Wisdom's Character is Found in the Lives of People in Society-

1. Wisdom Calls in the Open Places to Everyone — Proverbs 8:1-5

2. Wisdom Is Found in the Hearts and in the Words of Righteous Men — Proverbs 8:6-8

3. Wisdom Is Found by Those Whose Hearts Seek Her First — Proverbs 8:9-11

4. Wisdom is Found in Those With Mental Acuteness — Proverbs 8:12-14

5. Wisdom Is Found In Those Who Are Strong Pillars of Society — Proverbs 8:15-17 —

6. Wisdom is Found in Financial Prosperity — Proverbs 8:18-21

Parallel Passages- We can also find these similar characteristics of wisdom listed in James 3:13-18.

James 3:13-18, "Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife Isaiah , there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

This passage in James tells us that a man can demonstrate wisdom out of his good conversation, or lifestyle. We find this wisdom as we interact with other people in society. God has given to each person an in-built conscience ( Romans 2:14-15) that tells us about our actions, whether they are right or wrong.

Our conscience will help us to recognize wisdom during our interactions with others. This is the theme of Proverbs 8:1-21.

It has been my experience to find such wise people in society and hang out with them; for it is in such relationships that we are influenced and changed for the better. Thus, we make wisdom our companion by walking with those who have already made wisdom their companions.

Verses 1-36

In contrast, Proverbs 6:12 thru Proverbs 7:27 has just given to us the characteristics of the foolish so that we can compare them. The call of wisdom can be contrasted to the call of the adulteress. Just as the adulteress called out to those passing by ( Proverbs 7:6-13 a), so does wisdom cry out in Proverbs 8:1-4. Just as the adulteress entices the fool with descriptions of her lustful entertainment ( Proverbs 7:13 b-21), so does wisdom attract us by telling us about her blessings ( Proverbs 8:5-21). While wisdom opens her heart to us and reveals her true character ( Proverbs 8:22-31), the adulteress hides her true intents, for she cares not about the well-being of her victims. The adulteress only wishes to satisfy her own lusts. As wisdom urges us to choose life and warns us about death ( Proverbs 8:32-36), the adulteress gives no warning until the victim loses his life ( Proverbs 7:22-23).

1. Wisdom's Character Found in Society — Proverbs 8:1-21

2. Wisdom's Character Found in Creation — Proverbs 8:22-31

3. Choose Life or Death — Proverbs 8:32-36

Verses 6-8

The Characteristics of Wisdom (Her Words) - You will not find wickedness and perverseness on the lips of the wise. You will only hear them speaking truth and righteousness. We learn to find wisdom by listening to the words of others, of those who are speaking words of righteousness ( Proverbs 8:6-8). Thus, wisdom's characteristics are reflected in the lives of people. The first characteristic that reveals wisdom is in the words that wisdom speaks. This is similar to the first description of the wicked man and the adulteress, whose descriptions also begin with their words ( Proverbs 6:12; Proverbs 7:5).

Proverbs 6:12, "A naughty person, a wicked Prayer of Manasseh , walketh with a froward mouth."

Proverbs 7:5, "That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words."

Proverbs 8:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

Proverbs 8:6 — Word Study on "excellent things" - Strong says the Hebrew word "excellent things" ( נָגִיד) or ( נָגִד) (H 5057) means, "a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military, religious," and "honorable." The Enhanced Strong says it is used 44times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as, "ruler 20, prince 9, captain 6, leader 4, governor 3, nobles 1, excellent things 1."

Proverbs 8:7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

Verses 9-11

The characteristics of wisdom are easy to find for those who seek them above the riches of this world. Riches are not wrong to possess. It is just wrong to pursue riches above wisdom. The pursuit of wisdom should be our priority. For when we find Wisdom of Solomon , we will receive the other blessings of riches. In a few verses, we will learn that when we pursue Wisdom of Solomon , it will bring to us substance and treasures ( Proverbs 8:21).

When I finally had my Bible notes typed into a computer from notebook paper, I worked hard to edit them and organize them. I found myself taking a notepad and writing down inspired ideas or insights into particular verses in the Bible. I then listened for these golden nuggets on Christian television or in the devotional books I was reading. I delighted in finding them and adding them to my Bible notes. I quickly found myself taking notes on a daily basis as I learned to recognize wisdom and insight into Scriptures all around me. I had not seen it until I began to look for it. This is what Proverbs 8:9-11 is saying to us.

Verses 12-14

Wisdom is Found in Those With Mental Acuteness - Men of wisdom have the ability to understand matters in society. They are creative and full of inventions. It is to wise men that people society will seek counsel.

Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

Proverbs 8:12 — "and find out knowledge of witty inventions" - Comments- More than once has the Lord shown me an idea, or an invention, or a way to do something that I could not have known in the natural. The Holy Spirit is always faithful to show us the way and to give us wisdom and insight when we need it. Most modern inventions have been invented by Christians under the divine inspiration of God.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Proverbs 8:13 — "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil" - Comments- We see these same virtues in the man Job.

Job 1:1, "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil."

Proverbs 8:13 — Comments- When you are speaking to a righteous person about the evils of society, they too will express words of hatred against it. But when I have had conversations with corrupt people and I began to talk about truth and integrity, or about sin, they become silent and wish I would change the subject of the conversation. This is because truth brings light into their dark minds and exposes them. It is apparent when you spend time around wicked people that they do not hate sin.

