Continuing today with a series of posts from the book of Wisdom, from the Apocryphal books removed by “experts” from the modern Bible. The book tells of LORD’s wisdom as it continually self-generates (I will become who I will become) in those God chooses to be His voice as perpetuators of His truth and plan. This is the meaning of the “blood” of Jesus (Jehovah our Salvation/Deliverer), coming as the wisdom of God and knowing the price he would pay in delivering it (wisdom). Philippians 2: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.
This is what Proverbs 8 tells us when it speaks of wisdom being with the LORD before the world was created and by it (God’s wisdom) all things were/are created – as we also read in John 1 of the word.
Proverbs 8
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The book of Wisdom has been hidden for this time and the LORD’s revelation and reassertion of both his wisdom, and to contrast it against the confusion and chaos produced by following man’s counterfeit. The false wisdom of men is seen in the likeness of Babylon and the Chaldeans. Babylon is the kingdom of confusion and of a language confounded by being void of truth. The Chaldeans represent those using their deceptive (lies and ignorant opinions) words as weapon to manipulate man into a mental stupor, for the purpose of doing the will of these manipulators. The resulting affects are the world once again having become without form, and void (tohuw bohuw): in other words, in a state of confusion, and emptiness.
God’s Wisdom is manifested into this void as the light entering darkness and with it the New Creation. The book of Wisdom details this pattern throughout time. Here is the contrast of Babylon and the Chaldeans as written in Isaiah 47, followed by the final chapters of the book of Wisdom, beginning with the last several verses from where we ended yesterday,
Isaiah 47
1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for you shall no more be called tender and delicate.
2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover your locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.
3 Your nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, your shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet you as a man.
4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.
5 Sit you silent, and get you into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for you shall no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.
6 I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and given them into your hand: you didst show them no mercy; upon the ancient have you very heavily laid your yoke.
7 And you said, I shall be a lady forever: so that you didst not lay these things to your heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.
8 Therefore hear now this, you that are given to pleasures, that dwells carelessly, that says in your heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:
9 But these two things shall come to you in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon you in their perfection for the multitude of your sorcery, and for the great abundance of your enchantments.
10 For you have trusted in your wickedness: you have said, None sees me. Your wisdom and your knowledge, it has perverted you; and you have said in your heart, I am, and none else beside me.
11 Therefore shall evil come upon you; you shall not know from whence it rises: and mischief shall fall upon you; you shall not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know.
12 Stand now with your enchantments, and with the multitude of your sorcery, wherein you have labored from your youth; if so be you shall be able to profit, if so be you may prevail.
13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save you from these things that shall come upon you.
14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
15 Thus shall they be unto you with whom you have labored, even your merchants, from your youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save you.
Wisdom 14
12 For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life. 13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be forever. 14 For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end.
15 For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honored him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices. 16 Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshiped by the commandments of kings. 17 Whom men could not honor in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage [image and form] from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honored, to the end that by this their forwardness [perverse and twisted] they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present. 18 Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.
19 For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion. 20 And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a god, which a little before was but honored. 21 And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name.
22 Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace. 23 For while they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made reveling of strange rites; 24 They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traitorously, or grieved him by adultery. 25 So that there reigned in all men without exception blood [life draining from humanity toward death], manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury, 26 Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness. 27 For the worshiping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil. 28 For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves. 29 For insomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt.
30 Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness. 31 For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punishes always the offence of the ungodly.
Wisdom 15
1 But you, O God, are gracious and true, long-suffering, and in mercy ordering all things, 2 For if we sin, we are yours, knowing your power: but we will not sin, knowing that we are counted yours. 3 For to know you is perfect righteousness: yea, to know your power is the root of immortality. 4 For neither did the mischievous invention of men deceive us, nor an image spotted with divers colors, the painter’s fruitless labor; 5 The sight whereof entices fools to lust after it, and so they desire the form of a dead image, that has no breath.
6 Both they that make them, they that desire them, and they that worship them, are lovers of evil things, and are worthy to have such things to trust upon. 7 For the potter, tempering soft earth, fashions every vessel with much labor for our service: yea, of the same clay he makes both the vessels that serve for clean uses, and likewise also all such as serve to the contrary: but what is the use of either sort, the potter himself is the judge. 8 And employing his labors lewdly, he makes a vain god of the same clay, even he which a little before was made of earth himself, and within a little while after returns to the same, out when his life which was lent him shall be demanded.
