The Proverbs Code: What Do All These Numbers Mean? PROVERBS 30:1-33 Main Idea: Wisdom is the way the world works, and that can only be perceived through God's Son, I. Look to Christ for Wisdom (30: Ul. Look to Christ for Salvation from Sin (30:10-14). IIL Look at the World through the Lens of Christ (30:15-33). A. Warnings about uncontrolled appetites 1B. Tnstruction in wisdom, Jimmy, who is really good at fixing things, began to try to teach me how to do certain things, He and I put together all kinds of things like cribs, rockers, and swing sets. Inevitably what would happen is that, even. though Jimmy is good at putting things together, we would rus the project, putit together, and then notice that we hael made a mist somewhere along the way. For example, we put a sofa table together, and when we we noticed the legs of the table were facing out. ward rather than inward like th hhad to go back and actually look where we went wrong, and start again the right w: really worked 50 we could do t job in accordance with the furniture’s design, Proverbs 30 gets at this kind of thing in the grand scheme oflife when it comes to wisdom and your way in the world. There is a pattern to the ‘world. There isa certain way that it works, and you need to live according. to the pattern because that’s wise, Wisclom isthe skill o live according to that pattern. To understand what thats feo go the Maker— the one who created the world—to see how the world works, That Proverbs 30 is ll about, and it shows us three important t 149 Look to Christ for Wisdom PROVERBS 30:1.9 The author of this passage is Agur the son of Jakeh (¥, 1). We do not know who Agur is because this is the only place he ‘What we do know is th 1ese words for us, Agur starts the passage in verses 2-3 by c to be ignorant: asm more stupid than any other person, and I tack a human's ability ‘o understand. Ihave not gained wisdom, and I have no knouiledge of the Foly One. He confesses that he is To become wise, you need to recognize God for it. Just as Solomon recognized that wisdom begins with fear of the Lord, Agur recognizes that wisdom begins with God—with knowledge of the Holy One. Not only does wisdom reside with God, but it also resides God's Son. Agur asks a series of rhetorical questi verse 4 t0 indicate humanity's finitude and to point out isdom belongs to the Almighty Creator and his Son, No human has gone up to heaven and come back dawn. No a he wind in his hands. No human created the world. We read this from a different vantage point than Agur. Agur asks the name of the son, but he does not know it. We do know it—Jesus Christ! We know that Jesus is the God-Man who came down from heaven as wisdom for us. Goldsworthy points Agur’s question in verse is answered directly in Jesus's reply to Nicodemus in John 3:13, “No one has ever gone into 2 There are many thorny sues the syperseipt. For a good di Proves, Chapters 13-3), 454-63,150 CChrist-Centered Exposition Commentary heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of man.” (Free of Life, 186) ‘The point is that God’s Son is the one who has access to God’s wis: dom because he came from heaven, so look to God and his Son for wisdom, How do you d think verses 5-6 give us the answer Every word of God is pure; he is @ shield to those who take refuge in ‘him. Don't ald to his words, er he will rebuke you, and be novella liar. Word, so we must tous, and he has in him, and suf ld to it. There is a warning to those who do. Don’t sit in God's Word as ifit’s lacking something, That was the prob- Genesis 3. They did not see God's word as. ives. We do the same thing. We know what the Bible says, k our ideas in certain situations are better. We often come to Scripture and act lon't know my boss.” that somehow just got left out of the rebuke you and prove you to be a if you act like the Word is not enough for you. In fact, Revelation threatens a curse to those who do this (Rev 22:18.19), Agur then tums around and does for himself what he has rec- ‘ommended for others. He looks to the Lord for wisdom. He humbly depends upon God for wisdom by asking for it in prayer (Longman, Proverbs, 524-25), James 1:5 says that if we lack wisclom, we should ask God for it in prayer and he will give it to us generously. Agur prays {or wisclom in Proverbs 30:7 power he can't be person. He says he will depend ‘on God to grant thos is own human effort can't save im from deception and greed (Waltke, Provers, Chapters 15-31, 478). fe learn from this that the power does not lie with us er eel Proverbs 30:1-33 181 jot give me Poverty and (2) do not give me wealth, and the reference to deception. refers to poverty and wealth (Garrett, Proverbs, 238). Pove *God can't help you. God won't provide for you. You self.” And riches Agur pleads with the Lord to feed him wi ‘me my daily bread. Let me have just enough for my needs to be met. Help me to be not greedy for more. Why? He gives the reasons for his supplication, deny the Lord 88 Was 0 teach them to depend’! not on financial provision, He wanted them to learn that m: the word of God, not by bread. In De pose of the mann: land