Proverbs 8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

Proverbs 8:14 — "I am understanding; I have strength" - Comments- In the passage popularly called "The Words of the Wise," we will be told again how wisdom makes us strong.

Proverbs 24:3-6, "Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety."

Proverbs 8:14 — Comments- As we grow in the Lord, we will learn to recognize that men of great wisdom have moved into positions of strength in a society. They speak with power and authority and are not easily deceived by others. We will learn to take counsel from pastors and godly leaders before making critical decisions.

There are times when we need counsel, or wisdom or understanding and even strength to go on, and there is no one to give it to us. It is during those times that I have learned to sit down and ask the Lord for wisdom. I then wait on the Lord or sleep over a matter. God is so faithful to give me the insight or even the strength to do what I need to do. He has never failed if I will wait upon Him.

I once lost my passport when I was overseas. I was in the hotel room and my wife and I were getting ready to go out and exchange some U.S. dollars for local currency at a bank. When I looked for my passport, it was nowhere to be found. After exhausting my search in the room, I calmly sat down by my wife and we prayed together and asked for wisdom to find the passport. I then lay down on my bed and began to just calmly wait on the Lord. Within a few minutes, I jumped up, walked over to a piece of furniture in the room, pulled it back from the wall and saw my passport on the floor. It had fallen down behind that piece of furniture. While lying on the bed, the Lord had given me a word of knowledge of where it was located. He is faithful.

Verses 15-17

Within the context of Proverbs 8:17, it means to seek the Lord as a priority in one's daily lifestyle.

What we place first in our lives is a reflection of what or whom we love. Thus, the evidence of our love for wisdom is our desire to pursue it diligently ( John 14:21-24).

Verses 18-21

Verses 22-31

First, the testimony of creation reveals that God is all-powerful and eternal because wisdom existed before the creation of the heavens and the earth. Secondly, the testimony of creation reveals that there is a God who is overseeing His creation as the Godhead. The amazing intricacies of nature tell us that creation has a purpose and a divine Creator who is intervening in His creation to insure that it fulfills its purpose.

In the story of creation ( Genesis 1:1 to Genesis 2:3), we have the testimony of the Father's role as the One who has planned all things. We have the testimony of the Son's role in John 1:1-14 as the Word of God. In this passage in Proverbs 8:22-31, we have the testimony of the Holy Spirit in creation as the Wisdom and Power of God. Thus, Moses, the author of Genesis , received the greatest revelation of the Father regarding His role in creation, while John the apostle, the author of the Gospel of John , received the greatest revelation of Jesus regarding His role in creation. Song of Solomon , the author of Proverbs , received the greatest revelation of the Holy Spirit regarding His role in creation. Note that the book of Genesis is the foundational book of the Old Testament while the book of John is the foundational book of the New Testament.

The verses in Proverbs 8:22-26 refer to a time before the heavens and the earth were created, back to the beginning of God's "way." In Proverbs 8:27-28 we see a reference to the first two days of creation as the passage contrasts the height and depth of God's creation as He establishes the heavens and the earth. Then in Proverbs 8:29, wisdom refers to the third day of creation in which the land was divided from the sea. In Proverbs 8:30-31, we see a reference to the fourth, fifth and sixth days of creation in which God made all the living creatures.

1. Its Eternal Power — Proverbs 8:22-26

2. Its Divine Godhead — Proverbs 8:27-31

Proverbs 8:22-26 — The Testimony of Wisdom's Eternal Power - We find from Proverbs 8:22-26 that wisdom is eternal, existing before the worlds were made. We are told that there was a time when the heavens and earth did not exist, an era before they were created. Therefore, according to the book of Proverbs , wisdom existed with God before He began to create anything. When God created, He did so with wisdom by His side ( Proverbs 8:30).

The YLT translates this passage in Proverbs to state that there were former states of the earth, "Jehovah possessed me--the beginning of His way, Before His works since then. From the age I was anointed, from the first, From former states of the earth." ( Proverbs 8:22-23)

The NIV reads, "The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began." ( Proverbs 8:22-23)

References to the Dimensions of Time and Space - Proverbs 8:22-23 refers to wisdom's role before God created the dimension of time, while Proverbs 8:24-26 refers to wisdom's role before God created the dimension of space.

Proverbs 8:27-31 — The Testimony of Wisdom's Divine Nature as Godhead- It was by wisdom that God created the heavens and the earth. The fact that wisdom was with God in the process of creation supports the fact that God is still overseeing His creation. Thus, wisdom is a part of the Godhead.

In Proverbs 8:27-28 we see a reference to the first two days of creation as the passage contrasts the height and depth of God's creation as He establishes the heavens and the earth. Then in Proverbs 8:29, wisdom refers to the third day of creation in which the land was divided from the sea. In Proverbs 8:30-31, we see a reference to the fourth, fifth and sixth days of creation in which God made all the living creatures.

This passage deals with the blessings of wisdom as well as the consequences of rejecting it. Wisdom gives us a choice because God created man with a free will. In contrast, the adulteress presses her victims in order to avoid giving them a choice. This passage tells us that when man hears the voice of Wisdom of Solomon , he must make a choice whether to accept it or to reject it. He cannot remain neutral. In a similar way, just before the children of Israel entered into the Promised Land, Moses set before them the choice of life or death ( Deuteronomy 30:15).

Based upon these truths set forth by Wisdom of Solomon , everyone has a choice of receiving wisdom and her blessings ( Proverbs 8:32-35) or refusing and being cursed ( Proverbs 8:32).