Fear Of The Lord Opens The Door To Wisdom

Devotion 15 – Fear of the Lord opens the door to Wisdom

Prov. 9:10 - “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then it follows that prior to the fear of the Lord, there is no wisdom. 

Prov. 4:7 – “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.

This scripture tells us that wisdom is the most important value we should pursue in life. And in fact, the whole focus of Proverbs chapters 1-4 is to exhort us to seek wisdom as the foremost thing in life. But what kind of wisdom exactly is the bible exhorting us to pursue?

1)     Spirit of wisdom – Wise and understanding heart

This biblical wisdom is the ability to judge correctly and execute the best course of action based on our knowledge and understanding. God, in His sovereignty, gave King Solomon this precious gift.

1 Kgs.3:9-12 – “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”¹⁰ The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.  Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.

2)     Spiritual Wisdom – Gained through diligent studies of the Word as Christ is the wisdom of God.

2 Tim.3:16-17 – “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Rom.12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”

The Bible contains all the wisdom we need to lead a godly life, how to be good husband, wife and parents, how to live a godly life in the market place to glorify God, etc, etc. Hence, biblical illiteracy is the Root of all Failure in Life

3)     Wisdom of the Heart – a Heart that fears the Lord

Solomon was gifted with great “head wisdom” but lack the “heart of wisdom”. For that reason, he walks away from God in his old age.

The law forbids the Kings to multiply wives, silver and gold, and horses, especially from Egypt.

Deut.17:16-18 – “But he (the King) shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’  Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. “Also, it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites.

Sadly, Solomon disobediently did all the above.

1 Kgs.10:26-28 – “And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem. The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as abundant as the sycamores which are in the lowland. Also, Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price.

Solomon’s Heart Turns from the Lord

1 Kgs.11:1-4 – “But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.  And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.  For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.

He had wisdom to gain wealth, wisdom to build a strong kingdom, wisdom to write beautiful proverbs & songs, etc. but sadly lacked the wisdom of the heart to lead a godly life and finish the race well to glorify God.

What is the heart of wisdom? The wisdom that begins with the fear of the Lord and the kind of wisdom we are exhorted to seek diligently in the book of Proverbs.  A clear manifestation of one who truly fear the Lord is a walk of obedience!