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The Questions Continue

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Ecclesiastes 3:1 - 4:16

In the beginning of today's reading the king acknowledges that God has indeed placed everything in order according to His good will, but the king finds little comfort in that because to mankind everything is still a mystery.

In Ecclesiastes 3:18-21, the king's point is not that man is only an animal in the sight of God. It is that man must acknowledge that there is no obvious superiority in the position of man. Both he and the animals die. Neither has an advantage in their ability to change the world by their individual efforts. Neither can see beyond their own life and time. This adds support to the previous verses in which the king emphasizes the importance of God in the life of man.

In chapter 4 the writer grieves a life where the poor are not comforted, much the same as today. His words about those living, those dead, and those not born are somewhat strange to us, but his understanding of the afterlife was limited. God had not yet fully revealed the reality of heaven and hell to His people.

Chapter 4, verse 4 reflects a pretty poor view of why people toil, but it may be a reminder to us that while a democratic, capitalistic, form of culture is more successful than any other, we should always be aware that giving of ourselves and our resources for the good of all is a more important reason for toil than merely "keeping up with the Joneses". The king follows with examples that show how much more value is gained by sharing the burden as well as the wealth.

Chapters 3 and 4 certainly bring more hope than 1 and 2, but the author still closes with "This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (NIV)

Next Time: A Moment of Hope

Yet There Is Hope

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Ecclesiastes 1:1 - 2:26

Today we begin Ecclesiastes. Its moody atmosphere is found in other literature of the time from countries including Egypt. However the writings of those other nations did not contain a thread of hope. They did not know God; they had no hope other than themselves.

Did Solomon pen the book? His name is not mentioned, though the writer seems to be presenting the feelings of the great king of Israel, perhaps even the king's own words.

In chapter 1 a man seemingly in the midst of a bout of depression vents his feelings. Perhaps you have had days like his; days when nothing seems to matter, when one's efforts are obviously fruitless; days when it is too obvious that the world doesn't really change or even care and man seems able to do nothing of importance or value. Though not true, the feelings can be strong. His mood was not limited to his time and place. Some of you may remember a song from a few decades ago called "Dust in the Wind". One line from it was "all we are is dust in the wind".

To the king even contrasting folly and wisdom did not help. Unlike the message throughout Proverbs, the king comes to the conclusion that both the fool and the wise will end up dead and forgotten.

Finally we find a ray of hope at the end of chapter 2. There are the words acknowledging that God is the only bringer of joy to man.

Though Ecclesiastes is written in a specific form for a specific purpose, these chapters remind us of the hopelessness that even Christians can feel. However, the ray of hope, the true hope for our world, will continue to thread its way into the upcoming chapters.

The ultimate answer to the king's questions came in Christ, the One who delivers us from hopelessness and into the confidence that He really does care and He really does work in our lives, no matter how we may "feel" about it from time to time.

Next time: The Questions Continue     

Agur and Lemuel

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Proverbs 30:1 - 31:31

The last two chapters of Proverbs are a compilation of sayings from two men of whom we know nothing, though we do know that King Lemuel was not a king of Israel. That points up the fact that what we know of the Old Testament times and people is very limited. The Bible describes the "high points" of history. There were thousands of people that we know nothing about who were influential, wise, and important to their contemporaries. God inspired His editors of the many proverbs to include the writings of these two men just as He apparently inspired Solomon to include a few verses in his own compilation of proverbs that may have been penned originally in Egypt.

First Agur points out his own ignorance about God and lists some of the unanswerable questions in his soul. Then, in spite of the questions, he makes the abrupt statement that God's word is flawless and that God is the Lord of all (vs.4,5). Then he continues his questions. Isn't that where most of us find ourselves? There are always questions that we wish could be answered; there is always the desire that Jesus would physically come and sit beside us and answer our fears and doubts. But at the same time, we cling to the truth that God is our Lord and His love and mercy guard over us in all things.

Chapter 31 begins with the advice on living as a good king passed on to Lemuel by his mother. The last part of the chapter, and the conclusion to all of Proverbs, is a section devoted to the praise of "stay-at-home" moms and moms who work outside of the home all day and still choose to serve their families as well. The section ends "but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." God Himself chose to include this in His word because He is the loving and caring God of all of His people. As St. Paul said, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

Next time: Ecclesiastes

But…

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Proverbs 28:1 - 29:27

"But" recurs throughout these verses, indicating contrasts—"This is true in one situation, but this is true in another." These are antithetical verses—remember those grammar lessons?

Verse 8 of Proverbs 28 tells the fate of the man who "succeeds" in business by being unfair to those in his debt. (Interest rates in ancient times were as much as 25%.) He will lose his position to better men who treat their debtors more fairly.

Verse 9 demands that we consider the question of whether we can deliberately defy God's law and still confidently seek His answers through prayer.

Verse 21 refers to bribery, especially of court officers.

The last verse of chapter 29 points out the gap between righteousness and wickedness; good and evil; succumbing to sin versus resisting. The one cannot see the logic of the other. One is based in pride and self; the other in love and selflessness. The one who charges exorbitant interest rates cannot understand the man who charges less in order be fair to the debtor. That reality just doesn't make sense to him. The one who gossips cannot see the harm, nor can he see the hurt that he causes. To the evil one in 28:1 fear is a normal part of life, but the righteous man has no fear of retribution.

What is the answer to these comparisons for us? As we seek God every day, He will guide us in every decision. Seeking God takes away the self and replaces it with the desire to act as Christ would act. Without God's love and mercy in our lives we too would "detest" the upright. It is by His power that we are able to make the right choices, know the right things to say, respond correctly to our friends and families, and place the welfare of others above our own. We will not always succeed, but our God grants us grace and forgiveness each day, and renews our strength and determination to serve only Him.

Next time: Agur and Lemuel

    

How We Respond

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Proverbs 26:1 - 27:27

Proverbs 26 paints a series of pictures about the life of a fool and the trouble caused by him. So, what is a fool? The best definition according to these verses might be a person who refuses to seek wisdom; who relies only on himself and can see only himself; who arrogantly chooses to be contentious, one-way, or belligerent; who defies anyone to counter his desires or ideas; who refuses to consider reasonable options; who never thinks before speaking or acting; etc. While we all do or say foolish things at times, these passages speak of the person who makes a career of being foolish.

Proverbs 27:5-6 contain advice that most people find hard to accept, even though it is generally true. None of us expects rebuke, especially from friends on whom we depend for a smiling face and agreeing attitude, so our first response to a tone of rebuke is usually self-defense and anger. It's a natural response for us because of our sinful nature. The writer of these verses sends us a reminder to listen and consider what our true friends have to say. People who really love others will place themselves in the danger of receiving that knee-jerk response of anger in order to honestly confront a friend with words that they need to hear.

Verse 14 of chapter 27 sounds like it fits that modern adage of "Don't talk to me before my morning coffee!" Even the right words can sound harsh if the timing is poor. Verse 23 suggests the question of how a man receives praise. Is he arrogant and expectant? Is he humble and sharing?

Chapter 27 closes with advice on planning the base of one's business. The immediate crop or the day's receipts will not last forever. Better to concentrate on planning next year's soil, planting, buying, and merchandising. Then the needs of the day will continue to be met.     

Which of these short sayings struck you? Please feel free to comment!

Next time: But…

Character of the Righteous

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Proverbs 24:1 - 25:28

Knowledge, wisdom, guidance, understanding, many advisors—these are some of the things that a wise man values. The wise man cannot say that he did not know that there were people who needed his help. He has the tools of knowledge and the strength to do what is right. The righteous man can fall seven times and still rise up. ("Seven" was a number of totality or completion to the Jews, so Proverbs 24:16 means that the righteous can never be crushed.) He is not to rejoice when his enemy falls, because this reflects a lack of compassion for the lost. Finally, a righteous man will not join with those who rebel against God, but he will stand in awe and loyalty before his Lord. This is a short synopsis of Proverbs 24:1-22. This is what we can begin to become as we pursue the wisdom of God.

