For today's article I will be covering what we can learn from scripture in regards to wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and judgment.Bible Figures With Wisdom
First Let's take a quick glance at some of the smartest people that we can find in scripture. The first example is Joseph who was commended by Pharaoh for his wisdom (Gen 41:39). Then there's Bezaleel who God had filled with wisdom as well as knowledge and understanding (Exo 31:2 -3, Exo 36:1-4). A woman named Abigail (Nabal's wife) was said to have a good understanding in 1Sa 25:3. We see in 2Sa 20:16-22 that an unnamed wise woman saved a city by her wisdom.
Perhaps the most famous person in scripture renowned for his wisdom was king Solomon (1Ki 3:9-12, 1Kin 10:6-7, 1Ch 22:7 -12, 2Ch 1:10 -12). We learn from the Book of Daniel that Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, and Daniel were skilful in all wisdom, cunning in knowledge and understood science (Dan 1:3 -6).
Of course, we would expect Jesus to have remarkable understanding even as a child (Luk 2:46-47).
See also: Ezr 8:16
A Look At Wisdom.
Before I discuss what we can learn from the bible about wisdom let's look at a few definitions from the Webster's 1828 Dictionary.
WISDOM, noun s as z. [G. See Wise.]
1. The right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them. This is wisdom in act, effect, or practice. If wisdom is to be considered as a faculty of the mind, it is the faculty of discerning or judging what is most just, proper and useful, and if it is to be considered as an acquirement, it is the knowledge and use of what is best, most just, most proper, most conducive to prosperity or happiness. wisdom in the first sense, or practical wisdom is nearly synonymous with discretion. It differs somewhat from prudence, in this respect; prudence is the exercise of sound judgment in avoiding evils; wisdom is the exercise of sound judgment either in avoiding evils or attempting good. Prudence then is a species, of which wisdom is the genus.
5. In Scripture theology, wisdom is true religion; godliness; piety; the knowledge and fear of God, and sincere and uniform obedience to his commands. This is the wisdomwhich is from above.
6. Profitable words or doctrine.
The first place that we are going to in the bible to learn about wisdom is Deu 4:5-6. It is here we learn that the keeping and doing of God's statutes and judgments is a sign of being wise and possessing understanding.
It is Important to understand just how valuable wisdom is; scripture tells us that it's better than rubies and everything that you could desire are not to be compared to it (Job 28:18, Pro 3:13-18, Pro 8:11). That it is a defence, gives life to those who have it and is better than strength (Ecc 7:12 , Ecc 9:16). What is wisdom? It is the fear of the Lord (Job 28:28). Both the Psalms and the book of Proverbs tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psa 111:10, Pro 9:10), to me this makes a-lot of sense! I mean if you don't even have a sense of self preservation how smart can you be?
We see from the example of Job 39:13-17 that the ostrich isn't a very good mother because of her lack of wisdom and understanding. Pro 4:5-8 tells us to get wisdom and understanding. It also tells us that she will preserve you if you don't forsake her, and that she will promote you if you exalt her. On the other hand if you hate wisdom, it just shows that you love death (Pro 8:36). The knowledge of wisdom is also compared to the goodness of honey and the sweetness of the honeycomb (Pro 24:13-14).
Jesus taught his followers to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Mat 10:16). The book of James has quite a bit to say regarding wisdom, basically that God will give it to you if you ask him in faith without doubting and that the wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, etc (Jas 1:5-7, Jas 3:17).
See also: Pro 19:8, Mic 6:9, Luk 1:17, Luk 7:35, 1Co 2:13, Eph 1:8, Eph 1:17, Col 1:28, Col 3:16 , Rev 13:18
Wisdom From Another Perspective
Pro 21:30 teaches us that there is no wisdom, understanding, or counsel against the Lord. From Ecc 1:18 we see that wisdom and knowledge can cause grief and sorrow. I believe this is because the more we learn the more evil we behold being done on earth. Scripture pronounces woe unto those who are wise in their own eyes (Isa 5:21). This doesn't mean that these people have wisdom but rather that they believe themselves to be wise, in other words they are proud.
From Act 26:24 we see that Paul was accused of being mad from much learning, of course we know this to not be the case. There are those that profess to be wise but become fools instead (Rom 1:22). One reason why I try not to spend hours and hours studying to refute false religions is because Paul desires us to be simple concerning evil (Rom 16:19).
