Whoever Finds Me Finds Life
8: 32-36
A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.
The tug of war between Lady Wisdom and foolishness for the loyalty of the heart is constant in Proverbs. It will dominate the argument of Chapter 9. Here it is featured in a stark, yet simple, summary of how Lady Wisdom sees the issues. They are white and black. Since Lady Wisdom is the personification of Yeshua Messiah (to see link click Bl – Wisdom’s Existence before Creation), the Lord can now rightly say: Now then, My children, listen to Me, for blessed are those who keep My ways (8:32 NIV). Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it (8:33 NLT). Other than salvation itself, the Wisdom of Messiah is the one and only true necessity in your life. And you must embrace Him completely. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home which Wisdom built (8:34 Hebrew). Keep a constant look-out for her, and whenever possible be in close contact with her. Stress is laid upon an unfailing conformity with Lady Wisdom’s teachings. The principles are to be remembered and practiced in all circumstances, not only when they are convenient.
The two final verses of Chapter 9 unpack the most severe consequences of accepting or rejecting Lady Wisdom . . . seeing it as a matter of life and death. The way to eternal life is the outcome of embracing wisdom, while the way to death is the consequence of choosing foolishness. The promise of life is meant to be starkly contrasted with the shadowy threat of death.195 Therefore. We need to grab hold of Yeshua Messiah, the crucified Friend of sinners and never let go. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from ADONAI (8:35 CJB). Wisdom gives life (3:18, 4:4 and 22, 7:2, 9:11, and 19:23), and ADONAI’s favor (12:2 and 18:22). The word favor (Hebrew: ratson), is used 14 times in Proverbs, and means acceptance, goodwill, or approval. It comes from the verb rastah, meaning to be pleased with. John said it this way: Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (First John 5:12).
One such man who had to make this choice was Nicodemus, and he was on the horns of a dilemma. He could plainly see the miracles that Yeshua was doing; yet, He did not fit the mold of Pharisaic Judaism, meaning, the Nazarene did not believe in the traditions of the elders (Mark 7:5). So he came to the Master by night. Yeshua, who knew what was in each person, understood what was really going on in Nicodemus’ heart. The Lord ignored his initial flattery and, instead, answered a question he didn’t even ask. Without confirming, denying, refuting or even acknowledging Nicodemus’ statement that He was from God, Yeshua gave an answer that demonstrated His omniscience. Messiah confronted Nicodemus with the fact that he had missed the mark of reaching the Kingdom. Immediately getting to the heart of the matter, He replied: Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again (John 3:3). That is Wisdom. Our Savior called for nothing less than complete surrender. Without such a spiritual rebirth, He told His nighttime visitor, no one has any hope of attaining eternal life. There was no middle ground. No compromise.
Rejecting Lady Wisdom results in harm (6:32, 7:23, and 9:12b). But he who sins (Hebrew: chata, meaning to miss the mark) against me does violence to himself. All who hate me (Hebrew: sane, signifies a willful turning away from Lady Wisdom, not just an indifference to her) love death (2:18-22, 5:5, and 7:27). The irony is, if you protect yourself from Him, you do violence to yourself (8:36 Hebrew). Chata can refer to doing something against ADONAI or against a person (Ex 10:16), doing the opposite of what is right (Gal 5:17), doing something that will have negative results (Proverbs 24:33-34), and failing to do something you know is right (Num 15:27). As Romans 3:23 says, sin is a general term that falls short of the glory of God (Psalm 51:1-2). Thus, Wisdom is the path to life and foolishness is the path to death. These are our only two choices.196
Without Wisdom, there is no true life; however, with Wisdom, there is no true death. Solomon is unclear about any offer of eternal life, but Yeshua is very clear about the eternal security of the believer (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). All of Yeshua’s disciples would do well to study wisdom. For us, the study of Wisdom is a form of worship. When we see God’s Wisdom principles in the world, our faith is strengthened and the truth of His Word is made clear to us. Wisdom is no secular study. It is part of the worship of ADONAI who made it. Wisdom reveals the hand of a wise Creator.197 But we have not yet heard the last from Yeshua’s personification of Lady Wisdom. As we turn to Chapter 9, we hear her voice again in a way that will help us to identify her more closely. In addition, we will be introduced to another woman: Madam Folly, Lady Wisdom’s rival.
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