Proverbs 24:3

A prosperous and long-lasting family and estate are built by wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. There are no shortcuts. There are no alternatives. The foolish and wicked may appear to be building great houses, but they are coming down soon. There is no cheating this rule. If you compromise wisdom, you will lose your family and estate.

Your “house” is not just the building you live in. It includes your posterity and inheritable assets. It includes your literal house, but do not dilute the lesson. Wisdom and understanding here are far more than creative blueprints (Pr 11:29; 14:1,11; 15:25,27).

It is possible to see the wicked with large and prosperous families, but their duration is short. Consider David’s observation, “Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found” (Ps 37:34-36).

Righteous men want to leave a godly and prosperous family in the world (Pr 5:16-18; Ps 127:3-5; 128:1-6; 144:12-15; Mal 2:15). They want to train children and grandchildren to perpetuate the truth of God in the earth (Deut 4:9-10; 6:4-9; Ps 78:1-8; Joel 1:1-3).

Consider the house of Abraham in size and quality. The nation of Israel came from him, which he built and established by wisdom and understanding (Gen 12:1-3; 18:19; Neh 9:7-8). He feared God and lived by faith more than any man of his generation (Gal 3:9).

Consider the houses of Lot and Eli in duration and honor. Lot lost everything and polluted his own daughters (Gen 19:30-38). Eli’s family of priests was cut off and destroyed for the compromise of a sentimental and weak father (I Sam 2:27-36; 3:11-18).

Your family and estate will only prosper by wisdom and understanding, which is plainly found in Scripture. If you live by any other means, you are doomed to trouble, pain, and destruction. Humble yourself, and shore up your house with the Word of God. Today!

The house of God, the church, is built and established the same way, by wisdom and understanding. The foundation is laid in the Lord Jesus Christ, and every minister must build only with gold, silver, and precious stones. For the fire of his Lord’s examination will consume any wood, hay, and stubble. Let every doctrine and practice of every church be based only in the pure wisdom and understanding of Scripture (I Cor 3:11-15).