flowing with ley Were going to forget God an profan- cers, but itis saying that w to recognize their need of God. he will be tempted to steal Ihe is poor, (Con his tax return, misuse petty cash, be stingy toward the poor, or take money off his mom's dresser. He makes the strangest of requests to American ears because he wants the middle ‘The pointis that both riches and poverty can lead to a lack of depen- dence on God. Ifyou are rich,152 Christ Centered Exposition Commentary Look to Christ for Salvation from Sin PROVERBS 30:10-14 Proverbs 30:15-33 gives a list of numerical sayings. The verses between 1¢ numerical sayings help us understand the meaning of the numerical c, Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, 481-82). He starts by talking in verses 10-14 to set up the nu I sayings. He says not to slander a servant to his master or he'll curse you and you. become guilty (v. 10). Don’t ruin an employee's reputation by slander- ing them to the boss, making fun of the back, or being ov cursing you, and God wil uphold the curse. Yikes! You are being foolish and wicked when you slander and gossip against someone, and by doing \dgment on yourself. When the person retaliates In fact, judgme: in this section behavior that deserves condemnation. So verse 10) the listing of verses 11-14 and gives us a key for how to interpret ther In verses 11-14 he gives four “generations” or types of sinners who bbe condemned by God (Murphy and Hu First, there isa generation that curses instead of blessing its parents .psons of the world who are smartalecks to heir parents, “I hate you!”; the bratty three-year-old who shouts “No!” to his parents’ directions; or even the grown child who refuses to provide care for aging parents. I (Jon) remember when I pastored in Louisville, we were hit with a huge power. We received a sly members who was (OK. We were happy to do so. fhy—danghiter lived in the same tovin as her parents and she did not lift finger to help 8 says this sort of behavior is condemned before God. ‘onors God is what Christ displayed—obeying his parents in childhood (Luke 2:51) and caring for his aging mother as he died (John 19:2627). is pure in its own eyes but is not Proverbs 30:1-33 153 -ousness and hypocrisy. The word for “ rd for dung.® The picture is the Hebrew is someone who is unaware dog mess, and now it's smeared on their clothes, ing is fine Yet they are nasty. ighteousness looks like to God, TI y are not sinners and look down on others as if they are hetter than them ook disgusting in God's eyes! When we try to categorize sins by the sins of the that is gross to God. The word pure refers to those who are able to appro. ence of God in the temple. These folks 1 that they stepped Jesus ike 2:52). We are always in danger of thinking more of ourselves than we ought. It keeps Deca ‘Third, there isa prideful generation eyes! Again, the cemptation to ought is a strong one. Pride is Proverbs, Proverbs repeatedly: Fourth, there isa generation the poor (v. 14). There are peo} toward the needy. tage of the poor. They thout a second thought, There are those who are sim] the oppressed. Proverbs repeatedly brings up the poor. It condemns those who mistreat them, and ithonors those who are generous to them, Proverbs 30:17 gives us the outcome fo) ly those who curse parents, but it applies to al Fidicules father and despises obedience to.a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young val outcome is the end for those who roll their eyes at their parents. Judgment will fall on these generations, and itis described in the grossest of ways, The language of being eaten by vultures outside the camp is the sign of someone who is accursed. God's judgment is described sometimes as being ea birds (Rev 19:17-18) hese generations, sp “As for the eye {See Longmans explanation of exerement and ritual wneleannessin Pree, 527 “6 Waltkeargucs that verse 17 coversal four scion, See Proves, Chapters 13-31, 489.158 CChrist-Centored Exposition Cammentary The good news is that Jesus took th ‘entire curse that we deserve for not hi ar parents, for our self righteousness, for our arrogance, and for out indifference to the poor crushed Jesus on the cross in our place. He was taken outside the camp, executed under the judgment of God, vindication so all who believe in him will be declared right before Godt So look to Jesus for salvation from your sins. curse for us (Gal 8), The Look at the World through the Lens of Christ PROVERBS 30:15.33, at is happening with these numbered sayings. Agur—like Solomon (1 Kgs 4:33.34)—observes iving in accordance with the pat observations will do two things: warn us about uncon and instruct us in wisdom, Warnings about Uncontrolled Appetites Agur observes that the way the uncon appetites for money, sex, and status. For example, verses 15-16 ch an uncontrolled appetite for money. A leech is. blood icker that attaches to es is metaphorically to even use the term “leech” metap] 1d consumes but does not procluce, He says the leech has two rs, referring to the suckers on the leech by whic! drains the host (see Waltke, Proverbs, Chapters 