Digging Deep Rising High, Lasting Long
W. Clarkson Proverbs 9:10, 11 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.… (See homilies on Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 3:1-4.) The fact that we meet with the opening sentence of the text in no less than three other places (Job 27:28; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7), gives to it a peculiar significance. It indicates that the Divine Author of the Bible would impress deeply on our minds the truth - I. THAT ON THE FEAR OF GOD, AS ON A SOLID ROCK, ALL HUMAN WISDOM RESTS. Nothing which a man can have in his outward circumstances or in his mind will compensate for the absence of this principle from the soul. He may have every conceivable advantage in his surroundings; he may have all imaginable shrewdness, dexterity, cleverness, acuteness of intellect; but if everything be not based on the fear of the living God, his character must be fatally incomplete, and his life must be a deplorable mistake. Reverence of spirit, devotion of habit, the obedience of the life,-this is the solid ground on which all wisdom rests. Let a man be ever so learned or so astute, if this be absent Wisdom itself writes him down a fool. II. THAT SACRED TRUTH IS THE LOFTIEST AND WORTHIEST SUBJECT OF HUMAN STUDY. It is well worth our while to give our careful and continuous thought to scientific, economical, historical, political truth. These will repay our study; they will enlarge our mind and heighten our understanding. But worthy as they are, they yield in importance to the truth which is sacred and, in an especial sense, Divine. To "understand and know God," who he is, what is his character, what are the conditions of his abiding love; to know man, who and what he is, what constitutes the real excellence and nobility of human character, what are the perils which threaten and what the habits which elevate it; to know the "path of life," the way back to God, to holiness, to heaven; - this is wisdom indeed. The knowledge of the holy is understanding. All other learning is slight in comparison with this supreme attainment. III. THAT THE SERVICE OF GOD IS INSEPARABLY CONNECTED WITH THE LASTING WELL-BEING OF MAN. (Ver. 11.) 1. Obedience to Jehovah would have given a prolonged and enduring life to the Jewish nation in their own favoured land. Conformity to Divine Law, the practice of truth, purity, uprightness, simplicity of life and manners, - these will go far to ensure long life to any nation now. 2. Obedience to Divine Law, especially to one commandment (Exodus 20:12), gave good hope of longevity to the children of the Law (ver. 11; Proverbs 3:2, 16). Piety and virtue now have promise of life and health. The sober, the pure, the diligent, those mindful of God's will, are likely to have their days multiplied and the years of their life increased. 3. To the true servants of Christ, who are faithful unto death, there is assured a "crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). - C. Parallel Verses KJV: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. WEB: The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.