If God told you that you could have anything you wanted, what would you ask for? There was a man who lived that decided he wanted the ability to decide. He didn't ask for riches, or fame, or women; he asked for WISDOM. Do you think you would ask for the same thing?
DOCTRINE #7: WISDOM
Wisdom is a Right HOW. A Right HOW is an explanation at a foundational/principle level. Wisdom creates. The devil does not create and therefore does not have wisdom. The spoken word of God can be wisdom when it provides a HOW. The ultimate effect of wisdom (good decision/Right HOW) concerns salvation.
Question: Do you believe God wants to give you wisdom and revelation?
Next Doctrine: Doctrine #8
Table of Contents
If you need it, here is the support from God's Word...
SCRIPTURE
This was the passage that concluded the previous Doctrine. Pay attention to wisdom this time...
"1 Hear, my sons, the instruction of a father, And attend to know understanding:
2 For I give you good doctrine; Forsake ye not my law.
3 For I was a son unto my father, Tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
4 And he taught me, and said unto me: Let thy heart retain my words; Keep my commandments, and live;
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; Forget not, neither decline from the words of my mouth;
6 Forsake her not, and she will preserve thee; Love her, and she will keep thee.
7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding." (Proverbs 4:1-7)
(Wisdom was stated to be the principal thing. Yet, it looks as if the effort of the individual ought to focus on getting understanding. The more understanding we gather the more progress we make towards the principle level. The most important thing is to make good decisions. These good decisions are in response to situations. Wisdom is based on understanding and the individual can always be getting more understanding.)
(Here was another example of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom being quoted together. This passage was covered in Doctrine #5: Knowledge and Doctrine #6: Understanding.)
"1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction; To discern the words of understanding;
3 To receive instruction in wise dealing, In righteousness and justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion:
5That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; And that the man of understanding may attain unto sound counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and a figure, The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:1-7)
(This passage broke down wisdom in two ways. #1 Understanding was associated with the word "discern," that was the reason WHY. #2 Wisdom was associated with "dealing". That was the action, the HOW. The HOW was through righteousness, justice, and equity. In the end of the verse it contrasted the fool. The fool despises wisdom and instruction. Even in the beginning the fool had knowledge. Everyone who runs a race is excited about it in the beginning, even amateur runners. Once the race becomes difficult, and the crowd spreads out, you begin to see people drop out of the race. Getting understanding and wisdom is the same way.)
(In Doctrine #6: Understanding, we saw that logos was the source of one of the usages of "word" in the New Testament. We saw logos was the spoken word that brought or requested understanding. The other main source of the usage of "word" in the New Testament was rhema. This was the powerful and revelatory spoken word of God that could bring salvation. Salvation is the ultimate good decision!)
(There are two ways to look at the relationship between knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. The first way: Everything God speaks is rhema. It has no prior reference which means it's revelatory. When this rhema from God is spoken to others to give understanding, it is logos. When this logos is written it becomes a fact which is knowledge: graphe. Jesus was the Word (revelation), those who heard what Jesus said and followed were called "believers" (understanding), those believers penned the scripture (knowledge). For example, we saw this passage in Doctrine #1: Words.)
"1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." (Genesis 1:1-3)
(The Bible began with God speaking a revelatory word in order to begin the process of creating everything that we see, "God said, Let there be light". There was nothing prior to God's revelatory word that created everything.)
(The second way: A person needs to know the written word of God and understand the reason behind it in order to be able to receive the revelatory word of God. God's revelatory word will never contradict His written word and the meaning supporting it. In order to make good decisions according to God's written word, it is not enough to know the written word of God, you must also understand the meaning supporting the written word of God. If you didn't know how God spoke, you would not understand what He said to others, or what He is currently trying to say to you. If someone has the ability to quote a lot of scripture does that make them a Believer of Jesus?)
(Understanding Doctrine is like knowing your "chords". With every chord you have, God can use it to play through you. If you don't have the chord, you may not be able to play the song to its full potential. If you want to grow more, and get to the next level, you must have more chords. The situation you are in right now is the opportunity to use the chords you have, or get more chords to make progress!)
(Here was another passage covered in Doctrine #1: Words.)
"8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
9 because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:8-10)
(The word of faith in this passage was rhema. This revelatory and powerful spoken word can lead to salvation. The New Testament used the word rhema to point out words that can lead to actions that create: profitable decisions. Look at this passage that we covered in Doctrine #1: Words.)
"63 It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life." (John 6:63)
(The words that Jesus spoke that bring eternal life were rhema. According to man's thinking, the physical doesn't gain from these words, it loses. However, according to God's thinking, a person gains spiritually for eternity. Let's take an in-depth look at part of a passage that was presented in Doctrine #5: Knowledge.)
