I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I was a sophomore in college and on my first international trip over the Christmas break. I was part of a short-term missions team to Costa Rica. I know I know, roughing it in paradise for the sake of Jesus. Someone had to go right? This trip was memorable for me for many reasons, not to mention the tarantulas, iguanas, and sloths. But nothing compared to seeing the La Fortuna Waterfall, which is just outside the quaint town of La Fortuna. The massive (and active), cone-shaped Arenal volcano hovers over the town and the entire region. After a short 4-wheel drive or horse ride, you arrive at the trailhead that leads down 400 steps to the bottom of the waterfall.
As you descend, the air gets cooler, the steps more slippery, and the sound of water begins to billow up through the canopy. At a clearing, you catch a distant view of the waterfall. But then the steps begin to flatten out and you’re at the edge of a natural pool that is churning with the tropical waters cascading from 250 feet above. It’s difficult to hear because the roar of the water is so loud. The spray of the waterfall engulfs you. It’s simply amazing (so amazing that I’ve been back 3 more times).
In settings like this we can often be at a loss for words. Or in this case, I just laughed. “Oh my word! Wow!” My face was smiling from ear to ear trying to take it all in. Laughing. Delighting. Full of joy.
This is the same reaction we see of Wisdom before and during the creation of the universe. In Proverbs 3:13-20, one of four poems in which Lady Wisdom is personified–we are taught that “Yahweh by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.” In one of the other poems (Proverbs 8:1-36) this truth is expanded upon, highlighting four key principles for us today: 1) Wisdom is older than and fundamental to the universe; 2) Wisdom was by God’s side during creation; 3) Wisdom was God’s delight; and 4) Wisdom is needed in every aspect of life. I’m going to address these in three different posts.
Wisdom is older than and fundamental to the universe
Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God of Israel, is the One attributed in these texts with creating the universe. And He did so with Wisdom. It was “by wisdom” that Yahweh founded the earth (Prov.3:13). In fact, Wisdom was there alongside the Creator from the beginning, “set up” like a pillar to help watch over and superintend the entire process (Prov.8:23). The poem teaches us that Wisdom was there before there were any oceans, springs, mountains, hills, or fields. Even before “the first dust of the world”, a reference to Adam and humanity, Wisdom was involved in her excellent work. When God established the heavens, when He drew the horizon around the planet, when He firmed up the sky, assigned limits to the seas, and marked out the foundations of the earth–Wisdom was there.
Wisdom, as a first principle, is part of the very fabric of creation. The order, structure, and patterns in the cosmos all point to her presence. Wisdom is the ordering principle by which everything functions and doesn’t devolve into chaos. Think if earth was just miles closer to or further from the sun. Life, if existent, would be much different. God by Wisdom orders it all as one coherent system.
And the reality is, not a speck of matter came into existence but by Wisdom. Not one atom. Not one cell.
Take some time to just sit and think about this. Think about your waterfall moments. The Grand Canyon. The Milky Way. The Himalayas. The Great Barrier Reef. The mitochondria. Your DNA. Wisdom is there and where Wisdom is, there is great worth. Take some time to simply value Wisdom’s role in creating and sustaining the universe.
In part two we will consider who or what Wisdom was. Was Wisdom actually God’s first created entity? Was Wisdom a construct or an actual person? Is Proverbs 8 referring to Jesus Christ? All this and more in the next post.
Until then, check out www.wisdomcalling.org where you can learn more about the mission of Wisdom Calling, to order a copy of Volume I of the devotional series, listen to the podcast, or read previous posts. Feel free to reply to bobo@wisdomcalling.org with any questions or feedback.