MARCH 7, 2023
“Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.” (Proverbs 4:13)
There is a world of advice freely available to anybody who will listen, but one must carefully weigh all human counsel. While it may be that “in the multitude of counsellors there is safety,” (Prov. 11:14) there is but one standard by which words of counsel can be properly evaluated. Wisdom says, “Take fast hold of instruction…” Clearly, this cannot mean all instruction, but rather Divine instruction.
This text is an exhortation in faith. As much as when Jesus said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear,” faith is here described as taking hold on instruction – Divine instruction. God’s Word is always intended for instruction. God’s method of evangelism is to teach His Word to all nations. Preaching, that ordinance by which God will save them that believe is to be filled with instruction. (Mark 16:15; I Cor. 1:21) We must be careful how we hear and take heed to instruction.
To take hold of instruction is to hear wisdom. Solomon consistently, when referring to wisdom, used feminine pronouns. He does so in this verse with reference to “instruction.” “Let her not go: keep herfor she is thy life.” He does this even in the eighth chapter, where wisdom is clearly a person, even the eternal Son of God. The best instructions and the truest wisdom is the revelation of God in Christ, “In whom is hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” To take hold of Him by faith is to “lay hold on eternal life.” (I Tim. 6:12)
This is the wisdom indeed! “Take fast hold of instruction.” This text not only tells us what to do, but it describes how we are to do it. “Take FAST hold of instruction.” Take fast hold of wisdom. In another of these proverbs, we are told to “Buy the truth,” which is essentially saying the same thing. Then he adds “Sell it not.” These two texts describe the eagerness with which we are to lay hold of God’s instruction; and also the intensity with which we are to hold it. ‘Take FAST hold,” “Sell it not.” Make it yours at whatever the cost, and do not part with it under any circumstances.
We are to take hold of Divine truth as a precious possession that must never be relinquished. People hold loosely those things that they consider to be of little value; things which they are not really excited about or committed to. They consider such things disposable and are willing to surrender or exchange them. But Solomon here, speaking of the Word of God, says, when you hear it, take fast hold of it. This means to embrace it eagerly as something most desirable and valuable. It also means to embrace itheartily as a cherished possession; to clutch it tenaciously, as Eleazar’s hand clave to the sword. (II Sam. 23:9, 10) It means to hold it confidently, as one holds to that which he knows to be true. “Hold fast the form of sound words…” (II Tim. 1:13)
Divine truth cannot be properly held with the mind alone. It must be held with the heart. “Hold her…let her not go.” We must first take hold with our minds, and then take fast hold with our hearts. Many have seemingly gotten hold of sound doctrine with the mind, who have under pressure, relinquished it. But when it is written in our hearts, no enemy will be able to wrest it from us. Truth cannot be for sale – not for popularity, for acceptance, or for sake of “keeping the peace.” “Take fast hold on instruction; let her not go: keep her…”
We take hold of God’s instruction as the very Word of life. “Keep her; for she is thy life.” Jesus said, “…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)
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