Dr. Terry Threadwell's Blog

Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, “Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding. “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.  If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone.” (Pro 9:1-12 NKJ)

Wisdom (Sophia) has built her house on seven pillars. Isaiah 11:2 tells us that the seven pillars are:

1.      The Spirit of the LORD

2.      The Spirit of wisdom

3.      The Spirit of understanding

4.      The Spirit of counsel

5.      The Spirit of might

6.      The Spirit of knowledge

7.      the fear of the LORD. (Isa 11:2 NKJ)

This is a good foundation for any house.  We might suggest that those pillars be drilled into the sold Rock.

Having built the house Wisdom sends out her maidens to invite whosoever to come and dine on bread and wine.  The food is not fancy, but substantial and nourishing.  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. (10-11) Would you not think that people would be lining up? Unfortunately, no! Next door is the foolish woman; her house is built on sinking sand, Proverbs describes her,”A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. For she sits at the door of her house, On a seat by the highest places of the city, To call to those who pass by, Who go straight on their way: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”; And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, “Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell. (Pro 9:13-18 NKJ) Glitz, glamor, tinsel, and bright lights.  All show and no substance, even sin tastes sweet for a season, but destruction awaits.

Icon of Divine Wisdom from St George Church in Vologda (16th century)

“The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,  when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.”  (Pro 8:22-31 NIV)

Before Adam was, there was Sophia. Sophia, the Greek translation of the word for wisdom.  This singular, feminine noun is personified in Proverbs eight and nine. In chapter eight she describes herself as being created before all else was created, even given birth before the creation of the world (26).  She was there when God set the heavens in their place. When God asked Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone–while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-7 NIV) Mankind was nowhere to be found. Sophia was constantly at God side, filled with delight, rejoicing in his presence, and at what God was creating.

Psalm 16:11 says, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  That path into God presence is illuminated by wisdom as she shows you the way into God’s presence.

My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Pro 3:1-6 NKJ)

Four years ago, archaeologists discovered a two-hundred-year-old glass bottle that once said to contain the “Elixir of Long Life.”  A research team tracked down the original German recipe used to create the elixir for fending off death.   

More recently, in the port of Alexandria, Egypt, a large black granite sarcophagus was unearthed.  Inside they found three decomposing mummies floating in a red liquid. Rumors surfaced that the “mummy juice” contained medicinal or supernatural properties, with locals anxious to bottle the stuff, and other wanting to drink this magical potion.  Want some!

Actually, the key to a long life is simple.  Keep the Word of God close to you and put what you hear and read into practice. Proverbs tells us that ‘length of days, and long life and peace’ will be added to you.  Don’t doubt, just trust God with all your being.  There is a pathway set before you, ordained by the Lord, he will direct your path.

My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.  (Pro 2:1-9 NKJ)

Noise everywhere! Information, news, blogs, comments, and opinions everywhere. It seems as though we’re on information overload, and when you turn to the sources, you should be able to trust you just find more noise. What should we do? Proverbs 2 gives us instruction.

“My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you So that you incline your ear to wisdom.” In Isaiah 11 we see the traits of the Holy Spirit, “Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” (Isa 11:2 NKJ) 

Seven times in Revelation we’re told, “ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  (Rev 2:7 NKJ) According to Proverbs and Revelation, we would do well to listen to the Holy Spirit.

My son (and daughter), if sinners entice you, Do not consent.  If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down to the Pit; We shall find all kinds of precious possessions, We shall fill our houses with spoil; Cast in your lot among us, Let us all have one purse “–My son, do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path; For their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed blood. (Pro 1:10-16 NKJ)

The Garth Brooks song says, “Cause I’ve got friends in low places where the whiskey drowns, and the beer chases my blues away, and I’ll be okay.” Let me tell you; you’ll not be okay! Keep the wrong friends, keep bad company or hang out in the wrong places and your life will not end well. There was a time in my life when I made life choices and had to walk a different route and make sure that I stay on the path.

The first step then is not running downhill to the grave, but climb uphill to God.

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity; To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion–A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Pro 1:1-7 NKJ)

Solomon was a wise king, who grew wiser by learning from his foolishness. In Ecclesiastes, all the trappings of wealth, riches and power amounts to nothing but vanity. In the Song of Solomon, in his attempts to add to his collection of women, lost his only love.  Like Solomon, wisdom is learning from your mistakes. Foolishness is when you repeat the same stupidity over and over again.

In these first few verses of Proverbs 1, Solomon lays down some instruction by giving us some key-words. Know, perceive and receive. If I were to add up all the years that I have spent in academic institutions, it amounts to fifteen years, and that doesn’t include high-school or the numerous conferences that I have attended. But just going to college, school or seminary isn’t enough.  Attendance doesn’t add to your knowledge. Solomon says,

1.     Know that God has given you an opportunity.

2.     Perceive that this is God’s divine to teach you something new—don’t miss it.

3.     Receive it, even if it forces you to change your thinking, or to throw out some old stuff.

Remember, this is God’s divine plan, only a fool says you don’t need education, and to learn new things.

