of Agur listing things he didn’t understand in life, rather than teaching us anything.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 25, Day 5: Proverbs 30 and 31:

Commentary Proverbs 30:

Proverbs 30 is a collection of wisdom from a man known only to this chapter of the Bible. When the men of Hezekiah gathered additional material for Proverbs (Proverbs 25:1), they added these words of Agur. We have no other mention of Agur the son of Jakeh.

Solomon wasn’t the only man of wisdom in his day or afterward. Other men of wisdom beside Solomon are described in 1 Kings 4:30-31

Proverbs 30:4:  In a section that sounds much like Job 38-39, Agur called men and women to understand their limitations in understanding God and His creation. The wise and humble answer to each of these questions is, God, and not man.

Agur knew there was something special about the Son of God. We don’t know to what extent he prophetically anticipated the Messiah, God the Son, Jesus Christ – but Agur knew that God had a Son, and the Son had a name.

Proverbs 30:5-6: God’s word is pure and is a shield.

Proverbs 30:7-9: Agur wanted to be a man of integrity, and he wanted to be satisfied with God’s provision in his life.

Proverbs 30:10: Don’t speak ill of someone or he or she can curse you.

Proverbs 30:14: The generation filled with greed devours everything as if their teeth were swords and their fangs like knives.

Proverbs 30:15: “Personifies the blood-sucking horseleech, which had two sucking organs at each end (one to such blood, the other to attach itself to its host), as a mother of two (see v. 7) daughters. This leech could be found in all stale waters of Palestine and attached itself above all in nostrils and palate of drinking horses.” (Waltke)

As was with the pattern back at Proverbs 6:16, the formula three and then four implies that the list is specific but not exhaustive.

Proverbs 30:18-19: There are things that are too wonderful for our complete understanding; things we should simply be amazed at and a bit humbled in the presence of.

The power of young love and its desire seems that it would overwhelm both a man and a virgin, but they marry and make a productive life together.

Proverbs 30:20:  Agur presented his wisdom in proverbs to his son or a young man. Surely this proverb also applies to the adulterous man, but because of his audience he has first in view the way of the adulterous woman.

Once before in Proverbs, eating was used as a symbol of sexual activity (Proverbs 9:17)

Proverbs 30:21-23: Agur did not mean a man with a servant’s heart like Jesus would later perfectly display. He meant a man with a servile, debased mind, who thought and lived as a slave instead of a free man. It is unbearable when such a man reigns.

“A servant who gains authority over others has neither the training nor disposition to rule well.” (Garrett)

Food gives a fool only more energy to be a fool.

Hateful women should not marry.

This case is similar to the previously described servant when he reigns. When the social order is upset and unworthy ones dominate the culture, it becomes unbearable.

“The tension from the threat of Hagar in Genesis 16:5 and 21:10 shows how unbearable this could be.” (Ross)

Proverbs 30:24-28: Size doesn’t determine wisdom.  Hard work can overcome individual weakness.  Rock badgers are  also known as marmots don’t have the speed or strength to stand against a large predator, especially one with sharp teeth.  Find refuge among the strong.  Teamwork can win the day.

Some translations have a spider instead of a lizard. . Using your gifts and unique skills can take you anywhere.

Proverbs 30:29-31: . Using your gifts and unique skills can take you anywhere. Some translations say greyhound instead of rooster.

As surely as the churning of milk produces butter and as surely as wringing the nose produces blood, so the expressions of wrath will make for conflict and strife.

THEME OF PROVERBS 30:  “So the intent of this concluding advice is to strive for peace and harmony through humility and righteousness.” (Ross)

Commentary Proverbs 31:

As with Agur in Proverbs 39, we don’t know anything about King Lemuel. He is not in any recorded list of the kings of Judah or Israel, so he was probably a pagan king who put his trust in Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, and through the fear of the LORD learned wisdom.

The name Lemuel means, belonging to God. There was no king of Israel (or Judah) with this name, so either he was a foreign king, or it is a pen name for the author.

Proverbs 31:2-3: “A child born after vows made for offsprings is called the child of a person’s vows.” (Clarke)

The sense is that an excessive sexual interest in women wastes a man’s strength. This speaks of an unhealthy obsession with romance or sex, which have a proper place in life, but should not be made into a reason for living. The practice of sexual immorality and sex obsession gives away a man’s strength, in the sense of his spiritual strength, his self-respect, his self-control, his example, and standing in the community.

Both men and women need to remain faithful to God in regard to sex and romance, or they will give away their strength.

“The point of the verse is that while it would be easy for a king to spend his time and energy enjoying women, that would be unwise.” (Ross)

Proverbs 31:4-7:  The Carthaginians made a law that no magistrate of theirs should drink wine. The Persians permitted their kings to be drunk one day in a year only. Solon made a law at Athens that drunkenness in a prince should be punished with death. See Ecclesiastes 10:16-17

Kings should not drink because it does impair thinking ability and because they could make a fool of themselves.  The responsibilities of a king are so great that it is essential that he not be impaired in his judgment or abilities in any way. This principle is true not only for kings, but for leaders of many types, including and especially those who consider themselves leaders among God’s people today.

