Wisdom & Understanding Have a Chat

Proverbs 8-9

Chapter 8

The contrast is given. The harlot was in darkness. Wisdom in the light. You don’t have to be genius to get wisdom, or event to understand her. Just need to love and show understanding by doing it.

Proverbs 8:1–11 “ Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice? 2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way, where the paths meet. 3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the entrance of the doors: 4 “To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. 5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. 6 Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, And from the opening of my lips will come right things; 7 For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; Nothing crooked or perverse is in them. 9 They are all plain to him who understands, And right to those who find knowledge. 10 Receive my instruction, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; 11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.”

It is obvious that God wants you to know His wisdom, and wants to - we are even promised an honest revelation of these things - you wont be led wrong by this, where the harlot only leads to destruction.

Its all in who you value more. Wisdom or Sin.

Proverbs 8:12–36 “ “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And find out knowledge and discretion. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, And rulers decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth. 17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. 20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries. 22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. 23 I have been established from everlasting, From the beginning, before there was ever an earth. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills, I was brought forth; 26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the fields, Or the primal dust of the world. 27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 When He established the clouds above, When He strengthened the fountains of the deep, 29 When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him, 31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.

Now, we see the section ending and the key of this chapter (v33) which is challenged in 9. Being teachable can be difficult. Most think they know it all.

32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. 35 For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the Lord; 36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.””

Chapter 9

After showing the contrast of if you want to do whatever you think is right in your own eyes Genesis 6:5 “ Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Isaiah 5:21 “ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!”

Proverbs 9:1–12 “ Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars;

The common Hebrew word for wisdom is ḥoḵmâh, but here it appears to be in the plural form (ḥoḵmôṯ) with a singular verb has built (though some construe ḥoḵmôṯ also as sing. in keeping with analogous forms in Canaanite dialects). This is also the case in 1:20; 24:7; Psalm 49:3. If the form is plural it may suggest wisdom’s fullness.

What’ll really get you is the 7 pillars. Its been compared to way too many things. Planets, stars, etc. But this being wisdom, and related to Gods wisdom, what is the number 7 usually for? Completion, perfection. Perhaps 7 pillars are: James 3:17 “ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”

2 She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. (best agape ever) 3 She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, 4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” (all are welcome to the feast!) As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, 5 “Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding. 7 “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. 8 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. 9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For by me (God’s wisdom) your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. 12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.””

Someone not willing to be taught can’t be taught. Its a fools errand to enter into the debate.

God is screaming at you to listen - James 1:5 “ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” - the context tells you better be ready for the answer, like it or not.

Proverbs 9:13–18 “ A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. 14 For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city, 15 To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way: 16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”; And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, 17 “Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell.”

To reject Gods wisdom, is to accept the wisdom of the world which takes one to hell.

When people identify by their sin, they go not is it right to partake in the sin, but how fun is it. If God gave me the desire, the desire must be good to give into? No. Our perversions is where death is, and when we or it fully dwells in us, then hell is where we will dwell and what dwells in us.

This is why we warn. We don’t just hammer sin, but sin is why the world is being judged. Its been an issue since the beginning. We shouldnt be flippant about it.

even as a beliver, our sin can kill us.

If time: Paul puts practical application to this doctrine in 1 Corinthians 6:12–20 “ All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? (proverbs?) Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”