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Sunday, Jan. 30, 2005
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The wisdom of Solomon
By Mary Jane Holt Many of you, like me in times past, may only relate the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes to the poetic Seasons and Purposes passage found in chapter three. I first read all 12 chapters when I was in my teens. I found it just plain depressing. Through the years, each time I would, with a very strange reluctant eagerness, indulge myself with another reading, I always closed the Bible with a feeling of sadness, a sense of why bother? if thats all there is to life. Ecclesiastes follows The Proverbs of Solomon. Solomon is the son of David and Bathsheba. Solomon became king of Israel at a very young age and in the third chapter of First Kings an account is given of a dream had by the young king. In this dream God said to Solomon, Ask what I shall give thee. In other words, Im God. Tell me what you want. I will give it to you. Whew! In a nutshell, the young king asked for understanding to judge Gods people. Gods response to Solomon was more or less, Because you have not asked for stuff I will give you your desired understanding (wisdom) so that there will be no one before or after you to have the degree of understanding that I shall give to you. Then, because God was so impressed with Solomons request, He gave him all the stuff as well; and to this day no one seems able to fathom the great riches amassed by this king. Thus as a young teen I was drawn to the writings of this ancient wise man. His Book of Proverbs I loved. His Book of Ecclesiastes I did not love. I labeled it cynical. Called it depressing. Wondered how it ever made its way into the worlds hottest bestseller. And then I began to study the words in the book more closely. The phrase vanity and vexation of spirit is used often throughout Ecclesiastes. These words and others insisted that I better understand them. Vanity is translated from the Hebrew word habel meaning something transitory and unsatisfactory and evolves from the root word habal meaning to be vain in act, word or expectation; specifically to lead astray. Vexation is translated from the Hebrew word rywth meaning a feeling upon or a grasping after. One particular verse that always threw me is verse 10 of Chapter 11: Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil (pain) from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. KJV Put away comes from the Hebrew word cuwr or surw meaning to turn off literally or figuratively, to put away or put down, to revolt, to take away or take off, to turn aside or turn away, withdraw, be without. Evil in every use in Ecclesiastes (King James version) is translated from the Hebrew word ra which means bad or evil both naturally (physical pain) and morally: specifically, affliction, adversity, displeasure, grief, hurt, misery, sorrow, trouble, wretchedness. What I found real interesting is that both vexation and evil are derived from the root word raa meaning to make or be good for nothing, as in afflict, associate selves by mistake, show self friendly towards by mistake or to spoil literally by breaking in pieces and/or figuratively to make or be good for nothing as in bad physically, morally, or socially. As I have studied this book over time and looked more closely at individual words, as well as their collective flow, I have begun to realize that Ecclesiastes (which means the preacher) was not recorded by a cynic, but perhaps simply by a man who knew his place in the universe. Solomon closed Ecclesiastes with sobering words: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil. KJV Good used in this last verse comes from the Hebrew word towb meaning good as both an adjective and a noun in the very widest and broadest sense of the word as in cheerful, joyful, kindly, beautiful, gracious, merry, loving, pleasant, precious, pleasure This word towb is derived from a root word meaning to be, do or make good or well in the widest sense as well as to be, do, go and play well. Did you get that? Was Solomon simply telling us to obey the commandments, enjoy life, work hard, play well with others and leave the rest to God? Tell me what you think at www.maryjaneholt.com.
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