Proverbs for Living - 9

Proverbs 9:1 (CSV) - "Wisdom has built her house; she has carved out her seven pillars."

The keyword wisdom means to see things from God's perspective. Yesterday we saw that Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 1:30 that Jesus is wisdom personified. Jesus was made by the Father into our "our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." One of my mentors would refer to this verse as "Wisdom has built a palace upon seven pillars." The number seven in Scripture means perfection or complete. This house of God is a perfect place, a place where you and I will spend eternity, it is perfect because it is built upon the pillar of Jesus Christ. This perfect place is where perfect people (through Jesus Christ) will spend a perfect eternity together.

The number seven could conjure up many different ideas. Some have tried to make it mean such things as truth, holiness, justice, judgment, etc. But, that is purely conjecture and guesses on our part. Placing it in the context from the Bible as a whole, the picture of wisdom being Christ personified, I believe we are safest in seeing this number representing the perfection that comes in, by, and through Him.

I couldn't help but think also of the words of Christ in John 14: 3 (CSV) - "If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also." He left over 2000 years ago to prepare the eternal dwelling for all those made perfect through His salvation. If God has prepared a dwelling place for us, be assured it is built on the seven pillars of His Son. If God is building a Christian family, it is built upon the seven pillars of HIs Son. If God is building a nation, it will be built upon the seven pillars of His Son.

Over the years, we have slowly been kicking God out of areas in our country. We have been taking down the pillars, and the roof teeters on collapse. We kicked Him out of our schools. We kicked Him out of our homes. We kicked Him out of our government. We kicked Him out of our entertainment. We even kicked Him out of many of our churches. And we can see the consequences that are beginning to happen.

God is preparing a dwelling, and also a banquet (verse 2-6) for those who make wisdom the basis of their lives. Will you make Wisdom (Jesus) the basis of your life?

Prayer: Jesus, today as I ponder over my life, I seek to make you the center of all that I think and do. I seek to have my "house" built upon those seven pillars. May I truly seek to live a life of Godly wisdom in all I do. Amen.