2 Sam 20:16, Then a wise woman called from the city, "Hear, hear! Please tell Joab, 'Come here that I may speak with you.'"
	This morning, we pick up with of our consideration of how God manifests the riches of His wisdom within the course of His people’s walk on this earth. He is the source and the substance of what true wisdom entails. This age will put forth all manner of audacious and foolish concepts with the intention of denying that we need to look to God for the wisdom required to live day to day on this earth. The very reality of wisdom is tainted by this world’s striving for that which will enrich self throughout all the dealings of mankind with one another, and even with the very core elements of this earth. 
As we read succinctly in Prov 11:16, A gracious woman attains honor, And violent men attain riches. The wisdom of the grace of the attending to the needs of others brings the honor of the Lord, while the man who wants the riches of this age will even use violent means to gain that wealth out of this realm. These two are in juxtaposition because they highlight the great difference in the heart of God as He bestows His wisdom on those who will use it to be gracious and kind and understanding of the needs that surround them. They are not just using whatever is at their disposal to reap the fruits of their violent intent.
	Mankind will put forth tremendous effort and energy to violate even the surface of the earth, as an example of this principle. The manner of the utter decimation of forests and fertile lands in the race for the fossil and trace elements is vast in its destruction. And the uses of those resources are simply to further enrich, not the earth, but the pockets of those who control the output and the refinement and the distribution of that which humanity selfishly craves. 
Even as this savage display of the defiled heart of humanity unfolds, there will be argumentation of every sort detailing the greatest of human, scientific reasoning, with all the resultant debate and philosophical banter. This ultimately serves no better purpose than to fill the air with the best of our meager human idealism and dogma. This is but one basis of the difference between the wisdom of God and the supposed wisdom of mankind. 
But the reality of wisdom is lost on those who think they know it all. It is shunned by those steeped in the intellectualism of this age. As well, there is a great divide in terms of the haves and the have nots with regard to the value that is placed on the relationship that can be put into place in our submission to the plan and purpose of God. 
	This age sees it all as superstition and folly. There is the deriding of those who truly seek to know God in the depths of obedience and relational submission to His will. This age has no place for the idea that we must surrender our will and our lives to some Deity who they claim seeks to enslave the human mind and will and purpose.
	The truth, however, is that in obedience to God and in choosing to live the life that He has prepared for us, we find our freedom and our relational joy as cherished members of His very own family. We have the fullness of the love of God as our source of wisdom to face each dawning day and each darkening night. 
Truly, we are slaves to Christ in that we desire His will to be our will in complete obedience to His Word and His Holy Spirit. At the same time, we are free to enjoy the peace and the comfort and the provision that meets each day’s challenges and struggles. There is a complete rest in the truth that God, the Almighty Creator of Heaven and earth, is our every source of all that is required as our walk on this earth proceeds to His glory and His glory, Alone. 
	That is another element that is disparaged by the so called wise of this age. There is no toleration for the reality that we are to live unto God’s glory rather than to the deification of ourselves. The whole truth of death to self that the life of Christ may burst forth unto the full praise and worship of God, causes the proponents of the lies of this age to shutter in an intense anathema to the whole concept. 
This world is based on the idea that man is supreme and man is to strive to achieve all the power and the riches and the acclaim and the glory that is possible in the short time that we have life. We are not to seek to bring glory to anyone or anything but ourselves in order to show all the rest that we have reached the pinnacle of human success. This mortal victory is to be attained no matter how many people we have trampled to gain that advantage. That is the heart of the wisdom of humanity - anything that will glorify self over all else.
	The Lord reveals a portion of the vast knowledge of His wisdom as shown in complete opposition to that which the world deems as wise and necessary. Please turn to Prov 21:20-31 as we contemplate the Word of God together. Prov 21:20-31, There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows it up. He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor. A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the stronghold in which they trust. He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles. "Proud," "Haughty," "Scoffer," are his names, Who acts with insolent pride. The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, For his hands refuse to work; All day long he is craving, While the righteous gives and does not hold back. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, How much more when he brings it with evil intent! A false witness will perish, But the man who listens to the truth will speak forever. A wicked man shows a bold face, But as for the upright, he makes his way sure. There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But victory belongs to the Lord. 
	No matter how the powers of this age try to subvert and subjugate those who hold to Jehovah, especially in the midst of vile persecution and strife, the victory still belongs triumphantly to the Lord! This is the fact that this world is so desperately seeking to camouflage or explain away as myth and superstition. The reality however, is that with the death and the resurrection of Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God - His victory is set eternally into place! 
Therefore, the wisdom of this age is but foolishness in the vast, eternal scope of God’s plan and purpose. The wisdom of God utterly confounds the sages and the prophets and the geniuses of humanity who try to explain away the truth of Who Jesus is and what He has done. They stumble blindly in the magnificent revelation of the great love and wisdom of God to deal with man’s absolute need for salvation.
