Word of Wisdom
Like the other spiritual gifts or manifestations listed in I Corinthians 12, the word of wisdom is supernatural. It is a supernatural revelation by the Spirit of God concerning the divine purpose in the mind and will of God or events in the future. The difference between the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge is that the revelation that is the word of knowledge always pertains to present or past facts while the word of wisdom always speaks of the future.
Significantly, the word of wisdom is not deep insight into scriptures. If that were so, then it would be exceedingly difficult to differentiate between a Sunday school teacher who interprets a certain passage a certain way and a long-experienced Bible expositor who has a different interpretation. Insight into scriptures is seen in Joshua 1:8 and 2 Timothy 2:15 where believers are commanded to study and meditate on the Word. Solomon’s wisdom was in the vein of this wisdom, not the word of wisdom.
In Jude 14, we see the word of wisdom with Enoch. Enoch prophesied about the coming of the Lord “with ten thousands of his saints.” When Enoch lived, no amount of study could have revealed this fact to Enoch. It was a divine revelation of future events in the plans and purposes of God. We have a similar account in the life of Joseph. Early in his boyhood, Joseph had a dream where he saw his brothers bowing down to him even though he was the youngest son. Later on we see that Joseph was appointed prime minister over Egypt and his brothers were subject to his rule.
One interesting thing about this gift is that it can be conditional. In 2 Kings 20, King Hezekiah was sick unto death and a word of wisdom came through the prophet, Isaiah, that he would die and to get his house in order. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, asking for forgiveness. While Isaiah was in the middle court of the king’s palace, the Lord spoke to him and told him to go back to Hezekiah and tell him that, because of his prayer, the Lord would add fifteen years to his life. We see the same type of thing in Acts 27 where the apostle Paul perceived that the ship and crew would be lost to a storm. When the storm came, Paul went to pray and received a word of wisdom that the ship would indeed be lost, but everyone in the crew would make it to safety.
Many believe that this gift has passed away with the apostles. It is a shame that they do because it provides us with such benefit. Years ago, a relative of mine was traveling and went to a church she had never been in before. She seated herself in the upper balconey and was altogether anonymous. During the service, the minister stopped and looked up to the balconey and said that the Lord had a word for a woman. She didn’t think it was her so she didn’t move. After a few moments, he actually called out her first name. It was her so she went down to the front. The minister cried and said to her, “I don’t know what it is that you are about to go through, but the Lord says that you are to remember that He is with you and you should trust Him.” (paraphrase). About a year later, her son died. This word of wisdom was a constant comfort to her through her grief.