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Reading Proverbs 8:22-36 continuing to heed the voice of wisdom, described as the first of God's acts of old and the first order of creation. Visit wwutt.com for all of our videos!
In Proverbs chapter 8, we hear the voice of wisdom personified, as if wisdom had a voice and was speaking to us. Well, we see wisdom embodied in the person of Jesus Christ when we understand the text.
This is when we understand the text, studying God's word to reach all the riches of full assurance in Christ. Thank you for subscribing, and if this has ministered to you, please let others know about our program.
Here once again is Pastor Gabe Hughes.
Thank you, Becky. We continue with our study in the book of Proverbs chapter 8, listening to the call of wisdom. We read about the adulterous woman in chapters 5, 6, and 7, and the warnings that were given to us there, contrasting the adulterous with wisdom, who is now speaking in Proverbs 8.
And what we will get through the rest of the book of Proverbs will be the voice of godly wisdom. So let's continue to hear wisdom speak to us here in Proverbs 8, starting in verse 22. The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water, before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills I was brought forth, before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
When he established the heavens I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world, and delighting in the children of man.
And now, O sons, listen to me. Blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
For whoever finds me, finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. But he who fails to find me, injures himself. All who hate me, love death. Now, as we started this section here in verse 22, it might have sounded a little familiar to you.
Let me read that verse again. The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. What does that sound like? Not what is it exactly, but what does it sound like? Kind of sounds a little like the beginning of John, doesn't it?
The Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 3. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
Something interesting to note about Proverbs 8, 22. In the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, verse 22 actually reads like this. The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
I've talked about on this program before how sometimes the reason why a verse cited from the Old Testament will look different in the New Testament is because the New Testament writer is quoting from the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament.
So that's why it's not a direct quote. It doesn't look like it's an exact quote from the passages we would read it in the Old Testament. What we have in the English Old Testament is translated from the earliest Hebrew, whereas what we have in the New Testament is translated from the earliest Greek.
But those New Testament writers, when they quoted the Old Testament, would quote from the Greek Old Testament, which doesn't translate exactly the same way. Hence why the Septuagint in verse 22 says the Lord created me at the beginning of his work.
But when you're translating it from Hebrew, it's more accurate to say the Lord possessed me. That word possessed is closer to the meaning of the Hebrew word that appears there, that we've translated that from.
Now, in the fourth century A .D., the fourth century of the church. OK, this is, you know, about 300 years after the resurrection of Christ. There was that had something that had erupted in the church.
What was referred to as the Aryan controversy. And you had Arius, the heretic, who was saying that Jesus Christ was created by God, that he was not an eternal divine being, but he was actually the first creation of God.
Just like we read in Colossians chapter one, that he is the firstborn of all creation. As Becky and I talked about, I think just this past Friday we did in our Q &A, we mentioned that being the firstborn of creation does not mean that Jesus was the first created being of God.
It means that Jesus received all the rights of the firstborn. So everything belongs to Christ because the father has given it to the son. Jesus is eternal as the father is eternal, as the Holy Spirit is eternal.
The Trinity of God, the Godhead, the triune God, one God, three persons, all of whom are uncaused, uncreated, eternal. But each person of the Godhead has distinct personal attributes. There's no division in his nature or his essence or his being.
Still one God, three persons. Not three gods, three persons. When we refer to the Trinity as God, we're talking about the what of God. And then when we refer to the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit, we're referring to the who of God.
He is one what and three whos, as I heard one other theologian describe him. So in the Arian controversy, you had Arius declaring that God, the father, was eternal, but God, the son, was not. He was created by the father.
And one of the passages that the Arians would use to support this statement that Jesus was created is Proverbs 8, 22, because it was believed by many in the early church that Proverbs 8 is describing Christ.
The wisdom that we see in the character of Christ. So therefore, verse 22, the Lord created me at the beginning of his work. Is Jesus declaring that God, Yahweh, created him at the beginning? This is the way the Arians would argue.
And of course, that's heresy. The council that had convened at Nicaea in 325 was to debate this particular subject exactly. And they determined Arianism to be heresy, that the son is eternal as the father is eternal.
So what we need to understand, Proverbs 8, 22 is referring to is not is not Jesus speaking, but rather this is the character of God. It is the character of his wisdom. And we see that wisdom embodied in Christ.
Here we have it personified because wisdom is not actually a person. We don't have a person of the Godhead speaking here. We have wisdom, the wisdom of God that is personified in sort of a poetic way, speaking to us that we may know the mind of God in this way.
And as I talked about earlier, because this isn't the first time that wisdom has had a voice and has spoken in the book of Proverbs. So as we talked about this earlier, wisdom is personified in a female form with female pronouns because the word wisdom is feminine.
So if you're going to personify wisdom and you're going to use personal pronouns to describe wisdom, therefore, you're going to use feminine pronouns. Otherwise, it's going to sound confusing. Wisdom being a feminine word and then using masculine pronouns, it just wouldn't sound right.
So as wisdom is being personified, feminine pronouns are being used. This is not describing a person of the Godhead, but we can read this as the character of his wisdom. The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old and everything that God made was done in wisdom.
