#912 Proverbs 8 Part 1 Twist and Shout

Does not wisdom call?

Does not understanding raise her voice?

2 On the heights beside the way,

at the crossroads she takes her stand;

3 beside the gates in front of the town,

at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

4 “To you, O men, I call,

and my cry is to the children of man.

5 O simple ones, learn prudence;

O fools, learn sense.

6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,

and from my lips will come what is right,

7 for my mouth will utter truth;

wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;

there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

9 They are all straight to him who understands,

and right to those who find knowledge.

10 Take my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than choice gold,

11 for wisdom is better than jewels,

and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,

and I find knowledge and discretion.

13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.

Pride and arrogance and the way of evil

and perverted speech I hate.

14 I have counsel and sound wisdom;

I have insight; I have strength.

15 By me kings reign,

and rulers decree what is just;

16 by me princes rule,

and nobles, all who govern justly.

17 I love those who love me,

and those who seek me diligently find me.

18 Riches and honor are with me,

enduring wealth and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,

and my yield than choice silver.

20 I walk in the way of righteousness,

in the paths of justice,

21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,

and filling their treasuries.

22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work,

the first of his acts of old.

23 Ages ago I was set up,

at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,

when there were no springs abounding with water.

25 Before the mountains had been shaped,

before the hills, I was brought forth,

26 before he had made the earth with its fields,

or the first of the dust of the world.

27 When he established the heavens, I was there;

when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

28 when he made firm the skies above,

when he established the fountains of the deep,

29 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,

30 then I was beside him, like a master workman,

and I was daily his delight,

rejoicing before him always,

31 rejoicing in his inhabited world

and delighting in the children of man.

32 “And now, O sons, listen to me:

blessed are those who keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction and be wise,

and do not neglect it.

34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,

watching daily at my gates,

waiting beside my doors.

35 For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains favor from the Lord,

36 but he who fails to find me injures himself;

all who hate me love death.” Proverbs 8 ESV

Proverbs 8 

Does not wisdom call - She is not silent or hidden, does not, like the woman in Proverbs 7, need the cloak of night or secrets. 

Beside the gates in front of the town - On the heights, at the crossroads, she is everywhere that mankind walks. You do not need to go on a long journey or to a place of pilgrimage. She is not for any particular group, rich or poor, only to those that listen and heed her instruction. It would seem that she has gone out to the streets, has put herself where people can find her easily, and raised her voice.

O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools learn sense - You do not need a degree or a high IQ. I have met many a genius, many people with titles that have no common sense. Prudence is caution with good judgement, and she is offering it to those the world would not consider smart, and even to those whose track record is not that of good judgement. It is an invitation to come out of a destructive pattern, to know wisdom. It is still difficult to receive her, for some think themselves already wise, just as Christ did not come to save the righteous but to call sinners, many will say, "O, that is for someone else, I am not sick, I am not a sinner, I am not ignorant of anything, I am already humble enough."

…5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was helpless, and He saved me. 7 Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.… Psalms 116: 5-7

For my mouth will utter truth - This is her noble nature; she will not lie because she hates lying lips, they are an abomination. This is her simplicity; she will only deal in truth. 

31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33“We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”…

…34 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.… John 8: 31-36

…43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!… John 8: 43-45

There is nothing twisted or crooked in them - The woman in Proverbs 7 twisted religion and "love" into her ploy of adultery. She chose her words carefully, luring in the simple, answering his questions and possible apprehensions before he even asked. 

…33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame. 1 Corinthians 15: 33-34

…2 that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric.… Colossians 2: 2-4

…19 I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first. 20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.… Revelation 2: 19-21

Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate - Pride is the root. We aim at so many of it's leaves and branches, paint over so many walls, clean the outside of the cup, but Oh what a much more grievous and horrible thing to behold. This is why men hate the truth; it reveals they think far too highly of themselves, and it smashes the image to the floor. 

…5 No longer will a fool be called noble, nor a scoundrel be respected. 6 For a fool speaks foolishness; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD; he leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink. 7 The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.… Isaiah 32: 5-7

ii. “It was a smart answer which M. Durant, a witty and learned minister of the Reformed Church of Paris, gave to a lady of suspected chastity, and now revolted: when she pretended the hardness of the Scripture, Why, said he, madam, what can be more plain than ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery?’ Had she not been failing in the practice of what she could not but know, she had found no cause to complain of the difficulty of that which she could not know.” (Trapp)

And nobles, all who govern justly - Those who rule justly rule with wisdom.