Wednesday Bible study: God in Proverbs part VI

 

Today I want to start on the passage that brought me to this- finding Father God as Knowledge, Jesus as Understanding, the Spirit as Wisdom.  And here is where you cannot be lazy with your Bible.  Because, if you read a lot of translations, you get something like this:

Pro 8:22  "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. 

And from that you might deduce that the creation of Wisdom was Father God's first act- and thus, how could Spirit = Wisdom?  But now, look at the Young's Literal translation- which gives you what it says without bothering to put it in a "readable order":

Pro 8:22  Jehovah possessed me--the beginning of His way, Before His works since then. 

The beginning of His Way- when it was God Alone.  What about Jesus/Understanding?  Well, remember from last week:

Pro 8:14  Mine is counsel and substance, I am understanding, I have might. 

Now, this next line might make you question again:

Pro 8:23  I was anointed from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth ever was. 

Pro 8:24  When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no springs heavy with water. 

"Brought forth"?  Again, to us it sounds like creation.  But let's see where that "brought forth" comes from:

A primitive root; properly to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), that is, (specifically) to dance...

Which makes me consider Jesus' description of the Spirit...

Joh 3:8  The Spirit breathes where He desires, and you hear His voice, but you do not know from where He comes, and where He goes; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. 

So how do we get to the Spirit being a "dancer"?  Let me sneak ahead just a little bit to make the point:

Pro 8:30  even I was a workman at His side; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him; 

Pro 8:31  rejoicing in the world, His earth; and my delight was with the sons of men. 

Let me build from here the analogy.  Father God/Knowledge/the Mind conceives the plan, Jesus/Understanding/ the Body accomplishes it...

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  He was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:3  All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 

...but, do you work out a plan unless you are INSPIRED by it, by the Promise that it brings? Spirit/Wisdom/Inspiration is what delights you to finish- what delighted God to finish!  Look a little deeper into "rejoicing" and "delight":  The first denotes happiness to the point of laughter; the second gave me "to look upon (with complacency)"- which I thought didn't fit.  Till I sourced the definition of complacency and found at the core " uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements."

This is how God feels about us!  And the Spirit wants to draw us into this delight- but there IS a catch:

Pro 8:32  And now listen to me, O sons, for blessed are those who keep my ways. 

Pro 8:33  Hear instruction, and be wise, and do not refuse it. 

Pro 8:34  Blessed is the man listening to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 

Pro 8:35  For whoever finds me finds life, and he shall obtain favor from Jehovah. 

Pro 8:36  But he who sins against me does violence to his own soul; all who hate me love death. 

Once again, that choice- will you value His instruction?  So now, you have seen 'behind the curtain, so to speak- and God has a few closing thoughts on this revelation of Wisdom:

Pro 9:1  Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. 

The Spirit has done His works...

Pro 9:2  She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 

The rewards are ready and waiting for YOU....

Pro 9:3  She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, 

The message has been preached; the choice is pointed out....

Pro 9:4  "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" To him who lacks sense she says, 

Pro 9:5  "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 

Pro 9:6  Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight." 

And this translation, the word "insight" is the UNDERSTANDING we link with Jesus.