“We have already seen, that inebriating drinks were mercifully given to condemned criminals, to render them less sensible of the torture they endured in dying. This is what was offered to our Lord; but he refused it.” (Clarke)

Proverbs 30:8-9:  Proverbs 31:1-9 raises an important question. Being a leader means some level of position and power. Will you use it indulge yourself (here the indulgence is women and wine, Proverbs 31:3-7), or will you use your position and power to protect and benefit those you lead (as in Proverbs 31:8-9)

The Wife of Noble Character

The 22 verses (Proverbs 31:10-31) each begin with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This acrostic construction was used in several psalms (such as Psalms 9-10, 25, 34, 37, 11, 112, 119, and 145 and Lamentations 4). The purpose was to make the passage memorable (easier to memorize), and to express poetic skill. This is, “An Alphabet of Wifely Excellence” (Kidner)

These verses are spoken by a woman to a man so he could know the character and potential character of a good wife before marriage, and value and praise his wife for her virtuous character once married. It is primarily a search-list for a man, and only secondarily a check-list for a woman.

What is purpose of the wife of noble character passage?

1. This passage describes the kind of wife the Christian man should pray for and seek after.
2. This passage gives a guide, a goal for the Christian woman, showing the kind of character she can have as she fears and follows the Lord.
3. This passage reminds the Christian man that he must walk in the fear and wisdom of God so that he will be worthy of and compatible with such a virtuous woman.

Virtuous wife is the same expression translated mighty man of valor in Judges (as in Judges 6:12).

The word strength in Proverbs 31:17 is used in other places for great and heroic victories (as in Exodus 15:2 and 1 Samuel 2:10).

The word gain in Proverbs 31:11 is actually the word for plunder (as in Isaiah 8:1 and 8:3).

The expression excel them all in Proverbs 31:29 “is an expression that signifies victory.” (Ross)

What is this passage on the virtuous woman telling us?

The qualities of this virtuous wife as described in Proverbs 31:11-31 are often mentioned in previous Proverbs. As a whole, the Proverbs have much to say about wisdom, diligent work ethic, wise business practices, honorable speech, compassion for the poor, and integrity; here those same qualities are explained in connection to a virtuous wife. Coming at the end of the collection of Proverbs, one might say that this is a strong woman – and her greatest strength is her wisdom, rooted in the fear of the LORD.

Precious gems like rubies are both valued and rare. In a sense, the complete profile of the “Proverbs 31 Woman” is an ideal goal, much as the listing of the character of the godly man for leadership in both 1 Timothy 2 and Titus 1. It would be rare to find a woman who excels in every aspect of the list, so it should not be used to compare or condemn either one’s self or another woman. Rather, these character traits should reflect the values and aspiration of the woman who walks in the fear of the LORD and godly wisdom.

Wisdom itself is also described as being more valuable than rubies (as in Proverbs 3:15 and 8:11). This is one reason why some think this description of the virtuous wife in Proverbs is more a poetic description of wisdom as woman (as in Proverbs 1:20-33 and 7:4-5). “Since it is essentially about wisdom, its lessons are for both men and women to develop. The passage teaches that the fear of the Lord will inspire people to be faithful stewards of the time and talents that God has given; that wisdom is productive and beneficial for others, requiring great industry in life’s endeavors; that wisdom is best taught and lived in the home.” (Ross)

Proverbs 30:11-12: Her character is trustworthy, filled with integrity.

“Outside of this text and Judges 20:36, Scripture condemns trust in anyone or anything apart from God. This present exception elevates the valiant wife, who herself fears the Lord, to the highest level of spiritual and physical competence.” (Waltke)

What is the greatest gift of God?

“The greatest gift of God is a pious amiable spouse who fears God and loves his house, and with whom one can live in perfect confidence.” (Martin Luther’s description of his wife, cited in Bridges)

She brings gain to her husband on many levels, and in great measure (no lack).

Gain“usually means ‘plunder’; the point may be that the gain will be as rich and bountiful as the spoils of war.” (Ross)

Proverbs 30:13-16: Here, we see just how many different kinds of work are involved in wisely and properly managing a home. Women can take comfort and confidence in God’s recognition of just how big their job is.

It wasn’t uncommon for many families in Biblical times to have servants or hired workers. The virtuous wife wisely manages and cares for such maidservants, showing her compassion and care even beyond her immediate family.

The virtuous wife is forward thinking.

Proverbs 31:17-20: The idea of “girding” one’s self – setting a strengthening belt around the midsection – “means to get ready for some ‘kind of heroic or difficult action,’ such as hard running (1 Kings 18:46; 2 Kings 4:29), escape from Egypt (Exodus 12:11), or physical labor (Proverbs 31:17).” (Waltke)

The distaff is a stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound for spinning, and she uses both hands to do the work well.

Proverbs 31:21-23: The scarlet color of the clothing makes her children easy to find in heavy snow, but given the relatively light snowfall in that part of the world, this is unlikely. It is possible that this does not describe a color, but doubly thick garments.

The virtuous wife makes good things for herself.

The virtuous wife is such a blessing on her family and household that her husband is also esteemed and honored among the elders of the land. All this is the blessing of God that comes from a wife who walks in virtue, wisdom, and fear of the LORD.

What to look for in a woman

Proverbs 31:30:  “Charm and beauty are not bad; they simply are inadequate reasons to marry a girl. The young man should first seek a woman who fears the Lord. And whoever finds such a woman should make sure that her gifts and accomplishments do not go unappreciated.” (Garrett)

Proverbs begins with a strong connection between wisdom and the fear of the LORD (Proverbs 1:7). Here the collection ends describing the virtuous wife as filled with the wisdom, beauty, and charm that marks a woman who fears the LORD.

