A.The preeminence of God means that He has first place in all things.
1.God is first in power, wisdom, authority, glory, honor, love, kindness, compassion, mercy, justice, goodness, generosity, etc.
2.God is first in His creation, both in heaven and on earth.
3.God was first in the past, He is first now, and He will be first forevermore.
B.The Proverbs declare God’s preeminence and explain what this means for us.
1.Because God has first place in all things, in all places, and at all times, He should also have first place in our lives.This message is prominent throughout the Proverbs
2.Let us consider ten Proverbs that declare the truth concerning God’s preeminence.
II.TOP TEN PROVERBS ON THE PREEMINENCE OF GOD
A.Consider these ten passages from the Proverbs concerning the preeminence of God.
1."The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7)
a.Because God is preeminent, we must fear Him in two ways.
i.In one sense, we must have a proper respect and reverence for our Creator who sustains us and cares for us.He is worthy of our highest esteem.
ii.In another sense, we must literally fear the Almighty God who can destroy us at His will (consider Matt. 10:28).
b.Possessing this fear is the foundation for all true knowledge and understanding.Every truly wise person will understand the world with a God-fearing perspective.
c.This proverb is one of many concerning the fear of God.Other proverbs tell us that "the fear of the LORD…”
i."…is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate.” (8:13)
ii."…is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (9:10)
iii."…prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.” (10:27)
iv."…is a fountain of life, that one may avoid the snares of death.” (14:27)
v."…is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.” (15:33)
vi."…leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.” (19:23)
2."The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3)
a.God is preeminent in knowledge.This proverb describes the trait of God’s omniscience, which means that He sees and knows all.This is even more reason to fear God.
b.Indeed, there is no place where we may go to escape God’s notice.
i.Notice how David expressed this in Psalm 139:7-10 – "Where can I go from Your Spirit?Or where can I flee from Your presence?If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.”
ii.For the righteous, God’s omniscience is comforting, for it means that the God whom they serve sees their every need.However, God’s omniscience is terrifying to the wicked, for it means that He sees all of their evil deeds and will bring them into judgment (see Prov. 15:11; Eccl. 12:14; Heb. 4:12-13).
3."The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.” (Prov. 16:4)
a.God is preeminent in creation and providence.God created everything for a reason, and nothing exists without divine intent.
i.We may not always understand the purpose of everything, but may have faith to know that everything certainly has a purpose from God.
ii.Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 tells us that there is an appointed time for everything and every event under heaven.We must recognize those appointed times.
iii.This truth is comforting because it ensures us that ultimately God is in control of all things, and everything will work out by His will (see Rom. 8:28).
b.Because everything and everybody have a purpose, it is important for all of us to understand our God-given purposes.
i.We may find our purposes in the Scriptures, such as Ecclesiastes 12:13 ("Fear God and keep His commandments…”) and Ephesians 2:10 ("For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…”).
ii.Sadly, many people spend their lives in defiance of God’s purposes, and for that reason they are unfulfilled, miserable, and lost.
4."There is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel against the LORD.” (Prov. 21:30)
a.God is preeminent in wisdom, so those who speak against Him cannot prevail, and their words will not stand.
b.The truth of this proverb gives comfort to all who believe in God, for it tells us that all of the opposition against God, His word, and His people will come to nothing.
5."Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” (Prov. 30:5-6)
a.God is preeminent in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, so the word of God is completely flawless and trustworthy.Those who live by His word will be sheltered by the guidance of God’s wisdom and protected from the pitfalls of the world.
b.Notice the warning against altering the word of God.God does not need the input of man, and any who compromise His word will be exposed (see Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19).
6."Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6)
a.God is preeminent in wisdom and power, and therefore it is wise for us to trust in Him rather than ourselves.Clearly, He knows better than we do about everything.
b.If we "acknowledge Him” by conforming to His counsel, then He will make our "paths straight” by steering away from trouble.
7."He who gives attention to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.” (Prov. 16:20)
a.This proverb combines the messages of the previous two proverbs.Those who seek good and blessings from God will give attention to His word and trust in Him.
b.Notice that this proverb shows that giving attention to God’s word and trusting in God are the same.No one can trust in God with giving attention to His word.
8."The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.” (Prov. 18:10)
a."The name of the LORD” is preeminent among all names.His name is not simply a word, but it is a figure of His preeminent power, authority, wisdom, strength, glory, etc.
b.Once again, we see that there is security for those who place their trust and hope in God.
9."Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.” (Prov. 16:3)
a.God is preeminent in authority.For one who fears God, his true "boss” is not his employer, himself, or anyone else.God-fearing people will always work for God, and God will give them success.
b.Compare this to Colossians 3:23-24 – "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
10."The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the LORD.” (Prov. 21:31)
a.God is preeminent even in war.The message of this proverb is that military power and force do not prevail against the power of God.
b.The history of Israel gives evidence to this point, for many times God often gave Israel victory when they were outnumbered or overmatched (see Ex. 14; Josh. 6; Judg. 7).
B.Other proverbs to consider are:
1.Regarding the fear of God – 1:29; 2:5; 14:26; 15:16; 16:6; 22:4; 23:17
3.Regarding trust of God – 14:12; 16:20, 25; 20:24; 29:25
III.CONCLUSION
A.The proverbs presented above represent a progression of understanding and action for those who fear God.All of this wisdom is founded upon the basic premise of God’s preeminence.
B.The next lesson will present "The Contrasts of Good and Evil.”
