This week we continue in our study on the subject of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom.

Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars.

In the previous articles about wisdom, we saw how the metaphorical person, Wisdom, dwells with seven supporting pillars which each have a name.

Proverbs 8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 8:13 The fear of Yahuah is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

Solomon, in Proverbs, exhorts Yahuah’s people to incorporate the qualities that the seven pillars of wisdom represent; qualities that, we as Believers, should strive to build into our lives, just as a wise woman builds her house.

Proverbs 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house…

As a review of what true divine wisdom is all about; true biblical wisdom involves Yahuah’s wisdom for right living and godly relationships. It requires the same understanding that Yahuah our heavenly Father and His Son have concerning how we are to live and conduct ourselves; it refers to the knowledge of Yahuah or of the things that belong to Him as related in His whole Word. We are to obey and strive to live by every word that comes from the mouth of Yahuah; that is wisdom. These seven pillars of wisdom are all components of the divine wisdom that is gifted to us by Yahuah if we are His, and if we are striving to live according to His every Word.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Yahuah.

The Book of Proverbs is all about wisdom and advises us in the way of wise living according to Yahuah’s righteousness while living in a world that is hostile to His laws and principles. This Book is also an instruction manual to help Yahuah’s children navigate through the problems that life throws at usj using Yahuah’s wisdom to guide and direct us.

In my previous article we saw how the pillar of the Fear of Yahuah is foundational to all the other pillars for wisdom BEGINS with fearing Yahuah. We must have great respect, awe, and reverence for our Great Elohim who alone is Mighty and Worthy of our worship; we saw how the fear of the Yahuah is also a very healthy kind of fear and when we have this kind of fear it will lead us to the path of righteousness, and ultimately to eternal life; if we love Yahuah and fear to disobey Him we will be kept safe from the penalty of eternal death.

In this article, we look at the pillar called “Prudence” which is the pillar listed first in Proverbs 8. This pillar, too, is a very important component of what makes up wisdom and it, too, is a necessary quality trait that all the Yahuah’s children need to have integrated into their very character, guiding all their thoughts, words, and actions. A wise man or woman of Yahuah is also a prudent person.

To have the Fear of Yahuah is to set our hearts to always obey His commandments, and then we add Prudence which is the wisdom of knowing what actions we need to do in the circumstances we find ourselves and to determine what will best bring about Yahuah’s righteousness. Prudence is also about having the wisdom to prepare for the future; which includes setting up guardrails against harmful situations and ungodly people. Prudence helps us to foresee evil and then to take action to avoid that evil.

Definition of Prudence

What is the definition for the word “prudence”?

The Hebrew word for “prudence” in Proverbs 8:12 is ormah (Strong’s #6195) and means: craftiness, guile, prudence, subtilty, wilily, wisdom. Feminine of orem; trickery; or (in a good sense) discretion — (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

The English definition of prudence is:

1. the quality or fact of being,  or wise in practical  affairs, as by providing for the future.

2. caution with regard to practical matters; discretion.

3. regard for one’s own  interests.

4. provident care in the management of resources; economy; frugality. (Dictionary.com)

This aspect of wisdom endows us with insight to know how to handle compromising situations or to avoid being influenced and/or tempted by ungodly people. To have prudence is to implement Yahuah’s laws into every circumstance we find ourselves and to be able to exercise a common sense approach into every aspect of our lives.

When someone says “he or she is a prudent person” it generally means that the person is intelligent, careful, farsighted, perceptive, and has good judgment. All these qualities are hallmarks of what it means to be prudent (and a wise person).

An example of prudence, which is also far-sightedness and common sense, was when Joseph advised Pharaoh to store up grain while crops were plentiful for the coming time when there would be famine.

As an illustration from nature, Solomon gives us an analogy of the ants that prudently gather up food when food is plentiful for times when it will be scarce:

Proverbs 3:26 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;

We see, then, that prudence is about good judgment, moral courage and astute common sense. It can also mean having insight, discernment, thinking through problems and using our intellect to figure out how to best handle problems and/or difficult people; it means being smart in a good sense by applying Yahuah’s laws and the fruit of the Spirit to any situation or problem that we must address. Yahusha told his disciples that they must be wise (circumspect/prudent) as serpents and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves (innocent as doves having no self-serving agenda).

Yahuah’s wisdom dwells with prudence which means that those who exercise the wisdom of Yahuah are wise in handling practical matters and they exercise good judgment, or common sense, in all of their affairs. It means foreseeing potential problems ahead of time and taking action to prevent them from happening, or diminishing their severity, or even turning them around for good.  

To be prudent can keep us from lack; a prudent person has the insight to know ahead of time the things he will need and diligently procures those things and stores them up. Prudence is also about balance in all things.

Yahuah wants His children to become wise in sound management, to know how to prepare for the future, to know how to avoid evil situations whenever possible, and doing what is takes to keep ourselves and our families physically and spiritually safe. It also means preparing in this life to become wise and prudent stewards; necessary qualities of all who are being trained in this present age to become the future kings and priests in the Kingdom of Yahuah.

Biblical Scriptures Pertaining to Prudence

Solomon describes further what it means to be prudent in Proverbs 27:12:

Proverbs 27:12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

This is saying that: “A prudent man sees evil and hides himself and avoids it, But the naive person [who is easily misled or lazy] continues on and is punished [by suffering the consequences of their foolishness and lack of looking ahead]”. (AMP)

A prudent man or woman has the ability to perceive what needs to be done to stay out of harm’s way or to prevent problems, or when trials do come his way, prudence will help him or her to know how to handle them in the wisest way.

Prudence also means that a prudent person is able to wisely discern the direction a certain situation is taking them and they quickly do what is necessary to hide themselves, i.e. remove themselves or to take steps to come out from being influenced or affected by trouble makers; also, the prudent do what it takes to protect themselves from getting involved with sin. It is wisdom to know that he must get away from a certain situation, or a group of people (or even a person) in order to avoid temptation or to be harmed either physically or spiritually. Wisdom dictates what it takes to avoid evil and gives a person discernment to know how to avoid even the appearance of evil.

