Jesus: The Wisdom of God ... and More, Proverbs 8J. Josh Smith, MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, attended August 29, 2010
There are many “shadows” of Christ in the Old Testament. Metaphors, if you will, that point to Christ, they point to some reality about Jesus.
The bronze serpent in Edom (Numbers 21) tells us something about Jesus. In John 3:14 Jesus refers to this. Jesus did everything the serpent did and so much more.
The manna God provided in Exodus sustained the Israelites. In John 6:30-35 Jesus points back to this and proclaims that He is the bread of life. Jesus sustains and so much more.
The ark, the water from the rock, the Passover lamb all point to Jesus. We can’t read into them too much, however, we can only see what was meant to be seen.
Jesus is not the wisdom in Proverbs. Wisdom doesn’t fully explain Jesus but points to some reality about Christ. He is everything wisdom promises, and so much more. Lady wisdom spoken of in Proverbs is only a shadow of what was to come in Christ. Wisdom is no everything Christ is, but Christ is everything that wisdom is.
More than any other chapter in the book of Proverbs, chapter 8 most clearly and remarkably points us to Jesus Christ. It reminds us that to choose wisdom is to choose Christ, and the call to follow wisdom is the call to follow Christ.
1. Wisdom invites fools – Proverbs 8:1-5
Wisdom here, and in Proverbs 1:21, is shouting to us; loud and pleading, She is standing so that everyone can hear, at the crossroads, where the two paths of Proverbs meet. She is also standing at the gates, in sight of every single area of life. She is telling us that we need her for every single area of our lives, for every detail.
She is pleading with the naïve and the fool. This is reminiscent of Matthew 11:28 where Jesus calls all those who labor and of Matthew 9:13 where He says He came for sinners. Both wisdom and Christ are passionately pleading with those headed toward destruction to turn and escape by faith and repentance.
Wisdom invites fools, but Jesus invites sinners.
2. Wisdom offers invaluable truth – Proverbs 8:6-11
Wisdom gives straight words that will lead us in the straight path. Perverse, meaning outside of the way of God, are not in wisdom’s vocabulary. You can trust what wisdom says. It offers invaluable truth, above any value we understand.
This is reminiscent of John 14:6 where Jesus tells us He is truth. He doesn’t just have the truth but He IS the truth. There is nothing of greater value (Matthew 13:44).
Wisdom offers invaluable truth, but Jesus IS invaluable truth.
3. Wisdom promises reward – Proverbs 8:12-21
When you choose wisdom you get other benefits as well; prudence, understanding, riches, honor, wealth, etc. The greatest reward is understanding how to walk in the world He created. It is his world and can’t walk wisely without His understanding.
What of Proverbs 8:18, 19, 21? We know of many righteous people who do not have a full treasury. One of the basic hermeneutical principles of Proverbs is that these are principles that are set forth, not promises. These aren’t promises of wealth, but a principle that blessings always accompany obedience. The blessing may not be financial, it is so much more. Ephesians 1:3-14 show us that our blessing is being His children. When we receive Christ we receive more than anything Proverbs can offer. Do you want to receive all the promises of Proverbs? They are found in Christ (Colossians 2:3).
Wisdom offers reward, but Christ is the ultimate reward.
4. Wisdom is the attribute of creation – Proverbs 8:22-31
Wisdom existed before creation and was present at creation. God created the world through His wisdom, according to His wisdom. It is foolish then to walk in God’s world without His wisdom because His wisdom is the principle upon which the world was created, the very attribute that created the world through God.
This is reminiscent of John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16-17, where we find that everything exists because He created it. How foolish then to live apart from Christ if He created it.
Wisdom is the attribute of creation, but Jesus is the agent of creation.
5. Wisdom demands listening – Proverbs 8:32-36
True listening is external hearing and internal submission. Wisdom demands that you forsake folly and believe that wisdom alone can be trusted to lead you in the right path. Hatred of wisdom is a love of death.
This is reminiscent of Mark 8:34-35 where Christ tells us to turn from sin and in faith believe that He is the only way to life, if we daily follow and obey Him.
Wisdom demands listening, but Jesus demands that we follow. Christ demands allegiance.
Christ offers everything wisdom does – and so much more.
NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.