"1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered.
3 And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:1-4)
(We saw that Jesus and the devil both had knowledge of the written word of God and used these facts to make their points. However, in verse 4, Jesus stated that man lives by every rhema that proceeds out of the Mouth of God. This takes on a whole new meaning. Remember, rhema was a Greek word used in the New Testament. Jesus was quoting the Old Testament, specifically Deuteronomy 8:3. What Hebrew word was used in the Old Testament?)
"3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by everything that proceedeth out of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live." (Deuteronomy 8:3)
(In the Old Testament, the word was "everything". It makes sense that words would proceed out of God's Mouth, however, this looks like it was more than words. Young's Literal Translation will give only the exact meaning of each word. Here was Deuteronomy 8:3 according to Young.)
"3 And He doth humble thee, and cause thee to hunger and doth cause thee to eat the manna (which thou hast not known, even thy fathers have not known), in order to cause thee to know that not by bread alone doth man live, but by every produce of the mouth of Jehovah man doth live." (Deuteronomy 8:3)
(The Hebrew words were "every produce," all the things that create. Further study shows the words referenced a fountain. Likewise, rhema was also known as the spoken word of God that flows like water. In later Doctrines, we will see Jesus referenced this source of wisdom.)
"34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure." (John 3:34)
(Notice, Jesus stated this shortly after the most quoted verse from the New Testament: John 3:16. In verse 34, words was rhema. Jesus spoke the rhema of God. Let's look at another verse.)
"47 He that is of God heareth the words of God: for this cause ye hear them not, because ye are not of God." (John 8:47)
(Jesus stated that we can hear the rhema of God and speak it to others. We can get wisdom from God and we can give wisdom to others. In fact, Jesus stated that the people who do not hear the rhema of God are not believers. In the above verse, "heareth" referenced understanding. So, the reason why people aren't believers is that they don't understand the wisdom of God. People who don't choose to think according to God's Thinking don't receive salvation because they are actually choosing to thinking according to Man's Thinking.)
"10 Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James: and the other women with them told these things unto the apostles.
11 And these words appeared in their sight as idle talk; and they disbelieved them." (Luke 24:10-11)
(The women spoke rhema to the apostles. They were the first to hear and speak about the resurrection. Their words were powerful and revelatory. Their explanation was able to lead to good decisions and create. Instead, the apostles thought the words of the women were idle: without a Right WHY and a Right HOW, which led to their disbelief.)
"14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words." (Acts 2:14)
(At Pentecost, Peter told everyone to give ear (understand) to his revelatory and powerful words that would cause people to be wise. That same day about three thousand made the decision to believe.)
"17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,
19 And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Ephesians 6:17-20)
(The sword of the Spirit was the rhema of God. Look at the rest of the passage. It focused on the Holy Spirit and making known mysteries. This was the revelatory and powerful word of God that flowed like water from God through the Holy Spirit.)
"1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2 See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
4 to devise skilful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship.
6 And I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee:" (Exodus 31:1-6)
(In verse 3, all three were mentioned in succession: wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. God also gave wisdom to Ohoiab. Why? So he could make all that God commanded. Wisdom leads to an action.)
"28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do justice." (1 Kings 3:28)
(Solomon was known as the wisest man that ever lived. The above verse came from the beginning of Solomon's reign. The reason for wisdom? To DO justice. Here was a verse from the end of Solomon's reign.)
"41 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?" (1 Kings 11:41)
(Again, wisdom was associated with "all that he did". Knowledge and understanding weren't mentioned. Finally, let's look at a passage that included all three.)
"13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, And the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: And happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew.
21 My son, let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, And grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely, And thy foot shall not stumble." (Proverbs 3:13-23)
(Wisdom and understanding are more valuable than physical riches. Knowledge was not mentioned as valuable. God founded the earth by wisdom; by a decision to speak it into existence. God established the heavens for a purpose: for an eternal reason why. God deals with the physical world through knowledge: through facts. The passage then confirmed wisdom and discretion (understanding) are the things we need to intentionally pursue.)
Check out our puzzle now! We have taken the scattered pieces (knowledge/what), and organized them into categories and corresponding colors (understanding/why), and NOW we have put the puzzle together in a way where ever piece ought to fit, and we used WISDOM to do it!
We are continually going to be using these WHAT, WHY, and HOW pieces, and they are all over the Bible. They are like primary colors, and now that they are in place we can build with them.
When you learn the definition to a word, you have an opportunity to "turn the light ON" in your life in order to illuminate reality. What if you wanted to keep the lights off? How would that affect your ability to discover what is around you?
