This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Wisdom is Christ", 3/5/2012

WISDOM IS CHRIST

Proverbs 8:22-35

CHRIST BEFORE CREATION
V.22. "The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. "
A. John 1:1 which speak about Christ is a reflection on this verse.
" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God."
1. Wisdom is Christ.
2. Wisdom existed before creation began.
3. Wisdom belongs to the Lord.
4. Wisdom is the Word.
5. Wisdom was always with God.
4. Wisdom has a divine author.
B. Wisdom = chukmah= shrewdness, prudence, used to describe a skillful craftsman.
1. Jesus is wisdom, but He is more than that.
a. He is love.
b. He is forgiveness.
c. He is joy.
d. He is peace.
e. He is salvation.
f. He is life.
2. Wisdom is one of the divine aspects of Christ.
a. He is omnipresent.
b. He is omnipotent.
c. He is omniscience.


V:23. "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was."
A. "I was set up"=nicaktiy= to be anointed, to be poured out, to be installed ( as a king).
1. Christ was installed as king before the foundation of world.
2. Christ is the body of wisdom.
3. Christ is eternal.
4. Before plans were made for the earth, Christ was.
a. Wisdom was in place before any plans were made.
b." The same was in the beginning with God." John 1:2

CHRIST DURING CREATION
V:24. "When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains
abounding with water."
A. John 1:3 is a reflection of this verse;
" All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was
made."
1. Jesus was actively involved in the creation of the world.
2." Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the
deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. " Gen 1:2
B. This divine aspect of Jesus was set in place first for the production of all things.
1. From this divine aspect is the council of peace between the Father and the Son
concerning the redemption of mankind.

V:25. "Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth."
A. Compare Psalms 90:2. What the Psalmist said of Yahweh, the teacher here asserts of
Wisdom; "she was before the everlasting hills.".
1. The mountains and the hills could not be set in place without the wisdom of Christ
speaking them into existence.
2. Christ has no beginning but creation does.
a. Christ confirms His eternal existence.
"Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
Do you listen in on God's council? " Job 15:7-8
b. The wisdom of Christ is beyond man's comprehension.
c. The power and authority of the wisdom of Christ is grounded in His eternity.

V:26. "While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the
dust of the world."
A. Field= chuwts= outside places, broad spaces of the earth, inhabitable part of the
earth.
1. Dust= teebeel= the friable soil on the surface of the earth.
2. The wisdom of Christ considers the basic needs of man to produce crops to
provide for his existence on earth.

V:27. "When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face
of the depth."
A. The Lord Jesus has a complete love for His creation. He leaves out no details that
makes life on earth livable for man.
1. The wisdom of the Lord Jesus prepared all things between the heavens to the
deepest parts of the earth for the growth and development of mankind.

V:28. "When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the
deep."
A. It is the wisdom of Christ that sets the clouds above the waters.
1. The clouds collect the moisture from the waters and holds them in suspension
in vapors until they are released back to water the earth.
2. The wisdom of Christ presents us with the ability and the authority to make all
things work to benefit man.

V:29. "When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his
commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth"
A. It was by the wisdom of Christ that He set the boundaries of the sea so that the earth
would remain dry. Gen 1:9
1.The Lord planned the dry land and the seas as the source of man's provisions,
recreation and pleasure.
2. By His wisdom Jesus planned for all the needs of man and His creation.


A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST BRINGS JOY
V:30. "Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him."
A. This verse can be considered in two ways; 1.Christ with the Father and 2. Christ and
His wisdom as partners in creation.
1. The relationship is permanent, continuous and unified. John 1:1-2
B. A relationship with Christ is continuous and delightful.
1. A relationship with Christ brings continuous joy. Matt 3:17
2. A relationship with Christ is intimate.

V:31. "Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of
men."
A. The Lord Jesus rejoices in the presence of His Father.
1. The Lord Jesus rejoices in His works. Heb 2:12
2. As the Fathers rejoices with the Son, the Son rejoices in His sheep.
B. With Jesus as our example, we must rejoice in Him.
1. We must rejoice with each other.
2. We must find joy in God's creation.

THE PROMISE OF BLESSING
V:32. "Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my
ways."
A. God give us a conditional promise.
1. The believer's part;
a Obey God's commands.
B. God's Promise
1. Those who obey his commands will be blessed.
C. It's God's way and not our way.
1. God sometimes uses His Word to direct us.
2. Other times God will uses His leaders to direct us.
a. At times God will give direction and visions to our pastors, our parents
and elders that He does not give directly to us.
b. We must be careful to receive instructions from others that are wise.

V:33. "Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not."
A. The first step in becoming wise is to consider God's ways.
a. Near instruction - Hebrew, disciplinary instruction: the first step to wisdom.
1. The second step to becoming wise is to follow God's instructions.

V:34. "Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the
posts of my doors."
A. Like tending a garden, the Word of God must have continuous attention.
1.Temptaton is waiting at our door for any opportunity to come in.
2. The door to our hearts must be locked against sin with a constant study of God's
Word.
B. Feed the devil the Word and he will flee.
1. Gossip is an open invitation for the devil to take up residence in your life.
2. When gossip calls, answer with the Word.

V:35. "For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD."
A. It is God who gives, and we as believers must find Him. We must seek
with all our energy, as if all depended on our earnestness.
B. 'Life" - Hebrew, 'lives;' namely, that of the present world and the world to come.
1.We must live for today with our focus on eternity with Christ.
C. He who seeks so as to find, "shall obtain" - literally, shall draw forth [puwq], as in
a continuous stream, a blessing heretofore hidden, but now granted, at once
precious and abundant (Gejer) - namely, the "favour of the Lord," including in it
every other blessing.
1. When you seek the Lord, you draw the blessings of the Lord to you.
2. By seeking the Lord on a continuous daily basis, we bring blessings into our
lives that we can't possibly know beforehand.
a. Deuteronomy 33:23, "Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the
blessing of the Lord;"
b. Psalms 5:12, "With favour wilt thou compass him (the righteous) as with a
shield;" also especially Psalms 145:16,19).