Wisdom Wednesday: Wisdom and The Law

                                                            Wisdom and the Law                                                    

Submitted by Debbie’s Dad

 

Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ Deuteronomy 4:5–6 (NKJV).

 

The Israelite nation was uniquely given the law of statutes and judgments by God, and in this passage in Deuteronomy. Moses reminded them as they were about to enter the Land God gave to them. He told them:

• To keep the commandments the Lord gave to them in order to live and possess the Land He gave to them (verses 1-4 preceding our passage)
•  To obey (act according; observe) or live within the guidance provided by the law (verse 5)
•  To observe them because this is the basis of the wisdom and understanding they would possess to live
•    And this wisdom and understanding would be observed by the surrounding nations and recognize them as great nation because of their observance.

 

Israel was unique among the nations that it served the One Creator God and lived according to the guidance of the Law that He gave to them. In the following verses, Moses further reminds them their God is close them, and accessible that they may call on Him for their needs. (verse7).

 This was their wisdom and understanding – to live by principles given by God that were both spiritual (their relationship to God) and moral (their relationship to others).  The fundamental commandments where organized this way; the first 5 of the ten commands address the sole commitment to God, His name, His day of rest, and the parents he gives to each of us; the second five address our relationship to others.  Jesus acknowledged these two aspects of the commandments when he was asked which was the great commandments in the Law:

 

 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 22:374-40 (NKJV)

 Perhaps the greatest proclamation of this truth is in 119^th Psalm which begins with. “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD! (Verse 1; NKJV). The chapter further exclaims, that, learning and committing the law to our heart helps protect us from sin (vv. 9-11), knowledge of the law is a comfort and hope in times of affliction (vv. 49-56), the law gives wisdom (wiser that our adversaries) and understanding (more than our teachers) (vv. 97-100), and that the understanding of the law keeps us from walking onto evil ways (vv. 101-104).

 

This concept of obedience to God’s Word certainly applies today – it gives us the wisdom to live rightly before God and the understanding to live apply God’s wisdom to walk in this world protected from sin and diverting to evil ways, and in comfort and hope in the face of diversity.   From