Proverbs 4

By now, some of the redundancy of this book is obvious. Wisdom is to
again be exalted; yet, the importance of the message to the next
generation vindicates it being repeated. These chapters are likely
separate exhortations which were passed from father to son over many
years.

Outline:
I. \\#1:1-9\\ Introduction
 II. \\#1:10-9:18\\ - A Father’s Exhortations
    A. \\#Pro 1:10-21\\ Resist Peer Pressure
    B. \\#Pro 1:20-33\\ Wisdom Desires You
    C. \\#Pro 2:1-22\\ Seek Wisdom
    D. \\#Pro 3:1-35\\ Live Wisely
    E. \\#Pro 4:1-9:18\\ Various Exhortations
        1. \\#4:1-13\\ Wisdom
        2. \\#4:14-19\\ The Wicked
        3. \\#4:20-27\\ Stay on Track
III. \\#10:1-22:16\\ - Short Proverbs
 IV. \\#22:17-24:34\\ - Medium-Length Proverbs
  V. \\#25:1-29:27\\ - More Short Proverbs
 VI. \\#30:1-33\\ - Agur’s Proverbs
VII. \\#31:1-31\\ - King Lemuel’s Proverbs

I. 1:10-9:18 - Lengthy lessons (proverbs) (A Father’s Exhortations)
    A. \\#Pro 1:10-21\\ Resist Peer Pressure
    B. \\#Pro 1:20-33\\ Wisdom Desires You
    C. \\#Pro 2:1-22\\ You need to seek wisdom.
    D. \\#Pro 3:1-35\\ You need to keep living wisely.
    E. \\#Pro 4:1-8:36\\ Various Exhortations 
        1. \\#1-13\\ Wisdom
            a. \\#1-2\\ Listen to what I am saying.
            b. \\#3-4\\ I learned it from my parents.
            c. \\#5-8\\ Get and keep the essentials, wisdom and
                understanding. 
            d. \\#9-13\\ Doing so will add…
                (1) \\#9\\ …add grace to your life.
                (2) \\#10\\ …years to your life.
                (3) \\#11\\ …direction to your walk.
                (4) \\#12\\ …surety to your steps.
                (5) \\#13\\ …life to your existence.
        2. \\#14-19\\ The Wicked
            a. \\#14-15\\ Do not follow them.  Notice \\#15\\ says
                the same thing four different ways to emphasize it.
            b. \\#16-17\\ The wicked described.
                (1) They rest not until they have done mischief.
                (2) Even more specific - They rest not until they
                     have hurt someone morally.
                     (a) That would be the idea of "fall."
                     (b) The word is not used physically but
                          symbolically. 
                (3) They live to do wickedness and violence. (Eating
                     bread and drinking are basic necessities of
                     life.)
            c. \\#18-19\\ The righteous contrasted to wickedness.
                (1) The righteous' way is a bright, clear path.
                (2) It gets brighter and clearer every day.
                (3) As opposed to the wicked whose path is dark,
                     causing them to stumble.
        3. \\#20-27\\ Stay on track
            a. \\#20-22\\ Concerning my words:
                (1) \\#20\\ Hear what I am saying.
                (2) \\#21\\ Remember what I am saying.
                (3) \\#22\\ The reason for saying these things.
                     (a) These words are life.
                     (b) These words are health.
            b. \\#23-27\\ Stay on track.
                (1) \\#23\\ Keep you heart (inner person) clean.
                (2) \\#24\\ Keep what you say clean.
                (3) \\#25\\ Keep what you watch clean.
                (4) \\#26\\ Keep where you go clean.
                (5) \\#27\\ Don’t move an inch out of the right way.

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