TOPIC: THE PRINCIPAL TREASURES

TEXT: Proverbs 2(NKJV)
1. My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you,
2. So that you incline your ear to wisdom, [And] apply your heart to understanding;
3. Yes, if you cry out for discernment, [And] lift up your voice for understanding,
4. If you seek her as silver, And search for her as [for] hidden treasures;

5. Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find 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 uprightly;
8. He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.

9. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity [and] every good path.
10. When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
11. Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you,
12. To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things,

13. From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness;
14. Who rejoice in doing evil, [And] delight in the perversity of the wicked;
15. Whose ways [are] crooked, And [who are] devious in their paths;
16. To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress [who] flatters with her words,

17. Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God.
18. For her house leads down to death, And her paths to the dead;
19. None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life —
20. So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep [to] the paths of righteousness.

21. For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it;
22. But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

STUDY

Solomon in his proverbs tried to open the minds of everyone, especially the youth, to the three principal treasures (wisdom, knowledge and understanding) that one should get to have a fulfilled life. He explained the government system of this world to be so evil, perverse, crooked and full of darkness (vv. 13-15). Moreover, the activities of immoral women which led to physical and spiritual deaths were rampant in that society.

So, for a young one to escape these ungodly manners, there was need for the fear of God (vv. 3-5). This can only be achieved if one is grounded in the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of God. The three principal treasures of wisdom, knowledge and understanding, are likened to hidden treasures that one must get to be upright (v.4). Christians in this generation should desire these treasures more than in the days of Solomon.

To fear God means to obey His commandments and we can achieve this if we incline our ears to wisdom, put our minds to knowledge and apply our hearts to understanding of God’s words. By so doing, we shall be preserved from impending danger and enjoy the blessings therein (vv. 7, 11, 21).

PRAYER: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom.

Anglican Daily Fountain 27 August 2022 Saturday | The Principal Treasures