Learn to study Old Testament wisdom and prophecy

Transcription

1 Learn to study Old Testament wisdom and prophecy Day 1: Understand wisdom literature Wisdom literature originates with Solomon, the traditional source of wisdom; to him Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes are attributed by the book's superscriptions. Read 1 Kings 4: Contrast Solomon's wisdom with that of the rest of the world. What principles does this contrast suggest for the relevance of wisdom literature and other biblical revelation today? "Wisdom" includes Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes; also Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) and the Wisdom of Solomon in the Apocrypha. Later rabbinic tradition included the Song of Songs as well.

2 The meaning of "wisdom": "Hokma" (the most common term for wisdom in the Old Testament) refers predominantly to an educated discipline or skillful performance in the world. The term can denote almost any acquired skill or learned craft, including an ability to wage war (Isaiah 10:13), tailor (Exodus 28:3), make cloth (Exodus 35:26), or perform political administration (Deuteronomy 34:9). It may also concern one's level of intelligence (Job 39:17). Wisdom is an attribute of God (Job 38:36), the acquisition of some famous persons, and a distinguishing asset of some nations. Wisdom literature s aim is to provide sound advice on how to act sensibly, how to succeed in life, how to avoid difficulties, and how to behave toward other people. Wisdom could be learned by those outside Israel, and was apparently taught outside the home as well as inside it (2 Chronicles 17:7-9). Wisdom literature is practical, not speculative. Its aim: to provide sound advice on how to act sensibly, how to succeed in life, how to avoid difficulties, and how to behave toward other people, especially high officials. It begins with the "fear of the Lord" (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7). Ecclesiastes represents "negative wisdom." Its central surface teaching is that life has no ultimate value (cf. 1:2). It describes life without God; thus 12:13-14 expresses the need for God. It serves as a negative argument for the necessity of faith in God. Read Ecclesiastes 12: What is the chief purpose of life? What life changes should you make today in light of this truth? 2

3 Meeting Job The Book of Job centers on a character who likely predated the Hebrew race and faith. Job uses the Jewish name for God ("Yahweh" or "the LORD") only once in all his discourses (Job 12:9). He never refers to Abraham, the patriarchs, or the law of Moses. He makes no mention of the Promised Land If you have ever suffered pain you did not cause, this story is yours today. or the covenant of God with the nation of Israel. The Sabeans (Job 1:15) and Chaldeans (v. 17) are likely references to peoples who thrived in the second millennium B.C. The mention of the kesitah ("piece of silver") in Job 42:11 finds Old Testament reference only with Jacob (Genesis 33:19, mentioned also in Joshua 24:32). However, the author who recorded Job's life and travails was clearly working within Jewish faith and tradition. He or she used "Yahweh" 25 times throughout the book's narratives. The author clearly employed a well-known historical figure from an earlier generation and crisis to address the perennial issue of innocent suffering in the nation. For people who were subject to slavery in Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, and to the ongoing enmity of their neighbors, the Jews could well ask why God would permit their pain. "Deuteronomic wisdom" was the conventional answer of their culture. Embodied by the "friends" of Job, it explained all suffering as punishment for sin. But what of innocent suffering? Why did an innocent nation have to endure four centuries in Egypt? Why did babies have to die at the hands of the cruel Assyrians and Babylonians? Rather than offering theological speculation, the author of the Book of Job tells a story. Read Job 4:7-8. Do you agree with this assertion? Why or why not? What biblical truth balances this claim? How is this issue relevant to your life today? 3

4 Day 2: Learn to sing the Psalms The Psalms are the ancient hymn book of faith. Composed over centuries, their praise and prayers led generations of Hebrews to God. They were instrumental in early Christian worship as well: "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:19-20). "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16). The psalms have come to us in five "books": Book I (Psalms 1--41; Book II (Psalms ); Book III (Psalms ); Book IV (Psalms ); and Book V (Psalms ). The psalms can also be classified according to type. The largest group (more than 60) is the "lament," expressions of honest pain. Thanksgiving psalms are just the opposite. Other categories include hymns of praise, reviews of salvation history, songs of celebration, expressions of wisdom, and songs of trust. However we organize them, we begin their study with Psalm 1. Intentionally placed at the very beginning of the Psalter, this song serves as a theological umbrella for the entire collection of hymns. Its theological instructions and warnings embody the essence of the Hebrew faith: God blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked. Each of us can choose to live according to his word and will, or refuse his blessing and experience his judgment. Psalm 1 also gives us some crucial keys to interpreting the entire book of Psalms. These hymns are part of the "wisdom literature" of the Old Testament. Written in poetic style, they intend to communicate truth by evoking experience. They picture reality, conveying a deeper level of meaning than mere narrative or proposition can capture. As with all literature, the psalms must be interpreted according to their authors' intent. Hebrew poetry rhymed in meaning, not in words, in sense rather than in sound. So the artists who used poetic language usually employed "parallelism," a technique where the second line or thought repeats the first. Sometimes the second line is synonymous with the first, repeating its thought for emphasis ("synonymous parallelism"). For instance, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands (Psalm 19:1) Sometimes the second line contrasts with the first ("antithetic parallelism"). For instance, 4

5 It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them (Psalm 44:3). Sometimes the second line amplifies the first ("synthetic parallelism"). For instance, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want (Psalm 23:1). As we walk through some representative psalms in this study, we will be careful to interpret the symbols and structures of these poems as their authors intend. Then they will speak for our souls and to our hearts as powerfully as when they were first sung to God 3,000 years ago. How to be righteous Psalm 1 is a "wisdom psalm," a song which teaches us about God and his ways. It sets out the life and character of the person God is able to bless, and also describes the person God must judge. Its analogies could not be clearer, or more powerful. While many of the psalms employ parallelism in the composition of their lines, this psalm also employs a kind of parallelism in its subject: the righteous and the wicked. It may help to separate the two subjects. We begin with the righteous. The lifestyle of the righteous At the very first we find antithetic parallelism, where verse 2 contrasts sharply with verse 1. Here is the negative: Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers (Psalm 1:1). And its positive mirror image: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night (Psalm 1:2). Let's explore the words used by the psalmist, then we will see how the two ideas clarify each other. "Blessed" means to be "happy," from a root word meaning "to be straight or level" and thus prosperous and blessed by God. The word conveys more than momentary emotion--it is the state or status of being blessed by the Lord. 5

6 Hebrew scholars call this an "exclamatory," translated "O the blessing of " (cf. Deuteronomy 33:29; 1 Kings 10:8; Job 5:17; Psalm 2:12). Such a gift from God is a frequent theme in wisdom literature, occurring 25 times in Psalms and eight times in Proverbs. In a day when people walked nearly everywhere they went, to "walk" with someone in the ancient world meant to "companion" or live with them. The righteous person does not walk or live in the "counsel of the wicked," the advice or presence of those who reject the word and will of God. He does not "stand in the way of sinners," those who "miss the mark." He refuses to spend time on the roads where they are sure to be. He does not "sit in the seat of mockers," refusing to spend time in relationship or activity with those whose lives scorn the Lord. The picture is progressive: from listening to someone, to standing with him, to sitting with him. The images move from thinking to behaving and belonging. The righteous person refuses to listen to the advice of ungodly people, go where they go, or spend time with them. Evil corrupts good more often than good improves evil. By contrast, the righteous person finds his "delight," his joy, his happiness in "the law of the Lord" (v. 2a). This "law" refers to the entire counsel of God's word, not just the legal sections of Scripture. Rather than listening to the ungodly, he listens to God. And "on his law he meditates day and night" (v. 2b). To "meditate" (from the Hebrew for "murmuring" or "muttering") is to repeat to oneself, to reflect, to consider, to apply. This the righteous person does all through his life, "day and night." Rather than walking with the ungodly, he walks with the Lord. Joshua counseled the people of Israel to do the same: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful" (Joshua 1:8). This is the lifestyle of the righteous. Church attendance and even Sunday school teaching, are not enough. Occasional times of prayer are not enough. The righteous stay connected to the power of God all through the day. Does the psalm describe you? When last did you spend a day like this? Not just a "quiet time" in the morning, but the entire day in the word and presence of the Father? It is possible to practice the presence of God wherever we are. To consult Scripture before making decisions all through the day. To offer biblical words of thanks for God's blessings and praise for his goodness. To reflect on specific passages whenever they are relevant to our circumstances. To live our lives in the word of the Lord. 6

7 The blessings of the righteous The results of such a lifestyle are clear and powerfully motivating: He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:3). For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous (Psalm 1:6a). Much of Israel is wilderness punctuated by the occasional spring and resulting oasis. The Jordan is the only river of any consequence flowing through the region, so that farmers learned to build irrigation channels to their crops. People in antiquity were well acquainted with the "tree planted by streams of water," for this was the only place most trees were to be found. The analogy finds its earlier referent in Jeremiah's promise: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17:7-8). In wisdom literature, a wise man is often likened to such a tree (cf. Proverbs 3:18; 11:30; 15:4). In this case, he is "planted" intentionally by "streams of water," a reference in the Hebrew to water channels dug to irrigate the land (cf. Proverbs 21:1; Ecclesiastes 2:5-6; Isaiah 30:25). The plural indicates several such channels, all watering the one tree. In the idealized temple to come, Ezekiel was told that "fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing" (Ezekiel 47:12). So it is with the "fruit," the results of this man's life--they will be abundant "in season," in the proper time (Psalm 1:3). And his "leaf does not wither" all year long, no matter how hot the sun or harsh the wind. In fact, "whatever he does prospers." 7

