“The
preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness”,
according to the apostle Paul, however he added, “but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God”,
and in chapter one and verse nineteen of
First Corinthians, Paul the apostle continued his letter by desiring
that God would “destroy the wisdom of
the wise”
where we read:
For it
is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and
will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
The
verse begins, “For
it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,...”
Paul began
with the word, “For”
which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and
therefore” “it is written”
which means “it is wrote down and composed”, “I
will destroy”
which means “God will put out of the way entirely, abolish, put to
an end, ruin and render useless” “the
wisdom” or
“the broad and full intelligence, knowledge of very diverse
matters, skill in management affairs and proper prudence in
intercourse with men” “of the wise”
which means
“of skilled, expert, cultivated, learned people”. Paul uses
Isaiah chapter twenty-nine and verse fourteen as a reference for God
“abolishing and ruining” the “intelligence, knowledge and
skill” of “expert and learned” people.
The
verse goes on to say, “...and
will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”.
Paul
continued with the words, “and will
bring to nothing”
which is the Greek word “atheteō”
which
means “do away with, set aside, disregard, nullify, make void and
frustrate” “the understanding”
or “the knowledge, running and flowing together” “of
the prudent”
which means “the intelligent, understanding, wise and learned”.
Paul continued his reference to Isaiah as he shared how God would “do
away with and set aside” the “knowledge” of people who were
“wise and learned”.
When
we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see how the “wisdom”
of man is nil compared to God's. The “wisest” of the “wise”
is nothing compared to the “wisdom” of God and His Son
Jesus Christ. “Wisdom” intrinsically is having the ability
to act upon knowledge, and God knows everything. Therefore He “acts”
upon full knowledge and understanding. Man's knowledge is limited,
and therefore his judgment is often distorted and unreliable. God's
purpose to “save” people from their sins seems like “foolishness”
to those who are “wise” in this world, but God knows all
and His “wisdom” concerning “eternal life” excels
anyone who lives. Let us rely upon the “wisdom” of God,
and when people attempt to share how they “know better than God”,
may we laugh and turn away.
Next
time Paul asks, “Where
is the wise, scribe and disputer of this world?”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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