For this series of posts, we are focusing on those characteristics of wisdom that set the Wise Virgins apart from the Foolish Virgins.
As a brief recap, let’s look at what we saw in Part 1 of this series:
When Yahushua Messiah [Jesus Christ] taught the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, He spoke the following words:
“They that were ready went in with Him [the Bridegroom] to the marriage” (Matthew 25:10)
In speaking this parable, Yahushua taught His disciples the importance of ‘being ready’ for a marriage. The marriage referred to in this passage is Yahushua’s own marriage — “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7-9).
In the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins in Matthew 25, we are given the vital key for being ready for marriage to the Bridegroom:
- the Wise Virgins had wisdom, but the Foolish Virgins lacked wisdom!
It was the Wise Virgins in the parable who were ready to go in with the Bridegroom.
And so it is the same with us today. If we desire to be ready, we too must have the same wisdom!
Entering, Walking in the Way of Wisdom
As we saw in Part 1, wisdom comes from the Words of Yahuwah’s mouth, as recorded in the written Scriptures.
In Part 1, we discussed the wisdom of the Wise Virgins as being a daily walk, a ‘way’ or path to walk in. We also saw that there is a prerequisite, a necessary requirement that we must meet, if we desire to enter, and walk in, The Way of Wisdom. We also looked at the goal for learning about the Biblical characteristics of wisdom.
And now, we will begin Part 2 of this series.
The wisdom characteristic we will look at now is:
The one who is wise receives instruction.
The wise ‘hearken’ to counsel!
Hearkens to Counsel
This characteristic of the Wise Virgins 
is found in Proverbs 12:
“He that hearkens unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15b)
The English word ‘hearken’ is the very important Hebrew word ‘shama‘ (Strong’s #8085), meaning “to hear intelligently, with the implication of attention, and the intention to obey.”
The one who desires to become wise will begin to carefully listen to, and patiently receive counsel, instruction, wisdom, and correction. If instruction is willingly received by one who has wisdom, that one will become teachable.
By listening carefully, and putting into practice what is being taught, the wise will become even wiser (Proverbs 9:9a). This is how we grow in wisdom.
By listening carefully, the one who is wise will not be doing a lot of talking (Proverbs 10:19 and Proverbs 29:11).
Rather than being a talker, the one who is wise will learn to become a listener.
In contrast, as we saw in Characteristics of the Foolish, someone who is foolish will despise and scorn instruction, correction, counsel, and understanding (Proverbs 1:7 and Proverbs 18:2).
The one who is foolish loves to talk, often getting into trouble because of his constant talking (Proverbs 18:7 and Proverbs 28:11).
Digging For Treasure
Seeking and hearing counsel that is truth-FULL, and thus benefical, means that we must love the truth! Otherwise we will be deceived (See 2Thessalonians 2:8-12).
What we must seek is truth that is according to the truth of the Scriptures – the Bible!
This requires an effort that is similar to digging for treasure, as described in Proverbs 2. Digging for treasure has the exciting promise of great riches, yet the process can be difficult and wearisome.
In order to gain the true, spiritual wisdom that is according to the Scriptures, and taught by the Holy Spirit, we must begin our digging by patiently searching out and investigating all that appears to be ‘wisdom’.
To become wise, we must prayerfully ‘dig’. That is, we begin to search in the Scriptures for ourselves, learning what the Scriptures teach for ourselves.
Then we must test anything we hear that claims to be Bible counsel, Bible teaching, Bible knowledge, Bible truth, or Bible understanding.
We are digging for the treasures of wisdom, IF we are pursuing the true wisdom that is according to the Scriptures — according to the written Word of Yahuwah:
… O Yahuwah, give me understanding according to Your Word. (Psalms 119:169b)
The entrance of Your Words give light; it gives understanding unto the simple. (Psalms 119:130)
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word. (Psalms 119:9)
Uphold me according unto Your Word, that I may live …. (Psalms 119:116a)
To the law [torah] and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this Word [the Scriptures], it is because there is no light [no truth] in them. (Isaiah 8:20)
As the above verses tell us, wisdom that is according to the written Word of Yahuwah will strengthen us, guard us, and will lead us into TRUTH and understanding! The wisdom of God will soften our hearts and make us more willing to yield to the guidance and correction of the Holy Spirit.
