THE FOUNDATION · THE ORIGINAL STUDY, SET IN THE ANCIENT ORDER
Wisdom — Foundational Biblical Doctrine
OPENING WORD
Everyone wants to be wise, but few will begin where God begins. Wisdom has a starting place: the fear of the LORD. The old language calls wisdom chokmah (H2451, wisdom), and it calls that fear yirah (H3374, fear); from beginning to end the two walk together. God does not hide wisdom from you. He gives it. It comes out of his own mouth, and he stores it up for the righteous like treasure. But you have to dig for it, the way people dig for silver. And notice this carefully: you cannot find the knowledge of God until you understand the fear of the LORD. This is the foundational study on wisdom: where it begins, what blessing rests on those who fear him, what that fear is, and how the New Testament carries it on. Read every word with your own eyes. Search it out.
THREE QUESTIONS THIS STUDY ANSWERS:
1. Where does wisdom begin, and who gives it?
2. What blessings belong to those who fear the LORD?
3. What is the fear of the LORD, and does the New Testament still teach it?
OPENING ANCHOR
Psalm 111:10Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
THE FEAR OF THE LORD = THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM → A GOOD UNDERSTANDING HAVE ALL THEY THAT DO HIS COMMANDMENTS.
(My personal thoughts — wisdom must begin with the fear of the LORD; there is no other door. And notice where the good understanding is found: with those who DO his commandments. A good understanding is good success, and it comes through doing, not through hearing only.)
1. THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
1.Isaiah 11:2Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SHALL REST UPON HIM = THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING + THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
(My personal thoughts — the fear of the LORD begins with a Spirit. It is named here among the things of the Spirit of the LORD, and it rests where he rests.)
2.Isaiah 11:3Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
QUICK UNDERSTANDING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD → NOT JUDGE AFTER THE SIGHT OF HIS EYES + NEITHER REPROVE AFTER THE HEARING OF HIS EARS.
(My personal thoughts — quick understanding: the word is ruwach (H7306, to smell). Just as a familiar smell brings quick recognition, so the fear of the LORD makes a person quick — he knows a thing before the eyes and the ears are finished with it, and he does not judge by what his eyes see.)
3.Proverbs 2:6Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
THE LORD GIVETH WISDOM → OUT OF HIS MOUTH COMETH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING.
4.Proverbs 2:7Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
HE LAYETH UP SOUND WISDOM FOR THE RIGHTEOUS + HE IS A BUCKLER TO THEM THAT WALK UPRIGHTLY.
(My personal thoughts — sound wisdom is tuwshiyah (H8454, sound wisdom) — wisdom that stands firm, wisdom that leads to success. He stores it up for the righteous, the way a person stores up treasure; and he himself is the shield of those who walk with integrity.)
5.Proverbs 2:4Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures [H4301 matmown];
IF THOU SEEKEST HER AS SILVER + SEARCHEST FOR HER AS FOR HID TREASURES.
6.Proverbs 2:5Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
THEN SHALT THOU UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD + FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
(My personal thoughts — when? When you receive his words, when you turn your ear toward them, and cry out for knowledge, and search for her the way people search for silver. Then — not before — you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. You cannot add knowledge to your faith until you understand the fear of the LORD; and this wisdom is stored up for the righteous.)
2. THE BLESSINGS OF THEM THAT FEAR THE LORD
1.Psalm 128:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Blessed is every one that feareth [H3373 yare] the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
BLESSED IS EVERY ONE THAT FEARETH THE LORD + THAT WALKETH IN HIS WAYS.
2.Ecclesiastes 12:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
FEAR GOD + KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS = THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN.
3.Psalm 34:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
O FEAR THE LORD → THERE IS NO WANT TO THEM THAT FEAR HIM.
4.Psalm 103:11Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy [H2617 checed] toward them that fear him.
AS THE HEAVEN IS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH = SO GREAT IS HIS MERCY TOWARD THEM THAT FEAR HIM.
5.Psalm 103:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
LIKE AS A FATHER PITIETH HIS CHILDREN = SO THE LORD PITIETH THEM THAT FEAR HIM.
(My personal thoughts — pities is racham (H7355, to have compassion): to love tenderly, the way a father loves his own child. This is the portion of those who fear him — not terror, but a Father's tender love.)
3. THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS TO HATE EVIL
1.Proverbs 8:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The fear of the LORD is to hate evil [H7451 ra]: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
THE FEAR OF THE LORD = TO HATE EVIL.
2.Proverbs 16:6Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
BY THE FEAR OF THE LORD → MEN DEPART FROM EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — first hate it, then turn away from it. To fear the LORD is to hate what he hates; and whoever hates evil will not stand near it for long.)
3.Proverbs 19:23Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The fear of the LORD tendeth to life [H2416 chay]: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
THE FEAR OF THE LORD TENDETH TO LIFE → HE THAT HATH IT SHALL ABIDE SATISFIED.
