Bible Study: Wisdom 1:2-5

2. because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him,
It is understandable that people experience time of doubt and weak faith in God. With this admonishment, however, the pious Jewish man who authors this Book of Wisdom tells the reader that they will not satisfy their need for affirmation or reassurance by testing God. Notice how carefully he phrases this statement, by saying "he is found by." So before the admonishment the author assures people, by virtue of how he phrased this, that God is "found" and is findable. He does not say how at this point, because his priority is to warn against ineffective and counterproductive ways of trying to find God. So the author writes that "he is found by those who test him not" to clearly instruct readers that God is not found by those who test him. By "testing" the author means the all too common temptation to demand or set up parlor trick types of scenarios by which God is supposed to reveal himself. The author then writes "and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him."

At first glance that might seem disheartening to those struggling in their faith. "Of course God appears to those who believe in him" a sad cynic might say. But again, look at how the author deliberately phrases this. This is another example of how word precision is significant (translation difficulties not withstanding.) He uses a double negative for a reason. God shows himself to those "who do not DISbelieve." The author is saying the act of disbelief is a challenge and blockage to seeing God. It is one thing to be struggling with faith and not being sure if one does believe or not, because that leaves the door open for God to contact he or she who struggles with faith. But a person who establishes a firm state of disbelief within him or herself is blocking the appearance of God to them.

3. For perverse counsels separate a man from God, and his power put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy;
Here the author gives a specific example. By "perverse counsels" the author is referring to unwise advice, which is what he is assuming that those who "test" God or who deliberately put themselves in a state of "disbelief" are receiving. The perverse counsels may come from other people, or of course, through demonic temptation. But being surrounded by a pagan community, the author of the Book of Wisdom had probably seen all too much of pagan based advice put to those who struggle in faith. So as explained above, the author states that these types of counsel "separate a man from God" by placing a barrier to the person's ability to see and hear God. The author further warns that "and his power put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy." What he means is that if people through sinful and disbelieving behavior continue to defy God (because they continue to act in a "show me" and "prove it to me" mode while they continue to sin), that the inevitable subsequent actions of their sin will result in a rebuke either from God or through his agents, other people. Let's look at the two extreme examples of the same rebuke. If a burglar continues to steal because he does not believe in God and the commandment against stealing, and challenges God, "well, if you exist and burglary is bad, then stop me", the burglar will likely eventually be caught by human forces, either law enforcement or an armed victim. So he receives a "rebuke" for being "foolhardy." The other extreme is divine retribution and justice will come to the burglar in time and according to God's will. Again, it's not the struggle with faith that is being punished, but it is the case of someone who sins by trying to put the guilt and proof on God ("if you really existed you'd stop me and I'd not do this.") This is a barrier to the soul's salvation at death, and could likely, through the withholding of grace, cause some divine retribution while alive. That is a subject for another writing, but rather than zapping people, God's retribution tends to take the form of permitting the person to harden their heart and reject God's continual offering of grace. They then most likely will fall, and while it might be viewed as bad luck when it happens, or an accident, it could have been avoided if grace had been received. Grace functions as a second sense, a source of wisdom and insurance against action with bad consequences. In it's most fundamental form, it's like listening to one's guardian angel.

4. because into a soul that plots evils wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin.
The author now intensifies his tone to underscore that testing God is a form of evil. Those who put themselves in a deliberate state of disbelief and function accordingly is in fact a "soul that plots evil." Again, this is not a person struggling with faith. This is a person who acts by plotting actions that are based on either a state of deliberate disbelief or an attempt to off shoulder onto God the blame by "testing" God for a sign or action at the person's behest. These put the soul into a state of evil.

He again talks about blockage by saying "a soul that plots evils wisdom enters not." Notice that here he is not talking about communication with God, as such, but with wisdom, who he calls a "she." Wisdom has traditionally been referred to as a feminine toned quality. That is also a topic for another time, but the beauty of this warning is unmistakable. "A soul that plots evils" is a place that "wisdom enters not".... so "she" (wisdom) cannot enter due to the evilness resident in that soul, as it blocks wisdom. What is even more, well, wise about this man's writing is that he observes "nor dwells she in a body under the debt of sin." Not only can wisdom not enter where evil blocks the way to the soul, but wisdom that had already resided in that soul is weighed down and crushed by the accumulation of sin over time, until wisdom can no longer dwell in the soul at all.

As an aside for contemporary life. One can think of drug addiction as illustrating this. As the consumption of drugs takes over a life, from "casual" use to rampant addiction, first new wisdom is blocked, and then eventually, the ability to be wise at all is crushed and lost.

5. For the holy spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when wickedness occurs it is rebuked
Here he packs a lot of theology and philosophy in a simple phrase, "the holy spirit of discipline." By use of the word "holy spirit" he is, of course, introducing one of the Trinity of Persons of God" the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now, this was written before the Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, had appeared on earth. But the holy scholars of the Old Testament always understood that God exists in his form as the Father, and in the form of the Holy Spirit. So this wise author ties together the discussion of trying to communicate with God and the need for wisdom's access by recognizing its means: The Holy Spirit. He writes "the holy spirit of discipline" because discipline is necessary in order to be organized sufficiently to receive wisdom. A mind and soul in a chaos of evil and deceit is too disorganized to receive wisdom and the Holy Spirit.

(As an aside, one might ask, how can a person in such a state get themselves out of that state if they cannot receive the Holy Spirit because they are blocking it? One of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit is fortitude. It is well known in both secular medicine and in theology that fortitude the essential first step to a cure. So while a person blocks them self from the Holy Spirit's wisdom and grace, if they see the light sufficiently as to the error of their ways, they can appeal to the Holy Spirit for fortitude to lead to better thinking and actions that can eventually allow the reflowering of wisdom.)

The Holy Spirit is often characterized as a dove, and indeed, when it's been physically seen, as the Bible records, it is in the form of a white dove. The author recognizes this quality of the Holy Spirit without drawing a picture when he writes the poignant phrase "flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels, and when wickedness occurs it is rebuked." A person who tests God, puts themselves in a state of willful disbelief, and who listens to evil counsel literally rebuffs the dove of the Holy Spirit, which like a gentle bird, will withdraw and flee, having been rebuked.