In the mid 1800’s there was a “gold rush” in California where a great deal of gold was dredged from the rivers, hills and mountains.  Rumors reached the east coast of the Americas that nuggets of gold could be found lying around on the ground.  Thousands of fortune seekers headed for California as a result.  The truth was that those who became successful prospectors were the men who had tremendous patience, endurance and a will to suffer under the yoke of hard tortuous labor.  Some unearthed fortunes, many found encouraging but limited strikes, other a handful of gold flakes, but the majority more painful work than they could endure. 

How does this relate to the present section of Proverbs?  As we will note in the verses that we are about to view it is a good illustration fo the necessity to persevere as we dig deep into the Scriptures.  Great treasure is to be amassed to those who mine it with diligence and perseverance.

Proverbs 2:1-9  (1) My son, if you will receive my words and treasure my commandments within you, (2) make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; (3) for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; (4) If you seek her as silver, and search for her as hidden treasures; (5) then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. (6) For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. (7) He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, (8) guarding the paths of justice; and He preserves the way of the godly ones. (9) Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course.

The perseverance of seeking the wisdom of God is clearly seen in the use of focused phrases in the first 4 verses in this chapter:

• receive my words
• treasure my commandments
• make your ear attentive to wisdom
• incline your heart to understanding
• cry for discernment
• lift your voice for understanding
• seek her as silver
• search for her as hidden treasure

Like a miner who labors with infatigable pains so should our efforts be to unearth the immeasurable riches of the Scripture.  How often have we seen the picture of the solitary prospector with his pack animal and tools?  This solitary pursuit of the riches of wisdom found in the Bible should be a picture of us.  Most likely we will find ourselves off on our own searching the scriptures, working patiently and diligently with the tools of interpretation, word studies and commentaries crying out within our hearts for a golden nugget of truth and understanding.  In this labor of love our fellowship with God in prayer will grow.  Just as the prospector hopes and prays for a valuable mineral find, we too will find ourselves crying out to God for wisdom in the midst of this pursuit.  The pursuit of of these riches will thus deepen our prayer life in communion with God.

THEN you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. (vs.5) I ask students entering the seminary where I teach the reason that they are there.  I write the numbers 1 – 10 on the white board and ask for a list of reasons why they have set aside this time of life to study with us.  Once the answers begin to flow I start writing at number 2 and then erase 3 and write 2, then erase 4 and write 2 and so on.  Many come to know the Bible better (2), or to be a good pastor (2) or to teach children better (2) or to learn to expound the Scripture well (2).  They sit curiously as I number all of these answers with a two while the number 1 has nothing written beside it.  Finally when someone says, “I came to get to know Jesus better,” and I fill in the number 1 spot. You see, knowing God precedes everything else.

In verse 6 we read that it is the Lord who gives wisdom.  In verse 7 it is He who stores up sound wisdom for the upright, and it is He who is a shield for those who walk in their integrity.  When we are seeking first the King in the Kingdom of God then all other things are added unto us. (adapted from Matt 6:33)  After all the kingdom is all about the King.

What a Way to Live,

Pastor Dave