◄ Proverbs 22:4 ►
The rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD are wealth and honor and life.
Study Bible
The rewards of humility
The Hebrew word for "humility" is "עֲנָוָה" (anavah), which conveys a sense of modesty and meekness. In the ancient Near Eastern context, humility was not merely an attitude but a lifestyle that acknowledged one's position before God and others. Humility is often misunderstood as weakness, but biblically, it is a strength that comes from recognizing one's dependence on God. The "rewards" here suggest that God honors those who live humbly, aligning themselves with His will and purpose. This humility is not self-deprecation but a true understanding of one's place in the divine order, leading to spiritual and material blessings.

and the fear of the LORD
The phrase "fear of the LORD" is derived from the Hebrew "יִרְאַת יְהוָה" (yirat Yahweh). This "fear" is not about being afraid but rather a profound respect and reverence for God. It is the beginning of wisdom, as stated in Proverbs 9:10. This reverence leads to a life that seeks to honor God in all things, acknowledging His sovereignty and righteousness. Historically, this concept was central to Israelite identity, setting them apart as a people devoted to the one true God. The fear of the LORD is foundational to a life of faith, guiding believers in their daily walk and decision-making.

are wealth and honor and life
The Hebrew words for "wealth" (עֹשֶׁר, osher), "honor" (כָּבוֹד, kavod), and "life" (חַיִּים, chayim) encompass both material and spiritual prosperity. "Wealth" here is not merely financial but includes richness in relationships, wisdom, and spiritual depth. "Honor" refers to a reputation that reflects God's glory, a life that commands respect and admiration from others. "Life" is not just physical existence but a fullness of life that includes joy, peace, and eternal significance. In the biblical context, these rewards are not guaranteed in a worldly sense but are promised as blessings from God to those who live in humility and reverence before Him. This verse encapsulates the biblical principle that true prosperity is found in a life aligned with God's will, where spiritual and material blessings flow from a heart devoted to Him.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
Traditionally attributed as the author of Proverbs, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. His writings often focus on practical living and the pursuit of wisdom.

2. Israel
The nation to whom the Proverbs were originally addressed, providing guidance for living in accordance with God's laws.

3. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing His relationship with Israel and His role as the ultimate source of wisdom and blessing.
Teaching Points
The Value of Humility
Humility is not just a virtue but a pathway to receiving God's blessings. It involves recognizing our dependence on God and submitting to His will.

The Fear of the LORD
This is a reverential awe and respect for God, acknowledging His power, authority, and holiness. It is foundational for a life that is aligned with God's purposes.

Rewards of Righteous Living
The verse promises tangible rewards—wealth, honor, and life—to those who live humbly and fear the LORD. These rewards may manifest in various forms, including spiritual richness and eternal life.

Practical Humility
Practicing humility involves serving others, putting their needs above our own, and being teachable. It requires a daily commitment to live in a way that honors God.

Living in Reverence
Cultivating a fear of the LORD involves regular prayer, studying Scripture, and aligning our actions with God's commands. It is a lifestyle of worship and obedience.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of humility in Proverbs 22:4 compare to the world's view of humility?

2. In what ways can we cultivate a healthy fear of the LORD in our daily lives?

3. Reflect on a time when you experienced the rewards of humility and the fear of the LORD. How did it impact your faith journey?

4. How do the promises of wealth, honor, and life in Proverbs 22:4 relate to the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament?

5. What practical steps can you take this week to demonstrate humility and reverence for God in your interactions with others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
James 4:10
This verse echoes the theme of humility found in Proverbs 22:4, emphasizing that God exalts those who humble themselves.

Matthew 6:33
Jesus teaches about seeking first the kingdom of God, which aligns with the fear of the LORD leading to blessings, as mentioned in Proverbs 22:4.

1 Peter 5:6
This passage encourages believers to humble themselves under God's mighty hand, promising that He will lift them up in due time, similar to the rewards mentioned in Proverbs.
Sermons
Humility RecommendedJ. Lambe.Proverbs 22:4
Humility, with FearR. Wardlaw, D.D.Proverbs 22:4
The General Conditions of a Good NameE. Johnson Proverbs 22:1-5
The Good NameE. Johnson Proverbs 22:1-16
People
Solomon
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Bring, Fear, Gentle, Honor, Honour, Humility, Result, Reward, Riches, Spirit, Wealth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Proverbs 22:4

     5481   proverb
     8276   humility
     8335   reverence, and blessing
     8701   affluence

