Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 254 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Proverbs 9:1-6 - Closing Arguments #1

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 254 of our trek, and today we will remain at camp as we search for the nuggets of wisdom found in the book of Proverbs Chapter 9. Yesterday we explored Proverbs 8:32-36 where the woman Wisdom has finished the presentation of her case in a legal proceeding before the city gates. She has presented a strong case which we can learn from. Since each day’s trek builds on the previous one, if you miss any of our Wisdom-Trek episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. On Sunday, we were able to attend our local church, and then we traveled to Asheville, North Carolina, to take the upstairs/downstairs tour at the Biltmore Mansion. It was very interesting to see several rooms that are not available on the regular tour. Paula and I always enjoy visiting Biltmore, as it was built at about the same time period as The Big House in Marietta and has some similar architectural features. Of course, Biltmore is a lot larger and grander, but it does provide some renovation ideas.

As we begin Chapter 9, which is the third of three great poems written by King Solomon, he presents the closing arguments in Wisdom’s hearing. Once again let’s transport ourselves back to ancient Jerusalem during the reign of King Solomon. We take our place among those that are seated just outside of the gates of the city.

The discourse and closing arguments that we will begin today will be presented by King Solomon himself and is still part of the section called…

Wisdom Calls for a Hearing

Solomon starts with describing some of the work that the lawyer Wisdom is completing in Chapter 9:1-6,

1 Wisdom has built her house;

she has carved its seven columns.

2 She has prepared a great banquet,

mixed the wines, and set the table.

3 She has sent her servants to invite everyone to come.

She calls out from the heights overlooking the city.

4 “Come in with me,” she urges the simple.

To those who lack good judgment, she says,

5 “Come, eat my food,

and drink the wine I have mixed.

6 Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live;

learn to use good judgment.”

In verse 1, Solomon supports Wisdom’s integrity as he positively describes the lawyer, called Wisdom, as a very hard worker. To adequately provide for those people who will follow her wise ways, she has built a great house with seven columns that are hand carved. Many times in the Bible, numbers have significant meanings. A basis for the 7 columns is that 7 is the number of completion or perfection, so the 7 columns of Wisdom’s house shows complete wisdom. As I studied this, I had to ask myself, what are the 7 columns that make up complete wisdom?

I searched for insight on this, both from other philosophers, students of the Bible, and my own study.  Some scholars point back to Proverbs 8 and list prudence, knowledge, fear of the Lord, counsel, sound wisdom, understanding, and strength. While these are good traits to have, I have settled on the fact that these seven columns are described in a letter written by Christ's half-brother James. I came to that conclusion with the realization that if ultimately all good wisdom comes from God, then the 7 columns must be listed in God’s Word.

In chapter 3 of the letter written by James, there is a listing of what wisdom is not and then he describes what wisdom is starting in the 17th and 18th verses the passage  reads,