What does "from everlasting I was established" reveal about God's wisdom? Setting the Scene “From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, before the earth began.” (Proverbs 8:23) In Proverbs 8, Wisdom is personified, speaking directly to us. The verse plants Wisdom firmly outside the boundaries of time, anchoring it in eternity before Genesis 1:1 ever unfolded. Digging into “from everlasting I was established” • “From everlasting” (Hebrew mi·‘ōlām) points to an infinite past—no starting line, no origin point. • “I was established” (Hebrew nissakhtî) conveys the idea of being set up, installed, appointed, or inaugurated. • Taken together, the phrase declares that Wisdom is not a late addition to God’s toolkit; it precedes creation itself. What This Reveals About God’s Wisdom • Eternal in Nature – Wisdom is as old as God Himself, inseparable from His being. – Psalm 90:2 echoes this: “From everlasting to everlasting You are God.” • Foundational to Creation – Before a single star ignited, divine Wisdom was already “installed,” ready to guide every creative act (Proverbs 3:19). • Unchanging and Reliable – If Wisdom spans eternity, then it never evolves, weakens, or fails. – James 1:17 affirms that with God there is “no shadow of turning.” • Omniscient Perspective – Eternal Wisdom sees all of history at once. Nothing surprises or confounds it (Isaiah 46:9-10). • Christ Revealed – The New Testament identifies Jesus as “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). – John 1:1-3 shows the Word (Logos) present “in the beginning,” mirroring Proverbs 8. Scriptural Confirmation • Proverbs 8:30-31 – Wisdom “was beside Him as a master craftsman.” • Colossians 2:2-3 – In Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” • Revelation 13:8 – Christ is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” underscoring the eternal plan rooted in Wisdom. Putting It Into Practice • Trust the timeless counsel of Scripture; it predates every cultural trend. • Rest in God’s plans—even the unexpected events of life are covered by Wisdom older than creation. • Seek Christ daily; to embrace Him is to tap into Wisdom that never began and will never end. |