Proverbs 8:14
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Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
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What makes nations great? Since all men descend from Adam and Eve and are of the same blood, why are differences among nations so obvious (Gen 3:20; Acts 17:26)? How are some nations known for counsel, sound wisdom, understanding, and strength? The answer is very simple and has more impact on national power and prosperity than all the factors that men imagine combined. It is the degree of God's wisdom in a nation. And where is that wisdom found? In the Bible, the inspired revelation from God! Amen!
The eighth chapter of Proverbs is an extended personification of wisdom as a woman. Lady Wisdom introduces herself (8:1-11), lists blessings of wisdom (8:12-21), describes her presence with God in the creation of the universe (8:22-31), and concludes (8:32-36). It is an error of interpretation to miss the context of this book and the figure of speech here and think Solomon wrote a mystical sermon about Jesus Christ. It helps to see his similar personifications of wisdom in other places (1:20-33; 3:13-20; 4:13; 9:1-12).
The context of this particular proverb is the wealth and power of nations, for Lady Wisdom continued on with descriptions of political prosperity and success. She described her blessing of justice for kings, princes, nobles, and judges of the earth (8:15-16). The counsel, sound wisdom, understanding, and strength here are the knowledge, inventions, advancements, enlightenment, and power that some nations have and others do not have.
Men have wondered for millennia at the greatness of some nations and the ignorance and poverty of others. Adam Smith (1723-1790) thought he had identified some important factors, and his book, "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations," is still considered an important thesis to this day. However, the decrees and providence of God are the primary reasons for the differences in created beings (Ps 75:6-7; Is 10:5-15; 45:9-10; Jer 18:1-10; Amos 3:2; Dan 2:21; 4:17; Rom 9:21-24; I Cor 4:7; Rev 17:17).
But there are also practical reasons. When a nation chooses against God's word, He will destroy that nation (Lev 18:24-30; 22:20-26; 26:14-39; Deut 28:15-68). When a nation fears God and the Bible, He will bless that nation (Lev 26:1-13,40-46; Deut 28:1-14; Ps 33:12-22; 89:15-18; 144:11-15). The difference between Israel and Egypt is remarkable, as God protected and prospered His people, while they plundered the land of their evil oppressors! Then they occupied the cities, drank from the wells, and used the vineyards of the seven nations of Canaan (Josh 24:11-13)! The blessed God annihilated seven nations and blessed another to take their place based on obedience to His words. And to think that such political wisdom is not taught in any university in the world!
The United States of America developed almost overnight from a few poor settlers on a wild continent to the wisest and most powerful nation on earth for one basic reason - the word of God was preached and obeyed in it more than any other nation since Israel under Moses or righteous kings like David or Hezekiah. The pagan Indians, which could not read, write, calculate, build, or imagine a wheel, could only watch the progress. Before that there was England, where God's word was published, read, and practiced widely.
These two nations were miracles after the Dark Ages, for they had greater counsel in their homes and public deliberations, wisdom in their courts and schools, understanding in their government and laws, and strength in their economies and militaries than any other nation. The sun never set on the British Empire, which originated on a small island of the sea; and the USA turned a wilderness into the most free, prosperous, and peaceful nation, which could when called upon fight wars on multi-fronts without fear of defeat.
Now, with both nations in full-blown decline, the reason is just as obvious - they have forsaken the God of their fathers and His word. Both nations legislate and promote wickedness from abortion to same sex marriages, from labor unions to bankruptcy protection, from pagan holidays to excluding prayer from schools, from cesspool entertainment to Godless education, and from neutered authority to confused civil rights.
Most of the churches that remain are dead with ritual, alive with Charismatic nonsense, or compromising as fast as they can to attract the unregenerate and worldly. Both nations religiously are in the throes of the perilous times of the last days (II Tim 3:1 - 4:5). The reason the collapse has not fully occurred yet is for the righteous remnant still in them and their prayers (Gen 18:23-33; Jer 29:4-7; I Tim 2:1-2). Pray for the peace of Babylon!
For further enlightenment from this inspired rule of wisdom and political prosperity, compare the nations of the earth in any generation. Measure their general religious practice by faithfulness to the Bible, and then quantify their overall counsel, sound wisdom, understanding, and strength. How do Catholic nations compare to Protestant nations? How do Muslim nations compare to Christian nations? What about those nations practicing Buddhism, Hinduism, animism, ancestor worship, voodoo, and so forth?
Reader! You can personally grow in counsel, sound wisdom, understanding, and strength by taking heed to God's word yourself (Ps 1:1-6; 19:7-11; 119:1-176). You can have the certain words of truth to give to those who ask you any question (22:17-21; I Pet 3:15). The Bible is God's gift of wisdom to His children, and it is your gravest duty and most glorious privilege to read it, meditate upon it, memorize it, promote it, defend it, and obey it. It is the only light in a dark world (Ps 119:128; Is 8:20; I Tim 6:3-5; II Pet 1:19-21). It can and will make you wise, if you will read it and attend to the faithful preaching of it.
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