The Way of Wisdom

There is a path that men must seek, discover and tread if they must fulfil the purpose of God for their lives and please Him. Unfortunately, many have gone in the opposite direction. This write-up is intended to help men discover this path. It is a path that was revealed to faithful men of past generations, and this we can see in the book of Proverbs: “I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths” (4:11).
 
To start with, we will consider some discoveries of Job. A breakdown of Job 28 reveals three basic areas of exploration. The first part focuses on man’s relentless pursuit of the material things of this life (vs.1-12). It ends with two crucial questions: “But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” The second part focuses on the value of wisdom and its mysterious quality (vs.13-22). Again, towards the end of his exploration, he raises similar questions: “Whence then cometh wisdom? And where is the place of understanding?” The third part reveals hints on how wisdom, in spite of its mysterious quality, may be found (vs.23-28).
 
First of all, Job points us to God, the One who can show us the way; and then points to what we may describe as one of the signposts with which God intends to guide men. On it is an inscription: “Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil is understanding” (v.28). As we will confirm shortly, this is but a beginning. For now, we need to know the kind of wisdom we are dealing with, so as to streamline our exploration.
 
Two Kinds of Wisdom
 As far as God is concerned, there are two kinds of wisdom. There is the wisdom of the world, which is variously described as “foolish” (or “folly”) “craftiness,” “vain,” “earthly,” “sensual” and “devilish” (Pro. 9:13, 1 Cor.1:19-20, 3:18-20, Jam.3:14-15). There is also the wisdom of God, which is variously described as “hidden,” “deep,” “a mystery,” “the principal thing” and “from above” (Job 28:21, Rom. 11:33, 1 Cor.2:7, Pro. 4:7, Jam.3:17).
 
For the avoidance of doubt, every man operates by some kind of wisdom. Yet we need to know that, irrespective of how effective it is, it is either traceable to God or to man. As we already know, the Devil, the god of this world, has corrupted the wisdom of man (Mat.16:23, Jam.3:15). This leaves us with two options: we either submit to God absolutely or we find ourselves doing the Devil’s bidding.
 
This leads us to consider Eve. She wanted to be wise and became a fool instead (Gen.3:6). In yielding to Satan, the wisdom of this world was born (or given a platform to operate). She, along with Adam, left us a legacy that has affected our sense of right and wrong. Although Christ has, in principle, nullified the wisdom of this world, many, including believers, are still operating by it. For this reason, Jesus indicts His followers: “The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light” (Lk.16:8). In other words, while the unbelievers have perfected the art of walking by their kind of wisdom, the children of God are yet to come to terms with the wisdom of God. For this reason, one cannot be too sure of what to expect when a believer says, “Let’s be wise.” More often than not, such words reveal an inward desire to compromise.
 
For some of God’s children, wisdom lies in doing what the unbeliever will do, including the tradition of the elders. For others, it lies in doing what ‘successful’ men of God have done. For some others, it lies in doing what our colleagues and peers are doing. Instead of gaining wisdom, we become fools (Rom.1:22, 2 Cor.10:12). This leads us to another area of caution.
 
Solomon and Jesus
Having warned us about the need to distinguish between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God, we still need to point out the areas of difference between the wisdom of Solomon and the wisdom of Jesus. This will help those who, though they operate by the wisdom of God, do not have a taste of Solomon’s popularity. This could also help modern-day ‘Solomons,’ who do not know that, between the days of Solomon and now, some things have changed. In practicing ‘wisdom,’ and with Solomon as example, many have pursued worldly success and material things, and veered off the narrow way.
 
If we believe that Christ is the wisdom of God, then we must walk in His footsteps and pattern our lives after Him (1 Cor.1: 24 & 30, Col. 2:2-3, 1 Jn.2: 6). We must also remember that Jesus referred to Himself as “a greater than Solomon” (Lk.11:31).
 
