Proverbs 8

In His mercy, the Lord continues to call to sinners because He is “long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3: nkjv). Wisdom returns to the crowded places of the city and calls out so everyone may hear. But note that she addresses the simple and the fools but not the scorners (compare Prov. 1: with 8:5). They had laughed at her message and turned away from the truth, so their opportunities were over, not because God wasn’t speaking but because their hearts were too hard to hear. “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 4:7–8 nkjv). “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks” (12: nkjv).

Wisdom’s second message has three very clear points, followed by a call to decision.

“You can trust my words” (vv. 6–9). Five adjectives are used here to describe the character of the message Wisdom declares. Her words are “excellent” (v. 6), a word that is often translated “captain” or “ruler” in the Old Testament. The New International Version reads “worthy things,” and other translations use “noble” or “princely.” Since God’s message is the Word of the King, it is indeed noble and princely.

The message also contains “right things” (vv. 6, 9), a word that describes something straight. The English word right comes from the Latin rectus which means “straight.” This root is also seen in words like “direct” and “correct.” God’s Word is also true (v. 7) and righteous (v. 8). Folly uses deceptive and “crooked” words to achieve her purposes, language that George Orwell called “newspeak” in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four and that we would today call “double-speak.” Whatever God’s Word says about anything is right and can be trusted (Ps. 119:128). “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether” (19: nkjv).

Wisdom’s words are plain, spoken clearly and openly so that there can be no confusion. Of course, those who reject the Lord don’t understand what God is saying (1 Cor. 2:12–16), but this isn’t because the Word of God is confusing or unclear. It’s because sinners are spiritually blind and deaf (Matt. 13:14–15). The problem is with the hearer, not the speaker. Mark Twain is supposed to have said, “It isn’t what I don’t understand about the Bible that worries me, but what I do understand.”

“You can receive true wealth” (vv. 10–21). This passage deals with enrichment, not riches in the material sense. Wisdom isn’t promising to put money in the bank for us; she’s urging us to seek eternal wealth instead of gold, silver, and precious stones (see vv. 18–19 as well as 2:4; 3:13–15; 1 Cor. 3:12). This is an Old Testament version of Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (nkjv).

Some Israelites during the Old Testament era had the idea that wealth was a sign of God’s blessing while poverty and trouble were evidences that you were out of His favor. Because Job’s friends held to a “prosperity theology,” they concluded that Job was a great sinner or he wouldn’t be suffering so much. When Jesus said it was hard for a rich man to enter God’s kingdom, His astounded disciples asked, “Who then can be saved?” (Matt. 19:23–26). If rich people don’t make it to heaven, who will?

But Wisdom has better gifts to offer than perishable riches—blessings like prudence, knowledge, discretion (“witty inventions,” Prov. 8:12), the fear of the Lord, humility, godly speech, wise counsel, understanding, guidance on life’s path, strength for the journey, and “durable riches.” A life that’s enriched by God may be poor in this world’s goods, but it is rich in the things that matter most. It’s good to enjoy the things that money can buy, provided you don’t lose the things that money can’t buy. What Wisdom has to offer can’t be purchased anywhere, no matter how rich you are.

How do we secure this satisfying and enduring wealth? Hear the Word of God (v. 6), receive instruction (v. 10), love truth and wisdom (vv. 17, 21), and seek God and His wisdom daily (v. 17). Many of God’s people have discovered how important it is to start each day with the Lord, meditating on His Word, praying, and worshipping Him. (See Ps. 57: and 63:11; Gen. 19:27; Ex. 24:4; Mark 1:35.)

“You can see my works” (vv. 22–31). We touched upon this in chapter 1 and found it to be an explanation of the wisdom of God at work in the creation of the universe. While it isn’t a description of Jesus Christ, for the eternal Son of God was never created, it does foreshadow Christ as the creative Word that brought everything into being (John 1:1–4; Col. 2:3).

One of the lessons of this paragraph is that the power and splendor of God, seen all around us in creation, are evidence of what God’s wisdom can do. The same God who worked in the “old creation” also wants to work in our lives in the “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:10; 4:24; Col. 3:10). The Lord Jesus Christ, who holds the universe together and causes it to fulfill His will, can hold our lives together and accomplish His purposes for His glory.

When we belong to Jesus Christ and walk in His wisdom, all of creation works for us; if we rebel against His wisdom and will, things start to work against us, as Jonah discovered when he tried to run away from the Lord.

“You must make a decision!” (vv. 32–36). Having declared God’s truth, Wisdom now calls for a decision, as all faithful heralds must do. How people respond to God’s message is a matter of life or death (vv. 35–36), and it’s impossible to be neutral. Wisdom calls for a sincere, life-changing decision that involves turning from sin (repentance) and turning to Christ (faith). If the decision is real, it will result in a commitment to the Lord that leads to meeting with Him daily, like a servant at the master’s door.

Those who reject God’s truth sin against their own souls. Those who hate God’s truth are heading for eternal death (Rev. 20:11–15).