by Andrea D. Hutchinson

Created on: October 10, 2009   Last Updated: January 31, 2010

Wisdom has been sought out by man since the deception of Eve in the garden of Eden. Man's desire for wisdom is encouraged (Pv8:10-11). Yet it has brought destruction when gained outside of God's instruction (Gen3:24).

Adam and Eve had everything they needed for life. They enjoyed the company of the Creator, our father. Wisdom was there for the taking each time they walked with God in the cool of the day (Genesis 3), displayed for them to see. They longed for nothing, then they were deceived into believing more could be had by taking what was forbidden.

The first written account of the quest for wisdom was in the garden. The serpent confused the truth and Eve succumbed to what could be described as the first fleshly desire. The original documented lie told in the bible brought the very first human desire for wisdom. The desire to be like God, in a sense (Gen4-6). A desire that seems to remain prevalent in man to this very day.

We see in verse 6, that Eve was persuaded to desire what she had been told was forbidden. Once her focus was turned and she was told she would not die, but rather God was withholding, from His creation, something to be desired. It was then she began to covet. Eve's focus was now her desire. Her desire to please her palate, to please her eyes and overall she desired to be wise, like God. And thus began the human quest for wisdom. A fleshly desire to be respected and admired, rather than to truly be wise. The first desire for wisdom was attained by sin. Yet wisdom was not attained, only knowledge of good and evil.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Ps111:10). True wisdom is found in humility. When one sees another as wise there is the implication of reverence. The fear of the LORD is not fear by worldly standards. Fear in this instance, translated from the Hebrew, means many things, from reverence and respect, to awe . So we see that this scripture says that respect for the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. When we respect or revere someone we tend to follow their lead or ways. Only when we revere the LORD will we attain the beginning of wisdom.

Proverbs 3 shines a different light upon one's understanding of Genesis 3. It conveys direction to attain Godly wisdom. The wisdom of God that leads one to health and happiness. Unlike the human wisdom that Adam and Eve attained on that fateful day.

We see in verses 13-18 that we are encouraged to desire wisdom as a thing of high value. Godly wisdom is to be desired. Eve's desire

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