Under Construction
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches (Proverbs 24:3-4).
Have you experienced the wonder of a magnificent home and marveled at the wisdom of the designer and skill of the builders? My wife and I have been privileged to see some amazing dwellings: George Washington’s Monticello; George Washington Vanderbilt’s 250-room Biltmore Castle; Versailles Palace, home of King Louis IV and successors.
According to Proverbs 24, wisdom (Hebrew: חָכְמָה khochmah) builds a house; understanding (Hebrew: תְּבוּנָה tevunah) establishes it; and knowledge (Hebrew: דַּ֫עַת da’aht) furnishes it.
Wisdom is a great starting point. Psalm 111:10 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (khochmah).” Proverbs 9:10 echoes that truth.[1]
Solomon, the world’s wisest man, gives us a parallel: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (da’aht);[2] fools despise wisdom (khochmah)[3] and instruction”[4] (Proverbs 1:7).
If the “fear of the LORD” (יִרְאַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה yirat YHVH) comes before all else, what does it mean to “fear” Him? We have many instances of abject terror when people encounter the Living God. The people of Israel trembled at Sinai (Exodus 20:18); the shepherds quaked when the glory of the LORD shone upon them (Luke 2:9).
When the Holy One of Israel revealed Himself to Isaiah, the prophet blurted out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! …for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5).
It is not popular today to speak of God’s wrath. It is certainly wrong to picture the Almighty as the Greeks did their gods: petulant, vindictive, losing their tempers, filled with uncontrolled rage. But make no mistake, sin angers the LORD.[5]
Romans 1:18 states, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” Note particularly the fact that people do have knowledge of what is right but choose to suppress it.
In context, Paul makes the case that, despite the fact God has revealed Himself in creation,[6] we neither honored Him for who He is nor were thankful for the good gifts He provides. Rather than obediently walk in the light of His revealed truth, we invented our own darkened versions of reality. Professing to be wise, we became fools and worshiped created things rather than our Creator, resulting in God’s righteous judgment, resulting in death.[7]
“It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). So there truly is a sense in which we justifiably should be in terror of eternal wrath, were it not for His saving grace. God’s love, grace, and mercy culminated in His providing His only begotten Son to take our just punishment on Himself that we might be made righteous.[8]
But for the believer in Messiah Jesus “the fear of the Lord” is not that of terror. Rather, it is a holy reverence of our awesome God. It is putting Him in His proper place as Sovereign of the Universe and Lord of our lives. Honoring Him and following His instruction is how we design, build, and provision our spiritual house.
Let’s return to Proverbs for insights on the benefits of putting God in His rightful place in our priorities. The fear of the LORD:
· Prolongs life (10:27)
· Gives strong confidence and refuge (14:26)
· Is a fountain of life (14:27)
· Is the instruction for wisdom (15:33)
· Keeps one from evil (16:6)
· Leads to life, promotes satisfying sleep (19:23)
It is no surprise that God is the source of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. Here is the promise Solomon makes to his son when encouraging him to pursue wisdom:
6 For the LORD gives wisdom (khochmah); from His mouth come knowledge (da’aht) and understanding (tevunah). 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice, and He preserves the way of His godly ones. 9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 discretion will guard you, understanding will watch over you (Proverbs 2:6–11).
Interestingly, Scripture gives the record of two individuals to whom God specifically gave wisdom (khochmah), knowledge (da’aht), and understanding (tevunah) for building projects: Bezalel (Exodus 31:2-3) and Hiram of Tyre (1 Kings 7:12-14). In the first case, it was for construction of the Tabernacle in the wilderness; in the second, Solomon’s Temple. When God calls us to a task we should expect His Spirit to provide us with the necessary abilities to complete it.
We may not be called upon to be part of the construction crew for the Third Temple. Monticello, Biltmore, or Versailles may not be the models for our next home. But make no mistake: we are “under construction” as God’s dwelling (1 Corinthians 3:9).
The Apostle Paul enjoins us to build well:
10 Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw – 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.[9]
It’s good to be reminded that “unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1). So, how is YOUR building project going?
Written by Wes Taber, LIFE Global Ambassador
How can you better fear, or revere, the Lord today?
What areas of your life is God putting “under construction?”
Need help with your “building project?” Remember God’s promise in James 1:5. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Remember, He provides every resource needed for what He’s calling you to do.
Endnotes:
[1] Both Psalm 111:10 and Proverbs 9:10 use khochmah (wisdom) but different words for “beginning.” The former uses רֵאשִׁית (raisheet), as found in the first words of Genesis 1:1, with the idea of primacy, as “in the first place”; the latter uses תְּחִלָּה (tehilah), a time marker for a starting point. So, “before anything else” we should fear the LORD!
[2] See also Proverbs 1:29, 2:5.
[3] See also Proverbs 15:33.
[4] The Hebrew word translated “instruction” here is מוּסָר (musar), with a root meaning of “discipline, correction.”
[5] As one example, “God’s nose burned” (Hebrew metaphor) with anger on the occasion of Israel’s worship of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32.
[6] Romans 1:20; see also Psalm 19.
[7] A summation of Romans 1:18-32.
[8] [God the Father] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). And “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).
[9] 1 Corinthians 3:10–15.