Note here we have the counsels of God in Christ as Wisdom, having the earth as their scope, rejoicing in the habitable parts of God's earth, and His delight was with the sons of men. This does not touch the Church at all-it is above and outside all this. This will be accomplished in government and blessing in the millennium, when the earth shall be blessed, see Psa. 96-99; nor is this election. The Jews, though earthly, are not properly the object of this chapter-they come in, as Psa. 67, as a means, an occasion because of God's electing love. It is blessing according to God's delight and blessing in Christ—His nature and the outgoing of His heart—His natural blessing. His election is a special thing besides, as an instrument and object of special love, and hence is what He reveals it to be—the Church far up out of sight, so to speak, of all this.
30, 31. This is the chain of heavenly joy, down, through Christ, to the creature; see the universe in some sort, in Hos. 2, for Jezreel is at the end. But also Psa. 67 shows it the occasion, because the special object of God in blessing. Matthew never goes out of this, unless in the special exceptional case of chapters 16 and 17. But there, when he speaks of the administration of it, it is the keys of the kingdom of heaven (not of the Church) given to Peter, as was the case as Apostle of the circumcision; see the case of Cornelius. All Paul's ministry, which was directly from heaven, in the world and in the Church, finds no place in this instruction.
In this remarkable chapter we have indeed the link in grace between God and Christ, as Wisdom, and men as the object of His delight when He was God the Father's, and this reaches out, in principle, to the state of the tabernacle of God with men as a result. But it is not the special union of the Church, when God could not have His delight in man, when man had rejected Christ the Wisdom of God. Wretched creatures that we are! And the link was to all appearance, and really morally on man's side, completely broken. Doubtless it shall have its fruit and accomplishment, on God's part, in the state referred to in Rev. 21, but now we have an intimity and identity with the Second Man, not displayed amongst men but hid in God. We are mysteriously one with Him, as so hid. This is a peculiar and special place.
Nothing is larger or more strong in thought and delight as to men than Prov. 8; but the Church is not found there. It is the outgoing of delight in a class, so that wisdom was displayed and delight found in them—not an union by creation and power, introducing into His own blessing as hidden in God and rejected of men, the special delight of God where man had no intercourse with it, and such is the Church and its wondrous place—it is not the Body of Him who is Wisdom.
The link between such a theme of delights to Wisdom, and the guidance through all the details of this world, this miserable world, is very touching. On the other hand, how corruption of the affections is insisted on, as destroying fatally all moral discernment! That and violence are always the two characters of evil.
13. Note the form, which divine wisdom takes in us, is "the fear of the Lord." So "the truth, as it is in Jesus." Only we have "the mind of Christ," to guide us, and He has sanctified Himself that we may be "sanctified through the truth." It is full and perfect in our case; not simply a law, when expressed in actual detail. So here, the fruit is blessing in this world. So it is this creation, though men are the great object of it. So "the life was the light of men," which is yet more. It was addressed to them—they to it.
34. Though hearing, yet there is the desire—attentive waiting on—finding.