Do you happen to recall the riddle from decades ago, “What’s black and white, and read all over?” If one were to just hear this question and not read it, you might think that it pertained to the color red as opposed to the verb read. No wonder the English language is so hard to learn! I was given a prophetic vision recently which bore the hot-off-the press newspaper headlines, “Forsake Foolishness And Live!” This was after I’d been hearing the phrase off and on for about the past month.
Scene #1:
In this prophetic vision, there were countless newspapers rolling off a large press. It was sort of like those old movie reels from the 1940s and 1950s showing major announcements during a time frame in which people read more daily papers than they do now.
The verbiage, “Forsake foolishness and live” comes from Proverbs 9:1-6.
“Wisdom has built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
She has slaughtered her meat,
She has mixed her wine,
She has also furnished her table.
She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
‘Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!’
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
‘Come, eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.’”
Proverbs Chapter 9 makes a stark contrast between the way of wisdom and the way of folly. There are other means this could be interpreted such as the narrow path of life and the broad path of destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).
Has mankind always needed wisdom? Well, of course! It’s readily apparent from this vision that the clarion call is louder now than ever before. In reading the above verses, it’s as if wisdom has a voice which we can hear. This is why it’s so important for all of us to evaluate who and/or what we are listening to on a daily basis. The symbolisms for newspaper are God’s word, headlines, public exposure, gossip or listening to the world. The urgent invitation is to shut out the white noise from the world, press in, and hear wisdom’s voice. She has a heavenly frequency all her own. Have you heard it?
In my case, for the past 2-3 months I’d posed a question to the Lord requiring much wisdom. As I was waiting on Him for a response, I began to repeatedly hear “Forsake foolishness and live.” I guess you could say I received His definitive response. There was no guesswork involved after that.
Pray and ask God to help you hear wisdom’s voice. There are many ways that He speaks whether through dreams, visions, a distinct impression made upon our mind or spirit, or supernaturally deposited within our heart (Nehemiah 7:5) or spirit, a prophetic word spoken through a fellow believer, a passage of scripture, songs, or a prophetic sign such as Jonah on the ship before he was swallowed by the whale. (Jonah 1:1-17)
In addition, you can hear an audible voice according to Isaiah 30:21,
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,
‘This is the way, walk in it,’
Whenever you turn to the right hand
Or whenever you turn to the left.”
Companion verses to Isaiah 30:21 are Psalm 143:8 and Proverbs 2:6.
The Holy Spirit gives gifts of words of knowledge and wisdom when needed. (1 Corinthians 12:8) It’s fine and dandy to have knowledge, but wisdom to know what to do with it is paramount as well. Matthew 7:7-11 guarantees that God will answer when we seek Him.
Scene #2:
In the next scene of the vision, I saw four footsteps in the snow walking forward and 11 walking backwards. Since they appeared in snow, I deem this is a “Now Word” since we’re in winter.
https://sheilaeismann.com/seek-the-lost/
Four is symbolic of worldwide, creation, universal and an open door. These steps would appear to be walking forward in wisdom and understanding.
Eleven represents judgment, disorder, disintegration, and incompleteness which would signal walking backwards due to lack of wisdom and choosing foolishness.
Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you made a decision which seemed to gain forward momentum only to discover it was an unwise choice, so you went twice as far backwards and lost ground? If so, when was it, and what did you learn from it?
There’s an inherent warning within these verses from Proverbs that if we want to live, we must forsake foolishness. Yes, we can live without wisdom, but can we really live our lives to the fullest extent and fulfill our God-given destiny? Foolishness can also lead to eternal death as opposed to eternal life in heaven with Jesus our Lord and Savior. Within the scripture passage, it’s almost like wisdom is asking us to make a vow with her not unlike a marriage vow which goes something along the lines of, “forsaking all others and pledging myself to you for as long as we both shall live.” In a sense, would you rather be married to wisdom or foolishness?
The Bible has SO much to say about the subject of wisdom that it’s definitely a challenge to keep it short within a weekly blog post. Since the newspaper headlines read the way they did, one can infer that something must be done after the forsaking. The instruction appears in the next line which is to go in the way of understanding. A person can have understanding and knowledge, but without wisdom, sometimes we don’t know how to apply it or what to do with it.
https://sheilaeismann.com/heart-of-wisdom/
Why do you think that the vision manifested as words in a newspaper headline as opposed to on the internet or mobile phone or audibly heard on the radio?
The importance of discerning the different types of wisdom:
Thankfully, the apostle James instructs us regarding this all-important matter in James 3:13-18. Basically, there are two categories. We can tell the difference by the fruit which is produced.
#1. Demonic or earthly wisdom yields bitter envy, self-seeking, boasting, lying, confusion, and every evil thing. The words “every evil thing” would entail quite a bit. Ponder that for a short while.
#2. Heavenly wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy, and yields works done in meekness (Godly strength). Godly wisdom is not how to gain the things of the world as we’re to be storing up treasures in heaven. (Matthew 6:19-21)
As the ol’ saying goes, “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out!”
Prophetic insights for daily living:
- Assess your life today. In which area do you need wisdom?
- Pray and ask God for spiritual and practical help.
- Record and act upon exactly what He shows you to do.
- He will be faithful to send you confirmation of His leading and instructions. Be on the look out for them as they sometimes surface when and where we least expect them.
- Go back later, and review this to see how He answers and delivers.
- Purpose in your heart to do a topical Bible study on the subject. For example, if you need wisdom regarding finances, drill down on what the word of God has to say. With respect to money matters, The Bible has more than 2,350 verses dealing with money, property and related matters. https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/c21a6153/files/uploaded/250BibleVersesAboutMoney.pdf
- Walking in and exercising wisdom is like daily exercise. It’s not a one-and-done sort of thing. It needs to become a healthy, lifetime habit.
- If we’ve been foolish in any areas of our lives, it’s never too late to change course and go in the way of understanding. Inherent within wisdom is healing, forgiveness, restoration, redemption, and mercy.
- Faith without good works is dead (James 2:14-17). Are you willing to lend a helping hand to someone who needs to forsake foolishness and find wisdom? If you’ve had a life experience where you’ve been foolish but later gained wisdom, are you willing to mentor or introduce someone to wisdom’s ways? Blessings will run both ways through the channel on that one.
Jesus said that wisdom is justified by all her children. (Luke 7:35) Ergo, I want wisdom to be my one of my spiritual mothers. I hope you do, too!
Sheila Eismann, Prophetic Seer, Blogger, Author & Teacher, publishes her weekly blog posts endeavoring to encourage others through God’s word. Her writings include teaching and instructions on how to apply prophetic insights for daily living. You can subscribe to receive new blog posts on her website at www.sheilaeismann.com.
Photo via Pixabay
