The Consequences of Rejecting Wisdom -

In Proverbs 1:24-33 the voice of wisdom changes from a tone of a plea to a warning. How often have we spoken to our children in love by pleading with them to do right and following this with a warning to them if they do wrong.

But thank God, this chapter which tells us of the call of wisdom does not leave us struggling to understand how to discern the voice of wisdom. In chapter two, we are told how to gain discernment by studying the Word of God ( Proverbs 2:1-5) so that we are better able to distinguish between the voice of the Holy Spirit ( Proverbs 2:6-11) and the voice of the evil man ( Proverbs 2:12-15) and the strange woman ( Proverbs 2:16-19). In the following chapters, wisdom tells us how the Word of God transforms our hearts, minds and bodies so that the voice of wisdom shines brighter and brighter as the noonday sun.

The Progression of Calamity as a Form of Divine Judgment- We see a progression of events in Proverbs 1:24-33. When God calls out to a person and this call is not heeded ( Proverbs 1:24-25), the Lord will send calamity in order to get their attention ( Proverbs 1:26). This calamity brings fear into the heart of the poor soul. This is the first phase of judgment. When the sinner does not respond to this judgment, God goes to phase two and intensifies the calamities. As they continue and do not cease, the person fall into distress and anguish ( Proverbs 1:27). It is only in such a desperate condition that a hardened heart will call upon God ( Proverbs 1:28), but, alas, it is too late. God will not hear. Since they chose not the fear of God ( Proverbs 1:29), they will receive the fear that comes from calamities, called the fear of evil ( Proverbs 1:33). God will bring them into the third phase of judgment, which is destruction ( Proverbs 1:32).

Judgment in the Epistle of Romans - We see this three-fold progression of judgment in Romans 1:18-32. Mankind left serving God and worshipped idols. God then gave them up unto fornication ( Proverbs 1:24). As they continued in their sins God then gave them up unto homosexuality ( Proverbs 1:26).

Judgment in the Book of Genesis - This same progression of degradation in the heart of man can be found in the book of Genesis:

1. Proverbs 1:19-20 ( Genesis 1 - The creation of man)

2. Proverbs 1:21 ( Genesis 4:16, "Cain went out of the presence of the Lord."

3. Proverbs 1:21 ( Genesis 6:5, "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

4. Proverbs 1:22 ( Genesis 11 - Tower of Babel)

5. Proverbs 1:23 ( Joshua 24:2 - Abraham"s fathers served other gods.)

6. Proverbs 1:23 ( Genesis 19 - Sodom and Gomorrah)

According to Romans 1:18-32 idolatry leads to fornication and fornication leads to homosexuality. This progression of events is easy to see within the book of Genesis. This progress of depravity can progress in a nation as well as in a person. In the time of Noah, man had progressed to a state of depravity that God had to destroy them.

In one book written by a person who visited Heaven, Jesus was asked if His death on Calvary was the most difficult thing that He had ever gone through. Jesus replied, No, that the most difficult thing He will ever have to face had not yet taken place. For the most difficult thing that He will ever have to do will be to turn His back upon the many souls who have rejected Him on the Day of Judgment.

As young Christians, we look for God to work miracles in our lives and bring us out of problems. As we continue in the Christian life, God requires that His children grow in the knowledge of His Word and live by faith in Him. If we fail to grow in His Word and allow it to become a part of our daily lives ( Hebrews 5:11-14), we will face a time when He will not step in and work a miracle because He is requiring us to trust and obey His Word. Miracles are often given to young believers to "jump-start" their faith in God, and to direct them to His Word. If we do not grow in His Word, we will find ourselves poorly equipped for the future, and overcome in times of trouble because we are unable to apply God's Word to our lives and walk through difficulties in victory. This is the reason God's children walk in lack and sickness in the midst of God's exceedingly great and precious promises.

55] Kenneth Copeland, Believer's Voice of Victory (Kenneth Copeland Ministries, Fort Worth, Texas), on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program.

God called to Judah before destruction came. Note:

Note also:

This is similar to the story in Luke 7:29-35 :

This cry is similar to the time when Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people had rejected Him as the Messiah.

King Saul called upon the Lord, but He did not answer.

The Lord did not hearken to the five foolish virgins:

Those whom the master shut out were not heard:

The reason that God will not hear is found in Proverbs 29:1.

We may ask, "How does reading God's Word help us to be more aware of the Holy Spirit speaking to us?" In answer to such a question, it has been my experience that when the Word of God is dwelling richly in my heart and mind, the Holy Spirit easily reminds me of a particular verse or passage of Scripture in a way that applies to a situation I am facing. Thus, the logos word we have memorized is turned into a living, rhema word as the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking unto us.