Did you note that the things most valued by the wise man are not material possessions? As useful and enjoyable as our toys and tools are, they should not be our life goals. Even that retirement fund that we spend so much time worrying about is not as valuable as understanding our friends and family and valuing their advice and love.

The rest of Proverbs 24 reflects some of the problems pervading Israel as the nation drifted from God. Dishonesty, bribery, false accusations, laziness, and a vengeful attitude continue to trouble us because most people still try to run their own lives without God's wisdom or direction. Most pursue their own wisdom—"How I get what I want is not important; it just matters that I get it."

Several verses in Proverbs 25 offer advice on relationships. Don't betray confidences; don't boast of pledges you do not honor; be patient and understanding as you try to persuade; show a hurting friend compassion; be a faithful friend in times of trouble; be kind to your enemies; spread the good news that you hear; and seek not your own honor.

Next time: How We Respond

Advice on Parenting

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Proverbs 22:1 - 23:35

Proverbs 22:6 pretty much debunks the attitude of some parents who profess that their children do not come to worship services, or perhaps Sunday School, because they (the parents or guardians) think that the children should be able to decide for themselves if they care to attend. Other parents get into the frustrating position of letting their children choose as many activities as they want, leaving the parents running from place to place every day to assure that the children get to "do it all". Neither of these situations is fair to parents or children. Kids don't come equipped to make their own decisions. Part of our job as parents is to "train" them in making wise and appropriate choices.

Proverbs 22:15 also speaks of the discipline of children. We live in an undisciplined culture and these verses can sound harsh to us. So, it's important to remember that God doesn't want us to beat our children. It's natural for us to associate "rod" with corporal punishment, but what God's word really speaks to is the appropriate training and disciplining of our children. While the laws concerning children could be overly harsh in all ancient cultures, we still need to recognize the call of Proverbs to be active parents who direct the growth of our children.

It's also important to read these proverbs in the context of the rest of Scripture. St. Paul, for instance, adds insight to Proverbs 22:6; 22:15; and 23:13-14 by stating that while children were not to provoke their fathers to anger, neither were fathers to provoke their children to anger. (Ephesians 6:1-4) Both parties need to act out of love and respect. Another thing to consider in these passages is that they were not originally written in English. Many Hebrew words are hard to adequately translate into English. One commentator, for instance, says that the word translated "folly" or "foolishness" in our bibles carried the idea of "arrogant, flippant, or hardened" which is a little different from our own concepts of "folly" or "foolishness".

Proverbs 22:13 cites some of the ridiculous excuses given by the "sluggard" for not participating in his own support—another thought that bears comparison to our own world.

Next time: Character of the Righteous

So True, So True

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Proverbs 20:1 - 21:31

Proverbs 20:9 is a proverb to remember. There are many pieces of great advice about living in Proverbs, and it can seem that all we need do is follow its advice in order to live a peaceful, contented life pleasing to God. The only problem is that we can't follow every proverb perfectly, and that can be discouraging. These encouragements in God's word are just that. Following them does lead us in the path of wisdom, but they are not meant to make up a legal procedure to master in order to please God. This verse again reveals the need for God's grace in the Old Testament; it reveals the author's knowledge that man cannot please God on his own. Jesus is the only "forever" answer to our need for perfection. Because of Him, we are perfect in our Father's eyes even in our imperfect and sinful lives.

Anyone who has ever worked in retail will appreciate 20:14. Proverbs has often chastised the dishonest businessman, and now we see that the buyer can also be a bit of a scoundrel.

Proverbs 20:22 reminds us that justice will come from God's work in our behalf. While God is always just, we are usually out to "get even" because our pride has been injured.

