Friday, September 27, 2013

SIH’s Think On These Things: Proverbs 8:32-36


He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)

Wisdom’s Appeal: Her Invitation To Blessings: Prov 8:32-36
32) Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed [are they that] keep my ways.
33) Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34) Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35) For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
36) But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.


INTRODUCTION:
Wisdom reveals a special blessing that is to be received by those who listen to her teachings and follow her ways…

EXPOSITION:

32) Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed [are they that] keep my ways.
Wisdom now instructs everyone to “hearken to her” and “keep her ways”:
1. listen to her teachings
2. giving to her their attention and understanding  
3. applying her teachings to their lives
4. retaining her teachings due to their great value

By doing these we are told that those who accept her invitation will…
1. go forward in their life happily
2. know the Lord is with them
3. know that the Lord is gracing them in their daily walk

“Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”   (Psalms 1:1-3)

33) Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
She now addresses the need for a person to WILLFULLY receive her teachings…
1. a person who accepts her invitation, should listen intently to her warnings and words of correction that is meant to be of benefit.
2. then they are to apply these teachings in their day to day walk of life, resulting in living lives of wisdom and integrity
3. and finally, they are to not stubbornly, flippantly brush off her teachings as being unimportant or not beneficial.

“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? and your labour for [that which] satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.  Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, [even] the sure mercies of David.”   (Isaiah 55:1-3)


34) Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
To live happy lives of spiritual prosperity, those who accept her invitation are to:
1. listen intently
2. be wide awake, consistently, eagerly seeking entrance into the courtyard of her home for her instruction
3. be patient and willing to wait for wisdom’s teachings to be revealed

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming [thither] went into the synagogue of the Jews.  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”   (Acts 17:10-12)


35) For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
Why should a person be so anxious to receive and apply her instruction?  When a person acquires wisdom through seeking her teachings they will also:
1. acquire spiritual life (salvation) and a fulfilling, blessed, profitable life on earth
2. through that salvation, we will be pleasing to Jehovah and will enjoy a personal relationship with Him.

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.”   (John 6:63)

36) But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
Wisdom concludes her invitation by reminding us of the evils that will await those who willfully reject her teachings… 
1. When a person chooses to miss the four goals she has set for them (listening, understanding, applying, and retaining her teachings) they are only mistreating themselves.  Because of this we can see that the way in which a person treats wisdom is a reflection of how they are treating themselves. 
2. If a person is the enemy of wisdom… opposing her teachings and desires … they are showing that they are actually loving death.  Why is this?  It is because the opposition of wisdom leads to the eternal spiritual death and a wasted lifetime of abuse and harm of self.

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”   (John 3:18-21)


SUMMARY:
The wonderful blessing of wisdom, which flows from the heart and mind of our gracious Lord, was meant to be a roadmap to a life of spiritual prosperity, purpose, and an eternity of blessings.  How can we not accept her gracious invitation to receive her teachings and live according to them.
 
By God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value that they deserve.

May the Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org



Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)