Proverbs 14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

Prudence also means to prepare for the things in the present for what we know we will need in the future. To live with prudence means to live our lives well, making wise decisions and taking care of our responsibilities. It is knowing and practicing the old adage that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and that “an ounce of righteousness is worth a pound of correction”.  It is about wise stewardship.

Proverbs 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

Proverbs 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds. 27:24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation? 27:25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered. 27:26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field. 27:27 And thou shalt have goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

Proverbs 16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning [sweet speech increases persuasiveness and learning in both speaker and listener] AMP.

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Proverbs 14:15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

The naive or inexperienced person [is easily misled and] believes every word he hears, But the prudent man [is discreet and astute and] considers well where he is going. (AMP)

Prudence is doing “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

The “Prudent” Wife and the Bride of Yahusha

Proverbs 19:14 Houses and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from Yahuah.

Solomon says that we can inherit houses and riches from our parents but to have a prudent wife is a blessing from Yahuah. Solomon has much to say about women in his teachings but here (and as we will see later in Proverbs 31) he praises one special woman in particular (a godly wife) one who exercises prudence in all its facets and he further states that she is of Yahuah.

In Proverbs 19:14 the word “prudent” in the Old Testament Hebrew is sakal a word that is rich in meanings, all of which pertains to different aspects of wisdom.

The word “prudent” is translated from the Hebrew word sakal (Strong’s #7919a); this Hebrew word encompasses much that has to do with intelligence and wisdom. This verse is also an allegory of the kind of wife (with all of these wonderful character traits) that Yahuah the Father wants for His Son. By using this word Solomon describes for us what it entails to be a prudent wife and all the wonderful benefits she brings to her family and household.

The definition of sakal is: to be prudent (1), acts wisely (3), behaved himself wisely (1), comprehend (1), consider (1), considers (2), discern (1), expert (1), failed (1), gain insight (2), give you insight (1), give heed (1), gives attention (1), giving attention (1), had…regard (1), have insight (4), have success (2), insight (1), instruct (2), instructed (1), instructs (1), intelligence (1), prosper (2), prospered (3), prospering (2), prospers (1), prudent (2), show discernment (1), showed (1), showing intelligence (1), succeed (1), understand (4), understanding (2), understands (2), understood (1), wisdom (1), wise (6), wise behavior (1). (NASB Translation Dictionary)

H7919  saw-kal A primitive root; to be (causeatively make or act) circumspect and hence intelligent: – consider, expert, instruct, prosper, (deal) prudent (-ly), (give) skill (-ful), have good success, teach, (have, make to) understand (-ing), wisdom, (be, behave self, consider, make) wise (-ly), guide wittingly. -(Brown-Driver-Briggs Old Testament Hebrew-English Lexicon)

The word “circumspect” means “heedful of potential consequences.” The Bible says that a prudent wife is circumspect, she uses her own mind (she can think for herself!) and she is always considerate of the consequences of her actions.

Solomon is saying that a prudent wife is of Yahuah (Proverbs 19:14). It means that she belongs to Yahuah and shows forth the noblest of character for she has set in her heart that she will obey Yahuah and that He is first and foremost in her life. The results of her devotion to her Elohim first, are that she is an excellent wife, mother, and keeper of her home for she seeks to do Yahuah’s will with all of her heart and puts His laws into action in serving and providing for her household.

A prudent wife is modest, industrious and sensible and marked by sound judgment. A prudent person (man or woman) is virtuous and filled with the Spirit of Yahuah and is led by that Spirit; he or she puts Yahuah first in all things and walks in His wisdom! The people of Yahuah (who will make up the Bride of Yahusha at the First Resurrection) cleave to Yahuah with all of their hearts and strive to please Him in all things.

In Proverbs 31 Solomon goes into further detailed description of what a virtuous (excellent) wife is like, how she functions, and how she lives her life taking care of all that have been placed in her care. Her wonderful example of living a prudent life is recorded in the Bible for all those called to Yahuah, to learn from: Solomon says of her “but thou excellest them all”.

The story of the virtuous wife in Proverbs 31 is an allegory of the Bride of Yahusha so this pertains to both men and women in how to lead lives of excellence. This is prudence in action in all aspects of living. To exercise prudence in one’s life means to live a life of excellence, being diligent to carry out all our responsibilities, and being filled with the virtue that comes from knowing Yahuah.

The Hebrew word for “virtuous” is chayil (Strong’s # 2428) and means: able, activity, army, band of men soldiers, company, great forces, goods, host, From chuwl; probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength — able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, (+)valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war, worthy(-ily). (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

The meaning behind this word is very interesting: we see that chayil “virtuous” can actually mean an army, a force, war, strength, might, riches, power, etc. (Strength/power is one of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom that we will be looking at in a few weeks.)

Keep in mind that this virtuous woman represents the (collective) Bride of Yahusha! This very famous passage of Scripture is a picture for us of an intelligent, godly, industrious wife (of Yahusha) working diligently to provide for His Household. See this through spiritual eyes as you read this:

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous [excellent] woman? [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous] for her price is far above rubies. 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 31:14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth Yahuah, she shall be praised. 31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Do we see the wonderful analogies in this description of a virtuous woman? The “Virtuous Woman” is a metaphor and a description of the Bride of Yahusha; she is comprised of the firstfruits who rise up in the first resurrection and go on to assist Yahusha in restoring the Kingdom of Yahuah on earth. The Bride of Yahusha is completely loyal to her Husband and He knows that He can trust her. Solomon then describes the activities that she is involved in which include: “Commerce”, working to produce the things her family will need; “Mercy”, showing compassion to the poor and unfortunate in her community; “Provision”, she takes care of the needs of her household (those under her): “Education”, she opens her mouth to teach wisdom and the law of kindness (Yahuah’s law, the letter of the law and also the deep spiritual intent of Yahuah’s commandments) to her children and to the rest of her household (i.e., she feeds them the Word of Yahuah).