Right. I mean, surely, surely we have to look at all that has been made and we have to go, wow, what a wise and all knowing God would create all of this. The further we look into the universe, the more baffling, mind blowing it is that there is a being greater, larger than the vastness of the universe that set all these things in place.
And as they boggle the mind, we know that God is far more intelligent than anything we could ever discover looking into created time and space. As we look down into the microscopic, as we go, as we go to the smallest, tiniest particles that we can possibly observe from the technologies that we have created to be able to look at such things.
We see even in the minuscule, the wisdom and the amazing knowledge and intelligence of God to design and create these things. So God possessing wisdom as he created the first of his acts of old were made in wisdom.
Every single thing that has come into existence exists with an imprint of the wisdom of God. So therefore, everything being made in his wisdom is therefore an act of his wisdom. The first of his acts of old.
This is not wisdom saying I was therefore created, but that in everything that is created, we can see imprints of the wisdom of God. Verse 23. Ages ago, I was set up at the first before the beginning of the earth.
I was set up. Whenever we observe nature, we often make reference to natural laws, right? Like the law of gravity, the law of entropy, laws of motion, E equals MC squared, all these other things. They all describe governances that exist in the created order.
And we know that things exist. We know that when we look into creation, things make sense. It's not just random chaos. It's not unpredictable. There are things that we can predict and we know things exist this way or they're established this way because of this set of laws.
And they will never be able to break those laws. They're not going to go against those laws. The entire universe would fly apart. We know that in what has been made. Remember the words of Romans 1 20 for his invisible attributes, referring to God, his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world in the things that have been made.
So they we all people are without excuse. Everybody can know that there is a knowledgeable, wise creator that exists that created all of this because we look into creation and it makes sense. All of these things had to have been set in place by an intelligent designer.
It cannot just happen to have existed all on its own. It would not have the order that we are able to observe in all of creation. So there are laws that govern everything that exists. So as wisdom says here, ages ago, I was set up.
Those laws existed when God had established all things. When he created those things, those laws of nature were present. It was Augustine who said that at the creation of matter became the creation of time.
Yeah, Augustine was the one that thought of that. However, many centuries ago that was, he said that when God created matter, he created time because as matter exists and it gets older or younger, you know, whatever.
It doesn't really get younger. It gets older. But as matter exists, therefore, time exists because time is how that matter ages. So with the creation of a thing, with the creation of a substance or something tangible matter, God also created time at the exact same time.
So as God created nature, he also created the laws of nature that establishes that nature to operate and exist according to that set of laws. All of this comes from an ultimate law giver. And we know that is God.
And so, therefore, wisdom says I was set up. Wisdom had to be set up in order for these things to exist within those boundaries, within those laws. I was set up at the first before the beginning of the earth.
When there were no depths, I was brought forth. When there were no springs abounding with water. So some of this, again, it's very poetic the way that it's being said. We have to be careful not to take it too literally as if there was no wisdom before God created all things.
That's not what's being said here. But where it says when there were no depths, I was brought forth. Wisdom existed before anything else came into existence. And that wisdom is with God. Verse 25, before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth.
You have the formation of land and you have the greatest heights of the land, the mountains. And then you have even lower dwelling places of the land, the hills. Before he had made the earth with its fields or the first of the dust of the world.
Notice that we keep getting smaller here. Mountains, hills, the fields, and then dust. From the largest to the tiniest. I use the universe and then the microscopic. But it's kind of the same sort of language that's being used here is wisdom is talking.
And one of the things that we should be able to gather from this as we're reading this is that there is a common sense. You know, we sometimes refer to common sense or street smarts or something like that.
But there is a common sense. You can look at the world and know that it was created because all of these things don't exist in chaos. There are senses of right and wrong that people can gather just from observing the world.
Though they may have no honor of God, they may not give thanks to God. As it says, going back to Romans chapter one. So they become futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts are darkened.
Right.
But you can still get a general sense of the way things work, even if a person does not want to worship God. And I think that you see this in some of the ancient philosophers as well. Some of the philosophy that they taught does contain some moral good.
There are some moral evils that are present, even in some of those ancient philosophers as well. But you will find that they get some things right. Even an atheist can be a kind person sometimes. And it's because we're able to look at the world and see at least gather that there's some sense to all of this that has been made.
And wisdom is kind of saying that here. You can look at creation and know there is an ultimate creator behind all of that. All of this stuff makes sense. It's governed by certain laws. And we should be able to look at creation and know that even observing the wisdom of God that was needed for the creation of all things.
When he established the heavens, I was there. It says in verse 27, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep. We've seen this before. This is in Job 26, verse 10. He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness.
All these wisdom books do kind of run together sometimes. Job, Psalms, Proverbs. It's in Proverbs chapter or sorry, I was going to mention Psalms. Psalm 104, verse 5. He set the earth on its foundations so that it could never be moved.
We continue on with verse 20. Well, I think it was verse 27. I said last verse 28, when he made firm the skies above. When he established the fountains of the deep. This is straight out of Genesis. Genesis 1, verse 6.
