Proverbs
Nine One Five
#36
Proverbs 2:03 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
This verse continues us on our path to wisdom eventually leading to verses five and six where the destination is to know God, and thus to know sound wisdom.
It is interesting then that this journey moves from inclining our ears to know wisdom and applying our hearts to understand it; to crying out for knowledge. It is certainly no mistake that our last chapter ended with wisdom crying out to know us, now we are told that if we truly want to know her, we must cry out for knowledge. We have already said in the previous verses why this is though, and that is because wisdom needs knowledge to function. How can you use wisdom to apply knowledge if you lack the knowledge that needs to be applied? I can’t make wise spiritual decisions when I don’t know about spiritual things. I cannot make wise financial decisions if I don’t know anything about finances. I need some knowledge of the matter in order to exercise wisdom in the matter.
If we want knowledge, it is helpful to have understanding. Proverbs 14:6 says “knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.” This is because understanding is the ability to grasp the information or knowledge we are receiving. It is much easier to remember something and file it away properly when you actually understand it. So, while wisdom is the goal, it will be easier to get there if we have some knowledge and it will be easier to attain knowledge if we have understanding. Wisdom is crying out to you but you must cry out first for knowledge and understanding.
This relationship between wisdom, knowledge, and understanding is an example of something we see written many times throughout all creation: Things typically come in pairs of three. - a fingerprint seen many times from our Triune Creator.
Consider the universe itself, it is made up of three parts: Space, Matter, and Time. Each one is equally important to the existence of the universe. Without space you have nowhere to put anything. Without matter you have nothing to put into that space. Without time, you have a photograph of a universe but not one that can live and function.
That relationship is how the three components of our intelligence work. In this comparison, understanding is space; it is the realm where we can accumulate and fit our knowledge. Knowledge of course is matter; the building blocks we fit within our understanding. Wisdom then is time; without it we have a concept of knowledge but not an ability to use it. Just as time is the universe being put into action, wisdom is intelligence being put into action.
There are many pairs of three in the universe that point us back to the Trinity. The three parts of the universe also have three parts. Space exists in dimensions of length, width, and depth. Matter comes in phases of liquid, solid, and gas. Time is measured as past, present, or future. Even unintelligence comes in a pair of three: Foolishness, Scornfulness, and Simplicity. Most telling of all is you, you are made in the image of our God as a Triune being: spirit, soul, and body. It is not just wise to believe in the Trinity; all of creation preaches it.
It is interesting then that this journey moves from inclining our ears to know wisdom and applying our hearts to understand it; to crying out for knowledge. It is certainly no mistake that our last chapter ended with wisdom crying out to know us, now we are told that if we truly want to know her, we must cry out for knowledge. We have already said in the previous verses why this is though, and that is because wisdom needs knowledge to function. How can you use wisdom to apply knowledge if you lack the knowledge that needs to be applied? I can’t make wise spiritual decisions when I don’t know about spiritual things. I cannot make wise financial decisions if I don’t know anything about finances. I need some knowledge of the matter in order to exercise wisdom in the matter.
If we want knowledge, it is helpful to have understanding. Proverbs 14:6 says “knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.” This is because understanding is the ability to grasp the information or knowledge we are receiving. It is much easier to remember something and file it away properly when you actually understand it. So, while wisdom is the goal, it will be easier to get there if we have some knowledge and it will be easier to attain knowledge if we have understanding. Wisdom is crying out to you but you must cry out first for knowledge and understanding.
This relationship between wisdom, knowledge, and understanding is an example of something we see written many times throughout all creation: Things typically come in pairs of three. - a fingerprint seen many times from our Triune Creator.
Consider the universe itself, it is made up of three parts: Space, Matter, and Time. Each one is equally important to the existence of the universe. Without space you have nowhere to put anything. Without matter you have nothing to put into that space. Without time, you have a photograph of a universe but not one that can live and function.
That relationship is how the three components of our intelligence work. In this comparison, understanding is space; it is the realm where we can accumulate and fit our knowledge. Knowledge of course is matter; the building blocks we fit within our understanding. Wisdom then is time; without it we have a concept of knowledge but not an ability to use it. Just as time is the universe being put into action, wisdom is intelligence being put into action.
There are many pairs of three in the universe that point us back to the Trinity. The three parts of the universe also have three parts. Space exists in dimensions of length, width, and depth. Matter comes in phases of liquid, solid, and gas. Time is measured as past, present, or future. Even unintelligence comes in a pair of three: Foolishness, Scornfulness, and Simplicity. Most telling of all is you, you are made in the image of our God as a Triune being: spirit, soul, and body. It is not just wise to believe in the Trinity; all of creation preaches it.