Ecclesiastes 9:11-18
I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me. There was a little city with few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it, building great siegeworks against it. But there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man’s wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.
Ecclesiastes 9:13-16
Interesting. Although the Preacher does not say so explicitly, it seems clear that he considers the treatment of the poor man to be improper, even unjust, yet he does not call the entire scenario “vanity and a striving after wind” as we have so often heard before. Instead, he just asserts that, despite the shameful treatment of the poor man (and his wisdom), wisdom is better than might.
Now let’s just make a bit of a leap. Let’s imagine that the city is the whole world, under siege by the forces of evil. And the poor, wise man is Jesus, who by His Cross provides deliverance. Yet He is rejected and despised. All around the world His Name is used as a curse, and His followers are mocked and derided. Do we then say that God’s plan of salvation is “vanity and a striving after wind”? Or do we trust that wisdom is better than might?
Gosh, John, what an insight, what an observation! Connecting Jesus with that poor man in Ecclesiastes 9:15-16…! Truly, Jesus was despised, His words were not heard; yet today He remains the most powerful “force” in the world!! He delivered all of creation who would hear His word, far more people than “the few in the little city”. Our Avanza “Bible” title is The Jesus Storybook Bible. Their byline is that “every story whispers His name”. Ecclesiastes is not in our JSB, and I had never thought of Ecclesiastes pointing to Jesus; you have made a connection I had never thought of! I daresay we can see more connections to Jesus if we look for them! Well done!
Thanks, but here’s the thing. I’m always reluctant to claim any kind of divine inspiration for fear of “putting words in God’s mouth”, but by the same token I am reluctant to take credit for something that may more properly belong to God. So here’s what happened. I wrote the first paragraph last night, but then I got stuck. I knew there was more to be said, but I really didn’t know what. So I went to bed, asking the Lord for direction, and then stewed over it at every waking moment during the night, not feeling like I was making any progress. But when I got up in the morning, there was the second paragraph…
That’s the beauty, John, of making “first comments”. As you reflect and ponder on what you might say, if you give it enough time and prayer and further reflection the Holy Spirit will work in and through you, letting you speak “as if from the Lord” (my words). And that’s the beauty for any of us, folks. The more we reflect and ponder the Scripture set before us, the more the Holy Spirit can work in our hearts and minds. Play a little game with yourselves – read the daily verses first thing in the morning before one of us posts those “first comments”. Imagine then what you might say to the rest of us, whether it’s a verse or two or a comment on the entire passage. You’ll be surprised what you will see “between the lines” when you give the Holy Spirit a chance to work within you!!
Ecc. 9:17: “…the quiet words of a wise person are better than the shouts of a foolish king.”
Thank you John and Fred!