1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for Thee, O God (Psalms 42:1). 19 In Genesis 4:1, we are told Adam “knew” his wife. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:5). He and his wife, Deanna have been married since June 1993. And now, in place of wonder at the mystery of the past, we are overcome with wonder at the wisdom of God which accomplished all of this. God knows everything. Their nakedness was good in their state of innocence. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'whatchristianswanttoknow_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',118,'0','0'])); Ecclesiastes 7:12  For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,  and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. There is, as the writer to the Hebrews informs us, a “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) looking on with fixed attention even this moment. Even the angelic host, including Satan, is involved in this great drama. But once they sinned by eating the fruit of that tree, they were ashamed of their nakedness and tried to cover themselves. As such, it is found in its fulness only in God. 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, [but are] of no value against fleshly indulgence (Colossians 2:23). 15 She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. What was evil became “good” in their eyes. They knew evil by experience.19 The worst of it is that Adam and Eve did come to a new awareness of “good and evil,” but notice what happened in the process. Wisdom is different than having knowledge. As Paul urged, we must seek to be wise about what is good and ignorant concerning evil: “I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil” (Romans 16:19b). Adam and Eve were given every opportunity and encouragement by God to know Him, to be like Him, and to be wise with respect to all that is good. I fear Eve’s motivation may have been similar. 24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water. This began with the promise of salvation from sin and the defeat of Satan through Eve’s seed in Genesis 3:15. many people make the mistake of coming to God and ask him for financial and other blessing and not wisdom. And neither was the fruit of that tree able to make one wise. Wisdom is not the cause of obedience as much as the result of obedience. God is still accomplishing His purpose, which will culminate in the second coming of His Son and the establishment of His kingdom upon the earth. And because He is also the wisdom of God, He will show you where you went wrong and teach you how to stay out of debt! First, they could be wise concerning good by becoming students of creation: 24 O LORD, how many are Thy works! A. W. Tozer and J. I. Packer have defined wisdom as follows: “In the Holy Scriptures wisdom, when used of God and good men, always carries a strong moral connotation. No wonder God is taking His time in revealing and bringing to completion His marvelous plan decreed in eternity past, which in its culmination discloses His infinite wisdom. Psalms 111:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. God was not withholding His wisdom from them, but displaying it before them. 3. Job 28:28  And he said to man,  ‘Behold,  the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,  and to  turn away from evil is understanding.’eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'whatchristianswanttoknow_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_0',115,'0','0'])); Proverbs 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;  fools despise wisdom and instruction.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'whatchristianswanttoknow_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',116,'0','0'])); Proverbs 9:10   The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. Daryl believes strongly in the importance of discipleship and small group ministry, which was evident in the life of Jesus during His earthly mission. Psalms 107:43  Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. I must confess I had never considered the account of the fall in Genesis in light of the wisdom of God. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. It was more fully disclosed in the Abrahamic (Genesis 12:1-3) and Davidic (2 Samuel 7:14) covenants. He promised a Messiah who was a man, the seed of Eve and of Abraham and of David, but also One who was the divine Son of God. Do we wonder why we cannot understand at present exactly what God is doing, how he is using the most unusual circumstances (including man’s sin and rebellion, sickness, death, sorrow) to achieve His purposes? (Romans 11:33; see also Job 9:1-4; 36:5; Isaiah 31:1-2). Daryl has written 78 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Wisdom of God – His wisdom at work My favorite speaker was my former seminary professor, Dr. Bruce Waltke, who spoke on the subject, “What Does God Require,” from Micah 6:8. It is better than fair that a righteous Savior bridges the gap between imperfect man and a perfect God with infinite wisdom. 19 For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.” 20 Where is the wise man? Wisdom is not just knowledge, but “know how.” God’s wisdom enables Him to “know how” to do anything (see 2 Peter 2:9). To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. Speaking of God he says in verse 10, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.”. The wisdom of God is demonstrated again in Genesis 6 with the story of Noah. Paul indicates in Ephesians 1 the eternal purpose of God to sum up all things in Christ. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” – James 1:5 (KJV) The first thing you can do to gain wisdom from God is to ask it from Him. I believe “knowing” good and evil is the knowledge of evil which comes by experiencing it. What Do Christians Believe About Dinosaurs? Consider these verses on wisdom. And the “sons of Abraham” are not just the physical seed of Abraham (see Romans 9:6-13) but the spiritual seed of Abraham: 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Proverbs 3:7   Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'whatchristianswanttoknow_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_9',121,'0','0'])); Proverbs 10:13  On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but  a rod is for the back of him who  lacks sense. God is righteous, and one does not become like Him by sinning. 16 Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. Used by permission. Eating of the “tree of life” was the way to wisdom, which is why Satan sought to change the focus of Eve’s attention and desire from this tree to the forbidden tree. Did He forbid them to become wise? 1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. Adam and Eve had free reign of the Garden and everything they would ever need was provided. Paul writes in Ephesians 3 about the mystery of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Finally, Adam and Eve could have become wise by eating of the fruit of that other tree, just as prominently placed, perhaps even more prominently placed, in the center of the garden—the tree of life.