26 October 2010
Psalm 45; Ecclus 24.1-12; Rev 11.14-19; Luke 11.27-36

What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? In the garden wisdom would have been to abstain from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil at the temptation of the serpent in contradiction to the command of God. We can have plenty of knowledge and completely lack wisdom. We can have information and knowledge about the universe and not have the wisdom to see its creator. We are not to worship the creation but to acknowledge the goodness of it and see that it points to the wisdom of the creator. Wisdom is the coherent principle of the universe. Creation is impressive in its variety and vastness, but the wisdom that brought into being the universe and sustains it is wisdom. Gravity, the nuclear forces, all that is required to sustain the creation over a vast amount of time and to make possible the conditions for life are surely more than accidental, they are based on the wisdom of the one who called it into being. Wisdom and knowledge are very different.

Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and here Jesus says that knowing the word of God isn’t wisdom, hearing it and doing it are wisdom. He goes on to speak about wisdom in the next paragraph with respect to signs that they should lead one to right conclusions and right belief as the queen of the south understood Solomon’s wisdom to be from God. Even the people of the dreaded Nineveh responded to Jonah’s message and repented in dust and ashes. This people believes they have knowledge and yet their knowing has not become understanding. It has not enabled them to believe in Jesus. That which they believe to be enlightenment has become a hindrance to seeing the light.

Now comes the time for the reign of God. The loud voices in heaven proclaim the coming of the kingdom of God to the world. Their proclamation is judgment on the world and wrath of God on the unrighteous and the reward for the righteous. There is more to come, the victory is won but the battle rages on. Until satan is overthrown the battle will continue to rage.

Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever.