
We find life and happiness when we find God’s wisdom.
Proverbs 8
vv. 1–11—Wisdom calls out to all people—their children, the simple, the fool.
Characteristics of Wisdom: Noble, right, truth, righteous, nothing twisted, nothing crooked, straight, and treasured.
vv. 12–21—Kings rule by wisdom.
Prudence is the proper use of knowledge in exceptional cases.
Fearing the Lord = Hating evil (To hate means to reject)
Pride, arrogance, evil ways, perverted speech are evil.
Kings depend on wisdom to rule justly. Their wealth is gathered by gathering wisdom.
vv. 22–31—God created by wisdom.
The waters are often deemed chaos and untameable. God set its limits (v.29).
God’s wisdom was before creation and seen in creation.
vv. 32–36—Two be-attitudes: Blessed are those who keep my ways, and blessed is the one who listens to me.
Why are they blessed/happy? Because whoever finds God’s wisdom finds life. Those who reject God’s wisdom hate God’s wisdom (remember, to hate is to reject) and love death instead.
Passages to reflect on:
Psalm 19
Job 38–42
Matthew 13:44–46
John 1
Romans 1–2
Colossians 1
Hebrews 1
1 John 5:12