We see that she looks well to the ways of her household, she is very industrious; is not slack or lackadaisical at all (she is not Laodicean). She does not have to boast or campaign for any position for she has earned her position in the eyes of her family, the community, and most importantly through the eyes of Yahuah who sees all. She just does what needs to be done to help her family and community prosper.

This is about rulership; about being Kings and Priests in the future Kingdom of Yahuah. This is a job description of what the chosen saints (both men and women) will be doing under Yahusha in His Kingdom; this is describing true godly (and prudent) leadership! And the training for leadership starts in our little, seemingly insignificant, lives as human beings, now in this life taking care of the responsibilities that we have been given by Yahuah.

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our Yahuah kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

In this life, we are being trained to live our lives prudently, and some day we will be able to implement that prudence in reigning over nations.

Proverbs 8:15 By me [wisdom/prudence] kings reign, and princes decree justice. 8:16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

We Were Made to Be Wise Prudent Stewards

In the very first chapter of Genesis when Yahuah created Adam, He decreed that Adam and his descendants would have dominion (the prudent care of) over all the other living creatures and that he was to also guard and responsibly manage the whole earth.

Genesis 1:26 And Elohim said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 1:27 So created man in his own image, in the image of Elohim created he him; male and female created he them. 1:28 And Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Yahuah the Father, and His Son are Creators and also Sustainers; they are excellent Workers who take diligent care of their creation and their family.

John 5:17 But Yahusha answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

We are being made into their image, therefore we were created to work and to be good managers over all that we possess just as they are.

Genesis 2:15 And the Elohim took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

As soon as Adam was created Yahuah gave him a job to do: Yahuah told Adam that he must dress and keep the garden that He had created for him and Eve to live in. To “dress” is to cultivate [levedah Strong’s #5647] and to “keep” is shamar [Strong’s #8104 to keep, watch, preserve].

So Elohim took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to serve it, and to guard and protect it. That means that Adam (and all of his descendants that would come after) were created to be prudent wise stewards of all the living creatures and of the whole earth.

When Adam and Eve took of the forbidden fruit they failed miserably to be stewards of themselves and this carried over to the care of the rest of Yahuah’s creation. They introduced sin into the world and sin is corrosive and destructive. Rather than maintaining and enhancing the earth, man has desecrated it.

If Adam and Eve had exercised prudence they would not have let Satan entice them to disobey Elohim. They would have stopped to think about what He was telling them and pondered the consequences of what they were about to do; but they were not prudent and the consequence has been almost 6000 years of curses and hardship upon humanity and the earth.

Everything belongs to Yahuah; He only loaned the earth and its creatures to man to give mankind the opportunity to learn wise stewardship, to learn how to rule as Yahuah would rule. It is about nurturing and taking tender care of those things that have been placed in mankind’s care.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is Yahuah’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

The real title holder of the earth and of the living creatures is Yahuah and He will hold us responsible for how we have cared for His creation, including our own bodies. Yahuah’s desire was, and is, that man would keep and care for himself (mankind) and the whole earth including all of creation according to His ways.

Yahuah decreed from the beginning that man would have dominion over the earth in order to manage and rule wisely; instead mankind has exploited the earth and is abusive to the animals. We continue to rape the land, denude the forests, strip-mine the hills, burn through the resources, and gut the earth; man further ravages the lands with war, disease and famine. Over the ages we have polluted the earth and it is headed for total destruction if Yahuah does not intervene soon. (Matthew 24:22, Revelation 11:18)

This is proof that mankind does not have the prudence to know how to rule properly; but Yahuah is calling a few now to learn how to be wise prudent leaders in the ages to come, and it is they who will help Yahusha restore the earth to a Garden of Eden condition once again and they will do it under Yahsua’s rulership with Wisdom and Prudence. (See, again, Proverbs 8:21-30)

Mankind lacks wisdom therefore he has not used prudence to manage all things and the earth is being destroyed; the whole of creation is crying out for deliverance from man’s mismanagement. Figuratively, the earth is expectantly waiting for the resurrected sons of Yahuah to appear to start the restoration process (this too will be Prudence in action!).

Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of Yahuah. 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Yahuah. 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

When Satan misled many of the angels he probably deceived them by using the same tactics that he used on Eve. He suggested to her that Yahuah could not be trusted, that He was not fair, that He had lied to her about the death penalty for disobedience to Yahuah’s command. Satan told her the lie that she would not surely die, then he lied again about how she could be as Yahuah in deciding what is right and what is evil if she would take of the forbidden fruit.

Satan has not changed! His method of operation has not changed; he still uses this method to deceive the whole world. All of humanity follows him and believes in his lies because they cannot prudently think things through and come up with logical truth by correctly adding things together; they cannot see the lunacy of his faulty reasonings.

Biblical Examples of Prudence

The subject of Prudence is threaded throughout the Bible in many of the stories of Yahuah’s servants. As we study through Scripture, we read of many of Yahuah’s servants of which it is said that they feared Yahuah, but they also exhibited the character quality of being “prudent” as well.

Yahusha Messiah is our most preeminent example of what it means to be prudent:

Isaiah 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.

Prudence is interlaced with the fear of Yahuah; they go together. We see prudence (or the lack of it) being played out everywhere in the Bible, in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament.

There are many examples of how Yahuah’s servants were very prudent in their lives when faced with extreme challenges. It is beyond the scope of this article to address all the people and all of the incidences recorded in Scripture of how the many men and women of Yahuah exercised prudence. There is just so much, but reading and meditating upon the many examples of Yahuah’s people who were wise and prudent makes for a very worthwhile Bible study which can teach us the many nuances of what it means to be prudent. We think of such men and women as Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, Rahab and Ruth, Paul, and many, many others but one example that really stands out for me is Abigail.

