Where did wise old King Solomon get his wisdom and knowledge? He was taught it, believe it or not, by his mother Bathsheba and father, King David. After the death of their first son, of their sin, God gave them a son of grace. Solomon was their second son within whom they laid the foundation of his knowledge. Upon this foundation Solomon built his successful life of wisdom, knowledge, and even wealth fame, and power. His father, David, taught Solomon at least two basic things about knowledge. The first of those is that a teacher of knowledge must first have knowledge. "... He that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know? Psm.94:10. The second thing is, that men's ability to comprehend is limited. Much of knowledge is God's alone and is unattainable by humans. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it." Psm.139:6.
David, himself, was taught by Samuel, the prophet, and by "the Spirit of the LORD". Even though David slipped, from time to time, and sinned against the Lord, as with Bathsheba, God gave him much grace. So wisdom and knowledge do not make a flesh and blood human totally immune from occasional moral failure. Neither does sin, repented of, hinder us from wisdom and knowledge. "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him (David) in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." 1 Samuel 16:13. "From that day forward" means the rest of his life.
So the Spirit of the LORD was upon David from his boyhood throughout his life, long before and after his sin with Bathsheba. After the son of their sin was born and died, God gave them Solomon, who would be raised by both of them and then inherit his father David's throne. As King, Solomon became known as the wisest human who ever lived, though he was not perfect by any means. Still, he was used of God to write the the Songs of Solomon and the two books of wisdom and knowledge, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
So wise king Solomon began the book of Proverbs with this introduction to wisdom and knowledge in the first verse...
"The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity .... A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...." Prov.1:1-7. Here, in this last sentence, V.7, is the key to the foundation and root of wisdom and knowledge ... "The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge ...."
Solomon expanded upon this truth in Prov. 9:10,
"The fear (reverence) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (His father, David taught him that in Psm.111:10)
"The fear (reverence) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (His father, David taught him that in Psm.111:10)
Following that dynamic introduction to wisdom and knowledge, Solomon, inspired of God, downloads a thousand yards of it ... 31 chapters of Proverbs and 12 chapters of Ecclesiastes, teaching the accumulation of knowledge and its proper use in wisdom for every setting. Here are some examples in my paraphrasing language... not direct quotes...
Prov.1:22 ... Fools slander and hate the knowledge of truth, with an attitude of "Don't confuse me with facts; I know what I believe."
Prov.2:5 ... The highest of high knowledge is "To know God" That is what Theology means.
Prov.2:6 ... Only God can give us that preeminent knowledge with the wisdom to use it properly.
Prov.8:10 ... Wealth cannot produce wisdom and knowledge but wisdom and knowledge can produce wealth.
Prov. 8:12 ...Wisdom's mate is Prudence and together they find knowledge and "witty inventions".
Prov.9:10 ... The father of wisdom is "reverence" of the LORD..."
Prov.10:14 ... All wise people lay up knowledge.
Prov.11:9 ... Knowledge delivers the justified.
Prov.12:23 ... The prudent person does not broadcast but conceals embarrassing knowledge of others.
Prov.14:7 ... Separate yourself from ignorant fools.
Prov.14:18 ... Knowledge of God is a royal crown upon the prudent.
Prov.15:2 ... The wise use knowledge rightly but fools use it wrongly. An educated mean man is a danger.
Prov.15:14 ... The wise teach knowledge but fools feed on foolishness.
Prov.17:27 ... Knowledgeable persons, with wisdom, know when to shut their mouths.
Prov.19:25 ... Punishment of evil prevents more evil, cautions everyone and educates the wise.
Prov.24:4 ... Knowledge produces wealth and more knowledge.
Prov.24:5 ... Knowledge is strength.
Prov.24:14 ... Knowledge is its own reward and expands itself throughout life.
Ecc.2:21 ... Leaving inheritance to ignorant, lazy, or spendthrift fools is vanity.
Ecc.7:12 ... Wisdom with its wealth is protection and knowledge of God preserves the life of those who have it.
Ecc.9:10 ... So work hard and do things right before death cancels opportunity.
Ecc.12:9 ... All of those benefits motivate the old preacher to never cease to teach knowledge and wisdom to people.
"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." Ecc.12:9.
Those two books of wisdom and knowledge contain a host of other lessons on the subject. Read them often. RB
No comments:
Post a Comment