THE UNIVERSITY OF WISDOM OR THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WORLD

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PROVERBS 9:1-9
Lesson #12
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISDOM OR THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WORLD

• Memory verse: Pro 9:9
• The young adult son needs to enter a university to prepare himself for his adult life. That means he needs to decide which university he will attend.
  • Will he attend the University of Wisdom to learn the concepts that will prepare him for the rest of his life in the ways of God?
  • Or will he attend the University of the World that will prepare him for life away from God?
    • It is interesting that many young people from Christian families often lose their faith when they attend a university.
    • They are away from home for long periods of time and begin to question their basic beliefs.
  • In Proverbs 9, in this lesson and the next, we see the curriculum of both of these universities placed in contrast, one with the other in the style of Hebrew poetry.
• Read Pro 9:1-12
  • The description of the University of Wisdom and its alumni:
  • “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.” (1)
    • Key words: wisdom (skillful living).
    • The principal precept in this university is to teach the student how to live skillfully. That precept is embodied in the name of this university.
    • “…seven pillars…”
      • The number seven in the Bible is symbolic and means = completeness spiritually.
      • This university gives a complete education to the student. It will teach him all that he will need to know to live skillfully and successfully.
      • What are the seven pillars of the curriculum of this education? From the book of Proverbs these are the seven concepts that are repeated and intertwined as being a part of skillful living. We find them listed in Isa 11:2

Isa 11:2	Proverbs
Spirit of the Lord	The Holy Spirit in man 20:27
Wisdom	Wisdom (skillful living) 1:2
Understanding	Understanding (discernment between good and evil) 8:5
Counsel	Counsel (advice) 1:5
Might	Mighty (power) 16:32
Knowledge	Knowledge (power to know truth) 1:7; 2:5
Fear of the Lord	Fear of God (awesome reverance) 1:7

• • • • Read 1Pet 2:5
      • Read Heb 3:1-6
      • The believer in Jesus Christ is building his life (his house) on Christ. Notice that the purpose of building your life (or your house) on Christ is to offer spiritual sacrifices to God. (1Pet 2:5) In other words, to serve God by sacrificing your life for His kingdom.
        • Jesus spoke about building your house on a firm foundation instead of on sand.
        • Read Mat 7:24-27
  • As Christ builds His church, the seven-fold Holy Spirit gives help in building our lives.
  • “She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table^.  She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,” (2-3)
    • Key words: mingled wine (watered wine); highest places (false worship).
    • The fullness and richness of the curriculum in the University of Wisdom has been set on the table for all prospective students to observe.
    • All the fullness and richness of wisdom has been purchased by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
    • “…mingled wine…” is wine mixed with water as much as 8 to 1 in order to avoid intoxication by alcohol. Wine that has not been mixed with water is called “strong drink” in the Bible and is to be avoided because of intoxication.
    • Who are the maidens that cry in the highest places?
      • The maidens represent mature believers in Christ that have learned wisdom and renounced the world system. They are the alumni from the University of Wisdom. They are doing the work of evangelism to invite people to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. (Rev 19:9)
      • They are called “maidens” because they have kept themselves pure and separate from false religions.
    • The “highest places” refer to the gardens of idols and temples of false religions that built on mountain tops in the Old Testament.
      • Notice that on the highest places in society means that they are easily observable and easily found in the world system.
      • The University of Wisdom is sending out its alumni (maidens) to preach to the false religions of the world (in the highest places).
  • “Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,  Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.” (4-5)
    • Key words: simple (the unwise); hither (nearby); understanding (discernment of good from evil).
    • The call to the unwise person that Proverbs calls “simple”.
      • The primary call to the unbeliever in the book of Proverbs is the person called “simple”.
      • He is the most likely to respond to the gospel.
        • This is the type of person that has not made firm his belief system in his own mind. In other words he is not sure what he really believes.
        • This person is an open door that does not know truth. In other words, he does not know what ideas to let into his mind and what ideas to keep out.
        • He does not have a basic concept of what is morally right and what is morally wrong. Notice it says that he “wanteth understanding”. We could say that this person lives by “situation ethics”….that which seems good at the time is what he will do.
    • The message of the maiden evangelists to the simple people is the gospel of Jesus Christ:
      • “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled.” (5)
      • The invitation is to come and make a commitment to Jesus Christ, the personification of wisdom. How do we know this verse refers to Jesus Christ?
        • Notice the bread and the wine that reminds us of the elements of Holy Communion that refer to the blood and body of Jesus Christ sacrificed for us.
        • These same two elements are symbols of making a blood covenant throughout the Bible.
      • “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.” (6)
      • Key words: foolish (See “simple” = unwise); understanding (discernment of good from evil),.
        • The message of the maidens is to forsake the University of the World to attend the University of Wisdom.
        • In the process of making his decision about whether this young man of Proverbs should consider attending the University of Wisdom, he is counseled to forsake those people that are going to attend the University of the World of which many are probably his friends and schoolmates.
      • Read Rom 1:18-20
        • The foolish are those people that are the “simple” that live like the non-believer (the fool). The foolish (unwise) people know that God exists, but they are the carnal believer that foolishly wants to do his own thing without God’s guidance.
        • Of course, according to Romans 1:18-20 the description is the non-believer. While the carnal Christian is not the non-believer, he acts like the non-believer.
    • The choice between the University of Wisdom and the University of the World is the choice between life and death. (6)
    • The young man should choose the way that will teach him the high moral standards of God instead of the low standards of the world.
      • “…the way of understanding…” (6)
      • In the University of Wisdom he will learn to discern good from evil.
        • This “understanding” in the University of Wisdom is sharpened by God through the experiences of life in light of the Word of God.
        • The University of the World teaches “understanding” without moral content.

