Feast with Wisdom

June 28, 2020 Background Scripture: Proverbs 9 Lesson Passage: Proverbs 9:1 – 6, 8 – 10, 13 – 18 The questions one should ask about a proverb are: What should I learn from this? What timeless message is the author conveying in this proverb? And, how do I apply the message or lesson of this proverb in my life? What good are “wise sayings” if one does not extract the wisdom from them and make it profitable for one’s life? Today we examine Proverbs 9. Proverbs 9 continues with the personification of wisdom and brings alongside it the personification of foolishness. Wisdom and Foolishness are presented in contrast with each other as two hosts. Both hosts invite people into their homes for a feast. Just imagine, as a recipient of this proverb, you have been sent these two invitations. Each invitation is for a feast that the host has prepared for you. Each host is expecting an RSVP from you. How do you decide which invitation to accept? The answer is simple, however, getting to the details needed to make the decision is rather complex. There are several questions that you might need answered prior to responding to those invitations. Do you know anything about either feast? What do you know about the hosts of the feasts? Will there be other guests at either feast—and do you know any of them? What about the quality of the food? I have attended banquets where some of these questions did not have favorable answers. Sadly, I have attended those same banquets on numerous occasions. I have also declined invitations to banquets because I couldn’t ascertain answers to those questions in a timely manner, and I didn’t want to take a chance. Proverbs 9 teaches me something different. There is a relevant question that I have not asked in the past about banquets or feasts, “What kinds of preparations are made in anticipation of receiving guests?” The answer to this question is more important than the answers to the previous questions. To be sure, if the host goes out of the way to ensure all details are taken care of for the feast, then that would encompass the previous concerns. A great host knows that proper planning and preparation will produce successful outcomes. This is the only criteria that we need to apply to this proverb. The difference between the two invitations in Proverbs 9 can be seen in the preparations that are made for guests and the outcome of having indulged each. Wisdom makes elaborate preparations and then sends out invitations. The invitations are addressed to the simple and to those who lack understanding. The “main course” of the feast appears to be, “How one should respond to scoffers, the wicked, the wise, and the just.” There is nothing positive to be gained from correcting or rebuking a scoffer or the wicked. However, rebuking and teaching the wise and the just will yield even greater results than previously delivered by each. The appetizer is “Fear God.” Contrast to this the preparation of the foolish. The foolish sits in her doorway reinforcing the error of the simple and those who lack understanding. Eternal damnation awaits all who turn in to the foolish and accept her invitation. The only preparations are to allow the wayward to continue on their course to destruction. Both invitations are extended, and to be sure, people will accept both. Foolishness leads to destruction. But, for all who wish to increase their understanding and longevity of days, accept the invitation to feast with Wisdom. Robert C. Hudson June 17, 2020

Receive Wisdom’s Gifts

June 21, 2020 Background Scripture: Job 1:42; Proverbs 8 Lesson Passage: Proverbs 8:8 – 14, 17 –21 I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t appreciate receiving a gift. Receiving a gift can make you feel special. Gifts are wonderful because we don’t do anything to earn them—if we earned them, they would be wages rather than gifts. Even small tokens are received as signs of appreciation. Gifts can come in an endless variety. We are going to look at some of those in this lesson. Today’s lesson continues with the personification of wisdom; that is to say, wisdom is presented as a person. This proverb extols the excellence of wisdom. In our lesson, wisdom is spoken of as going to all the places where people frequently traffic. Wisdom is depicted as standing on the hilltop, or at the gate of the city, or at the door leading into a public place. Wisdom is there seeking for the wise and rebuking the foolish. For what purpose does wisdom seek the wise? It is because the wise loves wisdom. And wisdom reciprocates that love. Noblemen and magistrates are counseled by wisdom that they may reign and judge righteously throughout the earth. Also, wisdom wants to share her gifts with mankind freely. The gifts that wisdom offers are indeed precious because everything that wisdom has to offer is righteous. Therefore, people are admonished to receive the gifts that wisdom offers. Unfortunately, people often delight in money, jewelry, and many other worldly gifts. However, the true treasures, which are the righteous gifts of wisdom, are more precious than the finest jewels (diamonds and rubies) or expensive metals (gold, silver, etc.) in the world. When one receives wisdom, then one has access to true treasures. If one seeks wisdom first, then wisdom will give the wealth of the land as an inheritance. Rather than chasing after worldly goods, seek wisdom and worldly gain will ensue. Ironically, if one seeks the wealth of the land first, then they will obtain neither wisdom nor long-term wealth. Wisdom knows this all too well because wisdom is ageless. Wisdom has always been with God from eternity past. Wisdom delighted in the presence of God before the physical world was created. Yes, before the world was created, wisdom was with God. In fact, wisdom shares the details of the creation of the entire physical world as an eyewitness to those marvelous works of God. After the creation of the physical world, then wisdom delighted in God’s creation—especially mankind. Wisdom calls the offspring of men her children. Wisdom shares with mankind the knowledge of God—of which wisdom is the embodiment. The knowledge of God can be found in the wisdom that God gives. Put another way, to know God’s knowledge is to know God! The writer of this proverb presents wisdom as the living and active Word of God crying out to mankind. Think about it. Jesus is the manifestation of God’s knowledge (Word). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of God’s wisdom. Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God. Receive wisdom’s gifts. Robert C. Hudson June 8, 2020