If we find a parallel to this passage in the life of Song of Solomon , we find it in his prayer for wisdom. We remember Solomon's prayer to God, "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad." ( 1 Kings 3:9) This is the theme of Proverbs chapter 2. Solomon wants to lead us through the same journey that he had to take in order to hear from God. I believe that God answered Solomon's prayer, not by speaking to him audibly on a regular basis, or by imparting unto him a spiritual heart to hear from God, but rather, by revealing to him that secret to developing a hearing heart through spending time meditating in God's Word. It was up to Solomon to work this divine truth out in his life. The anointing is imparted. But in order to be led by the Spirit of God we must develop our spirit man.

We find another parallel to Proverbs 2:1-5 in the epistle of Hebrews where the author say, "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." ( Hebrews 5:14) In other words, we must exercise our senses so that we can hear the voice of God and distinguish between the good and the bad decisions in our life.

As a believer, we must learn how to obtain wisdom. Wisdom calls, but we must learn how to answer that call. We answer the call of wisdom by applying ourselves to the study of the Holy Bible ( Proverbs 2:1), by meditating on His Word ( Proverbs 2:2), by praying for understand ( Proverbs 2:3) and by making this search more important than the pursuits of this world ( Proverbs 2:4). Only then will we find wisdom ( Proverbs 2:5), which proceeds from no other source but God ( Proverbs 2:6).

Now God chooses this method of giving a man wisdom so that the wicked will not be able to find it, and in rejecting it, they increase their own judgment from Almighty God ( Luke 8:10). This is because God"s ways are merciful, even to the wicked. He wants to reduce their judgment if possible.

This method of finding the hidden treasures of wisdom will deliver us from the wicked man ( Proverbs 2:10-15) and from the immoral woman ( Proverbs 2:16-20).

In the following chapters, wisdom tells us how the Word of God transforms our hearts, minds and bodies so that the voice of wisdom shines brighter and brighter as the noonday sun. Thus, chapter two reveals that we can learn to discern the voice of wisdom so that we can avoid being deceived by the voices of this world, and thus avoid falling into calamities as the world experiences.

Proverbs 2:1 My Song of Solomon , if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

Proverbs 2:1 — Word Study on "receive" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "receive" ( לָקַח) (H 3947) means, "to take, receive." Strong says it is a primitive root meaning, "to take (in the widest variety of applications)," The Enhanced Strong says it is used 965 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "take 747, receive 61, take away 51, fetch 31, bring 25, get 6, take out 6, carry away 5, married 4, buy 3, misc 26." This Hebrew word is used 19 times in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 2:1 — Word Study on "words" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "words" ( אִמֵּר) (H 561) means, "a word, discourse" when used poetically, and it means, "a command, mandate." Strong says it means, "something said," and it comes from the primitive root ( אָמַר) (H 559), meaning, "to say." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 49 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "words 43, speeches 2, sayings 2, appointed 1, answer 1." This Hebrew word is used 22 times in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 2:1 — Word Study on "hide" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "hide" ( צָפַן) (H 6845) means, "to hide, to conceal." - Strong says this primitive root means, "to hide, to hoard, to reserve," and figuratively, "to deny, to protect." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 33times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "hide 16, lay up 7, esteemed 1, lurk 1, hidden ones 1, privily 1, secret places 1, secret 1, misc 4."

Proverbs 2:1 — Word Study on "commandments" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "commandment" ( מִצְוָה) (H 4687) means, "a command, a precept." Strong says it means, "a command." The Enhanced Strong says it is used in the Old Testament 181times, being translated in the KJV as, "commandments 177, precept 4, commanded 2, law 1, ordinances 1."

Proverbs 2:1 — Comments - In the phrase "My Song of Solomon ," we feel the patience and love of God each time He addresses us in this manner.

Regarding the words "receive....hide," the word "receive" means to hear God"s Word, to take hold of it and not let it go. That Isaiah , we must open our hearts and learn God"s Word as our instruction. The word "hide" means that we are to memorize God"s Word in our hearts. In other words, it is an act of our will to "receive" or reject the words we hear. Upon receiving them, we make the choice to "hide" them down in our heart ( Psalm 119:11).

Regarding the words "my words….my commandments," they contrast the several ways in which these young men were taught and the ways in which the Lord speaks to us. These men in the king's court were taught largely by oral tradition, as well as learning the Mosaic Law. In the same sense, the Lord may speak to us by an utterance, translated in this verse as "words," or He may speak to us by His written "commandments" out of the Scriptures. He may speak to us in "sayings" with a still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, or through something that someone says, both of which we would call a "rhema" word. Or, the Lord may speak to us by His written Word, the Holy Bible, which we would call a "logos" word. Either way, we must open our hearts and take hold of His Word to us.