Glory to God! The Lord God has been good to us throughout the past week and we thoroughly enjoyed His comforting presence with us and His abundant provisions in our lives and His protective care upon our lives up until the moment without any fail. As the season of Christmas [the annual celebrations of Christ’s birth on earth] is in progress and the end of the year 2025 is almost here, we, His faithful followers, need to be wise enough to use every possible opportunity to proclaim the faithfulness of God to everyone near and far and declare that the return of our Lord Jesus Christ is nearing faster than we think or imagine. As Christ’s return is fast approaching, we need to prepare ourselves and invite others to prepare themselves for the coming of the Lord by maintaining a right relationship (i) with the Lord God Almighty who created us in His image and likeness [God, the Father], (ii) with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – the exact representation of the Lord God Almighty, who took the form of a human being and came down to this world to redeem us from the bondage of sin and death and give us eternal life [God, the Son], and (iii) with the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of the Lord God Almighty, who descended to be with us at all times to lead and guide us until we reach the throne of Grace where the Lord God Almighty is seated [God, the Holy Spirit]. Maintaining a right relationship with the Lord our God means, having a relationship that is pure and holy and good and pleasing to Him by leading a life that is according to the perfect will of God – a life that is not stained with any of the blemishes of this world. And, leading a life that is according to the perfect will of God means – a life that loves God and fear and honor Him with due respect, and live a life in obedience to His righteous laws and decrees and commands that requires to act justly and love mercy and walk humbly before the Lord our God, as God spoke through Moses: … what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). Prophet Micah also emphasized similar teachings as he prophesied: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). A few other Scripture passages are mentioned below for us to know God’s requirements regarding a righteous life on earth …

• • The Lord God Almighty said: I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy (Leviticus 11:44a).
  • God continued saying: Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy (Leviticus 19:2)
  • Again, God said: Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy (Leviticus 20:7-8)
  • Jesus stated: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).
  • Apostle Peter stated: Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
  • Apostle Paul wrote: For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:7).
  • Again, Paul wrote: Be imitators of God, as beloved children (Ephesians 5:1)
  • Apostle John wrote: All who have this hope in him [that when Christ appears, we shall be like him and we shall see him as he is [3:2]] purify themselves, just as he is pure (1 John 3:3).

As our discussion above, we are chosen and called and commissioned to live a life that is holy and perfect and pure before our Creator and Savior and Comforter God. The reality is that we will become holy and perfect and pure only when we continue to remain/abide/live in Christ, as Apostle Paul stated: For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you [everyone who follow Him faithfully] have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority (Colossians 2:9-10). Therefore, let us not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

The Lord has blessed us with a very blessed Scripture passage for our SftW meditation this week, which states that The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10). Most part of the book of Proverbs is written by king Solomon, son and successor of David king of Israel (1 Kings 2:12; 2 Chronicles 1:1) as God blessed him with wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore (Proverbs 1:1; 1 Kings 3:6-14; 4:29-34). The book gives practical instructions for righteous living, and talks a lot about wisdom and folly and provides its readers with a collection of wise sayings that includes theoretical and practical commands and decrees, instructions and orders, rules and regulations, and so on regarding almost everything that is going on in this universe, especially in connection with human beings. The book also makes distinction between a person who fears God and obeys His righteous laws and decrees and commands [who is considered as a wise person] and a person who does not heed the instruction of the Lord [who is considered as a foolish person]. One important thing to notice in this book is that the book starts off [ch. 1] with a father’s advice to his son (1:8ff) and ends [ch. 31] with a mother’s counsel to her son (31:1ff); and, in between, a plethora of counsels and advices for all kinds of people in this world, which can be moderately grouped into two specific categories of people – namely, the wise people and the foolish people. Elsewhere king Solomon asserted: Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). In the light of this, let us understand the fact that the path of wise people leads to a flourishing life and prosperity, and the path of foolish people leads to hardships and destruction.

As we study and meditate upon the passage we chose for our meditation (Proverbs 9:10), we can divide it into two equal parts, and they are: (i) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (9:10a); and (ii) knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (9:10b). It is important to notice that the fear of the Lord is connected with wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is connected with understanding. The fear and respect that emerge from the reverence and awe one has towards God and knowing the Holy One are the very basic things to know all about God, oneself, one’s life on earth, one’s life beyond this world, and everything else that is in the world.

