SERMON: Listen to the Music

Proverbs 1:20-33 | Twin City Bible Church | twincitybible.org/media/sermons

Our theme is listening to the music of God, the music of wisdom, based on Proverbs 1:20-33. It’s an unusual text, with Wisdom personified as a woman, calling out to her intended audience.

There are five important perspectives for being able to listen:

1.     First Perspective: The place where wisdom is needed.

o    The short answer is everywhere in every aspect of life.

o    Wisdom is shouting in the streets, lifting her voice in the square, crying out at the head of the noisy streets, and uttering her sayings at the entrance of the gates in the city.

o    This is a new voice introduced in Proverbs, a woman personifying wisdom who will appear throughout the book, contrasting with the voice of sin.

o    Wisdom is personified as a woman. This is similar to cultural personifications like Lady Liberty, Lady Justice, and Rosie the Riveter, representing a concept or idea.

o    It would have been highly unusual for a woman to raise her voice in this manner in that culture, signifying an urgency to her message.

o    The city gates were the official place of business, city hall, and the courthouse, emphasizing that wisdom's message is for all aspects of civic life.

o    Wisdom is not a deeply buried secret but is out in the open for those who will listen and obey God's word.

o    Gaining wisdom is not reserved for a special class of people.

o    Proverbs speaks to every aspect of life, including communication, marriage, stewardship, work, and leadership.

o    Wisdom roams the streets looking for someone to instruct.

o    The call of wisdom is universal, needed at home, work, play, in entertainment, struggles, and every season of life.

o    Wisdom is needed not only in the noisy public square but also in the noisy heart.

2.     Second Perspective: The people whom wisdom rebukes.

o    Wisdom's song becomes more pointed, even confrontational, asking, "How long?".

o    This question echoes throughout the Old Testament, such as in Psalm 4 and Habakkuk.

o    Her message is aimed at three groups:

§  The naive (or gullible): They are easily led astray, irresponsible, and don't take serious things seriously. Their minds are so open everything falls out. They are thoughtless and find pleasure in their frivolity, wasting their lives. The modern equivalent is being influenced by everything on the internet without discernment.

§  The scoffers: They are independent thinkers who deride and revile any authority. They scoff at teachers, bosses, and any voice they deem less informed. They delight themselves in scoffing.

§  The fool: This is the most common negative example in Proverbs. A fool is thickheaded and stubborn, not necessarily dumb or uneducated but self-destructive and hates knowledge. There is irony in saying this to someone who may prize worldly knowledge but rejects the knowledge of God. Jesus' interactions with the scribes and Pharisees are a similar example.

o    These three groups show misplaced affections: loving thoughtlessness, delighting in scoffing, and hating knowledge. Their values are upside down from the values of the kingdom of God.

o    The gospel message is considered foolishness to the world but life to believers (1 Corinthians 1).

o    The problem lies in our affections: loving what ought to frighten us, delighting in what should repulse us, and hating what should be most cherished.

o    The question "How long will you go on?" is an act of God's grace if we recognize ourselves in these traits. 

3.     Third Perspective: The plea that wisdom makes.

o    The plea has a twofold theme: salvation or judgment, with salvation mentioned first.

o    Wisdom's plea is grounded in the promise of total spiritual transformation by God's grace in verse 23.

o    Verse 23 ("Turn to my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you") pictures the whole sweep of the believer's life in miniature: repentance, salvation, and sanctification.

o    Repentance: "Turn to my reproof" uses the main Hebrew word for repentance, involving turning from evil to God (1 Thessalonians 1).

o    Salvation: "I will pour out my spirit" is Old and New Testament language for God's spiritual transformation. This is linked to the work of the Messiah (Isaiah 11:2, John 7:38, Titus 3:5). There is no move of the Spirit apart from knowing Jesus Christ.

o    Verse 7 ("The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom") is the theological spine of Proverbs, and verse 23 is the necessary theological response, showing how to respond to that truth.

o    Verses 24-25 describe the rejection of wisdom: "Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention... You neglected all my counsel and did not want my reproof". Examples of being solicited in Costco and airports illustrate this refusal to pay attention. People reject wisdom even when it is available.

o    Verse 26 shows a turn of events: wisdom will laugh at their calamity and mock when their dread comes. This is not callous indifference but amazement at their foolish choices. Similar examples in Psalm 2 and Psalm 37.

o    Verse 28 warns that when distress comes, they will call on wisdom but will not be answered, a sober reminder that wisdom is not always available if continually rejected (Matthew 7).

o    Foolishness and disobedience lead to hard work for nothing, putting hope in the wrong things.

4.     Fourth Perspective: The punishment when wisdom is rejected.

o    The punishment is because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh (verse 29), echoing verse 7.

o    They would not accept counsel and spurned reproof (verse 30).

o    Knowledge, fear, counsel, and reproof are used synonymously in Psalms 19 and 119 to refer to the word of God. Therefore, they are rejecting God's truth.

o    The punishment for rejecting wisdom is self-imposed: "they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be satiated with their own devices" (verse 31). The waywardness of the naive and complacency of fools will destroy them.

o    God is constantly calling us away from "our way". Isaiah 53:6 speaks of everyone turning to their own way. The philosophy of Nietzsche, stating there is no "right way," aligns with this rejection of God's way. Solomon warns against walking in "their own way".

5.     Fifth Perspective: The promise which wisdom anticipates.

o    Verse 33: "But he who listens to me shall live securely and will be at ease from the dread of evil."

o    This is the opposite of turning away from wisdom; it is embracing God's word, wisdom, and way.

o    "Listens" in Hebrew is "Shama," meaning to hear and obey (Deuteronomy 6).

o    Solomon prayed for a "hearing heart" (1 Kings 3:9).

o    The one who listens and keeps listening will dwell securely in the hands of the Lord.

o    This does not mean an absence of hardship in this fallen world (Romans 8 paraphrase), but peace and flourishing in the midst of it (Philippians 4, Paul in prison).

o    The ability to recognize and respond to the voice of wisdom is crucial, like recognizing a familiar whistle.

o    The invitation is to come to the fountain and drink and be filled.