What is Biblical Wisdom?
What does it really mean to be wise?
- In a world where everyone has an opinion and a voice, how do we know what to listen to?
- How do we actually know what is wise?
1. Wisdom Begins With Fearing God
Proverbs 1:1–7 “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young— let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance— for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
These proverbs are for:
- Gaining wisdom and instruction
- For understanding words of insight
- Receiving instruction in prudent (wise, careful and thoughtful) behaviour
- Doing what is right and just and fair
- Giving prudence (wise, careful and thoughtfulness) to those who are “simple”
What is "Fear of the Lord"?
- Fear of the Lord is not living terrified of God.
- Fear of the Lord = reverence that leads to submission.
- It is awe, humility, respect, submission, and recognition of who God is.
- It is something like: "God, You created me. You know me better than I know myself. You see what I can't see. You know what I don't know. I trust that Your way is better."
- Fear of the Lord means learning to love what God loves and hate what God hates.
- Wisdom begins with fearing God.
2. Wisdom Requires Listening to the Right Voice
Proverbs 1:8–19 “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; cast lots with us; we will all share the loot”— my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood. How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it! These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.”
- “My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. “
- Notice the word “Entice” here - they are not “forcing” him into anything...
- Entice means to attract or persuade someone to do something or go somewhere by offering something pleasant, interesting or advantageous
- They are inviting him in to their sin
- Notice their words shortly after... “come along with us”... “we will get all sorts of valuable things....” “Cast lots with us; we will all share the loot...”
- Foolish decisions usually don't feel foolish while we are making them. Foolishness rarely introduces itself as foolishness, instead it usually promises something:
- Money
- Acceptance
- Pleasure
- Success
- Belonging
- An easier path
- Proverbs also says “Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.”
- Chasing after the things of this world… money, power, wealth, whatever it may be...
- Chasing after God and having fear of the Lord is what brings Wisdom and life.
Proverbs 1:20–33 “Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. But since you refuse to listen when I call and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand, since you disregard all my advice and do not accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you— when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.””
There are two distict voices between these two passages we just read
- The voice of sinful men calling: “Come along with us…”
- The voice of wisdom calling: “How long…?”
- How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
- How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge
- This second set of scriptures show wisdom calling aloud to us
- she is a voice shouting in the public square, on top of the wall she cries out... at the city gate she makes her speech
- Wisdom is calling anyone and everyone
- Wisdom is making itself available to all
“Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.” — Proverbs 1:23
We see a similar call to repentance in the Gospel:
- Romans 3:23 — All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- Romans 6:23 — The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.
- Romans 5:8 — While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Romans 10:9–10 — Believe in your heart and declare that Jesus is Lord.
- Romans 10:13 — “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
- And we see Jesus calling: Matthew 11:28 ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Jesus is calling you away from your sinful ways.
Wisdom is calling you away from your simple ways.
3. Wisdom Must Be Pursued
Proverbs 2:1–6 “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Solomon uses action words:
- Accept my words.
- Store up my commands.
- Turn your ear to wisdom.
- Apply your heart to understanding.
- Call out for insight.
- Cry aloud for understanding.
- Look for it like silver.
- Search for it like hidden treasure.
Wisdom is not something we are supposed to casually hope or stumble into.
Wisdom must be pursued.
James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
1 Kings 3:5 “At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.””
1 Kings 3:9–12 “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.”
When God told Solomon, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you,” Solomon asked God for a discerning heart.... The man whose words we read in Proverbs asked God for wisdom and pursued it!
Biblical wisdom isn't knowing everything.
Biblical wisdom is knowing The One who does! And allowing Him to reveal knowledge and wisdom to us as we continue pursuing and asking Him.