Initially, let us focus on the first part of the passage we have chosen for our meditation, which focuses mainly on the fear of the Lord and wisdom (Proverbs 9:10a). The phrase ‘fear of the Lord’ (1:7; 9:10) in here means is not exactly the kind of fear that emerges from a dangerous life situation a person faces in life but the term fear mentioned here represents the respect, the honor, the awe due to God as one draws into the presence of God – that is, the divine fear that emerges from the reverential awe of God. In this sense, the fear one feels is not a terrifying kind of fear but a peaceful kind of fear that emerges out of one’s respect and honor and reverential awe as they present themselves before God. As one approaches throne of God, the Lord takes away the terrifying kind of fear from one’s life and replaces it with assurance of comfort, safety and welfare, and knowing this factor is wisdom. When a person is fearful of another person, they will become inefficient and incompetent and it will bring only discouragement and destruction, but when a person fears God [that is, honors Him with due respect and awe] and places their trust in the Lord, it will keep them safe and protect them from all harm and danger, as it is mentioned: Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe (Proverbs 29:25). The fear of the Lord brings many blessings to the person who fears God and follows His righteous laws and decrees and commands. For instance:

• • The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7)
  • To fear the LORD is to hate evil (Proverbs 8:13)
  • The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)
  • The fear of the LORD adds length to life (Proverbs 10:27)
  • In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26)
  • The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life (Proverbs 14:27)
  • The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom (Proverbs 15:33)
  • The fear of the LORD leads to life (Proverbs 19:23)
  • The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding (Job 28:28)
  • The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise (Psalm 111:10)
  • Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Let us also briefly focus on wisdom – the wisdom that emerges out of the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 9:10a). Most times, the fear of the Lord and wisdom go hand-in-hand and they are well connected with one another, and needs to be kept that way by the faithful followers of Christ. The wisdom that emerges from the fear of the Lord will be safe and harmless but the wisdom that does not emerge from the fear of the Lord is dangerous and perishing. Similarly, the fear of the Lord without being blessed with wisdom will be useless and unproductive. Godly wisdom can be obtained through one’s reverential trust in God because He is the One who gives wisdom to anyone who asks Him, as it is mentioned: For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding (Proverbs 2:6). James brother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5; also refer to Matthew 7:7-8). According to Apostle Paul, Christ is the source of all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, as it is mentioned:  … in whom [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3). Thus, in the life of a faithful follower of Christ, obtaining godly wisdom need to be more important than gaining much wealth or other worldly possessions or positions, as it is mentioned: Wisdom is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed (Proverbs 3:18). According to Proverbs 3:14-15, wisdom is (i) more profitable than silver, (ii) yields better returns than gold, and (iii) it is more precious than rubies, which means, wisdom that emerges out of the fear of the Lord can bless anyone with resources for a meaningful life on earth that would bring true joy and happiness to its inheritor. One can notice in the Scripture that a father [king David] gives his godly advice to his son [king Solomon] regarding the importance of obtaining wisdom in life:

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown (Proverbs 4:5-9)

Ecclesiastes 7:19 states that Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city, which means, gaining wisdom is more rewarding than gaining any other treasure [health, wealth, positions, or anything similar] in the world. As the fear of the Lord brings wisdom, the knowledge of the Holy One brings understanding, which means, God is the only source of gaining godly wisdom, knowledge and understanding, which will enable one to do the right thing at the right time for the glory of God. Let’s read Proverbs 1:2-6 and see how wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord can help a person … 

• • God is the source for gaining wisdom (1:2a)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for gaining instruction (1:2b)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for understanding words of insight (1:2c)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for receiving instruction in prudent behavior (1:3a)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for doing what is right (1:3b)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for doing what is just (1:3c)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for doing what is fair (1:3d)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for giving prudence to those who are simple (1:4a)
  • God’s wisdom is the source for giving knowledge and discretion to the young (1:4b)
  • God’s wisdom let the wise listen and add to their learning (1:5a)
  • God’s wisdom let the discerning get guidance (1:5b)
  • God’s wisdom allows for understanding proverbs and parables (1:6a)
  • God’s wisdom allows for understanding the sayings and riddles of the wise (1:6b)

