Wisdom has built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars (Proverbs 9:1)
If we look at verse one of chapter nine, it tells us that the seven pillars had already been hewn or cut from the rock. So we must go back in time to see where they came from; we must find out what their source is. We can find the answer in the previous chapter. In chapter 8, Wisdom is again personified but this time as a lodger staying in a house. It tells us in verses 12 to 14 that wisdom dwells with or has seven attributes.
12 I, Wisdom [from God], make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power. (Proverbs 8:12-14)
James 3 tells us there are two kinds of wisdom: the wisdom of this world (“earthly, sensual, devilish”) and the wisdom that comes from above. Verse 17 describes the wisdom from above as follows:
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” It is possible that this verse gives us the key to the seven pillars of wisdom mentioned in Proverbs 9:1.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. (Proverbs 9:9)
In contrast to the scoffer, the wise man will benefit from wisdom’s invitation. Lord Jesus spoke of the same principle, “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Matthew 13:12).
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
The knowledge that comes from the fear of the Lord is one that allows us to connect to God's holiness in a healthy manner. With God's purity at the centre of our lives, we are moved and live in the purifying, sanctifying fear of the Lord, which compels us to turn away from evil and to fulfil the Lord's instructions.
Wisdom v/s Intellectual Knowledge
There is a difference between wisdom and intellectual knowledge, which we must discern. It is possible to have a high level of education while still being a fool. A great deal of the turmoil in the world today is the result of educated fools.
A foolish woman is clamorous (Proverbs 9:13)
Scripture describes Wisdom as a gracious woman. On the other hand, folly is described as a clamorous woman. A clamorous woman is one who speaks loudly so that she may be heard or noticed.
How do you know a foolish woman or a man?
By hearing them speak, the words of a man reveal his inner person. Job’s wife could not be described as anything other than ‘foolish’. She told Job, “Curse God and die.” (Job 2:9)
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here” (Proverbs 9:16)
Folly imitates the call wisdom makes to the simple (Proverbs 9:4).
“Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” (Proverbs 9:17)
Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]. Anything that is forbidden is attractive to man. It all started in the Garden of Eden. The man was asked not to eat from one tree, and that’s the very tree man wanted to eat from.
But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of hell. (Proverbs 9:18)
Sin has its pleasures for a season (Hebrews 11:25). Yet folly’s path has an end: the dead are there…her guests are in the depths of hell.
She has hewn out her seven pillars (Proverbs 9:1)
If we look at verse one of chapter nine, it tells us that the seven pillars had already been hewn or cut from the rock. So we must go back in time to see where they came from; we must find out what their source is. We can find the answer in the previous chapter. In chapter 8, Wisdom is again personified but this time as a lodger staying in a house. It tells us in verses 12 to 14 that wisdom dwells with or has seven attributes.
12 I, Wisdom [from God], make prudence my dwelling, and I find out knowledge and discretion.
13 The reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power. (Proverbs 8:12-14)
James 3 tells us there are two kinds of wisdom: the wisdom of this world (“earthly, sensual, devilish”) and the wisdom that comes from above. Verse 17 describes the wisdom from above as follows:
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” It is possible that this verse gives us the key to the seven pillars of wisdom mentioned in Proverbs 9:1.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. (Proverbs 9:9)
In contrast to the scoffer, the wise man will benefit from wisdom’s invitation. Lord Jesus spoke of the same principle, “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Matthew 13:12).
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)
The knowledge that comes from the fear of the Lord is one that allows us to connect to God's holiness in a healthy manner. With God's purity at the centre of our lives, we are moved and live in the purifying, sanctifying fear of the Lord, which compels us to turn away from evil and to fulfil the Lord's instructions.
Wisdom v/s Intellectual Knowledge
There is a difference between wisdom and intellectual knowledge, which we must discern. It is possible to have a high level of education while still being a fool. A great deal of the turmoil in the world today is the result of educated fools.
A foolish woman is clamorous (Proverbs 9:13)
Scripture describes Wisdom as a gracious woman. On the other hand, folly is described as a clamorous woman. A clamorous woman is one who speaks loudly so that she may be heard or noticed.
How do you know a foolish woman or a man?
By hearing them speak, the words of a man reveal his inner person. Job’s wife could not be described as anything other than ‘foolish’. She told Job, “Curse God and die.” (Job 2:9)
“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here” (Proverbs 9:16)
Folly imitates the call wisdom makes to the simple (Proverbs 9:4).
“Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” (Proverbs 9:17)
Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]. Anything that is forbidden is attractive to man. It all started in the Garden of Eden. The man was asked not to eat from one tree, and that’s the very tree man wanted to eat from.
But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of hell. (Proverbs 9:18)
Sin has its pleasures for a season (Hebrews 11:25). Yet folly’s path has an end: the dead are there…her guests are in the depths of hell.
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