To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Romans 16:27 NIV).
God is wise. God has infinite ability and skill to do what is best for the glory of his name and the good of his people. “Knowledge and wisdom, though often confounded by careless thinkers, are different. Wisdom always has respect to action… Our knowledge and moral principles have much influence in directing our conduct, and that man is considered wise, whose knowledge and moral principles direct his conduct well. Wisdom is therefore regarded as consisting in the selection of the best end of action, and the adoption of the best means for the accomplishment of this end. God is infinitely wise, because he selects the best possible end of action. What the end Jehovah has in view in all his works, we cannot claim to comprehend” (Dagg, pp. 86-87).
God only is wise (Romans 16:27), and his wisdom is profound (Job 9:4), since his wisdom has no limits. We cannot take all things into view at once (or at all!), but he can. That is why wisdom belongs to God (Job 12:3). This is difficult for us to comprehend. We see others make unwise and destructive plans and choices and even, perhaps grudgingly admit, that we also have the same failures. This hinders us from acknowledging God’s wisdom.
However, God makes known his wisdom to us in the scriptures. In wisdom, God made the universe (Psalm 104:24; Proverbs 3:19; Jeremiah 10:12). God works out his purposes of displaying the glory of his wisdom (Ephesians 3:10). If he works to bring disaster on the wicked, such works proceed from his wisdom (Isaiah 31:2). In his sovereign rule over all nations, his wisdom guides all his choices (Daniel 2:20). In salvation, the Lord works through his wisdom to save his chosen people (1 Corinthians 1:21, 24, 2:7; Ephesians 1:7-8). We need to remember the great word of the doxology in Romans 11:36. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen (NIV). Everything is under the direction of the all-wise, holy, and sovereign Lord of the universe. When there are matters beyond our understanding, we can trust his wisdom. If we lack wisdom, we should ask God (James 1:5), since he is all-wise. When we comprehend something of his wisdom, we ought to bow in worship him as wise (Revelation 7:12).
In all the events and turns of our lives, we must trust the infinite wisdom of God (Romans 11:33). When we lack comfort or suffer, he has a wise reason (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). If our body fails, we can be assured that he has something better in store for us (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18). If we lack worldly riches, God may be keeping us from a trap (1 Timothy 6:9). If we lose our dearest in life, he remains worthy of our faith (Job 13:15)! God’s wisdom provides a basis for peaceful rest when our world seems to be going crazy.
How can we acquire wisdom? We must reverently fear God (Job 28:28; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33) and receive his word (Psalm 119:97-100), but above all, wisdom is found in the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:2-3)!
Grace and peace, David