September 28, 2017
WORD TO THE WISE
Proverbs 8:12–21
Hannah Quinn
Central Truth
Wisdom is beautifully revealed in the artful structure of Proverbs, yet it is not to be understood solely through its lines and riddles. God's wisdom is personified throughout the Bible in "big" stories and "small" ones, creating real-life pictures of what wisdom actually looks like and how to attain it.
Key Verse | Proverbs 8:12, 14
"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
. . .
"I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
. . .
"I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me."
(Proverbs 8:12, 14 & 17)
Proverbs 8:12–21
12
I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13
The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14
I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
15
By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16
by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.
1
8:16
Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
17
I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18
Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20
I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21
granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
Dive Deeper | Proverbs 8:12–21
Wisdom has always been an obtuse concept; it feels lofty, unattainable, and elusive—an ambiguous goal I’m always reaching for, but never actually achieving. To me, Proverbs contains all the secrets of wisdom, often making it seem impossible to actually obtain. After all, how could I ever write something like Proverbs? Here lies the conundrum: according to this passage, God’s wisdom is not artfully hidden, nor is it dwelling solely in Proverbs. Proverbs 8:17 says wisdom is found by anyone diligently seeking it!
Wisdom is applied explicitly, yet uniquely, through numerous people in the Bible, revealing how the truth of Proverbs debuts in real life. These examples are not just in "big" stories like Abraham, Solomon, Daniel, or Paul, but in many easily unnoticeable cases.
For instance, 2 Samuel 20:15-26 mentions a woman who is only labeled "wise woman." What a reputation! While her city is under siege, she courageously summons Joab, the intimidating commander battering her home. He doesn’t ignore her as expected, but instead humbly listens to her. Once she discovers the reason for his attack, she approaches her people, and they solve the problem. Joab then leaves the city in peace, and her people are spared. This lady has no name, but earns a place in God’s story, defined by her wisdom and faithfulness to God’s calling.
What about Esther? The entire book details a quiet young lady who becomes a warrior for her people—fearless, faithful, and favored. Proverbs 8:14 says, "I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength." Esther personifies every aspect of wisdom. She heeds her uncle’s counsel, relies on the insight of her queenly role, and steps up with incomparable strength to save not only her family, but all her people. She embraced God’s mission; and His wisdom brought her unmatched success, wealth, and prosperity as Proverbs 8 describes.
Wisdom is not craftily shrouded in the riddles of Proverbs, nor only exemplified in the more biblically famous. God weaves wisdom throughout every narrative in Scripture. He has made the impossible accessible, willingly imparting it to me if I only heed His will.
Discussion Questions
1. How do you define wisdom? How does this passage define wisdom?
2. How have you always thought about wisdom? How have you tried to attain it?
3. What does the wise woman’s story teach you about what wisdom looks like? How does it relate to Proverbs 8:12-21?
4. How does Esther exemplify wisdom? How is Esther's story different from the wise woman’s?
5. Pursuing wisdom apart from God is unsuccessful and unattainable. How will you pursue God and let His wisdom be part of your story?