Consider, for as but one example, how the wisdom of God infuses the entire experience of the human condition. There is, within the confines of the created being, the need for a relationship beyond oneself. That is why we so desperately long to know God in the terms that He has set forth for His fellowship with His creation. 
Then, within the relationship of humanity with one another, that need for fellowship is set upon the manner in which we interact and deal with those whom God has put into our respective lives. This is especially the situation within the fabric of His creation of the marriage bond.
Accordingly, as we seek those whom God has prepared for us as helpmates throughout the course of our walk on this earth, it would be wise to honor Him by seeking the perfect life mate that is His gift to us. The wise man or woman will not settle for any other than the one that God will present as we obey and honor Him in the course of our walk of obedience and trust on this earth. It is the wise man who cherishes the spouse that God has prepared, as detailed in Prov 31:10-31. This is the out flowing work of God’s wisdom as manifested in the lives of His obedient people.
Prov 31:10-31, An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax, And works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night, And gives food to her household, And portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, And makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor; And she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen. Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all." Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates. 
	What a wonderful description of the detailed and working wisdom of God in the bride who so honors Him with the every fiber of her being. There is an amazing work of the heart of God’s love that is presented in this practical application of obeying His call to be the testimony of what it means when His wisdom is seen in the every day walk of those who so love and cherish Him.
	This is the picture of the perfect and wise bride of Jesus Christ, His church in the manner of our service of honor and glory unto Him. It represents the wisdom of utmost dignity and submission and sacrifice unto God as we so live before Him and before all creation. 
	Then, in the Book of Ecclesiastes, we have several short passages that expound gloriously on this reality of the practical application of the wisdom that God is in each of our lives. These brief statements of fact are such as to confound the countless tomes of humanity’s greatest scholars and thinkers.
	The first is found in Eccl 2:13. Eccl 2:13, And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 
	What a powerful metaphor for the heart of God that is expressed in His gift of true wisdom to those who seek and obey and honor Him above all the darkness of the lies and deceits of this age. It is the light of Christ that shines brilliantly from those who are His own, those who know the radiance of His love and salvation and Lordship as our very walk in the light of His Truth. When we live unto Him, with our every focus being His glory and His praise and His adoration, then the wisdom of God will shine forth from us expelling the darkest of this age’s plots and schemes and treachery.
	Then, in Eccl 7:19, we have the fact that God uses His ordained wisdom to give the strength for our walk of obedience and trust in Him. Eccl 7:19, Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. There is a distinct difference in the wisdom of God than the wisdom of humanity. God’s wisdom is far greater than 10 rulers, those who have accumulated power and prestige through the use of their earthly wisdom. 
This is an exponentially increasing number within the scope of God’s wisdom vs any multiplied numbers of earthly sages and powers. The wisdom of God cannot be at all compared within the confines of that which He has created. The vastest think tank, with access to the most powerful of computer generated AI still falls far far short of the wisdom of God in every measure and consideration.
	This is detailed more forcefully then, in Eccl 9:13-18, with the manner in which those who are endued with the wisdom that is from God are never acclaimed or accredited or accepted as anyone in the terms of this world’s estimation of one considered astute and prudent. Even when that one brings forth deliverance from the raging fires of this realm, there is still no account given for the work of God in the midst of His rescue. 
	Eccl 9:13-18, Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me. There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it, and constructed large siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man. So I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. 
	We conclude this morning with one of the wisest of the prophets who knew that God and God Alone was to be given the credit and the praise and the adoration for all that He does in the scope and sequence of the history of humanity. Please turn to Dan 2:19-23 so we can relish this reality together. 
	Dan 2:19-23, Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; Daniel answered and said, "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. "And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, And knowledge to men of understanding. "It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him. "To Thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, For Thou hast given me wisdom and power; Even now Thou hast made known to me what we requested of Thee, For Thou hast made known to us the king's matter." 
This is the wisdom by Whom we are to live on this earth. There is no other place to go for wisdom, for understanding, for deliverance, for salvation, for truth and for reality. The wise person understands that it is in God and in God, Alone that we are to seek to know how to obey and to trust and to live the life that He has given us. 
It is all from and in Him that we are the recipients of a wisdom that will maintain us throughout the coursing ages of eternity. It is never a matter of looking to this world for true wisdom, because all we will find is foolishness and futility. 
Rather, with all our hearts, let our lives be the living expression of the wisdom that supersedes all the vast plots and efforts and manipulations of those who are considered wise by this age. They utterly lack the spiritual understanding of the tremendous wisdom of trusting and loving and obeying God in everything! So be it!
"Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. Amen.

This morning’s benediction is Ps 50:14+15. "Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High; And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me." Amen.