Verse 1

Human Government Demonstrates Limitations of Wisdom Who is a wise person? Who knows the solution to a problem? A person’s wisdom brightens his appearance, and softens his harsh countenance.

Referenced Verses

  • Deut 28:50 : 50 a nation of stern appearance that will have no regard for the elderly or pity for the young.
  • Acts 6:15 : 15 All who were sitting in the council looked intently at Stephen and saw his face was like the face of an angel.
  • Prov 4:8-9 : 8 Esteem her highly and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. 9 She will place a fair garland on your head; she will bestow a beautiful crown on you.”
  • Exod 34:29-30 : 29 The Radiant Face of Moses Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand– when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to approach him.
  • Eccl 2:13-14 : 13 I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness: 14 The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.
  • Dan 2:28-30 : 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the times to come. The dream and the visions you had while lying on your bed are as follows. 29 “As for you, O king, while you were in your bed your thoughts turned to future things. The revealer of mysteries has made known to you what will take place. 30 As for me, this mystery was revealed to me not because I possess more wisdom than any other living person, but so that the king may understand the interpretation and comprehend the thoughts of your mind.
  • Dan 2:47 : 47 The king replied to Daniel,“Certainly your God is a God of gods and Lord of kings and revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery!”
  • Dan 4:18-19 : 18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, for none of the wise men in my kingdom are able to make known to me the interpretation. But you can do so, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.” 19 Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Then Daniel(whose name is also Belteshazzar) was upset for a brief time; his thoughts were alarming him. The king said,“Belteshazzar, don’t let the dream and its interpretation alarm you.” But Belteshazzar replied,“Sir, if only the dream were for your enemies and its interpretation applied to your adversaries!
  • Matt 17:2 : 2 And he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.
  • Acts 4:13 : 13 When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and discovered that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus.
  • Acts 4:29 : 29 And now, Lord, pay attention to their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your message with great courage,
  • Job 33:23 : 23 If there is an angel beside him, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness;
  • Prov 1:6 : 6 To discern the meaning of a proverb and a parable, the sayings of the wise and their riddles.
  • Gen 40:8 : 8 They told him,“We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them.” Joseph responded,“Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me.”
  • Gen 41:15-16 : 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph,“I had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard about you, that you can interpret dreams.” 16 Joseph replied to Pharaoh,“It is not within my power, but God will speak concerning the welfare of Pharaoh.”
  • Gen 41:38-39 : 38 So Pharaoh asked his officials,“Can we find a man like Joseph, one in whom the Spirit of God is present?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph,“Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning as you are!
  • Prov 17:24 : 24 Wisdom is directly in front of the discerning person, but the eyes of a fool run to the ends of the earth.
  • Prov 24:5 : 5 A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger;
  • 1 Cor 2:13-16 : 13 And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.
  • Eph 6:19 : 19 Pray for me also, that I may be given the right words when I begin to speak– that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel,
  • 2 Tim 4:17 : 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth!
  • 2 Pet 1:20 : 20 Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination,