Proverbs 8:31-36
 
Prov 8:31 (KJB)
Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
 
(Isa 45:18 KJV) For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. Here we have the joyfulness of wisdom as it rejoices in the way God had created this earth to be inhabited. Wisdom brings its pleasures to the sons of men, that is, those who have become saved and even those who are unsaved benefit from the great wisdom which is displayed upon this earth. The unbelievers benefit from the fact that the sun will rise in the morning, the seasons are always on time, rain will come at an appointed time, etc. One can see the wisdom in the creation and wisdom rejoices in the creation. Even when sin entered the world, the creation still operated in the wisdom of God, even though it is more hidden because of sin.
 
Prov 8:32 (KJB)
Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
 
Hearken - Listen with understanding
Keep - Observe
 
Here wisdom makes another plea that those who are saved will listen to wisdom and to listen with understanding. It is one thing to hear wisdom and then let it go by but it is the wise man who hears wisdom and understands it and then seeks how he may place that wisdom into his everyday life. Those who hear and understand the ways of wisdom will be blessed in their lives. Those who reject wisdom will not be blessed in their life and will probably find confusion instead. The verse may have been directed to Solomon’s children originally but this Scripture applies to all the true believers that we are to take wisdom into our lives and live in it.
 
Prov 8:33 (KJB)
Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
 
Hear - Listen with understanding
And refuse it not - Neglect
 
Here is a straight admonition to the Christian that we are to listen to wisdom, which is found in the word of God, and we are to show our wisdom by not neglecting or refusing the teachings of Scripture. Many Christians have made shipwreck of their lives by rejecting the wisdom of God and going their own way thinking that they are walking in the light. If we walk against the counsel of the Scriptures, even though we may be saved, we will be walking in darkness. (1 Tim 1:18-20 KJV) This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; {19} Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: {20} Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. The apostle Paul had handed these two over to Satan, that is, if they were truly saved, then Paul is basically allowing them to go their own way and be afflicted so they will come to their senses, just like the Prodigal Son who fed swine and then came to his senses realizing that his father would accept him back as a son. Rejecting the wisdom of God can send a believer into a situation of severe chastisement which could have been avoided in the first place by heeding the wisdom of God in Scripture.
 
Prov 8:34 (KJB)
Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
 
Heareth - Hearing with understanding
Watching - To be vigilant
Waiting - Observing
 
Here is a three fold blessing waiting for every true Christian. The man is blessed who hears wisdom and then understands the essence of what he hears and is able to live within the wisdom of God. This person not only hears with understanding true Godly wisdom, but he remains vigilant to absorb every nugget of the wisdom of God that he can. (Jer 29:12-13 KJV) Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. {13} And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Just as the promise given to the true believer that if they seek the Lord with all their heart, they will find Him. The person who has experienced the wisdom of God will be watching very diligently for more of the wisdom. This person not only watches but observes wisdom at work. The more they see and experience wisdom, the more they desire. This is basically showing that they have a hunger for God and His wisdom. As we seek the Lord, true wisdom awaits.
 
Prov 8:35 (KJB)
For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
 
Favour - The word basically means “pleasure, will, desire, wish.” It carries with it the idea of harmony with God or God satisfying the
               desires of His children.
 
Those who find wisdom are finding life. This means that those who become saved will have the wisdom of God implanted in them and will have the written word of wisdom, which is the Scriptures. (Psa 51:6 KJV) Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. As David knew that God desired him to have wisdom in his life, God also desires the true believer to have wisdom in his life. This wisdom causes us to walk in harmony with the Lord and not out of step which would cause us much problems in our walk. The principle is basic to Amos 3:3: (Amos 3:3 KJV) Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Can we walk in harmony with the Lord if we reject the wisdom of God? The answer is, of course, no. No Christian can walk in harmony with God if they are walking in disobedience. This is why God tells us that if we walk in wisdom, then we are walking in harmony with Him.
 
Prov 8:36 (KJB)
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
 
Wrongeth - Do violence to
 
Here is the admonition to the unbeliever that if they sin against the wisdom of God, they are doing violence to their own souls and the end product is that in their unbelief, they have grown hard toward God and have a hatred toward Him. We know this is to the unbeliever because the verse begins with the conjunction “but” which means on the other hand, which is contrasting the true believer in the previous verse with the unbeliever in this verse. This means that they have rejected the wisdom of God found in salvation and their hatred of God causes the opposite effect, their hatred of God causes them to love death. That is, those who are in opposition to God will find themselves facing the judgment seat of Christ on the last day and will be cast into eternal damnation for their hatred of God. Their hatred will come to full fruition as they are cast into hell. Rejecting the wisdom of God is like rejecting the salvation of God. They go hand in hand.

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