◄ What Does Proverbs 9:10 Mean? ►

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10(NASB)

Verse of the Day

Good parents always want the best for their children. They want them to flourish and prosper, and parents will often try to teach their children the values in life that they themselves have treasured.

Too often, however, the things that are valued by earthly parents come from the fleeting pleasures of this world and pander to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life - but in the book of Proverbs, we discover king Solomon giving wise advice to his son which we would all do well to consider and reflect upon.

Solomon had discovered that a reverential fear of the Lord is the first step towards godly wisdom and understanding which alone provides the fulfilment in life we all seek. His advice to his son was to search for godly wisdom with the same determined tenacity that one would search for precious silver or hidden jewels... for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. He exhorted his son to diligently seek her out as one would painstakingly search for hidden treasures - for a knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and has eternal consequences.

Solomon had been endowed with great wisdom that surpassed the wisdom of all others, but he spent much of his life seeking pleasure and fulfilment in the wrong places. He discovered that life does not consist in the amount of wealth we possess, the popularity we gain, the accumulation of goods and shackles, or a powerful position in the community.

It is not dependent on our notable accomplishments, the latest technology we own, the vast qualifications we attain, nor the scintillating company we keep. Solomon discovered, through his frenetic search for fulfilment in life, that the things this world values are ultimately a striving after the wind, but that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and a knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."

The emphasis on fearing the Lord and gaining understanding of our great God and Saviour, is a theme that threads its way throughout the entire Scriptures. The Word of God was recorded over centuries of time, starting with the books of Moses where we discover an unveiling of the eternal character, the unsurpassed attributes, and reassuring names of the Lord our God.

We see His plans and purposes unfurl as we come to a deeper understanding of Who He is through the life and death of His only begotten Son Who died for the sin of the world. The more we immerse ourselves in the inerrant and uncompromised Word of God, the more we come to a knowledge of the Holy One and the greater we discover the enormity of His plans and purposes for each one of His blood-bought children.

To know Christ Jesus our Lord is to know God Himself, for He is the exact image of the invisible God. Christ has made known to us the Father... and the Father has unveiled to us the Son in the person of Jesus Christ - for in Him dwells all the might, majesty, dominion, power, and fullness of the Godhead bodily... and by grace through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord we have been saved and made one - with Him.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, give me an understanding heart, a fear of Your great and glorious majesty, and an increasing knowledge of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ... for the more I know Him and the power of His Resurrection, and the more I fellowship in His suffering and pain, the more I will understand Your eternal character and Your unsurpassed attributes to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.