8:1-36
Here wisdom is again personified. It is something beautiful ... to aspire to. And the good news is that all you have to do to get wisdom is eagerly desire it.
Wisdom is truth, exists alongside prudence and contains knowledge and discretion. Wisdom hates pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech. Wisdom follows the way of righteousness and justice.
God brought wisdom forth as His first work and Wisdom is described as being from the beginning. It is suggested Wisdom is an attribute of Jesus and signifies Jesus, preparing the people for the concept of the Messiah and how He would fit in with God.
If you look at verses 32 to 36 you will see the same instructions Jesus gives:
- Blessed are those who keep my ways.
- Listen to my instruction.
- You are blessed if you listen to me and wait on me.
- If you find me you find life and receive favour from God.
- If you fail to find me you harm yourself and love death if you hate me.
Worldly wisdom is not how we know God.
In 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Paul writes of the message of the cross being foolishness to the worldly and to those who follow Jesus it is the power of God.
The wisdom of the world is foolish. It is not possible to know God through the wisdom of the world. Only through Jesus, the power and wisdom of God can we know God. The true wisdom of God is greater than earthly wisdom. Even the foolishness of God is greater than earthly wisdom. We acquire Godly wisdom when God calls us, and God calls the lowly so we may not boast or our own wisdom.
Because God chose us we are in Christ Jesus. He has become for us wisdom from God. If we look at Proverbs 8 that means He is our:
- Righteousness
- Holiness
- Redemption
Look back over the instructions of verses 32 to 36 and read Jesus in place of ‘my’.
This is true wisdom. This is Jesus.
Seek Him and you will find Him.
Seek Him and you will also receive Godly wisdom.
Seek Him and you will find life.