Proverbs 21:22
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A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof.
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Might does not make right, and neither does it guarantee success. In fact, it is not very important at all when compared to wisdom. A wise man is superior to a foolish man, no matter how strong, and no matter how confident in that strength, the foolish man might be. The lesson here is that wisdom is better than superior strength (Eccl 7:19; 9:13-18).
The city of Babylon in 456 B.C. was impregnable and a wonder of the world. King Nebuchadnezzar had ruled with absolute power during his life, and now his capital city was under siege by the Medes and Persians. His grandson Belshazzar was so confident in the city's strength that he feasted with his lords late into the night (Dan 5:1-4).
How strong was Babylon? Ten miles a side, it covered 100 square miles. The Euphrates flowed through the city for water, and the Hanging Gardens supplied food. Massive brass gates with iron bars protected the city from assault from the river. There were double walls surrounding the city, which were 75 feet high and 30 feet wide, with space between them. Outside the outer wall was a deep and broad moat supplied by the Euphrates.
The city and its enemies considered it impregnable to traditional siege or assault. Inside the walls were gardens and orchards to provide the city with its own food. With water from the Euphrates River, they could withstand a siege for twenty years. The Babylonians inside the city had no regard for the Medes and Persians outside. Belshazzar and his lords feasted into the night in great confidence of the strength of their city.
But the Persians had a king named Cyrus, whom God had chosen and blessed with wisdom (Is 45:1-4). His engineers diverted the Euphrates into an area used for water runoff during times of flooding. Cyrus then marched his army into the city by way of the riverbed. Due to arrogant confidence in their city, the Babylonians had left the gates from the river into the city open. Belshazzar was killed that night and the city taken easily.
What are the lessons? Wisdom is better than strength, and those who are confident in strength are fools! Wisdom is the power of right judgment, and God gave Cyrus special wisdom to discern and execute a perfect plan for taking the mighty city of Babylon.
God called Cyrus by name and foretold the means of taking Babylon 150 years before Cyrus was even born (Is 13:1-22; 44:21-28; 45:1-4; 47:7-9; Jer 51:30). Though problems in your life might seem great, and your enemies might be arrogant with confidence, the wisdom of God in the Bible can overthrow them (22:17-21; Ps 19:7-11; II Tim 3:16-17)!
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