Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and
Song of Songs
© John Stevenson, 2012
Pentateuch
Historical
Books
Poetic
Books
Prophetic
Books
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, Deuteronomy
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2
Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles,
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
Job, Psalms, Proverbs,
Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel,
Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah,
Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
Book
Theme
Question
Job
Pain &
suffering
Why do bad things
happen to good people?
Psalms
Prayer &
Worship
How do I approach
God?
Proverbs
Conduct
How shall I live?
Meaning &
Ecclesiastes significance
Song of
Solomon
Love
Why am I here?
How shall I love?
The Book of Wisdom
Title of the book
The proverbs of Solomon the
son of David, king of Israel
(Proverbs 1:1).
From the
root word
lv;m'
Proverbs 1:2-4
To know wisdom and instruction,
To discern the sayings of understanding,
3 To receive instruction in wise behavior,
Righteousness, justice and equity;
4 To give prudence to the naive,
To the youth knowledge and discretion,
2
Proverbs 1:5-6
A wise man will hear and increase in
learning,
And a man of understanding will acquire
wise counsel,
6 To understand a proverb and a figure,
The words of the wise and their riddles.
5
Exodus 28:2-3
"And you shall make holy garments for
Aaron your brother, for glory and for
beauty.
3 "And you shall speak to all the skillful
persons whom I have endowed with the
spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's
garments to consecrate him, that he
may minister as priest to Me.
2
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• A Fear that Drives Away
• A Fear that brings Wonder
Psalms
Proverbs
Book of Worship
Book of Wisdom
Speaks to our Spirit
Speaks to our
Intellect
Life out in the street
Life in the prayer
closet
Teach us how to be
holy before God
Love the Lord with all
your heart, soul, and
mind
Teach us how to
practice holiness
before men
Love your neighbor
as yourself
The Nature of
Wisdom Literature
• Stands apart from God’s covenants.
– No mention made of Moses or Israel.
• The Nature of its Inspired Message
– Utilizes observation of nature instead of
“thus says the Lord.”
Theophanies
God spoke in Moses
various ways Prophets Spiritual communications
(Heb. 1:1) Sages
Insightful observations
Proverbs 24:30-31
I passed by the field of the sluggard
And by the vineyard of the man lacking
sense,
31 And behold, it was completely
overgrown with thistles;
Its surface was covered with nettles,
And its stone wall was broken down.
Proverbs 24:32-34
When I saw, I reflected upon it;
I looked, and received instruction.
33 “A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,”
34 Then your poverty will come as a
robber
And your want like an armed man.
1-9
10-24
25-29
30
31
Appeal One Verse Maxims Larger
Good
to
Couplets Woman
Wisdom Proverbs Proverbs Words of Words
of
of
Agur
of King
Solomon Hezekiah
Lemuel
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be
impeded;
And if you run, you will not stumble.
(Proverbs 4:11-12).
11
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
Take hold of instruction; do not let go.
Guard her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked,
And do not proceed in the way of evil men.
(Proverbs 4:13-14).
13
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
Avoid it, do not pass by it;
Turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil;
And they are robbed of sleep unless they
make someone stumble. (Proverbs 4:1516).
15
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
For they eat the bread of wickedness,
And drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the
light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full
day.
19 The way of the wicked is like darkness;
They do not know over what they stumble.
(Proverbs 4:17-19).
17
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.
(Proverbs 4:20-21).
20
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their whole body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs
4:22-23).
22
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
Ill-gotten gains do not profit,
But righteousness delivers from death.
3 The LORD will not allow the righteous to hunger,
But He will thrust aside the craving of the wicked.
4 Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich. (Proverbs
10:2-4).
2
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts
shamefully. (Proverbs 10:5).
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
So is the lazy one to those who send him.(Proverbs
10:26).
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before obscure men. (Proverbs
10:29).
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
– Skilled work will lead to success
– Diligent work will lead to success
The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns,
But the path of the upright is a highway.
(Proverbs 15:19)
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
– Skilled work will lead to success
– Diligent work will lead to success
Go to the ant, O sluggard
Observe her ways and be wise,
Which, having no chief,
Officer, or ruler;
Prepares her food in the summer,
And gathers her provisions in the harvest.