Library
The Rich and the Poor
Chapel Royal, Whitehall, 1871. Proverbs xxii. 2. "The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all." I have been asked to preach here this afternoon on behalf of the Parochial Mission Women's Fund. I may best describe the object for which I plead, as an attempt to civilise and Christianise the women of the lower classes in the poorer districts of London and other great towns, by means of women of their own class--women, who have gone through the same struggles as they have, …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

One Lion Two Lions no Lion at All
A sermon (No. 1670) delivered on Thursday Evening, June 8th, 1882, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, by C. H. Spurgeon. "The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets."--Proverbs 22:13. "The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets."--Proverbs 26:13. This slothful man seems to cherish that one dread of his about the lions, as if it were his favorite aversion and he felt it to be too much trouble to invent another excuse. …
C.H. Spurgeon—Sermons on Proverbs

The Formation of Habits.
School Sermon. Proverbs xxii. 6. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." INTRODUCTION.--There is a district, high up in the Black Forest, where the ground is full of springs. It is a plain some nine hundred feet above the sea. Thousands upon thousands of little springs gush out of the soil; you seem to be on the rose of a vast watering-can. Now, from this great source flow a good many rivers, and they flow in very different, nay, opposite directions. …
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

The Christian Business World
Scripture references: Proverbs 22:29; Romans 12:11; Psalms 24:1; 50:10-12; Haggai 2:8; Psalm 49:6,10,16,17; 62:10; Matthew 13:22; Mark 10:23,24; Job 31:24-26; Proverbs 3:9; Matthew 25:14-30; 24:45-51; 6:19-21; Luke 12:16-21. THE IDEAL IN THE BUSINESS WORLD There is often a wide difference between the methods actually employed in doing business and when they should be. Good men who are in the thick of the battle of competition and rivalry with other firms in the same line of trade, are the quickest …
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

Philip and the Emperor
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.--Prov. xxii. 29. Kallias stayed a fortnight under the hospitable roof of Olympias, and during those days he had the pleasure of seeing how greatly his honest and genial simplicity brightened the thoughts both of his hostess and of his friend. The general outline of his own future seemed now to be approximately settled. Like Philip, he had acquired an incurable disgust for Constantinople, with …
Frederic William Farrar—Gathering Clouds: A Tale of the Days of St. Chrysostom

He Accuses Abaelard for Preferring his Own Opinions and Even Fancies to the Unanimous Consent of the Fathers, Especially Where He Declares that Christ did Not
He accuses Abaelard for preferring his own opinions and even fancies to the unanimous consent of the Fathers, especially where he declares that Christ did not become incarnate in order to save man from the power of the devil. 11. I find in a book of his sentences, and also in an exposition of his of the Epistle to the Romans, that this rash inquirer into the Divine Majesty attacks the mystery of our Redemption. He admits in the very beginning of his disputation that there has never been but one conclusion …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

The Baptismal Covenant Can be Kept Unbroken. Aim and Responsibility of Parents.
We have gone "to the Law and to the Testimony" to find out what the nature and benefits of Baptism are. We have gathered out of the Word all the principal passages bearing on this subject. We have grouped them together, and studied them side by side. We have noticed that their sense is uniform, clear, and strong. Unless we are willing to throw aside all sound principles of interpretation, we can extract from the words of inspiration only one meaning, and that is that the baptized child is, by virtue …
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and all These Things Shall be Added unto You. "
Matth. vi. 33.--"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." The perfection even of the most upright creature, speaks always some imperfection in comparison of God, who is most perfect. The heavens, the sun and moon, in respect of lower things here, how glorious do they appear, and without spot! But behold, they are not clean in God's sight! How far are the angels above us who dwell in clay! They appear to be a pure mass of light and …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

We Shall not be Curious in the Ranking of the Duties in which Christian Love...
We shall not be curious in the ranking of the duties in which Christian love should exercise itself. All the commandments of the second table are but branches of it: they might be reduced all to the works of righteousness and of mercy. But truly these are interwoven through other. Though mercy uses to be restricted to the showing of compassion upon men in misery, yet there is a righteousness in that mercy, and there is mercy in the most part of the acts of righteousness, as in not judging rashly, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Proverbs
Many specimens of the so-called Wisdom Literature are preserved for us in the book of Proverbs, for its contents are by no means confined to what we call proverbs. The first nine chapters constitute a continuous discourse, almost in the manner of a sermon; and of the last two chapters, ch. xxx. is largely made up of enigmas, and xxxi. is in part a description of the good housewife. All, however, are rightly subsumed under the idea of wisdom, which to the Hebrew had always moral relations. The Hebrew …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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