Invitations from WISDOM and FOLLY

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16 – To those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1. WISDOM:

Wisdom Calls: Proverbs 1:20-21 ²⁰ Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; ²¹ on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech:

She wants to save you: 

Proverbs 2:12 – ¹² Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, ¹³ who have left the straight paths to walk in dark ways, ¹⁴ who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, ¹⁵ whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

v16 – Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words, ¹⁷ who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. ¹⁸ Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. ¹⁹ None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

Proverbs 5:3 – Seductive words of the adulterous woman whose way leads to the grave, takes dignity and honour from you, wastes your body and flesh.

³ For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; ⁴ but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. ⁵ Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave. ⁶ She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it. ⁷ Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. ⁸ Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
⁹ lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel, ¹⁰ lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another. ¹¹ At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. ¹² You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!

Proverbs 6:20 – 23 – My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,

Proverbs 6:24 –  keeping you from your neighbour’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.

Call her my sister and insight my relative – Proverbs 7:4, then she will keep you from the adulterous woman and her seductive words (Further description of this Woman/prostitute& a young man who lacked sense – Proverbs 7:6-27). v8- the young man without sense was going DOWN 👇 to her house, v9 – At twilight as the day was fading (in darkness).

V10 – dressed like a prostitute with crafty intent.

v14-23: seductive words!!!

v26-30: Many victims brought down by her. Highway to the grave

Value of Wisdom:

Proverbs 3:13-20 – ¹³ Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, ¹⁴ for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed. ¹⁹ By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; ²⁰ by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew. ²¹ My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; ²² they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck.

Proverbs 4:  ⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. ⁷ The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. ⁸ Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. ⁹ She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.”

Wisdom continues to call – Proverbs 8: 1 v2 – From the highest point, at the cross road❌ v12 Has knowledge and discretion, v11- Precious than rubies, v14 Has counsel, sound judgement, insight, power for ruling. v18 Has riches, honour, enduring life and prosperity. v19 Better than fine gold v21 Gives rich inheritance and fills treasures v35 Those find wisdom find LIFE and FAVOUR. v36 Those who hate me love DEATH and HARM themselves.

The house of Wisdom:  Proverbs 9: v1 Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars. ² She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. ³ She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city,⁴ “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says,⁵ “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.⁶ Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.” ¹¹ For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. ¹² If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Proverbs 9:13-19 FOLLY is called Unruly WOMAN sitting at the HIGHEST POINT of the city at her house door v15 – She calls the passer-by – THE SIMPLE and the SENSELESS. v17-18 – She LIES to them that stolen water is sweet and food eaten in darkness is delicious! BUT the DEAD are in her house.

Proverbs 9 v1b she is simple and knows nothing [FOLLY]. ¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, ¹⁵ calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way,¹⁶ “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says,¹⁷ “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” ¹⁸ But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.

Proverbs 22:14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit; a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it.

Proverbs 23:26 – 28 v26 My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways, v27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit, and a wayward wife is a narrow well. v28 Like a bandit she lies in wait and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Proverbs 17:12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly.

Proverbs 30:20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

Two kinds of wisdom in James 3:13-18  v13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. v14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. v15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. v16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

v17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. v18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Daniel 12:3 – Those who are [spiritually] wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven

Prayer:

Psalm 90:12, NLT: Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

KJV: So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

NIV: Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.