How does a wise man become foolish?

Selected verses from Proverbs 15

What a fantastic man was King Solomon, but how can a man be the wisest of men and also become the most foolish?  As I ponder that thought, many others come to mind, what about Adam and Eve, now it’s not possible for you or I to grasp life without sin, but the Bible tells us this couple experienced such a life.  We do not know for sure how many years they were without sin but this we do know they walked in the cool of the evening with God and had no fear.  To my knowledge God only gave them one rule, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

We know the serpent was crafty, more so than all the other beast of the field, and Satan used Him to do the knockout punch on Eve. Where was Adam, not working, not being the protector of his woman, no, he was just a wimp, or passive man, standing by his lady and not stepping in and taking care of the serpent?  And that day sin entered them, they hid from God, because they knew He was pure and for the first time they were sinners, and sin entered the world.

So how does that give us an understanding of the question of how can a man be the wisest of men and also become the most foolish?  We must explore how Solomon became the wisest of men, and what took place to lead him to desire exploring evil.  First, how did this young boy King become the smartest man born with an earthly dad?

We get understanding about this from 1 Kings chapter three, let us begin in verse 5, “At Gibeon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.”  Now skip down to verses 7-13, “And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David, my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.  And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude.  Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

 It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.  And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.  I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.  And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

Now we understand how Solomon became the wisest of men, but how does a wise man become a fool?  It has been recorded over the year how very wise men, men who once walked with God, have fallen into foolishness and desired the offering of this world over a close walk with our LORD.  Too much success, both in wealth and power, too many people following, but no person or a group they are accountable to.  They, like Solomon, believed they could ignore the statutes of God; it always comes from an unchecked life.  Each of us needs someone holding us accountable, to be Micah 6:8 men.  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 

I believe a wise person will pay close attention to how King Solomon ends the book of Ecclesiastes 12:13-14,  ^“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice