We are continuing in our study of the Book of Proverbs, as we have turned from Chapter 1, where we had wisdom personified and those threats given for those who would resist the call of wisdom. Now we have turned to the comforting words of a father, as Solomon turns in Chapter 2 to a beautiful poetic interlude. The father speaks to the son and presses upon the son the pursuit of wisdom. And it says, if you will pursue in this way, conditions being met, then certain consequences will follow. And we looked at those conditions last week in verses one through four. We began to touch and the consequences that follow, as we looked at verse five, we'll look at the first section that discusses the consequences of pursuing wisdom on God's terms, as the father is given voice to the son, describing those conditions. We'll look at verses five through 11. Granting this afternoon, let's stand together and I'll read in your hearing those verses. that begin the description of the consequences that follow if one pursues wisdom on God's terms as those conditions are set out in verses one through five. This is God's very word, holy and fallible and inerrant in all its parts. Proverbs chapter two, beginning at verse five, this is God's very word, let us hear and heed. Then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. He guards the paths of justice and preserves the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness, and justice, equity, and every good path. When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you, understanding will keep you. Thus ends the reading of God's word. Let us beg his mercy in feeding upon it. Most Holy Father, we pray that we may feed on Christ's wisdom, on the truth that He reveals, and so having much of Him, may we be transformed after His image. We pray it in His name. Amen. Here in verses five through 11, we begin to see the consequences that follow from what we looked at last week. There, last week, had the return of the father's warm and encouraging voice. Solomon gives voice to a father, encouraging his son to pursue wisdom. That father sets out the conditions for wisdom, having given previously those frightening warnings, and Closing warm assurance, chapter one, now the loving father brings the lesson home and applies it to the son he loves, guiding him towards wisdom. The father describes to his son what is necessary in the pursuit of wisdom, if wisdom is to be found. We noted that these conditions, as the Father describes them, increase in intensity and show the vigorous and earnest desire for wisdom that must be internalized. If wisdom is to be found, then wisdom must be pursued in this way, and it is a vigorous and ever intensifying pursuit that the father describes. And he sets out those conditions. He gives several couplets, if you will, things that describe that ever-increasing, intensifying pursuit of wisdom on God's terms, as it were. He says that wisdom must be pursued by receiving the father's words and treasuring his commands. The parental relationship is being taken up in this poetry, and so carries some weight itself. There's a reason why Solomon describes the pursuit of wisdom as a father instructing a son, because the ordinary place where that pursuit of wisdom begins is in the parental relationship with the child. And so we filled that in a bit last week, but the larger picture is that our Heavenly Father is training us in all of life in the pursuit of wisdom. And so we receive from our Heavenly Father His words, and we treasure up His commands. And secondly, if wisdom is to be received, is to be attained, we must incline the ear and apply the heart. We see we've gone from something of a passive position, receiving and treasuring, now a leaning in, Inclining the ear, applying the heart, there's an increase of activity. The working of this into the soul is being described. Next, the condition is described of crying out and lifting up the voice. Here, the one who is an apprentice seeking to acquire wisdom begins to mirror Wisdom's behavior. Remember when wisdom was personified, wisdom was described as crying out and lifting up the voice. This pursuit of wisdom, seeing wisdom behave this way, begins to transform the soul, begins to make the soul of the apprentice echo back, mirror back, wisdom's own behavior, the longing of the heart for wisdom, has shaped the soul after wisdom's image. That soul longing for wisdom begins to cry out, begins to lift up the voice. Oh, that I may have wisdom. And then finally, seeking and searching. Now, not only voice is given, but action is taken. The longing heart is moved into action. Seeking wisdom as for silver and searching as for hidden. or secured treasures, the value of wisdom is manifest. It is abundantly clear and moves the desiring soul to pursue, to get up on its feet and go after that which the soul has cried out to have. These conditions yield wonderful consequences. Remember that Solomon repeatedly emphasizes the way this pursuit of wisdom involves the whole soul, right? He moved from a disposition, an attitude of receptiveness, all the way out to taking action, hunting for this wisdom. The whole soul of the learner is involved. And when that's happening, Solomon always describes these three things happening. There's a foundation for the one who would learn wisdom, and it's in the fear of the Lord. He is brought to a humble reverence for God that persists in his life and forms the foundation upon which all of his pursuits take place. There's a reverence for God, a fear of the Lord that dreads offending him, but is moved with the desire of having more of him. And secondly, there is an open eagerness of the soul to receive wisdom. The soul is open, longing, and that's described in those conditions, crying out, wide open, please give me this wisdom. I have yielded myself and I'm looking for it. There's an openness, an eagerness of the soul to receive wisdom. The cultivation of the desire and the attentive seeking for wisdom is the disposition of the soul, of that one who fears the Lord and desires what the Lord gives in wisdom. And as that soul has been opened to the shaping of wisdom, the third thing Solomon describes is how wisdom Beginning to enter the soul changes the soul. It transforms the one receiving it. There's a description of that