Proverbs 9:10 (Mini Sermon)

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10. Pro 9:10 - "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." A. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: i. In order to have the wisdom of God, a man must first possess the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom. a. But before a man can fear God, he must first have been born again by the Spirit of God because the natural man cannot fear God (Rom 3:18) and is not subject to the law of God (Rom 8:5-8). b. God must give one of His elect a new heart through regeneration in order for him to have the ability to fear Him (Jer 32:39-40). c. He next must believe that God exists (Heb 11:6). d. For an honest man, this merely requires: (i) looking up at the heavens (Psa 19:1) (ii) looking around at the amazingly complex creation (Rom 1:20) (iii) looking at himself who is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psa 139:14) (iv) These three things demand that there is an eternal, omnipotent God that created them all. e. A humble child of God should be overwhelmed with a dreadful feeling of fear toward the omnipotent God that created all these things. (i) Fear n. - 1. In OE.: A sudden and terrible event; peril. 2. a. The emotion of pain or uneasiness caused by the sense of impending danger, or by the prospect of some possible evil. (ii) A man's awareness of God's eternal power and infinite intelligence should give rise to a solemn fear of disobeying Him. ii. The God of the Bible does not simply require a healthy respect like some fools say. a. We must rather, "fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him" (Luk 12:5). b. Our God is a consuming fire who must be served acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Heb 12:28-29). iii. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (Pro 1:7) and wisdom (Pro 9:10) because it is wisdom (Job 28:28). a. Beginning n. - 1. The action or process of entering upon existence or upon action, or of bringing into existence; commencing, origination. b. Wisdom n. - 1. a. Capacity of judging rightly in matters relating to life and conduct; soundness of judgement in the choice of means and ends; sometimes, less strictly, sound sense, esp. in practical affairs: opp. to folly. c. When a man fears God, he has made his first act of wisdom which opens the door for more wisdom to enter. d. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom (Pro 15:33). (i) In other words, the fear of God teaches us wisdom. (ii) The fear of the LORD prompts men to make wise decisions (Exo 9:20-21). e. Those that don't fear God hate knowledge (Pro 1:29) and therefore will not receive it. f. The fear of the LORD teaches men to obey God and do His commandments (Psa 111:10). (i) Fearing God equates to walking in God's ways (Psa 128:1). (ii) God's word is our wisdom (Deut 4:5-6). (iii) When we learn and do His commandments, we learn His wisdom. g. Men that fear God hate evil (Pro 8:13) and depart from it (Pro 16:6) and its snares of death (Pro 14:27). (i) When we depart from evil, God increases our knowledge of Him (Joh 7:17; Pro 1:23). (ii) When we avoid evil men, and company with good men, we learn the knowledge of God (Pro 13:20). B. and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. i. If a man knows that which is holy, he shows that he has understanding. a. Holy adj. - 1. Kept or regarded as inviolate from ordinary use, and appropriated or set apart for religious use or observance; consecrated, dedicated, sacred. (This sense blends eventually with 3b.) 2. As applied to deities, the development of meaning has probably been: Held in religious regard or veneration, kept reverently sacred from human profanation or defilement; hence, Of a character that evokes human veneration and reverence; and thus, in Christian use, Free from all contamination of sin and evil, morally and spiritually perfect and unsullied, possessing the infinite moral perfection which Christianity attributes to the Divine character. Cf. sense 4. 3. Hence, a. Of persons: Specially belonging to, commissioned by, or devoted to God. b. Of things: Pertaining to God or the Divine Persons; having their origin or sanction from God, or partaking of a Divine quality or character. 4. Conformed to the will of God, entirely devoted to God: in earlier times often connoting the practice of asceticism and religious observances; now usually: Morally and spiritually unstained; free from sinful affection; of godly character and life; sanctified, saintly; sinless. b. Understanding n. - 1. a. (Without article.) Power or ability to understand; intellect, intelligence. b. of understanding, intelligent, capable of judging with knowledge. ii. The following things are identified as holy in the scripture. a. God (1Pe 1:15-16; Rev 4:8; Rev 6:10; Rev 15:4) b. Jesus (Mar 1:24; Luk 1:35; Act 2:27; Act 3:14; Act 4:27; Heb 7:26; Rev 3:7) c. The Holy Spirit (1Jo 5:7) d. The scriptures (Luk 1:72; Rom 1:2; Rom 7:12; 2Ti 3:15) e. The apostles (Eph 3:5; Rev 18:20) f. The prophets (Mar 6:20; Luk 1:70; 2Pe 1:21) g. The church (Rom 11:16; Rom 12:1; 1Co 3:17; Eph 1:4; Eph 2:21; Eph 5:27; 1Pe 2:5) h. The brethren (1Th 5:27; Heb 3:1) iii. A man has understanding if he knows the holy God, the holy Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the holy scriptures, the holy apostles and prophets, the holy church of God, and the holy brethren.