Abigail

Following is how Abigail handled a very sticky situation. She was married to a very “churlish (mean-spirited) and evil” man. The Bible says that Nabal was a mean and cruel man therefore he most likely was cruel and abusive in his dealings with his family and household servants.

When Abigail was told by one of her servants what was happening out in the field and the subsequent danger that was now looming over all her household, she instinctively knew she had to do something to reverse the offense done to David and his men by her husband. From her experience of dealing with her husband, Abigail probably realized the consequences that she would incur if she were to go against him, but she knew she had to quickly come up with a plan to save her household, including the man she was married to. The plan she came up with was in direct opposition to her husbands wishes, but in this case she was obeying Yahuah rather than obeying a man for it was a godly thing to do to save the lives of her household.

Nabal (whose name means “fool”) was so contentious that no one could correct him in regard to his actions; he listened to no one except himself. Everyone knew it, and even the young man that came to inform Abigail, said of him: “for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him”.

Abigail was between a rock and a hard place for she and her household were at the mercy of a foolish and stubborn man who was supposed to be her head and protector but instead he had put his whole family in harm’s way by needlessly insulting and angering a man of Yahuah (and future king of Israel) and as result David was determined to take out Nabal and all that pertained to him. In this particular situation David, too, was about to act foolishly and do something that he would greatly regret if he had carried it out. But along came wise, prudent Abigail with her peace offerings and her words of wisdom! Unlike Nabal, David was willing to listen to wise and prudent advice; and from a woman at that. Read the story below and think about how “prudence” is being played out here in this situation:

1 Samuel 25:2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel. 25:3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

25:4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 25:5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 25:6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. 25:7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. 25:8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David.

25:9 And when David’s young men came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased. 25:10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master. 25:11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not whence they be?

25:12 So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and came and told him all those sayings. 25:13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.

25:14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he railed on them. 25:15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 25:16 They were a wall unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 25:17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

25:18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 25:19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

25:20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. 25:21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good. 25:22 So and more also do Yahuah unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

25:23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 25:24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my master, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid. 25:25 Let not my master, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my master, whom thou didst send.

25:26 Now therefore, my master, as Yahuah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing Yahuah hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal. 25:27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my master, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my master.

25:28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for Yahuah will certainly make my master a sure house; because my master fighteth the battles of Yahuah, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. 25:29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my master shall be bound in the bundle of life with Yahuah thy Elohim; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.

25:30 And it shall come to pass, when Yahuah shall have done to my master according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 25:31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my master, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my master hath avenged himself: but when Yahuah shall have dealt well with my master, then remember thine handmaid.

25:32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Yahuah the Elohim of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 25:33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. 25:34 For in very deed, as Yahuah Elohim of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

25:35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

25:36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 25:37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. 25:38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that Yahuah smote Nabal, that he died.

25:39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be Yahuah, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for Yahuah hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 25:40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.

25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my master. 25:42 And Abigail hasted, and arose and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

David and his men had camped close to where Nabal had his shearing place, probably in the vicinity of where Nabal lived.  David and his men had protected Nabal’s very large flocks and herd which was his livelihood. When David asked Nabal for some provision in return for this protection, Nabal flat out refused him. David’s reasoning was that since he and his men had protected Nabal and had helped him to increase and kept him from being robbed by marauders in the area, it was not out of line to ask him to share out of his abundance of food and supplies for his hungry men.

When Nabal refused to accommodate David’s request for food and supplies he incurred the wrath of David and David was about to wipe out Nabal and all the people who belonged to his household. Abigail learned of this and personally went to the (future) king with victuals, and more importantly, wise counsel as to how David should rightly respond if he were going to be a king that reigned with justice and integrity. Her wisdom (prudence) saved the day for her husband and herself, and everyone in their household. Abigail showed her shrewdness by the way she handled her husband’s treatment of David and his men, and by thwarting the devastation that loomed over her whole family and their servants.

David was immediately grateful to Abigail for showing him kindness, but most of all for the wise advice that she offered to him. He recognized at once that she was a virtuous and prudent woman and needed to be listened to as such. He instantly heeded her wise counsel.

1st Samuel 25:32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Yahuah Elohim of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: 25:33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

The story of Nabal, Abigail, and David shows us a good example of what it means to be a fool on Nabal’s part, but how Abigail handled a bad situation with prudence. Nabal is the personification of someone who behaves like a fool and Abigail is the personification of wisdom and one who is prudent in all of her dealings.

Abigail did not use violence nor did she hurt anyone; she did not fire one shot nor did she wield a sword; yet by seeing the situation through the eyes of Prudence she was able to save a whole household because of her bravery and by using wise stratagems to prompt David to do what was the right!

Later, Yahuah rewarded her wisdom and godly example by delivering her from a churlish, foolish husband; and a short time after, choosing her to become the wife of the future king of Israel.

Prudence is the practical application of Yahuah’s law in the letter and in the spirit; it is part of our spiritual warfare. This was spiritual warfare at its finest by employing the wisdom that Yahuah gave to Abigail; and this is the kind of warfare we as believers must wage through the power of Yahuah’s Spirit which imparts to us Yahuah’s wisdom. Godly wisdom and implementing Yahuah’s prudence makes it possible us to overcome our enemies and the challenges they present to us.

2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through Yahuah to the pulling down of strong holds;)

The story of Abigail is an example of how Prudence is the virtue needed for living in a mixed-up, carnal world and interacting with carnal and flawed people. Prudence is practical intelligence, practical wisdom, put to work for the benefit of one’s own interests and for the interests of one’s family; but it also extends out to the benefit of the Ekklesia, the community, and then to the whole world.