What then are the major areas of difference between the wisdom of Solomon and that of Jesus?
· Solomon’s wisdom was based on a level of revelation of God’s purpose while Jesus’ wisdom was based on a higher and fuller level of revelation. The difference between the two is as wide as the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, between Old Testament promises and New Testament promises, between The Law and Grace and between the House and the Builder of the House.
· Solomon’s wisdom was lofty (in thought, word and deed) and this can be confirmed by his recorded meditations, words, various projects and taste for the good things of life. No wonder it appealed to men of different ages, classes, nationalities and religions persuasions (see 1Ki. 4:29-34, 10:1-6). On the other hand, Jesus’ wisdom¸ though deep, had a presentation that was simple (in thought, word and deed). Although he had his ‘highpoints,’ it was usually “the common people” that “heard him gladly” (Mk. 12:37).
· Linked to this is the fact that Solomon’s wisdom had a natural appeal (1 Ki. 4:31-34). For instance, no man who heard Solomon’s speeches would think of stoning or crucifying him. On the other hand, Jesus’ wisdom had a spiritual appeal and only spiritual men (or at least those who are interested in spiritual realities) appreciated it (see 1 Cor.2:14).
· Solomon’s wisdom was open to all men, while Jesus’ wisdom was restrictive. For instance, Jesus said: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine…” (Mt. 7:6). And when He spoke in parables, he made sure that their meaning was revealed only to a select few, leaving the rest in the dark. He had his basis (see Mk. 4:11, 1 Cor.2:14). Solomon had no such restrictions (see 1 Ki.4:34).
· The strength of Solomon’s wisdom lay in the fact that it impressed men and made them conscious of God, while the strength of Jesus’ wisdom lay in the fact that it brought men to the point of conviction and salvation. While Solomon spoke of his discoveries and urged men to learn from them, Jesus spoke about the nature of man, the problem of sin, the conditions for entering into the Kingdom and the nature of the Christian race. In summary, Jesus’ preaching called for a verdict.
· Solomon was not always focused, a fact he admitted in the book of Ecclesiastes. Some of his activities were more an example of folly than wisdom. Jesus, on the other hand, remained focused till the end.
 
No wonder Solomon had the crowd on his side while the same was not always true of Jesus. This calls for sober reflection (see Mt. 7:13-14, Jn.6:66-67).
 
What are the implications of this exploration? In the midst of the multiplied evil of our days, we cannot expect to uphold the New Testament’s standard of wisdom and be popular at the same time. When we consider the available statistics on world famous preachers, speakers that are “on high demand,” Christian books that are on the bestseller list and unbelievers that are “inspired” (but not converted!) by Christian books, we begin to wonder whether we are upholding the strict standards of Christ, and whether we are still on the narrow way!
 
When the Christian faith becomes so popular, without a corresponding transformation in the lives of men, then somebody somewhere has lowered the standards. It may also be an indication that someone, without first taking his bearing in Christ, has stepped into the shoes of Solomon. For the avoidance of doubt, there is so much to learn from the life and writings of Solomon, but we must explore them within the context of the teachings of Christ. This leads us to our next area of exploration.

The Seven Pillars
There have been some speculations and teachings on what the seven pillars of wisdom could possibly be. Rather than dwell on the speculative details, let us first consider some other pillars of Scripture. The Scriptures introduce us to seven virtues that may be referred to as “pillars of the divine nature.” They are virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love (2 Pet.1:4-7).
 
Again, we are introduced to the seven Spirits of God (better translated as the sevenfold Spirit - see NIV) or the seven folds of the Spirit, which we may also refer to as “pillars of the indwelling Spirit” (see Rev.1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6). We believe they are identified in lsaiah 11:2 as the Spirit of the LORD, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
 
As we can see from the above examples, there is a common thread running through each set pillars to make them one. With this understanding as a background, let us now prepare to identify the pillars of wisdom.
 
To start with, let us see what we can glean from Proverbs 9:1: “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.” As we all know, the pillars of a house are made mainly of the same substance as the foundation and the walls. If we must identify the pillars of wisdom, we need to take a close look at the stuff that wisdom is made of.
 
