Summary of a Bible Study in Ålesund, July 14, 1916

“Does not wisdom cry out, and understanding lift up her voice? She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, beside the way, where the paths meet. She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entrance of the doors: ‘To you, O men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men. O you simple ones, understand prudence, and you fools, be of an understanding heart.’” Prov. 8:1-5.

When wisdom lifts up her voice in the streets, in the houses, and in the gates, why do so few people find her? When she cries out, why is she not heard?

Does wisdom cry out? No; however, folly cries out, and the louder it cries, the louder wisdom proclaims her warning so that folly can be heard and recognized as folly.

If you see a proud man or woman in the streets, wisdom whispers in your ear, “Don’t be like that.”

If you see an intoxicated person swaggering along, wisdom tells you that this is foolishness.

You hear a novice speaking as if he is the only one who knows anything; wisdom speaks in your heart that this is arrogance.

Wherever folly and stupidity are manifested, wisdom proclaims a strong warning.

People ask, “How can I gain wisdom?” It’s not wisdom that prompts you to ask such a question, because the voice of wisdom speaks to you about folly. If you allow yourself to be chastised, and you obey her voice, then you have wisdom.

“Listen, for I will speak of excellent things, and from the opening of my lips will come right things; for my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are with righteousness; nothing crooked or perverse is in them. They are all plain to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.”

Wisdom speaks in a normal and natural way and in purity. Wisdom exposes crooked things for what they are, and she will reveal perverse things as being perverse. Because of this, folly regards wisdom as being contrary. But if the essence of wisdom is to be natural and straightforward, and by being so she exposes that which is unnatural and perverse, could that be the reason she is regarded as being contrary?

“Receive my instruction, and not silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold . . . .”

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge and discretion.”

Wisdom is inherently prudent; she is full of conviction. By searching in her treasury, she is able—through past experiences—to find good counsel for things that have not yet been done.

“By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.” Kings have their counselors. When a decision is to be made about something, the king asks his counselors. If he is a wise ruler, he will follow the simplest and wisest advice.

“I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.”

Christ, who is the wisdom of God, walked in the middle of the paths of justice. When, according to God’s will, His time was at hand, He set His face to go to Jerusalem. He stood before Pilate, triumphant over the judgment of death—indeed, over death itself. He did not fear the one who was able to kill His body. He did not open His mouth to speak flattering words, even though Pilate would have preferred to release Him. In the midst of this temptation, He submitted Himself to the power that was given to Pilate from above. He walked into death, in the middle of the paths of righteousness. He did this so that everyone who desires to follow Him can inherit true wealth and a treasury that is full.

James says: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.”

Perhaps you have often asked God for wisdom, but the more you have asked, the more you have seen your own folly and that of others. We need to understand that it is wisdom who is working in this way.

Take a walk down Main Street one evening and consider the vanity you see—how people deck themselves out. What folly. Is this hard to understand? You say, “All I see is folly!” Well then, just face it head-on, and do not be afraid, but rather receive instruction and obey it.

How else could God display His wisdom if it were not through folly? Can you answer that?

“For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner?” Rom. 3:7.

“When He prepared the heavens, I was there, when He drew a circle on the face of the deep, when He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the deep, when He assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters would not transgress His command . . . . Then I was beside Him as a master craftsman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him . . . .”

Christ, the wisdom of God: through Him and for Him all things were created. Everything and everyone is created through Him, and He has made all of it to be natural. Everything that is unnatural and that is pretense is of one father, the devil, and was introduced after wisdom had declared everything to be very good.

Not only are we created by Him, we are also created for Him.

Return, O children of men, return and let yourselves be led on the paths of righteousness. “Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister,’ and call understanding your nearest kin . . . .”

By Him, you will once again be bound to Him.

Folly and stupidity are blotted out like a thick cloud, and they will be found no more.

The ways of the Lord are right, but man has sought out many schemes. The Spirit of wisdom causes folly to be recognized as folly. So when this enemy of wisdom lies there, exposed and prostrate, wisdom remains natural and pure, a creative force that does everything in a very good way.

“And my delight was with the sons of men. Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways.”

Never again ask, “How can I gain wisdom? Or, how can I know that I have wisdom?”

If you recognize folly and are able to trace its path back to the vain counsels of the heart, then you have done so by God’s wisdom. When God opens your eyes to see folly, do not say to Him, “I asked for wisdom, and You have caused me to find folly.” When a person’s eye is able to see evil and their ear is able to hear it, that provokes a divine hatred in their heart. When this hatred becomes perfect, it brings forth death over folly, and wisdom stands there triumphant. By this wisdom, all principalities and powers will be destroyed, and everything that has been created by wisdom will be returned to wisdom to forever be ruled by her.

“Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.”

People long to be happy. If that is your desire, then search for wisdom daily and devote your heart to understanding. Exercise yourself when you are walking down the street, when you are at home, or wherever you are, to find and declare folly to be the sheer madness that it is. And in the process, do not forget to identify your own folly, because the beginning of wisdom is to learn to recognize your own folly.

Beware of the teaching that tells you that wisdom is to become aware of your own goodness, holiness, capability, and dignity.

Wisdom is inherently good, holy, capable, and dignified, and for that reason she thrusts aside all honor that has its root in the flesh, so that by herself she can create God’s goodness, holiness, capability, and dignity.

“But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.”

If you sin against wisdom, you may still be saved, though as through fire. Your building will consist of hay, stubble, wood, and straw, which are not able to endure the fire. You will never be able to reign with Christ, He who governs everything with wisdom. To hate wisdom is the same as to love death, because such a person will not allow Christ to reign over him.

“The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools.” Prov. 3:35.