The account of Abigail and the way she spoke up to give David godly advice, convincing him to spare her husband and their household, brings to mind what Yahusha says about the wisdom that He will impart to those who are brought before kings and rulers to give a testimony for Him.

Luke 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Prudence Versus Folly

Yahuah has much to say in the Bible about wisdom. He wants us to learn and grow in wisdom, and so there is much instruction and many examples for us in the Bible about wisdom. As we have been studying about wisdom and the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the book of Proverbs is mostly devoted to helping us learn wisdom and how to be wise. But what does Proverbs say about folly? The flip side of wisdom is folly which is something Yahuah wants us to come out of, so Yahuah has a lot to say about fools and their folly in His Word as well.

The English definition of “folly” is: the state or quality of being foolish; lack of  understanding or sense. (Dictionary.com)

The English definition of “fool” is:

1. One who is deficient in judgment, sense, or understanding.

2. One who acts unwisely on a given occasion: “I was a fool to have quit my job.”

3. One who has been tricked or made to appear ridiculous: a dupe: “They made a fool of me by pretending I had won”.

4. Informal: a person with a talent or enthusiasm for a certain activity: a dancing fool; a fool for skiing.

5. A member of a royal or noble household who provided entertainment, as with jokes or antics; a jester.

6. One who subverts convention or orthodoxy or varies from social conformity in order to reveal spiritual or moral truth: a holy fool. (thefreedictionary.com)

In our modern usage of the term “fool” we often think that it pertains to someone that is silly, nonsensical, or perhaps even someone who is lacking in intelligence. Today when we hear the word “fool” we often think of a dunce or perhaps a silly painted-up clown or someone making a fool of himself; hence we define fool as a senseless fellow, i.e. a person who acts stupidly or is acting in a silly manner.

When the Bible was translated in 1611 the meaning “fool” meant something different. Its original meaning at and before 1611 meant “lacking in judgment or prudence.”

The Bible clearly states the definition of a fool. The Bible’s most definitive description of a fool is someone who is contemptuous of Yahuah’s Word for he believes that there is no Yahuah. In fact we have the definition of how a fool really thinks in Psalm 14.

Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no Yahuah…. [The psalmist goes on to say:] ….They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.  14:2 Yahuah looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek Yahuah. 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

A fool lives as though there is no Yahuah and therefore he fears no accountability for the things he does, the things he says, or the way he lives his life. But it starts even deeper; it starts within the heart of someone Yahuah considers to be a fool. A fool does not believe in Yahuah, therefore he feels he can say or do anything he wants.

There are several Hebrew and Greek words for “fool” with varying degrees of acting the fool, but the Hebrew word for “fool in Psalm 14:1 is nabal (Strong’s # 5036) and it means: Fool: foolish, vile person From nabel; stupid; wicked (especially impious) — fool(-ish, -ish man, -ish woman), vile person. (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

And here are excerpts from Brown-Driver-Briggs for “fool”: adjective foolish, senseless, especially of the man who has no perception of ethical and religious claims, and with collateral idea of ignoble.  Substantive (impious and presumptuous) fool, Isaiah 32:5  characterized as at once irreligious and churlish, Isaiah 32:6; denying Yahuah Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:2; insulting Yahuah Psalm 74:22, and Yahuah’s servant Psalm 39:9; Proverbs 17:7 arrogant speech becometh not the (impious and presumptuous) fool (whose faults it only makes the more conspicuous), much less do lying lips him that this is noble ( Proverbs 17:21 Proverbs 30:22) (Brown-Driver-Briggs)

The term “nabal” focuses on the fool’s inner disposition; his character, not just his actions. A fool, contrary to having the fear of Yahuah within his heart as we studied in the previous study, does not fear Yahuah and does not fear breaking His commandments. He is someone who does not see things the way Yahuah sees them; he is someone who makes poor decisions because something in his thinking is skewed. This person is morally deficient and will not listen to the voice of reason or wisdom. Yahuah is completely out of the picture for him. He has no clue that Yahuah is watching all that he does and will someday hold him accountable for his foolishness. A fool may say that he believes in laws and rules but by his actions he shows that Yahuah’s laws somehow do not apply to him, he can do as he pleases.

So from the biblical perspective a fool is not necessarily someone who is lacking intelligence or some silly person, RATHER he is a person who is lacking morally and proves by his actions and way of thinking that he is in rebellion against Yahuah for he has no regard for Yahuah nor for the things of Him. A fool is one who refuses to believe that there truly is a Yahuah because he does not want to, therefore he believes that his actions have no consequences. In fact he makes himself his own elohim for he believes that he is right no matter how evil or foolish his way of thinking is or his actions are, and he refuses to listen to reason.

The most intelligent and learned men in the world can still be fools if they have no acknowledgment of Yahuah in their hearts and feel no obligation at all to do what He says is right and good.

A fool, according to the biblical definition, lives as if he is accountable to no one. He does according to what human nature dictates without counting the cost or even considering that HE MIGHT BE WRONG. He just does what he feels like doing without thinking about the damage that his actions and his way of living might bring to himself or to others. He does not care who he hurts in his quest to enrich himself or make himself look good. This is folly.

The Hebrew word for “folly” is ivveleth ( Strong’s #200) and means folly, foolishness; from the same as ‘eviyl; silliness — folly, foolishly(-ness). see HEBREW ‘eviyl [evil]. (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

To act foolishly or to display folly can also mean: insolence, rebelliousness, being quick tempered, impetuous, having a stubborn insistence on having his own ways; he is emotionally immature (acts like a child most of time). To act foolishly is evil. Like a pathological liar, this person believes his own lies and will not receive correction from anyone. Folly is the hallmark of a fool and it is the opposite of Prudence.

Proverbs 13:16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

Proverbs 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.

Proverbs 14:18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.

And since folly is evil and “to do wickedly”, it is something that we must purge from our hearts.