The second part of the passage we chose for our meditation states that the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Proverbs 9:10b). One needs to have thorough knowledge and understanding about God [the Holy One], who created them in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27) in order to take right decisions in their life and to do right things [that is, the things that God wants them to do] in this world. They also need to know God very personally to have proper understanding about everything they come across in their life in this universe – like God, creation, fellow human beings, living and non-living things in this universe, life and death, things that are known or unknown to them, things that are visible or invisible, things that are heard of or unheard of, how the universe functions without human interventions, and so on. Also, one needs to have proper understanding about their own life [themselves] and their dealings with God [who cannot be seen] as well as with others [who can be seen]. Needing to know about themselves means they need to have a clear picture about the way they live their lives – like what they think, what they say or do [word and deed], what they eat, what they wear, where and how they live, how they behave with others, how they view God, and so on. According to Apostle Paul, though the Israelites were zealous for God, they did not know the righteousness of God that brings salvation for them because their zeal was not based on their knowledge about the Lord their God, the Holy One of Israel, but based on, first of all, the law that was given through Moses and, secondly, the human traditions that were passed down from generation to generation. Let us read and try to understand what Apostle Paul wrote to believers in Romans:

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Romans 10:1-4)

Without the proper knowledge of the Holy One, it is impossible to live a righteous life or do anything righteous in this world. In order to be a good person and do good works in this world [either as a common citizen or as a ruler], we need to have a thorough understanding about God [who God is], oneself [who they are], and their relationship with the Lord who created them, and their relationship with one another as well as with rest of God’s creation, which is possible only through knowing God very closely. The Scripture states that When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order (Proverbs 28:2; also refer to Ecclesiastes 7:19). This indicates that without proper knowledge of the Holy One, it is not possible to have understanding about the things one needs to know or to take care of the things they are responsible to care for. God wants everyone who follows Him faithfully to know Him personally, as the Lord God spoke through the sons of Korah: Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth (Psalm 46:10). As the faithful followers of Christ [that is, the New Testament chosen people], if we claim that we know God, then we have to live our life just as God’s only begotten Son Christ Jesus lived His life on earth, as Apostle John wrote:

We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did (1 John 2:3-6).

John added, saying: Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:12; also refer to John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 14:6; 17:3). The reality is that knowing God very closely takes time based on Apostle Paul’s writing to the Philippians:

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:10-14).

Dear friends in the Lord, as we are about to conclude our meditation this week that is based on Proverbs 9:10, let us pray that God would open our hearts and minds to understand the Scripture that speaks to us and shapes our remaining life on earth according to its teachings and live a life worthy of our calling. It is more important in life to gain wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord and understanding that comes through the knowledge of the Holy One than to gain the whole world [health, wealth, possessions, positions, and son on in this world] and forfeit one’s soul; for the godly wisdom and understanding leads and guides us in the right path that lead us to the Throne of Grace where God is seated (Psalm 11:4; Isaiah 66:1; Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Hebrews 4:16; 12:2; Revelation 3:21; 4:2). The wisdom of this world would deceive us and put us in danger because most of the time it seeks only self-righteousness and trying to satisfy one’s own interests by gaining worldly success through inappropriate manners. The wisdom and knowledge [understanding] one acquires from the fear of the Lord would lead us in the path of God where the righteous thrive because the wisdom that God gives us is pure and peace-loving, as James the brother of Jesus wrote: The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere (James 3:17). Therefore, let us not try to be wise in our own eyes and boast about the things and achievements in this world, rather submit to the will of God and live our life according to the will of God, as it is mentioned: Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil (Proverbs 3:7). Prophet Jeremiah stated:

This is what the LORD says: Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Proverbs 4:23 states: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Apostle Paul urged the believers in Galatia, saying: Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:24-26). And Apostle John added to it, saying: Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17). Therefore, let us place the Lord our God first in our lives with due respect and honor and glory and power and authority and awe and reverence and so on that we owe Him and gain wisdom as well as know the Holy One and get understanding (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10) because The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper (Proverbs 19:8). May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!