Proverbs 8:18 (Mini Sermon)

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1.      Pro 8:18 – “Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.”

1. Riches and honour are with me;
   1. “Me” in this passage is wisdom personified (Pro 8:1, 12).
   2. Wisdom has riches and honour in her possession.
      1. Riches n. – 1. Abundance of means or of valuable possessions; wealth. Also, in certain constructions, the possession of wealth, the condition of being rich.
      2. Honor n. – 1. High respect, esteem, or reverence, accorded to exalted worth or rank; deferential admiration or approbation. As felt or entertained in the mind for some person or thing.  b. As rendered or shown: The expression of high estimation.  c. As received, gained, held, or enjoyed: Glory, renown, fame; credit, reputation, good name. The opposite of dishonour, disgrace.
      3. If you want to learn how to obtain something, it’s best to learn from someone who has already obtained it himself.
         • You won’t learn how to acquire riches from someone who is broke, in debt, and doesn’t know how to manage money.
         • You won’t learn how to acquire honor from someone with a bad reputation.
      4. If you want to have riches and honor in this life, seek wisdom in the word of God.

• Wisdom teaches men how to get and retain riches.
  1. If you work hard, you will profit and gain wealth (Pro 14:23; Pro 10:4; Pro 13:11).
  2. If you honour the Lord with your substance and give the firstfruits of all your income to God, He will prosper you (Pro 3:9-10).
  3. If you don’t spend all that you make, but save a portion of it, you will have wealth in your house (Pro 21:20; Pro 15:6).
  4. If you don’t have expensive tastes, you will build wealth (Pro 21:17).
  5. If you stay out of debt, you will not be slave to a bank for your whole life (Pro 22:7).
  6. If you invest your money wisely, you will increase it (Mat 25:16-17; Luk 19:15-19).

1. Wisdom also teaches men how to get honour.
   1. Honour is in the hand of wisdom (Pro 3:16).
   2. If we embrace wisdom by studying the word of God, she will bring us to honour (Pro 4:8).
   3. If we humble ourselves and fear the LORD, we will be given honour by God (Pro 15:33; Pro 22:4).
   4. If we follow after righteousness and mercy we will find honour (Pro 21:21).
   5. If a woman emulates the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31, she will be clothed with honour (Pro 31:25).
2. yea, durable riches.
   1. Though physical riches can be acquired through wisdom, the true riches that she affords are not material.
   2. The true riches a man possesses by wisdom are durable

• Durable adj. – 1. Capable of lasting or continuing in existence; persistent, lasting; not transitory, permanent.

1. Physical wealth is not durable.
   1. A man cannot take the physical wealth he acquires in this life with him to the next (Job 1:21; Psa 39:6; Psa 49:17; Ecc 5:15; 1Ti 6:7).
   2. Riches certainly make themselves wings and fly away as an eagle toward heaven (Pro 23:5).
   3. The riches of this world are uncertain and therefore cannot and should not be trusted in (1Ti 6:17).
   4. Thieves can break through and steal worldly riches (Mat 6:19).
   5. A man can make himself rich in this world and yet have nothing when it comes to true riches (Pro 13:7).
2. True riches are durable.
   1. They are laid up in heaven where they can never be lost or stolen (Mat 6:20-21).
   2. They are spiritual in nature (Mat 12:35).
   3. A man can make himself poor in this world, yet have great riches (Pro 13:7).
   4. The poor of this world who are chosen of God can be rich in faith (Jam 2:5).
   5. Those that follow Jesus Christ in this life have treasure laid up for themselves in heaven (Mat 19:21).
   6. The kingdom of God (the local church) is part of the durable riches which are more valuable than any worldly possessions we have to give up for it (Mat 13:44-46).
3. and righteousness.
   1. Along with riches and honor, righteousness is with wisdom.
   2. Righteousness n. – 1. Justice, uprightness, rectitude; conformity of life to the requirements of the divine or moral law; virtue, integrity.
   3. Those who study the word of God to acquire wisdom will learn righteousness in the process (Pro 2:6, 9; Pro 8:8).
   4. Righteousness is part of the true riches wisdom affords.
   5. The kingdom of God, which is durable riches, consists of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 14:17).
   6. The fruit of the Spirit, which gives a child of God a rich life, is in all goodness and righteousness and truth (Eph 5:9).