Wisdom is an important Biblical concept, especially in the books of Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Job knew what it was (see chapter 28:12-28) but failed to achieve it in his defense against the accusations of his friends. He had been darkening counsel by words without knowledge (38:2), and God had to teach him (chapters 38-41). After his lesson from God, Job wisely said,
Behold, I am vile;
What shall I answer you?
I lay my hand over my mouth.
Once I have spoken, but I will not answer,
Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further. (40:4,5)
And also in 42:3-6:
I have uttered what I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know…
Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.
God gave us the book of Proverbs to teach us wisdom (1:1-7). The book makes many references to it throughout, but there are also important discourses on it in chapter 1:20-33 and chapters 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9. In Ecclesiastes Solomon explains how he set his heart to know wisdom as well as madness and folly (1:17), and his conclusion was, “Fear God and keep his commandments (12:13).”
Wisdom includes knowledge, understanding, insight and skill. Knowledge is simply the awareness of facts. Understanding is the ability to see facts in their proper relations and to give to them their proper significance. Insight is the ability to use one’s knowledge and understanding to draw conclusions. These, however, are not sufficient to make you wise. Skill is the ability to apply your knowledge, understanding and insight to life. Without skill, wisdom is incomplete. When the Lord appointed Bezalel for the work of the tabernacle “to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship,” then he “filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge.” He also “put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you (cf. Exodus 31:3-6).” He gave all the knowledge, understanding, insight and skill these men needed to do the work to which he called them. The Scriptures illustrate Solomon’s wisdom partly by his ability to answer the questions of the queen of Sheba. “So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. (1 Kings 10:3)” But they also give us the practical example of his judgment in the case of the two harlots and their babies.
The wisdom that is from above receives the knowledge that God reveals in his creation and word and applies that knowledge to enable godly living. Therefore, it always has a moral dimension. It is a believing submission to the truth of God and to the instruction and correction from God that are necessary to achieve it. The fools says in his heart, “There is no God,” and lives accordingly.
The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.
He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved;
I shall never be in adversity.”
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is trouble and iniquity. (Psalm 10:4,6,7)
But the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7), and the wise, in that fear, carefully obey all of the commandments. The fear of God, wisdom and obedience to the commandments are so intertwined that they cannot be separated.
According to our natural birth, we are all fools. Christ alone is our wisdom, for he “became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).” We achieve wisdom only by trusting in God, asking it from him (James 1:5), and humbling the pride which leads us continually to think that we can know truth and live well apart from God.