Posted by Jeff Short on June 19, 2016 · 1 Comment
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
– Proverbs 2:10
Verses 10 and 11 give insight into how wisdom works. Wisdom gets into our hearts and minds and knowledge is pleasing or attractive to us. We come to delight in it. The more wisdom we obtain, the more we seek. Wisdom is the means of guidance that so many profess to want but few truly seek for.
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 18, 2016 · 1 Comment
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
– Proverbs 2:9
Here is the second consequence of the pursuit of wisdom. These verses should disabuse us of any notion of shortcuts to wisdom. If we do seek and search, then God gives us wisdom and we come to understand integrity, justice, and fairness. Through wisdom we are able to discern these rightly. Path is a track and refers to way one’s going in life. Here it is understanding every good way.
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 17, 2016 · 1 Comment
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
– Proverbs 2:8
To keep is to guard and to preserve is hedge about as with thorns. Paths and way both point to a road, or a way of travel. Not only does God give wisdom, but he keeps the way as well as those who walk in therein. Wisdom is not only thoughts about life, but the way of life. Solomon further emphasizes that wisdom is the way of life by speaking of the way “of his saints.”
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 16, 2016 · 1 Comment
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
– Proverbs 2:7
God is both the source and the guarantor of wisdom. He lays it up, stores it up so there is always wisdom in abundance. He is a shield. Wisdom is a shield to the upright. Verses 7-9 make it plain there is no acquiring of wisdom apart from walking uprightly. Divine wisdom is no intellectual trinket to be played with and looked at. Wisdom is sound instruction in the way of life.
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 15, 2016 · 1 Comment
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
– Proverbs 2:6
The strenuous effort described in the opening verses of chapter 2 does not do away with the divine source of wisdom. Solomon never teaches us that we can obtain wisdom by human effort, quite the reverse. God gives wisdom. Wisdom belongs to God and can only be given by him (1 Corinthians 2:14). But God does give wisdom to those who ask of him in faith (James 1:5-6). Those who seek, find (Luke 11:9-10). We all lack wisdom naturally but if we go on lacking wisdom it is probably because we have not asked (James 4:2).
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 14, 2016 · 1 Comment
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
– Proverbs 2:5
Verse 5 is the first consequence of the conditions in the previous four verses. So if we receive, hide, incline, apply, cry after, lift up the voice for, seek, and search, then we will understand or perceive or grasp the fear of the Lord and obtain the knowledge of God. The fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of wisdom; it is also the end of it. This verse specifically separates Proverbs from the realm of advice because it reveals the obtaining of wisdom is to know God. The Proverbs is a deadly serious book. It is a matter of life and death.
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 13, 2016 · 1 Comment
If thou sleekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
– Proverbs 2:4
Solomon likens the search for wisdom to a search for hidden treasures. If a man was convinced a valuable treasure was hidden on his property, he would wear himself out in searching for it. He would be consumed with the task. Our search for wisdom should be characterized by this sort of urgency and intensity, for wisdom is far more valuable than any hoard of gold.
Consideration of these verses in this context reveals that the search for wisdom has an objective end. Solomon is not calling us to mere speculation or some sort nebulous journey of self-realization. He does not promote a finding of one’s own truth. He is urging us to the “words” and “commandments” of wisdom.
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 12, 2016 · 1 Comment
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
– Proverbs 2:3
The picture here reverses the picture of wisdom crying out in the previous chapter. The increasing intensity of these verses show that we ought not to rest satisfied if we lack wisdom. If the ear is not hearing wisdom so that the mind can reflect on it, then we must cry out after it. We must seek it with all we have. So Solomon says that not only should we welcome wisdom when we encounter it, but we must go looking for it.
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Posted by Jeff Short on June 11, 2016 · 1 Comment
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
-Proverbs 2:2
Patience and sustained effort are required in the acquiring of wisdom. To incline the ear is to listen with attention. To apply the heart is to consider well. He describes the whole process of learning and understanding. The ear must take in and the heart, or mind, must think over what is heard. These verses teach us something about the way the spirit gives us wisdom, while we labor to understand (2 Timothy 2:7). It’s kind of like giving a friend a book. Once you give them the book they own it, but they must read the book to gain the knowledge from it.
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Proverbs 2:10
Posted by Jeff Short on June 19, 2016 · 1 Comment
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Verses 10 and 11 give insight into how wisdom works. Wisdom gets into our hearts and minds and knowledge is pleasing or attractive to us. We come to delight in it. The more wisdom we obtain, the more we seek. Wisdom is the means of guidance that so many profess to want but few truly seek for.– Proverbs 2:10
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
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