The Lord Gives Wisdom (Proverbs 2:6-9)

Not only does the Bible tell us how to search for wisdom, but it also tells us where to find it. It is like the easiest hide & seek game ever played. Some how when we had our eyes closed and we were counting the Lord drew a map to His exact location.

"For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6, Amplified

Wisdom comes only from one place, the Lord. Men spend years at colleges and other learning institutions to receive their Mater's Degree and Doctorates. In truth, however, all that wisdom comes from the Lord. The Creator of all things has created a brain in which we are able to store vast amounts of knowledge. Without Him, we are nothing.

"He hides away sound and godly Wisdom and stores it for the righteous - those who are upright and in right standing with Him; He is a shield tot hose who walk uprightly and in integrity..." Proverbs 2:7, Amplified

The knowledge and wisdom that He has is all stored up, waiting to be distributed. It is like the ultimate stimulus package for the believer. The upright in the Lord are the "righteous" according to the King James Version. It is interesting to find that the word righteous here means to be "straight". The Amplified version uses the term to "walk uprightly". It is the same thing. Noah was a righteous man, he was given wisdom on how to build and Ark ; something that had never been done. Joseph was a man in right standing with the Lord, we was given wisdom on how to sustain the world through a horrible famine; something that had never been done before.

Not only does He distribute wisdom to the upright, but He is also a shield. He is also a shield to those who walk uprightly. Words are not just thrown together in different verses simply because they look good. We have to understand that the second half of verse seven is not out of place, but in the perfect place. Yes the Lord distributes wisdom, but it is because of that distribution that He also becomes our shield. The word for shield used here in the King James is "buckler". Now a buckler is a very small shield about 18 inches in diameter. It was used as a companion weapon and in melee. It is interesting that the Lord is not the kind if shield that one can hide behind as arrows come, but it is the kind of shield used in intimate battle.

"That He may guard the paths of justice. Yes, He preserves the way of His saints." Proverbs 2:8, Amplified

The Lord guards, or keeps, the paths of justice. This word is used in a way that shows us that the Lord "maintains" the paths of justice. He is the ultimate lawgiver, by Him the way to justice is maintained.

He also preserves the way of His saints. This gives us the picture that He puts a hedge around the path. Not only is the way protected from the outside, but it now gives us some directionality. The Lord guides us and leads us and directs us as He protects us.

"Then you will understand righteousness, justice and fair dealing [in every area and relation]; yes, you will understand every good path." Proverbs 2:9, Amplified

It is because of His guidance and protection that we begin to see and understand the things of the Lord. If we were to hide behind a larger shield, would we be prone to move? If we did not have that hedge about us, would we then be running in any direction?

This word for understand means to "separate mentally". It is like a mechanic on a car. You bring in your problem, he looks and listens and understands what needs to be done. He has the ability to go through your car without even touching it and tell you what the problem is. The same can be said about the believer. We can look at a situation and separate it in our heads and understand what needs to be done. It is not that we are going to understand every good path, but in any given situation we are going to understand which would be the best path taken.