Proverbs 8 | Ode to Wisdom

Intro

I think there are no words to describe the perfection, beauty, and wholeness of God’s wisdom. How can we use finite knowledge with human words to describe something infinite and incredibly awesome? How can we comprehend God’s powerful, sovereign, perfect and His holy will and wisdom? How can we, humans, will ever understand the supreme need of God’s wisdom in our lives?

As we know, Solomon was the wisest person in earth, and he described Wisdom with this proverb. We will see how Solomon put in some words this. I personally think that this is one of the most beautiful proverbs and passages regarding God’s wisdom.

Only when we read this kind of passages with a contrite heart and in awe of His perfect counsel, we will be able to experience in our spirit this amazing but still not fully describable truth.

This proverb magnifies the description that Solomon does for wisdom. Also emphasizes on the importance and urgency of finding and retaining God’s wisdom.

Understanding the fear of the Lord is the key to wisdom. When the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we are conscious of His presence and mastery.

It’s a miracle to us, Him to let us be part of this and have His counsel to rule our lives and to know Him better. It’s because His love we are part of this. We were condemned as His enemies, but now we are His children, and we have access to Him through His Word, through the Holy Spirit!

Wisdom Is Available To Anyone (Prov. 8:1-11)

Reference to – Proverbs 1:20-23 (Wisdom is calling)

In this proverb, we will see a contrast with the last proverb. Wisdom is personified as a virtuous woman. In the last chapter, the adulteress was out in the street to entice, deceive and seduce the young simple man; but in this chapter we see this virtuous woman calling and offering the blessings of a wise life.

Senselessness, the folly woman – Wisdom, the precious woman

The one whom hears the first woman will find death but the one who hears the second, will live.

Wisdom invites all mankind and is available to anyone. Every person who lacks wisdom and understanding can come. She is calling to all of us, and with urgency to the young simple man (we studied this in chapter 7). She offers prudence and understanding to live a wise life.

We can see that wisdom speaks. Is calling and is waiting for us. We can see this personification here with words as mouth and lips, my words. Wisdom is alive. For instance, we can see wisdom and how speaks to us in God’s word. Everything that wisdom speaks is worthy and useful. We can read this in Hebrews:

Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and powerful (alive and active-ESV), and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

We have discussed now how wisdom’s value exceeds any kind of material wealth. And wisdom provides what is needed to live our lives in a wise way, no matter what we have in our wallets or possessions. Living a life with integrity and peace is way more worthy than having millions in the bank. In this book we can see that integrity and peace are of greater value than anything we can buy.

Awards Of Having Wisdom (Prov. 8:12-21)

In this passage we can see an important detail: the use of phrases and words referring to wisdom is greater than the ones referring to the rewards of possessing wisdom. So that tells us that wisdom by itself is the focus and not the rewards we can obtain by having wisdom. This is very important as sometimes we lost this principle in our Christian life. Sometimes we are more interest on the blessings and rewards like going to heaven for instance than being interest on knowing God to be with Him in heaven.

When we understand the fear of the Lord as our surrender in awe and delight in the Lord, we will hate our inherent sinful nature. We will hate the fruit of the pride of life, the arrogance, wickedness, the perverse talk. When the Holy Spirit leads us and teach us the fear of the Lord, our perspectives and desires will be different.

No matter you do, when you get wisdom and understanding, you will honor God with your life and actions. Kings, rulers, princes, nobles, judges will rule with wisdom, they will be just. Parents, teachers, doctors, police officers, electricians… will also work and live with integrity honoring God.

We can see in the bible what lacking wisdom is like. We can read about Judah’s and Israel’s kings and the kingdoms around them. We can see the world how operates without God’s wisdom.

Most of the times, people who stands out in communities, jobs and governments are honored by their integrity and their walk; more than their wealth or the position they hold itself.

Verse 17: Remember: wisdom is available to all by acquired only by those who love and seek her.

Verse 20: word Traverse – Walk:  This word in this context gives us the idea of walking steadily or continuously. Means that she is always walking and is present in the ways of the righteous and just. By her, justice and righteousness are possible in this world. It is not because any human capacity or sense.

Wisdom Is God’s (Prov. 8:22-31)

Wisdom here is God’s wisdom in this personification is referring that she was before the world was created and she participated in Creation because she was God’s wisdom. This is a personification and God’s wisdom is His omniscience and perfection. Who can understand God’s mind? His wisdom is infinite, and we cannot understand it.

The Lord created me at the beginning of His way.  – Some people could think that this portion is referring to Christ, but we can find some hints which demonstrates that is not likely to refers about Christ. Though we have no doubt that Christ is the full revelation of Wisdom to us, and He shares all wisdom and knowledge with the Father and Holy Spirit, this passage is talking of a personification of this supreme understanding, a personification of God’s attribute of All Knowing Wisdom.

 Arius of Alexandria argued that Jesus is the wisdom of God, and this verse spoke of his creation. If he was created, then he had a beginning and was not eternal, and if not eternal he was not God. – Guzik

 If we make Christ equal to this personification referred in these verses, we should use

the same resource in the rest of the book and that doesn’t fit. Some cults use this passage to say that Christ is not God but something created. Now you know in this brief class of apologetics that Christ can not be described with these verses. And remember that Proverbs cannot be used as a doctrinal statement but a practical application of wisdom as it is a poetic book.

This attribute of God, personified maybe as an assistant in God’s creation, shows in a beautiful and majestic way that God was wise in everything he created and in everything He is doing. There is no space to errors, casualties, coincidences…. Everything that God does is perfect. God is good and perfect even when the situation is not “favorable” in our sight. He has a perfect design and plan for all His creation.

Listen and Be Blessed (Prov. 8:32-36)

The words listen and then blessed are used in here. If you listen, you’ll be blessed with wisdom. If you are blessed with wisdom is only because wisdom spoke to you, and you listened.

Wisdom calls the young simple man to listen. She is available to share the knowledge and to bless. By listening to her instruction and following the counsel, the young simple man will become wise and will be “blessed”. We should seek and follow wisdom eagerly. We should be watching and waiting for her, we know where to find her. We will find favor in the eyes of God and men (acceptance, goodwill, approval) (Proverbs 3).

Read Job 38.