The Books of Poetry:

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of

Songs
© John Stevenson, 2014
 Book Theme Question

Pain & Why do bad things

Job suffering happen to good people?

Prayer & How do I approach

Psalms Worship God?

Proverbs Conduct How shall I live?

Meaning &
Ecclesiastes significance Why am I here?

Song of
Love How shall I love?
Solomon
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
2 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,

 Proverbs 1:5-6
5 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.

 Exodus 28:2-3
2 "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.
 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 in the prayer Life out in the street
closet
Teach us how to be Teach us how to
holy before God practice holiness
before men
Love the Lord with all Love your neighbor
your heart, soul, and as yourself
mind
 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.”
God spoke in Moses Theophanies
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

11 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).
 Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom

13 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).
 Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom

15 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 4:15-
16).
 Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom

17 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).
 Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom

20 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).
 Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom

22 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).
 Themes in the Proverbs
• The way of Wisdom
• Principles of Work

2 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).

 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

27 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).
 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
10 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.
 Proverbs 13:1-3
1 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.
 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
Exceptions

Job Ecclesiastes
The righteous A lack of
suffers meaning to life

Song of Songs
Irrationality of love
The Question of Life
Song of
Solomon Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther
Passover Shabuot Fall of Sukkot Purim
(Pentecost) Jerusalem (Tabernacles)
Nisan 14 Sivan 8 Ab 9 Tishri 15 Adar 14
April 17 June 9 August 8 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 There is
emptiness, profit in • Life is a gift from God
but man seeing God • To everything there is a
ought to as the giver
enjoy of all of the season
goodness seasons of • This is a call to live
because it life
is from God
purposefully
• We are called to enjoy
Introduction There is a the journey
to four monotony
themes to life
 1-2 3 4-5 6-9 10-12
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is There is
emptiness, profit in • Part of this enjoyment is
but man seeing God found in the “one
ought to as the giver another principles”
enjoy of all of the
goodness seasons of
because it life
is from God

Introduction There is a
to four monotony
themes to life
 1-2 3 4-5 6-9 10-12
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is There is Instead of
emptiness, profit in being
but man seeing God fearful,
ought to as the giver enjoy life
enjoy of all of the while it lasts
goodness seasons of because it
because it life is a gift
is from God from God

Introduction There is a There is an

to four monotony emptiness
themes to life 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 They can They can hold
good results in up one warm one up one another
their labor another in another in the in adversity
trouble cold
Work Falling Cold Adversity
 1-2 3 4-5 6-9 10-12
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon Sermon
All of life is There is Instead of Man sees Because of
emptiness, profit in being life as a the
but man seeing God fearful, struggle, emptiness
ought to as the giver enjoy life but God of this life,
enjoy of all of the while it lasts gave life to man ought
goodness seasons of because it be enjoyed to fear the
because it life is a gift Lord and
is from God from God follow His
word
Introduction There is a There is an There is a There is a
to four monotony emptiness futility in certainty of
themes to life in wisdom wealth death
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 & Happily ever
Honeymoon after
(Chapters 1-4) (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
 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