8 These blessings to the righteous are not the result of their hard work, but God's favor: "the Lord watches over the righteous" (v. 6a). The Hebrew for "watch over" means to "know intimately," to care for and be committed to another. The word is in the present tense: "is watching over," right now. He is tending, caring for, protecting and nurturing the righteous, this moment. The fruit and leaf which result are the gifts of his grace. God's word makes clear the relationship between his protective blessing and our righteousness: "The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever" (Psalm 37:18). " The Lord watches over you--the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night" (Psalm 121:5-6). " The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy" (Psalm 145:20). "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him" (Nahum 1:7). This relationship is not earned but received. Our obedience to his word and will positions us to receive all that his grace intends to give. At the same time, we can measure our obedience by these results. Is your life demonstrating the "fruit" of God's Spirit at work in you? Are lives transformed when you teach? Are people drawn closer to the Lord through your influence? Does your life manifest the peace and presence of Christ even in the storms and winds of this fallen world? Is the Father able to prosper all that you do? How to be wicked The next section begins with the strongest, most emphatic negative: "Not so the wicked!" (Psalm 1:4). The antithesis of the righteous in Psalm 1 is the unrighteous, the person who walks in the counsel of the wicked, stands in the way of sinners, and sits in the seat of mockers. Such people "are like chaff that the wind blows away" (Ps. 1:4). When grain ripened, it produced a husk or outer shell known as the "chaff." Sometimes the wind would blow this chaff away in the fields. Sometimes the farmer would toss the cut grain into the air, and the wind would take away the chaff at that time. Either way, the chaff would inevitably be separated from the grain, the "fruit." Such punishment comes from God: Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous (v. 5). 8

9 The eventual results of the wicked may not be obvious at the time. When the grain is ripening, it is hard to tell the wheat from the chaff. But this separation is certain. This "judgment" can be present adversity or the eventual Judgment Seat before which we will all stand: "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10). When this day comes, the unrighteous will not "stand" or "remain" in God's presence. They have no part in the "assembly" of the righteous, the gathering of God's people. Ultimately "the way of the wicked will perish" (v. 6) from the earth. People can "perish" in many ways--a road or course comes to ruin, plans are frustrated (Psalm 112:10; Proverbs 11:7); creatures get lost (Psalm 119:176); and people and achievements come to grief (Psalm 2:11; 9:6). Sometimes this end is quick, sometimes slow, but it is inevitable. To experience such judgment, we need only go along to get along--listening to the ungodly, going where sinners go and doing what they do, spending time with those who mock God by their words or lives. Eventually we will become like those we are with. The world may well reward our rebellion with material prosperity and social popularity, but the winds of judgment are coming. The consequence of our rebellion is eternal. The chaff and the wheat grow in the same field. Bad kings followed good in Israel's history. Judas was in company with John. Ananias and Sapphira were as visible in worship as Barnabas. Religion is no guarantee of relationship. One of Satan's subtlest ploys is to convince us that we are what the world says we are. If we go to church, we must be right with God. If you are faithful to Sunday school, you must be faithful to their Father. If you teach God's truth, you must be living by it. But you and I both know that it's not so. Reread Psalm 1. What lifestyle changes should you make in light of its truth? 9

10 Day 3: Meet Solomon: From adultery to authority Solomon was the eighth son of King David. Six sons from six wives were born to David while he lived in the city of Hebron, before he conquered Jerusalem in 1048 BC. Once enthroned in Jerusalem, the king defeated his enemies and consolidated his power. It seemed that the future of his empire was positive in every respect. But then David fell in love with Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11). He committed adultery with her, arranged for the death of her husband Uriah, and took her to be his wife. God exposed his sin through the courageous prophet Nathan, and David repented (see Psalm 51). The first child of David and Bethsheba died within a week of his birth (2 Sam ). Their second child was Solomon (v. 24). And so Solomon was the product of one of the most infamous unions in all the Bible. But what David and Bathsheba meant for evil, God used for good. This son of David spent his life caught between his two names. His parents named him "Solomon," which means "peace" (see 1 Chronicles 22:9) and is probably related to the name of Jerusalem, the capital city of the nation. And so his best known name identified him as a royal figure, the regal leader of the country. But God gave him a second name as well: "The Lord loved him; and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah" (2 Samuel 12:24-25). "Jedidiah" is Hebrew for "loved by the Lord." Hebrews had a strong belief in names. To them a name denoted the character of its owner. Thus Simon (sand) became Peter (rock) after meeting Jesus; Jacob (deceiver) became Israel (one who wrestled with God) after he encountered the Lord personally. David's son would be torn between two identities: the rich and powerful ruler of the nation, and a man of deep personal faith and spiritual wisdom. David named Solomon his successor in 1017 BC (1 Chronicles 22:6-10), two years before his own death. But his ascension to the throne was not an easy one. David's oldest living son, Adonijah, aspired to the throne. With his father's health failing quickly, he launched his coup. He did not invite Solomon, his rival to the throne, and also excluded the prophet Nathan and the army leader Benaiah. Nathan told Bathsheba about Adonijah's coup; she told the aged King David, who swore an oath that Solomon would succeed him (1 Kings 1:30). The dying king arranged for Benaiah, Nathan, and Zadok the priest to coronate Solomon on David's own throne. But Solomon's struggle for the throne was not yet ended. Soon Adonijah made another attempt at the throne, asking to marry David's concubine Abishag. In the ancient world 10

