“My son” (July ‘08)
The fourth Proverb opens with Solomon’s
somewhat familiar admonition to his children:
“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and
attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my
law.” (Proverb 4:1,2)
But, in this verse he addresses his
children not just his son as in the first Proverb:
“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and
forsake not the law of thy mother” (Proverb 1:8)
Then, he
gives a few words of personal testimony followed by instruction he received
from his father David:
“For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved
in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart
retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding:
forget it not: neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and
she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the
principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get
understanding. Exalt her, and she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost
embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of
glory shall she deliver to thee.” (Proverb 4:3-9)
First of all, notice that Solomon recalls
the words of his father David and appeals to the next generation on the basis
of what he learned from his father adding considerable weight to the commands
he gave to his children. In the first two verses Solomon gives three commands:
1. Hear my instruction 2. Attend to know
understanding 3. Forsake ye not my law.
Then, in (v.3-9) he gives David’s teaching
which contains a number of additional commands:
1. Let thine heart retain my words
2. Keep my commandments 3. Get wisdom 4. Get understanding
5. Forget it not 6. Neither
decline from the words of my mouth 7. Forsake her not 8. Love her 9. Get wisdom
10. Get understanding 11. Exalt
her
Solomon also includes the promises of
obedience that David gave to him:
1. Keeping God’s commandments will
provide life 2. Not forsaking wisdom will preserve you
3. Loving wisdom will keep you 4.
Exalting understanding will promote you and bring honor to you
5. Understanding will provide
grace and glory to you
Wisdom is the principal thing and
understanding is the application of the Wisdom of God which can only be
realized through abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Wisdom of God:
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness: But unto them which are
called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God…But
of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who is made unto us wisdom and righteousness,
and sanctification and redemption…In Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom
and knowledge.” (I Corinthians 1:23,24,30; Colossians 2:3)
The Lord Jesus Christ who provides us with
life, preserves us, keeps us, promotes us, brings honor to us and gives us
grace and glory is the very fulfillment of David’s instruction to his son
Solomon who in this Proverb passed it down to his children and all those who
will obediently follow his Christ-like instruction!
So, once again the focus of the
instruction given by Solomon turns to the Lord Jesus Christ for the wisest man
in the world in that day points us in this day to the wisest Man ever to walk
the face of this planet!
“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all
things; to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
Solomon’s instruction to his
children/son continues to focus upon the now familiar theme of memorizing and
meditating on his instruction in these Proverbs which is the living and
powerful Word of God:
“For the Word of God is quick and powerful and
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents
of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight:
but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to
do.” (Hebrews 4:12,13)
The application for us as His sons is very
simple…put the Word of God to work in our hearts allowing Him to use us for His
glory!
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