Sunday: Wisdom Cries Out
Read Proverbs 8:1–21 (NKJV). According to these verses, what is the value of wisdom?
Image © Jeff Preston from GoodSalt.com
Wisdom is so important that it must reach everyone. God created all human life, and Christ died for each one of us. So wisdom, the knowledge of God and the salvation He offers, is for every human being.
Look at the words used to describe wisdom’s vocal presence: cry out,
lift up her voice,
call,
voice,
speak,
opening . . . lips,
mouth,
lips,
words.
However one understands these metaphors, what is clear is that wisdom is to be communicated; it is to be heard by all who will listen. After all, as we saw last week, what wisdom says is a matter of life and death.
Eight times wisdom talks about the truthfulness of her words. The description of wisdom here, interestingly enough, parallels the portrayal of the Lord in Deuteronomy 32:4. This parallel, of course, should not be surprising, because God, as the Creator of all things (see John 1:1–3), is the foundation of all truth.
Read Proverbs 8:10-11. What do these verses say about wisdom?
So many people have lived, and still live, in ignorance, in folly, and in darkness. Many live with no hope at all or with false hopes. What makes this sad state of affairs even sadder is that wisdom and truth are so wonderful, filled with hope and promise for a better life now and the surety of eternal life in a new heaven and a new earth, all thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus. All the wealth in the world means nothing (see Eccles. 2:11–13) in contrast to the knowledge of God.
Read Matthew 16:26 and ask yourself how well your life reflects the crucial truth of these words.
(26)
The lesson author states: All the wealth in the world means nothing (see Eccles. 2:11–13) in contrast to the knowledge of God.
Does he mean: wisdom = the knowledge of God?
or does he mean: wisdom = the application of the principles we learn from the knowledge of the character of God to our lives?
experience gained, knowledge applied...thats wisdom
a child who is warned not to play with a match and still does and gets burned will never play with it again, unless mentally disturbed. the experience will scare him/her and inform future decisions when a matchbox is seen again, even if it is in pretty colours. experience teaches wisdom
Is wisdom the knowledge of GOD?
The short answer is no. Wisdom is the best practice application of knowledge. Wisdom is the result of developing a relationship with God.
I know a lot about electricity - probably more than you can imagine, but all my knowledge about Fermi-Dirac energy levels and electron drift theory is of little use if I do not plug my electric light in and turn the switch on.
Likewise with our spiritual lives, you can recite the whole Bible, and argue theology 24 hours a day, but if you do not have a relationship with God that can be shared with others, you are just a device sitting on a shelf!
To Patrick and Shirley: from the previous lessons on James I seemed to find out that wisdom was more than knowledge; that twas the practicality of knowledge; that twas putting knowledge into practice becos mere knowledge wasn't good enough; And that human wisdom was when we chose to end at knowledge as opposed to allowing God to be the one to translate that knowledge into acts? We must have a relationship with God for us to have that wisdom.
So for me human wisdom is our mere knowledge both of God (where I can articulate scripture yet denying the power thereof) and also of all good things in this world thru which I get by, which is ok, it's a good thing but it "bringeth sorrow" as in Eccl 2:13 Amp bible becos it's not of eternal benefit as that from God. And yet it's beta than folly Eccl 2:13 becos for sure we've seen so many good works of development etc, done thru mere knowledge / human wisdom. But it doesn't lead to Christ. God must be in our knowledge for us to live out godly principles in all things and thus lead others to Him.
What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? Please answer my question i really need a good answer on it,,, i am little confused.
I made this comment at the very beginning of the lessons on Proverbs and it is probably appropriate to repeat it here because it is so far down the blog now.
It is possibly useful to step outside of the realm of theology for a moment to consider a model of information commonly used in the Information Management Discipline.
There are four levels of information as follows:
Data: simple facts like numbers, dates, characters. For example; 5/7/1950 is a date. "David Sommerton" is a string of text.
Information: information takes raw data and includes relationships between them. For example; David Sommerton's birthday is on the 5/7/1950.
Knowledge: includes the work practices that surround the information: For example; Since it is David Sommerton's birthday on 5/7/1950 it might be nice to send him some sort of greeting on that day.
Wisdom: this is the highest information level an includes philospical implications like best practice and choice of work practice and the use of information. To continue the example David Summerton's birthday is on 5/7/1950 and that means he is 65 this coming year. Since in our culture 65 is a bit of a milestone and he is thinking of retiring it might be nice to make his birthday a bit of a special event.
In the spiritual realm we can consider the same 4 levels:
Data: the texts that are found in the Bible.
Information: the relationships between the texts and the stakeholders - that is God and us.
Knowledge: the consideration of how we can use that data and information to put our spirituality into practice.
Wisdom: understanding that if we rely on our own wisdom we have the potential to do the wrong thing with our knowledge, information and data. Here is where it is best to be guided by the advice, "Seek first the Kingdom of God ..."
Hi Maurice,
thanks for your explanation.
Please expand more on the last section:
Wisdom: understanding that if we rely on our own wisdom we have the potential to do the wrong thing with our knowledge, information and data. Here is where it is best to be guided by the advice, "Seek first the Kingdom of God ..."
How do we get to know God if not from knowledge in the Bible?
How do we develop "a relationship" with God in practice?
If I can expand on the electricity illustration I used somewhere else: I know a lot more about electricity than most people but I am not an electrician because I have not served my time with a master electrician to learn how to wire a house. I need the practical training to do that task and ensure that I put the electricity in the right place so that it satisfies the legal requirements of the building code. Reading about it and understand it is not the same as practical training.
Wisdom from God comes from reading about Him in the Bible and working with Him in a practical sense. "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good", "Prove me now" - you know the texts that invite us to have a practical relationship with God. It is that experimental relationship that develops wisdom from God.
Knowledge of God is only the beginning.
We get that from reading the Bible first and through helps like group study, teachings and other books that help explain the meaning in the Bible.
Wisedom comes by building a relationship w/God.
This is through prayer, meditation and application of God's Word toward our lives. It is the comparing our actions and words and studies to God's Word to see if we're in agreement and asking for God's help to bring them into agreement. It is looking at human life (our life) and trying to see through the lense of God's Word. It comes into focus only when the two are in agreement.
This is a life-long practice in order to continue the relationship b/c the wisedom will fade if we don't continue abiding in God's Word.
A much less scholarly answer:
Knowledge is knowin an avocado is a fruit,
Wisdom is knowin not to put it in the fruit salad.
You have not tried my strawberry avocado smoothie! 🙂
What is wisdom based on the scriptures?
Job 28:28 The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom and to turn away from evil is understanding.
What is the fear of the Lord, because it is wisdom.. the answer will be found in Deut 4:6 - Keep them and do them (Ten commandments- see verse13), for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
The fear of the Lord should be practiced.
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.
Must hate evil and not pride, arrogance and perverse mouth.
Proverb 8: 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
So that you may not sin..
Exodus 20: 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”
In conclusion we can say wisdom is the fear of the Lord.
As Jesus said: "go and sin no more".
What are the advantages if fear the Lord?
Maz 34:7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Maz 34: 9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
Maz 33:18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,
Prov 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Maz 112:3 Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever.
Prov 6:6 Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you.
Prov 6:12 When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, And when you run, you will not stumble.
Prov 6:22 When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.
What is knowledge?
See what the bible says about knowledge - knowing God!
Why? otherwise you will perish forever..
Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom,
let not the mighty man boast in his might,
let not the rich man boast in his riches,
24 but let him who boasts boast in this,
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
In conclusion we can say no knowledge means forgotten the law of God. Destroyed because you have rejected knowledge.
Dear Melmar
Knowledge is understanding the precepts and promises God has laid down for us in His word.
Wisdom is applying the understanding you have gained perhaps through experience and deeper prayer and study.
When Christ died, it was for our sins. Have you contemplated the sacrifice He made on the cross of Calvary? When you are faced with a decision making situation which hinges on sinning, consider Calvary's cross and the experience on the road to Golgotha, how they whipped him and the way His blood flowed for us sinners. Then tell me if you dont try to connect with God to make a wise decision. Remember that in all thy ways acknowledge him and He shall direct thy paths. Now that is wisdom!
I don’t know if wisdom is the knowledge of God but what I am sure about it is for it to be in you must have the knowledge of God Proverbs 1:7 and all those who say I know God but keepeth not his law are liars
Prov8:7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. Kjv
Deut 32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he. Niv
Wisdom claims to speak truth in Prov 8 yet Deut says it is God who is perfect. There's no contrast becos God is the source of wisdom
Prov 8:4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. Kjv
Wisdom (the knowledge of God's will and the capacity to live it out practically), "stands at top of high places, cries out" means it must be proclaimed to all human kind.
"Cries out" means it is a call to all (of us) who have heard and received Christ and His word, to share with others. Not an ordinary call but one with a sense of urgency and purpose and zeal. We must cherish the good news we hear as being so valuable that we can't help but speak out; that we can't remain silent!
Shirley I would say yes it's knowledge, which is good yet doesn't equal wisdom of God - the Amplified Bible says "human wisdom":
Ecclesiastes 2:11-13 Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 Then I looked on all that my hands had done and the labor I had spent in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 So I turned to consider [human] wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the man do who succeeds the king? Nothing but what has been done already.
13 Then I saw that even [human] wisdom [that brings sorrow] is better than [the pleasures of] folly as far as light is better than darkness.
the begining of wisdom is to fear God
What is the difference btwn commandment and law??
If you ask that question of everyone you meet, you would probably get back more different answers than the number of people you asked.
(That sounds like a discussion I saw around here somewhere about the difference between truth & perception of truth.)
1. Commandment and law are the same thing, synonyms.
2. The Ten Commandments are expressions of God's law of love.
3. Laws are statements attempting to express reality, eg. Breathe or die; while commandments are rules that keep you from violating those laws, eg. Don't put a plastic bag over your face.
4. Proverbs uses commandments as the instructions from mother and father.
5. If at all possible, it might be best to ask whoever is using the terms what they mean by those terms, else you may end up completely misunderstanding each other.
In biblical terms they are synonymous but outside of that commandments are instructions from God and laws are legislative frameworks which govern particular areas and breaches are punishable as criminal acts.
The difference is that under grace our heavenly father is willing to forgive us when we break his laws/commandments