![Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41u9kx4miUL.jpg)
Many Justified
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:11 (NKJV)
The Principal Thing
Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7
… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:3
Knowledge is good, but wisdom is better. Our text identifies wisdom, as ‘the principal thing.’ What does that mean? It means that wisdom is supreme. We prize knowledge and rightly so. Knowledge is vastly superior to ignorance. Ignorance is inherently dangerous. Knowledge is good and more knowledge is better. Above these is wisdom. Wisdom is understanding. Wisdom uses knowledge rightly. If a person has knowledge without wisdom, they become arrogant and thereby foolish. Paul remarks in Corinthians, ‘Knowledge puffs up.’ We want knowledge, but we must have wisdom with it. Where can we go to acquire both? According to the second portion of our text the treasures of knowledge and wisdom reside in Christ. If we gain knowledge it will be through Christ. If we find wisdom, it will be in Christ. This means if we want these things, we will pursue Christ. To know Him and the Father Who sent Him is eternal life. Therefore, we make much of Christ. He gives what we cannot acquire anywhere else. Through Him we gain knowledge and the wisdom to understand.
Our Holy and Wise God,
we rejoice that You do not leave us in our ignorance.
We praise You that You point us to the One
in Whom resides wisdom and knowledge.
Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Knowledge And Wisdom
… in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2: 3
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
If we desire knowledge and wisdom where shall we begin? The second portion of our text addresses this directly. ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.’ The word ‘fear’ as it appears is communicating honor, reverence, and regard. It does not denote abject terror in the way we often think of the use of the word. Thus to honor, reverence and regard God, as God, is the beginning of knowledge and the path to wisdom. To disregard God, to devalue Him in our estimation is utter folly. David remarks ‘The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.’ The remark from the fool’s mouth is not so much a statement of atheism, but rather a refusal to regard God as having any say or authority over the speaker. Thus, if we would begin to acquire knowledge and wisdom, we must begin with God. This leads us to Christ. The first portion of our text tells us all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. Therefore, if we are to begin where God points us, we will begin with Christ. He is that storehouse of wisdom and knowledge. We begin to know God by knowing Christ.
Our Good and Faithful God,
we rejoice that Christ is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom.
We praise You that You teach us,
to go to Him, that we may deeply drink of that fountain.
Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
All The Treasures
For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:1-3
Knowledge and wisdom are vast treasures. When we speak of knowledge we refer to the astronomical amount of things that are knowable. This is an expanse of information that extends in every direction and which covers a limitless number of facts. As humans, in all our history we have barely scratched the surface of all there is to know. Then we speak of wisdom, we address the use of knowledge to the best end. Knowledge only serves the greater purpose when we apply it with wisdom. Without wisdom we waste the knowledge we have. Wisdom is the understanding of what is good. When wisdom and knowledge come together it results in the highest good. When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he touched upon this subject. In our text, he makes a statement regarding Christ. He says of Him, ‘in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’ This statement has the broadest of implications. It brings us to the conclusion that if we are to gain true knowledge and wisdom we must know Christ. He is the storehouse in Whom knowledge and wisdom reside. When we know Him we are on the path to all the treasures.
Our Great and Gracious God,
we rejoice in Your knowledge and wisdom.
We praise You that all of those treasures
reside in Christ.
Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Named And Claimed
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
Revelation 3:12
We have been considering the practical implications of adoption. Our text for today touches upon that in a delightful way. Christ is speaking to the church in Philadelphia. As He concludes His remarks, He states our text for today, ‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.’ Certainly, this is one of the benefits of God’s adopting us into His family. When we adopt children into our own family, we, in essence, ‘name them and claim them,’ to use a common phrase in a completely different way. It is not uncommon for a newly adopted child to receive, a new given name, as well as, of course, the family name, which is ‘new’ to them. By doing so, the adopting parents are ‘naming and claiming’ this child as their own. So God does to us. All that God intended when He ‘predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself,’ He has, and will, infallibly perform. Because He has, ‘chosen us in (Christ) before the foundation of the world,’. He will bring us all the way to make us ‘a pillar in the temple of my God…and…will write upon him the name of my God.’ This is a great encouragement to those of us who often feel as if we are without the ‘family support’ that others seem to have. It is a great encouragement to know that the God of Heaven, and the Christ of God both name us and claim us as their Own. With this in mind, we can face the day.
Our most Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father,
we rejoice today, that You both name us and claim us as Your Own.
Fill our vision today, full of Christ, our Elder Brother,
that we might grow to be more like Him.
Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning