Saturday, September 28, 2013

SIH’s Think On These Things: Proverbs 9:1-3


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

A Grand Comparison: Wisdom Is Prepared To Help Others: Prov 9:1-3
1) Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
2) She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
3) She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,


INTRODUCTION:

Proverbs chapter 9… Wisdom vs. Foolishness: A Grand Comparison…
In Proverbs chapter 9, Solomon shares proverbs with us that draw a clear comparison between wisdom and foolishness.  This chapter will include 5 points of comparison that help us to understand the superiority of wisdom over foolishness…
1.  Wisdom Is Prepared To Help Others (1-3); The Foolish Can Only Harm Others (13-17)
2.  Wisdom Is To Be Chosen; Foolishness Is To Be Forsaken (4-6)
3.  Wisdom Will Accept Correction; Fools Will Despise It (7-9)
4.  Wisdom’s Companions (18); The Companions Of Fools (10)
5.  Wisdom Reaps Blessings; Foolishness Reaps Added Judgment (11-12)

Let’s being our comparison by looking at Wisdom’s preparation to help others….

EXPOSITION:

1) Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:
Wisdom provides a place where her students can reside…
1.  She has labored to create a habitation for the instruction of her people
2.  The foundation of this dwelling place is a perfect, Godly foundation (7 is number of completeness, perfection and deity) that supports all of her teachings.
Wisdom’s perfect instructions proceed from the Lord and are a firm foundation for the life of God’s people. When God’s people use wisdom as their residence, making wisdom an active part of their lifestyle, they can find peace, safety, security and a fulfilled life of service to Him.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.   (Ephesians 2:19-22)


2) She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table.
Wisdom provides sustenance for her students….
1.  She supplies meat for those who are spiritually mature… providing to them strength and nourishment (Heb 5:12-14)
2.  She supplies wine for those who are injured, sick and weak… providing to them healing properties (1 Tim 5:23)
3.  She has purposefully arranged this feast expressly to meet the needs of those in attendance. 
Wisdom, the application of God’s Word to the life, will meet every possible need and provide the needed counsel for any situation the Christian might face in life.

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them].  But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  For many are called, but few [are] chosen.   (Matthew 22:2-14)


3) She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city,
Once prepared to meet the needs of others, Wisdom then actively seeks out those in need…
1.  She sends out the virgins who are pure and innocent (those who possess the righteousness of Christ, His blood covering their sins) to invite the spiritually needy to come and partake of her divine offerings.
2.  She personally calls out and invites by name those who are in desperate need of her offerings (this is the public invitation and conscience conviction issued by God through His Word).   She calls out from the highest places allowing her voice to be heard by as many as possible.
For both the lost and saved, there is great benefit to accepting the teachings of wisdom and making them a living part of their lifestyle.  Wisdom is spiritually beneficial to all man, spanning the range of spiritual maturity.  It benefits those who are in spiritually poverty stricken showing them the way of salvation; it benefits those who are immature in their Christian faith by supplying to them the medicine and principles of the Word that will lead to their healing and growth; and it benefits those who are spiritually mature by providing the “meat of the Word” for their continuing growth and strengthening.

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!   (Romans 10:15)


SUMMARY:
Wisdom is prepared to supply the spiritual needs of any that come to her.  Her sole purpose is to be of benefit to the individual and enhancement of the glory of Christ.  This can be compared to the character of foolishness that only causes confusion and leads to sinful living.  This aspect of foolishness will be looked at in detail in verses 13-17 of this series of proverbs.
 
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”.


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