"Wisdom From Above For Living Here Below" Series

“Wisdom From Above For Living Here Below”

Proverbs 2:1-9

January 13, 2002

Introduction

With as crazy as our world is around us, we need every advantage that we can possibly get to help us in life. When times are tough as they are now…our country at war, many people laid off from their jobs, an uncertainty about the future…we need hope for these difficult times. How can we make it through? How can we ride out the storm?

For answers to these questions, we turn to the book of Proverbs. The majority of Proverbs come from Solomon, the son of David and great King of Israel. Solomon was the man who God enabled to have anything he wanted and Solomon asked that God give him wisdom. Listen to what the Bible tells us about Solomon in I Kings 4:29-34, “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite – wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.”

Wisdom is a very powerful and at times elusive quality that it seems only a few possess in large amounts. The word wisdom is obviously a main theme throughout the proverbs, occurring 41 times throughout the book. Wisdom has been defined and described in many different ways. The American Heritage Dictionary defines “wisdom” as “understanding of what is true, right, or lasting; common sense; good judgment; learning”. The word that is used for “wisdom” in both the Old and New Testaments carries with it the meaning of having a “skill in living, following God’s design and avoiding moral pitfalls”. The Bible Knowledge Commentary defines wisdom as “being skilled in godly living”.

What we’re talking about this morning is heavenly wisdom. Heavenly wisdom teaches us the skills for godly living. Heavenly wisdom serves as a guide for earthly living. Why is heavenly wisdom so important? Here’s what the Bible says about the importance and value of heavenly wisdom. Proverbs 8:11, “for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 16:16, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!” Ecclesiastes 7:11, “Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun.”

Automaker Henry Ford asked electrical genius Charlie Steinmetz to build the generators for his factory. One day the generators ground to a halt, and the repairmen couldn’t find the problem. So Ford called Steinmetz, who tinkered with the machines for a few hours and then threw the switch. The generators whirred to life--but Ford got a bill for $10,000 from Steinmetz. Flabbergasted, the rather tightfisted car maker inquired why the bill was so high.

Steinmetz’s reply: For tinkering with the generators, $10. For knowing where to tinker, $9,990. Ford paid the bill.

This morning we are going to be looking at Proverbs 2:1-9. Let’s read these verses right now. Proverbs 2:1-9, “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those who walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path.”

The first thing that we see as we peer into this passage of Scripture is:

I. THE SEARCH FOR WISDOM. (vs. 1-5)

Job 28:12, But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” Our text indicates in verses 3 & 4 that to find wisdom that we must, “call out” for it, “cry aloud” for it, “look” for it, and “search” for it. We have to deeply desire to have wisdom and go after it. But the places we will go in the hunt for wisdom. We will scour books, listen to tapes, listen to anyone who sounds remotely wise.