When we study the Scriptures as our primary source of wisdom, and then hearken to and follow what it says, then we will grow in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge! When we receive God’s wisdom, even our character will begin to portray a more godly nature. The Wise Virgins know this!
Our Example: Mary or Martha?
In Luke chapter 10, we see the account of Mary and Martha.
Martha’s focus was to be busy with much serving, but Mary’s focus was to sit at the feet of Yahushua [Jesus], to listen and to learn:
And she [Martha] had a sister called Mary, who sat at Yahushua’s feet and listened to His teaching …. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Yahushua answered and said unto her, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:39-42)
As this passage teaches us, Yahushua tells us that Mary, rather than Martha, has chosen the one thing that is necessary: being near to Messiah, and listening to His teaching.
Though Martha’s desire to serve is good, it is Mary who is the example of one who desires to be wise, for she desires to ‘hearken unto counsel.’
Mary is a good example of a Wise Virgin, because of her desire is to stay close to the Saviour, taking in His Words, and giving careful attention and obedience to His words.
It is this staying near to our Saviour [sitting at Messiah’s feet] – it is the genuine listening to, and applying, the wisdom and counsel found in the Scriptures – that is what makes one wise!
The Wise Virgins develop the habit of daily Scripture reading and study, while asking God for wisdom (Proverbs 8:34 and James 1:5), and hearkening to [hearing and obeying] His counsel.
Father’s counsel and grace leads the Wise Virgins to apply the Word of God to their own lives. It is this ‘hearkening’ — hearing and obeying God’s Word — that results in acquiring the wisdom that is from above — from Yahuwah (James 3:17).
We gain further confirmation that our wisdom comes from hearkening, heeding the counsel and instruction of God’s written Word, by the following verses:
Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end (Proverbs 19:20).
He is in the way of life that keeps instruction (Proverbs 10:17a).
As the above verses show us, we know that we are walking in ‘The Way of Wisdom,’ and in ‘The Way of Life,’ when we are ‘keeping’ instruction [our ‘obedience’ to Scripture], and by ‘receiving’ instruction!
The Hebrew word definitions give us more insight:
He is in The Way of LIFE that keeps
[guards, heeds, attends to]
instruction
[correction, chastisement, and discipline].
(Proverbs 10:17a)
When we guard, heed, and attend to the instruction and correction provided by Yahuwah, through His Word, then we are in ‘the WAY of LIFE‘!
What is our Source of Wisdom? ** A Caution **
If we are to hearken to counsel and instruction, we must be cautious regarding which source of ‘wisdom’ we are going to listen to.
Not every ‘Bible study,’ not every pastor, teacher, or spiritual leader can be trusted to lead one to true wisdom. It requires great discernment on the part of the listener, to determine the wisdom of the words being spoken.
As we saw in The Wisdom of the Wise, pursuing wisdom can be a tricky endeavour. There are many hidden and foolish pitfalls to guard against, because true, spiritual wisdom is a hidden treasure. It is not easily recognized, and not easily acquired (1Corinthians 2:7).
- Many speak with man’s wisdom, but the true, spiritual wisdom that is taught by the Holy Spirit, will be in agreement with the holy Scriptures:
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1Corinthians 2:13)
If we are going to be wise, we must learn to look beneath the surface, to discern and test whether the ‘wisdom’ we are hearing is from man — or from the Holy Spirit, who illuminates the Scriptures to us.
Keep in mind: the Holy Spirit’s guidance will always be in agreement with the written Scriptures!