(Proverbs 6:6-8)
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
• Principles of Business and Finance
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
"Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,"
When you have it with you. (Proverbs 3:27-28).
27
Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work
• Principles of Business and Finance
He who trusts in his riches will fall,
But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf.
(Proverbs 11:28).
Themes in the Proverbs
•
•
•
•
The way of Wisdom
Principles of Work
Principles of Business and Finance
Principles of Spiritual Speech
For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
(Proverbs 26:20).
Proverbs 22:10-14
Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go
out,
Even strife and dishonor will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart
And whose speech is gracious, the king is his
friend.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the treacherous
man.
13 The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside;
I shall be slain in the streets!"
14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit;
He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it.
10
Proverbs 13:1-3
A wise son accepts his father's discipline,
But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of a man's mouth he enjoys good,
But the desire of the treacherous is violence.
3 The one who guards his mouth preserves his
life;
The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
1
The Excellent Wife
Proverbs 31:10-31
• She conducts her affairs in such a way as
to instill trust on the part of her husband
(31:11)
• She is both hard-working and efficient
• She is not afraid to engage in business
• Praise is given both to her husband as
well as to her
Lessons from the Proverbs
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Universal need for Wisdom
The Universal Arena of Wisdom
What is Wise is also what is Good
Principles rather than Promises
A real view of the real world
Christians are called to be street-smart
Proverbs
A Basic approach to
life
Exceptions
Job
Ecclesiastes
The righteous
suffers
A lack of
meaning to life
Song of Songs
Irrationality of love
The Question of Life
Song of
Solomon
Passover
Nisan 14
April 17
Ruth
Lamentations Ecclesiastes
Shabuot
Fall of
Sukkot
(Pentecost)
Jerusalem
(Tabernacles)
Sivan 8
Ab 9
Tishri 15
June 9
August 8
Esther
Purim
Adar 14
September 24 March 19
Note: English equivalent dates are only close
approximations
1-2
3
4-5
6-9
10-12
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is
emptiness,
but man
ought to
enjoy
goodness
because it
is from God
Introduction
to four
themes
1-2
3
4-5
6-9
10-12
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is
emptiness,
but man
ought to
enjoy
goodness
because it
is from God
There is
profit in
seeing God
as the giver
of all of the
seasons of
life
Introduction
to four
themes
There is a
monotony
to life
• Life is a gift from God
• To everything there is a
season
• This is a call to live
purposefully
• We are called to enjoy
the journey
1-2
3
4-5
6-9
10-12
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is
emptiness,
but man
ought to
enjoy
goodness
because it
is from God
There is
profit in
seeing God
as the giver
of all of the
seasons of
life
Introduction
to four
themes
There is a
monotony
to life
• Part of this enjoyment is
found in the “one
another principles”
1-2
3
4-5
6-9
10-12
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is
emptiness,
but man
ought to
enjoy
goodness
because it
is from God
Introduction
to four
themes
There is
Instead of
profit in
being
seeing God
fearful,
as the giver enjoy life
of all of the while it lasts
seasons of because it
life
is a gift
from God
There is a
monotony
to life
There is an
emptiness
in wisdom
The Preacher gives four
reasons why it is better not to
be alone
4:9
4:10
4:11
4:12
Two are better than one because…
They have
They can pick
good results in up one
their labor
another in
trouble
They can
warm one
another in the
cold
They can hold
up one another
in adversity
Work
Cold
Adversity
Falling
1-2
3
4-5
6-9
10-12
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is
emptiness,
but man
ought to
enjoy
goodness
because it
is from God
Introduction
to four
themes
There is
Instead of
Man sees
profit in
being
life as a
seeing God
fearful,
struggle,
as the giver enjoy life
but God
of all of the while it lasts gave life to
seasons of because it be enjoyed
life
is a gift
from God
There is a
monotony
to life
There is an
emptiness
in wisdom
There is a
futility in
wealth
Because of
the
emptiness
of this life,
man ought
to fear the
Lord and
follow His
word
There is a
certainty of
death
Read through
Ecclesiastes 12:1-7
and seek to pick out
and explain the
imagery that is used
throughout this
passage.
