To Know The Lord Is To Possess Wisdom

To Know the Lord is to Possess Wisdom

Proverbs 9:1-10 August 18, 2002

PROVERBS 9:1-10

1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.

2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.

3She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.

4"Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment.

5"Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed.

6Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.

7"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.

8Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

9Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.

10"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

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Dearest Fellow-Redeemed and Saints in the Lord:

Why do we come to church? Why do we take time to read our Bibles or attend Bible study? Sometimes we may ask ourselves those questions. Our sinful nature may wonder if we get anything out of it at all. Perhaps if we don?t ask ourselves those questions, maybe someone in the world has asked us those questions. Why go to church at all? What is all this fuss about? Why is it so important to learn, hear and study God?s Word? Very simply, Paul answers that question in Timothy: "And how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus"(2 TIMOTHY 3:15). We gather together on Sunday and special services to become wise for salvation. Whether in private devotions at home or in public worship here, God has given us that wisdom which leads to eternal life.

In our life we learn many things, but there is nothing as important as this wisdom that God gives us to make us wise for salvation. That?s what we?re reminded of in our text this morning. Very simply, at the end we?re told ?and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.? Proverbs 9:10 states with other words that our theme says this morning:

To Know the Lord is to Possess Wisdom

I. God?s Wisdom Satisfies

II. God?s Wisdom Instructs

I. God?s Wisdom Satisfies

Hopefully you did not miss the comparison of Wisdom preparing a feast, a meal for those who would partake of it?not just a meal, but a feast?a banquet! It is so important that it mentions the house, the building that was going to be used. 1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. It?s not just a shack by the side of the road, but it?s going to be a mansion. Even today when we see a house with one or two pillars, we realize that that?s a pretty large house. Here, our text describes Wisdom, as a house of seven pillars, it is almost beyond imagination. In that house is going to be enough room for everyone who wants to come. There is going to be a banquet. Our text says: 2She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She?s gotten everything ready. The original says ?they?ve slaughtered the beasts?. And they?ve mixed the wine with spices so that it?s as tasty as it could be. The table is set. Everything is now ready. What?s left? Of course, it?s the invitation.

3She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. They?re going to announce that the banquet is ready to begin, they are going to go to the highest point where everyone will see them and everyone will hear them. No one is to be excluded for here is the invitation: 4"Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. The invitation is to everyone. Everyone who wants to come can feast at the banquet that Wisdom has prepared. She says it?s an invitation to those who lack judgement?going back to the original it says--those who have a need of their heart. A need that is in their heart?something that is missing in their life. Whether they realize it or not, what is missing is wisdom, the wisdom of God which is able to make them wise for salvation. The invitation says: 6Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding. Wisdom was going to feed them with a banquet that would cause them to live, not live day by day, but live beyond the days of this life into eternity. It would happen by them leaving their sinful ways of the world and looking to the spiritual ways that God would provide. What a beautiful description for you, me, every believer and even everyone in the world.