Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20120617.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Proverbs: Motivating Teens And Adults To Align with God's Fixed Moral Order
Part III: Solomon's Proverbs Reflecting God's Fixed Moral Order For Blessing, Proverbs 10:1-22:16
B. Proverbs With Directions On Righteous Living, Proverbs 16:1-22;16
16. Studying Proverbs 20:22-30
  1. Introduction
    1. Where Proverbs 10:1-15:33 contrasts wise, upright lives with foolish, wicked ones, Proverbs 16:1-22:16 focuses mainly on the upright life, guiding us on how to live righteously in many realms of experience.
    2. We thus view each proverb in this section to draw out its deeper insight that Proverbs 1:5-6 implies exists:
  2. Studying Proverbs 20:22-30.
    1. Proverbs 20:22 teaches do not say, "I will repay (shalem, Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1179; B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 1022; Piel = intensive) for evil, injury [done to me]." Wait eagerly for (qawah, Ibid., p. 875) Jahweh, and He will deliver, give you victory (yasha', Ibid., p. 446-447; Hiphil = causative active). Handling the lure to take revenge is done by waiting upon the Lord to restore what loss we have suffered in being wronged, trusting our Good God to offset another party's wrong against us!
    2. Proverbs 20:23 claims a weight stone and a weight stone (differing and thus dishonest weight stones used in balances in marketplace transactions) are an abomination to Jahweh, and balances (mo'zen, Ibid., p. 24-25) of deceit [deceptive] (mirmah, Ibid., p. 941) are not wholesome (tob, Ibid., Kittel, p. 1179 and 2 in citing Gen. 1:31 where tob describes God made the universe "wholesome").
    3. Proverbs 20:24 asserts from Jahweh are the [very] steps (mis'ad, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 857) of a "male at the height of his powers" (geber , Ibid., Kittel, p. 1179; H. A. W., Theol. Wrdbk. of the O. T., v. I, p. 148), so how is a common man (adam, Ibid., Kittel; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) [able] to discern, understand (bin, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 106-107) his [own] way [in life] (derek, Ibid., p. 202-204). God is totally sovereign over even the specific steps that the greatest, most powerful men on earth take in their lives, so, we best humbly rely on the Lord for guidance in all realms of our lives.
    4. Proverbs 20:25 teaches it is a snare (moqesh, Ibid., p. 430) for a common man (adam, cf. Pr. 20:24) to talk wildly [cry rashly] (lu' , Ibid., p. 534) "Holy!" [in the context of making a vow to the Lord] and later to consider, reflect on (baqar, Ibid., p. 133) his vows (neder, Ibid., p. 623-624). If God is utterly above us in intellect and sovereignty, we must make our vows to Him in humility, relating to Him with respect.
    5. Proverbs 20:26 claims a wise king winnows out (zarah, Ibid., p. 279-280; Piel = intensive) the wicked, and he sets [drives] (yashab, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 442-443) the [threshing] wheel [of a cart] (open, Ibid., p. 66) over them. Wise leaders carefully identify and purge the wicked from their realms.
    6. Proverbs 20:27 asserts the lamp of Jahweh is the breath [spirit, contextually a figure for one's conscience] (nishamah, Ibid., p. 675) of a common man (adam, cf. Pr. 20:24), searching out (hapash, Ibid., p. 344) all of the chambers (heder, Ibid., p. 293) of the belly, body (beten , Ibid., p. 105-106) [innermost being]. We must heed our conscience as God gave it to us as a very effective tool in evaluating our inner being.
    7. Proverbs 20:28 teaches loyal love (hesed, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., H. A. W., v. I, p. 305-307) and faithfulness (emet, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., H. A. W., v. I, p. 51) preserve from dangers (nasar, Ibid., B. D. B., p. 665-666) a king, and with loyal love (hesed again) his throne is supported, sustained (sa'ad, Ibid., p. 703). Loyal love and faithfulness make a leader's subjects trust him and relax, solidifying his rule where the absence of loyal love and faithfulness breeds distrust, and causes subordinates to cease following their leader!
    8. Proverbs 20:29 claims the glory (tip'arah, Ibid., p. 802) of young men (bahur, Ibid., p. 104) is their strength (koha, Ibid., p. 470-471), and the splendor (hadar, Ibid., p. 214) of old men (zaqen, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 278-279) is their grey hair, head (sebah , Ibid., p. 966). As one ages, he can retain his effectiveness in society by relying less on his physical strength and more on a good record and experience!
    9. Proverbs 20:30 asserts blows of [given to punish] (haburah, Ibid., p. 289) [that yield] a wound (pesa', Ibid., p. 822) cleanse away (maraq, Ibid., p. 599) from evil, and stripes of scourging (makah, Ibid., p. 646) the chambers (heder, cf. Pr. 20:27) of the belly, body (beten , cf. Pr. 20:27) [innermost being]. Physical punishment may hurt and be humiliating, but it leads one away from sinning to upright living.
Lesson Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in each of these realms for blessing.