DIVINE WISDOM

G. B. Grant

Romans 16: 27; Luke 7: 34, 35; Ephesians 3: 10

It will be seen that each of these scriptures refers to wisdom or to what is wise. This feature was referred to in the reading on Lord’s day and made me think of it; Christ has been made to us wisdom from God, and the foolishness of God is wiser than men. The scripture in Romans refers to “the only wise God”; that means that wisdom is only with God. There is what may appear wise but in the end is folly. If there is to be what is truly wise marking us we need to be in touch with divine Persons. This expression “only wise God” is brought out in Paul’s spirit towards Him; Paul is affected by God’s wisdom. There is a doxology relating to wisdom earlier in the epistle. We see that all that God does must be marked by wisdom; we see it in creation. Proverbs 8 brings out that wisdom was there even before creation. In God’s operations in creation, wisdom was there; we see how that is true. God has not had to alter anything in His creation. Men do things, try them out and alter them, but not so with God. God has operated in wisdom in relation to men. He had purposes of love, and wisdom is involved in bringing these purposes to pass; He has set His heart upon men.

One of the wisest of God’s creatures fell and became crafty but that did not hinder God. God had His plan before that to secure men for Himself. As we often say, the greatest expression of God’s wisdom is in the incarnation, one of the Persons of the Godhead coming into manhood. That was wisdom, so that all that can be known of God, all that God is morally, all that God is in His attributes is expressed in that Man. That is a wonderful thing, God come near to men in a Man! That Man has taken up all the liabilities that lay on men, and is expressing in Himself, as in His present position, all that God has in His mind for men. We see the wisdom of God in the incarnation. God Himself coming into manhood in the person of Christ. How great these things are! Wisdom is an attribute of God and we see how important this feature is. Proverbs deals much with wisdom. One verse says “There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against Jehovah”, Proverbs 21: 30. It is an impossibility. Men may think they are operating against God or against His people, but there is not such a thing in the end, it does not work out that way, it is exposed. We see that in the great red dragon in the Revelation; it had seven heads. That would speak of the completeness of what is called wisdom. The first beast in Revelation 13 also has seven heads. The devil, the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20: 10); that will be the end of all wisdom against God. What is truly wise is only derived from God.

I read in Luke 7 because of this expression “wisdom has been justified of all her children”; so there are obviously wisdom’s children. John the baptist had been preparing the way of the Lord—he had a commission. Then “the Son of man has come eating and drinking, and ye say, Behold an eater and wine-drinker, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners”; He was not accepted, but He says, “wisdom has been justified of all her children”. So wisdom in this setting is how the grace of God came towards men; we see an example in the woman who is referred to here. God in His wisdom approached this woman in Christ and won her heart. He did not come out and terrify her; wisdom was operating. We see it in the Lord in His operations in this gospel, how He secured men for God; so “wisdom has been justified of all her children”. That means God is justified in all His operations towards men through what comes out in them. So that this woman here was devoted to the Lord, wisdom was justified in her; she was one of wisdom’s children. How she expended herself upon the Lord! Love was at the bottom of it and she is expressing her devotion. How attractive! God is operating at the present time in this way of wisdom, securing persons for Himself, securing persons for the assembly. She was not deterred by what was against her, or that she was of a lower social scale from the Pharisee, or anything like that. She was affected by the Lord Jesus and she had to get nearer to Him; that is a mark of wisdom being justified by her children.

Later on you get the women who had substance, ministering to the Lord of their substance, persons with whom the Lord had to do. Another example of wisdom being justified of her children is seen in Mary at the Lord’s feet (Luke 10: 39). She would grow in intelligence and in wisdom as she sat at the Lord’s feet listening to His word. So it is the Lord’s intention that this feature of wisdom would be seen in the children of wisdom. Wisdom comes out in different ways. We have spoken of having to do with the Lord initially, then His coming to mean more and more to us, and devotion being a result of that and subjection to the Lord, a very, very wise thing, it is the way of soul blessing and prosperity.

We have been hearing of Paul and his company and his fellow-travellers; that is another feature of wisdom’s children. In this day of confusion in Christendom, wisdom’s children would follow Paul and Paul’s teaching. It is the way of blessing, the way of being kept in life in the present state of things. The Lord Himself personally was marked by this feature of wisdom. The Lord as a Man here did not seek to change things publicly or change things between man and man; He left that all alone. That was wisdom in the Lord’s path.

Then in this chapter in Ephesians, it says, “that now to the principalities and authorities in the heavenlies might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God”.

What a wonderful thing that is, this vessel being formed in secret in the way of mystery at the present time, largely hidden from men. God’s wisdom is in the formation that is taking place, and that wisdom will be seen in a coming day, the assembly sharing in Christ’s headship. We are in a learning time but even in this learning time wisdom is to be “known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God”. That is another expression, it is “all-various”. So that it comes out in our gatherings together, the “all-various wisdom of God”; and these beings are to see it. It is an amazing thing! It would be as drawing from Christ that this wisdom would be available to us. The assembly is here at the present time in a scene of evil, but there is a sphere where evil is not allowed; if evil does arise it can be dealt with. These beings are looking on and seeing evil judged in contrast to evil all around that is just allowed.

They see how God is served in the assembly and that is all part of the “all-various wisdom of God”. It is wonderful grace that we have part in this great vessel, in how it is being formed and what is seen in it and how it operates. It is the greatest vessel in the universe and God’s wisdom is seen as it functions. May we be encouraged on this line.

Word in meeting for ministry, Dundee
8 January 2002