Men's Breakfast - Proverbs 9

Introduction:

Matt began a study a few months ago looking at how we can see Jesus in the book of Proverbs.

I was asked to do chapter 9 so here we go.

Lets open up to Proverbs 9 and read through it.

As much of Proverbs also is, chapter 9 is about wisdom with verse 10 being the main verse of the chapter.

Before we even get into this chapter its important to remember that the book of Proverbs is written by King Solomon.

Its interesting that in 1 King 3 God gave Solomon the opportunity to ask Him for anything, and Solomon asked God for wisdom—wisdom in leading the people of Israel.

Solomon not only taught on the importance of wisdom, but we can see what wisdom meant to him by his actions.

What would you have asked God for if you had the chance to ask Him for anything?

Do you think it would have been wisdom?

There is nothing more important in life than wisdom.

You can be super famous and have a the money in the world, but if you don’t have wisdom than you have nothing.

We see this from Solomon’s decisions to ask for wisdom over every other thing.

So, the question that we need to answer then is, “What is wisdom”.

Wisdom is not knowing and learning everything you can.

Its way different than that.

You might say that someone like Albert Einstein or Bill Gates are much wiser than you, but the truth is that if they do not know the Lord they are not wise at all.

They may be wise according to the standards of the world, but according to the Bible they are foolish because they have rejected God.

Everyone of you repeat after me, “I am wise”. “I am full of wisdom”.

True wisdom is only found in the Lord.

Lets all turn quick to Job 28:11-28 Job

All the money in the world cannot buy true wisdom.

Man can look over the entire earth for the rest of his life for wisdom but will never find it on his own.

In Genesis Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and from that day humanity has tried to discover wisdom on its own.

It cannot be done because true wisdom only God knows where it is.

Wisdom is as Job says in 28:28, and Solomon says in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord”.

Lets turn to and read Exodus 1:15-22 J

This story says that they went against the orders of the king of Egypt because they feared God.

Luke 12:4–5 says,“4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”

The midwives decision to obey God rather than the king was a risky decision.

This king had the ability to have them killed for disobeying him without blinking an eye.

They knew that they had the opportunity at that time to either fear an earthly king who at the most could kill them then they would stand before God or they could fear God who had the power and authority to sentence them to eternal death separated from God forever.

They chose to go with God and He blessed them for that.

When Proverbs 9 says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One understanding, it means that true wisdom is only found through a personal relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ.

If we are not first born again and have a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ we will never know true wisdom because He alone holds true wisdom. Colossians 2:2–3“2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Paul says that all wisdom is found in Jesus.

When, and only when, do we make our relationship with Jesus our number one priority and submit our lives to Him then we will gain all the wisdom we need.

We do not lean on our own understanding but in all of our ways we acknowledge the Lord and He will guide our steps.

Proverbs 9 was pointing us ahead to the one that we turn our lives over to and we begin to find true wisdom.