Proverbs | 30minutebiblestudies

Proverbs Studies 1-8

Proverbs Study 1 – The Wisdom of Solomon

Read 1 Kings 2:1-4

1. What advice did David give Solomon?

Read 1 Kings 3:4-15

2. What did Solomon ask of the Lord? Why?

3. What else did God promise Solomon?

Read 1 Kings 3:16-28

4. How was Solomon’s wisdom first demonstrated?

Read 1 Kings 4:29-34, 5:12, 10:1-9 and 10:23-24

5. How did Israel benefit from Solomon’s wisdom?

6. What was the effect of Israel’s wise ruler on the surrounding nations?

Read 1 Kings 11:1-13

7. What led to Solomon’s downfall? What were the consequences for the kingdom of Israel?

Read Luke 11:27-31

8. What did Jesus recognise as the ultimate wisdom? (v28)

9. How can we be wise?

Proverbs Study 2 – An Introduction to the Book of Proverbs

Read Proverbs 1:1-7

1. What is the purpose of these proverbs, and for whom were they intended?

2. On what should true wisdom be based?

Read Proverbs 1:8-19

3. What temptations does this introduction warn against? What consequences?

Read Proverbs 1:20-33

4. Why might Solomon have presented Wisdom as a woman? What relationship does he encourage young men to have with Wisdom? (See also 7:4)

5. Why do people reject wisdom and what are the consequences?

Read Corinthians 1:18-31 and 2:13-16

6. What does it mean for Jesus to be our wisdom?

7. What will characterise a person who has the mind of Christ?

Proverbs Study 3 – The Fear of the Lord

1. What is fear and when is it useful?

2. What attributes and characteristics of God inspire fear?

Read Deuteronomy 31:12-13

3. How do God’s people learn to fear Him?

Read Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 3:1-8

4. How does a proper fear of the Lord lead to trust in His greater wisdom?

Read Proverbs 14:26-27, 15:33 and 19:23

5. How does the fear of the Lord lead to security?

Read Proverbs 14:2, 19:3 and 28:14

6. What foolish ways result from not fearing God?

Read Philippians 2:12-16

7. How can fearing the Lord help us to live our lives according to God’s will?

Proverbs Study 4 – The Moral Benefits of Wisdom

Read Proverbs 2

1. How does Chapter 2 assert that a person can find protection from following wicked ways?

2. What evils are warned against, and what are the consequences of following this path?

Read Proverbs 5

3. What advice is given to help a young man avoid the sin of adultery? How is this relevant to sin in general?

Read Proverbs 6:20-7:27

4. How did the simple youth of Chapter 7 seek temptation and court disaster?

Read Colossians 3:1-17

5. What aspects of our “earthly nature” are we told to get rid of?

6. With what should we “clothe” ourselves so we can better reflect the image of God?

7. How can we do better at “embracing wisdom” rather than flirting with sin?

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 2, 5 and 6

Proverbs Study 5 – Training in Wisdom through Discipline

Read Proverbs 3:1-12

1. Where do the wise find wisdom?

2. What does the Lord use to keep those he loves on a straight path?

Read Proverbs 4

3. How is self-control a “whole of body” discipline?

Read Proverbs 6:20-23, 15:10-14, 15:31-33, 19:16-18 and 29:15-19

4. What responsibility do parents have in setting their children on the right path?

5. Why does a wise parent discipline their child?

Read Hebrews 12:4-13

6. How is God like a parent in His discipline? What is the purpose of His discipline?

7. How does our understanding of godly discipline help us to grow through hardship?

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 4, 15, 19 and 29

Proverbs Study 6 – Wisdom, Wealth and Poverty

Read Proverbs 8:1-21, 10:1-4, 10:22 and 11:24-31

1. What relationship does Proverbs imply exists between wisdom and wealth?

2. Are verses like 10:22-23 and 11:31 promises from God or general principles? How can this help us when we apply Proverbs to our own situation?

Read Proverbs 11:1, 11:4, 11:28 and 28:27

3. How are the wealthy encouraged to act?

Read Proverbs 13:8 and 19:1-7

4. What disadvantages are there in poverty? What risks do the wealthy face?

Read Proverbs 28 and 30:7-9

5. What temptations come with poverty and wealth?

Read 1 Timothy 6:3-10 and 6:17-21

6. How is the desire for money a trap?

7. How can we honour God with our money?

8. What does Paul urge Christians to pursue?

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 8, 10, 11 and 28

Proverbs Study 7 – The Tongue: A power for life and death

Read Proverbs 1:9-14

1. What examples are given in Proverbs 11 of the destructive power of words?

2. In contrast, how does a godly person use words to build up and protect?

Read Proverbs 12:6 and 12:13-23

3. How can we recognise sinful words and foolish talk?

4. What is wise speech and how is it rewarded?

Read Proverbs 15:1-4, 15:18, 15:23, 15:30, 16:13 and 16:23-28

5. How can the tongue bring life and health?

6. How can it stir up trouble?

Read Proverbs 17:9, 17:14 17:27-28, 18:2, 18:6-8, 18:13 and 18:20-21

7. What advice does Proverbs 17 and 18 give about speaking and listening?

Read James 1:26-27

8. How can we keep a “tight rein” on our tongues?

Recommended Reading: Proverbs 12 and 16-18

Proverbs Study 8 – The Wife of Noble Character

Read Proverbs 31:10-31

1. How does the wife described in Proverbs 31 spend her time and energies?

2. What responsibility does she take for her household and neighbours?

3. How does she bring honour to her family?

4. How is she valued by her husband?

5. What does the godly woman deserve?

Read 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

6. What are the “Lord’s affairs” and what advantage does Paul claim an unmarried person has in pursuing them?

7. How can we balance the concerns of God, work and family? How are they interrelated?