O Come Thou Wisdom

“O Come Thou Wisdom from on high, and order all things far and nigh. To us the path of knowledge show and cause us in her ways to go.”

Read Proverbs 1:1-7

Proverbs 1:1–7 ESV

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The book of Proverbs is a not just a book about a bunch of short pithy wise saying that can be treated in isolation, but rather an invitation to pursue treasure greater than any other of the riches that this world can afford.

Solomon was wise of heart but foolish in his conduct. He was gifted of God wisdom that surpassed all because in his youth he desired above all to lead the people of God well. Just as proverbs 1-9 will warn us he played the foolish king and pursued Lady folly. He went after women and riches.

Chapters 8 and 9 are a set of contrasting speeches given by two disparate characters. Lady Folly and Lady Wisdom.

What is wisdom? There are many words used here in chapter 8 that have similar but nuanced meanings, knowledge, prudence, discernment, understanding, instruction, but wisdom is applied knowledge. It engaged more than the learning faculty of the mind and even heart, it involves more than just a plan to carry out but is the actual steps that one must take to get there.

I love to wood carving, every year about this time I get the get out my carving knives and tools and carve little whimsical things. You know what the number 1 struggle of new carvers is. Not carving too much off but carving too little. If you look at some of my first carvings when I was getting started they look more 2 dimensional than 3. There is the fear of carving too much, but as you develop skill and confidence you learn that people and objects are 3 dimensional. So wisdom is much like this to see the goal or the end desire and plot a path to accomplish it. A skilled craftsman has the knowledge to see something beautiful and the wisdom to carry it out to completion.

Wisdom’s Enticement

When you think of enticement you might be tempted to think in negative terms, and this is certainly the picture of the seductress named Lady Folly in chapter 7. She is crafty and deceitful and seeks to use her craft to lure men to ruin like a siren singing her song, she stands at the street corners under cover of darkness call to the naive and to fools.

We see though in stark contrast her antithesis Lady Wisdom. She too calls out to the naive and the foolish. She seeks to entice us but in a positive way. She call to all men to all mankind to pursuit of her. Look at the difference in the where she calls, she shouts from the mountain tops, and along the path and at the gates of the cities. She is not concealed but is out in the open the broad daylight, in high and lofty places.

O Come thou Wisdom from on high.

All of the places that are mentioned here are places where decisions are made. At the meeting of a path, one must decide with path to take, at the entrance of the gate, where the elders of cities gather and deliberate. When Boaz went to decide the fate of the faithful Moabite woman Ruth, to deliver her as the kinsman redeemer, where did he go. He went to the gate of the city, where people met. She calls at the entrance of the door where one must decide whether to enter or not.

So she calls to the simple, the naive the foolish to make their decision. Chose this day who you will serve.

“An open mind is really a mark of foolishness, like an open mouth. Mouths and minds were made to shut; they were made to open only in order to shut.” (G.K Chesterton Illustrated London News. October 10, 1908)

TRANSITION: If her words seem hidden and veiled, shrouded and cloaked, the deficiency is not in her wisdom or nature but the failure is on the part of the hearer.

Matthew 19:11–12 (ESV)

But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.”

Titus 1:15 ESV

To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

Wisdom’s Essential Nature

Throughout the entirety of the Proverbs and especially here as we are going to see especially starting in verse 22 that Solomon is using creation language transporting the the reader back to the beginning, back to the creation story. There is always a juxtaposition between two competing and opposing voices. Lady folly who is full of deceitfulness, guile, and perversions, vs Lady Wisdom who is truthful and righteous, and has no deceitfulness in her. She is straight like an arrow always finding the mark of God glory for the Lord brought forth the world with her. She is crafty infact in Genesis 3: the serpent is called craftier than any of the other beasts of the earth, so Wisdom is also crafty but her prudence and craftiness are to the end of what is good true, and righteous, her end is the glory of God.

The read reminds us that Lady Folly and Lady Wisdom were in the garden calling out to the first man and the first woman Adam and Eve. Has God really said?, and adulteration of the truth. Lady Folly beckoning our first parents into rebellion.

Lady wisdom though here is giving her credentials. Showing her true value. She is the object of desire, she is the thing that is to be pursued over riches and gold, calling men to pursue her rather than treasure. She does not have to hide and lurk in dark alleys for she has nothing to hide she is beautiful and full of glory. She will be brought out on full display for all to see.

Psalm 45:13–15 ESV

All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her. With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.

She will heed those who would marry her only for her treasure. She will not bother with gold diggers who lust after the worthless treasures that this world has to offer.

TRANSITION: After Lady wisdom reveals her true value she now reveals her entourage, that is those she keeps company with.

Wisdom’s Entourage

Proverbs 9:10 ESV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

With whom does she associate herself. What is the company she keeps. I was going to give you my credentials I would first try to convince you that I have the goods, and then I would start dropping names. Well lets see I know you have never heard of me but you have heard of Michael Jordan, and Shaquille Oneal, you have heard of Lebron James, well I frequently be seen on the practice court with them, they know me well.

This is what Lady Wisdom is doing to try to convince you of her value. But she is the one who knowledge, prudence, and discretion, and want to hang out with. She hangs out with royalty and dines in the finest places.

She is beckoning and us to come and to receive her wisdom and She desires to fill out store houses to their fullest.

When humans walk in the wisdom of God we most closely exemplify the image of God as we were intended to do and it brings with it great joy.

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Wisdom is not the sum total of God, but it is an essential part of His nature. All that He does is wise. God Himself is the greatest aim or the greatest treasure and therefore it is wise to pursue Him.

God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. John Piper

Wisdom’s Eternal place

Wisdom brings order out of chaos. This is without a doubt the language of creation here and without going too far there are very clear parallel to Lady Wisdom and the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact there are many who believe that John had this Proverb to frame and shape his idea of the Son of God.

There is clearly a close connection between the wisdom of God and Christ being the Logos that is the “word of God”.

Matthew 11:19 (ESV)

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

Colossians 2:3 ESV

in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

1 Corinthians 1:28–31 ESV

God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1. The eternal nature of Christ. (23)

2. The the only begotten Son (24)

3. The creator. (30)

Colossians 1:15–17 ESV

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

4. Delight in the Men(31)

John 13:1 (ESV)

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Wisdom’s Echos

Everyone of us are called to Eden to make a choice to choose the way of Folly, of foolishness, to waste away our

Wise men still seek Him.

What is the desired out come? Plan accordingly.