Scripture teaches us that God has made foolish the wisdom of this world, and that not many wise men after the flesh are called. God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things to confound the things which are mighty, ect. This is so no flesh will glory in his presence (1Co 1:19-21, 1Cor 1:25-29, 1Cor 3:18-21, 2Co 1:12).
As we continue to grow in the word as Christians we should always be on guard against being puffed up as a result of acquiring knowledge (1Cor 8:1-2). Instead of glorying in wisdom, scripture teaches us that we should glory in knowing and understanding God (Jer 9:23-24). There is all sorts of information out there in the world, what matters is the information true or not: there are those who are ever learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth (2Ti 3:7). There is a type of wisdom that is earthly, sensual and devilish and that is envy and strife (Jas 3:14-16).
What Is Knowledge?
The next section we now come to is concerning knowledge. What follows is the webster's 1828 dictionary's first definition of the word
KNOWL'EDGE, noun nol'lej.
1. A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of our ideas.
We see from the second chapter of the bible that Adam was forbidden to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:17). Before Adam and Eve ate from the tree they were innocent but after they ate they were accountable to God for their actions (John 9:41).
Not only is the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom but it is also the beginning of knowledge also (Pro 1:7). The bible tells us that Wise men lay up knowledge (Pro 10:14), this is one reason why I enjoy writing bible notes!
The bible tells us that it's not good to be without knowledge (Pro 19:2). In fact knowledge is so important that God says that his people are destroyed for a lack of it (Hos 4:6). We see from Hos 6:6 that God values the knowledge of him more than burnt offerings.
The word of knowledge is recorded as one of the gifts of the Spirit (1Co 12:8).
Furthermore we see from Php 3:8 that the knowledge of the Lord Jesus was of utmost importance to the apostle Paul, as it should be to us as well.
See also: Pro 15:2, Pro 15:7, Pro 15:14, Rom 10:2, Rom 15:14, 2Pet 1:5-8
A Section About Understanding.
For this section and the one's following I'm going to skip defining the word and just go over what some bible passages teach regarding the word.
One verse in regards to God's understanding is 1Ch 28:9, it is from this verse that we see that not only does God understand our thoughts but the imaginations of our thoughts too.
We are warned to not be like the horse or mule which has no understanding in Psa 32:9. Pro 16:22 calls understanding a wellspring of life.
Mar 12:32-33 tells us that we ought to love God with all our understanding as well as with all our heart,soul, and strength.
Paul tells us in 1Co 14:20 to not be children in understanding. Instead we are to be men in our understanding. Lastly Eph 5:17 instructs us to not be unwise but understand what is the will of God.
See also: Psa 49:20, Psa 119:169
A Peek At Judgment.
There is no shortage in people who will cite Mat 7:1 in an effort to silence street preachers. Does the bible really teach us to not judge? Let's see what the bible teaches concerning judgment.
If you turn to Psa 37:28-30 you will find out that not only does the Lord love judgment but the tongue of the righteous talketh of it as well. The book of psalms also tells us that those who keep judgment are blessed (Psa 106:3). We can determine from Pro 13:23 that famine can be the result of a lack in judgment.
Scripture teaches that doing judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice (Pro 21:3). Pro 21:15 tells us that it's a joy to the just to do judgment.
In at least two of the gospels we see that Jesus rebuked the pharisees for omitting/passing over the weightier matters of the law which included judgment (Mat 23:23, Luk 11:42). We learn in the book of John not to judge according to appearance but righteous judgement instead (Joh 7:24). Scripture also tells us that we ought to speak the same thing and to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment; there shouldn't be divisions among us
(1Co 1:10).
See also: Psa 119:30, Isa 1:21, Isa 56:1, Isa 59:8, Isa 61:8, , Hos 12:6,
Zec 7:9, Php 1:9
Scripture teaches that doing judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice (Pro 21:3). Pro 21:15 tells us that it's a joy to the just to do judgment.
In at least two of the gospels we see that Jesus rebuked the pharisees for omitting/passing over the weightier matters of the law which included judgment (Mat 23:23, Luk 11:42). We learn in the book of John not to judge according to appearance but righteous judgement instead (Joh 7:24). Scripture also tells us that we ought to speak the same thing and to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment; there shouldn't be divisions among us
(1Co 1:10).