Thank God, the Scriptures do not leave us in the dark. Isaiah 11:2 identifies four of the pillars, alongside wisdom. They are understanding, counsel, knowledge and the fear of the LORD. A study of proverbs will reveal these (and the other) pillars. For instance, wisdom is portrayed as saying: “I wisdom dwell with prudence” (which is another pillar); “counsel is mine” and “I am understanding” (8:12-14). Again, Proverbs 2 gives prominence to three of the pillars, along with wisdom. They are the fear of the Lord, knowledge and understanding (vs.1-6). Before the end of the chapter, we are introduced to “discretion” (v.11). Likewise, we encounter “discernment” several times in Proverbs (see 10:13, 15:14, 28:11. What the KJV renders as understanding can also be translated as discernment, as rendered in the NIV). Straightaway, we can see the link between this and the other pillars.
 
Based on the information available, we can safely identify the pillars of wisdom as the fear of the Lord, knowledge, understanding, discretion, discernment, counsel and prudence. As we begin to take a closer look at them, we need to understand that the first three are foundational.
 
A Close Look
“The fear of the Lord” is an attitude of reverence for God, that leads to devotion, love, trust, worship, submission and departure from sin. It is a summary of God’s expected response in the heart of men (Ecc.12:13, Deu.5:29). If the Lord must commit unto any man the treasures of His Word, He must first find this virtue in him (Jam.1:21, Mt.5:3&6, 7:6, Pro.1:7).
 
The fear of the Lord qualifies a man for “knowledge,” which is basically information about God. The one who has it attains a level of spiritual awareness and becomes an informed Christian.
 
“Understanding” can be described as an insight into the meaning and purpose of the words of God. While we know that there are levels at which knowledge and understanding overlap, we must not confuse the one with the other.
 
“Discretion” has two basic meanings: (a) liberty or authority to make decisions and (b) being careful about what one says or does. Within the context of its usage in Scriptures, it involves knowing what to say and when to say it and knowing what to do and when to do it (see Pro.2:11-16, 11:22, 19:11).
 
“Discernment” is the ability to perceive things, to distinguish good from evil and right from wrong (see 1 Ki.3:9, Mal.3:18, Ecc.8:5, Heb.5:14).
 
In our present context, “counsel” is the ability to break down the facts of life (in any given area), put them in perspective and apply thereto the word of God. We can receive counsel through men, the Scriptures or some other channel, but we have a responsibility to confirm that every counsel we receive is of God (see Psa.1:1, Pro. 11:14, 15:22).
 
  “Prudence” is the ability to manage resources, be they spiritual or material. This quality is needed in a believer, if he must make the right decisions and avoid waste (see Matt. 7:6, Jn.6:12). This has nothing to do with stinginess. In fact, both the miserly and the extravagant are guilty of unfaithfulness. This leads us to the question: What is wisdom?
 
What is Wisdom?
Generally, wisdom can be described as “good judgment,” “common sense,” “ability to distinguish right from wrong” and “ability to handle, in a proper manner, people, situations and things.” However, as a result of the fall of man, neither “common sense” nor “good judgment” can be trusted. They have been corrupted. For this reason, we have made a distinction between the wisdom “that is from above” (which is “first pure”) and the wisdom that “descendeth not from above” (see Jam.3:14-17).

A break-down of the wisdom of God will reveal the fact that it embraces all the seven ingredients that make up the pillars of wisdom:

· Wisdom is an attitude of reverence (for God) that leads to devotion, love, trust, worship, submission and departure from sin.  
· Wisdom is both the information that God gives and the awareness it produces in the believer.  
· Wisdom is an insight into the meaning and the purpose of the words of God.
· Wisdom is an insight into what to say and when to say it, what to do and when to do it.
· Wisdom is the ability to perceive accurately, to distinguish good from evil and right from wrong.
· Wisdom is the ability to break down the facts of life, put them in perspective and apply thereto the word of God.
· Wisdom is the ability to manage resources, be they spiritual or material.
 
