DIVINE WISDOM AND SUPREME UNDERSTANDING - PART 8

WEDNESDAY 09 APRIL 2025

Reference: Proverbs 3:13-14 New Living Translation (NLT)

"Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold."

Today's article is still focused on the compound word, "wise men" who are evenly associated with profound sound judgement and distinguished for functional divine wisdom, which denotes Phronimos. 

Daniel was a man who functioned as a Phronimos in the midst of magi while in Babylon. Among those who were chosen as wise men were four of them from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds (Daniel 1:17). In other words, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation granted them such gifts.

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had some dreams. As a result, his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means. Then the astrologers answered the king, 'May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it'" (Daniel 2:1-3 NIV).

Now these magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers summoned by king Nebuchadnezzar were also known as wise men (Magi) in Babylon, but Daniel's wiseness, and that of Hananiah (Shadrach); Mishael (Meshach); Azariah (Abednego) were a different form of wiseness, known as "Phronimos." For this reason, in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom (see Daniel 1:20 NIV). Got it? I acknowledge that you've gained the comprehension that the two forms of wiseness which the King compared was - Phronimos in Daniel and Magus in the rest, but he found "Phronimos" ten times better than or far superior to "Magus."

Yes, their stories inspire us, but many of us in this latter generation can only remember it as an interesting story and tend to neglect the passion and character of the Spirit that moved in the Hebrew boys, especially Daniel, such that they reasoned differently and acted wisely. In Daniel 5:14, King Belshazzar identified the character of the Spirit in Daniel and said to him:

"I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you" (NKJV). According to King Belshazzar, these three levels of wisdom were evident in Daniel: light, also illumination (Sophia); understanding, also insight (Sunesis) and excellent wisdom, also practical (Phronesis), which made him to function as an exceptional wise man (Phronimos). When you are filled with light from the written word (Sophia), you can develop it into analytical wisdom (Sunesis), and as you are daily perfected by practical wisdom (Phronesis), you will become a habitual wise man (Phronimos).

Balaam's fourth oracle or message recorded in Numbers 24:17 reads, "I see Him, but not here and now. I perceive Him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel" (NLT). This was Balaamic prophesy signifying the Messianic figure [Christological royalty]. Notably, the emergence of the "star of Bethlehem" which guided the wise men to Jesus' place of birth, was a vision or sign from God, and it is widely accepted as a fulfillment of Balaamic prophecy. Contrary to what many people believe, those wise men who discovered the star - were not pagan astrologers or magi; they were wise men in the order of Daniel, who embodied an ideally perfect and judicious disposition of divine wisdom, meaning that their wisdom code in Greek lexicon was Phronimos, not Magi.

Bear in mind that the wise men came from the East, and in their Eastern culture, significant stars were often associated with royalty or divine figures and dignitaries, hence the "star" was wisely recognised by the wise men as a symbol of leading royalty from the lineage of Jacob (Israel). Stay tuned for part 9. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Daniel 12:10; Proverbs 13:20; Proverbs 23:24; James 3:13.

Guided Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the timeless truth which reveals that I have the full measure of your operational wisdom because indwelling Christ has been made my wisdom. The marvellous light from the radiance of your Word stretches far into every part of my innermost being and shapes my spiritual growth, indicating a superior sense of grace, in Jesus' Name, Amen!