February 21, 2001

Reading: Proverbs 8:22-31

 

“I have been established from everlasting” (23)

 

These wonderful words (22-31) are spoken by Wisdom (12) and directly address the Person of Jesus Christ. Paul contrasts the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God when he wrote to the church at Corinth, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor: 1:18) The same message to one is foolishness but to another is the power of God. Then “The Jews request a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (22-24).

Here we have it! Christ, the Wisdom of God! The only one who could represent the wisdom of God is Jesus Christ because He is the Wisdom of God. We do not learn of the wisdom of God by words spoken or deeds done, but by observing Him who is Divine Wisdom.

Jesus, Wisdom Incarnate, “foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” (1 Pt: 1:20).

Just as He is the Word (Jn: 1:1), the Life (4) and the Light (4), so is He the Wisdom of God. It is written, “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way” (Prov: 8:22). Does God have a beginning? No, He is “the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev: 1:8).

He has been “established from everlasting”. Jesus was there “before there ever was an earth” (23). All of what we know as ‘creation’, when it was created, “I was beside Him as a master craftsman” (30).

What a glorious name for our Savior! All that He has done, is doing and will yet do, is the work of the Master Craftsman. Not any craftsman will do to bring about salvation and build His church. Only the Master Craftsman who needs not to receive instruction because He is Wisdom and Knowledge. Who can teach Him what to do? Who can say to the Sovereign Creator, “this is the way to provide salvation”? From eternity past He has known what it would take. He knew how many nails would pierce His flesh. Nothing was hid from His eyes because He was the Designer of the plan to the minutest detail.

See Him hanging on the cross, His flesh ripped to shreds and the heavens covering their eyes. As the seraphim covered their faces from His glory (Is: 6:2) so the heavens shut out their light when their Creator hung dying, the Bearer of our sin. What a victorious shout rent the heavens when the Master Craftsman cried “It is finished”! The greatest work Divine Wisdom could conceive had been fully completed.

“Now therefore, listen to me, my children” (32). In the light of all that I am and have accomplished, “Listen to me”. The fabulous promises made by Wisdom to His children could only be made by the Master Craftsman, He of whom the angels said, “His name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” Matt: 1:21). “Blessed is the man who listens to Me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of My doors. For whoever finds Me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD” (35). Promises we can count on because they are made by Divine Wisdom, He who is known among the heavenly hosts as the “Master Craftsman”.