Wisdom Better Than Folly

 

September 22, 2020

 

Ecclesiastes 9:13-18

 

Wisdom Better Than Folly

I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.   There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it.   But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man.   But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.   Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.

 

If the beginning of Wisdom is the Fear of the Lord, why does a culture that lives on fear not fear God?  Why does the Church not fear God?  Why do people who go by the name of Christian not fear a holy God?  I’ve pondered on these questions, and the only answer I come up with is there or only a few that fear God, and that equates to only a few having Godly wisdom.

 

Now you should not be misinformed, wisdom is not acquired in high learning, that is knowledge, it is my personal belief that Godly wisdom begins with an understanding of who you are a (finite) human and God is (infinite).  Often we forget that God is pure, we are sinful, God is endless, we are time critters, we have limits God has none, the good news is you are not God, but you need God to live life on planet earth with peace and joy.

 

It’s a wonderful insight that wisdom does not come with wealth, a poor man in Solomon account saved a city against all odds because he had wisdom, and yet no one remembers his name or anything about him later, we do not know the timeline, and they were not teaching revisionary history, as are our school and colleges.

 

The other insight is the world is not big on the poor, nor do they believe they can learn from anyone that is not polished and well educated, with a lot of money.  It was true in Solomon's days and it’s more true today.

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.   Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.  I see this being played by both parties in this election, both think money raise equals winning, that just foolish, for God has spoken, in Romans 13:1, “Every Christian ought to obey the civil authorities, for all legitimate authority is derived from God’s authority, and the existing authority is appointed under God. To oppose authority then is to oppose God, and such opposition is bound to be punished.”  Phillips Translation and I want to also give you the English Standard Version translation; “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

 

It is also clear that God will allow bad leaders to bring about his judgment and we have not been immune from such leaders in the USA.  God’s heart desire is for none to perish and that’s why He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ to earth, to show all of us that we must look to the Father for everything, that is what Jesus did, and He was God.  In conclusion, if you want to be wise, you must begin with a healthy Fear of God.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice