Proverbs 8:22-34
The Lord Possessed Me in the Beginning
1. In vs. 22-36 we have a description of creation.
a. In this section, someone is mentioned as being with God as He created the world.
b. Many good commentators state emphatically that this person is Christ… for the New Testament does teach that Christ is responsible for creation. (Ironsides; Gaebelein; Matthew Henry; Charles Bridges;)
c. Christ certainly seems to fit this description… and if this passage were taken all by itself, one might be able to make such a case.
d. However, the context of this chapter demands a different interpretation.
2. Throughout this chapter, God’s wisdom has been personified as a Lady. It is the personification of Divine wisdom that we see speaking throughout.
a. Wisdom is NOT a person, but is spoken of in poetic language AS IF it were a person… in this case a lady.
b. Thus, wisdom speaks… she calls unto young men (vs. 4)… she has a mouth (vs. 7)… she has a dwelling place (vs. 12)… she gives counsel (vs. 14)… kings reign by her (vs. 15)… she has feelings… she loves (vs. 17)…
c. If one traces the first person singular “I” & “me” mentioned throughout the whole chapter, it leads back to Lady Wisdom as the speaker.
d. Thus, in vs. 22, the “me” must be the same.
e. This does not ROB Christ of His deity or of His role as Creator. That is clearly stated in Heb. 1, John 1, and Col. 1… but not in Proverbs 8!
23I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
1. The Lord possessed Divine wisdom in the beginning (same word as in Gen. 1:1).
2. In other words, Lady Wisdom predated the creation… before God’s works of old.
3. Go back as far in time as you can… to the beginning… and Divine wisdom was there! Always and eternally the possession of God.
4. Lady Wisdom is trying to impress her readers with her great antiquity!
5. Real wisdom did not arise with Solomon… it predated the earth!
6. We have folks out today who think that the present generation has arrived at a set of morals and a standard of wisdom that is superior to the old fashioned wisdom.
7. Here Lady Wisdom isn’t ashamed that her wisdom is old—she glories in it! Her antiquity proves that she is true… the real thing… genuine…
8. Our generation says that the wisdom recorded in the Bible on subjects such as husband/wife relationships… child training… sexuality… is to be discarded because it is old… outdated… and therefore irrelevant.
9. Just the opposite is true. The fact that God’s wisdom has lasted so long is the greatest demonstration of its truth!
10. It’s almost laughable to hear college professors, politicians, and sociologists declare that they have wisdom superior to that of Moses, David, Solomon, or Jesus! And yet they make such claims every day!
11. The wisdom we stand by IS old fashioned. In fact, it’s eternal! God’s wisdom has been around as long as God has existed! God possessed this wisdom before He created the earth!
12. It’s fair to say that God’s wisdom has stood the test of time.
13. God has never had a recall on the wisdom He recorded for us. He never had to correct any errors in the wisdom recorded in this book.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
1. This section makes one main point: Lady Wisdom was right there by God’s side all during the creation of the universe.
2. Not only was she there (present), but the passage implies that it was BY MEANS OF divine wisdom that God created the universe!
3. The world we see around us was made by Lady Wisdom in one sense: the created universe is a manifestation of God’s wisdom!
4. Vs. 25-26 – God made the solid earth… the fields… by means of Lady Wisdom.
a. cf. Jer.10:11-12 – God established the earth by His wisdom.
5. Vs. 27-28 – God made the heavens by means of Lady Wisdom.
a. Psalm 19:1 – the heavens declare the GLORY of God.
b. How does it declare His glory? It is a demonstration of Divine wisdom… which is glorious! The heavens declare the power and infinite wisdom of the Creator!
c. Ps. 33:6 – by the word of God the heavens were made… by the wisdom of God… expressed in words… He spoke words of wisdom… and it was so!
6. The best minds in the world have been busily studying creation for centuries… and they MARVEL at how complex it all is!
a. After centuries, man hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface. In fact, the more we learn, the more we discover we don’t know!
b. Astrologers marvel at what they are discovering about outer space… its immensity… its beauty… its mystery…
c. The medical profession has been studying the human body… and stand in awe at how fearfully and wonderfully we are made… whether they believe in God or not!
d. Every bit of it is an open display of the wisdom of God manifested in the creative works of God!
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
1. Here Lady Wisdom states that way back in the beginning, she was with God as His son… as one brought up with Him… a closeness to Him.
2. I was daily his delight—Lady Wisdom was daily God’s delight.
a. God delights in wisdom… He loves it…
b. God delights when WE walk by wisdom too… HIS wisdom, not the wisdom of the world.
c. I Cor. 1:30 in Christ He has been made unto us wisdom. To KNOW HIM is to be wise… the better we get to know Christ, the wiser we will be.
d. Col. 2:3 – In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
e. God DELIGHTS when we get to know Christ better… and thus walk in wisdom…
3. Rejoicing always before Him… Lady Wisdom continually rejoiced in God’s presence.
a. The presence of God makes wisdom glad… joyous… happy.
b. The presence of God makes fools nervous… uneasy… sad…
4. Her delights were with the sons of men. (vs. 31b)
a. Lady wisdom dwelt with God and delighted in Him!
b. Now she states that she also is with the sons of men and delights in them.
c. The delight that wisdom brings to God is available to bring delight to men too!
d. This seems to be the capstone or conclusion to this section before the exhortation.
e. This is an awesome fact: the very same wisdom that was used in creating the universe is available to the sons of men… to you and me! In fact, we have a copy of it in our hands!
f. This wisdom was powerful enough to create the universe. It is powerful enough to solve your problems!
g. This wisdom was enough to put the sun, moon, and stars in their orbits and maintain their steady course for thousands of years. It is good enough to put your life in working order too!
h. This wisdom was enough to provide for the needs of every creature in the world’s eco-system… from micro-organisms all the way up to the elephant. The birds don’t worry about what they are going to eat tomorrow. The lilies don’t worry about what they are going to wear tomorrow. God in His wisdom will provide for your needs too.
• Matt. 6:26-31 – look at the created world… made under the direction of Lady Wisdom.
• God in His wisdom has taken care of every tiny detail. We need not worry! He hasn’t forgotten us!
i. The wisdom that was used in creating the universe is available to the sons of men… to us!
• The same wisdom that guides the stars in their intergalactic journeys is certainly able to guide us through our earthly journey!
• God’s wisdom is rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth (where WE live!) (vs. 31b)
• His wisdom is available to us… daily… moment by moment!
• It seems quite FOOLISH not to read the Bible…
• And yet our tendency is to lean on our OWN puny understanding when we have available to us the wisdom God used in creating the world! (Prov. 3:5-7)
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
1. Here is the exhortation which is based upon the section from vs. 22-31.
2. The exhortation is the same as Lady Wisdom has been making for the past couple of chapters: hearken unto me! Listen to what I have to say!
3. The difference here is that the author has laid a foundation for this exhortation: this wisdom is DIVINE… it is ancient… it was with God before the world was… in fact, it was the wisdom God used to CREATE the world…
4. Who in their right spiritual mind wouldn’t want to hearken to this kind of wisdom!
5. BLESSEDNESS is promised to those who hearken to her.
a. This kind of wisdom is powerful enough to bring a universe into existence.
b. It is powerful enough to bring blessedness into your life too!
c. Follow God’s wisdom… apply it to your life… and your life will be blessed.
d. Bridges: those who follow God’s wisdom “choose rightly; walk surely; live happily; progress honorably; and end gloriously.”
e. Ignore it, and you will pay a price…