I Love Those Who Love Me
Proverbs 8:17 — “I love them who love Me; and those who seek Me early shall find Me.”
The book of Proverbs is the wisdom of God. To read and to know God’s words and God’s wisdom is the greatest endeavor one could ever begin.
The answer to every problem of the heart is found in God’s Word, which is His wisdom.
The Hebrew word proverbs is formed from the verb “to rule” or “to govern.” This means that Proverbs is a wisdom-holder, and its purpose is to rule with heavenly light man’s conduct on earth.
George Williams says of Proverbs:
The wisdom in this book is not human sagacity (mental discernment) on cleverness or ability, but the application to the smallest details of human life of the wisdom which built the heavens and the earth, and maintains them in begins. This is grace indeed that God should place His wisdom at the disposition in order to man’s happiness, and to his walking a safe road in the midst of confusion, and evil and danger. The book contrasts the fear of Jehovah and the follow of self-will. The former is declared to be the foundation of wisdom, and prosperity; the latter is denounced as the cause of suffering and death. The book deals with God’s moral government in the earth, and is a sure guide amidst life’s perplexities. It undertakes to lead men safely whether they be princes or peasants; and to direct them aright in all their concerns whether public or private.
TWO PROMISES
In the text of Proverbs 8:17, we find two distinct promises the Lord has given to those who will truly follow Him. Before I give those promises, one must never forget all of the promises of God that we find in His Word, which are “conditional promises,” meaning that in order to receive the promise, we must meet the condition that is required.
Deuteronomy 28 is a perfect example. The first 14 verses give us some of the greatest promises of blessing in the world. However, for these promises to come alive in our lives we must walk in obedience to verse 1:
“And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all His commandments which I command you this day that the Lord your God will set you on high above all nations.”
If the believer refuses to do the “if” then God’s promises are not available to him. Obedience to the Word of God is the door that opens us up to receiving the promises of God.
LOVE
So in Verse 17 of Proverbs 8, here is what God has promised us: “I love them who love Me.” Wow, what a statement! The Creator of heaven and earth and all life on earth clearly states His love for those who are His.
Think of this: God loves you so much that if those reading this were the only people in all of recorded time that would accept Christ as their Savior, then Christ would have still offered up Himself on Calvary’s Cross as humanity’s Saviour. That’s love.
The Lord is saying in this verse that He has a special love for those who love His Word.
Understand that the Bible holds all of the answers to life and living and that the Lord particularly loves those who love His Word. Therefore, the more that you read, study, and learn about His Word, the more the Lord will help you to understand in an even greater way.
SEEKING
The latter part of Verse 17 says, “those who seek Me early shall find Me.” The gist of this phrase is that a child should be taught by its parents to begin abiding by the Bible as soon as the child has understanding. The word early in the Hebrew presents the idea of one being “earnest or diligent” in pursuit of learning and also teaching as it relates to the parents teaching their child the Word of God.
This passage, Romans 8:17, is emphatic in that if anyone seeks to know and understand His Word—and to find wisdom—then the Lord guarantees that it will be found.
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