Proverbs 2:1-5
 
Prov 2:1 (KJB)
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
 
Receive - Seize or grasp
Hide - Store
 
Here the writer tells his son that if he will receive the words of wisdom, that is, grasp the reality of wisdom and then after hearing those words to store them up in their heart. (Psa 119:11 KJV) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. The same word for “hide” in Proverbs 2:1 is “hid” in Psalm 119:11. The key to using the wisdom of God is to store that wisdom up by understanding it so when the time comes when we must call upon wisdom, we will have it at hand and it will avert a problematic situation. As we see in Psalm 119:11, the key to preventing ourselves from sinning is to hide God’s word, that is, store up God’s word in our heart. The same principle applies to wisdom.
 
Prov 2:2 (KJB)
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
 
So that thou incline - To be attentive or to listen
Apply - Turn aside or bend down to be attentive
 
If there is one principle about wisdom we must understand and that is it must go past our ears and into our heart. Here Solomon is teaching his son that when he hears words of wisdom, he needs to listen very carefully to them. Pride can never co-exist with wisdom and that is why he is telling his son that he is literally to bend down his heart, in other words, he is to be in deference to wisdom and not try to be above it. When man tries to place his own wisdom above the wisdom of God, it is then when we get into trouble. (Mat 23:11 KJV) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. The Lord stated that the greatest among His disciples will be the servants. The principle is transferable and that the wisest among Christians will be the one who bows to the wisdom of God knowing that God’s wisdom transcends anything that man can concoct. (1 Pet 5:6 KJV) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: This principle is also given to us in a different way in 1 Peter 5:6, in that we are to humble ourselves under God’s hand and He will exalt us, or raise us up, in the proper time. While we are being humbled we are in a learning process and part of the learning process for the Christian is learning wisdom in submission to God.
 
Prov 2:3 (KJB)
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
 
Yea if thou criest - To call, invoke, or summon
Liftest up - Incline or set
 
Here Solomon is teaching us that we should summon or call after wisdom and not wait for wisdom to find us. It is something that every child of God needs to pursue with great diligence. Not only are we to set our sights on wisdom of the application of knowledge, we are to lift up our voice, that is, to set our prayers upon that goal that God would grant us the needed wisdom for life. Lifting up our voices in the Old Testament is a sign that one is seeking in earnest whatever is in view. (Gen 27:38 KJV) And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
 
Prov 2:4 (KJB)
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
 
If there is one thing man does in this world it is searching for riches. Man will leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of wealth. In this passage we are told that we need to search and seek for wisdom in the same manner that the unsaved seeks for treasure. Sometimes the jewels of wisdom are not so evident and that Is why we must search for it as one searches for treasure. Man makes a diligent search for treasure and in that manner, we make that search for wisdom. (Zep 1:12 KJV) And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. The same word for “search” is used in Zephaniah as God states that He is going to search Jerusalem with candles. Basically, what He is saying is that He will do a thorough search. He uses the term candles meaning He will bring to light those people who have taught falsely about Him. In other words, no one will escape because the search will be meticulous and that is how God wants us to search for wisdom.
 
Prov 2:5 (KJB)
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
 
Verses 1-4 shows us how we are to make a relentless search for wisdom and the balance of this chapter deals with the rewards of finding that wisdom. The two main rewards of finding wisdom work together. First, we will have a deeper perception or discernment of the fear of the Lord and secondly, as we experience the fear of the Lord, our knowledge of Him will become deeper and more discernable. What we are promised here is that when wisdom reaches its goal in a believer’s life, we will know more of God and begin to experience Him in a way we never could before with just surface knowledge. For example, if we want to know more of the creative ability of God, we look at our eyes which have the ability to discern between 7,000 different colors and shades in an instant. Now we work backwards and begin to ask, “what wisdom does a God have who can create an eye that can discern 7,000 colors and shades?” This would be akin to the beginning of knowledge which would cause us to reverence God. We would reverence Him not because of the eye that He created, but the fact that He is able to make something that intricate. So we now have a little insight into God’s creative ability and that is just one aspect of it. As we begin to gain more knowledge like that, we will begin to see Him in a new perspective.

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