In summary, wisdom is the ingredient by which we practice the Word of God. For this reason, it is called “the principal thing.” The implications of this assertion are worth considering.
 
The Principal Thing
King Solomon, armed with a rich store of instruction and experience, supplies us with needed light: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom…” (Pro.4:7). While not denying the existence of other things, he affirms that wisdom is “principal” or “supreme” (see the NIV). In another passage, he informs us that none of the things we desire can be compared to wisdom (Pro.3:15). He identified the pursuit of material things as one of the major obstacles to men’s discovery of the wisdom of God. He never ceased to urge men to abandon the quest for material things and to choose wisdom (see Pro.3:13-15, 8:10, 11&19, 16:16, Ecc.7:11-12, 12:13). He never seemed to forget the day of testing, when God asked him to make a choice; and how that by choosing wisdom, he got everything.
 
When Jesus came, he confirmed the words of Solomon. Having taught men that “a man’s life consisteth not of the abundance of the things he possesseth,” He told his disciples to choose one of two masters, God or Money (Mat.6:24, Lk.16:13). When a man chooses God, he has Christ, “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). The implication is the same: wisdom is the principal thing (see Eph 5:15-17, Col.1:9-10).
 
Like An Axe
Again Solomon teaches: “If the iron be blunt and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength, but wisdom is profitable to direct” (Ecc.10:10). The New International Version of the Bible makes use of the word “axe” instead of “iron,” and this will serve as a good illustration. If a man uses a blunt axe to split wood or hew down a tree, he will (a) expend more energy and (b) make little progress. Wisdom will certainly make the difference, but what does it teach? Sharpen the axe!
 
So many have gone through life with a blunt axe. As a result, their lives are characterized by trial and error, struggle, disappointment and frustration. Like Peter, they have “toiled all the night” (that is, all through their lives) and have caught nothing” (Lk.5:5). The reason is clear: “The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them …” (Ecc.10:15). No wonder, so many are fainting, ready to give up. They have gone through life with blunt abilities, blunt potentials, blunt ideas, blunt experiences, and so on. They have understood the Christian life to be a ‘do-it-yourself-project.’ As a result, there is no acceptable service and no fulfilment. If only we, like Peter, can say, “Nevertheless at thy word…!” (Lk.5:5).
 
Laying the Foundation
Out of the seven ingredients that make up the pillars of wisdom, three are foundational. They are the fear of the LORD, knowledge and understanding. As we consider them, we will notice a progression in the unveiling of God’s wisdom.
 
The fear of the LORD is the entry point to knowledge and wisdom (Pro.1:7, Jam.1:21, Job 28:28, Prov.9:10). The implication is that the man who is on his way to knowledge, is also on his way to wisdom.
 
The fear of the LORD leads to knowledge, the point at which a man is informed about the promises and demands of God. Yet there is a need to get to the level of understanding, the point at which we gain insight into the meaning and purpose of the information received. When we do not get to this point, we cannot discern God’s motives, share his heartbeat or know what the information is meant to accomplish in our lives.
 
In proverbs, knowledge is linked to the idea of breaking down and filling up, thus supplying the needed information (or furnishing) to cater for the different aspects of our lives. Understanding is linked to the idea of establishment, thus strengthening the things received at the level of “filling up” (or knowledge). Wisdom is linked to the idea of building up, thus fulfilling the practical role reserved for it by God (Pro.3:19-20, 24:3-4). For this reason, he that does not do the Word of God is portrayed as foolish (not necessarily ignorant), while he that does the Word is portrayed as wise (Mat.7:24-27).
 
Wisdom is revealed both at the general and at the specific level. In the first instance, what we need to is a practical insight into the Scriptures. This includes the right interpretation, an access to the “spirit and life” that back up the words of God and a knowledge of the God of the words (2 Tim.2:15, Jn.6:63, 2 Cor.3:6, Jer.9:24). The wisdom received at this level can be a general basis for our walk. In addition, we must be open, on a daily basis, to the Holy Spirit, to receive specific direction in every area of our lives.