Who Is Your Friend: Prudence or Folly?

We must be sure we are on the straight and narrow path but also be prudent to not let others (who refuse to listen to the voice of wisdom) influence us and convince us to behave as they behave. As far as leaders and teachers, stop and think about everything we are told or the things we are being taught; does it make sense according to what Yahuah says in His Word? Be sure to prove all things before naively assuming that everything is true just because a certain leader or impressive person tells us something is true.

If we want to be wise, Yahuah tells us through Solomon to walk with wise men:

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Proverb 2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. 2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

If we desire to become wise it is prudent to seek out wise friends and wise teachers who are godly examples in their own lives. If we willingly follow those who are sinning or do foolish things (or say foolish things) we will suffer the consequences for they will lead us to their way of thinking and doing.

Prudence will equip us to avoid persons who tempt us to compromise with the ways of Yahuah. Be careful; our foolish friends may not even be directly telling us to compromise but by their actions they show that they are ungodly and it so easy to fall into step with those we are walking with whether they be friends, brethren, or those we look to as our leaders. (See whole chapter – Psalm 1)

Proverbs 13:20 tells us that we are influenced by those with whom we associate. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”

We are to flee the foolish and wicked and run in the direction of understanding and Yahuah’s wisdom. No matter how hard we try to reason with foolish friends or associates, they will not listen to reason (they only believe what they want to believe) and therefore we cannot influence them to do what is right; they will only bring us down if we continue to fellowship with them.

Proverbs 9:6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 9:7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. 9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

We see this everywhere in the world. Our leaders are foolish, our counselors and “wise” men are foolish, our educators are foolish, Hollywood entertainers are foolish, and the governments of men are foolish and run by fools.

Isaiah 3:1 For, behold, Yahuah, the Master of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water. 3:2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, 3:3 The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

Prudence is avoiding those who promote evil and sin and by so doing, we can avoid much trouble and heartache in this life.

Being diligent in life and working hard has its own rewards and benefits as opposed to those who live foolishly. Solomon contrasts the reward of the diligent (those who are wise) to the reward of those who are wicked (foolish).

Proverbs 10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

There are many people in the world who are highly intelligent and are very prudent in managing, organizing, inventing, coming up with innovative solutions to man’s problems. The modern world is full of technological conveniences and inventions that most of humanity down through the ages could only dream of. But with all of our inventions and sophisticated technology is the world really a better place? Of course not! We are just as evil as ever and the problems of the world are only increasing. It is because the people of the world do not have godly wisdom, they have no prudence; there are many who are geniuses at material things but still fools when it comes to the way they live their lives.

There are great scholars and teachers who have written volumes of commentary on the Bible and are familiar with every Scripture and yet when it comes to doing what Yahuah says in the Bible they cannot put two and two together to come up with logical conclusions. The most learned Bible scholars know the Scriptures that say we are not to worship other elohims and how we are not to worship Yahuah in the manner that unbelievers worship their false elohims, and yet they still refuse to do as Yahuah says in His Word.

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other elohims before me.

Deuteronomy 12:29 When Yahuah shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their elohims, saying, How did these nations serve their elohims? even so will I do likewise. 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto Yahuah: for every abomination to Yahuah, which he hateth, have they done unto their elohims; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their elohims. 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith Yahuah, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, Yahuah shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: .

1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Many people down through the ages who claim to be Christians and say that the Bible is their guide, have read these admonitions from Yahuah’s Word and may even have them memorized; and yet they cannot see that it is an abomination to keep the pagan holidays with all their pagan traditions; or to change Yahuah’s Sabbath day and His High Days to another day; or to set up and worship statues or pictures of “Christ”; or to set men up as if they are Elohim and then obey them rather than the true Elohim, Yahuah our Creator.

What is wrong with this picture? It is because they are not being called yet, they do not have Yahuah’s set-apart spirit to enlighten their minds to see logic. The whole world lacks true wisdom. Spiritual wisdom and prudence, knowing how to apply Yahuah’s laws and principles, is a precious gift from Yahuah given through the power of the set-apart spirit to His called out ones who are faithful in obeying all that He says in His Word.

2 Timothy 1:7 For Yahuah hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

One way we show prudence in good judgment is in our behavior and how we conduct our day-to-day affairs. When we are wise in this way, we will take stock of every aspect of our lives and take the necessary steps to bring all aspects into alignment with what Yahuah says is right and prudent. We exemplify prudence by living and conducting our affairs according to Yahuah’s ways, whether it be in our families, our other relationships, our finances, our health, the workplace, etc., i.e. striving to be good stewards in everything we do.

Prudence makes it possible to see that all of our actions have consequences whether for good or for bad, therefore we think ahead of what the consequences will be for certain actions or lack of action and then prepare or decide accordingly; at the same time seeking Yahuah’s guidance and insight to lead us in ways that are best.

Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Luke 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? 14:32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.

Matthew 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his master when he cometh shall find so doing. 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My master delayeth his coming; 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 24:50 The master of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (See also Matthew 25:14-30)

Overcoming Our Own Foolishness

Are followers of Yahusha immune from folly? Absolutely not, for we all were fools and acted foolishly until Yahuah began to call us; and even then, we must realize that it is a life-long process to come out from our folly and begin to live prudently. We are Yahuah’s “children under construction” and are in the process of learning wisdom; it takes a lifetime to take on the full wisdom of Yahuah.  It takes constant conscientious, diligent effort to forsake our foolishness and still we all make foolish mistakes from time to time. But we are to learn from them, repent, get up again and move on (that also is prudence); in this way we learn wisdom from our experiences and from our mistakes and apply that wisdom to our actions going forward.

But if we are not careful even those called of Yahuah can revert to foolishness if they are not seeking Yahuah and striving to live by His every Word. We must be continually growing int the grace and knowledge of our Creator; overcoming, studying Yahuah’s Word and being in constant prayer to keep from drifting and from becoming lukewarm.

