For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the Lord.
But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.
Summary: We all make choices in life. Sometimes we even realize that we are making them.
Sometimes we get into what is called a “love-hate” relationship. It is a relationship marked by wonderful “highs” counter-balanced by times of extreme frustration. Life can be like that. Sometimes we are in love with life, sometimes it feels awful.
God allows us to choose our own paths. Unless we can always choose the right path, we are going to make some mistakes. Choosing the wrong path has consequences.
There is an interesting parallel in this passage of Proverbs. Finding wisdom is equated to finding life itself. “Favor from the Lord” is another way of saying God has gifted us with his grace. God lays out his plan for us simply and directly.
Those who fail to find wisdom fail to find life. These are the people who end up believing the lies that Satan slips under the doors of their minds. Some of these people end up on the streets looking for handouts. Others end up wealthy by nefarious means. Still, others wander through life without dramatic ups and downs. They are content to ignore the important decisions of life and spend their days seeking to be entertained.
With a few deft strokes of the pen, Solomon lays out for us the crucial choices we all must face. Will I seek wisdom’s path today or my own? Will I seek life or choose death?
What? You don’t remember making those choices today? Well, you did. We all did. Life is like that. Death is like that, too. The surprising truth is that we can be spiritually dead and still walking around.
“But wait,” you say, “this is the message of the New Testament! How can it be in the Old Testament, too?”
How, indeed.
I plan to ask God when I see him.
Application: Seek wisdom, choose life.
Food for Thought: How is this passage similar to the Gospel message of the New Testament (John 3: 1-21, Matthew 7: 7-8, 14; John 7: 38, John 9: 35-38)?
04-01-2022, Proverbs 8;20, HOW IS THIS PASSAGE SIMILAR TO THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT?
“Proverb 8:20,” For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.
1.) John 3: 1-21, V18, Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
2.) Matthew 7: 7-8, 14, V8, For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. V14, But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
3.) John 7: 38, V38, Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.
4.) John 9: 35-38, V37-38, Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
SUMMARY, All who accept Christ as He is revealed by the Holy Spirit will receive life, those who reject this convicting revelation, stand condemned. ( John 16:8-11 )
Amen Amen
Well said Ron. I don’t have anything else to add. God is life. Jesus is God. Therefore Jesus is life. He provided the cross for us to have life in Him and a right relationship with Him. Choose life. Choose Christ.
The O.T. believers received eternal life as they ” by faith ” trusted in and looked to the future coming of Christ. N.T. believers receive eternal life as we look back to His past coming and sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.