The book of Kings used to be one book but was arbitrarily divided because Greek and Latin is a wordier language than Hebrew. It tells of Solomon’s reign and then 38 other kings who ruled.

The book of 1 Kings mainly follows the life and times of King Solomon, David’s son with Bathsheba. He grew up in the royal palace with all the advantages that affords. He wrote 1005 songs and 3000 proverbs, which we have some in the book of Proverbs. He was the wisest man in the world, thanks to God giving him the gift of wisdom.

Israel experienced its Golden Age under King Solomon, a time forever remembered by the Jewish people. Most of the Promised Land was occupied by Israel and there was peace and prosperity.

Solomon’s greatest accomplishment, the building of God’s temple, took place with 200,000 workers laboring 7 years to complete it.

However, later on, Solomon fell — and Israel along with him. The problem lay in Solomon himself. Prone to excesses, he wasted money on such things as gold shields, ivory, peacocks, and silver. He built himself a palace that was twice the size of God’s temple. He married foreign wives (700 in total) and had 300 concubines. Then, he began to build altars to foreign gods.

God was never the center of Solomon’s life, as God had been for his father, David. To pay for his extravagant building projects, a tax was instituted, and he kept workers as virtual slaves. He ceded northern towns, and resentment grew, leading to the split between Israel and Judah.

2 Chronicles follows this time period as well, often offering more details that the book of Kings. The prophets preached during this time as well, with Elijah’s story being told in 1 Kings.

Following God’s laws seems simple; but as you and I (as well as Solomon) all know, it’s not so simple as it appears.

“The sun shines not on us but in us.”

John Muir

Summary 1 Kings 5:1-6:

Solomon uses the cedars of Lebanon from the King of Tyre for God’s temple.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 26, Day 2: 1 Kings 5:1-6:

3) He planned to build God’s temple. Solomon knew the King of Tyre was his friend so he asked for wood for the temple as well as the men to fell the timber.

4) The King of Tyre has always been on friendly terms with David. David had already prepared a lot of the materials. God has given Solomon rest from wars, Satan, and natural disasters, so he’ll have the time and the resources to build the temple and pay the Sidonians for their skill. The envoy arrived at the perfect time.

5) Personal Question. My answer: God has given me this work on this forum to do, as well as my current position. I work hard at both to bring the most value. He’s inviting me to trust Him to His timing in this work.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26 Day 2:1 Kings 5:1-6:

I love how God does include the Gentiles in the building of the temple. It shows God’s foresight of His overall plan for the world.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26, Day 2:1 Kings 5:1-6:

“Hiram is an abbreviation of Ahiram which means ‘Brother of Ram,’ or ‘My brother is exalted,’ or ‘Brother of the lofty one’… Archaeologists have discovered a royal sarcophagus in Byblos of Tyre dated about 1200 BC inscribed with the king’s name, ‘Ahiram.’ Apparently it belonged to the man in this passage.” (Dilday)

David had already gathered many of the supplies needed to build the temple (2 Chronicles 22:4)

“To put enemies under the feet was the symbolic act marking conquest. In contemporary art, enemies were often depicted as a footstool (Psalm 110:1)

The word adversary here is literally Satan. The Latin Vulgate translates this, “nor a Satan.”

Of course, Solomon did not build a temple for a name but for a living God. This is a good example of avoiding direct mention of the name of God in Hebrew writing and speaking. They did this out of reverence to God.

“Solomon also used this phrase because he wanted to explain that he didn’t think the temple would be the house of God in the way pagans thought. Pagan temples might be intended for the actual residence of the god, but Solomon knew that the heaven of heavens could not contain God, much less this temple which he was about to build.” (Maclaren).

The cedar trees of Lebanon

The cedar trees of Lebanon were legendary for their excellent timber, showing how Solomon wanted to build the temple out of the best materials possible.

“The Sidonians were noted as timber craftsmen in the ancient world, a fact substantiated on the famous Palmero Stone. Its inscription from 2200 BC tells us about timber-carrying ships that sailed from Byblos to Egypt about four hundred years previously. The skill of the Sidonians was expressed in their ability to pick the most suitable trees, know the right time to cut them, fell them with care, and then properly treat the logs.” (Dilday)

Solomon was willing to build this great temple to God with Gentile wood and using Gentile labor. This was a temple to the God of Israel, but it was not only for Israel. Only Jews built the tabernacle, “But the temple is not built without the aid of the Gentile Tyrians. They, together with us, make up the Church of God.” (Trapp)

Summary 1 Kings 5:7-18:

The King of Tyre was pleased and praised God. He had the cedar trees cut down and floated he logs down by sea. He took payment in the form of food for his royal household. This relationship went on for many years, with Hiriam giving Solomon all the timber he wanted in exchange for food. They made a treaty together. The building of God’s temple began in earnest, with 10,000 men a month going to Lebanon and 70,000 men cutting stone and 3300 foremen to supervise. They removed stone for the foundation of the temple, and both the stone and the timber were prepared.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 26, Day 3: 1 Kings 5:7-18:

6) Solomon got all the timber he needed in exchange for food from the King of Tyre. He coordinated the wood cutting and the stonecutters and had the wood and stone prepared. King Tyre also sent Huram-Abi, a man skilled in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, wood, and engraving to help with the design.

7) Personal Question. My answer: I had no thoughts except that this was how it was done in ancient times. I didn’t bat an eye. 1 Kings 9 tells us Solomon used only foreigners for the job. My study bible tells me that this use of foreigners creates dissension in the kingdom, especially amongst the northern tribes.

