Articles and Notes
Proverbs 8
Wisdom's Plea To Be Heard (8:1-36) INTRODUCTION 1. In our previous study, we found warnings against the immoral woman... a. Who seduces with her beauty and flattery - Pr 6:24-25 b. Who in the open square lurks at every corner - Pr 7:12 2. In the eighth chapter, we once again find wisdom personified as a woman... a. Similar to what we read earlier in these discourses - Pr 1:20-23 b. Who cries out to be heard by the sons of men - Pr 8:3-4 [What does she have to say? Why should we listen to her? Let's study the eighth chapter of Proverbs to found out, beginning with...] I. THE PLEA OF WISDOM (8:1-11) A. SHE DESIRES TO BE HEARD... 1. By crying out, lifting up her voice - Pr 8:1 2. Not lurking in the corner (cf. Pr 7:12), but openly: a. On the top of the hill, beside the way, where paths meet - Pr 8:2 b. By the gates, at the entry of the city - Pr 8:3 B. SHE DESIRES TO BE HEARD BY ALL... 1. By the sons of men - Pr 8:4 2. By the simple ones and fools - Pr 8:5 C. SHE DESIRES TO IMPART GREAT THINGS... 1. Excellent things, right things - Pr 8:6 2. Words of truth and righteousness - Pr 8:7-8 3. Things that are plain and right - Pr 8:9 4. That which is better than silver, gold, rubies, and all that can be desired - Pr 8:10-11 [So wisdom is crying out to be heard by everyone, to share things of great value. Will we listen to her? To encourage us to do so, read further what she says about...] II. THE VALUE OF WISDOM (8:12-21) A. SEEN IN WHAT SHE POSSESSES... 1. Prudence, knowledge and discretion - Pr 8:12 2. The fear of the Lord, prompting her to hate pride, evil, and the perverse mouth - Pr 8:13 3. Counsel and sound wisdom, understanding and strength - Pr 8:14 B. SEEN IN WHAT SHE GIVES... 1. To kings, princes, nobles, and justices, the ability to rule with justice - Pr 8:15-16 2. To all who love her, riches, honor, righteousness, justice, and wealth - Pr 8:17-21 [Doesn't the value of wisdom make us want to hear her? To help us appreciate the value of wisdom even more, we next read of...] III. THE POSSESSION OF WISDOM (8:22-31) A. BY THE LORD BEFORE THE CREATION... 1. At the beginning of His way, before His works - Pr 8:22 2. From everlasting, before there was an earth - Pr 8:23 3. Before there were depths of water, or mountains and hills - Pro 8:24-25 4. Before the earth was created, before the primal dust of the world - Pr 8:26 B. BY THE LORD IN HIS ACTS OF CREATION... 1. When He prepared the heavens - Pr 8:27a 2. When He created the world - Pr 8:27b-29 3. She was beside Him as a master craftsman, rejoicing in His creation - Pr 8:30-31 [The wisdom utilized by God in the creation of the heavens and earth is the voice crying out for us to hear! If we have ears to hear, shall we not hear? Finally, we hear wisdom speak of...] IV. THE BLESSEDNESS OF WISDOM (8:32-36) A. FOR THOSE WILLING TO KEEP HER WAYS... 1. They are blessed - Pr 8:32 2. So hear her instruction and be wise, do not disdain it - Pro 8:33 B. FOR THOSE WILLING TO LISTEN INTENTLY... 1. They are blessed - Pr 8:34a 2. As they watch daily and wait - Pr 8:34b 3. They find life and obtain favor from the Lord - Pr 8:35 4. Unlike one who sins against her (he wrongs his own soul - Pro 8:36a 5. Unlike those who hate her (they love death) - Pr 8:36b CONCLUSION 1. So wisdom cries out to be heard... a. To share understanding and knowledge, truth and righteousness b. To bless our lives with riches and honor, especially that offered by the Lord 2. To whom shall we hearken...? a. To the woman lurking in the corners, whose house is the way to hell? - Pr 7:27 b. Or the woman standing on the top of the high hill, and by the open gates? - Pr 8:1-3 The answer should be obvious... "Blessed is the man who listens to me (wisdom), Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD;"
Proverbs 8
The excellence of wisdom
[Pro 8:1-36 NKJV] 1 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.
12 "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. 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."