9 Notwithstanding his care is, not that he shall have much labor, nor that his life is short: but strives to excel goldsmiths and silversmiths, and endeavors to do like the workers in brass, and counts it his glory to make counterfeit things. 10 His heart is ashes, his hope is more vile than earth, and his life of less value than clay: 11 Forasmuch as he knew not his Maker, and him that inspired into him an active soul, and breathed in a living spirit. 12 But they counted our life a pastime, and our time here a market for gain: for, say they, we must be getting every way, though it be by evil means. 13 For this man, that of earthly matter makes brittle vessels and graven images, knows himself to offend above all others.
14 And all the enemies of your people, that hold them in subjection, are most foolish, and are more miserable than very babes. 15 For they counted all the idols of the heathen to be gods: which neither have the use of eyes to see, nor noses to draw breath, nor ears to hear, nor fingers of hands to handle; and as for their feet, they are slow to go. 16 For man made them, and he that borrowed his own spirit fashioned them: but no man can make a god like unto himself. 17 For being mortal, he works a dead thing with wicked hands: for he himself is better than the things which he worships: whereas he lived once, but they never. 18 Yea, they worshiped those beasts also that are most hateful: for being compared together, some are worse than others. 19 Neither are they beautiful, so much as to be desired in respect of beasts: but they went without the praise of God and his blessing.
Wisdom 16
1 Therefore by the like were they punished worthily, and by the multitude of beasts tormented. 2 Instead of which punishment, dealing graciously with your own people, you prepared for them meat of a strange taste, even quails to stir up their appetite: 3 To the end that they, desiring food, might for the ugly sight of the beasts sent among them loathe even that, which they must needs desire; but these, suffering penury for a short space, might be made partakers of a strange taste. 4 For it was requisite, that upon them exercising tyranny should come penury, which they could not avoid: but to these it should only be showed how their enemies were tormented. 5 For when the horrible fierceness of beasts came upon these, and they perished with the stings of crooked serpents, your wrath endured not for ever:
6 But they were troubled for a small season, that they might be admonished, having a sign of salvation, to put them in remembrance of the commandment of your law. 7 For he that turned himself toward it was not saved by the thing that he saw, but by you, that are the Savior of all. 8 And in this you made your enemies confess, that it is you who delivers from all evil: 9 For them the biting of grasshoppers [locust] and flies killed, neither was there found any remedy for their life: for they were worthy to be punished by such. 10 But your sons not the very teeth of venomous dragons overcame: for your mercy was ever by them, and healed them. 11 For they were pricked, that they should remember your words; and were quickly saved, that not falling into deep forgetfulness, they might be continually mindful of your goodness.
12 For it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster, that restored them to health: but your word, O LORD, which heals all things. 13 For you have power of life and death: you lead to the gates of h*ll [the place of eternal self-inflicted torment], and brings up again. 14 A man indeed kills through his malice: and the spirit, when it is gone forth, returns not; neither the soul received up comes again. 15 But it is not possible to escape your hand.
16 For the ungodly, that denied to know you, were scourged by the strength of your arm: with strange rains, hails, and showers, were they persecuted, that they could not avoid, and through fire were they consumed.
17 For, which is most to be wondered at, the fire had more force in the water, that quenches all things: for the world fights for the righteous. 18 For some time the flame was mitigated, that it might not burn up the beasts that were sent against the ungodly; but themselves might see and perceive that they were persecuted with the judgment of God. 19 And at another time it burns even in the midst of water above the power of fire, that it might destroy the fruits of an unjust land. 20 Instead whereof you fed your own people with angels’ food, and didst send them from heaven bread prepared without their labor, able to content every man’s delight, and agreeing to every taste. 21 For your sustenance declared your sweetness unto your children, and serving to the appetite of the eater, tempered itself to every man’s liking. 22 But snow and ice endured the fire, and melted not, that they might know that fire burning in the hail, and sparkling in the rain, did destroy the fruits of the enemies.
23 But this again did even forget his own strength, that the righteous might be nourished. 24 For the creature that serves you, who are the Maker increases his strength against the unrighteous for their punishment, and abates his strength for the benefit of such as put their trust in you.
