Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5760 Human attitudes and behaviour » 5779 advice
Counsel is essential for gaining wisdom, though human advice is not always reliable. God's advice is necessary and trustworthy for guidance in life.
Human advice
A wise person seeks advice from others
Proverbs 12:15 See also Proverbs 11:14; Proverbs 13:10; Proverbs 15:12,22; Proverbs 19:20; Proverbs 24:6; Proverbs 27:9; Ecclesiastes 4:13
Rejecting good advice can lead to disaster
Proverbs 1:30-31 See also 1 Kings 12:8 pp 2 Chronicles 10:8; 1 Kings 12:13-15 pp 2 Chronicles 10:13-15; Proverbs 1:25-26; Jeremiah 18:18; Acts 27:11
Human advice can have unseen dangers
Proverbs 12:5 See also Job 21:16; Psalm 1:1; Isaiah 19:11; Ezekiel 11:2
Examples of good human advice
Exodus 18:17-24 Jethro; 2 Samuel 17:5-16 Hushai
Persian experts:
Esther 1:13-22; Esther 2:1-4 Daniel 4:27 Daniel; Acts 5:38 Gamaliel; 2 Corinthians 8:10 Paul
Examples of bad human advice
Numbers 31:15-16 Balaam
Ahithophel:
2 Samuel 15:31-34; Samuel 16:20-23; Samuel 17:1-4,21-23 1 Kings 12:28 Jeroboam; Isaiah 19:11 Egyptian advisers
Seeking advice from false gods is futile
Leviticus 19:31 See also Deuteronomy 18:14; 2 Chronicles 25:15-16; Isaiah 19:3; Isaiah 41:28-29; Isaiah 47:12-13
God needs no-one to advise him
Isaiah 40:13-14 See also Job 12:13; Proverbs 8:14; Isaiah 28:29
God gives advice
To his people
Psalm 32:8 See also Psalm 16:7; Psalm 73:24; Revelation 3:18
Through Jesus Christ and his Spirit
Isaiah 11:2 See also Isaiah 9:6; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:13
Through his word
2 Timothy 3:16
God frustrates bad advice
1 Corinthians 1:19 See also 2 Samuel 17:14; Psalm 33:10
Examples of receiving God's advice
David:
1 Samuel 23:1-4; 2 Samuel 2:1
Jehoshaphat:
1 Kings 22:5 pp 2 Chronicles 18:4
Examples of rejecting God's advice
Job:
Job 38:2; Job 42:2-3
Israel:
Psalm 106:13; Psalm 107:11
See also
1180 God, wisdom of 3130 Holy Spirit, Counsellor 3263 Holy Spirit, guidance 5780 advisers 6145 deceit 8124 guidance 8361 wisdom 8408 decision-making 8412 decisions
