I can’t say I’m too sorry to be finishing Proverbs, but getting back to Solomon’s story does mean the beginning of the decline. I know that things will never be as good again for the Israelites, so it’s with a slightly heavy heart that I return to 1 Kings.
More wise advice
Proverbs 29:1-27
The words of Agur
Proverbs 30:1-6
The way of moderation
Proverbs 30:7-9
More proverbs
Proverbs 30:10-33
Solomon’s backsliding
1 Kings 11:1-13
His adversaries: Hadad
1 Kings 11:14
Rezon
1 Kings 11:23-25
Jeroboam
1 Kings 11:26-40
Unhappy condition of backsliders
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Listening to Agur takes me back to reading Job - there’s something about his tone of voice that reminds me of listening to Job’s friends.
And now getting back to the story of Solomon, we find him collecting wives like he collected wealth and prestige. And his wives are not wiling to give up their gods, just because they’ve accepted Solomon’s patronage. No problem, says Solomon, I’ll build you places to worship your gods right here. I’ll even worship them with you. So God announces that the kingdom will be divided, a good-looking, able and popular man (Jeroboam) will be the cause of a revolt against the king - where have we heard that before? - and only one tribe will be left loyal to the line of David.
Now we turn to Ecclesiastes, which has long been my favourite bit of Wisdom literature. Why? There something about this book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I find the rest of Wisdom literature leaves me cold - it seems worthy but dull. But I imagine the writer of Ecclesiastes to be an old man who always has his tongue in his cheek, saying things to get a reaction, not necessarily because he believes them.
What? There’s a bit in the Bible that’s saying things just to get a reaction? And we shouldn’t necessarily believe it?
Why not?
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