Proverbs 8:22, 30-31 gives us a powerful application of wisdom, and everything from Proverbs 8:23-29 is the practical outworking of wisdom. We are going to take this in three parts. First is the intro, second is the practical outworking, and third is the application. When we look at Proverbs 8:22, we are seeing where wisdom originated from. Wisdom was possessed, or owned, by the Lord in the beginning of His way. And even before He began His works. Where does this take us? Genesis 1:1.
We are finding that wisdom can and only be found in God. The very first place wisdom can only be found and must lead to is to God. Wisdom is God’s and His to give to all who ask. There are many things about the wisdom of God, and we should look at. First, the wisdom of God is described as being universal (Daniel 2:20). His wisdom is infinite (Psalm 147:5). It is impossible to search the depth of God’s wisdom (Isaiah 40:28). His wisdom is mighty (Job 36:5). Finally, His wisdom is perfect (Job 37:16). Therefore, we have a basis upon which we look at wisdom. It is from here we begin looking at the next segment.
Wisdom was with God as He began His work. Proverbs 8:23-29 shows us in greater detail this truth and we can also look at Genesis chapters 1 and 2. All of Creation speaks of, and demonstrates the wisdom of God and the glory of God. Look at the list through Proverbs 8:23-29. It lays down the power of God on display and shows His working in all of Creation. The Bible talks about Creation showing the handiwork of God in several places: Psalm 8:3; 19:1; 136:5; Proverbs 3:19-20; Jeremiah 10:12; Nehemiah 9:6; Isaiah 40:26; Romans 1:19-20. Perhaps one of the best portions of Scripture to see the handiwork of God is reading through Job 38-41. Do we not see the wisdom and characteristics of God through creation?
We will jump to Proverbs 8:30. Wisdom says that when all that has happened in Proverbs 8:23-29 occurred, wisdom was there as a master craftsman. It was wisdom that God had that made all we see, feel, touch, hear, smell, taste. But notice also what is said in this text. This wisdom was God’s delight and rejoiced before Him. God took delight in His own wisdom and His wisdom rejoiced before Him. These two words are key.
First is the word delight. Means enjoyment, or the object of delight. This word is only used nine times in the Old Testament in such texts as: Psalm 119:24, 77, 92, 143, 174; Isaiah 5:7; and Jeremiah 31:20, not including Proverbs 8:30-31.
Second word is rejoiced. This word has some very strong negative attributes such as to laugh in derision, or to mock. But here, that would not make sense. Instead, it would mean to play as in sing and dance. To take joy in the work of God. We find this use, sparingly, throughout the Old Testament. For example: 1 Samuel 18:7; 2 Samuel 6:5, 21; 1 Chronicles 13:8; 15:29. It is in God that wisdom delights and rejoices. But specifically, look at Proverbs 8:31. It is in His world. Yet, in the world, all of the sons of men (that would be all of us) should take delight in the work of God. The application is very clear in two points.
First, If we spend any time reading through and listening to false teachers, especially with the New Apostolic Reformation, they will present God as sad, depressed, lonely, needy, clingy. Please understand, when God saved us, it is because He wanted to save us. Our text clearly shows that God does not NEED us. He WANTS us. God is self sufficient in Himself, and He is self existent on only Himself. Colossians 1:15-17 shows that everything exists in God, but God exists outside of that. He exists without any due cause from anything else. Be very careful if any teacher tries to pass God or Jesus on as something less than He truly is.
Second, Creation did not happen by chance. There is wisdom, knowledge, power on display through Creation. So many have pursued after the humanistic version of our beginning, often touted as “Science”. The theory of Evolution provides the vehicle. But stop to consider how much Evolution has to dismiss, or explain away, or ignore, or contradict itself in order to get its own mechanism to work. There is a statement called Occam’s razor. There are many ways this is presented, but here is one:
“The belief or theory that has the least amount of assumptions must be the correct one.”
When looking at Science, and the evidence we find, where does that evidence lead? Yes, it is true that we are unable to duplicate Creation, but it is equally true we are unable to duplicate Evolution. Both are theories. In order for something to be “Scientific” it has to be able to undergo the Scientific Method. Both Evolution and Creation cannot. We can, however, put what we see under the microscope, as it were, and then test to see where it leads.
As one question asked of me was,
“How can you believe in Science and also the Bible”
Easy. Science upholds the foundation of the Bible and the Bible, when it does talk about Science, NEVER is wrong! Many of the greatest Scientific discoveries of the past were because of reading the Bible! One example is Matthew Maury who is known as the “Pathfinder of the Sea”. We know about trade winds, and currents today. But back in Matthew Maury’s day, this was unknown. It was not until Matthew Maury read Psalm 8:8, that he embarked on his discovery.
We could go deeper than this. We can talk about the sun, moon, stars, comets, asteroids, and many other celestial bodies. We can also focus on the earth, with all that is here and how everything just works, and it seems to be too orderly, to structured. We could talk about our own bodies with our eyes, brain, and even something as simple as our own hands! There is no possibly way, using the scientific method, we can ever arrive to the conclusion of evolutionary theory. This was Charlies Darwin’s attempt to cast off the Biblical authority, and Charles Darwin was not the originator of Evolutionary Theory. It was Charles Lyell. Charlies Darwin only popularized it.
Yet, Evolution, if looked at by itself, collapses under its own weight as the evidence against it piles on. Creation, does not. Instead, the more we study through the lens of Science, the more we see the truth of Creation as laid out in Genesis 1:1-31 and Genesis 2:1-25. God’s wisdom is open to all to see. This means though that since all are created, all are accountable under God. All will answer to Him. Herein lies the reason many reject the Bible. They do not want to be accountable to anyone other than themselves. This is the very heart of humanism which says that mankind is a god unto themselves. Evolutionary theory feeds that very belief.
Do not be fooled by psudo-science called Evolution. The Word of God tells us that God created all things, and existed before all things. We can trust in God’s Word and believe it, even the places we may struggle with. Science upholds the Bible, not contradicts it.
There are many great ministries that put forth this truth, one in particular has been a major blessing to this author in particular. The ministry is called, The Institute for Creation Research (icr.org). I would challenge believer and skeptic alike to go on their site. Look through their stuff. See what they say. Follow their train of thought, using your God created intellect and logic. Sign up for their free magazine called, Acts & Facts, and do as much of the research as you can, or follow the evidence they put forth and research. Real truth ALWAYS leads back to God.