Pam Padgett - teacher
While considering the instruction we're given in Proverbs 3:7 ... Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
... I reviewed a few of the accounts we have in the Bible of God giving
His wisdom to His servants who didn't rely on their own wisdom, but
feared God and sought wisdom from God.
We see the exceeding greatness
of God's wisdom over our own wisdom and the wisdom of the world. I
found reviewing these accounts to be strengthening and faith-building.
One account is the wisdom given to Solomon, as he had asked, so he could judge the people ...
2 Chronicles 1:7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and
said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 8 And Solomon said unto God,
Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to
reign in his stead. 9 Now, O Lord God, let thy promise unto David my
father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the
dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge,
that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this
thy people, that is so great? 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this
was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour,
nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but
hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my
people, over whom I have made thee king: 12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee;
and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of
the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any
after thee have the like.
One example of Solomon judging the people by the wisdom of God ...
1 Kings 3:16 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto
the king, and stood before him. 17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I
and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with
her in the house. 18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was
delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together;
there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19
And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20
And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine
handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my
bosom. 21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold,
it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was
not my son, which I did bear. 22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the
living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the
dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the
king.
23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth,
and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the
dead, and my son is the living. 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword.
And they brought a sword before the king. 25 And the king said, Divide
the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the
other. 26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king,
for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her
the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be
neither mine nor thine, but divide it. 27 Then the king answered and
said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the
mother thereof. 28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king
had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.
And the wisdom God gave Solomon excelled the wisdom of all others ...
1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and
understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand
that is on the sea shore. 30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the
wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of
Egypt. 31 For he was wiser than all men; ...
Another account ... When Nebuchadnezzar ordered that certain children of
Israel be brought and given food from the king's meat and wine to drink
for 3 years and then they were to stand before the king. ...
Daniel 1:6 Now among these were of the children
of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 7 Unto whom the prince
of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of
Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach;
and to Azariah, of Abednego.
8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile
himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he
drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might
not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender
love with the prince of the eunuchs. 10 And the prince of the eunuchs
said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat
and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the
children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head
to the king. 11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the
eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 Prove
thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to
eat, and water to drink. 13 Then let our countenances be looked upon
before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion
of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. 14 So he
consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. 15 And at
the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in
flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's
meat. 16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine
that they should drink; and gave them pulse.
17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom:
and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now at the
end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the
prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the
king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king.
20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that
the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the
magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
When Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a dream, he was going to destroy all
the wise men of Babylon because those whom the king had called could
not tell the dream and interpretation, for they had only their own wisdom. But Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego turned to God, and God revealed the dream and
interpretation to Daniel ...
Daniel 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of
Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was
troubled, and his sleep brake from him. 2 Then the king commanded to
call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the
Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood
before the king. 3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream,
and my spirit was troubled to know the dream. 4 Then spake the Chaldeans
to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the
dream, and we will shew the interpretation. 5 The king answered and said
to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known
unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in
pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill. ...
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is
not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore
there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any
magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean. 11 And it is a rare thing that the
king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the
king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. 12 For this
cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all
the wise men of Babylon. 13 And the decree went forth that the wise men
should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the
captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men
of Babylon: 15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is
the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to
Daniel. 16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would
give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. 17
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 18 That they would desire mercies
of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows
should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.
Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: