Proverbs 8:22-35,  The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.  When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.  Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:  While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.  When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:  When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:  When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:  Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;  Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

The activities of this passage begin before the creation of all that we see.

They proceed through the creation of all that we see and then culminate in activity concerning the sons of men.

The voice of wisdom is speaking as it has been throughout this chapter in Proverbs.

Chapter eight is the voice of wisdom speaking to the sons of men and that speech concerns wisdom’s desire for men to love her.

This passage tells us that wisdom precedes all of the Lord's creation and because of this of course, precedes the life of man on earth.

This passage tells us that before the worlds were framed wisdom was there to frame the worlds.

The worlds came into being not of themselves but of another.

This passage begins by telling us that the LORD, (when in capital letters) meaning Jehovah, which means self-existent One, possessed wisdom in the beginning of his way, before the works of old.

This very thought should remind us of the passage in the Gospel of John which tells us about the Word that was in the beginning with God.

John 1:1-4,  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

So we see that wisdom and the Word are one for God is wisdom and the Word is wisdom.

Jesus Christ is wisdom personified but wisdom was before Jesus Christ in human form.

Wisdom was in the beginning with God.

The Word was in the beginning with God.

The Word emanates from Wisdom.

Wisdom was there when the Word spoke the worlds into existence.

The Word proceeded from Wisdom.

The Word spoke the words because of Wisdom.

The plurality of creators is expressed in Genesis 1 where we are introduced to a God who refers to himself as "us".

Genesis 1:26,  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

In the second verse of Genesis one part of that which is expressed as "us" was introduced as the Spirit of God.

In our passage the remaining part of that which is expressed as "us" is called wisdom.

In the book of John he is called the Word.

The clear teaching of the scripture is that all three are one.

This should be clear to us who are created in the image of God and enjoy a body, a soul and a spirit.

All three and yet we are one, an individual indivisible except by the sword of the spirit which is able to divide asunder the soul and the spirit.

And also we are to be absent from the body, but not for long for those who are in Christ will be given a new body, again to be wholly one, body, soul and spirit.

God is three in one and we, being made in the image of God, are also three in one.

John reported that Jesus told us that He and the Father were one.

He prayed in John 17:5,  And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

He called on no angels to do this for he was before the angels.

We see in John 1:18 that oneness of the Father and the Son,  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Look at it this way. God is Wisdom. God is Word. God is Spirit.

God the Word is the expression of Wisdom.

God the Word formed the worlds by Wisdom.

Proverbs 3:19,  The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Wisdom was there from everlasting from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

Wisdom preceded the depths, the fountains, the mountains, the hills.

Wisdom watched as the heavens were prepared.

She was there as the circle of the earth was formed.

As the clouds above took their places wisdom was that which the Word used to speak them into existence.

Wisdom decreed the confining borders of the seas and the Word instructed the waters that they should not pass their limits.

Wisdom defined the foundations of the earth and the Word set them in place.

Wisdom is eternal but she is also the active agent in that creation for all created systems operate within the wisdom of God.

You walk, you talk, all of your bodily systems function because of God’s wisdom.

Everything that you see, feel, touch, smell or hear complies with God’s wisdom.

Colossians 1:16-17,  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

For by him were all things created means that they were created when Jesus Christ was called the Word, when he was without flesh.

Hebrews 11:3,  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

And they were all created within the framework of the wisdom of God.

For we see this in Proverbs 8:30,  Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;  Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

Here we see a personalization of wisdom as one who is a son.

The Father delights in his son as the Father delights in his Word.

His son rejoices in the delight of his Father.

And He also delights in that which He brought forth by the Word of the Father, the earth and the sons of men upon the earth.

This mutual satisfaction emanates from a delight that the eternal purposes of God are being carried out in perfect unison.

We have been told in verse 22,  The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old.

There has never been a discord in the family.

All is well in the family and delight reigns.

This is the accord that was evident in the instruction of Isaiah 42:1, to,  Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

This delight was also heard from heaven when the son, the Word of God was incarnate in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 3:17,  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Have you ever had one of your plans come together in such a way that it brought you delight?

Perhaps something pertaining to your family came together in such a way that brought extreme happiness to you.

This is what is being expressed here as the son is rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and having enjoyment with the sons of men.

We are told in the book of Genesis that God created man in his own image, male and female created he them.

Isn’t this the greatest gift that could be given, to be created in the image of God?

He blessed them and told them to be fruitful and to multiply, to replenish the earth, to subdue it and to have dominion over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

And once he had done this he looked around and examined what he had done and he saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.

He delighted in his work. He enjoyed what he had done.

He had created men in the image of God free to stand or fall.

As He is free, he has created men with a free will.

This free will resulted in man’s ruin but even in that, God’s plan will result in man’s salvation and elevation.

For God’s plan even included the bruising of the Serpent’s head and the destruction of the kingdom of Satan.

This plan included the sending of the One who brought all of this creation into being, the sending of his own Son, to endure the shame of this sin cursed earth in order for the Father’s perfect plan to be realized.

Hebrews 2:16,  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

The Father’s business about which Jesus Christ spent his life on this earth, delights the Father as it is carried out.

This delight continues thoughout all eternity as the Son rejoices and delights in the sons of men.

Jeremiah 31:3,  The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

The Father has foreordained to dwell with men.

He has chosen to make men His temple.

That choice required the exchange of the throne of glory for the cross of shame but God’s plan cannot be thwarted.

The plan included joy that was set before Him.

As we are told in Hebrews 12:2,  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Philippians. 2:8-11,  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

All of this was accomplished by the Son, Jesus Christ the Word, Wisdom personified, in order that the Father’s creation plan would be realized in total and in perfection.

The intention of God was to rejoice in the habitable part of his earth and to have eternal delights with that which he has created, the sons of men.

It took the death, the burial and the resurrection of his only begotten Son to accomplish this but God will have his way and his perfect creation will be realized.

For this we sing praises to God like this song.