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Building Blocks of Faith

by GloriaOctober 11, 202022 min read

Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge

It’s always amazing to me that no matter how many times you read or study the Bible you never stop learning.  Remembering that we are all a WIP (work in progress) we should always strive for humility and stifle the rise of arrogance that leads to pride. 

We see in Psalm 53:2  Elohim looked down from the heavens on the children of men, To see if there is a wise one, seeking Elohim.

This scripture tells us that only the wise are seeking Elohim (God).  Elohim looked down to see if men were following, pursuing, searching , asking, or worshipping Him.

In the book of Proverbs we find:

Pro 9:10 The fear of יהוה is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Set-apart One is understanding1.   

Remember when reading, writing, and arithmetic were the reasons we had to go to school and learn?  As believers the curriculum set apart for us are wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.  These words are not static words lacking in movement and change, but are the antithesis, words implying movement, action, and change.  They are the building blocks of faith and righteousness and the direct contributors of the righteous walk. 

As believers and followers of the most High; I believe the only time we are to remain still is to know Him as stated in:

 Tehellim (Psalm) 46:10  Be still, and know that I am Elohim (God); I am exalted among nations, I am exalted in the earth!

We read in:

Tehellim (Psalm) Psa 53:1  The fool has said in his heart, “There is no Elohim (God).” They have done corruptly, And they have done abominable unrighteousness; No one does good.

This verse gives us the antithesis of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge (as mentioned in Proverbs 9).  We see that the Bible refers to unbelief as foolishness, which leads to corruption and unrighteousness.  These are the stumbling blocks of faith and the direct contributors to the wide road that leads unto death. 

Let us look at the words fool, corruption and unrighteousness in Hebrew.

FOOL: H5036 נָבָל nâbâl (naw-bawl’) . From H5034; stupid; wicked (especially impious): – fool (-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person. In the Ancient Hebrew:  II. Fool:In the sense of fading away.

FOOL: H5034 נָבֵל nâbêl (naw-bale’) – A primitive root; to wilt; generally to fall away, fail, faint; figuratively to be foolish or (morally) wicked; causatively to despise, disgrace: – disgrace, dishonour, lightly esteem, fade (away, -ing), fall (down, -ling, off), do foolishly, come to nought, X surely, make vile, wither. Ancient Hebrew V) – Fail: To wear out or fade away. [freq. 25] (vf: Paal, Piel) |kjv: fall, esteem, foolishly, nought, vile| {str: 5034}

According to the Bible a fool’s definition is a person who is wilting, falling or fading away.

Corruption –H7845 שַׁחַת shachath  shakh’-ath – From H7743; a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively destruction: – corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit.  Ancient Hebrew– Pit: A hole in the ground such as a grave. [freq. 23] |kjv: corruption, pit, destruction, ditch, grave| {str: 7845}

Corruption –H7743 שׁוּחַ shûach shoo’-akh –A primitive root; to sink, literally or figuratively: – bow down, incline, humble.  Ancient Hebrew – Sink: [freq. 3] (vf: Paal, Hiphil) |kjv: bow, incline, humble| {str: 7743}

Corruption is seen as a pit or trap; sinking.

Unrighteousness  -H5766  עֹלָה    עוֹלָה    עַוְלָה    עָוֶל    עֶוֶל ‛evel    ‛âvel    ‛avlâh    ‛ôlâh    ‛ôlâh eh’-vel, aw’-vel, av-law’, o-law’, o-law’ -From H5765; (moral) evil: – iniquity, perverseness, unjust (-ly), unrighteousness (-ly), wicked (-ness).  Ancient Hebrew: Wicked: An action that causes a stain of immorality.  Wicked: [freq. 60] |kjv: wicked, unjust, unrighteous, iniquity, perverse| {str: 5766, 5767}

H5765 עָוַל âvalaw-val’ – A primitive root; to distort (morally): – deal unjustly, unrighteous. Ancient Hebrew – Wicked: [freq. 2] (vf: Piel) |kjv: unjustly, unrighteous| {str: 5765}

Unrighteousness is seen as wickedness; to morally distort or deal unjustly, causing a stain of immorality.

The Scriptures tell us:

Psa 92:15  To declare that יהוה (God) is straight, My rock, and in Him is no unrighteousness.

Psa 92:6  A senseless man does not know, And a fool does not understand this.

The Scriptures compares a person that doesn’t believe in Elohim (God) as someone who is falling or fading away, or sinking into a pit, because of iniquity, perverseness, or wickedness.  The fruit of unbelief leads to unrighteousness and unrighteousness to death.

Let us look once again at:

Pro 9:10  The fear of יהוה (Yahweh) (God) is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Set-apart One is understanding1.

Let us consider the word Fear.   The fear of Yahweh (God) is the beginning of wisdom.  There are some that might connect the word fear with the emotion of being scared, or in danger, but that’s not the case here.  In Biblical terms the word fear means to revere; complete reverence and awe for Yahweh (G0d). When you look at this word in Hebrew it is defined as:

Fear – H3374יִרְאָה  yir’âh yir-aw’ –Feminine of H3373; fear (also used as infinitive); morally reverence: –  X dreadful, X exceedingly, fear (-fulness).

From: Fear –H3373  יָרֵא  yârê’ yaw-ray’. –From H3372; fearing; morally reverent: – afraid, fear (-ful). Ancient Hebrew (vf: Paal, Niphal, Piel) |kjv: fear, afraid, terrible, dreadful, reverence, fearful| {str: 3372}

From: Fear –H3372  יָרֵא yârê’ yaw-ray’ – A primitive root; to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten: – affright, be (make) afraid, dread (-ful), (put in) fear (-ful, -fully, -ing). (be had in) reverence (-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).

The Scriptures tells us that in order to receive wisdom we must give reverence to Yahweh (God).  So in order to receive the first building block of our faith we must believe, acknowledge and give complete reverence to our Yahweh (God), give Him the complete respect He is deserving of. 

We read in Psa 31:19  How great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those fearing You, Which You have prepared for those taking refuge in You In the sight of the sons of men!

Psa 33:8  Let all the earth fear יהוה (God); Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.

Psa 33:18  See, the eye of יהוה (God) is on those fearing Him, On those waiting for His kindness, Psa 33:19  To deliver their being from death, And to keep them alive during scarcity of food. Psa 33:20  Our being has longed for יהוה; Our help and our shield is He.

Psa 34:9  Fear יהוה (God), you His set-apart ones, For there is no lack to them who fear Him!

Psa 34:11  Come, you children, listen to me; Let me teach you the fear of יהוה. Psa 34:12  Who is the man who desires life, Who loves many days, in order to see good? Psa 34:13  Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. Psa 34:14  Turn away from evil and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it.

Halleluyah, how He takes care of us if only we believe……

So now that we’ve established what the word fear means in Hebrew and the context it’s used in these scriptures let us look at wisdom and its meaning.

We see in the book of Proverbs: Pro 4:5  “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, and do not turn away From the words of my mouth.

Wisdom is defined in Oxford Dictionary as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.

But what does the Word say about Wisdom? In Hebrew Wisdom is defined as:v Wisdom -H2451  חָכְמָהchokmâh khok-maw’ – From H2449; wisdom (in a good sense): – skillful, wisdom, wisely, wit.  Ancient Hebrew-  Wisdom: [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 157] |kjv: wisdom, wisely, skilful, wits| {str: 2451, 2452}

From:   Wisdom -H2449 חָכַםchâkam khaw-kam’ –A primitive root, to be wise (in mind, word or act): –    X exceeding, teach wisdom, be (make self, shew self) wise, deal (never so) wisely, make wiser.  Ancient Hebrew- Wise: To be wise. [freq. 27] (vf: Paal, Hiphil, Hitpael, Pual, Piel) |kjv: wise, wisdom, exceed| {str: 2449}

 Wisdom in Hebrew not only means to be wise in mind, word or act, but it also means to be skillful.  We saw an example of this in the book of Exodus when the Israelites were in the desert and those chosen were given all the skills needed to build the Tabernacle per Yahweh’s (God) blueprint.

