Proverbs 8

CHAPTER 8The young man has been examining the literature of the different colleges; and the school of wisdom and the school of fools are bidding for his application. In this chapter it is wisdom that sends out an invitation to him with a note of urgency. Pressure is put upon the young man now. The school bell is going to ring before long, and they want this young man enrolled.

Proverbs 8:1

WISDOM CALLS TO THE YOUNG MANAs we have seen, the young man has been lured and enticed to leave the school of wisdom. Believe me, the cults and “isms” are out on the streets and ringing doorbells. God’s people should be out doing the same thing. I am very thankful for the very fine organizations that especially work with the young people today. They are out ringing doorbells. They are out doing personal witnessing. That’s good. Wisdom and understanding should be putting forth their voice.

Proverbs 8:2

This is what we are trying to do by radio. We are sending out a call to come to the school of wisdom. We want you to come to wisdom in the person of Christ. It is Christ who has been made unto us wisdom.

Proverbs 8:5

Are you willing to take that positionto admit that you are not adequate, to say you are a sinner and that you really don’t have intellectual problems? Sometimes I think it is a joke to listen to folk with “intellectual” problems. A young fellow came to me and said, “I have intellectual problems about the Bible.” Do you know what he really had? He had a sin problem, and he didn’t want to give up his sin. I have discovered that if a person has a sin problem and will turn to Christ with that problem, it is amazing how often the intellectual problems will be solved.

Proverbs 8:6

What a picture we have here!

Proverbs 8:7

Many people talk about errors and problems in the Bible. There are several books written about problem Scriptures. I recognize that to an intelligent person there are problems in the Bible. I had a lot of problems with the Bible at the beginning of my study, and I still have a few. But the problem is not in the Word of God. The problem is in the mind and heart of man. God says there is nothing twisted or perverse in the words of wisdom.

Proverbs 8:9

You see, if it is really wisdom, it is going to be simple, and it will appeal to the simple. I’m thankful that God did not make the gospel appeal only to folk who have a high I. Q. If He had, many folk would be left out completely. This is a message to the simple. And it really is a simple message. It is very interesting that some things which men call deep and profound are not really that at all. When I went through school, I had the viewpoint of a lot of other young fellows that I knew it all. We had a brilliant man come to lecture at our seminary. I’ll be very frank with you, he was speaking right over the top of my head. I went to the man who was considered the most brilliant professor in the school and said, “I’m not getting very much out of those lectures. I must confess that they are over my head.

I always had the viewpoint that I could understand anything that any man had to say, but I am not getting what he is saying.” I shall never forget his answer. He said, “Mr. McGee, you know that when water is clear, you can see right to the bottom of the pool even if it is sixty feet deep, but when the water is muddy, you can’t even see to the bottom of a hoofprint in the middle of the road. Some men are not deep; they are muddy.” Well, that answered it for me. My friend, if you have an intellectual problem with something you read in the Biblelet me be very frank with youthe problem is not with the Bible; the problem is with you. Let me refer you to a passage in the New Testament, which I think is profound, although it is very simple: “And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ” (2Co_3:13-14). You may be thinking, If they cannot understand because there is a veil over their minds, they are not responsible. And a great many folk today are claiming that there is a veil over their minds and they are not able to understand the Bible. But notice the next verses: “But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away” (2Co_3:15-16). What does it mean by “it” when it says “when it shall turn to the Lord”?

Well, it refers back to the last principal subject, which is the “heart.” It is saying that when the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. You see, the problem is not head trouble; it is heart trouble. Let’s get right down to where the rubber meets the road, right down to where we live. Don’t say that there are intellectual problems which keep you from the Lord. The problem is sin in your lifethere are things in your life that you do not want to change. You are not willing to bow your heart and your head and come to Jesus Christ. That is the problem. Notice that when the heart shall turn to the Lord an amazing thing happensthe veil shall be taken away. The problems are resolved. A great man of the Middle Ages said, “I had many problems until I came to Christ.” We may call them intellectual problems, but they are really heart problems. The Word of God is clear. The gospel message is so simple it cannot be misunderstood. But there can be deliberate, willful resistance to the gospel. That is a problem of the heart. That is why we can actually use the Word of God as a sort of Geiger counter. A Geiger counter will tell a man where there is uranium. And the reaction to the Word of God will tell a man where there is a believing heart. There are some individuals who love the Word of God, and the arrow of the counter jumps up and down. There are others who have a pious expression and fundamental vocabulary but who register as dead. They actually resist the Word of God. Many times people have asked me to deal with folk who resist the Word of God. I tell them that my job is simply to give out the Word. The Lord Himself will deal with them. During my years in the ministry I have seen how the Lord deals with such people. I have seen Him move into families and does deal with this one and that one. I recall a very arrogant young man who was questioning the Word of God. Then he left his wife and ran off with another woman. There was sin in his life; that was his problem. I emphasize this because God’s Word is clear. There is nothing twisted or perverse in the words of God.