8 ) Personal Question. My answer: I happen to believe nothing is greater than my ability as long as I put my mind to it. I do want to write more novels. I do want to get promoted at work. I do want to not piss people off. In that respect, God has given me the desire to grow professionally and personally in the way I deal with other people. All things are possible with God and with Him leading, it all will happen.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26 Day 3:1 Kings 5:7-18:

Solomon takes the ball and runs with it here, getting everything prepared to perform this massive undertaking of building God’s temple (and his personal palace as well). He knows it’s God’s will, and everything falls into place to make it happen — just like He does in our lives when it’s His will and not our own.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26, Day 3:1 Kings 5:7-18:

Solomon, in his God-given wisdom, continued the friendly relationship between Israel and Lebanon, each helping each other in a win/win relationship.

Solomon employed his workforce wisely.

1. Solomon delegated responsibility to men like Adoniram.
2. Instead of making the Israelites work constantly away from Israel and home, Solomon worked them in shifts.

Solomon used high-quality materials even in the foundation where the stones could not be seen.

1. This show us how we should work for God: not for appearances.
2. God works in us not for appearances.
3. God builds the church not for appearances either, but for deep, foundational work.

“Some suppose that these Gebalites were the inhabitants of Byblos, at the foot of Mount Libanus, northward of Sidon, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea” (Clarke).

Summary 1 Kings 6:1-13:

Four hundred and eighty years after God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, Solomon began the building of God’s temple. As the building of the temple was taking place, God came to Solomon and told him to keep His decrees, carry out His laws, regulations, and commands, and God would fulfill all the promises He gave to David through him.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 26, Day 4: 1 Kings 6:1-13:

9) God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. David spared Saul’s life. Solomon builds God’s temple here. Jesus is sacrificed here, just on the other side of Mount Moriah. These are all places God spared people, which is what the temple does. It spares people of their sins once the atoning sacrifice is made. The final atoning sacrifice was made with Jesus’ crucifixion.

10) God came to Solomon and told him to keep His decrees, carry out His laws, regulations, and commands, and God would fulfill all the promises He gave to David through him. God also promised to live among the Israelites and not abandon them. God is omniscient so He knows the mistakes Solomon is about to make (idol worship, marrying foreign wives, building altars to foreign gods, etc). God is trying to warn Solomon before he chooses to make those mistakes.

11) Personal Question. My answer: He reminds me of my blessings in subtle ways like the beautiful sunrise or sunset. He places people in my life I can touch in small ways, like co-workers. He keeps my in His word with BSF. He reminds me all things are from Him.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26 Day 4:1 Kings 6:1-13:

I love how God blesses and then He reminds to follow Him always. Then it’s just a matter of if we listen or not.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26, Day 4:1 Kings 6:1-13:

This time reference gives us dates for the Bible: The reign of Solomon began in 971 BC and ended at 913 BC (the temple was begun in 967 BC). This means that the Exodus took place in 1447 BC.

It took probably about three years to prepare timber from Lebanon for use in building. If Solomon began the construction of the temple in the fourth year of his reign, he probably started organizing the construction in the very first year of his reign.

Yet the work was carefully organized and planned even before Solomon became king. 1 Chronicles 28:11-12 tells us, Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat; and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things.

The writer of 1 Kings never tells us exactly where the temple was built, but the writer of 2 Chronicles tells us that it was built on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1), the same place where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac and Jesus would be crucified (on another part of the hill).

Four Main Structures of God’s Temple

1. The temple proper (the house which King Solomon built), divided into two rooms (the holy place and the most holy place).
2. The vestibule or entrance hall on the east side of the temple proper (the vestibule in front of the sanctuary). It was thirty feet (10 meters) wide and fifteen feet (5 meters) deep, and the same height as the temple proper.
3. The three-storied side chambers (chambers all around) which surrounded the temple proper on the north, south, and west sides.
4. A large courtyard surrounding the whole structure (the inner court mentioned in 1 Kings 6:36)

The temple proper was approximately 90 feet (30 meters) long, 30 feet (10 meters) wide, and 45 feet (15 meters) high. This was not especially large as ancient temples go, but the glory of Israel’s temple was not in its size.

Allowing for the outside storage rooms, the vestibule, and the estimated thickness of the walls, the total size of the structure was perhaps 110 feet, 37 meters long and 75 feet, 25 meters wide.

The dimensions of the temple also tell us that it was built on the same basic design as the tabernacle, but twice as large. This means that Solomon meant the temple to be a continuation of the tabernacle.

How God works

The stones used to build the temple were all cut and prepared at another site. The stones were only assembled at the building site of the temple.

• The temple had to be built with human labor. God did not and would not send a team of angels to build the temple. Yet Solomon did not want the sound of man’s work to dominate the site of the temple. He wanted to communicate, as much as possible, that the temple was of God and not of man.
• Often the greatest work in the Kingdom of God happens quietly. Yet the building site of the temple was only quiet because there was a lot of noise and diligent work at the quarry.

God’s promise to Solomon

God promised an obedient Solomon that he would reign and be blessed, fulfilling the promises God made to David about his reign (2 Samuel 7:5-16). He also promised that His special presence would remain among Israel as a nation.

There was nothing particularly new in this promise. These are essentially the same promises of the Old Covenant made to Israel at Sinai. But this was an important reminder and renewal of previous promises.