  • Chapter 8 in the Book of Proverbs is about Wisdom.  Please note these selected verses:
  •  
  • Pro 8:22  “יהוה (God) possessed me, The beginning of His way, As the first of His works of old.
  • Pro 8:23  “I was set up ages ago, at the first, Before the earth ever was.
  • Pro 8:24  “When there were no depths I was brought forth, When there were no springs heavy with water.
  • Pro 8:25  “Before mountains were sunk, Before the hills, I was brought forth,
  • Pro 8:26  “Before He had made the earth and the fields, Or the first dust of the world.
  • Pro 8:27  “When He prepared the heavens, I was there, When He decreed a vault on the face of the deep,
  • Pro 8:28  “When He set the clouds above, When He made the fountains of the deep strong,
  • Pro 8:29  “When He gave to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He decreed the foundations of the earth,
  • Pro 8:30  “Then I was beside Him, a master workman, And I was His delight, day by day Rejoicing before Him all the time,
  • Pro 8:31  “Rejoicing in the world, His earth; And my delights were with the sons of men.
  • Pro 8:32  “And now, listen to me, you children, For blessed are they who guard my ways.
  • Pro 8:33  “Listen to discipline and become wise, And do not refuse it.
  • Pro 8:34  “Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors.
  • Pro 8:35  “For whoever finds me shall find life, And obtain favour from יהוה,
  • Pro 8:36  “But he who sins against me injures himself; All who hate me love death!”

In verse 22 it mentions that Yahweh (God) possessed wisdom.  It’s defined in Hebrew as:  POSSESSED– H7069  קָנָה qânâh kaw-naw’ –A primitive root; to erect, that is, create; by extension to procure, especially by purchase (causatively sell); by implication to own: – attain, buy (-er), teach to keep cattle, get, provoke to jealousy, possess (-or), purchase, recover, redeem, X surely, X verily.  Ancient Hebrew) – Possess: To acquire someone or something through a purchase or other method. [Hebrew and Aramaic]  [freq. 85] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil) |kjv: get, gotten, possess, buy, purchase, possessor, buyer, keep| {str: 7066, 7069}

So we see that Wisdom was created by Yahweh.  To get a better understanding about the origins of wisdom let us look at two places.  The first is from the first Book of Enoch.  In chapter 42 of Enoch we find the following:

  • Book of Enoch Chapter 42
  •  
  • 1. Wisdom found not a place on earth where she could inhabit; her dwelling therefore is in heaven.
  • 2. Wisdom went forth to dwell among the sons of men, but she obtained not a habitation. Wisdom returned to her place, and seated herself in the midst of the angels. But iniquity went forth after her return; whom unwillingly found a habitation, and resided among them, as rain in the desert, and as a dew in a thirsty land.

Very interesting, so we’re told that wisdom tried to reside on the earth but was unable to find a place where she was welcomed and had to return to the heavens.  We see an example of this when we read in Genesis the actions of Adam and Eve. They push wisdom aside by sinning and therefore sin brought forth iniquity. 

Remember that the fear of Yahweh (God) is the beginning of wisdom.  We are to grow in wisdom as we see this in the book of James:

Jas 1:4  And let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in naught. Jas 1:5  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Elohim, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him.

We see that wisdom comes from above and if anyone wants it all they have to do is ask for it.  The good thing is that it’s available for all that ask for it.  Amen!

The book of Job gives us a description of Wisdom and its beginning:

Job 28:12  And wisdom1 – where is it found? And where is the place of understanding1? Job 28:13  Man does not know its value, and it is not found in the land of the living. Job 28:14  The deep has said, ‘It is not in me,’ and the sea has said, ‘It is not with me.’ Job 28:15  Gold is not given for it, nor is silver weighed out as its price. Job 28:16  It is not valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious shoham or sapphire. Job 28:17  Gold or crystal are not to be compared with it, nor is it exchanged for a vessel of fine gold. Job 28:18  No mention is made of coral or crystal, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. Job 28:19  The topaz of Kush is not to be compared with it, nor is it valued in clean gold. Job 28:20  And wisdom1 – from where does it come? And where is the place of understanding1? Footnote: 1The answers to the questions raised in verses 12 & 20 are given in verse 28. Job 28:21  It has been hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the heavens. Job 28:22  Destruction and death have said, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’ Job 28:23  Elohim has understood its way, and He has known its place. Job 28:24  For He looks to the ends of the earth, sees under all the heavens, Job 28:25  making a weight for the wind, and measuring out the waters by measure. Job 28:26  When He made a law for the rain, and a way for the lightning of thunder, Job 28:27  then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it and also searched it out.

