Two Sides of the Coin (2)

The Road of the Wise

Tahyganin Yrgov Go.myru

Imasdovnin Jampan

Proverbs 2:9-12

2. Two sides of Coin (vs. 5)

The first 4 verses are preparation for the fifth verse:

“…then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (vs 5).

We spoke about how important it is to have fear of the Lord. Reverence, awe to our Creator. If you look carefully to these verses, you will see that it has two parts, two sides of the coin.

Verses 1-4 explain that when we take God’s instruction seriously, when we take His commandments into our ear, heart and mouth, then we will understand what the fear of the Lord means- reverence and respect to our Creator. This is one side of the coin.

The other side of the coin is that we will find the knowledge of God, intimacy with God.

The Hebrew word for knowing God is important: da`ath Elohim. It means to know God in an intimate way, to have a relationship with him, to love Him and enjoy His love and companionship with us. Adam knew (da`ath) Eve. The word is used for close love relationships with each other. Knowing God means loving Him, spending time with Him, having a deep relationship with Him.

This is the central verse in understanding who God is in our lives.

Wisdom is not just the commandments of God, it is not just finding God. The center is that we have a living God who interacts with us. A God of relationships, a God of communication.

3. God is in charge (vs. 6)

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” (vs. 6)

In the beginning the father was talking to his child.

“My son, if you receive MY words…..”(vs. 1)

Now after verse 5 God is directly talking to the child.

There is a shift from father to God.

We all learn this in our lives. We were children and our parents were in charge. Then we became independent, we learned to make decisions when our parents were no longer with us.

It was very difficult for my wife and I to take our daughter to UCSB. I had to learn to trust God that I had done my part and now she was on her own. But I found out one more time she is not alone and God is in control. Without our supervision she is walking with the Lord. God is talking to her directly …What a joy!

4. The Lord is our protection (vs. 7-8,11)

“he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.”(7,8)

“discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you,”(11)

The imagery of being on a journey is a vivid way how the Book of Proverbs describes our lives. We all are walking on a route that is unpredictable and full of dangers. Accidents are around us every day; volcano ashes can paralyze jumbo jets for weeks; an oil spill can destroy our beautiful shores and environment; bad companionship can lead us to disaster.

Yet our Lord is a shield for those who walk in integrity, in justice….

The road is full of surprises, wrong turns, and bumps, on and on

“delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, (12)

“So you will be delivered from the forbidden (Foreign) woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words,” (16)

How evil words can destroy things. How evil tongue is like fire which can burn things. How immoral sexual (foreign) relationships can destroy families and lives. The Wisdom of God, His Word, His presence, His fear, and His love help us like a shield against those dangers.

5. The Wisdom of God becomes our delight (9-10)

“Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;”(9-10)

Our relationship with God becomes so intimate that His presence, His commandments, His Word, become our JOY and become part of who we are.

This means that eventually we begin to think the thoughts of God.

Our mind will be directed with His thoughts.

Our desires will be guided by His guidance.

This is not done automatically. Let me quote two verses:

• For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8)

And

• “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corn 2:16)

It is through Christ we can have knowledge of God. It is through Christ we can have the wisdom of God, therefore there is possibility to have “mind of Christ.”

Worship is no more an obligation or a duty.

God is love. His relationship with us brings us joy.

And please notice that when the Wisdom of God becomes part of our life, we are not alone in this journey. Then we will understand righteousness and justice and equity.

What does it mean to understand?

It means you practice justice, and equity with your neighbor. “Righteousness, justice, and equity are theological terms that speak of tight relation with God as the basis for right relation with one’s neighbor.”(1)

In Deuteronomy 6:4 the famous word Shamaa:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one...”

This is followed immediately with commandments about how to treat the neighbor justly.

Jesus also stressed the first and second commandments: love God and love your neighbor…

Summary:

The coin has two sides.

On side of the coin: We are learning what it means to have the fear of the Lord. What it means to have reverence and awe.

On the other side of the coin: We are also learning that God want us to know Him. It is daily relationship with Him.

Christ came for this reason: to Know HIM. Incarnation means God wants to be with us, Emmanuel, to be like us, to walk with us, in one word to have a relationship with us. Our relationship will grow daily and His presence will become our joy and delight and eventually our character will be Christ-like.

May these words be words of encouragement and renewal.

Next Sunday please be ready for Chapter 3.

Amen