apprenticeship, journeyman, master relationship. It's not simply a cerebral activity. There is an acquisition of wisdom that is handled in the life, if you will. And by that handling, skill is acquired. That's how Solomon describes it. And we talked about parallels that we consider with a chef, with a builder, and so on. They don't simply get a head full of knowledge and then become a master. They begin handling the things that are being pressed into the soul, as it were, and that changes their skillset. It changes how they behave. Solomon talks that way about the acquisition of wisdom. There's a constant foundation of reverence, there's an openness to be transformed, and then as wisdom approaches, it's handled. It becomes a part of the skillset transforming the life of the ones seeking wisdom. And we touched briefly on Solomon's description of the consequences that follow the conditions of verses 1 through 4, as we touched briefly on verse 5, the beginning of those consequences last week. The quest for wisdom is assuredly met with a reward. And there is understanding that's And a discovery, finding, is described. One who is seeking on God's terms, who is meeting those conditions described in verses one through four, begins to receive the consequences of that, the reward of it, in understanding the fear of the Lord and finding the knowledge of God. Did you catch the first part of the consequence? He begins to grasp what it means to fear God. The first part is a foundation being laid. As surely as you seek in the way Solomon described, so surely will God begin to transform the soul as wisdom enters. It lays the foundation of reverence. It lays the foundation so that you understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. the consequences continue on. And so we'll unpack a little more about that and look at the first portion of this set of consequences that he sets out in verses 5 through 11. First, he describes inward transformation in verses 5 through 8. What follows from the conditions? Well, first, inward transformation. And then in verses 9 through 11, an outward perception and protection is described. And you can see, verse 5, he says, then he begins to describe the consequences. Verse 9, then he gives another set of consequences. Here they can be broken out in that way. First set of consequences is an inward transformation, the second an outward transformation, if you will, in perception and the protection provided in that personal transformation. So the first set of consequences describe a personal transformation. We're going to look at that first set especially, verses 5 through 8. In that inward transformation, verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord. Remember, as we mentioned, that's the foundation. We are assured here that we are not simply acquiring wisdom in the broadest sense. This is very important. Solomon has already described, and we'll see him touch later on, the reality that wisdom is embedded in God's world. And even a pagan can acquire wisdom through careful observation. But it will be a lacking wisdom in the end, because it's not sourced in this foundational soul-transforming starting place, the fear of the Lord. What's assured to us in seeking wisdom on God's terms is a soul-transforming perception of wisdom that begins with God embedding in the soul an understanding of the fear of the Lord. So it's not that broad and general kind of wisdom that anyone might begin to learn bumping around in the world that God made, but a profoundly relational sense of wisdom, as we are humbled reverently before the one true God. This hints at a critical point, and that is the acquisition of true wisdom requires not simply gathering facts. The acquisition of true wisdom requires relationship. As Solomon unpacks the consequences here, he starts with something that points right to that. The fear of the Lord comes about by a relationship that knows the Lord, that understands who the Lord is. There is, secondly, a binding of the knowledge of God. Here, that relationship is clearly emphasized. The growth in true wisdom requires a growing intimacy with the true God. And so, again, that wisdom sought on God's terms is not then learned like a gathering of facts, but like the forming of a relationship. The fear of the Lord is foundationally established in the soul and ever increased. And the knowledge of God begins to form the soul after the one who alone gives wisdom. Now. as that wisdom is creating the foundation and establishing a relationship with God, this wisdom requires our worshipful and religious development of that relationship. Since wisdom is not acquired simply by acquiring facts, but rather by an established relationship of reverence and knowledge of God, This means that we'll have an ever-deepening devotional life. The pursuit of wisdom will require that. It will be sourced in the word of God, cultivated in the foundation of where that word is ministered, corporate worship. And so that means there's a measure of this first consequence, right? If we desire wisdom on God's terms and are pursuing it on His terms, we'll be growing in our devotion to the one who gives wisdom. And if we are growing in that devotion, we'll be deepening in our desire and pursuit of wisdom. You'll see that cycle developing, that open soul that the Lord begins to impress with the fear and reverence and knowledge of him will itself deepen our piety and hunger for wisdom because it's more of him. And he goes on to expound that related to this first consequence. He says, for, as he explains this foundational consequence, he says, for the Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. The pursuit of wisdom must drive us to a deepening relationship with God, and the Lord alone is the source of wisdom. That's why the relationship that gives wisdom is cultivated with the Lord in this way. He alone gives wisdom. He's the only one who has this true, deep, rich, soul-transforming wisdom. The Lord gives wisdom. He alone is that source. Secondly, from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. How does God speak? Well, yes, he has spoken in the book of nature. But when we hear the voice of God, most clearly it's from his word. Remember that wisdom is then revealed by his word. And though it can be learned in