God was careful not to say that He would live in the temple the way pagans thought their gods lived in temples. He would dwell among the children of Israel. The temple was a special place for man to meet with God.

Summary 1 Kings 6:14-38:

It took 7 years to build God’s temple. Cedar lined the interior walls. The ark of the covenant was placed in the inner sanctuary, along with a pair of cherubim made of olive wood and overlaid with gold. The entire inner and outer rooms of the temple was covered in gold layering.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 26, Day 5: 1 Kings 6:14-38:

12) Solomon built the temple to dedicate to the Lord to have a place for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and New Moons, and at the appointed feasts of the Lord. The temple had to be great because God is great. It as meant as a place to burn sacrifices to God.

13) Personal Question. My answer: I love how Solomon honors God with the best of the best. He takes his time to get it right. He makes everything perfect for a perfect God.

14) Personal Question. My answer: By using God’s talents for God’s glory and not your own and always giving the glory and credit to God, not yourself. I need to better reflect God in my work.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26 Day 5:1 Kings 6:14-38:

I love the detail the Bible provides of what the temple looks like since we have no pictures. Awesome and splendid!

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 26, Day 5:1 Kings 6:14-38:

God’s temple completed

Special attention was given to the Holy of Holies or Most Holy place. It was a 30-foot (10 meter) cube, completely overlaid with gold. It also had two large sculptures of cherubim (15-foot or 5 meters in height), which were overlaid with gold.

There were gold chains across the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. “The gold chains, stretched across the front of the inner sanctuary, served to strengthen the concept of the inaccessibility of this Most Holy Place” (Patterson and Austel).

The two cherubim inside the Most Holy Place faced the entrance to this inner room, so as soon as the High Priest entered, he saw these giant guardians of the presence of God facing him.

There was gold everywhere in the temple. The walls were covered with gold (1 Kings 6:20-22), the floor was covered with gold (1 Kings 6:30) and gold was hammered into the carvings on the doors (1 Kings 6:32).

The tabernacle had woven designs of cherubim on the inner covering. It was the court of the priests where the altar and laver were set and sacrifice was conducted. Outside it was the great court, where the people came to pray. Outside it was the court of the women, and outside that was the court of the Gentiles.

Under the Old Covenant, the temple was not for the people of Israel. It was only for the priests to meet with God on behalf of the people. The people gathered and worshipped in the outer courtyard.

When the temple was finished it was a spectacular building. It was easy for Israel to focus on the temple of God instead of the God of the temple. Yet without continued faithfulness to God, the temple’s glory quickly faded. This glorious temple was plundered just five years after the death of Solomon (1 Kings 14:25-27)

Adonijah, another of David’s spoiled sons, was David’s fourth son, his mother being Haggith (1 Samuel 3:2-4). Apparently, David’s first three sons died, leaving Adonijah, traditionally, as the heir apparent to the throne of Israel. Thus, he began acting as thus, gathering support from Joab and Abiathar, and parading around in chariots. He held a great feast, in the middle of which Solomon was proclaimed king by David, who had found out about Adonijah’s tactics to set himself up to be king.

Immediately, Adonijah sought refuge at the altar at the tabernacle. He was pardoned, until he asked for one of David’s concubines for his wife after David’s death. Solomon then had him put to death (1 Kings 2:19-25)

“The greatest gift of God is a pious amiable spouse who fears God and loves his house, and with whom one can live in perfect confidence.”

Martin Luther

Hey all!

It’s the last Sunday of the month, and today patience is on my heart.

I’m notoriously impatient. For example, my oldest daughter is learning to drive, and when she’s driving, I’ll tell her to speed up if I think she’s going too slow. Part of my impatience is that there’s just too much to do in my world and not enough time. Furthermore, I hate wasting time. As I age, I’m extremely cognizant of the fact that my time is limited here on the earth, so I have to make the most of it and not waste it. Look at what Jesus accomplished — all by the age of 33!

I sometimes feel the pressure of accomplishing things in my life. However, most of this is from myself. I have a lot of goals in my life and achieving them is top priority.

However, looking back on my life this past year, I’ve realized I’m achieved a lot — all because God was patient with me. I have a job that I like. I am physically where I need to be (although my weight is not where I want it). I am spiritually calm and growing. Mentally and emotionally, I’m in a good place. I can’t complain financially. My kids are growing rapidly, so I’m full-blow into the teenage years and all that that brings. My extended family is doing well — no major illnesses. Life is just truckin’ along — all in God’s patient plan.

So where are you seeing God’s patience in your life and where do you need God’s patience?

Summary 1 Kings 7:1-51:

This chapter describes in detail Solomon’s palace he had built. Solomon built his palace in 13 years, using cedar wood from Lebanon. He made a palace area for Pharaoh’s daughter, his wife. He hired a man from Tyre, Huram, to work the bronze. His palace was magnificent as was God’s temple, which he had brought in all the things David had dedicated to God and placed in the temple’s treasuries.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 27, Day 2: 1 Kings 7:1-51:

3) It gives us a time reference for other dates in the Bible. It tells us this was a massive undertaking for God and for his palace, requiring a lot of manpower, money, and time and effort. It also shows us that Solomon spent nearly twice as long building his home than he did building God’s home. It shows us that although Solomon loved God, he appeared to love himself more.

4) Part personal Question. My answer: Huram “whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was a man of Tyre and a craftsman in bronze. Huram was highly skilled and experienced in all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all the work assigned to him.” Huram used his skills to serve God and God’s people. We can serve God with our time, efforts, work, money, talents, and skills.

