Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20110403.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Proverbs: Motivating Teens And Adults To Align With God's Fixed Moral Order
Part II: Explaining The Value Of Heeding God's Fixed Moral Order, Proverbs 1:8-9:18
A. Heeding Our Parents Over A Bad Peer Group To Build Relationships
(Proverbs 1:8-19)
  1. Introduction
    1. Both teens and adults of all ages need to have good relationships with other people, but if relationships are sought in errant ways, they lead to bad relationships and even a tragic end according to Proverbs 1:10-19.
    2. Proverbs 1:8-9:18 begins a sixteen-part section in the Egyptian sboyet format that tells young princes the value of heeding God's fixed moral order, and its first part, Proverbs 1:8-19, explains the value of heeding the guidance of godly parents over that of bad associates in gaining and sustaining good relationships:
  2. Heeding Our Parents Over A Bad Peer Group To Build Relationships, Proverbs 1:8-19.
    1. There is a great contrast in the development of relationships in life between heeding one's godly parents and heeding bad associates, Proverbs 1:9 versus Proverbs 1:18-19 (as follows):
      1. When one heeds his godly parents (Proverbs 1:8), it figuratively puts a garland on his head, a symbol of honor from other people, and a chain around his neck, a symbol of head ship in relationships with others (Proverbs 1:9; Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, vol. Four, page 400).
      2. Yet, if he heeds bad associates (Prov. 1:10-14), both he and his relationships end in ruin, Prov. 1:18-19.
    2. Thus, we view the CONTRAST of INSIGHT offered by godly parents versus that of bad associates that so CONTRASTS one's ending up with either fulfilling or tragic relationships, Pr overbs 1:8, 10-17:
      1. We view in detail the edifying insight of godly parenting of the youth in Proverbs 1:8 (as follows):
        1. The young prince should listen to his father's disciplinary correction (musar) that critiques him when he errs from God's fixed moral order so that he can enjoy good relationships, Prov . 1:8a; Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1155; Brown, Driver & Briggs, Heb. and Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 416.
        2. Also, he should not abandon (natash) his mother's moral/ethical code or instruction (torah) so that he need not face his father's disciplinary correction in departing from her instruction if he wants to enjoy rewarding relationships in life! (Proverbs 1:8b; Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 643, 435)
        3. By application, for a young princess to develop fulfilling relationships, she should heed especially her mother's disciplinary correction that critiques her violations of God's fixed moral order, and she should not abandon her father's moral-ethical code or instruction that she need not face her mother's disciplinary correction for having abandoned her father's instruction!
        4. Proverbs 1:8 thus reveals the need for godly heterosexual parents: (1) The same-gendered parent guides the youth in the self-disciplines he needs for his role to experience good relationships; the opposite-gendered parent gives him priceless insight about the opposite gender that he as a youth is often not able to discern soon enough to relate well due to his lack of knowledge and experience with the opposite gender! (2) This shows the inadequacy of same-gender and single parent rearing.
      2. We view in detail the insight about ungodly associates in Proverbs 1:10-17 (as follows):
        1. Bad associates who sin will entice a naive youth to join them in violating the guidance of his godly parents, telling him to take selfish advantage of others, especially of the vulnerable, Prov. 1:10-12.
        2. The lure for this directive will be the bad associates' promise of enjoying spoils that appeal to the lusts of the eyes, of the flesh and of the pride of life, or worldliness, Pr. 1:13 with 1 John 2:15-16.
        3. Bad associates often urge the naive to share with them his valuables with the promise of reward only for the naive to end up being robbed and hurt, Proverbs 1:14 with 1:17.
        4. Heeding bad associates makes one harm others (Prov. 1:16), producing a backlash from others that hinders him from gaining good relationships, and it leads to his eventual ruin, Prov. 1:17-19!
        5. Accordingly, Solomon urged his son neither to heed nor to follow such associates, Prov. 1:10, 15.
Lesson: (1) One must heed a godly same-gendered parent's disciplinary correction of his violations of his godly other-gendered parent's moral/ethical code, and, not to abandon his other-gendered parent's instruction in the first place, versus heeding the directives of bad associates to gain and sustain rewarding relationships and escape tragedy. (2) May we heed these insights from the Lord for blessing!