“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;
They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,
Verse 28 reveals another striking reversal; in contrast to verses 20–24 where Wisdom openly called out to the people, offering her instruction to anyone willing to listen, now Wisdom will not respond. After experiencing the calamity and distress described in verses 26–27, the people at the gate and in the market finally begin to seek Wisdom. It is only after rejecting Wisdom, following their own desires, and suffering the consequences of their decisions that they recognize their need for her. When Wisdom was freely available, they had no interest in listening. Now, when they desperately need her, they seek her diligently, but she will not be found.
The people did not desire Wisdom’s instruction when it required them to change their behavior. They wanted to continue along their chosen path without correction. It is only when that path leads to suffering that they begin to appreciate what they previously rejected. This suggests that their newfound desire for Wisdom may be motivated more by a desire to escape the consequences of their foolishness than by a genuine desire to become wise. The irony is that Wisdom had already offered them the very instruction they now desperately seek. They rejected her when they had the opportunity to listen, and now they cannot escape the consequences of that rejection. The passage illustrates the danger of treating wisdom as something to seek only when life becomes difficult, rather than something that should guide our decisions before those difficulties arise.
Leave a Reply