God Is Wise

One of God’s defining characteristics is his perfect wisdom. Scripture has a lot to say about God’s wisdom. Here are just a few passages that speak to it:

Psalm 104:24
O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions.

Daniel 2:20–21
Daniel said,
“Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.”

Romans 16:27
To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:7 (See Rom. 11:33)
But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory.

The wisdom of God is not just His knowledge (omniscience) but it is the application of His knowledge, particularly in the outworking of His eternal purpose (see Eph. 1:11). God employs everything in His creation wisely and for the purpose of accomplishing His ends. One way God’s wisdom is displayed is in the outworking of His purpose for the nations in history.

All of history—the rise and fall of nations and empires—is in God’s control and according to His wise plan. God’s wisdom is preeminently seen in the outworking of His plan of redemption in Christ. The unwise rulers of this world see that plan as foolish (see 1 Cor. 1:18–20; 2:8) but in fact it is the plan that began before the foundation of the world (see Eph. 1:4) and will continue into eternity.