Proverbs (Part 099) - Pro 8:29-30

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29. Pro 8:29 - "When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:" A. When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: i. Wisdom was with God when He gave to the sea His decree that the waters should not pass His commandment (Pro 8:30). ii. After God established the clouds above by creating the firmament (the sky/atmosphere) and separating the waters above it (clouds) from the waters below it (the ocean which completely covered the earth) (Pro 8:28 c/w Gen 1:6-8), the Lord then commanded the waters to be gathered together into one place (the seas) and the dry land to appear (Gen 1:9-10). iii. It was at that time that the LORD gave the sea His decree that the waters should not pass His commandment (Pro 8:29). a. Decree n . - 1. An ordinance or edict set forth by the civil or other authority; an authoritative decision having the force of law. 3. Theol. One of the eternal purposes of God whereby events are foreordained. b. The waters obey God's voice (Job 37:10-12). (i) God confines the breadth of the waters to where He wants them to be. (ii) Straitened ppl. adj. - 1. Contracted, narrowed; insufficiently spacious. 2. Confined in narrow space; having too little room; closely besieged. c. This is one of the many proofs that Jesus Christ is God (Mar 4:39-41). iv. Day in, day out, as the tides rise and fall, the waters of the oceans obey God's commandment to not pass the shore line (Psa 104:6-9; Jer 5:22). v. God shut in the seas with bars and doors restricting their boundaries (Job 38:8-10) and then said "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further." (Job 38:11) vi. The Lord used His wisdom to design the earth and oceans and to employ the gravitational pull of the moon to keep the oceans within their appointed bounds. B. when he appointed the foundations of the earth: i. When God gathered the oceans and seas into one place and made the dry land appear, He did so by making the land rise above sea level. ii. Every building that rises above the earth (and will remain standing) is build upon a foundation (Luk 6:48-49). a. The mountains and the continents are no different; they are likewise built upon foundations deep inside the earth (Deut 32:22; Psa 18:7; Isa 48:13). b. Foundation n. - 1. The action of founding or building upon a firm substructure; the state or fact of being founded. iii. God appointed the foundations of the earth and then laid them (Job 38:4-6; Psa 102:25). iv. Appoint v. - II. To determine authoritatively, prescribe, decree, ordain. 7. trans. To determine authoritatively, prescribe, fix (a time, later a place) for any act. v. God used His wisdom to design and lay the foundations of the earth (Pro 3:19; Jer 10:12) which have stood strong for over 6,000 years which is a testament to His understanding and wise planning. 30. Pro 8:30 - "Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;" A. Then I was by him, i. Wisdom is speaking (Pro 8:1, 12). ii. Wisdom was by God when He created the earth and heavens. iii. By adv. - 1. a. At the side or edge of; in the vicinity of; near, close to, beside. iv. Wisdom was close beside God during the creation because God used His wisdom to found the earth (Pro 3:19). B. as one brought up with him: i. This verse is not teaching that wisdom in Proverbs 8 is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ (see notes on Pro 8:22). ii. Wisdom was as one brought up with God. iii. Bring v. - 27. bring up. a. To bring into a higher position; to elevate, raise, rear, build up; to raise to a point or amount, etc. b. To rear from childhood; to educate, breed. iv. Pro 8:30 doesn't say that wisdom was brought up with God, but was as one brought up with Him. a. If wisdom was brought up with God, that demands that God was likewise brought up. b. God is eternal (Psa 90:2) and was therefore never "brought up." c. Therefore wisdom was never brought up either. d. Wisdom was always with God, and was therefore as one brought up with Him. (i) If there was ever a time that God didn't possess wisdom, then that means that God acquired it at some point in time. (ii) God cannot acquire any personal attribute because God's understanding is infinite (Psa 147:5), and He is unchanging (Mal 3:6; Psa 102:27; Jam 1:17). (iii) Pro 8:30 is using poetic language to describe the fact that God has always possessed wisdom just like two twin boys who were brought up with each other have always been together. C. and I was daily his delight, i. Wisdom was daily God's delight. a. Daily adv. - Every day, day by day. Often in a looser sense: Constantly, always, habitually. b. Delight n. - 1. a. The fact or condition of being delighted; pleasure, joy, or gratification felt in a high degree. 2. Anything in which one takes delight, or which affords delight; an object of delight; a source of great pleasure or joy. ii. God has much pleasure and joy in possessing wisdom. iii. This is understandable since we should likewise find much joy in having wisdom which is found in the word of God (Psa 1:2; Psa 40:8; Psa 119:24). D. rejoicing always before him; i. Wisdom loves them (including God) who love her (Pro 8:17). ii. Wisdom is God's delight, and likewise God is wisdom's source of rejoicing. a. Rejoice v. - 1. trans. To enjoy by possessing; to have full possession and use of (a thing). Obs. 2. To gladden, make joyful, exhilarate (a person, his spirits, etc.). b. Always adv. - 1. At every time, on every occasion, at all times, on all occasions. Opposed to sometimes, occasionally. c. Before adv. - 1. Of motion: Ahead, in advance, in front. 2. Of position or direction: In front, in or on the anterior or fore side. iii. Wisdom personified is continually in front of God who has her undivided attention and brings her great joy. iv. She rejoices in God because He is her source. v. Wisdom rejoiced in God at the beginning of the creation, just as did the angels (Job 38:4-7), as she watched God create the heavens, earth, and all life therein.