4. THE FEAR OF THE LORD IN THE NEW TONGUE
1.Matthew 10:28Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy [G622 apollumi] both soul and body in hell.
FEAR NOT THEM WHICH KILL THE BODY → RATHER FEAR HIM WHICH IS ABLE TO DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY.
(My personal thoughts — the old language says yirah (H3374, fear); the new language says phobos (G5401, fear). The language changed, but the fear did not go away. Set your fear on the right one: not on man, who can only kill the body — but on him who is able to destroy both soul and body. Yet remember who he is: a Savior, and he saves completely.)
2.Acts 9:31Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied [G4129 plethuno].
WALKING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD + IN THE COMFORT OF THE HOLY GHOST → WERE MULTIPLIED.
(My personal thoughts — walking in the fear of the Lord brings multiplication. And notice the company it keeps: the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit walk together. They are not opposed to each other; the churches had both, and they grew.)
3.2 Corinthians 7:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness [G42 hagiosune] in the fear of God.
CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM ALL FILTHINESS OF THE FLESH AND SPIRIT → PERFECTING HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF GOD.
(My personal thoughts — holiness is completed in the fear of God. Filthiness here is molusmos (G3436, filthiness) — a smearing, like mud on a piece of clothing; and it affects both flesh and spirit. The cleansing is ours to do — let us cleanse ourselves — and in the fear of God holiness comes to its full completion.)
4.Philippians 2:12Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation [G4991 soteria] with fear and trembling.
WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION = WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING.
(My personal thoughts — trembling is tromos (G5156, trembling): a shuddering that goes along with fear. It is your own salvation you are handling; handle it with fear and trembling.)
CLOSING
Proverbs 2:5Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
UNDERSTAND THE FEAR OF THE LORD → FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
Psalm 103:17Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗But the mercy [H2617 checed] of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
THE MERCY OF THE LORD = FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING UPON THEM THAT FEAR HIM.
(My personal thoughts — now gather the whole matter together. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. The LORD gives wisdom; he stores it up for the righteous; and whoever searches for her like silver will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. That fear is to hate evil. That fear leads to life. The churches that walk in it are multiplied, and holiness is completed in it. And on those who fear him, the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting. The fear of the LORD is not a dark door; it is the door into his mercy. Begin there.)
GREEK KEYWORDS
These are the keywords for this study. Tap any dotted word in the verses above to see its meaning here.
“fear” — G5401 phobos — fear, reverence
walking in the fear of the Lord, the churches were multiplied
“fear” — G5399 phobeo — to fear, to reverence
rather fear him
“wisdom” — G4678 sophia — wisdom
the same wisdom, carried into the new testament
“trembling” — G5156 tromos — trembling, a shuddering joined to fear
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
“filthiness” — G3436 molusmos — filthiness, a stain
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit
“sound wisdom” — H8454 tuwshiyah — sound wisdom; that which leads to success
he lays it up for the righteous
“quick understanding” — H7306 ruwach — to smell; to perceive quickly
a familiar smell brings quick recognition
“pitieth” — H7355 racham — have compassion, love, pity
the LORD pities them that fear him
PRACTICE QUIZ
1. Psalm 111:10 — The fear of the LORD is the beginning of:
a) knowledge
b) understanding
c) wisdom
2. Matthew 10:28 — Rather fear him which is able to destroy:
a) both soul and body in hell
b) the body, but not the soul
c) the soul, and not the body
3. Proverbs 2:4 — Seek her as silver, and search for her as for:
a) fine gold
b) hid treasures
c) precious stones
4. Proverbs 2:6 — For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh:
a) wisdom and instruction
b) counsel and might
c) knowledge and understanding
5. Proverbs 8:13 — The fear of the LORD is to:
a) hate evil
b) depart from evil
c) be afraid of evil
6. Acts 9:31 — Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, the churches were:
a) magnified
b) scattered
c) multiplied
7. Ecclesiastes 12:13 — Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is:
a) the beginning of knowledge
b) the whole duty of man
c) the conclusion of the wise
ANSWER KEY: 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-c, 5-a, 6-c, 7-b
HOW THIS STUDY BRANCHES
→ How the beginnings meet: Proverbs 1:7 says the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, and Proverbs 9:10 says it is the beginning of wisdom — set the two beginnings side by side and search out the difference.
→ How a whole chapter digs for it: Job 28 asks where wisdom shall be found, and ends, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom (Job 28:28).
→ How the treasure is hid now: seek her as for hid treasures (Prov. 2:4) leads on to in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3).
→ How the Spirit rests on the Branch: the spirit of wisdom shall rest upon him (Isa. 11:2) — search out him on whom the spirit of wisdom rests.
→ How to get it if you lack it: if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and does not find fault (James 1:5).