Proverbs 8:10

When you and I come to the place, as Job did, where we get our priorities straight, when we put a proper evaluation on the things of this world and realize that wisdom is better than rubies, then we will put God first in our lives. It is as the Lord Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mat_6:33).

Proverbs 8:12

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WISDOMThe Word of God is going to make it clear that wisdom is a person, the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 8:13

We might translate it as “the mouth of perversions do I hate.” This is something that is quite real today; it is right down where we live. Wisdom is manifest. It is the character of God, and that character has been revealed in Christ. Evil, pride, arrogance, and an evil way are hateful to Him. If we belong to Him, we will hate these things also.

Proverbs 8:14

In the Psalms and in the prophecy of Daniel it is repeated that “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” How tremendous it is to realize that God overrules down here in the affairs of this world. Regardless of how godless a nation is, God is overruling, and His will is being accomplished. He rules in the kingdoms of men.

Proverbs 8:17

Solomon learned this early in his life. He discovered that when he sought God, God gave him wisdom. He had sought God earlyas soon as he became king. He knew it was God who had given him a unique wisdom. And God is prepared to give us wisdom if we are willing to meet the conditions: a diligent study and love of the Word of God early in our Christian life.

Proverbs 8:18

These are not stocks or bonds or real estate, but wonderful spiritual gifts He bestows.

Proverbs 8:22

WISDOM PERSONIFIED IN CHRISTFrom this point on, I think you will discover that the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking. This is the Lord Jesus; this is wisdom personified.

Proverbs 8:23

“I was set up” is I was anointed from everlasting. This is the One who is the subject of John’s prologue: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (Joh_1:1-2). He was begotten, not in the sense of having a beginning of life, but as being one nature and substance with the Father. Way back yonder in eternity He was God, and He was in the beginning with God. He was in the beginning that has no beginning, because “in the beginning was the Word.” He was already past tense at the time of the beginning. He is the One and the only One who can make this clear to us. The Lord Jesus said, “… no man knoweth the Son, but the Father …” (Mat_11:27). We could not know the Lord Jesus, had not the Father and Son sent the Holy Spirit to open our hearts. A saved person can rest in and adore the person of Christ. We are living in the midst of great unbelief in our day, but let the skeptic be skeptical. My friend, our relationship is a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the Word. “… the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Joh_1:1). What a tremendous statement! Wisdom is Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 8:24

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (Joh_1:3). “When he set a compass upon the face of the depth.” It is interesting that the scientists used to speak of a square universe, but God has always said it is a circle. You and I live in a world that is round, and we are going around our planetary system. And we belong to a galactic system which is a circle. All of these circles are circling around!

Proverbs 8:28

Have you ever stood by the seashore and wondered why the water doesn’t run over? Why does it stay where it is? It says, “he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment.” God has made a law that keeps the sea right where it is.

Proverbs 8:30

Without the Lord Jesus was not anything made that was made. All things were made by Him. He is the firstborn of all creation. He is superior to all. Why? Because by Him the Father brought all things into being, for He is the uncreated God, and He was “rejoicing always before Him.” These wonderful delights and joys come to us through the amazing grace of God. How wonderful all of this is!

Proverbs 8:32

Wisdom is Christ, and there must be a love for Him.

Proverbs 8:34

“Whoso findeth me findeth life.” If you have Christ you have life.

Proverbs 8:36

My friend, if you hate Christ, you love death. What a picture this is! Wisdom is Christ.