11 such an action was tantamount to claiming David's throne. Solomon saw through his scheme and ordered his execution (1 Kings 2:25). Solomon ordered Benaiah to execute Joab, the army commander who had rebelled with Adonijah (v. 34), and replaced the rebel priest Abiathar with Zadok (v. 35). This series of events seems brutal to us, but it was standard procedure in the ancient world. And a wise way for the new king to consolidate his power and throne. It's good to be the king Solomon quickly instituted programs which led the nation to the greatest military and economic heights Israel has known from Abraham to today. First he secured the national borders through political alliances. Second, Solomon constructed the first "homeland defense" strategy in Jewish history. He fortified a series of strategic cities throughout the nation, and placed permanent military garrisons at several (1 Kings 9:15-19). He built special fortifications for Megiddo and Jerusalem, and was the first to utilize chariots in great numbers as military instruments. Now, for the first time Israel was safe from conquerors external to the nation and terrorists within. Third, Solomon created a new organizational and administrative structure for the country. The old tribal divisions of Israel had gradually disappeared, as Canaanite cities were annexed and families settled freely around the nation. So he reorganized the nation into twelve districts and appointed a governor for each (1 Kings 4:7-19). Now the nation had its first functional regionalism and local government. Fourth, Solomon reenergized the national economy and led Israel to wealth beyond description: "King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills" (1 Kings 10:23,27). Fifth, Solomon constructed the most opulent personal estate the nation had ever seen. He spent thirteen years building his palaces. The chief building was named "the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon," owing to the cedars with which it was built. 150 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high, it was framed with the finest building materials of the day. But his most impressive national achievement was the construction of the first Jewish Temple. He spent seven years in its construction. The interior of the Temple measured 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 30 feet high. It was divided into the Holy Place, where the altar of incense burned, and the Most Holy Place, which contained the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant was brought to the new Temple with great ceremony, and the nation spent eight days in its dedication. 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats were sacrificed in their worship (2 Chronicles 7:5). This Temple remained the center of national spiritual life and worship until its destruction by the Babylonians four centuries later. 11

12 From glory to grief Tragically, Solomon's success would not outlive him. 1 Kings 11 begins: "King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women." Solomon's failings prove two facts to be true for all believers today. Materialism enslaves the heart Solomon's materialistic ambitions weakened the nation's economy and crushed her spirit. To serve his materialism, he enslaved his own people and eventually his own heart. Centuries before Israel's first king, the Lord had given this command regarding such a ruler: "He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold" (Deuteronomy 17.17). Solomon's opulence clearly violated the second half of this prohibition. To build his massive palaces and Temple, he forced the people into very heavy taxation. His copper mines required forced labor. He lived in extreme opulence while the people who supported his estate struggled financially. As a result, Solomon's son Rehoboam was urged by the nation to lighten this royal oppression (1 Kings 12:4), and Rehoboam's chief of forced labor was even stoned to death (v. 18). Such is the inevitable result of materialism worshiped. Sexual sin compromises the soul Solomon's second excess was in his sexual life. His sex drive led to compulsion almost beyond belief. Monogamy has always been God's intention for men and women (cf. Genesis 2:24; Matthew 5:32), but Solomon took 700 wives. Extramarital sexual relations are prohibited in Scripture (cf. Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-28). but Solomon had 300 concubines. They served his sexual desires, but were not guaranteed his royal protection or their children his inheritance. Kings were forbidden to marry "many wives" (Deuteronomy 17:17), but Solomon "had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines" (1 Kings 11:3). How was this possible practically? The Book of Esther gives us a picture of harem life in that day and time (cf ). Such harems were commonplace for Eastern rulers of ancient times, even extending to the modern. Tragically, such a harem helped to ruin Solomon's life and legacy. Jews were forbidden to marry foreign wives (cf. Deuteronomy 7:3-4), but Solomon "loved many foreign women besides Pharoah's daughter. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, 'You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.' Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love" (1 Kings 11:1-2). 12

