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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Proverbs 8:22 - 8:36
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The Origins and the Blessings of the Personal Wisdom
v. 22. The Lord possessed Me, brought Me into being, the reference being to the eternal begetting of the Father by which the Son was brought forth from eternity, Psa_2:7, in the beginning of His way, as a revelation of His innermost essence, before His works of old, before the creation of the world.
v. 23. I was set up from everlasting, ordained, inaugurated, established, from the beginning, or ever the earth was, from the primordial times of the earth, the eternity of the personal Word being asserted again and again.
v. 24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when the great oceans had not yet been made; when there were no fountains abounding with water, that is, the hidden springs from which the floods of the deep broke forth, Gen_7:11.
v. 25. Before the mountains were settled, placed in position by the Creator, as He laid the foundation of the earth, before the hills, was I brought forth,
v. 26. while as yet He had not made the earth nor the flelds, literally, "the open spaces," the deserts, as distinguished from the habitable part of the earth, nor the highest parts of the dust of the world, literally, "the first of the dust particles of the world," that is, the first clods of the earth.
v. 27. When He prepared the heavens, I was there; when He set a compass upon the face of the depth, the horizon all around serving as a circular boundary with reference to human eyes;
v. 28. when He established the clouds above, fixing and securing them in their place, to prevent a sadden outpouring of their contents; when He strengthened the fountains of the deep, subduing them, setting their bounds, keeping them in check by His laws;
v. 29. when He gave to the sea His decree, setting its bounds after the division of water and dry land, Gen_1:9-10, that the waters should not pass His commandment, no farther than He permitted them to go; when He appointed the foundations of the earth, settling its foundation pillars in the work of creation:
v. 30. then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him, as the Artist, Director, or Overseer of the work, Himself actively engaged in the creation of the earth; and I was daily His delight, that is, there was delight day after day on account of the wonderful relation between the Father and the Soa in their creative activity, rejoicing always before Him,
v. 31. rejoicing in the habitable part of His earth, the land where man lived; and My delights were with the sons of men, Gen_1:10-12; Gen_18:31. Thus the divine attributes of the personal Wisdom, His eternity, His omnipotence, are set forth, while at the same time it is emphasized that He was even then interested in all the sons of men, that they were the special objects of His loving care. He therefore closes this message of revelation of Himself with another admonition,
v. 32. Now, therefore, hearken unto Me, O ye children; for blessed are they that keep My ways, fashioning their entire conduct in life in agreement with the instruction given in the Word of God.
v. 33. Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not, rejecting it in foolish rebellion.
v. 34. Blessed is the man that heareth Me, in willing obedience, watching daily at My gates, eager to find out snore and more about the fundamental truths of true wisdom, waiting at the posts of My doors.
v. 35. For whoso findeth Me findeth life, wisdom teaching him the fullness of true life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord, gaining it, bearing it away as a reward of grace.
v. 36. But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul, bringing everlasting harm upon it. All they that hate Me love death, their behavior showing that they prefer destruction, that they deliberately plunge into their own misfortune. Christians, in seeking true wisdom, will follow the advice of the eternal Word, their Lord Jesus Christ, and thus be made wise unto salvation by faith in Him alone, 2Ti_3:16-17.