Proverbs says you are blessed if you do these three things: listens, watching, and waiting
“Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD.” (Proverbs 8:34-35 NKJV
Learn how to be blessed by reading the word of God. In Proverbs 8, it mentions how to be blessed.
Meaning of Words
When you do a study of these words in Strong’s Concordance, it breaks down the meanings of these words. Meaning of words are of great significance.
Blessed – happy
Listens – to hear intelligently, attentively, obedience
Watching – sleepless, to be on the lookout, hasten, remain, wake, watch for.
Waiting – to guard, protect, attend to, be circumspect, take heed, keep, observe, watch
Favor – delight, desire, good pleasure
Door – opening, entrance way, gate, place
If I re-wrote this verse with the meanings of this word, it would say this:
“Happy are those who hear attentively and are obedient, and daily are on the lookout, and keeps, and observes at My place. When you find Him, you find life and will be His delight, and good pleasure.”
Three Questions to Ask
There are three questions that you should answer to determine if you are blessed (happy).
1) Who are you listening to?
Are you listening to God’s voice? Not only are you listening, but are you being obedient?
For a biblical reference, Jesus is speaking in this verse and says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27 NKJV)
2) What are you watching out for?
When you are watching for something or on the lookout for something, you are ready to take action when you see what you are looking for.
For a biblical reference, the Lord is speaking to the prophet, Jeremiah, “Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.” (Jeremiah 1:12 NKJV)
In the NLT, it says, “And the LORD said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.”
God is ready, He is watching, or hasten (hurry) to perform His word, to carry out His plans. That’s why it’s important to read God’s word from beginning to end. God is going to fulfill His word and those that know His word, should be looking out for it. More than ever, during these times, you see God’s word being fulfilled.
How can you be on the lookout, at the ready, if you haven’t read God’s word from cover to cover? You can’t rely on someone else that knows the word of God. God’s word in Hosea 4:6 says, “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” He was referring to knowledge of His word.
3) Where or How are you waiting?
When you look up the word waiting in the Strong’s Concordance, one of the meanings is “to keep”. I looked up similar scriptures that uses this same meaning of the word waiting, or to keep.
For a biblical reference, in the Book of Isaiah, it says, “Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.” (Isaiah 56:2 NKJV)
“He also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; Keep my commands, and live.” (Proverbs 4:4 NKJV)
God commands us to keep the Sabbath and do no evil. No matter what situation arises, we are to observe or keep the Sabbath day holy unto God. In other words, God is saying to go to church. It is the fourth commandment that was given by God. Even Jesus went to church as He was always in the temple. When you do keep God’s commands, God’s word says you shall live (recover, be alive, be whole)!
So listen for God’s voice as He is always speaking but we must be listening. Be on the lookout (watching) and be at the ready as God is going to fulfill His word. If you want to know what is going on in the world and what the future holds, read the Bible, the living word of God. It has all your answers to every situation. And finally, keep the Sabbath holy by going to church, and keep God’s commands. God speaks to us through His word. God’s word never fails and is living and powerful. So start now and read the bible, God’s living word.
“Proverbs 8 (KJV) – Blessed is the man that.” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/pro/8/34/p0/s_636034>.
“John 10 (NKJV) – My sheep hear My voice.” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/nkjv/jhn/10/27/s_1007027>.
“Jeremiah 1 (NKJV) – Then the LORD said to.” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/nkjv/jer/1/12/s_746012>.
“Isaiah 56 (NKJV) – Blessed is the man who.” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/nkjv/isa/56/2/s_735002>.
“Proverbs 4 (KJV) – Hear ye children the instruction.” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/pro/4/1/p0/s_632001>.
Blessed – “H835 – ‘ešer – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h835/kjv/wlc/0-1/>.
Heareth – “H8085 – šāmaʿ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8085/kjv/wlc/0-1/>.
Watching – “H8245 – šāqaḏ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8245/kjv/wlc/0-1/>.
Waiting – “H8104 – šāmar – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/kjv/wlc/0-1/>.
Door – “H6607 – peṯaḥ – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6607/kjv/wlc/0-1/>.
Favor – “H7522 – rāṣôn – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (kjv).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 9 Jun, 2021. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h7522/kjv/wlc/0-1/>.