5) All the temple furnishings and vessels were used in some way to worship God, such as for burnt offerings and to hold the bread of presence, to atone for our sins through sacrifices, and to give us a place to meet with God and for Him to dwell amongst us. They point to Jesus and the day where we won’t need any of this and we will just inhabit the earth with God and Jesus.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27 Day 2: 1 Kings 7:1-51:

We see the opulence of Solomon’s palace and God’s temple, a great example of the blessings God wants to give us if we obey Him. God deserves only the best, and He got the best.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27, Day 2: 1 Kings 7:1-51:

1 Kings 6:38 tells us that Solomon spent 7 years building the temple, but here we learn that he spent 13 years building his own house. The temple was glorious, but it seems that Solomon wanted a house that was more glorious than the temple.

Solomon’s Palace

So much magnificent cedar wood from Lebanon was used to build Solomon’s palace that they called it the “House of the Forest of Lebanon.” Walking in the richly-paneled walls of the palace was like walking in a forest.

The forty-five pillars set in the House of the Forest of Lebanon also gave the impression of being in a majestic forest.

1 Kings 10:16-17 mentions 500 gold shields that were hung in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Isaiah specifically called this building an armory in Isaiah 22:8.

At the end of the detailed, magnificent description of Solomon’s palace, the writer also mentioned that some of the great architectural features of the palace were also used in the house of the LORD. We are left with the idea that as great as the temple was, Solomon’s palace was better.

When one travels in old Europe today, you often see magnificent cathedrals. These amazing buildings were mostly built hundreds of years ago at great labor and cost to poor people who could never dream of living in such spectacular places. When their most magnificent buildings were churches, it said something about their values. When Solomon made his palace more spectacular than the temple, it said something about his values. Our most magnificent buildings in the modern world – usually given over to business, shopping, or entertainment – say something about our values.

Haggai 1:3-10 speaks powerfully to those who think more about their house than they do the house of God.

Huram was half Israeli and half Gentile, and he was the best craftsman around.

The magnificent temple and palace built by Solomon came to symbolize Israel’s Golden Age. Solomon built many leading cities, assuming control of vital trade routes. He fortified Jerusalem, the capital, with a wall so thick that parts of it still stand. He modernized the Israelite army with 12,000 horses and the first chariot brigades, and made shrewd alliances with neighboring countries.

The two pillars of bronze

These impressive pillars were actually so noteworthy that they were given names, Jachin and Boaz (mentioned also in 2 Chronicles 3:17).

“The one on the right was given the name ‘Jachin,’ meaning ‘He shall establish,’ and the one on the left the name ‘Boaz,’ meaning ‘in strength.’” (Dilday)

“In practical terms the pillars were to be an ever-present reminder to each successive king of the fact that he was ruling by God’s appointment and by his grace, and that in God lay his strength. Just so ought believers today to be ever mindful of God’s grace in their lives and of their utter dependence on him.” (Patterson and Austel)

• Some believe that the pillars were meant to remind Israel of the twin pillars from the Exodus. The pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day were constant reminders of the presence of God in the wilderness.
• The temple was established by God, and built by the strength of God. Every time the Israelites looked at the temple, they knew that God liked to establish and strengthen things.
• The house of God was a place where people experienced what the pillars were all about. People were established in their relationship with God and given strength from the LORD.

Much of the temple stayed off-limits to the general public; only priests were allowed in. Not event priests ventured into the Most Holy Place, except on special occasions. Solomon had not intended the building for humans; he wanted a place suitable for God to dwell.

Wash Basin

The huge laver was more than 15 feet (5 meters) across, and was used for the ceremonial washings connected with the temple.

“It was used by priests for cleansing their hands and feet and perhaps also to supply water to the standing basins for the rinsing of offerings (2 Chronicles 4:10)” (Wiseman). Poole believes that perhaps water came out of the bulls that formed the foundation of the Sea.

2 Chronicles 4:8 says there were 10 tables of showbread. Here, they are described collectively as a unit.

Summary 1 Kings 8:1-11:

The ark of the covenant was brought up to the temple from Zion, the City of David. The priests brought up the ark when the elders had gathered along with all the sacred furnishings. Sacrifices of many sheep and cattle were made. The ark was taken to the Most Holy Place and placed below the cherubim wings. The ark only had the 2 stone tablets that Moses had placed in there at Horeb. God filled the temple with His glory.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 27, Day 3: 1 Kings 8:1-11:

6) Part personal Question: The ark of the covenant signified God’s covenant with His people and where He dwelled. It was above the cover between the two cherubim that God will meet with the Israelites and give them His commands.  It was transported by priests how God ordered it to be carried and it is placed under the wings of the cherubim, as if in protection, like God does with us today. And it is placed where God wanted to meet with His people.

7) God wants to meet us today wherever we are at — since He dwells in our hearts and in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our assurance that God dwells in us. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes. This is how we are sure.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27 Day 3: 1 Kings 8:1-11:

I love the part where God finally has a proper home amongst the people of Israel, and He comes to be with them. I’m also grateful I live on this side of heaven and I can meet God and Jesus anywhere personally since both are in me.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27, Day 3: 1 Kings 8:1-11:

The day the ark of the covenant was brought to the temple was a spectacular event. Only when the ark arrived could the temple begin to operate. Although the temple had been finished sooner (1 Kings 6:38), Solomon chose to wait to dedicate the temple, which was during the feast of tabernacles and during a Jublilee year.

