Proverbs 8:32-36 Now therefore hearken unto me, O you children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso finds me finds life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
‘Blessed are thy that keep my ways.’ Happy are they who keep my ways, and whoever finds wisdom obtains favour or grace from the Lord (8:32-35; Ps. 1:1-6). The one who rejects wisdom and sins against her does so to the damnation of his own soul (8:36). It is therefore not so much sin and satan, but the man himself that is responsible for his rejection or reception of wisdom which leads to eternal life. If he receives the teaching of God, sin will not have dominion over him, and if he resists satan, the devil will flee from him (Jas. 4:7; Rom. 6:14-23; 8:12-13).
Seven acts of a righteous man: Delights in the Word of God (Ps. 1:2). Meditates in it day and night (Ps. 2:1-12). Consecrates to obey it (Ps. 1:1). Makes it his rule of life and conduct (Jas. 1:22-27). Makes it his standard of faith and religion (2Tim. 3:16-17). Reads it to gain knowledge and wisdom (Matt. 24:15; Eph. 3:4; Rev. 1:3). Feeds on it to grow spiritually (1Pet. 2:1-3; Rom. 10:17).
‘All they that hate me love death.’ They that hate wisdom love sin which leads to death, so they can be justly accused of loving death, the penalty for sin. We see from John 3:19 the following: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” This refers to when Christ came to the earth for the first time to bring us the gospel and give His life so that we don’t have to keep on living under the joke of sin, but men chose darkness and sin over light and righteousness. That is the problem today still, people are not willing to die to themselves (John 12:24-26; Matt. 10:37-39) and live a life following in His footsteps and the example He came to set for us (1Pet. 2:21-23).
Living the Word 