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God never intended man to know good and evil when He created Adam and Eve, and He warned both not to eat from the Tree of Good and Evil. But as Adam, at the behest of the serpent through Eve, was induced to eat from that tree, God must have figured that man would never be what He originally created. I guess God could have destroyed Adam and Eve, as he destroyed others who sinned later, but for His own reasons He decided to accept that man would know good and evil from thereon in. Perhaps out of curiosity, God wanted to see how man’s knowledge of good and evil would develop and how he would act accordingly.
Well, we know the answer from Genesis after the Flood; God determined that there would always be evil in the hearts of man. Some, like Noah, avoided evil and was righteous, but most have continued to lean toward evil to this day.
Some have a natural propensity toward being righteous. This can be said of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and many in the twelve tribes of Israel that originated with Jacob’s twelve sons. But there was enough evil among the twelve tribes that when those who knew better pleaded with God to free them from slavery in Egypt, God saw an opportunity to help the people to rid themselves of evil once and for all by enacting 500 some-odd laws for them to abide by.
As the world became more complicated, it was hard for certain people striving for righteousness to discern good from evil. When Solomon became king after David’s death, he found himself in over his head. But what did he do? He asked God for help. In 1 Kings 3:8-9 he says “... your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, for who is able to govern this your great people?” God answers him in Verses 11 1nd 12, “...’Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you A WISE AND DISCERNING MIND, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.’”
Wisdom involves having a “wise and discerning mind,” in this case being able to discern good from evil in striving for righteousness. To know God is to know wisdom as God taught Solomon. One of the Proverbs of Solomon, Proverbs 2:6, says “...the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding...”
But despite some like Solomon seeking to strive for righteousness, there were still enough people in the world who gave in to the temptations of evil, that God at this point wanted all to be saved. So Lord Jesus came down to earth, giving us an understanding of God that we may find to be a better alternative to the temptations of evil, even among the Jews whom God originally chose. And Lord Jesus and his disciples gave us his wisdom and taught us to develop and fortify God’s wisdom so we may keep on a righteous path, all the while relying on God through Lord Jesus as the focal point for our wisdom. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and HE WILL MAKE STRAIGHT YOUR PATHS.”
What is Jesus to wisdom? 1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “...because of [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption...”
But as Proverbs 1:7 says “...fools despise wisdom and instruction,” you know there are many such fools in this world, many who managed to reach the heights of power and to govern at the expense of the people they have power over. Some people, including those who say ‘Lord, Lord’ through the laws that have been enacted, yet lack the Lord’s wisdom, will say, ‘Oh, our leader is a great man! He’s promised us many good things, and just give him a little more time to come through! And perhaps enough of us will give him the benefit of the doubt to give him another chance, through the ballot box.’
Which path will we take? Will we lean on our own understanding, thereby leaning away from God’s Wisdom, or will we be like Solomon, leaning to God to give us the wisdom to pursue righteousness, and to choose leaders who have the same quest in that regard?
Well, we know the answer from Genesis after the Flood; God determined that there would always be evil in the hearts of man. Some, like Noah, avoided evil and was righteous, but most have continued to lean toward evil to this day.
Some have a natural propensity toward being righteous. This can be said of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and many in the twelve tribes of Israel that originated with Jacob’s twelve sons. But there was enough evil among the twelve tribes that when those who knew better pleaded with God to free them from slavery in Egypt, God saw an opportunity to help the people to rid themselves of evil once and for all by enacting 500 some-odd laws for them to abide by.
As the world became more complicated, it was hard for certain people striving for righteousness to discern good from evil. When Solomon became king after David’s death, he found himself in over his head. But what did he do? He asked God for help. In 1 Kings 3:8-9 he says “... your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, for who is able to govern this your great people?” God answers him in Verses 11 1nd 12, “...’Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you A WISE AND DISCERNING MIND, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.’”
Wisdom involves having a “wise and discerning mind,” in this case being able to discern good from evil in striving for righteousness. To know God is to know wisdom as God taught Solomon. One of the Proverbs of Solomon, Proverbs 2:6, says “...the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding...”
But despite some like Solomon seeking to strive for righteousness, there were still enough people in the world who gave in to the temptations of evil, that God at this point wanted all to be saved. So Lord Jesus came down to earth, giving us an understanding of God that we may find to be a better alternative to the temptations of evil, even among the Jews whom God originally chose. And Lord Jesus and his disciples gave us his wisdom and taught us to develop and fortify God’s wisdom so we may keep on a righteous path, all the while relying on God through Lord Jesus as the focal point for our wisdom. Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and HE WILL MAKE STRAIGHT YOUR PATHS.”
What is Jesus to wisdom? 1 Corinthians 1:30 says, “...because of [God] you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption...”
But as Proverbs 1:7 says “...fools despise wisdom and instruction,” you know there are many such fools in this world, many who managed to reach the heights of power and to govern at the expense of the people they have power over. Some people, including those who say ‘Lord, Lord’ through the laws that have been enacted, yet lack the Lord’s wisdom, will say, ‘Oh, our leader is a great man! He’s promised us many good things, and just give him a little more time to come through! And perhaps enough of us will give him the benefit of the doubt to give him another chance, through the ballot box.’
Which path will we take? Will we lean on our own understanding, thereby leaning away from God’s Wisdom, or will we be like Solomon, leaning to God to give us the wisdom to pursue righteousness, and to choose leaders who have the same quest in that regard?