Friday, June 30, 2006
Proverbs 9:1-4 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. Let all who are simple come in here!
GOD'S MATH
In this proverb, Wisdom is represented by a figure in human form. She has built a house for the purpose of having a banquet. This house has seven pillars to support it.
To the Jews, the number seven had special significance. The seventh day of the week was a day dedicated to Jehovah God. There were seven great festivals that made up the Jewish church year. Four of these festivals were held in the same month, which happened to be the seventh month. Every seventh year was a Sabbatical year in which everyone rested from their work. After seven cycles of seven years, a special year of jubilee was observed. Both the feast of unleavened bread, and the feast of booths lasted seven days. Special sacrifices were often brought which consisted of seven animals, or multiples of seven. It seems that the number seven was the number of God's covenant with His people.
It has been suggested that since three is the number of God, and four is often used in connection with things of the earth, then the combination of four and three would make a fitting number to symbolize a covenant between God and man.
And how does sinful mankind (#4) get joined to the Holy God (#3)? With a cross (+), the cross of Christ.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). And the way to the Father is through the Son.
