“‘“The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom”’” ( Job 28:28 28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding. ).

Being wise begins with knowing God.

The fear of the Lord is the most basic idea related to wisdom and is the key to understanding it. The Book of Proverbs especially teaches us that the fear of the Lord is inextricably linked to wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7). Knowledge, wisdom, instruction, and understanding are often used as synonyms in Proverbs. The link between fear of the Lord and wisdom is also evident in Proverbs 9:10: 10 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom; And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Since wisdom and understanding are parallel, so are the fear of the Lord and knowledge of the Holy One. To know God and to fear God are one and the same.

What does it mean to fear God? It’s a reverential trust, or simply another way of describing saving faith. We begin to be wise when we revere God and trust in Him. When an Old Testament saint wanted to evangelize, he might have said, “Fear God!”

When you read in the Bible of people fearing God or that fearing God is linked to wisdom, that means a person can’t even begin to be wise until he is first converted. Fearing God is the initiation of a life of faith. As long as a person has only human wisdom, he can’t know God or true wisdom.

The fear of the Lord is your entrance to wisdom. It will prolong your life, fulfill your life, enrich your life—it is your life (cf. Prov. 10:27; 14:27). It will open the continual flow of God’s wisdom to you. The significance of everything is tied to the wisdom of God, which alone will give you proper values, guidance, instruction, and perspective in life. Apply His wisdom to your life daily, and enjoy all the benefits that wisdom has to offer.

Suggestions for Prayer

Praise God for His wisdom by which you are so abundantly blessed.

For Further Study

God’s wisdom enriches our life and gives us proper values and instruction. Read Proverbs 10:1-12 Chapter 10 1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. 2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; But righteousness delivereth from death. 3 Jehovah will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish; But he thrusteth away the desire of the wicked. 4 He becometh poor that worketh with a slack hand; But the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son; `But' he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. 6 Blessings are upon the head of the righteous; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 7 The memory of the righteous is blessed; But the name of the wicked shall rot. 8 The wise in heart will receive commandments; But a prating fool shall fall. 9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely; But he that perverteth his ways shall be known. 10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow; But a prating fool shall fall. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life; But violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirreth up strifes; But love covereth all transgressions. , and notice how that is so.

From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

• Download our app The Study Bible!
• John MacArthur’s complete sermon archive
• The MacArthur Study Bible
• The complete MacArthur New Testament Commentary series