There are many “shadows” of Christ in the Old Testament. Metaphors, if you will, that point to Christ, they point to some reality about Jesus.
The bronze serpent in Edom (Numbers 21) tells us something about Jesus. In John 3:14 Jesus refers to this. Jesus did everything the serpent did and so much more.
The manna God provided in Exodus sustained the Israelites. In John 6:30-35 Jesus points back to this and proclaims that He is the bread of life. Jesus sustains and so much more.
The ark, the water from the rock, the Passover lamb all point to Jesus. We can’t read into them too much, however, we can only see what was meant to be seen.
Jesus is not the wisdom in Proverbs. Wisdom doesn’t fully explain Jesus but points to some reality about Christ. He is everything wisdom promises, and so much more. Lady wisdom spoken of in Proverbs is only a shadow of what was to come in Christ. Wisdom is no everything Christ is, but Christ is everything that wisdom is.
More than any other chapter in the book of Proverbs, chapter 8 most clearly and remarkably points us to Jesus Christ. It reminds us that to choose wisdom is to choose Christ, and the call to follow wisdom is the call to follow Christ.
1. Wisdom invites fools – Proverbs 8:1-5
Wisdom here, and in Proverbs 1:21, is shouting to us; loud and pleading, She is standing so that everyone can hear, at the crossroads, where the two paths of Proverbs meet. She is also standing at the gates, in sight of every single area of life. She is telling us that we need her for every single area of our lives, for every detail.
She is pleading with the naïve and the fool. This is reminiscent of Matthew 11:28 where Jesus calls all those who labor and of Matthew 9:13 where He says He came for sinners. Both wisdom and Christ are passionately pleading with those headed toward destruction to turn and escape by faith and repentance.
Wisdom invites fools, but Jesus invites sinners.
2. Wisdom offers invaluable truth – Proverbs 8:6-11
Wisdom gives straight words that will lead us in the straight path. Perverse, meaning outside of the way of God, are not in wisdom’s vocabulary. You can trust what wisdom says. It offers invaluable truth, above any value we understand.
This is reminiscent of John 14:6 where Jesus tells us He is truth. He doesn’t just have the truth but He IS the truth. There is nothing of greater value (Matthew 13:44).
Wisdom offers invaluable truth, but Jesus IS invaluable truth.
3. Wisdom promises reward – Proverbs 8:12-21
When you choose wisdom you get other benefits as well; prudence, understanding, riches, honor, wealth, etc. The greatest reward is understanding how to walk in the world He created. It is his world and can’t walk wisely without His understanding.
What of Proverbs 8:18, 19, 21? We know of many righteous people who do not have a full treasury. One of the basic hermeneutical principles of Proverbs is that these are principles that are set forth, not promises. These aren’t promises of wealth, but a principle that blessings always accompany obedience. The blessing may not be financial, it is so much more. Ephesians 1:3-14 show us that our blessing is being His children. When we receive Christ we receive more than anything Proverbs can offer. Do you want to receive all the promises of Proverbs? They are found in Christ (Colossians 2:3).
Wisdom offers reward, but Christ is the ultimate reward.
4. Wisdom is the attribute of creation – Proverbs 8:22-31
Wisdom existed before creation and was present at creation. God created the world through His wisdom, according to His wisdom. It is foolish then to walk in God’s world without His wisdom because His wisdom is the principle upon which the world was created, the very attribute that created the world through God.
This is reminiscent of John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16-17, where we find that everything exists because He created it. How foolish then to live apart from Christ if He created it.
Wisdom is the attribute of creation, but Jesus is the agent of creation.
5. Wisdom demands listening – Proverbs 8:32-36
True listening is external hearing and internal submission. Wisdom demands that you forsake folly and believe that wisdom alone can be trusted to lead you in the right path. Hatred of wisdom is a love of death.
This is reminiscent of Mark 8:34-35 where Christ tells us to turn from sin and in faith believe that He is the only way to life, if we daily follow and obey Him.
Wisdom demands listening, but Jesus demands that we follow. Christ demands allegiance.
Christ offers everything wisdom does – and so much more.
NOTE: These are my notes, taken as I listened to the sermon live. Any errors, misunderstandings or misinterpretations are my responsibility entirely and not the fault of the preacher.
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