This is why we need the dictionary for Proverbs included in this study.

These words like “understanding” in modern dictionaries have no moral content.

• • If you are one of the alumni (maidens) from God’s University of Wisdom, you have learned certain principles about bringing correction of behavior to others. Here is what the University of Wisdom teaches:
  • ^”He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.  Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” (7-8)
    • Key words: reprove (correction); scorner (arrogant hater); shame (dishonor); rebuketh (remove evil); wicked (lawless evil); blot (mark against); wise (believer in Christ).
    • Word Explanation:
      • There are some words in the Bible that seem to have the same meaning and seem to be used interchangeably.
      • We see some of that confusion in these two verses with the words, “reproveth” and “rebuketh” that happen to be in parallel here.
      • The words, “reprove”, “rebuke”, and “reproach” are all similar words but Proverbs seems to draw a fine line between them and that fine line seems to be a level of degree and/or the method used and the result that is accomplished.

Reproach	Reprove	Rebuke
The actions of a person have brought shame on his life and reputation that will lead to disgrace. The idea is to expose that person to the truth so that he makes the correction in his own life. The means of correction is exposure to truth. The motive is not to judge but to expose truth in a kindly manner.	With an attitude of being correct in the way of truth, one person seeks to correct another’s actions or attitudes by means of bringing a fault to that person’s attention. The means of correction is called chastisement. The motive is to see correction not punishment.	The stronger word for correction has the idea that in order to avoid punishment one needs to drive out evil from a person’s heart. The means of correction is a strong rebuke. The motive is to see correction but if correction is not taken, certain punishment is the result.

• • • • In the New Testament we have a similar degree of harshness in regards to correction. Since we are on the subject, I may as well give it to you here as you will be able to see the relevance. (the words in italics are the Greek words.)

Entreat parakaleo	Comfort paraklesis	Request parakaleo	Exhort parakales	Counsel parakaleo	Rebuke nouthesia	Censure nouthesia
To speak in a friendly manner	To encourage with comfort	To appeal to a person’s conscience	To urge a person to do right	To give counsel through instruction	To give a warning	The strongest reprimand
1Cor 4:13 1Tim 5:1	2Cor 1:4,6 1The 4:18	Phlm 9,10 1Pet 5:1	Rom 12:1 1The 5:14	1The 5:12 1The 5:14	1Cor 4:14 2The 3:15	Tit 3:10

• • • As we return to our verses in Proverbs…
    • “He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame…” (7)
      • The result of your correction of another person’s attitudes or actions depends in part on what kind of person he is.
      • If he is an arrogant hater of God and of others, your correction of him will not be well received. In fact, you will probably be sorry (brought to shame) because you even tried.
      • However, we are still supposed to bring the message of God to the arrogant hater of God but if he rejects, we are free to move on to others with God’s message of truth.
      • In verse 8 it says he will probably end up hating you.
    • “…he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.” (7)
      • The strongest correction of a person that is living in lawless evil, who does not care what is right or how his actions hurt others, will not receive your correction.
      • Instead he will put you on his list so that your name has a black mark against you. It is his list of revenge.
    • “…rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” (8)
      • Therefore when you correct others of their sins, you need to be careful of several things:
        • Your attitude and motive for speaking that correction.
        • Your personal relationship with that person. We often have to earn the right to speak otherwise it is viewed as judging him.
        • The tone and words you use.
        • Your relationship to Christ and the Holy Spirit’s guidance to you.
        • His relationship to Jesus Christ.
      • Read Mat 18:15
  • “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (9)
    • Key words: instruction (moral discipline for discernment); wise (believer in Christ); just (righteous believer); learning (facts and principles).
    • The parallels:
      • Instruction/teach
      • Wise/just
      • Wiser/learning
    • When you correct a believer in Christ in regards to a moral issue, he will receive wisdom in how to live skillfully in his life.
    • When you teach a righteous believer about moral issues according to the Word of God, he will gain more facts and principles of life so as to live more skillfully.
    • The only people that increase in learning are those that really want to learn.

Homework
Proverbs 9:10-18

• Application of Pro 9:1-9
  • What is the spiritual house that wisdom is building? (1) (Read Heb 3:6)
    The Christian life and the church
  • Who are “the maidens” in verse 3 and what is their message in verse 5?
    The mature believers in Christ that serve God in evangelism. Their message is the gospel of Christ.
  • Why do you need to be careful how you correct someone in either their attitudes or their actions? (7-9)
    Correction will bring repercussions either good or bad.
  • From your own personal experiences, what are some good things to remember when correcting someone?
• Preparation for Pro 9:10-18
  • Read Pro 9:10-18
    • What is the knowledge of the holy? (10) (See your Proverbs dictionary to see what that means)
    • Whose responsibility is it to seek wisdom? (12)
    • What do you think it means when it says the foolish woman “knoweth nothing”? (13)
    • What is meant by “stolen waters”? (17)
• Memory Verse: Pro 9:13