Wisdom

Solomon's Wealth and Wisdom, from a Bible card published 1896 by the Providence Lithograph Company

Solomon pretty well understood wisdom.  He requested it, and God said he would receive it.  We have examples where he utilized it.  And good examples where he describes it:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. [Psalms 111:10 KJV]
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. [Proverbs 1:7 KJV]
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. [Proverbs 9:10 KJV]

Once we have that fear of the Lord, we have the wisdom to understand why He so often tells us "Fear not." The Bible first gives it to us when God spoke to Abram.

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. [Genesis 15:1 KJV]

Its last use is Christ speaking to John:

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: [Revelation 1:17 KJV]

I had an atheist write to me once that it must be terrible to live always fearing someone; that a threatening God was not what he was looking for and he would retain both freedom and happiness without God's intervention.  To so many, it is a mystery.  Even theologians had difficulty explaining God's teaching.  One trained in the ways of the Pharisees came to Jesus, asked questions, did not understand and asked a question people ask today:

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? [John 3:9 KJV]

Christ expected him to know:

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? [John 3:10 KJV]

Christ came speaking of prophecy and scriptures that had been studied for centuries.  These were the earthly basis for what He came to fulfill.  Yet He knew what would happen.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? [John 3:11-12 KJV]

If we are still arguing over earthly things, fearing God without understanding why He has removed fear from our future, how can we possibly understand heavenly things, which will last much, much longer?