15-31, want more and more and more, The dad can never get stuff! They cai ‘can be just like enough, them because you of y ie, money, and energy; and don't be a greedy person who constantly craves more and more. He observes four things in nature that are never satisfied to warn you that if you are not a content perso Proverbs 30:1-33 155 away. Fire always wants to rage out of ifyou are the kind of person who can’ your apps ing is that you will never be satisfied. Instead, be content wit God has given you. Next, he warns abo but what moves does not leave any trace of leave any tracks. An ¢ fing a trace serve the fin hough the best transi 1¢ other three is “in”) a virgin ora young woman, This is talking of the proper context of sexual relations between a man and a woman in mar= riage. Unlike, say, a plow or a sword, these four things involve graceful ‘movement and leave no damage or sear. ‘This fourth and final observation sets up the hor All four "ways" in verse 1¢ way of a man with his wife provides impropriety of the “way” of an adulteress—sexual relation - and says, me of he wipes her of her actions, of nature. She goes on and forgets common act of « ju say it’s just a nar you're hungry. They say if you repress it, ‘what we are made to do, how we evolved. four observations treats sex I rae ection woe greatly aided by Waltke, Pro Chaps 15-31, 490-02,inne 156 (Chrst-Centered Exposition Commentary She wipes away the trace and goes on nothing wrong. While she doesn’t feel gu the evidence. So many people do t Internet history, erase an e-mai saying she’s done she does try to get rid of ing. They clear an pay in cash at the motel so that no in marriage, otherwise you will week your life ‘f God. While these four things behaving prop pmoral person's ways are belore the ims to uncontrolled appetites for status and -28, These verses talk about judgment against 8 for status that overturn the social the cosmic order. It is inappr because he is not ready t0 r slave had so many things tory wit! Often, a tyranny that Previous pranny ares ne book Aninal Fam in indctncne ew the tat ut set up a gute jose eof this is when Sear Becomes tke ting TheLion King. His appetites out of convene nd {producing and Pie Rock becomes awn ;buthe snot the kindof person ee like us—needs a un oppressive.) A perfect ex: of Pride Rock consumes: Proverbs 30:1-83 197 loved woman gets t, Proverbs, 242), A woman who goes throughout life unloved starts to crave affe and seek itin the wrong ways. Once she becomes married, .er husband's attention in a way that is a warning to dads to love their dat unloved). She craved the status of marriage, but now tha is not enough. Finally, and similar to the first observat inappropriate when a servant girl becomes queen, Instruction in Wisdom Agur observe the world and warn al , but second, he moves on to observations ful living. He observes four small but wise animals in verses 24:28 and then more stately animals in verses 29-81. You learn. wisdom by observing these animals. A skill for life. None of these animals could take an 1Q tes should not overspend, and y Second, the hyrax or rock badger is a very sm is secure from things that might destroy you. You need to learn to resist peer pressure that might eause you to make a stupid decision that gets you in trouble. You need to learn how to resis the temptation toward adultery that would destroy your family. Third, he observes the locusts, ‘who have no king but march in ranks (v.27). This observation shows need for community and co s need to be in a group % Goanet’s disc ction wemendously. See Garrett, revels, 242 ped158 Christ Centered Exposition Commentary takes care of each other. Finall to live in the palace transitios stately \ce so that he can rule, and the Ii only happen our Messiah dependence creatures, And like wwe also must humble ourselves in 50 we can make our way wisely throu bear a striking resemblance to red food in Agur ends this chapter on the same h selfexaltation (wv. 82-93). If. up, turn off Twitter, ig bloody conflict, 2 Waltke makes these eo ca a these connections, 85-500 Proverbs 30:1-33 a ‘There is an order tain way. That order world, upholds the world, and 20). The pattern of the seasons was woven into cré t gives way t0 the resurrection of spring in order to point ‘he pattern of the seven-day week was woven into creation, jnt us to passion week where out of the grave into a new world on the eighth day. After King, when the rightful king overthrows the usurper and assumes the throne, even the creation itself is healed. the gospel (ef. Isa 11). King Jesus sets the world 1 id you can only navigate through that vworld—you can only be wise—through him, Reflect and Discuss 1. We recognize that a designer gets to decide how his or her project, works, In what ways does that apply to God and what he tells us about the world? 2. In what ways does recognizing out us to become In what ways do we justify our sin as if it's not wrong, adulteress? 9. What are some practical ways you can practice making wise provi- sion like the an? 10, How does having a church community help you grow in wisdom?