Beginning of Wisdom

5/27/23 THE TRIP TO WISDOM; HOW?

Slowly it comes, slowly it is gleaned, slowly the gathering abides. Age doesn’t mean wisdom is present, as Elihu told Job and his friends, the “miserable comforters” and “physicians of no value” by which they came to be known. But of course, wisdom is available to anyone, just easier to see in the matured mind. Perhaps that’s due to all other activity, mental and physical, slowing down and like details on the roadside being more noticeable at a slower speed, wise attributes are more clearly identifiable because of our aging.

The bible tells us, “For after in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God….”  How did the world gather wisdom? They who rule the world gathered it from God only wise/the only wise God and subtly claimed it as their own. As concerning the above quote (1Cor.1:21) and Paul’s and Jude’s collaboration as to God being the sovereign portrayer of real wisdom, how shall we seek wisdom away from His word? He said, in the same chapter, “but of him are ye in Christ, who of God is made not us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” (v.30,31.)

So, let’s take a trip for gleaning purposes. The whole of the 66 books of God’s Holy Word is a daunting (in the sense of being intimidatingly exacting) book of wisdom—front to back. But, the task is a slow drive, and a lifetime of revue and Spirit led winding as one journeys to find all that is provided by the Master. We’ll take some shortened journeys here on the blog and try our best to maximize our benefits.

The Lord says through Solomon that the reason for Proverbs being written was to “know wisdom and instruction; to perceive words of understanding.” Throughout Proverbs (especially the first 8 chapters) the 3 most prevalent words are KNOW(LEDGE), UNDERSTANDING, AND WISDOM. It has long been my application of these three words as follows: knowledge—the gathering of truths; understanding—the meaning of these truths; and wisdom—the application of the truth. There might be some variations of those, but these meanings serve us well in study. So, let’s go.

Proverbs 1 says “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,…” and that alone is a slice of wisdom to chew on for a lifetime. But it’s also referred to as “an ornament of grace” and (as an ornament) “chains about thy neck.”(v.7, 9) See the reason for my lifetime accent?

Proverbs 2 says that wisdom is a “she,” the female appellation is now going to be specific to wisdom for the next 7 chapters. She is given freely to all who desire her. When we take wisdom into our hearts, she exudes discretion to preserve us and point us away from evil and darkness. Avoiding this dark side will lead to perfection since, in the end of it all, all evil and wickedness shall be “cut off from the earth.” (Remember, Solomon wrote to people who were literally going to inherit the earth.)

Proverbs 3 contains the most profound words about wisdom we can find and this passage and (v.5-8) is probably the most quoted: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding; In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health unto thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” Wisdom roars back as “she” in much of this chapter and the Author tells of her ability to make mankind happy from verse 13 through 20. The one line verses after that are precious; read them all. At the end of the chapter he says “shame shall be the promotion of fools.” That I have seen several times.

Proverbs 4 implores us to get wisdom and not forget it nor forsake it. Wisdom is the principle thing (v5-7) and she should be exalted(v.8,9.) She’ll keep us from the “path of the wicked.” The Author also adds the conditioning of one’s heart to this overwhelming call to understand the wisdom of God, see verse 21, 23 and all the body can be preserved from the perverseness of the evil world around us. When the Lord speaks of keeping His words, He points us toward keeping these words in our hearts, v.20-23, and get away from that which disagrees with His words.

I’m sure you can tell by these short synopses of each chapter that there is much to be gleaned, the whole of which will take time. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are very FULL of all the wise thoughts brought forth to make our lives more obedient unto God’s cause and to understand our (we who have placed our trust in the finished work of Christ, our Savior) inheritance with Him. I certainly do not claim to have a corner on the perfection in understanding each thing spoken by the Lord. But, by studying by “rightly dividing the word of truth” as we are instructed to do, I believe poring over the captured truths can make us understand the things for which Christ has called us. More to come.

Thanks for reading, The Elder