13 Solomon's materialism led to his sexual compulsions; and they turned him to the idolatry which led to divine judgment against the king and his nation. Solomon's foreign wives caused him to worship their gods (1 Kings. 11:5-8). He worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Molech "the detestable god of the Ammonites" (1 Kings 11:5). Worship of the latter involved pagan immorality and even child sacrifice. By such paganism "Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done" (v. 6). And the result was devastating. God did not bring this judgment during Solomon's lifetime "for the sake of David your father" (v. 12), but brought his justice through the reign of Solomon's son Rehoboam. In 922 BC Solomon died and Rehoboam ascended to his throne. Revolt was immediate, and the national civil war split the country in two. Civil war, military oppression, foreign rule, and then destruction of the nation would characterize 2,567 of the 2,723 years from Solomon's rule to today. All because Solomon would not refuse his materialism, sexual drive, and idolatrous temptations. If the "wisest man on earth" (1 Kings 10:23) could not compromise in these areas without destruction, wha t of us? From this brief survey of Solomon's life we learn two facts. One: the Proverbs are the product of a man whose wisdom led his nation to its greatest days of prosperity, power, and security. No ruler has ever proven more wise in conducting the affairs of his people. Two: we must depend on God for the strength and discernment we need in living by these proverbs. If their author could fall into such disastrous sin, so can we. Knowing is not doing. God's word requires God's power. Read Proverbs 1:1-6. What value does this book promise its readers? Why do you need such wisdom today? 13

14 Day 4: Interpret the Proverbs: The basis for true wisdom The Book of Proverbs appears to be organized in three sections. The prologue comes first (1:1-7) and sets out the main themes to be followed throughout the book. Second is a set of discourses which commend wisdom (chs. 2-4) and warn against folly (chs. 5-7). The remainder of the book (10:1-22:16) is a series of couplets which apply wisdom and folly to the practical problems of life. These couplets typically express their truth in contrast, as between wisdom and folly: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother (10:1).; They employ parallelism, a technique we met with the Psalms. As we learned in lesson one of this series, parallelism was employed in several ways. "Antithetic" parallelism contrasts the second line with the first, and is employed most often in Proverbs; Proverbs 10:1 is a good example of this. "Synonymous" parallelism repeats the thought in both lines. example: Proverbs 11:25 is an A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. "Synthetic" parallelism (sometimes called "stair" or "step" parallelism) uses the second line to amplify or explain the first. Proverbs 11:1 is an example: The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. Proverbs 1:7 employs antithetical parallelism to set out the theme of the book: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Every term is crucial. "The fear of the Lord" points to a spirit of humble reverence, awe, and veneration. It does not mean to be terrified of God, though sinners should fear his judgment in this way. Rather, it means to respect him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, to crown him the King of our hearts and lives, to reverence and serve him in all ways. Such humble submission is the "beginning" or source of "knowledge." The proverb does not promise knowledge of all subjects as a result of reverence for God. Rather, it points 14

15 to personal knowledge of God, intimate relationship with him. All that we know of God comes when we subject ourselves to him as our King and Lord. By contrast, "fools despise wisdom and discipline." The "fool" in Proverbs is far more than a silly person. The term signified someone who was bereft of all redeeming value, a person of immoral character and impure motive. To be a "fool" in Proverbs is to be the worst sort of person. How do we achieve such dubious status? When we "despise" or reject "wisdom" and "discipline." Biblical "wisdom" is practical in nature, God's word for our daily lives and problems. "Discipline" is the application of wisdom, our willingness to do what God says. Said simply, the fool rejects God's word and will. He or she thus refuses personal relationship with the Lord, the most disastrous decision in all of time and eternity. When last did you submit yourself to God as your King? When last did you choose the "fear of the Lord" for your life and work? That was the last time you positioned yourself to have "knowledge" of the Lord. If we are living this day without such commitment to God, we are fools who despise his word and will. There is no third option. Choose wisdom every day Proverbs 1:7 calls us to submit our lives to the word and will of God. Proverbs 3 is an extended guidebook for answering this call. It begins with an overarching request: My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart (Proverbs 3:1). "My son" points to the parental nature of the proverbs. Solomon intended them for his own children, but also for the larger nation he "fathers" spiritually and politically. He saw his proverbs as advice from a mentor to those he molds and leads. And so the proverb applies to all who aspire to live with the wisdom God gave his wise king. How are we to choose divine wisdom each day? A series of images follows, each calling us to such daily submission. Proverbs 3:3: Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. The parallelism of these two images suggests that to "bind them around your neck" points to internal rather than external obedience. Solomon does not want us to make God's word an ornament so much as he wants us to live its truth in our "heart," the seat of emotions, intellect and will. 15

