Proverbs (Part 102) - Pro 8:36-9:1

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36. Pro 8:36 - "But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death." A. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: i. Wisdom is speaking (Pro 8:1, 12). ii. This verse opens with the word but which is a conjunction that contrasts it with the previous verse. a. Whoever finds wisdom finds life and obtains favour from the LORD (Pro 8:35). b. Those who find wisdom are those who keep her ways, hear her instruction, don't refuse it, and watch and wait for her (Pro 8:32-35). c. Therefore, in the context, he that sins against wisdom doesn't keep her ways, refuses to hear her instruction, and pays no attention to her. iii. Sin is the transgression of God's law (1Jo 3:4). a. Wisdom is found in God's word (Pro 2:6). b. Therefore, he who transgresses God's law sins against wisdom. iv. He that sins against wisdom not only wrongs her, but he also wrongeth his own soul. a. God's commandments are for our good (Deut 10:13; Deut 6:24). b. He who gets wisdom loves his own soul (Pro 19:8), but he that hates instruction despises his own soul (Pro 15:32). c. If we break God's commandments and sin against wisdom, we only harm ourselves. d. The way of transgressors is hard (Pro 13:15). e. Here are some examples of men who sin against wisdom and wrong their own souls. (i) The man who disregards wisdom's warning about adultery will destroy his own soul (Pro 6:32). (ii) The man who partners with a thief hates his own soul (Pro 29:24). f. Those who provoke a king to anger sin against their own soul (Pro 20:2); how much more so those who provoke God to anger (Jer 25:7). B. all they that hate me love death. i. We show God we love Him by keeping His commandments (Joh 14:15). ii. We hate God when we don't keep His word. a. Those who are ungodly and keep not God's commandments hate God (2Ch 19:2). b. Those who are perverse in their ways despise God (Pro 14:2). c. Those who speak against God and His word hate Him (Psa 139:20-21). d. Those who are friends of the world are enemies of God (Jam 4:4). iii. The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). a. Sin is the transgression of God's law (1Jo 3:4) in which wisdom is found (Pro 2:6). b. When men hate God by rebelling against wisdom they have a death wish. c. Here are some examples. (i) Those who get treasures by lying seek death (Pro 21:6). (ii) Those who refuse wisdom's instruction and commit adultery or fornication with strange women are flirting with death (Pro 5:23; Pro 7:23, 26-27). XI. Chapter 9 1. Pro 9:1 - "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars:" A. Proverbs 9 sets forth two women, wisdom and a foolish woman. i. Wisdom represents God and His church, His word, and His ministers. ii. The foolish woman represents Satan and his churches, his philosophy, and his ministers. B. Wisdom hath builded her house, i. It takes wisdom to build a house, whether it be a physical dwelling or a household (Pro 24:3). a. Those who desire to build a house need to be in a financial position to be able to do so before beginning to build (Pro 24:27). b. Those who want to start a family (build a house) need to be well instructed in the scriptures (wisdom) so that they will be able to bring up their children in the ways of the Lord (Eph 6:4; Pro 22:6; Psa 78:4-8). c. Most sensible people make sure they are financially prepared to have children, but few make sure they are spiritually prepared to train and discipline them in the way that God requires. d. A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman destroys it (Pro 14:1). e. It's a lot easier to destroy a family than it is to build a godly one, so beware and consider your ways. ii. Wisdom building her house in Pro 9:1 is a poetic description of God building His church. a. The church is called the house of God (1Ti 3:15). b. Jesus, who is the wisdom of God (1Co 1:24), built His church during His earthly ministry (Mat 16:18). c. He built it by wisdom so that it would endure forever (Dan 2:44; Eph 3:21). d. The New Testament church is a spiritual building (Eph 2:21-22). (i) Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone and the apostles and prophets are the foundation build upon Him (Eph 2:20). (ii) The members of each local church are the spiritual stones which makes up the rest of the house (1Pe 2:5). C. she hath hewn out her seven pillars: i. Pillar n. - 1. a. Arch. A detached vertical structure of stone, brick, wood, metal, or other solid material, slender or narrow in proportion to its height, and of any shape in section, used either as a vertical support of some superstructure, as a stable point of attachment for something heavy and oscillatory, or standing alone as a conspicuous monument or ornament; also, a natural pillar-shaped stone, etc. 3. fig. b. A person who is a main supporter of a church, state, institution, or principle; in phr. pillar of society, of the establishment (see also 3c below). c. A fact or principle which is a main support or stay of something. ii. Christ's church has pillars in it which are the apostles (Gal 2:9). a. Christians who overcome temptation are pillars in the temple of God, which is the church (Rev 3:12 c/w 1Co 3:16). b. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth which upholds it (1Ti 3:15). iii. Seven is a number that represents completeness in the scriptures (Gen 2:1-2). a. Hewing out seven pillars indicates that Christ provided His church with all the support necessary for it to stand forever. b. He build the church upon Himself, ordained the apostles, inspired them to write the holy scriptures, preserved those scriptures which throughly furnish men of God (2Ti 3:16-17), gave the church pastors and teachers for the edifying of the body of Christ (Eph 4:11-12), and filled the church with the Holy Spirit who invigorates it and preserves it. iv. Wisdom hewing out the seven pillars upon which the house is built signifies that Jesus Christ put much labor into building His church. a. Hewn ppl. - 1. Fashioned by hewing with a chisel, axe, or other tool; made by or resulting from hewing. b. Jesus did the work the Father gave Him to do (Joh 4:34) and thereby built Himself a glorious church by giving Himself for it and making it holy and without blemish (Eph 5:25-27).