What does proverbs 24 3-4 mean?

Answer 1

"Through Wisdom is an house builded; and by Understanding it is established: and by Knowledgeshall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches." (Prov.24:3-4)

Take note of the highlighted words; Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding. There is a theme throughout The Bible that proscribes the value of these three "spiritual building blocks" of a fulfilling Godly life.

"The FEAR OF THE LORD is the beginning of WISDOM: and the KNOWLEDGE of the Holy [One] is UNDERSTANDING." (Prov.9:10)

The Bible tells us that there are "two kinds" of each of these spiritual entities: 1) - the Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding OF GOD! And 2) - the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of THE WORLD.

The first kind is, in these last days, imparted to us through the Holy Bible, read by those whose hearts and minds are "receptive" to its Truth... those who trust what it says... believe what it says... and humbly place their Faith in what its Author, Jesus Christ, says.

The second kind is the "thought processes and carnal minded reasoning of the natural mind of men," which is easily deceived.

"Oh, depth of the riches of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His Judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out." (Rom.11:33 NIV)

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel -- not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross [stauros] of Christ be emptied of its Power." (I Cor.1:17 NIV)

"...Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since the Wisdom of God the world through its wisdomdid not know Him..." (verses 20-21).

Proverbs puts stress on the Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding of GOD... not the world [as Prov.9:10, above reveals]. And stresses the need to strive in our lives [our 'houses'] to obtain these blessings of God.

"...keep My Commandments, and Live. GET Wisdom [through your FEAR OF THE LORD - Pr.9-10], GET Understanding [which is obtained through the Knowledge of the Holy One; the Holy Bible - Pr.9:10]: forget it not... Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore GET Wisdom: and with all thy GETTING GET Understanding." (Prov.4:4-7)

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Prov.3:5-6)

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man [through the world's wisdom, knowledge and understanding], but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Prov.14:12)

And when we talk about "our house"... we're talking about our families and the life we build in the short time we are given. The values and priorities that takes up and makes up our daily existence. An existence that we one day wake up to discover is too soon near its end.

So, with the "Wisdom of God" in mind [Spiritual Understanding revealed to a humble, believing heart through the Truth of the Bible]... we can begin to Understand Proverbs 24:3-4 in that Light. Like Jesus' reference to two men who "built a house" [a life]... on two different priorities. One on a Rock [Jesus Christ]... and one on sand [any other perishing worldly foundation].

Both men built their houses [their lives]. One on the foundation of the Wisdom of God [the Fear of Jesus Christ - "...Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God." - I Cor.1:24].

The other on the wisdom of the world [the faith and belief of men in Godless, carnal minded, errant, worldly human reasoning].

These are the two kinds of "wisdom" upon which men "build their houses" [construct their lives]. Each kind of "wisdom" yields and "establishes" each house [life] with its own "kind" of "understanding."

The two kinds of "Knowledge" that men use for the decor of their house determines the comfort and atmosphere of the house... whether or not it turns out to be a "house"... or a "home."

For instance, through the "Knowledge of God"... the Holy Spirit is present within the Wise man who "Fears the Lord." And so, the Holy Spirit becomes the "Decorator" of that man's "house" furnishing it with its "fruits": "filling its chambers with all precious and pleasant riches."

"...the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering [Patience], Gentleness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance..." (Gal.5:22).

"But everyone who hears these Words of Mine and does not put them into practice [anyone who "gets" the Wisdom and Understanding of God, and doesn't apply them to his life] is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (Matt.7:26-27 NIV)

Jesus Christ [the ROCK: Wisdom, Knowledgeand Understanding of God] is laid for a foundation of our houses [lives] and the decor of the chambers within.... and everything else besides Christ is sand; hopes of worldly prosperity and the empty outward profession of religion.

Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, tells us that "a storm is coming." It's called DEATH... that crashes against the houses we've built for ourselves. Where is our Hope, then?

The house built upon the foundation of God's Wisdom will survive the storm.

"Know that Wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, THERE IS A FUTURE HOPE FOR YOU, and your Hope will not be cut off." (Prov.24:14 NIV)

"...Christ is Faithful as a Servant in all God's House. And we are His House, if we hold on to our Courage and the Hope of which we boast." (Heb.3:6 NIV)

Such Hope of the "House" Christ is building for His servants [John 14:1-3] is furnished with the most "Precious and Pleasant Riches"... the fruits of the Spirit and Eternal Life.

From the biblical perspective, and following the thread of biblical symbols: the "house, Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding" [inspired and written as it is in the Bible]... this is one possible meaning of Proverbs 24:3-4.