“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.” (Proverbs 1:2–7, NKJV)
JUSTICE, JUDGMENT, EQUITY – Continued
When we face the perfect knowledge of God and measure our lives against the requirements of His Word we are faced with our failings and personal inability. Solomon wants us to be encouraged as followers of God in light of the requirements of living the truth.
To be taken by the instruction of wisdom, is to be altered by it. Just as marriage demands certain requirements of the two who are joined, those joined too wisdom are faced with YHWH’s demands. Just as those joined in marriage become one flesh so those taken by wisdom are made one with Christ and the father (John 17) It is a great gift to be chosen by the Master and instructed, this is the blessedness of which Paul speaks in Romans 3:1-4 regarding God’s revelation to His people. The relationship of the Jew was blessed by the giving of commands, circumcision, and the Law. Even so our relationship to the Savior and Father is a transformative one which is predicated only upon the unmerited favor of election according to the purpose of God revealed from before all eternity in the foreordination and determinate will of God from all eternity (Eph 1:3-14.) It is God’s detailed revelation of His relationship to His particular people, the Jew first and then all others (Rom 1:16, 2:4-11) which is the promise Christ claimed and distributes to His elect.
The blessings of such instruction are measured in terms of justice, judgment, and equity.
JUSTICE
Justice is the perfect requirement of God as demanded in His Word or Law if you prefer. The same word is translated more frequently as righteousness. To obtain the positive justice of God, in the form of righteousness, perfect obedience is required. Following the birth and death of Christ the handwritten requirements which were against us as failed sinners and wicked children (Eph 2:14-16; Col 2:11-15) were canceled out completely. The resurrection of Christ demonstrated the price paid for sin triumphantly and removed forever the wrath of God against His chosen people. In this is our great joy and comfort, but what of fear?
Justice exacts fear in the form of awe in the hearts and minds of believers. It is a correct recognition of YHWH as father, Jesus as son and atonement, and the application of the Spirit imparting to the elect the instruction of wisdom regarding the truth of God’s love. Fear is also manifested in us when we in the grip of wisdom’s knowledge and instruction, daily struggle to work out in this life our salvation in fear and trembling. It is the wisdom and knowledge which brings to the hearts and minds of believers the awe of God in the form of fear. (Phil 2:12-13)
In truth all human examples fail to clearly rectify our ability to understand the power of fear motivated out respect, love, reverence, terror and honor. This is why the Spirit of God is conforming us to the image of His son (Acts 9:31; 2 Cor 6:14-7.1) The knowledge imparted as the instruction of wisdom is received is part of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us as His chosen vessels. It is an awesome place to find ourselves in. To live with this knowledge each day, moment by moment, this is living in the fear of the LORD.
