Proverbs 1:7

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The Call of
Wisdom
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The fear of the LORD is the beginning

of knowledge, but fools despise
wisdom and instruction.
- Proverbs 1:7, NKJV
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of
David, king of Israel: 2 for gaining
wisdom and instruction; for
understanding words of insight;
and riddles of the wise.
3 for receiving instruction in prudent
behavior,    doing what is right and
just and fair;
 of the wise.
4 for giving prudence to those who
are simple, knowledge and
discretion to the young — 5 let the
wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance —
6 for understanding proverbs and
parables, the sayings and riddles of
the wise.
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The fear of the LORD is the beginning

of knowledge, but fools despise
wisdom and instruction.
- Proverbs 1:7, NKJV
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The phrase the “fear of the LORD is

the beginning of . . . Wisdom” means that
wisdom originates in this ”fear”. The
Hebrew word or ”beginning” (reshit) points
to the first word introducing the Creation
story (Gen. 1:1).
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The first lesson of wisdom, then,

deals with understanding that God is
our Creator, the One who gives us life
and breath, and that He is always
present — a God of love, and justice,
and redemption.
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8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction

   and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
9 They are a garland to grace your head
    and a chain to adorn your neck.
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10 My son, if sinful men entice you,

    do not give in to them.
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“In His wisdom the Lord has decreed that

the family shall be the greatest of all
educational agencies. It is in the home that
the education of the child is to begin. Here
is his first school. Here, with his parents as
instructors, he is to learn the lessons that
are to guide him throughout life.
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. . . The educational influences of the

home are a decided power for good or for
evil. . . . If the child is not instructed
aright here, Satan will educate him
through agencies of his choosing. — Ellen
G. White, The Adventist Home, p. 182.
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The best argument on behalf of family

education is its results. These are the
inner qualities of character, which are
like ornaments on the head and around
the neck.
I. Reliance
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29 since they hated knowledge

    and did not choose to fear the LORD.
30 Since they would not accept my advice
    and spurned my rebuke,
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31 they will eat the fruit of their ways

    and be filled with the fruit of their
schemes.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will
kill them, and the complacency of fools
will destroy them;
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33 but whoever listens to me will live in

safety     and be at ease, without fear of
harm.”
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“Ironically, those who despise religion,

mocking those they judge as simple and
naive, often are superstitious in their own
way, placing value on the most fleeting
and useless of things that, in the end, can
never satisfy the most basic needs of the
heart.”
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Chapter 2
1 My son, if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within
you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to
understanding —
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Chapter 2
 —
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden
treasure,
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Chapter 2
5 then you will understand the fear of
the LORD and find the knowledge of
God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and
understanding.
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Chapter 2
7 He holds success in store for the
upright, he is a shield to those whose
walk is blameless,
8 for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful
ones.
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Chapter 2

9 Then you will understand what is right

and just and fair—every good path.
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Man lost all because he chose to listen to

the deceiver rather than to Him who is
Truth, who alone has understanding. By
the mingling of evil with good, his mind
had become confused.
— Ellen G. White, Education, p. 25.
II. Result
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Chapter 3

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he
will make your paths straight.
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Chapter 3

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;

    fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
    and nourishment to your bones.
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Chapter 26

12 Do you see a person wise in their

own eyes? There is more hope for a fool
than for them.
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Chapter 3

35 The wise inherit honor, but fools get

only shame.
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“Many cherish the impression that

devotion to God is detrimental to health
and to cheerful happiness in the social
relations of life. But those who walk in the
path of wisdom and holiness find
that godliness is profitable unto all things,
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having promise of the life that now is, and

of that which is to come. They are alive to
the enjoyment of life’s real pleasures.” —
Ellen G. White Comments, 
The SDA Bible Commentary
, vol. 3, p. 1156.
III. Relationship
I. Reliance

II. Result

III. Relationship