Proverbs Pt. 15 A Father's Passionate Plea to His Son: Hear and Heed!

Praise the Lord. The winds aloft that brought California's smoke over Ohio for several days has cleared out and now we enjoy bright sunshine and bright blue skies! Please continue to pray for all those being impacted by wildfires. I understand the fires are only about 3% contained so far which means there is still a lot of work to do combatting the blaze.

This morning we move into Proverbs 4. 

A father told his children to hear and heed what he said.

Proverbs 4:1-2  Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 2) For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 

King Solomon is the author of this book of wisdom, writing as the Spirit of God directed him. Solomon is broadening his scope by including all his children, and by extension he is speaking to us as well. 

Another pattern in the book of Proverbs we see, is that the first 9 chapters all begin with exhortations to pursue wisdom from God. Thus, King Solomon uses the first 9 verses in this chapter to exhort his son to wholeheartedly pursue wisdom. 

Proverbs 4 begins with a command to "Hear". This word means to hear what is being communicated with the intent to obey or apply it. Children are the ones exhorted to hear what Solomon is saying. The Bible tells us that Solomon has two daughters beside his son, Rehoboam so he may have been speaking to all of them(1 Kings 4:11-15). 

What is it that the children must hear with the intent to obey? The instruction of their father. The word "instruction" refers to the discipline of learning, hearing the teaching that corrects wrong views or bad assumptions and teaching that guides the student as necessary. It is a lot like a classroom with students where Solomon is the teacher and his children are the students.  

What else must the children do? They must attend to know understanding. The word "attend" literally means to hear and heed what is said. The word "know" means to find out by learning and become skillful in the subject matter, in this case, gaining understanding. "Understanding" in this text is actually learning to discern between that which is right and pleasing to God and that which is evil and dishonoring to God.  

As a father who loved his children, Solomon made it clear that what he was teaching them was "good doctrine." The children were instructed in Divine Wisdom which is pleasant, agreeable and the most excellent wisdom that a father can share with his children. This being true, King Solomon put an exclamation point on  it by commanding his children to "forsake ye not my law." 

Solomon reflected on parental instruction he received. 

Proverbs 4:3-4  For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. 4)  He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 

This text gives us some good context for Solomon's motivation in teaching his own children about Godly wisdom. He referenced his Father, King David and his mother, Bathsheba. Solomon called himself "only beloved in the sight of my mother." Solomon was the first born child of David and Bathsheba, and he enjoyed their full attention for a number of years before his siblings were born. 

Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Solomon told his own children that his father also taught him and exhorted him to retain the word and commandments that he received from King David. It is clear that King David really pressed his son to grasp the importance of truths that he taught because they are the issues of life. We are blessed to have some of what David taught to Solomon as we will see in the following text.

King David's charge to young Solomon.

1 King 2:1-4  Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2) I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; 3) And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: 4) That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. 

Jehovah is mentioned two times and Elohim in this text. Jehovah is the covenant making, promise keeping God who inhabits eternity and dwells with those of humble spirits and contrite hearts. Jehovah is the unchanging God and source of lovingkindness toward mankind. The pronoun "His" is used 6 times in speaking of God so this is a very God centered passage of scripture. Elohim is Creator, Sustainer of all life, governing the universe and to whom our allegiance is due. Elohim represents the Godhead at work in all heaven's undertakings. 

David "charged" his son Solomon. This word means that he laid a very solemn duty and obligation on Solomon. It has the force of a command where obedience is the only option for his son. 

First, David told Solomon to be strong and show himself a man. No doubt David referred to Solomon ruling as king over the people of God but he also was thinking of his own lapses as a parent and the family troubles he endured. Therefore, he urged Solomon to be a man both as a king and as a father. 

The key portion of the charge King David gave to Solomon is found in verse 3.  David told Solomon to walk in Jehovah's way that is recorded in His Word. He did not want Solomon to walk in worldly paths. David impressed upon Solomon that his primary duty is keeping the law, commandments, statutes, judgments and testimonies that God gave to Moses. The word "keep" means to treasure what God said, to retain it as most valuable to his soul, to protect  and memorize God's truth. 

Why did King David place such a heavy emphasis on keeping the law of God on Solomon? Because of the two words "prosper" and "promise." God would cause Solomon to prosper or have good success in all his duties as king and He would bring to pass the promises He specified for those who hear and heed His Word.

Thoughts to Ponder...

There is a lot of repetition in the book of Proverbs and this is done so that we hear truth enough that it sinks into our hearts. Solomon has a great burden for his children as any parent would, that they would grow up to know and fear the LORD and live in a way that honors God. 

Are we willing to hear and heed His Word?

Parental instruction on divine wisdom is very necessary for our children and grandchildren. When you are parenting you may wonder if what you are teaching your children will ever sink in. Although my parents were not born again, they did take us to church and I can remember my dad reading 1 Corinthians 13 to all of us when I was about 5 years old. Never give up teaching your kids and showing them a good example to follow. They are watching and observing and God can and will speak to their hearts.

Are we setting a Godly pattern of life for our children to follow? Are we sharing God's truth with them, and explaining what God's truth means and what our responsibility is?

I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will encourage our hearts in what we learned today, just as David and Solomon sought to anchor the hearts of their children to God and His Word. May the Spirit of God open our understanding of the Word and lead us in the path of divine wisdom.

Bob