all of life, the ability to learn that wisdom is revealed by God himself. It requires first that relationship with him. We begin to see that true acquisition of wisdom is a revelation of the mind of God, which is most clearly given to us in abundance in the very Word of God. So it's formed by His Word, that which comes from His mouth. And God is described in His being the source of this understanding and knowledge, this soul transforming, shaping, giving of wisdom, He's described as a very generous source. He is a storehouse. As we continue on, for the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. As we are moved to treasure God's wisdom, he is ever increasing the resources of wisdom that he will bestow. He's not stingy. Remember, we were taught what wisdom is like, crying out, ready to give. God himself is that source. And here we find that as he's giving that wisdom and changing the soul, that giver of wisdom will continue to build up a storehouse. You're not going to exhaust the receiving of the wisdom that comes from God. He is ever increasing the storehouse, the resources of wisdom to bestow. And as he bestows that wisdom upon us, it's in the path of obedience. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. So as he is giving wisdom, soul-transforming revelation from His Word, He's keeping us on the path where we will continue to access the storehouse. He does give that wisdom, but not to the one who neglects what the Word of God does. The Word of God transforms the soul into obedience, makes us those who walk in the path, as described here, uprightly, who walk uprightly. That wisdom is bestowed in that path of obedience, and God is training us just like we consider building up skills from apprenticeship to journeyman and so on. There's this constant pressing and training until things become natural. Right? God gives us his wisdom in a path of obedience, and he's training us in that obedience, even as he trains us with wisdom. That wisdom that he bestows is described as sound judgment. That's what that wording means. It's a sound judgment that trains us in uprightness, keeping us to the path where even more of that wisdom will be bestowed. And he's not only providing an ever-increasing storehouse He's described as going above and beyond that in shielding, guarding, and preserving the one that he's training. Isn't that remarkable? As we begin that pursuit on his terms, and he begins to transform our souls, we have the assurance that we're not going to be left on our own. As he continues to build up that storehouse and bring out more and more of it to us, We're vulnerable while we're still simple. We're vulnerable while we still need training. We're vulnerable but not left to ourselves. This one who builds up the storehouse and ministers it to us to keep us on the path of pursuing wisdom, he guards that path. He shields those who walk uprightly. He preserves the way of his saints. What a great comfort. While we recognize that we lack wisdom and we're pursuing it on his terms, we're still simple. We need much growth. We have assurance that he doesn't leave us in our ignorance. As we're pursuing wisdom, he shields us, he guards us, and preserves us. The effect of wisdom being acquired is ever-increasing, shielding, guarding, and preserving that God brings in the life of the one he's training in wisdom. This brings us back again to the beginning at verse five, where we recognize that the acquisition of this wisdom, as we're pursuing it on his terms, is relational. It has everything to do with forming the relationship with God on his terms. If we're to have wisdom, he's the source, then How will we have it from Him? Well, on His terms, in that foundation of the fear and reverence of the Lord, and the knowledge of God. Now, this should begin to sound a lot like the Christian walk, for us actually to acquire this wisdom as He brings it out of His storehouse, if we're going to be kept on the path of uprightness. Obviously, the first thing that has to happen is our soul has to be transformed by belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to be born again. We need to find forgiveness and relationship with God in Christ Jesus. And of course, this reminds us where we saw that, of course, in Christ is all the stores of wisdom of God. He is the manifest wisdom of God. So no surprise that the pursuit of wisdom involves that pursuit of piety in a saving relationship with the one who has the storehouse. and is not stingy with it, but generous with it, and doesn't leave us in our ignorance precarious as we're trying to learn and grow in wisdom, but rather shields us, guards us, and preserves us as he trains us. What a marvelous assurance we had set before us how the soul should long for wisdom and Pursuing wisdom on God's terms has a beautiful assurance, first, in that personal transformation inwardly. God granting, we'll look next week at the next condition being met with this consequence. In verse five, we have, then you will, and we followed through those wonderful consequences. And there's another one in verse nine, then you will. And he describes how that inward transformation begins to express itself. in how we perceive the world and what protections the Lord brings in changing us and our perception of the world around us. And so, as we long to have the wisdom of God on His terms, we have these precious promises that he will begin that work of transforming the soul and shaping us after wisdom on his terms. Let's pray that we'll have these things in abundance from the one alone who gives, who is the source and a generous source at that. Let's pray. Great God and merciful Father, how wonderful is this assurance that Solomon portrays in this beautiful poetry as we consider your terms for growth in wisdom. You give the conditions, and we look to you to transform the soul, to give us the desires to pursue on your terms. And then we delight to see the assurance of the consequences that follow. How marvelously generous you are. Oh, indeed, transform us. on your terms to shape us after wisdom and then shield us, guard us, and preserve us as you train us to become masters in understanding your ways and your wisdom. Fill us up, we pray. And do that, we pray, to the glory of Christ our Savior. It's in his name we ask. Amen.