Pro 3:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | Giving up an advantage can sometimes seem like throwing away an opportunity for joy. But Proverbs 3 assures us that this is not the case. The path of wisdom is the path of life, even when the path of wisdom seems to conflict with common sense. In we have five advice from the father to his son, each time followed by a promise of blessing if he takes the advice to heart. 1. In the advice, in the promise of blessing. 2. In the advice, in the promise of blessing. 3. In the advice, in the promise of blessing. 4. In the advice, in the promise of blessing. 5. In the advice, in the promise of blessing. Here we must remember that these are promises that will certainly be fulfilled, but not always already during life on earth. It is also possible that they will be fulfilled in the future. We may trust that God will fulfill His promises of blessing in His time and in His way if we do from our hearts what He asks of us, even if in this life the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. The first advice the father gives to his son is not to forget his “teaching” ( ). “Teaching” is the translation of the word torah . That word is used for the law of God, but it has multiple meanings. Here it refers to what we might call homeschooling. The father has passed on his knowledge in teaching his son at home. It is an indication to fathers to teach their children from Scripture at home and not leave that to others, for example, those who give Bible lessons or Bible studies. The father reminds his son not to forget what he learned at home, in his upbringing. Forgetting here is not so much a weakness of memory as the deliberate neglect and disregard of the father’s teaching. For us, there is in this the warning that we can lose what we learned in our young years from the Word of God. The teaching will not be forgotten if the commandments are kept in the heart. By the way, a person can obey commandments outwardly, that is, without the heart being involved. That is not what the father wants, nor is it what God wants. The heart is the storehouse for the commandments, just as the law was laid in the ark ( ). In the kingdom of peace, God will write His law in the hearts of His people ( ). The heart indicates the mind. If the commandments are observed in the heart, the deeds, which, after all, spring from the heart ( ), will be consistent with it. Then the deeds will not be sinful deeds ( ). Above all, then there will not be compulsive, but joyful obedience. The blessing attached to this advice is a long and good life ( ). “Length of days” (cf. ) refers to reaching old age after a ‘long parade of days’. “Years of life and peace” refers more to content (“life”) and quality (“peace”). It is a full and rich life worth living to the fullest. The word “peace” is the translation of the word shalom and implies more than just the absence of war. It is victory, success in what is undertaken, perfect harmony, prosperity, health, happiness, salvation, a long life. In the kingdom of peace, the teaching and the commandments will not be forgotten, but kept in the heart ( ). Therefore, during that time the years of enjoying life and peace will be multiplied instead of being taken away at some point. The latter has happened time and again in Israel’s history because the people have not kept the teaching and the commandments of God’s Word. It does not mean that everyone who keeps the commandments in his heart in this day and age will consequently live long. Consider believers who have been and are persecuted, tortured and killed precisely because of their faithfulness to God’s Word, and often in the prime of their lives ( ). Faithful prophets who had God’s Word in their heart and brought it were put to death ( ). And what happened to the Lord Jesus Who listened to His Father in every way and perfectly fulfilled the advice of ? He was killed in the midst of His days. So, what about the promise of long life and peace? The promise of a long life and peace will be fully fulfilled in the future. Life and peace are enjoyed in their fullness and length in the millennial kingdom of peace. God fulfills all His promises, but not always already here and now. That we live in faith that the promises are fulfilled, we show by continuing to believe even when it seems that the promises are not fulfilled. That faith, that faith trust, characterized all Old Testament believers. That trust in God was perfectly present with the Lord Jesus. That trust may also characterize us.

‏ Proverbs 3:1-2

Introduction

Giving up an advantage can sometimes seem like throwing away an opportunity for joy. But Proverbs 3 assures us that this is not the case. The path of wisdom is the path of life, even when the path of wisdom seems to conflict with common sense.

In Pro 3:1-10 we have five advice from the father to his son, each time followed by a promise of blessing if he takes the advice to heart.

1. In Pro 3:1 the advice, in Pro 3:2 the promise of blessing.

2. In Pro 3:3 the advice, in Pro 3:4 the promise of blessing.

3. In Pro 3:5-6 the advice, in Pro 3:6b the promise of blessing.

4. In Pro 3:7 the advice, in Pro 3:8 the promise of blessing.

5. In Pro 3:9 the advice, in Pro 3:10 the promise of blessing.

Here we must remember that these are promises that will certainly be fulfilled, but not always already during life on earth. It is also possible that they will be fulfilled in the future. We may trust that God will fulfill His promises of blessing in His time and in His way if we do from our hearts what He asks of us, even if in this life the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer.

Do Not Forget the Teaching

The first advice the father gives to his son is not to forget his “teaching” (Pro 3:1). “Teaching” is the translation of the word torah. That word is used for the law of God, but it has multiple meanings. Here it refers to what we might call homeschooling. The father has passed on his knowledge in teaching his son at home. It is an indication to fathers to teach their children from Scripture at home and not leave that to others, for example, those who give Bible lessons or Bible studies.

The father reminds his son not to forget what he learned at home, in his upbringing. Forgetting here is not so much a weakness of memory as the deliberate neglect and disregard of the father’s teaching. For us, there is in this the warning that we can lose what we learned in our young years from the Word of God. The teaching will not be forgotten if the commandments are kept in the heart. By the way, a person can obey commandments outwardly, that is, without the heart being involved. That is not what the father wants, nor is it what God wants.

The heart is the storehouse for the commandments, just as the law was laid in the ark (Deu 10:6). In the kingdom of peace, God will write His law in the hearts of His people (Heb 8:10). The heart indicates the mind. If the commandments are observed in the heart, the deeds, which, after all, spring from the heart (Pro 4:23), will be consistent with it. Then the deeds will not be sinful deeds (Psa 119:11). Above all, then there will not be compulsive, but joyful obedience.

The blessing attached to this advice is a long and good life (Pro 3:2). “Length of days” (cf. Psa 91:16) refers to reaching old age after a ‘long parade of days’. “Years of life and peace” refers more to content (“life”) and quality (“peace”). It is a full and rich life worth living to the fullest. The word “peace” is the translation of the word shalom and implies more than just the absence of war. It is victory, success in what is undertaken, perfect harmony, prosperity, health, happiness, salvation, a long life.

In the kingdom of peace, the teaching and the commandments will not be forgotten, but kept in the heart (Heb 8:10b). Therefore, during that time the years of enjoying life and peace will be multiplied instead of being taken away at some point. The latter has happened time and again in Israel’s history because the people have not kept the teaching and the commandments of God’s Word.

It does not mean that everyone who keeps the commandments in his heart in this day and age will consequently live long. Consider believers who have been and are persecuted, tortured and killed precisely because of their faithfulness to God’s Word, and often in the prime of their lives (Heb 11:36-38). Faithful prophets who had God’s Word in their heart and brought it were put to death (Mt 23:34 ; 37). And what happened to the Lord Jesus Who listened to His Father in every way and perfectly fulfilled the advice of Pro 3:1? He was killed in the midst of His days. So, what about the promise of long life and peace?

The promise of a long life and peace will be fully fulfilled in the future. Life and peace are enjoyed in their fullness and length in the millennial kingdom of peace. God fulfills all His promises, but not always already here and now. That we live in faith that the promises are fulfilled, we show by continuing to believe even when it seems that the promises are not fulfilled. That faith, that faith trust, characterized all Old Testament believers. That trust in God was perfectly present with the Lord Jesus. That trust may also characterize us.