Job 28:28  And He said to man, ‘See, the fear of יהוה, that is wisdom, and to turn from evil is understanding.’ ”

Other Scriptures emphasizing the importance of Wisdom and Understanding:

Pro 14:8  The wisdom of the clever is to understand His way, But the folly of fools is deceit.

Pro 16:16  How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is preferable to silver.

Pro 23:23  Buy the truth and do not sell it – Wisdom and discipline and understanding.

The second building block of faith is understanding.  In Hebrew it is defined as:

Understanding– H998 בִּינָה bı̂ynâh bee-naw’- From H995; understanding: – knowledge, meaning, X perfectly, understanding, wisdom.  Ancient Hebrew – Understanding: [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 39] |kjv: understanding, wisdom, knowledge, meaning, perfectly, understand| {str: 998, 999}

From Understanding– H995 בִּין bı̂yn bene- A primitive root; to separate mentally (or distinguish), that is, (generally) understand: – attend, consider, be cunning, diligently, direct, discern, eloquent, feel, inform, instruct, have intelligence, know, look well to, mark, perceive, be prudent, regard, (can) skill (-ful), teach, think, (cause, make to, get, give, have) understand (-ing), view, (deal) wise (-ly, man).  Ancient Hebrew – Understand: [freq. 170] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil) |kjv: understand, cunning, skilful, teacher, taught, consider, perceive, wise, viewed, discern, prudent, consider| {str: 995}

Understanding is separating mentally right from wrong, being able to discern and comprehend the essence of Yahweh (God) and His Word. Scriptures emphasizing understanding:

Psa 111:10  The fear of יהוה (God) is the beginning of wisdom, All those doing them have a good understanding. His praise is standing forever.

Psa 119:73  Your hands have made me and formed me; Make me understand, that I might learn Your commands.

Pro 3:5  Trust in יהוה (God) with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; Pro 3:6  Know Him in all your ways, And He makes all your paths straight. Pro 3:7  Do not be wise in your own eyes1; Fear יהוה and turn away from evil2. Footnotes: 1Isa. 5:21 2Job 28:28.

Psa 111:10  The fear of יהוה (God) is the beginning of wisdom, All those doing them have a good understanding. His praise is standing forever.

Psa 119:73  Your hands have made me and formed me; Make me understand, that I might learn Your commands.

Psa 119:104  From Your orders I get understanding; Therefore I have hated every false way. Psa 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

1Jn 5:20  And we know that the Son of Elohim has come and has given us an understanding, so that we might know the true One. And we are in the true One, in His Son יהושע Messiah. This is the true Elohim and everlasting life.

The word Knowledge in the Bible is first found in:

Gen 2:9  And out of the ground יהוה Elohim made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, with the tree of life in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Knowledge is defined in Hebrew as:  da‛ath dah’-ath- From H3045; knowledge: – cunning, [ig-] norantly, know(-ledge), [un-] awares (wittingly).  Ancient Hebrew-  Knowledge: [freq. 93] |kjv: knowledge, know| {str: 1847}

From H3045  יָדַע yâda‛ yaw-dah’- A primitive root; to know (properly to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively instruction, designation, punishment, etc.): – acknowledge, acquaintance (-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, [un-] awares, can [-not], certainly, for a certainty, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be [ig-] norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to, let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have [knowledge], (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have [understanding], X will be, wist, wit, wot.  Ancient Hebrew – Know: [Hebrew and Aramaic] [freq. 994] (vf: Paal, Niphal, Hiphil, Hitpael, Hophal, Pual, Piel, Participle) |kjv: know, known, knowledge, perceive, shew, tell, wist, understand, certainly, acknowledge, acquaintance, consider, declare, teach| {str: 3045, 3046}

So knowledge is to know by the senses, to understand, acknowledge, respect, declare, and teach.

