Sunday, May 16, 1999 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 9:1-6, we learned about the value of forsaking the foolish and of choosing the ways of wisdom and understanding. Throughout the Book of Proverbs, Solomon taught about the value of wisdom and understanding and how that through these two, plus such things as discretion and knowledge, one can live a very good life in the Lord. To each of us, the challenge is to go in the way of understanding. The world's crowd would tell us that happiness is found in things and in wild, carefree living. But over a lifetime, happiness and blessings are really found in the Lord and in doing those things that bring honor and glory to Him. Solomon wrote that wisdom has built her house and hewn her pillars. For many years, the people of Israel had dwelled in tents, so Solomon used this expression of building one's house as a way to indicate that wisdom has put its affairs in order. He was telling us that we put our own house and our own lives in order when we seek and live according to God's wisdom. Throughout Scriptures and especially in the Book of Proverbs, we are encouraged to seek wisdom. Proverbs 3:13 says, "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding." Proverbs 4:7 says, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding."
In Proverbs 9:2, Solomon wrote that she, meaning wisdom, has killed her beasts, mingled her wine, and furnished her table. The Hebrew word for beasts means flocks or grazing animals. In this context, Solomon was referring to animals that were used for food, and the idea was one of preparedness. The slothful sometimes go without because of their laziness, but godly wisdom is not a picture of slothfulness. Instead, it is a view of faithful diligence towards the things of the Lord. Mingling the wine and furnishing one's table are also signs of having oneself prepared. Being prepared certainly has temporal significance, but it has even greater eternal significance. We need to be prepared for our life on the other side of the grave, and for that, we need to be rightly related to our Lord. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 10:13 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." The Bible teaches that salvation is a free gift from God and that we can receive it when we place our trust in Jesus' finished work at Calvary. Wisdom cries to the simple, and God issues His call to everyone. But only a few respond. In the world's eyes, those who seek Christ are simple and unwise, but in the end, they are really the only truly wise ones. I Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
If you only get one thing right in this life, then let it be your relationship with the Lord. Solomon constantly taught the value of wisdom and understanding, but apart from Christ, there is not any wisdom or understanding. As you go through the coming week, do your best to be the person that the Lord wants you to be and to live the life that He wants you to live.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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