The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Summary: Today we begin a series of rabbit trails through the Book of Proverbs. I hope you enjoy it!
Do you fear the Lord? Do you know what that means? Have you received instruction and learned wisdom? Do you desire to learn or, do you “know it all?”
When I was a young man, I was a curious mix of both the desire to learn and the arrogance that goes with being a “know it all.” It was a frustrating time for me.
As time passed, I bumped my shins on the coffee table of life over and over. I began to learn humility. I gained a desire for knowledge, wisdom, and instruction. My new problem was not that I could not find people who would teach me but finding the right people to teach me.
When people present themselves as an expert on something, I expect they will know what they are talking about. Unfortunately, people are rarely as expert as they would like to think. A real expert is not afraid of questions. When asked, they can explain what they mean in words that their audience can understand. People that cannot explain, or get angry when asked a question, are not the right people to be teachers.
To improve my writing, I often consult an expert. I submit my blog drafts to an online grammar checker. This worked well until one day, I expanded my grammar checking to include a second online grammar checker with slightly different features. I hoped that what one did not catch, the other would. I expected the result would be blog posts that are easier to read and free of any obvious grammatical errors.
What I discovered is that these two “experts” in grammar do not agree. One says, “put a comma here.” The other says, “Don’t put a comma there!” Okay… so which one is the expert? Are they both wrong?
Computer “experts” do not get angry when you ask questions, but they do not answer questions very well either. Humans are better at answering questions if only because we can ask more questions if we do not understand. The problem with both humans and machines is that neither is perfect. Nobody knows everything.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge because we realize we are not God. The fear of the Lord means we acknowledge there is a higher power than ourselves. No matter how smart we are or how much we know, we walk humbly before God and among our fellow humans because we fear the Lord.
Application: Don’t be a fool! Fear the Lord!
Food for Thought: What happens to all of the knowledge we acquired before we learned to fear the Lord?
I don’t think that it goes anywhere. I’m thinking that after we learn to fear the Lord we just understand how little our knowledge covers. I guess one might say, a healthy dose of humility.
Just as Paul says that all of his experiences that gave him pride while he was Saul are nothing. It’s because they are in the right perspective. Those experiences still shape him into the man he became, but they aren’t as important as salvation, being right with God.
A –
Yes! The danger of ignoring God is that we think we have knowledge and understanding. When we submit to God we have to include God in our self-assessment. Compared to him we know nothing. A “healthy dose of humility” is exactly right!
What happens to all of the knowledge we acquired before we learned to fear the Lord?
I think that our knowledge before we learned to fear the Lord goes in the same direction (or should go) as the other aspects of our life. When I became a child of God, God didn’t change my physical form, my personality, or the knowledge I had acquired. What changed was the way that I “operated” those aspects of my life. Knowledge is just information, or experience. What I do with that knowledge, how I use it, grow it, and what I choose to add to it, changed.
Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Chris,
Well said. I would add one more thing to your list of things that change: Our knowledge of past sins no longer has power over our present moment. The righteousness of Christ protects us from Satan’s accusations.
Well said! I appreciate that because it is important to remember that I am free from past sin, and to not allow it be a barrier to my walk with the Lord.
01-27-2022, Proverbs 1:7, What happens to all of the knowledge we acquired before we learned to fear the Lord?
Proverbs 1:7 declares “ It is the BEGINNING of Knowledge.” All previously acquired knowledge “ worldly knowledge “ should definitely become questionable, obsolete as fear of God becomes the standard, or foundation for true wisdom.
The wise recognize and seek the source of eternal life, John 17:3
The wise in God are reconciled to Him through Christ,
Corinthians 5:18
The wise, reject the world, will choose to live by God’s word, Colossians 1:10
The wise seek to live by all God reveals, 2 Timothy 3:16–17
The wise give priority to growing in truth, 2 Timothy 3:7
The wise seek the source of all wisdom and knowledge,
Daniel 2:21–22
The wise seek to grow in God’s teachings, Job 32:7–8, 36:22
The wise make God known to the world, Romans 1:19-20
R2T2,
Highlighting beginning in this passage is the first time I actually thought about it being a chronological paradox. So it’s been rolling around in my head since I read your comment. I looked up the Hebrew word for beginning. Strong’s says that it means first in place, time, order, or rank. The chief or principal part.
