Proverbs 31:1 divine possession
The words of King Lemuel, the oracle (or, burden) which his mother taught him. Proverbs 31:1
Forgive the choppiness of this page. I wanted to get the info in my notes out there, because it has helped me so. I will rewrite sometime in the future.
Lemuel means belonging to God.
Key points in Proverbs 31:1
* * Solomon’s mother taught her son how to live.
* * He learned it. It is he who is repeating what he learned in this passage.
* * His mother instilled in him his identity in God.
* * He accepted that identity, so her teaching must have been coupled with love and integrity or living it herself.
…I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. Psalm 101:2
David is the author here in Psalm 101. David who is the father of Solomon.
Solomon who is the author of Proverbs.
So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands. Psalm 78:72
This verse is referring to David. David was called to shepherd God’s people Israel, which began in the literal sheepfolds and extended to shepherding the mighty men during his fleeing from Saul in the desert, and then to his own home, shepherding his own children, and finally to the nation of Israel (the final two simultaneously). God had prepared him for this calling, and used him in the process.
It took both parents investing, teaching, modeling, working together in the grace of God to bear the fruit of a wise son.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:31
A fruit that any mom would love to enjoy is a grown son who acts wisely and honors her. But this fruit will not just happen. It takes years of nurturing, pruning and watering, cultivating the ground, loving. Neglect will only produce sick fruit from a weak tree. Let us not neglect the greatest treasure and potential that God has given us other than Jesus, that is our sons and daughters. What a blessing to pour our lives into theirs!
Solomon starts and ends the book of Proverbs with words that give great importance for a successful parent to child interchange.
Solomon begins in Proverbs 1:
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Proverbs 1:8
Solomon ends in Proverbs 31, honoring his mother by closing this great work with the oracle that she taught him.
Of course, this relationship is only truly perfected in the relationship between the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ the Son. Solomon, though the wisest man, was a fallen man. Jesus did the Father’s will perfectly.
Also, the fear of the LORD starts in Proverbs 1:
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;… Proverbs 1:7
Solomon ends Proverbs with the fear of the LORD:
…but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30
In fearing the LORD, we will do what He says. One command is to honor our parents.
The fear of the LORD and honoring ones parents go hand in hand. No one can claim to fear the LORD and not honor his parents, no matter what.
Finally, God is the perfect Father. God speaking to Moses says:
“Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” Exodus 4:12
Later Moses says to the people of Israel:
“And these words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you rise up.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Moses received words from the LORD, then he gave words to the children of Israel.
Finally, finally, let’s end with the words of Jesus:
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
The Jews therefore were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”
And they were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves.
No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.
It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”
John 6:38-45
**worship Jesus and trust Him to lead me in my role as a mom
**trust in His salvation
**walk in the integrity of my heart in my house
**receive the love and Words of my Heavenly Father
**teach my children the Bible diligently
**love my children (Titus 2:4)
**honor my parents