Solomon was careful to obey what God commanded about transporting the ark of the covenant, allowing only the  priests to carry it. He would not repeat the error of his father David in 2 Samuel 6:1-8.

The holy furnishings included the ark, the lampstand, the table of showbread, and the altar of incense from the tabernacle.

“It is generally agreed that there were now two tabernacles, one at Gibeon, and the other in the City of David, which one David had constructed as a temporary residence for the ark.” (Clarke)

At an earlier point in Israel’s history, there were three items in the ark of the covenant. There had been the golden pot that had the manna (Exodus 16:33), Aaron’s rod that budded (Numbers 17:6-11), and the tablets of the covenant (Exodus 25:16). We don’t know what happened to the golden pot of manna and Aaron’s rod, but they were not in the ark when Solomon set it in the Most Holy Place.

The reminder of the deliverance from Egypt is significant, because there was a sense in which this – some 500 years after the Exodus – was the culmination of the deliverance from Egypt. Out of Egypt and into the wilderness Israel (out of necessity) lived in tents – and the dwelling of God was a tent. Now since Solomon built the temple, the structure representing the dwelling of God among Israel was a building, a place of permanence and security.

God dwells in His temple

This was the cloud of glory, seen often in the Old and New Testaments, sometimes called the cloud of Shekinah glory. It is hard to define the glory of God; we could call it the radiant outshining of His character and presence manifested in a cloud.

• The cloud of glory stood by Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21-22).
• The cloud of glory that God spoke to Israel from (Exodus 16:10).
• The cloud of glory from which God met with Moses and others (Exodus 19:9, 24:15-18, Numbers 11:25, 12:5, 16:42).
• The cloud of glory that stood by the door of the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:9-10).
• The cloud of glory from which God appeared to the High Priest in the Holy Place inside the veil (Leviticus 16:2).
• The cloud of glory of Ezekiel’s vision, filling the temple of God with the brightness of His glory (Ezekiel 10:4).
• The cloud of glory that overshadowed Mary when she conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).
• The cloud of glory present at the transfiguration of Jesus (Luke 9:34-35).
• The cloud of glory that received Jesus into heaven at His ascension (Acts 1:9).
• The cloud of glory that will display the glory of Jesus Christ when He returns in triumph to this earth (Luke 21:27, Revelation 1:7).

“There is a parallel to this event in Acts 2:1-4 in which God marks the inception of the church as the temple of the Holy Spirit by making his presence known through the sound of a mighty rushing wind and by filling those present with the Holy Spirit.” (Patterson and Austel)

Why could the priests not continue when the glory of God showed up in the temple?

• The extreme presence of the glory of God made normal service impossible. The sense of the presence of God was so intense that the priests felt it was impossible to continue in the building.
• God is not only goodness and love, He is also holy – and the holiness of God made the priests feel that they could no longer stand in His presence.

The intense sense of the presence of our holy God is not a “warm and fuzzy” feeling. Men like Peter (Luke 5:8), Isaiah (Isaiah 6:5), and John (Revelation 1:17) felt stricken in the presence of God. They simply could not be comfortable sensing the difference between their sinfulness and the holiness of God.

This glory of God remained at the temple until Israel utterly rejected God in the days of the divided monarchy. The prophet Ezekiel saw the glory depart the temple (Ezekiel 10:18)

Summary 1 Kings 8:11-21:

Solomon speaks before the Israelites, praising God for keeping His promises to David and by having the temple built by David’s son (him) and for dwelling in the temple with the ark.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 27, Day 4: 1 Kings 8:11-21:

8 ) God or the glory of the Lord

9) We see God’s glory in nature, in the heavens, the stars, the sky, and in His word and commands. His Holy Spirit reveals Him. We see God in other Christians since they have the Holy Spirit indwelt.

10) Personal Question. My answer: Everywhere with everyone. From my work colleagues, friends, family, kids to strangers and the barista at Starbucks.

11) Personal Question. My answer: Praise God when His promises are kept and fulfilled.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27 Day 4: 1 Kings 8:11-21:

It’s important to acknowledge God in all that we see, do, and accomplish. He is around us everywhere, including inside. All we have to do is look to find Him.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27, Day 4: 1 Kings 8:11-21:

“Language experts say the poem by Solomon is incomplete and fragmented, and that it apparently had another opening line in its original form.” (Dilday)

The temple was God’s plan.

Solomon remembered Egypt.

Summary 1 Kings 8:22-66:

Solomon dedicates God’s temple, praising God for His faithfulness and asking God to keep His promises. Solomon asks God to hear their prayers and judge fairly. He asks God to forgive His people when they turn from Him but then return to Him. He asks God to forgive and act so the people will fear God. He asks God to answer the prayers of foreigners to glorify His name. He asks God to support them in war and to hear the prayers of those who have sinned against him and forgive them.  Then he blesses the people and prays for them to always follow God’s laws. Then Solomon made sacrifices and offerings to the Lord and the people celebrated for 14 days. Everyone left glad in heart for all the good things God had done for them.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1: Lesson 27, Day 5: 1 Kings 8:22-66:

12) Solomon understands that God is omnipotent, that He is in control, and everything happens because of God. He understands God is faithful, trustworthy, forgiving, and just. He understands God’s greatness, that He can’t just occupy one building but is everywhere. He focused on God’s past fulfillment of promises, His present fulfillment, and His future fulfillment of promises.

