What does "the wisdom of the wise will perish" mean for today's believers? Setting the Context Isaiah 29:14: “Therefore I will again confound this people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, and the intelligence of the intelligent will be hidden.” Key Phrase in Scripture • Repeated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:19 to show that God opposes self-sufficient human reasoning. • Spoken originally to Judah, warning that relying on political alliances and human schemes would fail. What the Phrase Means • Human wisdom—apart from God—has an expiration date. • Intellectual brilliance that denies or ignores the Lord cannot stand before His sovereign plan. • God actively sees to it that such “wisdom” collapses, exposing its emptiness. Implications for Believers Today • Trusting academic prestige, cultural trends, or personal cleverness over Scripture is futile. • Eternal truth is found in Christ, “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). • The gospel’s simplicity confounds systems that elevate human pride (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). Practical Application • Measure every idea—philosophical, political, moral—against the plain teaching of the Bible. • Embrace dependence on the Holy Spirit for understanding (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). • Cultivate humility: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). • Reject any worldview that sidelines Christ, no matter how sophisticated it seems. Encouragement from Other Passages • Jeremiah 9:23-24—boasting in knowing the Lord surpasses all human accomplishments. • James 3:13-17—true wisdom is “first pure, then peaceable,” produced by godly character, not mere intellect. • Colossians 2:3—“In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” assuring believers that seeking Christ never leads to disappointment. The promise stands: worldly wisdom will perish, but those who cling to the Lord’s revealed Word remain secure forever (Isaiah 40:8). |
    |