Proverbs 8:1-6
Wisdom Speaks of Excellent Things
1. Chapter 8 is one long, personification of Wisdom.
• This is no longer Solomon having a father/son talk.
• Wisdom is spoken of as if she were a woman calling out to men… to take heed to her voice… and follow her ways.
2. Some have understood the “Wisdom” in this chapter to refer to Christ – because of vs. 22 and following (I was there when the world was created).
• It is better to understand wisdom here as one of God’s attributes personified
• In chapter 9, Lady Wisdom is seen in contrast to Lady Folly.
• But this chapter, 8, is a song of praise for God’s wisdom. Wisdom is extolled throughout the chapter.
1Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
1. Once again, wisdom is seen crying out… putting forth her voice.
a. She WANTS to be heard.
b. There are 1001 other voices calling for our attention…
c. God’s wisdom is trying to get our attention…
2. Put in the form of a question—seems to indicate some frustration…
a. It is as if wisdom was calling out—but few are listening!
b. God says, “Isn’t wisdom crying out? Am I the only one who hears her?”
c. Don’t you hear her? Isn’t she crying out? Is anyone listening?
d. Illustration – Suppose the fire alarm went off in a crowded building and no on was paying attention. Nobody gave it any notice.
• You might say, “Isn’t the fire alarm ringing? Isn’t it crying out in warning? Am I hearing things? Isn’t anyone going to pay attention?”
• “Am I the only one who hears it? Is it ringing for nothing?”
• That seems to be the import of the question in vs. 1
2She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
1. In these verses we are told that not only is Lady Wisdom crying out… she’s doing it in a most public way!
2. She is positioning herself so as to be heard by as many people as possible.
a. High places – standing on the hill top shouting out…
• If you want God’s wisdom, just look up! It is being shouted from the tops of the high hills!
b. By the way in the places of the paths—at the crossroads…
• The way where different paths come together…
• Crossroads are places of decision in our life where we could follow the wrong signpost and head in the wrong direction… get confused… lost!
• When we come to a crossroads in our life, we need wisdom—she’s right there at the crossroads!
• God’s wisdom isn’t trying to trick us… or abandon us…
• When we need her, she’s there! At the crossroads of life.
• Jer. 10:23 – it is not in man to direct his steps—BUT God gives wisdom and guidance at every crossroad in life.
c. At the gates, the entry of the city; the coming in of the doors… where everyone who enters must pass by.
• God’s wisdom is crying out in the most prominent places to be heard.
• She is not elusive… mysterious… or obscure…
• She’s not whispering… or hiding in the shadows; she is crying out… shouting out… boldly… clearly…
• You can’t miss her… unless you try!
• II Pet. 3:3-5 – some scoffers act as if God has NOT spoken. Peter says that they are WILLINGLY IGNORANT.
• Some people CHOOSE not to listen to truth… because darkness hates the light… and light makes us accountable…
• Lady Wisdom does NOT want us to be willingly ignorant. She is crying out to be heard.
3. Wisdom is not hard to find… but it does require work! (Prov. 2:1-6)
a. Here we are told that you have to dig for wisdom…
b. WE are told to cry after wisdom (vs. 3) (Ch. 8 – she is crying after us!)
c. Here the emphasis is on the effort on our part to obtain wisdom… through the study of God’s word. That takes work.
d. BUT—this wisdom is there for the digging… not hard to find… if we dig!
e. In chapter 8, the emphasis is on the availability of wisdom… she’s everywhere!
f. Illustration – In the days of the gold rush, in certain areas, gold was readily available… just crying out to be had! But, they still had to dig it up! It was readily available, but required effort. So too with God’s wisdom. (or picking apples in an orchard!)
4Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
1. Once again, Lady Wisdom is seen calling out. (I call; my voice)
2. Here, the emphasis is on her audience: to the sons of man! (mankind)
3. Lady Wisdom is making a direct appeal to the sons of men.
4. God’s wisdom is available for all of mankind… men, women, children, red, yellow, black, and white, rich and poor, educated and uneducated… ALL the sons of Adam!
5. One of the wonderful things about God’s wisdom is that you don’t have to be smart to obtain wisdom… wisdom is a matter of the heart more than the head.
6. Wisdom is offered to all… without respect of persons… to all without reservation.
a. Lady Justice is supposed to be blind. Lady Wisdom really is!
b. If you want God’s wisdom, you can have it.
c. If you want to lean on your own understanding, God will let you.
d. Prov. 3:5-6 – God will direct our paths ONLY if we trust in Him… and lean NOT on our own understanding… listen to Lady Wisdom!
e. Prov. 3:7 – don’t be wise in your own eyes!
5O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
1. Wisdom is crying out to all of mankind. All men need this wisdom.
2. However, the appeal is made directly to the simple and the fools.
a. Simple: naiveté; foolish, open-minded;
• Young people are often naïve; open minded to things they should NOT be open to…
• Those who are naïve and overly open-minded are at a crossroads OFTEN… and wisdom is there.
• Young people come to roads they have never seen before OFTEN…
• The wrong road often looks right… and a simple man is likely to take it… naively… being open to more than he should… and may get lost…
• There is a way that SEEMETH right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Prov. 16:25)
• Wisdom is there to guide… to point in the right direction to the one who has little experience…
• But this kind of evil simplicity is not limited to the youth. There are many older folks who are simple and foolishly open minded to!
b. Fools: stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one
• The “fool”, like the simple one is lacking wisdom. However, the fool seems a bit more accountable.
• The fool is foolish because he hates wisdom… he is arrogant… defiant of wisdom and the right way. Fools rarely change.
• Nevertheless, Lady Wisdom is still calling out… making a special effort to offer guidance and direction… only to be rejected by the fool.
6Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
1. HEAR: once again, this lady begs to be heard… listened to…
2. FOR: She gives a logical reason to listen to her too…
3. The sons of men should listen to Lady Wisdom because she speaks of EXCELLENT things…
a. The term “excellent things” = is the Hebrew word for: leader, ruler, captain, prince.
b. The idea seems to be that Lady Wisdom speaks of noble things… princely things… things that are higher, things that are nobler…
c. Too often we talk about ordinary things. (soccer; stock market; Olympics; cars; etc… not bad things… just not excellent things)! There is a place for small talk.
d. But there is also a place for excellent things! Noble things!
4. Lady Wisdom leads us to consider higher things…
a. Oftentimes in life, we come to a five-way intersection.
• About to choose a mate; a school; a church; a job; a neighborhood; a ministry; a new career;
• One way might be dead wrong… sinful.
• Another road might be OK…
• Another road might be pretty good.
• But one stands out as being excellent.
• Wisdom is there to lead us on to excellent things… to choose the best!
b. Paul prayed that the believers might abound in knowledge and judgment (wisdom). (Phil. 1:9-10)…
• THAT ye might approve things that are excellent.
• Lady Wisdom is right there urging us to choose the excellent.
• It may be the road less traveled…
• It may be the most difficult road…
• But it is the BEST road spiritually.
5. She opens her lips and speaks RIGHT things…
a. Right things = evenness, uprightness, straightness, equity
b. Lady Wisdom helps us see things fairly… justly… without bigotry… without prejudice…
c. Our ears are inclined towards that which is crooked; Lady Wisdom speaks of that which is even… fair… upright… just…
d. She beckons to us to listen to her… follow her leading…
e. This is in reality GOD speaking to us through His Word!
f. This is GOD’S wisdom crying out. Be sensitive. Listen when He speaks.