The Laodicean in his heart says that “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelation 3:17) which is saying “I am rich and increased spiritually, I do not need to grow anymore, or learn any more truth, or be diligent to overcome and grow. I have all I need and do not need to put forth any more effort to see where I still lack and then change accordingly.

Laodiceanism starts in the heart, it is a heart condition for the Laodicean says in his mind: “I am in need of nothing, (not even Yahuah to further guide me and teach me)”. This sounds somewhat like Psalm 14:1 “The fools says in his heart that there is no Elohim”.

This is a very dangerous place to be. Forsake the folly of seeking the things of this world more than the things of Yahuah; forsake the attitude of going to services only to be a part of a social club and to belong to organizations but rather seek an intimate one-on-one relationship with our Father and His Son, our Messiah.

Prudence is recognizing where we may be compromising or becoming lukewarm. Come out from the Laodicean attitude, come out from anyone who misleads and want to take advantage of you. The apostle Paul had this to say about being unequally yoked with unbelievers (those who say in their hearts there is no Yahuah) who teach and say with their actions (their examples) that “we do not need to zealously obey Yahuah and all of His laws and ordinances the way He says to keep them. We do not need to examine ourselves any further to see if we are in error in any area of our lives”.

2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 6:15 And what concord hath Yahusha with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of Yahuah with idols? for ye are the temple of the living Yahuah; as Yahuah hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith Yahuah, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith Yahuah Almighty.

Yahuah wants us to come out from those who have forsaken Him; those who refuse to give up their foolishness, meaning that they do not live as if Yahuah really mattered and they are living as the world lives even though they profess to be followers of Yahusha. Is that not the state of the Laodicean? Was this not the condition of the people in Elijah’s day?

1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if Yahuah be Elohim, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

The opposite of Laodicean is to be zealous, to be on fire for the things of Yahuah and seeking after the Wisdom of Yahuah which is also the Spirit of Truth. Ask Yahuah to lead you into all truth.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

The fear of Yahuah and Prudence are intertwined, you cannot have one without the other which we will see is the case with all seven of the pillars of wisdom as we go along. It is prudent to listen to the voice of Wisdom; prudence is to put into practice the things that wisdom tells us to do, for it is really the Voice of Yahuah that is crying out to us. Yahusha is knocking at our doors wanting to come in to be the center of our lives and to be the object of our devotion.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Then read what Solomon has to say in his Book of Proverbs about wisdom. This was a message to the people in Solomon’s day and it is a message to Yahuah’s people down through the ages; it is also a very relevant warning to those living in the end times!

Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: 1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, 1:22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of Yahuah:

Proverbs 1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

If we are not diligent to purge out foolishness which is sin, even a little bit will affect our entire character. Even a little bit of foolishness if left unchecked can affect the entire ekklesia which it is doing as we witness the condition that the ekklesia is in today.

Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Messiah our passover is sacrificed for us: 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

As we seek to come out from the sinfulness of this world we come to see that foolishness is sin, it is turning our back on Yahuah’s wisdom and it is something that we need to purge from our lives for folly and foolishness is at the very heart of sin.

Future Priests and Kings Will Rule With Wisdom and Prudence

Yahuah wants intelligent capable kings and priests who know how to make sound decisions, who can rule those placed under their jurisdiction wisely and with prudence; He is molding and fashioning children for the Kingdom who are problem solvers, not problem makers. There will be no fools ruling in the soon coming Kingdom of Yahuah.

Yahuah’s people must seek after wisdom in all its facets in their training to become leaders for Yahuah. As we see, exercising prudence is self-restraint, foresight, and sound judgment and this must be engraved into our very character. If we have Yahuah’s gift of prudence it will overflow into all aspects of our lives and in everything we do and it will therefore be made evident to others and we will be examples for those others.

Wisdom and Prudence are always together, they act as one, and they always express themselves in the exercise of one’s thoughts, reason, and self-control. A prudent person is discreet, gentle, and courteous; never rude, brash, coarse or blunt. In this way a prudent person expresses the “fear of Yahuah” for as we learned last week; “the fear of Yahuah is to hate evil, pride, arrogancy, the evil way, and the froward mouth.” (Proverbs 8:13) Prudence expresses Yahuah’s love for it embodies Yahuah’s love and wisdom in action.

If we see that we may be lacking (and all of us need to be continually growing in wisdom and prudence) we can ask of Yahuah to give us sound judgment and prudence in all things.

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

The apostle James tells us that if we lack wisdom (which includes prudence), we should ask Yahuah for it. It is Yahuah’s desire that we all possess wisdom, and He is the source we should run to receive it.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Yahuah, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

When we face a problem or a trial of any kind we need to run to Yahuah first and then ask Him to help us; to show us what we may need to correct in our lives and then ask Him to give us the faith and the wisdom to know how to handle the problem. If we are sincerely seeking Him and living for Him in our lives, He will provide the necessary wisdom and show us what we need to do as our part and then He will do His part.

If we step out in faith to do Yahuah’s will, He will show us the path that we need to take. He will provide the means to enable us to have the wisdom we need to handle a bad situation and He will make things work out for good; perhaps not in the moment or the day, year, etc, but eventually it will work out for the good if we do things His way and not according to our own carnal means. (Romans 8:28)

Keeping the whole big picture in mind is also wisdom for sometimes it may seem like things are not working out so well in this life no matter what we do. But Yahuah gives us many promises in His Word that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Psalm 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahuah, that he might be glorified.

Prudence is the practical application of Yahuah’s laws and it is part of our spiritual warfare. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but principalities in high places. These principalities are very intelligent, very calculating and cunning but Yahuah gives to His followers the wisdom to discern them and then out-maneuver them by looking to Yahuah and by keeping His commandments.

