Wednesday Bible Study: God in Proverbs part V

 

For me, the best way to show the Holy Spirit in Proverbs is right there in chapter 8 and the first six verses of 9.  If you look at the Spirit as Wisdom, then this passage moves Him from the most mysterious Person of the Trinity to the most well-explained.  So what do we need to learn about the Holy Spirit?

He first of all CALLS us to an encounter with Him (v1).  And it isn't a hidden call, as you might expect- But in the places most designed to be heard.  The author writing for Him lists 

Pro 8:2  She stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the path. 

Pro 8:3  She cries in the gates, before the entrance of the city, at the doors. 

Where you can't miss, where you must cross, where you go to, and where you go home.  So why do so many miss?  Look from where we start out:

Pro 8:5  O simple ones, understand wisdom; and, fools, be of an understanding heart. 

You have to want to UNDERSTAND.  Which means it starts with Jesus. The simple, who know nothing, have to be reached through the mind; the fool, who says in their heart there is no God, has to be reached through the heart.  Note that the Scoffer isn't mentioned; they've hardened both heart and mind, and the call doesn't go out to them.  Now I'm going to back up and point out something else....

Pro 8:4  To you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

The word for "men" is not just a plural of the word for "man".  The first is to an individual; the second, chased down to its roots, is for the species, 'man'.  The Spirit calls to nations, to races, as well as to individuals.  Which is why when a nation- like Israel back in the day, or the US now- rejects Him, consequences are to follow.

Our next topic, what kinds of things does the Spirit call out? He lists them in vv 6-9:

Pro 8:6  Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 

First two.  Excellent things- referring to the "chief", or most important things.  Right things- straightforward, and bringing prosperity are the meanings behind this word.

Pro 8:7  For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is hateful to my lips. 

Next two.  Truth- the core means to build up.  Wickedness, which He will NOT speak, things that disturb morality.

Pro 8:8  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; nothing twisted or perverse is in them. 

Next two.  Righteousness is right, true.  The two things He won't speak here are twisted (morally warped) and perverse (distorted). 

Pro 8:9  They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. 

Final word is plain, meaning straightforward- but once again, only to those who have Understanding/Jesus, and have found that God/Knowledge is real.  See how it all fits together!

VV 10-11 again hit the theme that you have to VALUE God in all His persons to receive the tremendous value in Him.  

Now He goes on to describe Himself, after a fashion:

Pro 8:12  "I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. 

This is the Spirit being part and parcel to the plan God has had from the beginning (remember our look at Ephesians?)  Next, He explains to us His facet of what 'Fear of the Lord' is:

Pro 8:13  The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. 

For Him, Fear of the Lord is hatred of sin, pure and simple.  How it must grieve Him to live inside us, watching us sin, calling out in a very obvious way to get us to cease!

Pro 8:14  Counsel and sound wisdom are mine; I am understanding; I have strength. 

You don't truly grasp Jesus without the Spirit's involvement.  The core word for strength is an intensifier- This is where Jesus explains it...

Mat 17:19  Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 

Mat 17:20  He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." 

This is a passage I misunderstood until recently.  You see, it is not that the Apostles had a faith any greater than my own.  Faith is a gift from the Spirit.  It has a range of strength depending on how we use and access it.  The Apostles could have done anything Jesus did, miracle-wise- He told them that:

Joh 14:12  "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 

Joh 14:13  Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

Because faith is access to the power of the Spirit- it's all up to how we access it!  I would say moving a mountain would take a near total access- but with that much access to Wisdom, I'd venture to guess that moving an actual mountain is just showing off (see last week's episode).

One last thing, and it is the why and the way of how we should pray for our leaders:

Pro 8:15  By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 

Pro 8:16  by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. 

So the Spirit not only guides the fates of men who are called to service, but if perchance they get something right, that's the Spirit moving in them, too!  So pray for our leaders, that the Spirit might guide them to the benefit of the ruled, and that they might hear the leading of the Spirit.  I'll finish some more of this next week, if God is willing and The Holy Spirit doesn't guide me into another rabbit hole...