Therefore, the fear of the Lord is first in knowledge because it came chronologically before any other knowledge existed in the world. (Because the beginning of what I have learned is not truly the beginning). And/or it is the most foundational knowledge there is to be had. And/or all knowledge is useless without first applying the fear of the Lord.
Some interesting comments here. How we use the preexisting knowledge changes when we fear the Lord. Moses had acquired great knowledge in Pharaoh’s courts which God later used after He introduced Himself at the burning bush.
Saul of Tarsus had a command of the OT sitting under Gamaliel. However that knowledge was useless and even dangerous until He met and feared Jesus.
Luke was a physician. He did not lose the medical knowledge he had before He followed Christ.
Our knowledge does not disappear, but how we use it is transformed when we are transformed. Now our knowledge is used with the godly wisdom that comes from a biblical worldview. Our knowledge comes alive to be used for God’s purposes.
An unbelievers knowledge can be used by God (For example, an unbelieving doctor can come up with a cure that God uses to bless others) but they are unwilling participants in His will. When we fear the Lord we become willing participants working alongside the Lord to glorify Him and serve Him.
Rich,
Thank you for these wonderful observations! I am reminded of Romans 8:28 —
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Even our worldly knowledge is transformed into tools for good through the power of Christ.
I would also add that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowing God – which is the most important knowledge of all. 2 Corinthians 7: 1. Philippians 3: 7 – 11.
Amen!
Proverbs looks like it is going to prove interesting. I really appreciate all the comments today and would only add the following scripture for consideration.
BE TRANSFORMED:
2 Corinthians 3:18, And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Romans 12:2, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will.
2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
ETERNAL WISDOM OF GOD Vs, TEMPORAL WISDOM OF MEN:
1 Corinthians 3:19, For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God; for it is written , He is The one who catches the wise and clever in their craftiness;”
1 Corinthians 1:20, Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
Romans 1:22, Professing to be wise, they became fools,
1 Corinthians 1:27, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
I am not an authority but it does seem to me that our position is that of a humble servant before our Sovereign God. The thought of my claiming any tiny bit of credit for helping God achieve His will for mankind in this world is totally out of the question.
My calling is to get myself out of the way and allow Jesus Christ to do all work for God.
Ron,
I like the juxtaposition of God’s wisdom and man’s (so-called) wisdom. Nicely done!
Jeff,
Had to look that new for up, yep.
Unless we have a easy time forgetting I believe the knowledge will stay where it is,..but one thing for sure is that knowledge is useless unless it’s applied. We can have all the knowledge known to man but if we do nothing with the knowledge all the learning would be a waste of time and the knowledge is useless because it hasn’t been applied to the one gaining knowledge.
I have heard the stories about Jesus and His parables,..but if I don’t apply His teachings to my life that what He taught is useless because I haven’t applied anything He taught me,..
However that’s not the case and it’s probably because I fear the Lord that I do use the knowledge He has allowed me to acquire throughout my life,..and all the glory goes to Him who gives abundantly to the ones who ask,..
Thank you, John!
So it sounds like you would NOT advise that we “sit on the fence” when it comes to applying the Wisdom of God. Am I right?
🙂
You got it,..love it,..
What happens to all of the knowledge we acquired before we learned to fear the Lord? What happens to all of something that wasn’t ours in the first place? Isn’t it already known by God?Isn’t it all a gift from above?(Deuteronomy 29:29, 1 Samuel 2:3, James 1:17) like all the other wise comments before me. Everything points back to God. It’s all His. Fear the Lord submit to His will and allow Him to use you and everything that He has given you to glorify God and help others know Jesus. He has a plan, will you be a part of it? Just like the bible and its knowledge, it’s been there before we knew, but wow!!! As soon as we know and fear the Lord, the bible and its knowledge is still the same as before but now it is so much more.
Im still seeking God and I pray I always will. I’m told by some wise people in my life that it never ends and it’s ever growing. I’ve even learned to fear the Lord more today before I saw my girlfriend. I applied it to show I feared the Lord and that I love the Lord. R2T2 your going to make my head explode with all the knowledge God has given you.
Tim,
I deeply appreciate your comments here. You pose a very important question:
“He has a plan, will you be a part of it?”
Submitting to God changes everything — the exact point you are making. Submitting to God’s plan for us is the difference between fighting and struggling all our lives and living under God’s blessing.