Proverbs Study, Avoid Evil Counsel: Proverbs 1:8-19
In the first part of Proverbs 1, we learned about the beginning of knowledge and how important the fear of the Lord is. It is always important to keep your focus on God and stay away from bad advice. That fear will help prevent you from being lured by the wrong influences. Your parents are a key set of people to listen to on this earth, while studying and letting the Father (God) guide you through His word. Always avoid evil counsel and bad influences.
I am a fan of Sci-Fi TV and Movies. Stargate was always one of my favorite movies and series. One of the executives of the show has created a new series called Travelers. You can find it on Netflix. There was a scene in one episode where a woman was trying on clothes. She calls her boyfriend into the fitting room and starts filling her bag with items to steal. In the meantime, their friend was at the counter asking the associate to check for something in back. She caught on and the boyfriend ended up paying for the merchandise. Outside he and the other two ended up in conflict over the plan that had gone wrong and a fight broke out.
Friendships were strained and people got hurt. I imagine they can’t shop there anymore. Although this is a scene of a TV show, the outcome is real and we should learn from it and remember the words of Proverbs. Doing the wrong thing always leads to a bad outcome.
Verse Breakdown
What do verses 8 and 9 tell us?
Hear the ____ of your ____.
Do not ____ the law of your ____.
They will be a graceful ____ and a ____.
Verses 10-14 warn us of some enticing things that evil can try and lure us with, name some.
v.10:
v.11:
v.12:
v.13:
v.14:
Verses 15-19 tell us what will happen. What are some of the warnings?
Do not:
What they do:
How they live:
What drives them:
Consequences:
Discussion
1. Your mother and father are the two people you are instructed to listen to. Why is it so important that you listen to them? Where else in the Bible does it talk about listening to your father and mother?
2. Talk about a time when you were tempted by a person or group of people to do something wrong, but didn’t. What did they want you to do? How did you handle the situation?
3. Now talk about a time when you gave into evil counsel and did something you shouldn’t have. What did you do? How did you feel afterwards? What were the repercussions?
4. Was there ever a time when you were the evil counsel?
Word Study
Sheol – שְׁאוֹל
Origins: The origin of the word is uncertain.
Definition: The underworld (place to which people descend at death).
You can find Sheol used in verse 12, Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit;
Memorization
Proverbs 1:8-9, 8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; 9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. (NKJV)
Summary
Solomon wrote this to his son, but certainly this can be applied to sons and daughters. If we don’t resist influences to do the wrong thing, there will be negative effects. We have the warning and it is up to us to heed it.
-Dan
The Bible tools I use –
The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV: Black LeatherLuxeTM
Leave a Comment