Good Morning Yamon Ki Yesepar;
Proverbs 8:17: “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
This is a little odd in the Hebrew. “I love them” is in an imperfect form, hence it should correctly be rendered as “I will love them”. Of course no one will translate it that way because the follow words are “that love me” which is in a participial form and means those who are loving me. In other words: “ I will love those who are loving me.” This would suggest that until we start to love God, He will not love us. However, when put into the context of the proceeding phrase: “those that seek me early…” it might make more sense.
The word love here is “ahav” which in it’s primitive form means “God filling your heart with His presence.” Because of the broad range of the word “ahav” it is very difficult to translate this phrase, “I love them that love me.” The idea that is being conveyed is that I will fill the hearts of those who love me with my presence.
Those who seek him early will find him. The word find is “masa” where the modern Hebrew word “Masaad” comes from. The Masaad is the CIA of Israel and it literally means to discover hidden or secret knowledge. It is in a hiphil form which means that he will be caused to find.
Hence what Solomon is saying is that that God will fill the hearts of those who love Him with His presence and if you seek Him early you will discovery His hidden secrets. Rabbinic writings teach that the hidden mysteries or secrets of God are like the taste of food. It is impossible to describe it to someone who has never tasted it. You can not describe in words exactly what it is, it is hidden. Hence you can see the mysteries or secret of God in Scripture, you can read it and you can even hear teaching on it, but until you actually “taste” it or experience it, it remains hidden, a mystery until He fills you with His presence.
So what does that mean to “to seek Him early.” The word used here is “shachar” which literally means “black” as in the night, or dawn, or early morning. One interpretation is that God speaks to us in our dreams. The Talmud teaches that the last dream you have, the one you have as you are awaking is prophetic. So when you seek Him in your early morning dream you will discover his hidden mysteries or secrets.
Another interpretation (and both are considered correct) found in ancient rabbinical writings say: “Happy is the Holy people! Their Lord searches them, calls to them to bring them close to Him. So the Holy people should join together and enter the synagogue. Whoever arrives earliest joins himself to Shekhinah in a single bond!
This is explained in a parable. A king summons a minyan (a quorum ten) to appear before him on a certain day and a certain place at a certain time. While everyone is preparing one individual arrives early and alone. The king is present and waiting. He asks the man where the others are. The man explains that the others are coming but he has arrived early. Therefore the king sits down and shares with the man his thoughts and feelings in an unofficial way. Then when the others arrive he takes on a more formal posture and conducts his business. After a number of such meetings and the continual practice of the one to arrive early, the king recognizes the mans early arrival as showing his eagerness to serve and his deep love for the king. This “causes” (hiphil) the king to open up with this man and share with him things that he would not share with the others.
Hence this seeking God early is presented more as a picture than to be taken literally ie., the earlier you get up in the morning to have your devotions, the better chance of learning the secrets of God. Rather what is being expressed in seeking Him early is the eagerness to serve God and to meet with Him. If you arrive late for a job interview, you can pretty well write off your chances of getting that job. Why? Because your late arrival will be interpreted as a lack of desire for the job. If you arrive early you are conveying the message that you are really interested in that position. You are so interested that you made it a priority over everything else to be on time, even early.
So too with God. If you really love Him and desire to serve Him, He will be a priority over everything else you have to do and He will be the first on your agenda, hence you will arrive in His presence early. To such individuals God will entrust his secret knowledge.
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