Obtaining Wisdom

In​ ​Genesis​ ​1:27,​ ​we​ ​read​ ​that​ ​God​ ​created​ ​humans​ ​male​ ​and​ ​female.​ ​​ ​In​ ​the​ ​next​ ​chapter,​ ​in​Genesis​ ​2:24,​ ​we​ ​read​ ​that​ ​men​ ​and​ ​women​ ​are​ ​to​ ​be​ ​united​ ​and​ ​become​ ​one​ ​flesh.​ ​​ ​These​ ​two​ ​passages​ ​are​ ​from​ ​different​ ​episodes​ ​of​ ​the​ ​creation​ ​account​ ​in​ ​early​ ​Genesis,​ ​but​ ​Jesus​ ​connects​ ​them​ ​in​ ​Matthew​ ​19:4-6.​ ​​ ​He​ ​is​ ​saying​ ​that​ ​they​ ​were​ ​made​ ​male​ ​and​ ​female,​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was​ ​as​ ​male​ ​and​ ​female​ ​they​ ​were​ ​to​ ​become​ ​one​ ​flesh.​ ​​ ​As​ ​male​ ​and​ ​female,​ ​they​ ​were​ ​to​ ​become​ ​united​ ​and​ ​become​ ​one.​ ​​ ​Jesus​ ​even​ ​says​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​God​ ​who​ ​is joining​ ​them​ ​together.​ ​​ ​Now​ ​-​ ​hold​ ​that​ ​idea​ ​in​ ​the​ ​back​ ​of​ ​your​ ​head​ ​a​ ​moment​ ​while​ ​we​ ​change​ ​lanes.

In​ ​the​ ​first​ ​few​ ​chapters​ ​of​ ​Proverbs,​ ​wisdom​ ​is​ ​referred​ ​to​ ​as​ ​a​ ​woman.​ ​​ ​The​ ​setting​ ​is​ ​a​ ​father​ ​giving​ ​instruction​ ​to​ ​his​ ​son.​ ​​ ​He​ ​tells​ ​his​ ​son​ ​to​ ​listen​ ​to​ ​the​ ​call​ ​of​ ​wisdom.​ ​​ ​Wisdom​ ​is​ ​referred​ ​to​ ​as​ ​a​ ​woman,​ ​calling​ ​out​ ​in​ ​the​ ​street.​ ​​ ​The​ ​father​ ​says​ ​to​ ​the​ ​son​ ​that​ ​wisdom​ ​comes​ ​from​ ​God,​ ​and​ ​to​ ​seek​ ​it​ ​out​ ​like​ ​one​ ​would​ ​seek​ ​out​ ​treasure.​ ​​ ​Wisdom​ ​from​ ​God​ ​is​ ​better​ ​than​ ​gold​ ​and​ ​rubies.​ ​​ ​The​ ​son​ ​is​ ​told​ ​to​ ​love​ ​wisdom,​ ​to​ ​embrace​ ​her.​ ​​ ​The​ ​son​ ​is​ ​warned​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​away​ ​from​ ​the​ ​alluring​ ​woman​ ​who​ ​is​ ​out​ ​to​ ​ensnare​ ​him.​ ​​ ​A​ ​story​ ​is​ ​told​ ​of​ ​a​simple​ ​young​ ​man​ ​who​ ​is​ ​allured​ ​by​ ​a​ ​woman,​ ​and​ ​is​ ​likened​ ​to​ ​being​ ​shot​ ​in​ ​the​ ​liver​ ​with​ ​an​ ​arrow.​ ​​ ​But​ ​Lady​ ​Wisdom​ ​calls​ ​out,​ ​she​ ​tells​ ​people​ ​to​ ​listen​ ​to​ ​her.​ ​​ ​She​ ​says​ ​her​ ​fruit​ ​is​ ​worth​ ​more​ ​than​ ​gold.​ ​​ ​She​ ​was​ ​around​ ​at​ ​the​ ​creation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​and​ ​was​ ​a​ ​skilled​ ​craftsman​ ​at​ ​God's​ ​side.​ ​​ ​Hold​ ​this​ ​idea​ ​in​ ​your​ ​head​ ​with​ ​the​ ​first​ ​one,​ ​and​ ​see​ ​if​ ​we​ ​can​ ​hold​ ​on​ ​for​ ​one​ ​more​ ​lane​ ​change.

