“which God ordained before the ages for our glory”
(1 Cor. 2:7, NKJV)
We are currently still discussing the Spirit of wisdom, as part of the series of the seven-fold Spirit of God. The Message-translation presents it as follows: “God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes.” To thus understand the purpose of all things, God’s great plan with man, the earth, and everything concerning this, we first need to come to an understanding of the Spirit of wisdom.
In the last teaching we pointed out how that which is seen as wisdom by the world is disgraced by the true wisdom of God. The world considers the wisdom of God as folly.
To illustrate this, we drew from 1 Cor. 1:27, in which Paul says: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise …” It is important that the way in which this happens be qualified in the context of a few verses that appear earlier: “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Cor. 1:20). In other words, we need to distinguish between those who are seen as wise by the world, and those who have the wisdom of God.
In the next chapter of Corinthians this is placed into bigger context: “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory …” (1 Cor. 2:3-7).
This section mentions important and interesting elements about the nature of Godly wisdom in people, in contradistinction to human or carnal wisdom:
- Human wisdom is often carried by “persuasive words”.
- The “wisdom of men” is that which is distinguished from “the power of God” (according to 1 Cor. 1:24 Christ is the power of God!).
- The wisdom of God is embedded in “mystery”.
- The wisdom of God was “once hidden” (AMP).
- God made possible this wisdom before time, but it has only been revealed now.
- The wisdom of God is necessary for bringing “the saints” (1 Cor. 1:2) to the state of glory. Secure this important conclusion.
In the light of this it is of utmost importance that you receive the Spirit of wisdom, as without it God’s plan with man and earth cannot take place! The big problem with this is that most people actually have a very emaciated idea of what God’s glory truly is. In the next teaching we start delving into this.
- Selah: What is the link between the Spirit of wisdom and the glory of God?
- Read: 1-2; Zech. 1
- Memorise: 2:3 (Beautiful synchronicity!)
