Proverbs 8 KJV
1. Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? [1]
[1] Again, “wisdom” is personified with the attributes of Deity in this chapter (see note on Prov. 1:33). The Greek philosophers (including Origen and the faculty at Alexandria) came to worship wisdom as a god (Sophia, the goddess of wisdom), and by so doing, destroyed themselves (Acts 17:18-23; 1 Cor. 1:18-21). “Wisdom” certainly is an attribute of God, for it is one of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit (Isa. 11:2; cf. Rev.4:5). But to make wisdom a person separate from God is to accept a thing instead of a person (see note on 1 Sam. 4:3). Salvation is in a person (Jesus Christ), not a thing (even a good thing like wisdom; see 1 Cor. 1:22-24).
2. She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5. O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8. All the words of my mouth [2] are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.
[2] “The words” are those of the Holy Spirit speaking as “wisdom” (Isa. 11:2). The verse gives a great insight into the true ethical, moral nature of people who believe the KJV is “hard to understand.” They are evidently not following Job 28:28.
9. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. [a]
[a] Vss. 8-9 cf. Prov. 14:6; Mic. 2:7.
10. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12. I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13. The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. [3]
[3] Laodicean apostates use the verse to cancel out “the fear of the LORD” as defined in Philippians 2:12 and Hebrews 12:28.
14. Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. [b]
[b] Vss. 15-16 cf. Rom. 13:1.
17. I love them that love me; [c] and those that seek me early shall find me. [d]
[c] John 16:27.
[d] Isa. 55:6.
18. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21. That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22. The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. [4]
[4] Verses like this one are what led Origen, Arius, Athanasius, John Calvin, and the Council of NIcea (A.D. 325) to get all torn up arguing over whether Jesus Christ was a “begotten Son” or a “created God.” The verse is not a doctrinal dissertation on the Trinity. (For a detailed discussion of the religious insanity on both sides, obtain The Other Side of Calvinism by Laurence Vance.)
23. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26. While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28. When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
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:
30. Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31. Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. [5]
[5] Having Jesus Christ “begotten in eternity” in verse 30, the Calvinists next have “the elect” being chosen “before men were created” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown), which is so much muddled nonsense. There is nothing in the verse about election at all. It can’t refer to Genesis 1:1 because there were no “sons of men” present; ditto Genesis 2-3. The verse is prophetic and best matches Psalm 16:3 and John 13:1.
32. Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35. For whoso findeth me findeth life, [e] and shall obtain favour of the LORD.
[e] A doctrinal reference to Christ (1 John 5:10-13; John 17:3, 8:51, 3:36).
36. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: [f] all they that hate me love death. [g]
[f] John 16:9, 8:24.
[g] See note on vs. 1.
>>>>>>> Additional Notes <<<<<<<
Note on Prov. 1:33 KJV
But whoso hearkeneth unto me [2] shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
[2] Although Solomon personifies “wisdom” as a woman (vss. 20-21), what she says is equated with God’s words. Check out the cross references to verses 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, and 30; notice that everything “wisdom” says is what God does.
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Note on 1 Samuel 4:3 KJV
¶ And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh [b] unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it [1] may save us out of the hand of our enemies.
[b] The ark is at Shiloh at this time (cf. Judg. 18:31).
[1] This is the key for discovering all false doctrines, false teachings, false philosophies, corrupt histories, fake “Bibles,” and all fake plans of salvation. Naturally, it is a two letter word (“of” in Eph. 3:2; Tit. 3:5; Rev. 3:14). The word is “it” (Paul Tillich, Time magazine, March 16, 1959: “The message of Christianity [neuter] is not Christianity, but a new reality [neuter], a new state of things has appeared [neuter]. It is hidden and visible, it is there and it is here. Accept it [neuter], enter into it [neuter], let it grasp you [neuter]”).
The ark was a great thing, but it was not God (Deut. 30:20). All false religions count on things to save them. A brief list would be good works, the Ten Commandments, the “holy” sacraments, Catholic tradition, the Mass, water baptism, prayer, meditation, and, above all, “making the world a better place to live in.” All lost sinners depend upon something to save them instead of somebody. New Testament salvation is salvation by a Person (Matt. 1:21).
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