Understanding Biblical Wisdom
Follow along to learn about how Solomon became Israel's wisest king and how we can become wise as well.
FAITH
Dani Fielder
10/20/20263 min read
Power, money, and knowledge are all things that the world tells us we should do everything we can to acquire. The bible, however, depicts knowledge very differently than the world's standards.
Proverbs is considered the book of wisdom because it offers a vast amount of practical knowledge. The book is primarily written by the wisest king of Israel, Solomon, who was the son of King David. Solomon's wisdom did not stem from years of studying or learning from a great leader; ultimately, his wisdom came from God. 1 Kings tells us how Solomon gained his wisdom by illustrating that when Solomon went to offer sacrifices one day, God came to him in a dream. God asked Solomon what he wanted, and Solomon humbly replied that he wanted a discerning heart to distinguish between wrong and right so that he'd be able to lead God's people well. Pleased with this answer, God gave him the wisdom Solomon so desired.
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
"4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, 'Ask for whatever you want me to give you.'
6 Solomon answered, 'You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 'Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?'
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life'" (1 Kings 3:5-14, NIV).
Wisdom is...?
So then, how does the bible describe knowledge and wisdom?
A popular verse of scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6, which reads, "5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (NIV). This passage emphasizes the importance of not merely relying on what we know. Instead, we should trust God with our whole heart and submit our ways, our plans, our ideas to him.
The verse that follows tells us, "7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil" (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV). The scripture tells us that we should not be wise by our own standards, then gives us the framework of true, biblical wisdom. Wisdom, then, fears the Lord and shuns evil.
This idea is reiterated throughout Proverbs. Proverbs 1:7 explains, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (NIV). So, to gain true, biblical knowledge, it begins with fearing the Lord. Just as Solomon reverenced God enough to ask for his understanding over things that the world would deem to be great, so we too have to do if we desire to gain wisdom.