 | EncouragmentShunning Wisdom Leads to CalamityPosted Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 and visited 183 times, 2 so far today by MInTheGap |
The beginning of the book of Proverbs starts with a truth: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and understanding. In verses 20-33, the author goes one step further.
Beginning in verse 20, Wisdom is personified, and seen crying out in the marketplace, in the cities and wherever people can be found asking or pleading with the people to listen and learn.
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.
For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”
((The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Pr 1:20–33). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.))
Wisdom is available, it’s proclaimed by the Bible and by those that follow God. The laws of God are not unknown. The warning here is the same warning that was given in Deuteronomy and will be true in Revelation. If a people calls upon the name of the Lord and follows Him, then he will benefit from the richness of God’s blessing.
However, if a people choose to ignore Wisdom and ignore God, then they will reap what they sow. And that’s what we get in the second half of this quote—Wisdom laughs at the calamity that has come, because it had warned about it in the past.
God knows all things, because He created all things. There’s nothing that surprises God and nothing that He does not know.
That’s why the beginning of knowledge is the fear of God.
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