We must make sure that the ‘wisdom’ we hear, the understanding, knowledge, and counsel we listen to, is wisdom that will result in the ultimate reward of true wisdom — being ready for the Bridegroom, and for the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Discerning True Wisdom
There are many ‘Bible’ teachers — pastors, ministers, and spiritual leaders — who have the knowledge of a thousand different things, yet they have little or no knowledge of Yahuwah Elohim [the Hebrew name for the LORD God]!
Sadly, there are some who are “wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge” (Jeremiah 4:22).
Some will even say, “We desire not the knowledge of God” (Job 21:14).
For this reason, any ‘Bible’ teachings we encounter, we must “try (test) the spirits whether they are of God” (See 1John 4:1)!
We must ask ourselves some important questions:
- “Is this ‘wisdom’ pure and truthful, originating from the Heavenly Father, and is according to all of the Scriptures — or is it a religious mixture, mixing truth with a few man-made doctrines and traditions?”
- “Will this ‘wisdom’ lead me to the edification, and the saving, of my soul — or is it a spiritual mixture of ‘new age’ spiritism — is it extra ‘additions’ to Yahuwah’s Word, mixed in with a little bit of truth, thus defiling those who feed upon it?”
- “Will this ‘wisdom’ help me to prepare as a Virtuous Bride for the Bridegroom — or is it a side-issue, a distraction, something that is popular among the Foolish Virgins?”
Man-made, spiritual mixtures are among the most subtle and dangerous pitfalls that can rob us, stealing our crown, and can cause us to depart from The Faith (Jude 1:3).
Spiritual mixtures, mixing the false with the true, can twist and pervert the truth of God’s Word, causing confusion, and ultimately cause us to practice a lie, instead of the truth!
We must consider carefully what it is that we are taking in as ‘wisdom’!
Let us all be diligent to guard ourselves against the utter foolishness of “… ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2Timothy 3:7).
Notice also, another hidden pitfall that is seen in the following passage:
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes” (Proverbs 12:15a).
As we begin to dig for the treasure of true wisdom, we will discover that much of what we find appears to be against what we already think is right and true. We will soon find that some of what we have already learned from others is not true wisdom, but is the rubble and debris of man-made religious doctrines and mixtures!
The only safe-guard we have is to read the Scriptures for ourselves, and to personally investigate each Bible doctrine for ourselves, comparing them against what the Scriptures actually say!
As we begin to dig for wisdom’s riches, we will undoubtedly uncover the rubble of our own foolishness, or the foolishness of others, or the foolish rubble of the ‘wisdom of this world.’
We discussed these dangers at length in A Way That Seems Right: Avoiding the Strong Delusion.
Remembering Our Goal
As we seek for wisdom, we must remember the GOAL we discussed in Part 1 . . .
- to become ready — ready to go in to the marriage with the Bridegroom!
The way we acquire that readiness is to do what Father exhorts: ‘Get wisdom!‘
It is by the wisdom of our obedience to Yahuwah’s written Word [the Scriptures], that Father enables us to BE ready, so that we too might be found among the company of the Wise Virgins.
Let us therefore stay close to our Saviour, patiently seeking His merciful grace to help us listen to and receive His true wisdom, counsel, and correction.
Let us remember this wonderful characteristic of the Wise Virgins: studying the Bible for ourselves, and then hearkening, listening to, and following the counsel found in the holy Scriptures. Those who do this, are well on their way to walking in The Way of Wisdom, making themselves ready for the Bridegroom!
Next: Characteristics of The Wise Virgins: Part 3
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Related Articles:
- Acquiring A Teachable Heart
- The Key to Gaining Understanding
- The Holy Spirit Will Guide You Into All Truth
- No Discipline Seems Pleasant
- Seven Biblical Guidelines for Studying the Bible: Using Scripture to Interpret the Scriptures
- Steps To Obtaining Wisdom
- Exactly what is ‘Scripture’??
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Cold Waters to a Thirsty Soul 
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