16 The next image is central to Proverbs, and one of the most-loved passages in Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. We are to "trust" the Lord, in total reliance on his word and will, with "all" our hearts, every dimension of our lives. Such reliance means that we will not "lean" or depend on our own wisdom. In "all" our ways we will "acknowledge" or reverence him. Then he will "make your paths straight," removing the obstacles before us and guiding our lives in accordance with his will and purpose. The next couplet clarifies this famous passage: Proverbs 3:7: Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. True wisdom is God's gift to those who seek it from him. Solomon does not suggest that we have no wisdom of our own, that we have not learned much through education and experience. His call is not to ignore our knowledge but to rely on God's wisdom. Consider what you know, but do not depend on it. Rely rather on God's revealed word and will. Use your ability and knowledge only to serve his plan and purpose. God cannot do for us what we try to do for ourselves. Trust God to prosper his faithful children The remainder of Proverbs 3 offers God's blessing to those who choose his wisdom. The section is a clear example of "deuteronomic theology," the concept that obedience to God brings his blessing while disobedience results in his punishment. Such theology is not legalism. Obedience does not earn or deserve God's favor, but positions us to receive what God's grace intends to give. Note that this promise of blessing and reward is not always material. Jesus had "no place to lay his head" (Luke 9:58). Paul's experience gives the lie to the "health and wealth" gospel which promises material prosperity to all who are faithful to God: I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I 16

17 was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). The idea behind this section of Proverbs is that God will always meet the needs of his children (cf. Philippians 4:19). His blessing is sometimes material, sometimes spiritual, but always best for us. Our submission to his word and will positions us to receive his best, whatever it is. Solomon illustrates this promise: "This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones" (v. 8); "Your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine" (v. 10). Yet God's wisdom is "more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold" (v. 14). She is a "tree of life" (v. 18), protecting us in safety and confidence (vs ). Such personification of wisdom as a female inviting us to God's word and will is common through Proverbs (cf. 1:20-33; 8:1-33; 9:1-12). All this comes to the man who does not "despise the Lord's discipline" or "resent his rebuke" (v. 11), the person who seeks and submits to God's word and will each day. His "discipline" may lead to affliction and difficulty, if that is best for his child. He gives material prosperity (vs. 9-10) or spiritual refinement (vs ), as each is needed. God's wisdom can bless his children in every way, for it reflects the power with which he created all that is. His wisdom "laid the earth's foundations" and "set the heavens in place" (v. 19), dividing the deeps and establishing the clouds (v. 20). God knows every molecule of his universe. He names each of the multiplied billions of stars (cf. Isaiah 40:26). His wisdom created the world you and I inhabit today--we can trust it to meet our needs and guide our lives. God blesses his obedient children so that they might be a blessing to others as well. We are to give good to those in need when they ask (vs ), refusing to plot harm against those who have not hurt us (vs ). By contrast, we are not to envy the wicked, for the Lord detests such (vs ). As we live in humble reliance on God's word and will, we find his blessing, grace, and honor (vs ). Your heart is a throne with room for only one. If you are wearing the crown, Jesus is wearing the cross. If you are wearing the cross, he is wearing the crown. Which do you choose today? Most of the Book of Proverbs was written by the wisest, wealthiest, most powerful king in Hebrew history. Yet its wisdom calls us beyond man to Maker, from the king of Israel to the King of Kings and Lord of Lord. 17

18 The book is a continual, practical call to submission to God, challenging us to yield our lives to his word and will. When last did you make him King of your decisions and day? Reread Proverbs 3:1-8. What practical principles relate to your life? What changes should you make in light of this truth? Day 5: Meet the prophets Old Testament prophets were covenant enforcement mediators, as we see with Amos (Amos 9:11-15). They were declarers of the message of God (cf. Exodus 3:1, Is 6). And they were conveyers of a message already disclosed through the Pentateuch. In this sense they were "unoriginal." Several forms of utterance are clear within this genre: Lawsuit (Isaiah 3:13-26)--demonstrates the punishment coming to Israel because of her disobedience. Woe (Habakkuk 2:6-8)--announces woe and predicts disaster. Promise (Amos 9:11-15)--describes future blessings. Poetry (much of Isaiah)--relates God's revelation in symbolic forms. The prophets were more often forth-tellers than foretellers. We must seek the intended meaning of their declarations first within their original context and audience. The "sensus plenior" (fuller meaning) of prophetic texts relates to those which have an apparent later application as well as their original relevance. For instance, Hosea's description of Israel's exodus from Egypt (Hosea11:1) was later used by Matthew to describe Jesus' return from that nation to Israel (Matthew 2:15). The biblical writers worked under a degree of inspiration which is not ours today. They were sometimes led to a fuller meaning within OT passages, but we must confine ourselves to their inspiration. We do not have their supernatural insight, and should interpret the OT prophets within their intended context and relevance. 18

