The Way of the Wise - Proverbs
2 - Discover Some Precious Things
In Proverbs 2:1 to 4 we read the word “if” three times. “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, then if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”
These statements call for a response.
There are four precious things in this chapter. The first is, “The longing of the heart.” Solomon speaks about calling out for insight and crying aloud for understanding. This is more than just to hear or to have a little taste of something; it is deeper than this. Sometimes when we go to our local food shops there are little things on offer for us to taste - a little bit of biscuit and cheese or something similar. It is just a little taste. It is very nice, but if you are really hungry, it is not much use, you need much more than that. May I ask; is there a hunger in your heart for reality; is there a hunger for the living God? Do you long to know more about Christ? Or is just a little taste sufficient for you? Verse 1 says, “My son, if you accept my words”, and then goes on to say, “If you store up my commands.” This indicates a real desire for God and for his Word.
Then in Verse 2, “If you turn your ear”, that requires a bit more effort. Then he says, “If you apply your heart”, that requires even more effort. In Verse 3 he talks about calling out or crying aloud. This is a bit like Bartimaeus crying out to Jesus to heal him and help him. Verse 4 speaks of a great deal of effort. It says, “Look for insight and understanding”; look for them in effect as you would look for silver, and search for them as for hidden treasure. There is a steadily increasing hunger here. So here is a precious thing from Proverbs chapter 2, “The longing of the heart” for the wisdom that comes from God.
Secondly there is “The protection of the life.” We have this in verses 5 to 8. We have a promise in verse 5, it says that “if you accept my words and seek me with all your heart, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.” The fear of the Lord occurs fourteen times in Proverbs. Fear here speaks of a sense of the awe of God, and knowledge of God speaks of intimacy. So we have a sense of awe as to who God really is, a mighty holy God, and then we have that wonderful sense of intimacy as we can come to know Him personally. What you find is what God gives. The Bible tells us that those who seek Him with all their heart, with sincerity and earnestness, will find Him.
In verse 6 we read, “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” This section of the book shows that to know the living God is also to know how to live. As we trust in the Lord something happens; we begin to love the Scriptures, where God has revealed Himself, and in them we find the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible is the believer’s road map for the journey of life. It is full of practical and spiritual wisdom and understanding.
Verse 7 tells us that the Lord “holds victory in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.” As Christians we need not be defeated by sin and temptation. Those who seek to walk with the Lord in obedience have the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit to help them to overcome. “This is the victory”, says the apostle John, “that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). The apostle Paul speaks in Ephesians about taking the shield of faith so as to deflect the fiery darts of the devil.
Verse 8 tells us that the Lord will watch over us, for “He guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.” You are a sheep in Bible terms, and you need a shepherd. So we have seen, “The longing of the heart”, and “The protection of the life”.
The third precious thing is “The understanding of the mind”, in verses 9 to 11. Verse 9, “Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path.” When you trust in Christ with all your heart, and He forgives all your sins, wonderful changes take place; your conscience becomes much sharper and you want every good path; you will want to live as Christ lived. Verse 10 reminds us that you gain new insights, wisdom and knowledge, and it calls them pleasant: “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” They are pleasant things, they are good things promised to the Christian. Verse 11 tells us, “Discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you.” All these come to us as the Holy Spirit teaches us from God’s Word and as we are transformed by the renewing of the mind and come to know God’s good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12: 2).
The fourth precious thing that we have in Christ and in his word is: “The deliverance of the tempted.” Verse 12, “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked man, from men whose ways are perverse...” Believers are protected and guarded. When you are converted to Jesus Christ you will be tempted. We face the world, we face the flesh and we face the devil. We enter a great spiritual battle, but the wonderful thing is we are on the winning side. Jesus has already defeated everything that is against us. When He died on Calvary’s cross He defeated all our enemies.
Then verses 12 to 15 remind us again about certain people whose lives are full of evil. It says, “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men.” These are people whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, and who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and they are devious in their ways. We have all met these people, their ways are wicked and their words are perverse, seeking to mislead and deceive. So, wisdom, in other words, the Lord Jesus Christ, will save you from all of that.
We read these Old Testament books with New Testament eyes; we see the sin trap for what it really is. Sin is so cruel, so callous, so greedy and there is such utter disregard for God and for his people, but there is victory for the believer in Christ. So here then in Proverbs chapter 2, is: “The heart that longs to know God”; “The protection of the life of those who do know God”; “The understanding that comes from the word of God”; and “The deliverance from temptation for those whose faith is in Christ.”