Proverbs 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. Wisdom here is a real, not an allegorical person. It is the Eternal Word. Our Saviour informs us that, as soon as the world was made, the habitable parts of it became the scene and subject of His rejoicing. His delights were with men rather than angels. Yet He knew that the world would be wet with His tears and stained with His blood. Why, then, did He rejoice in the human inhabitants of the earth? It could not be on account of man's intellectual or moral excellency. It must be because in the world the plan of redemption was to be executed, and because men were the objects of it. Our Redeemer rejoiced in the world because — I. IT WAS DESTINED TO BE THE PLACE IN WHICH HE SHOULD PERFORM THE MOST WONDERFUL OF HIS WORKS. There He would obtain His greatest victory, make the most glorious display of His moral perfections, and in the most signal manner glorify the Father. II. BECAUSE THE HABITABLE PARTS OF THE EARTH WERE THE DESTINED RESIDENCE OF HIS THEN FUTURE CHURCH. They are all destined to be filled with His disciples. Everywhere Churches are to be established. III. OUR REDEEMER'S CHIEF DELIGHTS AND PLEASURES WERE WITH MEN. 1. Because He intended Himself to become a man. 2. To many the Divine Redeemer was to become still more nearly related. As His Church. 3. His delights partly lay in its being more blessed to give than to receive. How ungrateful and inexcusable does the treatment which Christ has received from men appear when viewed in the light of this subject! (E. Payson, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.WEB: Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men. |
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