See also: Psa 119:30, Isa 1:21, Isa 56:1, Isa 59:8, Isa 61:8, , Hos 12:6,
Zec 7:9, Php 1:9
Bible Verses On Doctrine
For this section I just thought I'd list my top seven favorite verses that speak of doctrine in particular.In Rom 16:17 we are instructed to mark and avoid those that cause divisions and offences that are contrary to sound doctrine. We can understand by reading Eph 4:14 that we shouldn't be so gullible as to believe each and every doctrine that somebody tells us.
We see the apostle Paul instructing Timothy to give attendance to reading, exhortation and doctrine in 1Tim 4:13; and that he would save himself and those that heard him if he took heed to himself, to doctrine, and continuing in them (1Tim 4:16).
We see from 1Tim 5:17 that the elders who rule well and labor in word and doctrine are counted especially worthy of double honor. Furthermore we see that longsuffering and doctrine should be used when we rebuke, reprove, and in exhortation too (2Tim 4:2). The last verse I want to point to for this section is 2 Joh 1:9-10. It speaks of the importance of abiding in the doctrine of Christ and how to treat those that do not possess it.
A Few More Things
One indication of being a righteous person is that you study to answer (Pro 15:28). This is one of the primary purposes of apologetic ministries.
One reason why I am supportive of people learning trades and getting a higher education is because the bible tells us to buy truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding and don't sell it (Pro 23:23). Of coarse if you are considering collage i'd advise you to not get a loan and ignore the evolutionary theory that saturates the college campuses.
Truth should be precious to every Christian as scripture tells us to love it (Zec 8:19) and to worship God in it (Joh 4:23-24). As christians we shouldn't be conformed to the world (Rom 12:2). Our beliefs, habits, and practices should be based on scripture and not on what the world tells us it should be.
Bible scoffers like to point out that we christian's like to eat bacon and wear cloths of mixed fabric which they claim the bible condemns. This is usually the response to us when we tell them that scripture calls homosexuality an abomination. The thing is bible skeptics don't rightly divide the word of truth (2Tim 2:15). Their flaw in logic comes from not understanding that the civil and ceremonial laws for Israel such as dietary rules and animal sacrifices needn't be kept for christian's today. The moral laws however will never be done away with.
We see in Tit 1:9 that sound doctrine is used to exhort and convince gainsayers!
I going to wrap up this section by stating that you don't need man to teach you these things, it is the Holy Spirit that guides us into all truth and we have scripture to perfect us as well (Joh 16:13, 2Ti 3:15-17, 1Jn 2:27).
To conclude this study I just want to point out that the biggest reason that one should desire to become wise and have understanding is so that he/she would know God's will for their life and that they would be fruitful and please him
(Col 1:9 -10).
Thanks For Reading Please Share !!!!
More Relevant Verses: Job 32:7-9, Psa 119:98 -104, Pro 2:2-11, Jer 3:15,
Hos 14:9, 1Cor 14:6, 1Tim 1:3, 1Tim 1:10
One reason why I am supportive of people learning trades and getting a higher education is because the bible tells us to buy truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding and don't sell it (Pro 23:23). Of coarse if you are considering collage i'd advise you to not get a loan and ignore the evolutionary theory that saturates the college campuses.
Truth should be precious to every Christian as scripture tells us to love it (Zec 8:19) and to worship God in it (Joh 4:23-24). As christians we shouldn't be conformed to the world (Rom 12:2). Our beliefs, habits, and practices should be based on scripture and not on what the world tells us it should be.
Bible scoffers like to point out that we christian's like to eat bacon and wear cloths of mixed fabric which they claim the bible condemns. This is usually the response to us when we tell them that scripture calls homosexuality an abomination. The thing is bible skeptics don't rightly divide the word of truth (2Tim 2:15). Their flaw in logic comes from not understanding that the civil and ceremonial laws for Israel such as dietary rules and animal sacrifices needn't be kept for christian's today. The moral laws however will never be done away with.
We see in Tit 1:9 that sound doctrine is used to exhort and convince gainsayers!
I going to wrap up this section by stating that you don't need man to teach you these things, it is the Holy Spirit that guides us into all truth and we have scripture to perfect us as well (Joh 16:13, 2Ti 3:15-17, 1Jn 2:27).
To conclude this study I just want to point out that the biggest reason that one should desire to become wise and have understanding is so that he/she would know God's will for their life and that they would be fruitful and please him
(Col 1:9 -10).
Thanks For Reading Please Share !!!!
More Relevant Verses: Job 32:7-9, Psa 119:98 -104, Pro 2:2-11, Jer 3:15,
Hos 14:9, 1Cor 14:6, 1Tim 1:3, 1Tim 1:10
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