Some scriptures referencing knowledge;

Psa 119:63  I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those guarding Your orders. Psa 119:64  O יהוה, Your kindness has filled the earth; Teach me Your laws. Psa 119:65  You have done good to Your servant, O יהוה, According to Your word. Psa 119:66  Teach me good sense and knowledge, For I have trusted in Your commands. Psa 119:67  Before I was afflicted I myself was going astray, But now I have guarded Your word. Psa 119:68  You are good, and do good; Teach me Your laws.

Pro 1:1  The proverbs of Shelomoh son of Dawiḏ, sovereign of Yisra’ĕl: Pro 1:2  For knowing wisdom and discipline, For understanding the words of understanding, Pro 1:3  For receiving the discipline of wisdom, Righteousness, right-ruling, and straightness; Pro 1:4  For giving insight to the simple, Knowledge and discretion to the young. Pro 1:5  The wise one hears and increases learning, And the understanding one gets wise counsel, Pro 1:6  For understanding a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. Pro 1:7  The fear of יהוה is the beginning of knowledge1; Fools despise wisdom and discipline. Footnote: 1See 9:10, Ps. 111:10.

Pro 2:1  My son, if you accept my words, And treasure up my commands with you, Pro 2:2  So that you make your ear attend to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; Pro 2:3  For if you cry for discernment, Lift up your voice for understanding, Pro 2:4  If you seek her as silver, And search for her as hidden treasures, Pro 2:5  Then you would understand the fear of יהוה, And find the knowledge of Elohim. Pro 2:6  For יהוה gives wisdom; Out of His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Pro 2:7  And He treasures up stability for the straight, A shield to those walking blamelessly, Pro 2:8  To watch over the paths of right-ruling, And the way of His kind ones He guards. Pro 2:9  Then you would understand righteousness And right-ruling, and straightness – Every good path. Pro 2:10  For wisdom would enter your heart, And knowledge be pleasant to your being, Pro 2:11  Discretion would guard you; Understanding would watch over you, Pro 2:12  To deliver you from the evil way, From the man who speaks perversities, Pro 2:13  Those who leave the paths of straightness To walk in the ways of darkness; Pro 2:14  Who rejoice to do evil; They delight in the perversities of evil; Pro 2:15  Whose paths are crooked, And they are perverted in their ways;

Pro 8:1  Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? Pro 8:2  On the top of the heights along the way, Between the paths she has taken her stand. Pro 8:3  Beside the gates, leading to the city, At the entrances, she shouts: Pro 8:4  “O men, I call, to you, And my voice is to the sons of men. Pro 8:5  “You simple ones, understand insight, And you fools, be of an understanding heart. Pro 8:6  “Listen, for I speak noble words, And the opening of my lips is about straightness; Pro 8:7  “For my mouth speaks truth; And wrongness is an abomination to my lips. Pro 8:8  “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness, None of them twisted or crooked, Pro 8:9  “All of them plain to him who understands, And straight to those who find knowledge. Pro 8:10  “Accept my discipline, and not silver, And knowledge rather than choice gold; Pro 8:11  “For wisdom is better than rubies, And all delights are not comparable to her. Pro 8:12  “I, wisdom, have dwelt with insight, And I find knowledge, foresight.

Pro 15:14  The heart of the understanding one seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on folly. Pro 15:15  All the days of the afflicted are evil, But gladness of heart is a continual feast. Pro 15:16  Better is a little with the fear of יהוה, Than great treasure with trouble.

Pro 24:3  By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; Pro 24:4  And by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches. Pro 24:5  Mighty is the wise in strength, And a man of knowledge strengthens power; Pro 24:6  For by wise guidance you wage your own battle, And delivery is by a great counsellor. Pro 24:7  Wisdom is high for a fool; He does not open his mouth in the gate.

The fear of Yahweh (God) is the beginning of Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge follow together forming the building blocks of our Faith. If Elohim looks down from heaven today what would He see in you?

Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Master, and He shall lift you up.

Blessings…………

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Gloria

Gloria, a believer of the most high; blessed with the opportunity to read and study the Bible (the Holy Scriptures). Has had the blessing of sharing the Word with friends over a cup of coffee for years. She wants to extend that invitation to you. Please join her for such a time as this, a time to enjoy the scriptures over a cup of coffee.

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