Week 34, August 18–24: Proverbs 24–31; Ecclesiastes 1–12; Psalms 102–106

• Sun      8/18     Prov 24–26     
• Mon     8/19     Prov 27–29      Psalm 102
• Tue      8/20     Prov 30–31      Psalm 103
• Wed     8/21     Eccles 1–4      Psalm 104
• Thu      8/22     Eccles 5–7      Psalm 105
• Fri        8/23     Eccles 8–10    Psalm 106
• Sat       8/24     Eccles 11–12 

We are finishing up with Proverbs this week. The book ends with a twenty-one verse poem exalting the virtues of an excellent wife, or a woman of noble character, as another translation puts it (Prov. 31:10–21). The lines in this passage follow an acrostic pattern, with each line or verse beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is a common literary feature in Hebrew poetry and occurs in several places throughout the Bible (Psalms 9–10, 119, etc.). It sets this final section of Proverbs apart as a distinct unit, closing out the book by pulling together some of the threads that have been running throughout Proverbs.

This poem about a virtuous woman is not just a list of qualities a woman or a wife should pursue, though that’s not necessarily a bad way to read it. At several points earlier in Proverbs, female characters have been used to personify different qualities. Wisdom, which is the major theme of Proverbs, is portrayed as a woman calling out to be sought and pursued (1:20-21; 3:13-18; 8:1-9:12). By contrast, lady folly also appears throughout the book, personified as someone trying to tempt those passing by towards foolishness (2:16-19; 5:1-6; 6:20-35; 7:1-27; 9:13-18). These literary features contribute to the overall argument of the book, which is urging us as readers to seek wisdom and enjoy the flourishing life that comes from fearing God and walking in the ways of wisdom.

The acrostic poem at the end of the book serves as a concluding summary of this theme. So while the poem can be seen as an example of a godly wife, it can also be applied more broadly as the tangible depiction of godly wisdom. In these final verses of the book, we are presented with a real-world example of wisdom in action. And as we’ve mentioned before, the book that follows right after Proverbs 31 in the Hebrew order of the Bible is Ruth. The only other occurrence of the phrase translated “excellent wife” in Proverbs 31:10 is in Ruth 3:11, where the ESV translates it “worthy woman.” This is how Boaz describes Ruth. As Proverbs 31 gives us a picture of what wisdom looks like in real life, the book of Ruth takes it a step even further and tells the story of a real person in history who feared the Lord, exemplified wise character, and played an important role in the lineage of the Messiah, Jesus.

Ecclesiastes comes next after Proverbs in our reading. This is an interesting book and one that speaks relevantly to our time. The book opens with an introduction to what follows. These are the words of the Preacher, or literally, the one who assembles (Eccl. 1:1). He is also introduced as the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Even though he’s not named explicitly, we are supposed to think of Solomon here, the one who assembled all Israel, spoke to the people, and led them in a prayer to the God of heaven after building the temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8).

Ecclesiastes presents a sort of counterpoint to Proverbs. In Proverbs Solomon says, essentially, if you live wisely, things will go well for you; and if you are foolish, there will be consequences. As we saw in our reading a few weeks ago, Job offers a nuanced perspective to that and reminds us that suffering is not always a result of sin or foolishness and we must be careful not to think we have the Lord and his ways figured out completely. Similarly, Ecclesiastes explores a different facet of wisdom and makes the point that in this life, “under the sun”, all things appear to be futile and meaningless, even seeking wisdom. There are certainly different perspectives in these three so-called wisdom books of the OT, but together they present a unified, though multifaceted, call to pursue the true kind of wisdom, the kind that begins with fearing the Lord and seeking the wisdom that comes from him (Job 28:28; Prov. 9:10; Eccl. 12:13–14).

One of the most often-repeated ideas in Ecclesiastes is the idea of what ESV translates as “vanity”. The Hebrew word is hebel (pronounced hevel) and it occurs 38 times in Ecclesiastes. It’s literal meaning is “vapor” or “breath” (Eccl. 3:19; Isa. 57:13) and elsewhere in the OT it is associated with idolatry, worshiping something that is basically nothing as if it is God (Deut. 32:21; Jer 14:22). In Ecclesiastes it conveys the idea of something that is meaningless, transitory, fleeting, or mysterious and hard to explain. It seems it can take on different nuances in Ecclesiastes depending on the context, but in general it describes things that give no real satisfaction or meaning in life.

The overarching message we are to get from reading Ecclesiastes may be summed up in this way: Life without God is a vapor, and fearing him is the only antidote to living a fleeting life that…

…is devoid of meaning

…ultimately produces no lasting profit under the sun

…lacks any kind of lasting satisfaction or pleasure

…fails to fulfill the purpose and duty of all humankind

…and is mysterious and impossible to understand.

To frame things more positively, the book of Ecclesiastes is a timely and poignant challenge to us. It urges is to respond to the realistic perspective the Preacher presents in three ways. First, we must recognize that we are mortal and that this life, under the sun, is not all there is. Second, we should enjoy this life as a gift from God even as we long for the next life. And third, we should fear the Lord, worshipping him as God and trusting him with our whole being.

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Eccl. 12:13–14)