Proverbs 8:17 – " I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. "
Proverbs 1:28 – "Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: "
Some critics are of the opinion that there is a contradiction between these two verses from Provverbs, for in one place it seems that God would be found of those who seek him, and another time it seems that He would not be found by them who seek Him. This may appear to be contradictory at a first glance, but when we check the immediate context, it will become evident that there really is not contradiction.
Proverbs 8:17 combines two statements in one verse which are also connected in content: (1) God promises that He loves those who love Him, and (2) He declares that those who will seek Him (obviously from those who love Him and who are beloved of Him) will also find Him. This promise concerns those who love God, who seek Him honestly and who are in a right relationship with Him.
Proverbs 1:28 starts out with the word "Then …", which already shows that this statement also is set within a certain context which must be observed if we are to arrive at a correct undestanding of this verse. Who are these "they" who call upon Him? From verse 24 it can be seen that they refused when God called and they disregarded Him when He stretched forth His hand, in verse 25 it is added that they set at nought His counsel and did not want any of His reproof, and the next verses clarify further that because of this they suffer distress, disaster, anguish and destruction comes upon them. Verse 29 adds that they hate knowledge and do not choose the fear of the Lord. This is a completely different situation and a totally different kind of person - these have turned knowingly away from the Lord and do not love Him. Thus, when they seek Him they will not find Him.
As soon as we consider the respective context of each passage and determine who these are actually speaking of, when we understand the "they" correctly, this apparent contradiction is solved immediately. God is a faithful God, a true God, Who does not contradict Himself in any way and who always teaches us truth in His Word.