Wisdom From Above

One of the most well-known stories from the Old Testament is God’s granting wisdom to young King Solomon.

1 Kings 3:5-12, “In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, ‘Ask what you wish Me to give you.’ Then Solomon said, ‘You have shown great loving-kindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great loving-kindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?’ It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.’”

1 Kings 4:29-31, “Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations.”

Today, many seek riches, power, long life and other things…. but few make it their chief ambition to seek wisdom. Solomon, though so young in years, understood that there was nothing more important than acquiring wisdom.

Consider some of his proverbs -

Proverbs 8:11, "For wisdom is better than jewels; and all desirable things cannot compare with her.

Proverbs 16:16, “How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.”

How about you? Where does ‘acquiring wisdom’ rank on your list of priorities?

If there is anything that we need in our lives, today, it is wisdom. Wisdom being the ability to size-up life’s circumstances and situations and then to respond by making the right decisions.

If you want a good life filled with blessings, acquire and use wisdom and understanding. Proverbs 19:8, “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will find good.”

But, wisdom not only brings benefits in this life. More importantly, it is necessary for blessings in eternity. Proverbs 12:8, “Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 15:24, “The path of life leads upward for the wise, that he may keep away from Sheol below.” Proverbs 3:13, “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.”

Where does one find wisdom? There is only one place - Colossians 2:2-3, “Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

When Jesus was teaching and preaching throughout Israel, he was met by a great deal of resistance, especially by the religious establishment. In response to those who resisted His message, He said in Matthew 12:42, "The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.”

If we want Divine wisdom that will bless us in this life and prepare us for blessings in eternity, we cannot ignore or resist the teachings of Christ Jesus. Proverbs 2:6, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Matthew 7:24-27, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell -- and great was its fall."