Back​ ​in​ ​Genesis​ ​3,​ ​we​ ​see​ ​Adam​ ​and​ ​Eve​ ​presented​ ​with​ ​a​ ​choice​ ​-​ ​take​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Tree​ ​of​ ​Knowledge​ ​of​ ​Good​ ​and​ ​Bad,​ ​or​ ​leave​ ​it.​ ​​ ​In​ ​this​ ​scene,​ ​we​ ​see​ ​humans​ ​presented​ ​with​ ​the​ ​option​ ​-​ ​obtain​ ​wisdom​ ​by​ ​your​ ​own​ ​means​ ​and​ ​be​ ​the​ ​source​ ​of​ ​your​ ​wisdom.​ ​​ ​Or​ ​they​ ​can​ ​rely​ ​on​ ​God​ ​and​ ​his​ ​wisdom,​ ​and​ ​wait​ ​to​ ​receive​ ​it​ ​from​ ​him.

Now​ ​let's​ ​tie​ ​these​ ​three​ ​ideas​ ​together.​ ​​ ​Humans​ ​are​ ​presented​ ​with​ ​an​ ​option​ ​to​ ​gaining​ ​wisdom.​ ​​ ​Obtain​ ​it​ ​by​ ​their​ ​own​ ​efforts,​ ​or​ ​receive​ ​it​ ​from​ ​God.​ ​​ ​The​ ​writer​ ​of​ ​Proverbs​ ​presents​ ​the​ ​wisdom​ ​of​ ​God​ ​as​ ​being​ ​something​ ​very​ ​valuable,​ ​something​ ​that​ ​is​ ​very​ ​desirable.​ ​​ ​In​ ​fact,​ ​that​ ​may​ ​be​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​reason​ ​wisdom​ ​is​ ​portrayed​ ​as​ ​a​ ​woman.​ ​​ ​One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​things​ ​that​ ​men​ ​desire​ ​greatly​ ​is​ ​the​ ​presence​ ​and​ ​accompaniment​ ​of​ ​a​ ​woman.​ ​​ ​The​ ​writer​ ​of​ ​Proverbs​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​is​ ​saying​ ​to​ ​desire​ ​wisdom​ ​with​ ​a​ ​passion​ ​that​ ​a​ ​man​ ​has​ ​for​ ​a​ ​woman.​ ​​ ​But​ ​desire​ ​should​ ​be​ ​for​ ​God's​ ​wisdom,​ ​the​ ​wisdom​ ​God​ ​provides,​ ​not​ ​wisdom​ ​gained​ ​on​ ​your​ ​own.​ ​​ ​The​ ​writer​ ​of​ ​Proverbs​ ​may​ ​also​ ​be​ ​hinting​ ​at​ ​Jesus'​ ​point​ ​about​ ​how​ ​man​ ​and​ ​woman​ ​were​ ​made​ ​to​ ​be​ ​joined​ ​together​ ​-​ ​the​ ​wisdom​ ​of​ ​God​ ​was​ ​made​ ​to​ ​be​ ​joined​ ​together​ ​with​ ​God's​ ​humans​ ​in​ ​order​ ​for​ ​humans​ ​to​ ​have​ ​long​ ​and​ ​prosperous​ ​lives​ ​on​ ​this​ ​world.​ ​​ ​Just​ ​as​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Genesis​ ​account,​ ​God​ ​provided​ ​the​ ​woman​ ​to​ ​the​ ​man​ ​in​ ​order​for​ ​the​ ​man​ ​to​ ​fulfill​ ​his​ ​purpose​ ​in​ ​this​ ​world.​ ​​ ​God​ ​provides​ ​us​ ​with​ ​wisdom​ ​in​ ​order​ ​for​ ​us​ ​to​ ​fulfill​ ​his​ ​purpose​ ​in​ ​this​ ​world.​ ​​ ​If​ ​only​ ​we'll​ ​unite​ ​and​ ​join​ ​to​ ​that​ ​wisdom​ ​as​ ​a​ ​man​ ​does​ ​with​ ​a​ ​woman.

It​ ​would​ ​behoove​ ​us​ ​to​ ​follow​ ​the​ ​instruction​ ​of​ ​the​ ​father​ ​in​ ​Proverbs​ ​to​ ​his​ ​son​ ​and​ ​to​ ​seek​God's​ ​wisdom​ ​and​ ​become​ ​united​ ​to​ ​it.

-Mike Hendricks