The Spirit of Wisdom vs. The Spirit of Revelation — Knowing God and His Economy

 

The Spirit of Wisdom vs. The Spirit of Revelation — Knowing God and His Economy

Ephesians 1:17 May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him fully;

Ephesians 3:3 that I have been made aware of this mystery by revelation, as I briefly wrote before,

Ephesians 3:4 by reading it you will understand all that I have learned about the mystery of Christ,

Ephesians 3:5 which was not made known to the children of men in other ages as it is now revealed in the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets; 

Item	The Spirit of Wisdom	The Spirit of Revelation
Meaning	The spiritual capacity in our regenerated, mingled spirit to apprehend and understand divine things	God’s Spirit unveiling the veil so that we may see the visions of God’s mysteries
Reason	God grants us a spirit of wisdom to know Him and His mysteries	God initiates revelation according to His will and economy
Spiritual Source	Emphasis on our regenerated human spirit with the indwelling Spirit	Emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s revealing work
Metaphor	An engineer’s accumulated knowledge of machines	The factory door suddenly opening to show all the machines
Function	Enables comprehension, discernment, and understanding	Enables seeing, vision, and divine light
Explanation	Wisdom is deeper than cleverness and resides mainly in the spirit, not the mind	Revelation means unveiling, removing the veil
Relation to the Mind	Not mental sharpness, but spiritual sensitivity	Not reasoning, but divine disclosure
Result	Ability to understand what God reveals	Ability to see God’s mysteries and visions
Mutual Relationship	Without wisdom, revelation cannot be understood	Without revelation, wisdom has nothing to interpret
Condition When Lacking	Wisdom without an open door—nothing is seen	An open door without wisdom—nothing is understood
Complete Experience	Wisdom enables understanding	Revelation enables seeing
Example (Positive)	An uneducated elderly sister rich in spiritual wisdom	She quickly grasps spiritual matters
Example (Negative)	A clever businessman with little spiritual wisdom	He hears truth but cannot perceive its reality
Practical Application	Turn to the spirit, not mere mental analysis	Pray and wait for God to unveil
Spiritual Burden	Not knowledge, but wisdom in the spirit	Not novelty, but divine vision
Prophesying Guidance	“Lord, grant me wisdom in my spirit to know You.”	“Lord, unveil the veil so that I may see You.”
Conclusion	Without wisdom, God’s mysteries cannot be understood	Without revelation, God’s economy cannot be entered
Overall Conclusion	Wisdom enables understanding	Revelation enables seeing
Related Scriptures	Eph. 1:17; 1 Cor. 2:6–14	Eph. 1:17; Eph. 3:3–5; Matt. 16:17; 2 Cor. 3:16

 

One Integrated Prophesying Summary:

“Wisdom enables me to understand in my spirit, and revelation enables me to see in divine light; together they bring me into the true knowledge of God and His economy.”

 

*Please refer to Ephesians Life-Study, Chapter Fourteen: The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, and Our Heart's Eye.