Proverbs 8:1-36
Wisdom's Call
1 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates leading into the city,
at the entrances, she cries aloud:
4 "To you, O men, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, gain understanding.
6 Listen, for I have worthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12 "I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have understanding and power.
15 By me kings reign
and rulers make laws that are just;
16 by me princes govern,
and all nobles who rule on earth.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18 With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing wealth on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was appointed from eternity,
from the beginning, before the world began.
24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth,
when there were no springs abounding with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before he made the earth or its fields
or any of the dust of the world.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was the craftsman at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
32 "Now then, my sons, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not ignore it.
34 Blessed is the man who listens to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD.
36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself;
all who hate me love death."
King Solomon wrote many of the Proverbs...He was very wise, and wrote about the importance of wisdom...He tells us each of should listen when wisdom calls out...Those who are simple, must gain prudence, while the foolish, should try to gain understanding...Solomon tells us to choose instruction over silver, and knowledge over gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies...Nothing we desire can compare with wisdom...
Wisdom dwells with prudence, knowledge, and discretion...To fear the LORD is to hate evil, pride, and arrogance...
We can look around the world and see the LORD created His works of heaven and earth...The beauty of the world is organized and designed...This beauty calls out to us...When we speak of design, we must think of a Designer...Our world was created by the Great Designer...God's wisdom made the world an orderly place for us to live...The world is magnificent...He is the architect...
I love those who seek Me, and those who seek Me find Me...God is the source of all wisdom...Wisdom is a skill...Wisdom is acquired...Solomon speaks of wisdom as living in a way that honors God...We must seek Him, but we must want to seek Him to find Him...We must listen when He calls out...
When we read Scripture and think of knowledgeable people we think of Solomon, David, Moses, Paul, and Jesus...All these men searched for God...
Christ is wisdom and Truth...We must want to search for the Truth to find Him...We will not find God if we never seek Him...You must have an interest, an event or events in your life that makes one want to find Him...Wisdom calls out, but we must then listen...If we do not listen and do not want to seek Him or find out about Him, we will know little about Him...We can just look around and the will of God is made known through His creation...When one has this wisdom, it is more valuable than silver and gold...We hear Him calling out through nature...Whoever seeks wisdom and finds Jesus, will receive favor from the LORD...