“Now therefore, listen to me my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways, 33. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. 34. Blessed is the man (person) who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. 36. But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul, all those who hate love death.”
In Proverbs, Solomon personified wisdom and had it talk as though it was a person. In fact the voice of wisdom is so closely allied to the voice of God that it is impossible to tell the two apart. In fact, Godly wisdom is an integral part of the Godhead. For example look at verses 23 and 27 of Proverbs 8: 23. “I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.” 27. “When He prepared the heavens, I was there.” We can surmise from this that the voice of wisdom is in essence the voice of God. What does the “voice of wisdom” tell us in these verses? First, it tells us in verse 33 that when we hear the instruction of wisdom we will be wise, and the implication is that if we disdain the instruction of wisdom, we will be unwise. I do not know of anyone who wants to be considered unwise, but I know plenty of people who are. (I can sometimes include myself in this category. Don’t laugh, you probably can too.) The “instruction of wisdom” is instruction from God, for from Him comes all wisdom. For example, we were given the Ten Commandments to enable us to live in God’s wisdom. If you will think of them, to break those commandments has proven unwise since the beginning of time, even before they were given. Who thinks of a person broken and destitute because of a sinful lifestyle as wise? In fact, people might look at him or her and say, “What a fool.” Second, it tells us in verse 34 that when we hear the instruction of wisdom we are happy: “Blessed is the man (person) who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.” “Blessed” can be translated as “happy.” So it might read, “Happy is the man (person) who listens to me.” True happiness is found the will of God. I know that when I have been careful to adhere to the will of God, my life has been happier than when I have not. You can probably say the same thing. It has been shown over and over again that happiness is not found in a sinful lifestyle. One might find momentary happiness, but not the kind that is built upon the joy that Christ gives us as we do His will. It is interesting that in John 10:9, Jesus said: “I am the door: by me if any man (person) enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture.” This is close to “watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.” True wisdom and happiness are found by entering the door furnished by God, which is Jesus Christ. Third, it tells us in verses 35-36: “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord; 36. But he/she who sins against me wrongs his/her own soul; all those who hate me love death.” The point here is that to walk in the wisdom of God is live and to fail to do so is death. To find life here is compared to obtaining the favor of the Lord. Who, among those who believe in Him, does not want God’s favor? When I pray for people such as myself, my family, friends, and missionaries, etc. I pray for God’s favor on me and on them. But we can’t have His favor by simply asking for it, we have to live a life that personifies the wisdom of God in order to have it. This does not mean that we have to be perfect, but it does mean that we have to be obedient. Why would anyone in his or her right mind want to be out of God’s favor. The “voice of wisdom” is talking to you. I hope that you will read the verses carefully, and read the accompanying article carefully, and choose to heed the voice that leads to happiness, life and favor. Bro. Joe
1 Comment
Margaret M Jones
7/17/2015 05:20:50 am
Enjoy these devotions
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