Since Jesus is the power, and wisdom of God, (1 Cor 1:24) then it would be Jesus speaking through Solomon. If Jesus created all things then surely he would "rejoice" in what he himself has made.
Wisdom dwells inside of the heart of the man who has understanding, which would be Jesus (wisdom) in man! (Pro 14:33)
Pro 8:31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
Yes, wisdom here in (Pro. 8) is the Personification of a Person, and that Person is the Son of God. But it is not speaking to Jesus or wisdom dwelling in man at this time. It is addressing a time in eternity past. (8:22-30) "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....Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;"
And lest anyone think this is my idea that this speaks to the Son of God, here are some quotes.
From (Proverbs, Charles Bridges, Banner of Truth, 1981) "Listen we now to the calls of heavenly Wisdom--to the voice of the Son of God." p. (72)
(Bridges) "Whether Solomon fully understood his own words, may be a question. 1 Peter 1:10,11. But receiving the words as from God; weighing their natural force; comparing them with Scripture parallels, we doubt not that they describe--not an attribute, but a Person--Eternal--Omniscient--in the most endearing relation to man--his Creator--Mediator--Saviour." p. (72)
Concerning the verses (Pro. 8:22-30) Bridges says, "It must be a perverted imagination that can suppose an attribute here. So glorious are the rays of eternal supreme Deity, distinct personality, and essential unity, that the mysterious, ever-blessed Being--'the Word, who was in the beginning with God, and was God' (John, 1:1,2)--now undoubtedly stands before us." p. (79)
From ( A Commentary, Jamieson, Fausset,Brown, Erdmans, 1990) "But the parallel (John 1:1-3) makes it more likely that Christ is here viewed, not in His predestined humanity, but in His uncreated essence as the Word eternally with God." p. (439)
Prophecy not only looks to future things, but it can also take us back to eternity past, as these verses in Proverbs do. And when you read (Pro. 8:22-30) you see that eternity past is the time element we are in here. This is all before the creation of the earth and at the creation of the earth. Wisdom, The Son, was by Him, and with Him and was the delight of Him. (30)
And of this time period, eternity past, before man ever entered the picture, we are told in (Pro. 8:31) that Wisdom, The Son, was "Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." Yet no man existed at this time. Yet, as the Father delights in the Son, the Son is delighting in the sons of men. What men? The men that are already known to God. The men who are of God.
(Jameison, Fausset, Brown) "Already, even before men were created, He regarded them as existing, because of the electing purpose of God concerning His people in whom is His delight." p. (440)
It is these that are 'of God'. They are the children, sons, of God. It is these that are 'from above' as their origin is from God. They are 'from above' as Christ is 'from above'. It is these that are the 'sheep of Christ', who hear and know His voice. Who believe because they are His sheep. It is these that were 'lost' in the fall of Adam.
These were never children of the devil. They were always children of God.
Quantrill