19 Guidelines for interpretation: Consider the historical context ( B.C.), with its social upheaval, religious apostasy, and shifts in population and geographic boundaries. Locate the specific context of the prophetic declaration. Isolate individual oracles and interpret them within their specific contexts and intentions (cf. Amos 5). Remember always: the text cannot mean what it never meant. Meet Habakkuk No prophetic book illustrates the importance of historical setting more than Habakkuk. We know virtually nothing about the prophet himself, only that his name was probably Babylonian in origin, perhaps indicating that he was writing from that region when he recorded this book. His name refers to a particular kind of garden plant, and is otherwise unremarkable. But the message God gave this "plant" was timeless indeed. He wrote at a time when the Babylonians had not yet attacked Israel (cf. Habakkuk 1:6). This was a mighty, warlike nation from the region of modern-day Iraq. They had been subjugated to the Assyrians, the fierce people who conquered the ten northern tribes of Israel in 722 B.C. But the Babylonians in time overthrew the Assyrian yoke, gaining their independence in 626 B.C. and finally destroying the Assyrians in 605 B.C. They ruled the Middle East until the Persian Empire displaced them in 539 B.C. Once again the Jewish people found themselves between a rock and a hard place--egypt to their west and Babylon to their east. They were the only nation keeping Babylon from access to the Mediterranean coast and control of the crucial trading routes which traversed the region. It was only a matter of time before the Babylonians would defeat and subjugate the Jewish nation. They came in conquering waves--first in 597 B.C., then finally in 587/586, destroying Jerusalem and conquering the nation completely. During each of these conquests, the Babylonians uprooted and transported more of the Jewish people. They deported Daniel and Ezekiel in the first exile of 597, during which they removed King Jehoiachin to Babylon as well. They took captive the bulk of the people in 586. When Cyrus destroyed the Babylonian empire in 539 B.C., he allowed the Jewish captives to return to their homeland. Thus ended the "Babylonian captivity" prophesied by Jeremiah Before any of this came to pass, however, the Lord first warned his people of what was to come, sending his message through the prophet Habakkuk. He gave him an "oracle" (1:1), translating the Hebrew massa, "burden" or "pronouncement." The word is usually found in relation to foreign nations, as here. The entire book is probably this "oracle," 19

20 not just the first revelation given to Habakkuk (cf. Isaiah 1:1 for a similar introduction to a prophetic book). God wanted his people to know what would happen if they did not repent from their sins and turn to him in contrition and obedience. He recorded this prophetic conversation with Habakkuk for their sake, but also for ours. Is there an area of disobedience in your life, a place where you are in danger of the judgment of God? He is gracious to forgive all that we confess (1 John 1:9). But he is also holy and must bring unconfessed sin to justice. In fact, the only attribute of God repeated three times in Scripture (and thus raised to the highest level of significance) is his holiness (cf. Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). You have been given this week to consider the significance of repentance and obedience. Once you have considered the truth of this lesson, you will be responsible to respond to what you have learned. Choose wisely. Tell God your troubles (Habakkuk 1:2-4) Habakkuk begins his prophetic conversation with God by questioning the very justice which would soon be revealed to the nation. At the root of his complaint is the social injustice he finds among his people: "The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted" (1:4). Most likely he is referring to the wealthy landowners of the country and their ability to bribe officials and take advantage of others. Micah voiced the same complaint (cf. Micah 3:11; 7:3). Such injustice was a perennial problem in a day when democracy was unknown and officials could be purchased by the highest bidder. Jesus referred to this failing of his culture with his famous parable about the "judge who neither feared God nor cared about men" (Luke 18:2). Habakkuk wonders how long he must "call for help" to a God who doesn't listen (1:2a) or "cry out" (the Hebrew means to cry in horror or pain) against the violence which the Lord does not prevent (v. 2b). From all appearances, the prophet sees injustice which the Lord tolerates (v. 3a). "Destruction," "violence," "strife," and "conflict" are on every hand (v. 3b). Yet the Lord does nothing. These verses are examples of Hebrew parallelism, the most common kind of poetry in their literature. In this case, the second line repeats and amplifies the first. The effect is a crescendo of complaint and frustration for the prophet. Moral reforms under the leadership of King Josiah had occurred only 12 years earlier (cf. 2 Kings 23). But after the king's death in 609 B.C., the nation fell once again into decay and spiritual ruin. The "violence" which resulted is a common theme of Habakkuk. The Hebrew hamas refers to moral sins against others, and is referenced throughout the book (cf. 1:2-3, 9; 2:8, 17). The historical setting is likely the rule of Jehoiakim, the evil king who followed Josiah and brought corruption again to the nation. This was the king who mistreated the prophet Jeremiah (cf. Jeremiah 36:20-26) and destroyed the scroll of his message. He had the prophet Uriah killed (Jeremiah 26:20-23), and undoubtedly threatened others who 20

