Proverbs 8:31 (Mini Sermon)

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31. Pro 8:31 - "Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." A. Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; i. Wisdom is speaking (Pro 8:1, 12). ii. Wisdom rejoiced in the habitable part of the earth which God used her to aid Him in creating (Pro 3:19). 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. Habitable adj. - 1. Suitable for habitation or as a human abode; fit to live in, inhabitable; also absol. the habitable globe iii. God made the earth for men to inhabit it (Isa 45:18; Psa 115:16) and to have dominion over it (Gen 1:28). a. The part of the earth that wisdom most rejoiced in was the part of it that was suitable for men to live in. b. She apparently was not nearly as interested in the depths of the oceans, the dry desserts, the swampy wetlands, and the frigid arctic as she was in the more temperate and amenable parts of the earth which were conducive to human flourishing. c. The reason for this is given in the rest of the verse. B. and my delights were with the sons of men. i. Wisdom rejoiced in the habitable part of God's earth because her delights were in mankind. a. Delight n. - 1. a. The fact or condition of being delighted; pleasure, joy, or gratification felt in a high degree. b. The sons of men bring wisdom a high degree of pleasure, joy, and gratification. ii. Of all creation, mankind brings wisdom the most delight. a. The sons of men is synonymous with people in general (Psa 33:13-14). b. Wisdom cries out to the sons of man because she delights in them (Pro 8:4). c. Wisdom's delight is in men, not in angels, animals, or inanimate objects. d. Man was made in the image of God (Gen 1:26-27; Gen 9:6; Jam 3:9), and therefore wisdom takes particular interest in him. iii. While men in general are the focus of God's creation, of all mankind, the children of God and of wisdom (Mat 11:19) are her delight above all others (Pro 8:17; Pro 8:32-36).