PROFITING FROM PROVERBS

"Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars" (Proverbs 9:1).

The first seven chapters contain advice and counsel to sons. Chapters 8 and 9 deal with the praise of wisdom, and chapter 10 you really begin to look at the proverbs of Solomon. The whole book is a collection of things, called proverbs, but we’ll see in chapter ten that they truly begin in earnest. We’ll see that clearer when we get there, from chapter ten to seventeen.

You basically have a homiletical outline in chapter 9. Christ is the Person of wisdom (he is made wisdom to us), the place of wisdom is the Bible (or a Bible-preaching Church), and the price of wisdom is costly (above rubies). There can be no real wisdom without the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Person of Wisdom: The only wisdom you will find outside of Christ is a worldly wisdom, which does not come from above—so it comes from Satan.

The Place of Wisdom: Most people would not think that the wisdom would come from church. They would say it comes from universities of higher learning or a Seminary. You’ll learn more true wisdom from a local church than you’ll ever learn from any university if you have a faithful man teaching the Word of God.

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20-22 KJV).

As we saw yesterday, if wisdom be Christ Himself, then the house of wisdom must be that which Christ built, and He only built one church. It is a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching,, local, New Testament church which is built on the Blood, the Book, and the Blessed Hope of our Lord’s return for His bride. If a church does not preach the Blood of Jesus Christ it is the worst counterfeit imaginable, and it’s followers are unwashed from their sin.

The Price of Wisdom: Priceless. It took the death of Jesus Christ to impart unto us the true wisdom which comes from above (James). To get it, we will have to sell out our all to attain it.

Father, I thank You for establishing the local, New Testament church. I thank You for strong, faithful men whom You have called to be their undershepherds. Protect Your church, O Lord, especially from those that are mere hirelings, that see the pulpit as a mere job and not an holy calling. Direct our way this day, Amen.

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