Wisdom
‘… if any of you lacks Wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally…and it will be given him.’ (James 1:5)
I think Wisdom’s been back-shelved over the past few years. Intellect is much preferred over wisdom. Many really sincere people give their ‘good reasons’ for our futures but fail to mix that with Godly Wisdom, although sincere, they are unwise in many cases. (“Education without values… seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” C.S. Lewis)
There is such a thing as zeal without Knowledge. (Rom. 10:2) There’s a worldly wisdom (thoughts and ideas) and a Spiritual Wisdom. God’s Wisdom is absolute. God’s Wisdom is not God’s opinion; it’s a thing. With God there’s no variableness (fickleness) or shadow (obscurity) or turning (variation). (James 1:17) God’s Wisdom is never unwise, no in-between.
Scripturally, many have crowned Proverbs of the Old Testament as the book that shares much Wisdom. The word Wisdom appears 180 times in the O.T. and 53 times in the N.T. Significantly, it appears 54 times in Proverbs, one more than in all the N. T.
Wisdom existed (in the Trinity) prior to the story of Genesis. Proverbs 8:22-26 suggests God’s Wisdom was ‘begotten’ before the world. When Elohim created the Heaven and the Earth He created it by Wisdom. Wisdom later was delivered in Jesus Christ. That Wisdom is offered to us:
‘Jehovah, how manifold are your works! In Wisdom hast thou made them all…(Prov. 104:24) (The word here for wisdom is chokmah: skilled, wisely, with wit.) Concerning God’s Wisdom, A. W. Tozer said it like this: ‘we do not seek for proof that God is wise. The unbelieving mind will not be convinced by any proof, and the worshiping heart needs none.’ Wisdom is in Christ, He’s in us.
God’s Ways preceded His Creation. Sharing His Wisdom through Jesus was part of His pre-creation plan and purpose for Christ.
Paul said since the creation, since Christ, we are without excuse. We are to know His ways, His heart, His Agape. (Romans 1:20) Likewise, knowing that we have a better Covenant (Heb. 8:6/Heb. 12:24) a covenant that reveals the mysteries of the Old Testament through Christ Jesus in the New Testament. Psalm 103:7 implies a distinction between God’s Ways (Wisdom) being a journey and God’s works being His manifestations. Moses, the Prophets and the disciples witnessed many of His works, but His ways were by Jesus Christ.
In Luke 1:17 the Greek word expressed as Wisdom is only used one time in the New Testament. Typically, Wisdom is defined as having insight, being prudent. In that one verse the meaning is different referencing the fruit of Wisdom, Wisdom bears (produces) blessings in our lives. Wisdom not given as simply good advice, but given to overwhelm the chaos of our daily lives.
The Will of God, His plan and purposes, was to ‘inflict’ Wisdom on us. Eph: 1:8-9 references God sending Wisdom, bounding toward us…in excess toward us, ‘over and above’ bounding toward us in Jesus Christ.
‘But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the Wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption… ‘(1Cor. 1: 24-31)
We will have to fight for the pleasure and peace Christ gives. The world was then, and still is in 2026, opposed to God’s Wisdom. To believe consistently puts us at odds with the world system. That system will not permit Peace and Wisdom to ‘abide’ (dwell) in you. The Apostle Paul’s statement was true then and true now: ‘Professing themselves as wise they became fools.’ (Rom. 1:20)
It seems true today and to always have been true, that the Wisdom of God often falls on deaf ears. God’s Facts that contradict people’s ideas simply are often rejected. Mark Twain once said, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”
It’s been said that nature (Bio) is the gift of life; grace and mercy (Zoe) is God’s gift of living life well. God’s shared Wisdom is a gift from God through Jesus Christ that lets us tap into the blessing and promises of God and was purposed for us from creation.
God’s Wisdom taught by Christ is God’s ‘manual’ for our lives.
The Book of Proverbs does give us some of the shorthand to being wise: ‘The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. (Prov. 1:7) It’s not simple cleverness and learning that’s the target of our lives, the purpose for our lives, for believers, its God-inspired Wisdom we should seek.
Like Faith and Trust, God’s Wisdom can be relied on to create the ‘Life as the Father would have it for us’. There are many substitutes trying to persuade us away from God’s teachings but His instructions are superior to our thoughts, His ways are better than our ways, His purposes and hopes are grander than ours. (Isa. 55:8-9) Making that true in our hearts will bring relief and Peace.
The Eternal Wisdom of God was always present in God. He sent it to earth in the life and words of Jesus Christ. It’s part of what was passionate in God’s heart and in Him sparked the thought of creating every living soul, created in Him the desire to share His Life with us.
Human understanding, logic, reason, intellect, feelings, thinking is not enough to experience all that God has for us in this life or the next. His Wisdom will lead us to discover what we cannot discover any other way than believing it.
God constantly encourages us to trust Him in the dark. Many of God’s miracles were done away from men’s eyes. He created Heaven and Earth out of the darkness, darkness covered the earth. Jesus died in the dark in the middle of the day. Jesus’ resurrection was prior to a new day dawn. You and I were delivered out of our personal darkness and set into a Great Light. Darkness does not equal hopelessness. We can trust He will do it again in ‘this present darkness.’
It’s almost a whisper to us: All that I am is what needs to matter to you, for there is your hope and peace…much of what I do I do in secret. Trust Me, do not be afraid. ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good.’ (literally, perceive the Lord is Beautiful, Bountiful, Joyful, Kind, Lovely, Pleasant and for you. Psalm 34:8)
We can have confidence in God’s Wisdom; following it He will: ‘…bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.’ (Isa. 42:16) That’s by His Wisdom.
Trust that and ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.’ (23rd Psalm)