21 were faithful to the Lord. How could God allow such sacrilege against his word and will? This is the confusion and dilemma of Habakkuk. Where has God seemed silent in the face of your doubts and struggles? What injustice have you faced without his response? Have you been slandered or gossiped about? Has an employer or leader misused his or her power in your life or community? Have you witnessed or even experienced physical or moral violence? Does it seem that God has ignored your problem and pain? The best thing to do is to keep praying. Keep talking to God, as honestly as you can. "Tell Jesus on them." Remember that his ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8). He works according to his own timing and plan. When we don't see his hand, we can trust his heart. And we can trust him with ours. Wait for God to respond (Habakkuk 1:6-2:1) God always answers prayer. As parents with children, he will give us what we want or whatever is best. Sometimes he is able to explain himself to us, but sometimes he cannot. When he does respond to our complaints, his answers do not always make sense. But they are always best. A case in point is his response to Habakkuk's litany of frustration. Finally he replies: "Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed" (v. 5a). Each imperative relates to the other. "Look at the nations" could be rendered, "Look right now at the peoples of the earth." "Be utterly amazed" could be translated, "be amazed with amazement." Why? "For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told" (v. 5b). God had not answered Habakkuk previously, in part because the prophet would not believe or understand the answer. But since he has complained so harshly about God's silence, now the prophet will have his answer. Here is the shocking fact, one of the great surprises in the Old Testament: "I am raising up the Babylonians" against Israel (v. 6a). God is "raising up" or causing this people to grow in power and significance. It is astounding that God would bless and use such a people. They are pagans, Gentiles. And not just any Gentiles--they are "ruthless" and "impetuous" (v. 6b). They "sweep across the whole earth to seize dwelling places not their own" (v. 6c). Soon they will do the same to Israel. Their armies are so fierce that their horses, normally docile domesticated animals, are faster than leopards and more fierce than "wolves at dusk" (v. 8a). Horses and chariots were virtually known in the hilly terrain of Judah, so that the Jewish armies had few to send into battle against this adversary. Fortified cities, the strongest means of resistance available in the ancient world, are no match for their might--the Babylonian armies merely build earthen ramps to scale their walls and capture them (v. 10b). (This was the means employed by Rome to destroy the 21

22 fortified city of Masada in AD 72.) Then they sweep past the nations they conquer and go on to others. They are "guilty men, whose own strength is their god" (v. 11). Raising up the wicked Babylonians against his people was certainly not the response Habakkuk had sought or expected. His reply provides one of the classic expressions of "theodicy" in all the Scriptures. As we saw in our study of Job 1, a "theodicy" attempts to resolve the love and power of God with the reality of evil and suffering. Habakkuk asks the question which every theodicy seeks to answer. God is eternal and holy (v. 12a), certainly powerful enough to rule the nations. And yet he has "appointed" the Babylonians to "execute judgment" against his own people (v. 12b). How can this be, since his "eyes are too pure to look on evil" and he "cannot tolerate wrong" (v. 13a)? He is both powerful and righteous. He is able to accomplish his will, and by nature would want to end all injustice. How, then, can he "tolerate the treacherous" and remain "silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves" (v. 13b)? The problem of theodicy has never been more precisely stated. The easy answers to the issue all create greater problems than they solve: either God is not powerful, or he is not loving, or evil does not exist. But if he is indeed eternally omnipotent and holy by nature, how can he allow people like the cruel Babylonians to exist, much less to assault a people "more righteous than themselves"? We have all faced Habakkuk's question in our own context. How can a holy and loving God allow a devoted Christian to suffer from terminal cancer? How can he permit an innocent child to face disease and disaster? When did you last ask Habakkuk's question? Be assured that you will ask it again. Suffering people feel like "fish in the sea" without anyone to rule or protect them (v. 14), defenseless in the nets of fishermen. And so the wicked catch them with their hooks and fishing nets and bring them to certain destruction (v. 15). The Babylonian offers "sacrifices to his net" (v. 16a) and burned "incense to his dragnet" (v. 16a), worshiping such inanimate objects as his gods. Yet despite such idolatry, the Babylonian "lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food" (v. 16b). And he will continue without restrain (v. 17). When we do not understand the ways and will of God, we are to continue in worship and prayer anyway. To turn from God when we need him most is to refuse the only Power which can sustain us in our trials. Are you being tempted to give up on your Father this week? Habakkuk cannot imagine what logic God can give to this tragic dilemma, so he will stand as a watchman until he receives God's answer to his complaint (2:1). Other 22