Week #23 | "But, Even the Wisdom of Solomon..."

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LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read Psalms 42-49, 71, 84-85, 87-89; 1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 7-8, and Ecclesiastes 1-6.

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

There is no junk pile in God's Word. The readings for Week #23 give a sense of presenting us with leftovers--as if Steinmann didn't have a chronological category to put certain readings in, and so here he is just giving us "the rest" before moving on to the next point in history. That's not a knock on Steinmann! To some extent, this in unavoidable (though I wish he would have given us the readings from Ecclesiastes after giving the account of Solomon's downfall in the coming chapters). But, there is real richness in these readings because they are from God's Word. The Psalms of Korah demonstrate an incredible emotional range--unlike many of the worship songs of today, they are not afraid to embrace mourning and disappointment as prominent themes, nor are they afraid to teach, and when they put their mind to it, they can lift you right up into celebration. The range of human emotions and experiences is not incompatible with worship; in fact, this is one of the riches still enjoyed in churches which embrace Psalm-singing as part of their worship (you can find a link to a book of Psalms in meter here). The readings from 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles show us the kingdom of Solomon at the height of his reign, and give us a bit of a picture of what it must have been like to be alive at that time. It must have seemed like heaven on earth==and impossible dream come true! But, the end of Solomon's story shows us that he, too, is not the Promised Deliverer. We must look for another; ultimately, this person is not Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, or Solomon. Only Jesus can fill the role that fallen man cannot. Ecclesiastes 1-6 starts us off on a somber note, as Solomon's mature reflections on life. This was written after his heart turned aside from God. And it seems depressing at first! "Life is meaningless" is a near-quote from the opening chapters. But the book should be read as a whole, and ultimately it comes down to one thing that is not meaningless: "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Eccl. 12:13-14). There is much food for thought here.

DO | HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? I won't lay out exact responses in this space because the possibilities are often endless. But it is worth it to think about application in the categories of worship, attitude, and actions. Does this reading direct me to God in worship and thanksgiving and praise, or does it direct me towards a change that I need to make here and now? If it's about a change that I need to make, is this something inward in my attitude, or outward in my actions? This helps to rescue application from just being a series of how-to tips, or one-size-fits-all instructions that go beyond what the Bible actually states. Sometimes, the most helpful application we can make is to get a different perspective on what's the most important thing, or about how we should respond inwardly to the things going on around us.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US TO GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or to something else in your Bible reading time, take a few moments before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God. If you need a format for prayer, both the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), CALL (Confess, Ask, Love, Listen), and PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) methods are helpful ways to stay consistent.

-Sean