Reverence for God is the beginning of true wisdom.

The books of the Old Testament classified as “Wisdom Literature” are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. Without question, the most popular of these books of wisdom is The Psalms, the only Old Testament book that is routinely published as a companion book to publications of the New Testament. While the other books of the “Wisdom Literature” receive much less attention than the Psalms, they all occupy an important place in the Old Testament and deserve our attention, in that we believe the whole Bible is the Word of God. This lesson is focused on scripture passages in Job, Proverbs, The Psalms, and Ecclesiastes.

SOURCE OF TRUE WISDOM

A. True Wisdom Comes From God

……While the book of Job is about a man of faith and righteousness who held on to the Lord through the toughest situation known to man, it also shows how and what the world thinks about those who suffer misfortune. Not only did he lose everything to his name including his dearest family members, his friends also turned their backs on him unknowingly being tools and weapons for the use of Satan. Through the entire debate with his friends, Job never forgets his source of strength, and proves that his personal wisdom was from the Lord.

Job 28:12  But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

Job 28:13  Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

Job 28:14  The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

Job 28:15  It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

Job 28:16  It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

Job 28:17  The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

Job 28:18  No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

Job 28:19  The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

Job 28:20  Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

Job 28:21  Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

Job 28:22  Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Job 28:23  God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

Job 28:24  For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

Job 28:25  To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

Job 28:26  When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

Job 28:27  Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

Job 28:28  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

…….The is a difference in earthly wisdom and Godly wisdom. Earthly wisdom is valuable only in categories of particular situations. Example: a man who has experienced building houses will build with patience and evaluate the weather and factor in every scenario that could negatively affect the process. That is a wisdom that can be bought with experience. Godly wisdom on the other hand will speak to a conscience that has no experience and provide answers to questions that have not yet been asked. The great aspect of Godly wisdom is this; the Lord makes His church wise in many different ways and causes His people to need one another to complete any task. Godly wisdom never boasts man. When God is in the middle of a task, at the end of the day everyone involved can only say that the Lord deserves the glory.

B. Receive Wisdom From God

…….Much of the book of Proverbs is written in the form of a wise and godly father giving advice to his son. This is the case in the following scriptures. The godly father, because he loves his son, and wants him to have the best life possible, instructs him to receive the wisdom that comes from God. The father assures his son that if he will sincerely seek after the wisdom that comes from God, he will obtain it, “for the Lord giveth wisdom” (v. 6).

Proverbs 2:1  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

…….To hide commandments is to obey them. To keep the commandments of the wise father would be keeping the commandments of God. If we want anything from the Lord, the first thing we must do is obey. How many children are rewarded for doing the wrong thing? I would hope the answer is none.

Pro 2:2  So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

…….The only way to hear is to listen. The hardest thing for many people to do is to keep our mouths closed. People of few words are often full of wise thoughts and actions. Why? Because they have spent the time in listening to instruction.

Pro 2:3  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

Pro 2:4  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

…….Godly wisdom doesn’t always come easy or cheap, It’s going to cost dedication and time.

Pro 2:6  For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Pro 9:10  The fear [reverence for] of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [God] is understanding.

…….The knowledge, wisdom, and understanding we need to be sufficient for life, death, and eternity all come from God. In order to receive from God we must reference him.

WISDOM FOR LIVING

A. Wisdom From God is Practical

Proverbs 3:1  My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

Pro 3:2  For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

…….Gods ways will never lead us into a life of self destruction and bad health. When I look at an elder in the church, I see a Saint who has lived a life full of wisdom, a life that has reverenced the Lord in the good and the bad.

Pro 3:3  Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

Pro 3:4  So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

…….Those who lean on their own understanding will not find peace with God in decision making. Many have lost health and wealth because of decisions that went against God’s instruction. Those who have listened to the instruction of the Lord find themselves living a life of peace even in the times of loss.

Pro 3:8  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Pro 3:9  Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

Pro 3:10  So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

…….Many if us can testify that because we honor the Lord in our finances He has always provided.

Pro 3:11  My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

Pro 3:12  For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

…….The wisdom that comes from the God teaches us to accept correction from the Lord, knowing that He disciplines those He loves.

Pro 3:13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Pro 3:14  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

Pro 3:15  She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Pro 3:16  Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

Pro 3:17  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

Pro 3:18  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

…….There has never been a person die from having too much wisdom and knowledge. On the other hand, having things that are not in the Lords plan and purpose for our lives will bring on much stress. People die everyday from the complications of stress. If we want to live in peace with God we must find His wisdom and understanding. It will never lead us wrong.

B. God-Blessed Living

Psalms 1:1  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel (advice) of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (misery).

…….Where are we walking, standing and sitting? We can’t have company with sinners in one portion of our lives and expect the other two thirds of our life to be in peace. He said blessed is the man who does none of these. Our company will with corrupt us or compliment us.

Psa 1:2  But his delight (pleasure) is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

…….What do we find pleasure in? Every Christian will find pleasure in living in righteousness. There is nothing like knowing you are right with God.

Psa 1:3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

…….Regardless of circumstances that surround us, when we are close to God He will provide.

Psa 1:4  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

…….The chaff is the inedible part of grain. The chaff that didn’t break lose and fall to the ground by the wind was later beaten off and thrown out or burned.

Psa 1:5  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Psa 1:6  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

……. The life of the righteous person, and the final outcome of the life of the righteous person, are as different from the ungodly as the difference between light and darkness. The person who wisely chooses to live for God, has both spiritual and moral excellence, like a tree planted by a river thrives from the abundant water it receives.

GOAL OF TRUE WISDOM

A. To Have Real Life

Ecclesiastes 7:11  Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

…….As long as you are living, wisdom will bring profit. This is written by Solomon who can testify that great monitory gain will only take you so far, and will leave you still wanting.

7:12  For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

…….Money will buy all of the defense and protection you may think you need as long as your supply can afford, but knowledge that comes from wisdom brings real life. Real life is the spiritual life (and everlasting life) that comes from God to those who wisely love and obey Him.

B. To Reverence and Obey God

Ecc 12:9  And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

12:10  The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

12:11  The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12:12  And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

…….From a king who had everything handed to him and only found misery, let us understand his instructions of finding the blessings of the Lord. Solomon informs his readers that you can spend your entire life searching for wisdom, reading and studying to acquire it, but to sum up the whole matter simply reverence God and keep His commandments.