God said, let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters. And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse.
And it was so. And God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning the second day. So he made firm the skies above. When he established the fountains of the deep, he separated the sky from the water.
When he assigned to the sea its limit so that the waters might not transgress his command. When he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him like a master workman. And I was daily his delight rejoicing before him always rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
So just as we have references through the Psalms about creation, giving glory to God. So you have wisdom talking about delighting in that which God has created. That we can look at what God has created and give glory and honor and praise to him because of how amazing he is that he would establish all of these things this way.
Even setting the boundaries that this thing cannot go beyond this. This cannot become that. God has created the laws of nature and nature cannot pass or transgress those boundaries. So the reference to the waves, the sea in Proverbs 8, 29, when he assigned to the sea its limit so that the waters might not transgress his command.
Why does the ocean only go so far? Why doesn't it just envelop the whole land? Why are there laws that keep the waters back here in the land over there? Because God has established these things. Pope Francis was in the news again recently.
Did you see what for? He said that if we don't do something about global warming, then the whole earth is going to be wiped out in a global flood. Has he read the book of Genesis? After God destroyed the world in a flood, saving Noah and his family and a bunch of animals on an ark.
He put his rainbow in the sky and said, never again will I destroy the earth in a flood. My kids can tell Pope Francis that lesson. He doesn't even have enough Bible knowledge to out school a Sunday school student.
It's incredible. But this is just kind of an example of how God is the one who has established these boundaries. Why won't there be a global flood to destroy the world? Because God won't allow it. He has promised that he will not do this again.
But we have it said in second Peter chapter three that the heavens are storing up fire for the day of judgment. So there is a day when judgment is going to come upon the whole world again. And the next time God judges the world, it will be with fire.
This is all according to his command. He is the one who has established these things. And now, oh, sons, listen to me, as it says in verse 32, blessed are those who keep my ways. Again, the voice of wisdom.
Hear instruction and be wise and do not neglect it. The God who has created all things has spoken. And we can know his voice, what he requires of us, and follow it and have fellowship with God. We are blessed and approved by God when we walk in his ways.
Verse 33, hear instruction and be wise and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors, who enters in and exits, goes in and out by wisdom.
When we walk out, we go into the world with the wisdom of God in our mind and on our hearts. When we come back in, when we're with our families, it is in the wisdom of God that we speak to one another, that we share wise things with each other, that parents discipline their children and children obey their parents, all of this according to the wisdom of God.
Verse 35, for whoever finds me finds life. Jesus said in John 10, 10, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly. Whoever finds the wisdom of God finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.
But he who fails to find me injures himself. All who hate me love death. So a person who is a fool is a self-loather. They hate themselves. They do not take care of themselves or even heed the warnings of judgment that is to come.
But instead, they go to their own destruction. They reject the wisdom of God and walk in foolishness to their own death. You know, whenever we look at the created things that are around us, it's very easy for us to look at these things and think, what great majestic intelligence or God must have created all of this, but he is too high for me.
He is too lofty and above me. He is so huge. As I look at the universe, God is bigger than this. He must be so out there. I can't ever find him. There's no way I would be able to speak to that God and he ever hear me because I'm such a puny little speck of dust here on this little ball out in the middle of nothingness.
Who is God that he would think of me or be mindful of me? David pondered these things at one point in Psalm chapter 8, but he approached it a different way. He said, who is man that you are mindful of him?
David recognizing we're but dust. We're nothing. And yet the God who created the universe and all things thinks of me, that he has made him even a little bit lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
I'm quoting Psalm 8 5 here. So yes, the God who has created all things did come down to us. And he did speak to us that we may know him and know his ways. We may know his voice and his words. We may know his commandments and keep them and walk in them.
And the God who came to us and spoke to us is Jesus Christ. God incarnate who put on flesh and dwelt among us, who lived a perfect life and died on a cross for our sins, has a perfect sacrifice shedding his blood for us, taking our sins upon himself, giving us his righteousness and now being clothed in his righteousness.
When we read the commands of God, we have the mind of God, the heart of God, that we may keep the word of God. We would not be able to do these things without the help of God. And it is Christ who is our help.
It is his Holy Spirit that he has poured into our hearts that we may know wisdom. Now the world will call this wisdom, the wisdom of God, the world will call it foolishness. They will mock it. They will find it ridiculous.
And of course they do because they do not know God. But we who know God, no wisdom. We are able to distinguish wise from folly. And walk in the right way that we may find life and obtain favor from the Lord.
But whoever rejects these things injures himself. And all who hate the wisdom of God love death. So may we walk in these ways that are set before us here in the word of God that we have considered today.
We will find life in Jesus Christ, our Savior, and find it abundantly, everlasting with God forever in glory. Heavenly Father, thank you for these words. Thank you for reminding us of the goodness that you have shown to us.
Though we are awful,.
Wretched,.
Evil,.
Depraved,.
Sinners,.
Deserving of the judgment of God. Yet you have shown mercy to us and by your grace sent your son that we may know him and have fellowship with God and live. Lead us in life everlasting even this day. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
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