25 Therefore even then was it altered into all fashions, and was obedient to your grace, that nourishes all things, according to the desire of them that had need: 26 That your children, O LORD, whom you love, might know, that it is not the growing of fruits that nourishes man: but that it is your word, which preserves them that put their trust in you.
27 For that which was not destroyed of the fire, being warmed with a little sunbeam, soon melted away: 28 That it might be known, that we must prevent the sun to give you thanks, and at the day-spring pray unto you. 29 For the hope of the unthankful shall melt away as the winter’s hoar frost, and shall run away as unprofitable water.
Wisdom 17
1 For great are your judgments, and cannot be expressed: therefore unnurtured souls have erred. 2 For when unrighteous men thought to oppress the holy nation; they being shut up in their houses, the prisoners of darkness, and fettered with the bonds of a long night, lay there exiled from the eternal providence. 3 For while they supposed to lie hid in their secret sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of forgetfulness, being horribly astonished, and troubled with strange apparitions. 4 For neither might the corner that held them keep them from fear: but noises as of waters falling down sounded about them, and sad visions appeared unto them with heavy countenances.
5 No power of the fire might give them light: neither could the bright flames of the stars endure to lighten that horrible night. 6 Only there appeared unto them a fire kindled of itself, very dreadful: for being much terrified, they thought the things which they saw to be worse than the sight they saw not. 7 As for the illusions of are magic [deceptions by manipulative words], they were put down, and their vaunting in wisdom was reproved with disgrace. 8 For they, that promised to drive away terrors and troubles from a sick soul, were sick themselves of fear, worthy to be laughed at.
9 For though no terrible thing did fear them; yet being scared with beasts that passed by, and hissing of serpents,
10 They died for fear, denying that they saw the air, which could of no side be avoided.
11 For wickedness, condemned by her own witness, is very timorous, and being pressed with conscience, always forecasts grievous things. 12 For fear is nothing else but a betraying of the succor [rescue] which reason offers. 13 And the expectation from within, being less, counts the ignorance more than the cause which brings the torment. 14 But they sleeping the same sleep that night, which was indeed intolerable, and which came upon them out of the bottoms of inevitable h*ll [the place of eternal self-inflicted torment], 15 Were partly vexed with monstrous apparitions, and partly fainted, their heart failing them: for a sudden fear, and not looked for, came upon them. 16 So then whosoever there fell down was strait kept [tightly held], shut up in a prison without iron bars, 17 For whether he were husbandman, or shepherd, or a laborer in the field, he was overtaken, and endured that necessity, which could not be avoided: for they were all bound with one chain of darkness.
18 Whether it were a whistling wind, or a melodious noise of birds among the spreading branches, or a pleasing fall of water running violently, 19 Or a terrible sound of stones cast down, or a running that could not be seen of skipping beasts, or a roaring voice of most savage wild beasts, or a rebounding echo from the hollow mountains; these things made them to swoon for fear. 20 For the whole world shined with clear light, and none were hindered in their labor: 21 Over them only was spread a heavy night, an image of that darkness which should afterward receive them: but yet were they unto themselves more grievous than the darkness.
Wisdom 18
1 Nevertheless your saints had a very great light, whose voice they hearing, and not seeing their shape, because they also had not suffered the same things, they counted them happy. 2 But for that they did not hurt them now, of whom they had been wronged before, they thanked them, and besought them pardon for that they had been enemies. 3 Instead whereof you gave them a burning pillar of fire, both to be a guide of the unknown journey, and a harmless sun to entertain them honorably. 4 For they were worthy to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness, who had kept your sons shut up, by whom the uncorrupt light of the law was to be given unto the world.
5 And when they had determined to slay the babes of the saints, one child being cast forth, and saved, to reprove them, you took away the multitude of their children, and destroyed them altogether in a mighty water. 6 Of that night were our fathers certified afore, that assuredly knowing unto what oaths they had given credence, they might afterwards be of good cheer.
7 So of your people was accepted both the salvation of the righteous, and destruction of the enemies. 8 For wherewith you didst punish our adversaries, by the same you didst glorify us, whom you had called. 9 For the righteous children of good men did sacrifice secretly, and with one consent made a holy law, that the saints should be like partakers of the same good and evil, the fathers now singing out the songs of praise.
