In this chapter, in contrast with the ways of evil, the Spirit of God turns now to describe the ways of wisdom. She does not work under cover of darkness to flatter and seduce the foolish, but she meets man wherever he may be and addresses him in all earnestness. Her voice is to all men everywhere.
“Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of the high places, by the way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors: Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.”
If, as we saw earlier, wisdom is to be the gathering up of all that experience can give in the fear of the Lord, then understanding is the discovering of all this as divinely brought out in the word of God. So when wisdom cries and understanding adds her voice to what is proclaimed, we can see how God was acting in love to turn man from the path of evil. This is the meaning of the Lord’s words, “My Father worketh hitherto and I work.” It was a work which began when sin entered into the world. Wisdom, we are told, dwells with prudence and we ought to receive her instruction for it is better than gold and silver. Her price is above rubies, and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared with her. We ought to have an attentive ear and an obedient heart, that we may be guided aright in the difficult pathways of life in this world which has been defiled by sin, and where wickedness abounds.
“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.” This last, man also lost when he fell. In Romans? we get the experience of one struggling along and he says, “What I would that I do not, but what I hate that I do.”
Then it is brought out that only by this God-given wisdom can kings and princes rule in justice in the ways of judgment. How little seeking for this divine wisdom is there by those in authority in this world. But then we are told, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
“I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.”
ML 10/01/1961