Proverbs 20:30 is best understood if we place it in the realm of God's authority and love. For instance, a few hundred years after this passage was written, God did lay a heavy hand of punishment on His beloved people. As we read through Kings and Chronicles it was clear that God spent hundreds of years trying to lovingly call His people back from rebellion. Even when their own stubbornness led to their downfall, God's love for them never wavered, even as He allowed their destruction. It was all done to draw them back to Him.

The last verse of today's reading emphasizes that we can plan and plan and plan, and that is good, but only if we never lose sight of the fact that only God can grant our plans success.

Next time: Advice on Parenting

Still True Today

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Proverbs 18:1 - 19:29

There is an old saying that may not have come from Proverbs, but is often applicable to some of the people in our lives. It goes, "My mind's made up; don't confuse me with the facts." That sounds a little like Proverbs 18:1,2. The louder an ignorant person shouts their opinion, the surer you can be that they have no idea what they are talking about.

In verse 8 the description of the words of a gossip as "choice morsels" doesn't imply approval. It simply means that they are sought after by most people and remembered.

Verse 11 doesn't chide all wealthy people, just those whose riches have become defense and counsel. Anything that replaces God as our giver of peace and confidence is only a snare drawing us away from Him. Verse 12 adds pride to wealth and verse 14 cites a man's own determination as another false base on which to build life.

Verse 17 still rings true today. Any team member with a great idea always hopes to be last to speak, knowing that his idea will be the freshest in the minds of the group and most likely to be enacted.

Many of our popular sayings originated in Proverbs. Proverbs 18:20-21 reminds one of several sayings that relate to "Eating my words". The tongue is a powerful tool and can be an adversary or a friend. Either way, we end up eating of its fruit.

Several verses in chapter 19 refer to the dangers in gathering many friends or much money. Neither is bad, but both can be dangerous to the unwise. The writer was probably Solomon, a king of much power and wealth. He knew from first hand experience that many so-called friends evaporated when difficult times came. He knew that many approached him not out of loyalty or concern, but out of their desire for financial gain. In Solomon's case, he could even be fairly certain that some of the "loyal" servants in his court would take his life if they thought it would bring them his throne.

The reference to a "slave" in 19:10 probably refers to qualifications rather than position in the class structure.

Next time: So True, So True

 

    

    

God is Active

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Proverbs 16:1 - 17:28

While all of Proverbs is devoted to defining a life pleasing to God, His name is also prominent in the early verses of today's passage. He appears nine times in verses 1-11, praised both for His actions and His character.

Proverbs 16:3. The Lord will make a righteous man's plans succeed when the righteous man has committed everything to the Lord, seeking His will and His plan. Striking out on a plan without consulting God in prayer may place us in situations God does not intend, and which He will not support because they could lead us away from Him. Verse 9 is related: God determines and guides the steps that we take in fulfilling the plans which are within His will. Congregations that succeed in ministry are not those with money, but those with the faith to seek God.

In verse 6, while we can atone for our actions or attitude in others' eyes by our own "love and faithfulness", our sin in God's eyes can only be atoned for by His love and faithfulness to us through Christ our Savior.

Verse 25 is a restatement of Proverbs 14:12, and is a general theme that runs through much of our reading. Seeking the wisdom of God guides a believer through life, but following his own way will lead any man to destruction. We see this in proverbs concerning cheating business owners, pursuers of foolishness, men with evil intent, women who tear down their own houses, false witnesses, the prideful, the lazy, the greedy, the hot-tempered, etc.

Proverbs 16:33 brings up an interesting practice of the times, lot-casting (a sort of dice toss). This was not gambling in the sense that people gamble at casinos today. It was not a game won by playing the odds, nor was it tossing a coin in the air to see which person had the better luck. Casting lots was a way to seek God's will and was always accompanied by prayers seeking God's guidance.

Chapter 17 is full of comparisons that remind one of today's world. How about verse 26? How many people known as "whistle-blowers" today have been punished by their corporations for their integrity? What thoughts do the comparisons in these two chapters bring to mind?

Next time: Still True Today