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Divine Wisdom vs Worldly Wisdom

 

 

Wisdom of King Solomon

 

King Solomon is a wise man. Unlike many rulers who seek wealth, long life or destruction of their enemies, king Solomon asked the Lord for a discerning heart to govern His people Israel, and the ability to distinguish between right and wrong (1 Kings 3:5-8). The Lord was pleased with his request, and gave him wisdom over and above anyone else before him or after him. 

 

(The Lord said) Behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has never been nor will ever be another like you. ~ 1 Kings 3:12

 

 

Books of Wisdom

 

During king Solomon’s reign, many rulers came to listen to his wise teachings, and Israel became the strongest nation. Many of his words have been recorded in the Bible, especially in the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

 

However, these writings are not always easy to understand, and may even sound contradictory to our common sense experience. The following verses are just a few examples: 

 

• Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. ~ Ecclesiastes 1:1
• The day of death (is better) than the day of one’s birth. ~ Ecclesiastes 7:1
• Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. ~ Ecclesiastes 7:2

 

Was king Solomon pessimistic? If not, why did he make such conclusions after having lived a successful and luxurious life that so many people seek after?

 

 

Divine Wisdom vs Worldly Wisdom

 

Using the following verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes, we will attempt to make a distinction between worldly wisdom and divine wisdom.

 

Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: 

Why should you destroy yourself?

Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: 

Why should you die before your time?

It is good that you grasp this, and also not let go of the other; 

But he who fears God will escape them all. 

~ Ecclesiastes 7:16-18

 

Translating the above verses into everyday language would be something like the following: The first four lines being a description of worldly wisdom, and the last two lines about divine wisdom.

 

With our worldly wisdom and knowledge, we understand that a man should NOT be overly wise or righteous, because he could easily become the target of evil persecutors. However, it is also NOT good to be overly wicked or foolish, because he could be suddenly judged or destroyed. 

 

It is good if we can moderate between both extremes using our worldly wisdom, but there is a higher way to escape from all these consequences, and that is, to "fear God"! If we fear God, we will walk righteously, and we will receive His Divine Wisdom to make decisions correctly. In doing so, we can be free to do what is right without any fear of the consequencesl 

 

 

People of God Seek Divine Wisdom

 

I have always wondered how a 17 year old boy Joseph could rule over a big household of slaves, then over all prisoners, and eventually over the whole of Egypt at only 30 years of age (Genesis 37-41). I believe the reason is, Joseph always seeks divine wisdom.

 

King Solomon also started off well following the wisdom of the Lord! However, he quickly turned away to worship idols. Israel was then quickly divided, and eventually it was captured by Syria and Babylon.

 

 

Dare to Believe!

 

Rewarding as it sounds, it is nonetheless not always easy for us to be led by God’s divine wisdom. “God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9) Most people therefore find it difficult to understand or follow God’s will.

 

How could a Father send His Son to die on the cross? But our Father in His wisdom has decided to sacrifice His only begotten Son, and Jesus also had the faith to follow His Father's will. In the end, Jesus defeated Satan and was resurrected, and He also received all authority in Heaven and on Earth. So, the challenge of a Christian is:

 

Do We Have Enough Faith in God to Trust His Wisdom?