13) Solomon prays for the people of Israel to be forgiven when they sin and turn away from the Lord. He understands they need a leader. He understands they need God to teach them how to live. He understands they need God in war. He understands they need God to hear them. He understands that people will hear of God’s goodness and deeds and turn to Him. He understands everyone needs God.

14) Personal Question. My answer: Solomon praises God for all He’s done, thanks God for all He’s done and all He will do, and acknowledging our transgressions before asking for God’s forgiveness. He also asks God to fulfill His promises. This is something I’ve not done and will try to do. Ask God, for He won’t give if you don’t ask.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27 Day 5: 1 Kings 8:22-66:

Great lesson in how to pray.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promised Land 1 Lesson 27, Day 5: 1 Kings 8:22-66:

Solomon’s prayer

Spreading your hands towards heaven was the most common posture of prayer in the Old Testament. Many modern people close their eyes, bow their head, and fold their hands as they pray; but the Old Testament tradition was to spread out the hands toward heaven in a gesture of surrender, openness, and ready reception.

“Solomon’s prayer is far from new, and is full of quotations from the Pentateuch, some of which are almost word for word, while the sense of the whole may be found in those memorable passages in Leviticus and Deuteronomy.” (Spurgeon)

Highlights of Solomon’s Prayer

1. Solomon first thanked and praised God for His past fulfillment of promises.
2. Solomon called upon God to keep the promises that He made. This is the great secret to power in prayer – to take God’s promises to heart in faith, and then to boldly and reverently call upon Him to fulfill the promises.
3. Solomon asked God to forgive the people.

If we don’t claim God’s promises, God’s promises are left unclaimed.

Though God had a special presence in the temple, He was far too great to be restricted to the temple.

Solomon asked God to incline His ear towards the king and the people when they prayed toward the temple. For this reason, many observant Jews still pray facing the direction of the site of the temple in Jerusalem.

• The temple grounds were used as a place to verify and authorize oaths. When a dispute came down to one word against another, Solomon asked that the temple would be a place to properly swear by, he asked God to enforce from heaven the oaths made at the temple.
• Solomon asked God to hear the prayers of a defeated, yet humble and penitent Israel. God answered this prayer of Solomon, and He forgives and restores His defeated people when they come in humble repentance.
• A man did not have to be sinless or righteous to have his prayer answered at the temple. He could be a guilty man, stricken by the plague of his own heart, and still find a gracious God when He came in humble repentance.
• Solomon prayed for a blessing on every military excursion.

The foreigner at the temple

The temple was in Israel, but it was always intended to be a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7). God wanted the court of the Gentiles to be a place where the nations could come and pray.

The violation of this principle made Jesus angry. When He came to the temple and found the outer courts – the only place where the Gentile nations could come and pray – more like a swap meet than a house of prayer, He drove out the moneychangers and the merchants (Matthew 21:13)

“When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin)”: This is a succinct Old Testament statement of the principle most clearly stated in Romans 3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Solomon prays for the Israelites on his knees

1 Kings 8:22 tells us that Solomon began this prayer standing, but some time before he finished, he fell to his knees in reverence to God.

• Ezra prayed on his knees (Ezra 9:5),
• the Psalmist called us to kneel (Psalm 95:6),
• Daniel prayed on his knees (Daniel 6:10),
• people came to Jesus kneeling (Matthew 17:14, Matthew 20:20, Mark 1:40),
• Stephen prayed on his knees (Acts 7:60),
• Peter prayed on his knees (Acts 9:40),
• Paul prayed on his knees (Acts 20:36, Ephesians 3:14),
• other early Christians prayed on their knees (Acts 21:5).
• Most importantly, Jesus prayed on His knees (Luke 22:41).
• The Bible has enough prayer not on the knees to show us that it isn’t required, but it also has enough prayer on the knees to show us that it is good.

Solomon again shows the often-neglected missionary impulse God wanted in Israel. Blessing to Israel wasn’t meant to end with Israel; God wanted to bless the world through Israel.

Feast of Tabernacles

This was a staggering – almost grotesque – amount of sacrifice. Each animal was ritually sacrificed and a portion was dedicated to the LORD, and the remainder was given to the priests and the people. It was enough to feed a vast multitude for two weeks.

It was such a great amount of sacrifice that they specially consecrated the area in front of the temple to receive sacrifices, because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to receive the burnt offerings.

This Feast of Tabernacles extended beyond its normal seven days on this special occasion.

The writer remembers that it was David’s heart and vision that started the work of the temple (2 Samuel 7:1-3 and following).

This was the highlight of Solomon’s reign. “How happy must these people have been, and how prosperous, had their king continued to walk uprightly before God! But alas! the king fell, and the nation followed his example.” (Clarke)

Abiathar was a survivor.

All the men in Abiathar’s family were slaughtered, and his whole family killed because they were suspected of helping David escape from Saul (1 Samuel 22).

Only Abiathar escaped, making his way to David’s outlaw camp. He was David’ primary spiritual advisor and became the nation’s high priest once David was crowned king. He remained loyal to David when his son, Absalom, led a rebellion and became a spy for David (2 Samuel 15:24-29).

In the end, Abiathar backed Adonijah when he tried to take the throne from feeble and old King David. David did not kill him as he ought — instead he was banished, doomed to end his life as he began — an outcast and fulfilling the prophecy of the end of the rule of the house of Eli (1 Samuel 2:31-35).