Proverbs 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of Yahuah, and find the knowledge of Yahuah. 2:6 For Yahuah giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in Yahuah with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear Yahuah, and depart from evil. 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

“…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Prudence means shrewdness and sound judgment and it protects us from being misled by deceivers and to see through false teachers and con-men. As stated before, Yahusha taught His disciples the principle of being prudent; that they must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

“To be as wise as serpents”; many of Solomon’s proverbs teach us that we cannot afford to be naive and gullible. As we go through life we do make mistakes because of ignorance and naivety, but we are to get back up and learn from our mistakes and in this way we will grow in the wisdom of how to avoid the pitfalls we encounter in our journey of life; this is the main reason why we need prudence, so that we can discriminate between truth and error and then do what is right with Yahuah’s help. We need to be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves to avoid being ensnared by the wiles of the devil. We cannot afford to stay naive forever if we want to live and rule with Yahusha in His kingdom.

Yahuah the Father calls those whom He wants for His children and He wants them to endure and overcome in this life in order to become part of the chosen who will be raised to be His Bride, collectively the ones who will serve as kings and priests in His kingdom. They will hold responsible offices for all of eternity and Yahuah must be absolutely certain of their love and fidelity to Him and that He can trust them to guard and to keep those things placed under their responsibility.

For those Yahuah is calling now, our physical lives are a time of intense training and proving. If we are vigilant to exercise diligence and prudence now in all that Yahuah has given to us to rule (be stewards of) then we will have proved to Him that we will be righteous and wise/prudent kings and priests in the offices that will have immense responsibility over the people and over the rest of Yahuah’s creation.

There will be no politicking, no campaigns, no elections of leaders in Yahuah’s Kingdom. There will be no in-fighting nor filibusters, protests, or riots because certain ones are not getting their way or getting their favorite candidate in the Kingdom of Yahuah. Just think how refreshing that is going to be.

We are quietly and unceremoniously qualifying now for the job that Yahuah has picked out for us. He is watching us as we live out our day-to-day lives to see if we are exercising His wisdom. Prudence is a huge part of applying the wisdom of Yahuah in the way we conduct ourselves and how we manage all things whether they be material or spiritual. He is also noting our priorities for that too is a part of prudence. In the following passage Paul teaches us about Prudence and what it entails:

Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly [prudently], not as fools, but as wise,  5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of Yahuah is.

A more modern rendition of this admonishment is:

Ephesians 5:15Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people],  5:16 making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil.  5:17 Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of Yahuah is”. AMP

Solomon talks about the preeminence of Wisdom when he tells us that: “Wisdom is the principal thing” (Proverbs 4:7). Principal here means first in time, place, order, and rank. Solomon also says that wisdom was with Yahuah from the beginning. Wisdom works in concert with the preordained and divine laws of Yahuah; those who are seeking Yahuah’s wisdom and are striving to live accordingly, will be examples and teachers for others; but those who choose to live as fools will die because they refuse to live by the wisdom of Yahuah.

Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

This means that those who seek after wisdom will live and (unrepentant) fools will die (the soul that sinneth it shall die). No wonder Solomon says that wisdom is the principle thing.

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Yahuah desires that His spiritual children walk in wisdom, to be able to think for themselves, to discern what is right in Yahuah’s eyes; to see through problems and choose wise solutions to those problems. He does not want robots in His kingdom who only do what they are told or what has been pre-programmed into them from outside forces. He does not want children that blindly follow others who are blind. But He wants real leaders who choose what is right from the heart because they believe and know with all of their being that Yahuah’s ways are right; that incorporating the wisdom and righteousness of Yahuah into everything we think, say and do is noble, sensible, makes sense will ultimately bring blessings and what is best to all.

When Yahuah’s children know the plan of salvation and Yahuah’s purpose for humanity and want it entails for themselves and others, they will be motivated with a sense of mission, moving one beyond self-interest to concern for others. They will endeavor to have good relationships with all people as much as possible and they will act for the common good of all people including those who are not called at this time.

As we live in this world and gain experience from our own mistakes and in seeing the mistakes of others, we come to understand the dynamics of the world and the people in it; this helps us to learn the importance of exercising prudence in all that we do. Pairing that understanding with a knowledge of godly principles inherent in the teachings of Yahusha the Messiah, enables us then to take appropriate actions to seek the best for all those we come into contact with; we will naturally have a passionate desire to help Him to fulfill His plan for all humanity.

Our daily actions of practicing the virtue of prudence are very likely to be seen as very small steps. Sometimes it seems as if we are hardly making any impact at all on those around us and those in the world. But if we are living for excellence and walking in wisdom, small steps accumulate over time and give rise to bigger accomplishments in the end; do not become discouraged for we are working for the coming Kingdom of Yahuah at which time Yahusha King of kings will reign supreme over all the earth and cover it with His righteousness.

Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The people of Yahuah are called to speak up for the truth and to take a stand for the Gospel. A prudent person carefully chooses the proper time, place, and manner in which to teach or preach the truth. The ways to do this are chosen with care based on sound knowledge of the people and their circumstances along with the wisdom that Yahuah gives to us based on solid godly principles. That leads then to Yahusha’s commission which He has tasked all of His disciples to fulfill.

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

There is so much meaning packed within just this one word: PRUDENCE. No wonder it is one of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and if we incorporate within our heart and our character the very core essence of the wisdom of Yahuah, we, too, will someday be call pillars in the Temple of Yahuah. (Revelation  3:12)

And finally, the Bible has this to say about the importance of being wise and prudent:

Hosea 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of Yahuah are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

PRUDENCE brings together wisdom, practicality, and a sensible approach as we seek to be lights for Yahuah in an ever darkening world. But it is not going to be dark for very long! Yahuah’s restoration is coming.

Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of Yahuah are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Belleange

   All Scripture quotes are from the King James Version of the Bible (with the real names of Yahuah and Yahusha used in place of titles) unless otherwise stated.