He gives wisdom to whom He wills, and whoever has been given wisdom has certainly been given much good. And none will remember except those of understanding. (Quran 2:269)

When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. (Rev 8:1 NKJ)

But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.” (Hab 2:20 NKJ)

Be silent in the presence of the Lord GOD; For the day of the LORD is at hand, For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice; He has invited His guests. “And it shall be, In the day of the LORD’S sacrifice, That I will punish the princes and the king’s children, And all such as are clothed with foreign apparel. (Zep 1:7-8 NKJ)

There is a time for silence and a time to speak. To John’s readers, they were aware of the fact that there were seven seals to open.  Six seals had revealed a crescendo of sights and sounds, a sensory overload. Now the seventh seal is opened, and there is silence.  John is so disturbed by this that he introduces temporal time into his description—it was half an hour! Perhaps it was God’s way of showing John that if you could not see or hear the audible voice of God would you still know him? Why do we feel the need to fill our worship services with noise, when Habakkuk and Zephaniah both speak about keeping silent? Solomon knew this; he had the wisdom to know that there is, “A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; (Ecc 3:7 NKJ)

Where have we gone wrong?  In God’s presence, we can’t be quiet!  Yet in a world of injustice where racism still exists, refugee and immigrants are marginalized, children are not safe in schools and poverty is still a problem, we don’t speak out.

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, The Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise. His brightness was like the light; He had rays flashing from His hand, And there His power was hidden. (Hab 3:1-4 NKJ)

Habakkuk speaks of God appearing out of the East like the Sun; God is shining over Judah, breaking the darkness and signaling a new day. The “splendor” referred to in verse 3 is from the Hebrew word hod, associated with kingly authority reigning over all creation.  God’s power is seen by the horns coming from his hands. The scope of God’s reign is over everything for all time.

“Now, this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said: “The LORD came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, And He came with ten thousands of saints; From His right hand Came a fiery law for them. (Deu 33:1-2 NKJ) This blessing of Moses must have been in the mind of Habakkuk as he sees the second exodus of God’s people coming out of Babylon and brings them back to their homeland once again. After the darkness of captivity, God would be the sunrise of freedom and hope.

No matter how dark the situation might seem, when God shows up, it’s always a new day because the light has come.

Doom to the one making evil gain for his own house, for putting his own nest up high, for delivering himself from the grasp of calamity. You plan shame for your own house, cutting off many peoples and sinning against your own life. A stone will cry out from a village wall, and a tree branch will respond. Pity the one building a city with bloodshed and founding a village with injustice. Look, isn’t this from the LORD of heavenly forces? Peoples grow weary from making just enough fire; nations become tired for nothing. But the land will be full of the knowledge of the LORD’s glory, just as water covers the sea. Doom to the one who makes his companions drunk, pouring out your wrath in order to see them naked. You have drunk your fill of dishonor rather than glory. So drink and stagger. The cup of the LORD’s strong hand will come around to you; disgrace will engulf you. Because of the violence done to Lebanon, he will overwhelm you; the destruction of animals will terrify you, as will human bloodshed and violence throughout the land, the villages, and all their inhabitants. Of what value is an idol, when its potter carves it, or a cast image that has been shaped? It is a teacher of lies, for the potter trusts the pottery, though it is incapable of speaking. Doom to the one saying to the tree, “Wake up!” or “Get up” to the silent stone. Does it teach? Look, it is overlaid with gold and silver, but there is no breath within it. But the LORD is in his holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before him. (Hab 2:9-20 CEB)

For all you Star Wars fans will remember Jabba the Hutt was one of the galaxy’s most powerful gangsters, with far-reaching influence in both politics and the criminal underworld. He first appeared in Return of the Jedi in 1983.  He sat on his throne and had a voracious appetite for all things.  His character gives me a mental image of the Babylonian Empire.

In chapter 2 God speaks to Habakkuk and explains why all that is about to happen, will happen. First reason—the unfaithfulness of the Jews.  They worshipped foreign gods, didn’t keep Torah, abused the poor and needy, placed their trust in their own power, might and resources.  In many ways, they were a miniature version of the Chaldeans. The second reason, God had seen how the Chaldeans were greedy, prideful and never having enough.  They will come into Jerusalem and plunder the temple.  Taking the holy things and later using them for ungodly pleasure (Belshazzar). Their end was written in the books.

God will bring a remnant back into the land.  The way of the wicked is destruction, But the just shall live by his faith. (Hab 2:4 NKJ)

God, you’re from eternity, aren’t you? Holy God, we aren’t going to die, are we? God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline? But you can’t be serious! You can’t condone evil! So why don’t you do something about this? Why are you silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and you stand around and watch! (Hab 1:12-13. MSG)

“All of nature, therefore, is good, since the Creator of all nature is supremely good. But nature is not supremely and immutably good as is the Creator of it. Thus the good in created things can be diminished and augmented. For good to be diminished is evil; still, however much it is diminished, something must remain of its original nature as long as it exists at all.” (Augustine)

Habakkuk’s mistake was two-fold. First, he assumed that somehow the people could plunder, commit acts of violence, allow strife and contention to arise, to the point where the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth.  (Hab 1:3-4 NKJ) and still be righteous. Second, that there are degrees of evil—the Babylonians being eviler. Augustine stated that there are no degrees of evil.  There exists good and everything less than good is evil.

Habakkuk asks, “why are you silent?” God had already spoken through the Law, what more could be said. Obedience is better than sacrifice. God was looking for the people to come out of darkness into the light.