What is wisdom?
Wisdom is the benefit of experience. It is the ability to understand. It is the ability to discern good from evil.
Where did Wisdom come from?
Wisdom comes from God. That’s wisdom in it’s purest form. Colossians 2:3 tells us that Christ is a treasure-house of wisdom and knowledge. James 1:5 postulates that God is the inexhaustible source of wisdom.
But there is another type of wisdom. It is earthly, impure, and devilish. It is a perverted light. We know from Scripture that Satan cannot create; he only perverts in attempted imitation.
So Satan has his version of wisdom. How then do we distinguish between the two?
The origins of perverted wisdom is our best clue.
For the origin of things we return to Genesis. There God gave man His best advice: good counsel to help him live eternally. And the best God could give man was His Word.
Not long after the perverter comes, he preaches a different gospel; he offers a new source of enlightenment. Sadly, Eve accepted the bait. And truly Satan delivered on his promise (Genesis 3:5-7); Eve was more knowledgeable for her patronage.
An increase in knowledge does not mean you are wiser. Certainly not in the context of true wisdom. It is clear that Eve was wiser but in a perverted sense. Her enlightenment did not come from God.
Two schools of wisdom were thus established. One was godly and pure; the other satanic and sensual.
How did they fare in material terms?
Seth and Cain were heirs to both schools of wisdom. Seth was godly and his descendants after him (Genesis 4:26), whereas Cain was of the evil one (1st John 3:12); his conduct was inspired by the perverted school.
The seed of Seth are chronicled in Genesis chapter five. They were humble folk. They excelled in spiritual wisdom. Also, from Seth’s family tree, came prophets like Enoch and Noah.
Conversely, Cain’s seed were great scientists and inventors. Instead of Enoch and Noah, see Tubalcain and Jubal. Tubalcain was the master of metalwork. His inventions paved the way for future advances in science and engineering (Genesis 4:22).
Jubal pioneered the manufacture of musical instruments. All musicians owe this son of Cain a debt of gratitude (Genesis 4:21).
Again, a quantum leap in knowledge means nothing. Nothing, in the context of the wisdom we seek. If it did, Cain’s seed would be the wisest by God’s standards. But they are not.
Genesis also demonstrates that godly wisdom is not scientific advancement. In fact the converse is true. Science does not correlate with faith. Neither does civilization correlate with godliness.
Being aware of the origins of wisdom is helpful. We must know the source of our wisdom. We must know it’s characteristics. We must steer clear of lusting for the wrong type of knowledge. Or of being deceived that anything that is scientific is right.
Knowing the characteristics of both schools of wisdom helps too. We must not pitch our tents with the Cainites, though they may be shrewd, smart and sophisticated. We are children of Seth. Our inspiration is different. Our position is usually on the wrong side of the scientific divide.
By Hushai Wiszman
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