Ecclesiastes 12:1-2
Remember also your Creator in the
days of your youth, before the evil days
come and the years draw near when you
will say, “I have no delight in them”; 2
before the sun and the light, the moon
and the stars are darkened, and clouds
return after the rain;
Ecclesiastes 12:3-4
…in the day that the watchmen of the
house tremble, and mighty men stoop,
the grinding ones stand idle because
they are few, and those who look
through windows grow dim; 4 and the
doors on the street are shut as the
sound of the grinding mill is low, and one
will arise at the sound of the bird, and all
the daughters of song will sing softly.
Ecclesiastes 12:5
Furthermore, men are afraid of a
high place and of terrors on the road; the
almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper
drags himself along, and the caperberry
is ineffective. For man goes to his
eternal home while mourners go about in
the street.
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7
Remember Him before the silver
cord is broken and the golden bowl is
crushed, the pitcher by the well is
shattered and the wheel at the cistern is
crushed; 7 then the dust will return to the
earth as it was, and the spirit will return
to God who gave it.
Remember the Lord because…
• You aren’t getting any Younger.
• God has designed you to be Empty
without Him.
• Now is the Time to Prepare for Eternity.
SONG OF SONGS
The Love Song of the
Scriptures
Interpretations of the Book
• Allegorical Interpretation: Entire book
is seen as an allegory of the Lord’s love
for His people Israel.
• Cultic Interpretation: Cultic poems for
use in marriage ritual.
• Shepherd Interpretation: Views
Solomon as the villain.
• Typical Interpretation: Type of the
church
• Natural or Literal Interpretation
Cast of Characters
• Solomon: Shelomoh “Peaceful”
• Shulamith: Feminine of Shelomoh
Romance &
Honeymoon
(Chapters 1-4)
Happily ever
after
(Chapters 7-8)
Marital Problems
(Chapters 5-6)
The Story behind the Song
• The story begins
Song of Songs 1:5
"I am black but lovely,
O daughters of Jerusalem,
Like the tents of Kedar,
Like the curtains of Solomon.
Song of Songs 1:6
"Do not stare at me because I am
swarthy,
For the sun has burned me.
My mother's sons were angry with
me;
They made me caretaker of the
vineyards,
But I have not taken care of my own
vineyard.”
The Story behind the Song
• The story begins
• Boy meets girl
Song of Songs 1:7
Tell me, O you whom my soul loves,
Where do you pasture your flock,
Where do you make it lie down at
noon?
For why should I be like one who
veils herself
Beside the flocks of your
companions?
The Story behind the Song
• The story begins
• Boy meets girl
• He promises to return
• He returns, not as a shepherd, but as
the reigning king
• Solomon takes his bride to Jerusalem
• A temporary separation (Chapters 5-6)
Observations from the Book
• The name of Yahweh is not mentioned
• The book is never quoted in the New
Testament
• Jews would not permit their young
people to read this book
“I advise and counsel
everyone who is not yet
rid of the vexations of
the flesh and blood and
has not ceased to feel
the passion of his bodily
nature, to refrain
completely from reading
this little book and the
things that will be said
about it.”
While the king was
at his table,
My perfume gave
forth its fragrance.
(Song 1:12).
Mary then took a
pound of very costly
perfume of pure
nard, and anointed
the feet of Jesus and
wiped His feet with
her hair; and the
house was filled with
the fragrance of the
perfume (John 12:3)
You are a garden
spring,
A well of fresh water,
And streams flowing
from Lebanon (Song
4:15).
He who believes in
Me, as the Scripture
said, “From his
innermost being will
flow rivers of living
water” (John 7:38)
I was asleep but my
heart was awake.
A voice!
My beloved was
knocking: ‘
“Open to me, my
sister, my darling,
My dove, my perfect
one! (Song 5:2).
Behold, I stand at
the door and knock;
if anyone hears My
voice and opens the
door, I will come in
to him and will dine
with him, and he
with Me (Revelation
3:20).
Song of
Songs
5:9-16
Read through
the following
passages and
seek to pick
out and
explain the
imagery.
Song of
Songs
6:1-7
Song of Songs 8:6
Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the LORD.
Song of Songs 8:7
Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of
his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.
Lessons from the Song of
Songs
• God is concerned with all of life
• God is concerned with our sexuality
• All of life reflects our relationship with
God
• The Scriptures contain love songs
• We are a part of a sacred romance