10 But on the other side there sounded an ill according cry of the enemies, and a lamentable noise was carried abroad for children that were bewailed. 11 The master and the servant were punished after one manner; and like as the king, so suffered the common person.
12 So they all together had innumerable dead with one kind of death; neither were the living sufficient to bury them: for in one moment the noblest offspring of them was destroyed. 13 For whereas they would not believe anything by reason of the enchantments; upon the destruction of the firstborn, they acknowledged this people to be the sons of God. 14 For while all things were in quiet silence, and that night was in the midst of her swift course, 15 Your Almighty word leaped down from heaven out of your royal throne, as a fierce man of war into the midst of a land of destruction, 16 And brought your unfeigned commandment as a sharp sword, and standing up filled all things with death; and it touched the heaven, but it stood upon the earth. 17 Then suddenly visions of horrible dreams troubled them sore, and terrors came upon them unlooked for. 18 And one thrown here, and another there, half dead, showed the cause of his death. 19 For the dreams that troubled them did foreshow this, lest they should perish, and not know why they were afflicted.
20 Yea, the tasting of death touched the righteous also, and there was a destruction of the multitude in the wilderness: but the wrath endured not long. 21 For then the blameless man made haste, and stood forth to defend them; and bringing the shield of his proper ministry, even prayer, and the propitiation of incense, set himself against the wrath, and so brought the calamity to an end, declaring that he was your servant.
22 So he overcame the destroyer, not with strength of body, nor force of arms, but with a word subdued him that punished, alleging the oaths and covenants made with the fathers. 23 For when the dead were now fallen down by heaps one upon another, standing between, he stayed the wrath, and parted the way to the living. 24 For in the long garment was the whole world, and in the four rows of the stones was the glory of the fathers graven, and your Majesty upon the diadem of his head. 25 Unto these the destroyer gave place, and was afraid of them: for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath.
Wisdom 19
1 As for the ungodly, wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end: for he knew before what they would do; 2 How that having given them leave to depart, and sent them hastily away, they would repent and pursue them. 3 For while they were yet mourning and making lamentation at the graves of the dead, they added another foolish device, and pursued them as fugitives, whom they had entreated to be gone. 4 For the destiny, whereof they were worthy, drew them unto this end, and made them forget the things that had already happened, that they might fulfill the punishment which was wanting to their torments: 5 And that your people might pass a wonderful way: but they might find a strange death.
6 For the whole creature in his proper kind was fashioned again anew, serving the peculiar commandments that were given unto them, that your children might be kept without hurt: 7 As namely, a cloud shadowing the camp; and where water stood before, dry land appeared; and out of the Red sea a way without impediment; and out of the violent stream a green field: 8 Where through all the people went that were defended with your hand, seeing your marvelous strange wonders. 9 For they went at large like horses, and leaped like lambs, praising you, O LORD, who had delivered them. 10 For they were yet mindful of the things that were done while they sojourned in the strange land, how the ground brought forth flies instead of cattle, and how the river cast up a multitude of frogs instead of fishes.
11 But afterwards they saw a new generation of fowls, when, being led with their appetite, they asked delicate meats. 12 For quails came up unto them from the sea for their contentment. 13 And punishments came upon the sinners not without former signs by the force of thunders: for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness, insomuch as they used a more hard and hateful behavior toward strangers. 14 For the Sodomites did not receive those, whom they knew not when they came: but these brought friends into bondage, that had well deserved of them. 15 And not only so, but peradventure some respect shall be had of those, because they used strangers not friendly: 16 But these very grievously afflicted them, whom they had received with feastings, and were already made partakers of the same laws with them. 17 Therefore even with blindness were these stricken, as those were at the doors of the righteous man: when, being compassed about with horrible great darkness, every one sought the passage of his own doors.
18 For the elements were changed in themselves by a kind of harmony, like as in a psaltery notes change the name of the tune, and yet are always sounds; which may well be perceived by the sight of the things that have been done. 19 For earthly things were turned into watery, and the things, that before swam in the water, now went upon the ground. 20 The fire had power in the water, forgetting his own virtue: and the water forgot his own quenching nature. 21 On the other side, the flames wasted not the flesh of the corruptible living things, though they walked therein; neither melted they the icy kind of heavenly meat that was of nature apt to melt. 22 For in all things, O LORD, you didst magnify your people, and glorify them, neither didst you lightly regard them: but didst assist them in every time and place.
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