Proverbs 2: A Guide to Wisdom Amidst the Dangers of Learning
While gaining wisdom and knowledge can benefit us greatly, there are hidden dangers that we must avoid for our learning to truly be a blessing to us. Otherwise, learning could do us more harm than good. Proverbs 2 is our guide to avoiding those dangers
I should say the beginning that this lesson is primarily for me. I hope it will be of some value to everyone, but I thank you for you patience as I share my thoughts on an issue I need to think about a lot.
What possible danger could there be gaining knowledge and wisdom? Knowledge is wonderful, right? We put so much time and energy into getting an education and maybe even doing independent research outside of our school life to acquire the skills and information and knowledge that will benefit us in our lives. It’s true, knowledge is a huge blessing and benefit to us.
One of the maxims of our culture is Knowledge is Power.
We live in an age where the amount of knowledge available is increasing exponentially and the access to much of that knowledge is also rapidly increasing. We have made use of much knowledge to the make the world a better place for many.
We live in an age of Scientific optimism. Many conclude we are headed to some kind of techno-utopia -
[[Homo Deus - Yuval Noah Harari]] - We have so completely overcome famine, disease and natural disasters that we are ready to take on the pursuit of immortality and providing ourselves artificially with continuous high levels of pleasure and happiness.
Recognize that Acquiring Knowledge is Inherently Dangerous
Not prioritizing knowledge that is most important and practical
One of my strength is Learner. That means I like learning and the process of learning about nearly any subject. Another of my strengths is Input, that means that I like collecting things and combined with my other strengths that usually means I am collecting knowledge and information. These strengths have really served me well my whole life, helping me to stay informed on many subjects, and enabling to me stay engaged and motivated while doing large amounts of reading and study in the word of God and about the word of God, and many other related topics. This is a big part of what enables me to teach, preach and be of help to others in general.
But these strengths have some drawbacks as well. There is a nearly infinite amount of information out there, so that I could literally spend every waking moment taking it in and never keep up. My learner and input strengths would tell me, “You doing great, keep it up, this is what you were born to do.” But if I don’t use discretion and discernment I could end up spending all my time acquiring information and never using it.
I could end up collecting information when I should be doing others things, like spending time with my family, or reaching out to brethren or the lost. I could also end up wasting my time, by acquiring information that has no real use or purpose at all.
You probably don’t have those two strengths, so you may not struggle as much as I do in this way.
But everyone has to be on guard against this danger to some extent, because often times knowledge we don’t need is everywhere and unavoidable, and truly valuable knowledge require much more effort to find, understand and make use of.
Learning truth mixed with error
Depending on unreliable authorities -
1 Kings 13
- like the younger prophet who believed the older prophet and was killed by a lion
We are living in a time when there many of our standard sources of knowledge and information are verifiably corrupt
But the alternative sources of knowledge and information are often unverifiable themselves
At its worst, truth mixed with error is a serious spiritual danger
Learning demonic systems of knowledge
They are earthly sensual demonic
NKJV Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
Even when the knowledge you gain is completely true unmixed with error, there another very serious danger
Hearing and not doing
> James 1:22–25 NKJV
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
- deceiving ourselves
- like building a house on the sand
Matthew 7:26–27 NKJV
“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
Knowledge puffs up
1 Cor. 8:1 NKJV
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
acquiring knowledge elevates pride within us
makes us think that we're better than other people and that we deserve more than other people and other people ought to kind of bow or show more respect to us because we have a PhD or we have a degree or we have we know things that they don't know .
Satan would be delighted for us to know as much as we want about the Bible if he can also give us lots and lots and lots of Pride because he knows that whatever good we might do with our knowledge of God we will destroy with our pride.
have you ever seen that happen? God certainly notices!!
That type of pride threatened to destroy the temple of God, the church in Corinth.
Jeremiah 9:23–24 NKJV
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
It is possible to even study the Bible in a way that isolates us from God instead of growing closer
I realized this was happening to me in the course of one my learning projects I was doing recently during my early morning period of study and devotion. This is supposed to be time that I connect with God through Bible reading study and prayer. But I recently realized that I had let it get out of balance and so I was spending nearly all my time focusing on making progress in the study and learning side of things, and I had to honestly assess that the way I was doing it was moving me further from God instead of closer. That was very humbling. I took about a week off from my study project to get realigned and intentionally adjust how I was doing me study to make sure I was doing in more balanced way.
The same thing can happen with our worship
Matthew 15:7–9 NKJV
Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
How can we gain knowledge and wisdom while avoiding these dangers?
Turn to Proverbs 2](https://ref.ly/logosref/bible$2Bnkjv.20.2)
It makes sense in this book of godly wisdom to find a clear statement of how to avoid the dangers connected with knowledge and wisdom.
True Knowledge Is founded on Complete dependence on God
Proverbs 2:1–5 NKJV
My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.
God is the Ultimate Source of all True Wisdom and Knowledge
Proverbs 2:6–7 NKJV
6 For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
Gaining Knowledge and Wisdom Safely Requires God’s Guidance and Protection
Proverbs 2:7–8 NKJV
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 8 He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints.
Safe Wisdom and Knowledge Makes you a Better Person
Proverbs 2:9(NKJV)
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity and every good path.
True Wisdom and Knowledge do not seek to Justify Sin but to Avoid it
Proverbs 2:10–19 NKJV
When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; Who rejoice in doing evil, And delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; To deliver you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words, Who forsakes the companion of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God. For her house leads down to death, And her paths to the dead; None who go to her return, Nor do they regain the paths of life—
Living by True Wisdom Result in God’s Blessings
Proverbs 2:20–22 NKJV
So you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths of righteousness. For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.
Conclusion
James 4:6–10 NKJV
But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
