Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Wisdom Literature (4)
Pray Psalm 119.41, 42.
Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD —
Your salvation according to Your word.
So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.Sing Psalm 119.41, 42.
(Dix: For the Beauty of the Earth)
Let Your mercies come to me, Your salvation by Your Word.
From reproaches set me free, for I trust in You, O LORD.
Let my life an answer be for those who may question me.
Read Ecclesiastes 1.1-18; meditate on verses 12-18.
Preparation
1. How did Solomon describe the pursuit of wisdom?2. What accompanies much wisdom?
Meditation
Solomon asked God for wisdom, and then he devoted himself to acquiring it. So far, so good. God appointed us to learn as much as we can about the world, to aid us in serving it. This is hard work—a “burdensome task” (v. 13)—but God has tasked us with it, and we must pursue it daily.
But this pursuit of wisdom—this pursuit of Jesus—must be done with a view to God’s purposes and designs, and not merely our own interests. It’s too easy, as Solomon learned the hard way (v. 16, cf. Eccl. 2), to allow ego and self-interest to spoil whatever of Jesus and His wisdom we might acquire. Stay in the Word to know the Wisdom of God, and clothe yourself in Jesus, gentle and lowly.
Solomon’s enigmatic words in verses 17 and 18 express his own folly and warn us against the same. The more we grow in wisdom—that is, in Christlikeness—the more we must be on guard against pride and vanity. The law of sin is always operating within us, and like a dead fly it can spoil the ointment of Wisdom and Jesus (v. 17; cf. Eccl. 10.1), compromising our witness and filling us with grief and regret.
Our grieving and sorrowing from wisdom and knowledge are to us an impetus to look to the Lord Jesus for humility and strength, and to rest in Him as the Treasury of all wisdom and knowledge. Our grieving and sorrowing from wisdom and knowledge—however much or little we possess—thus resolve into joy in the Presence of Him Who is all-wise and all-knowing.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Our daughter, Kristy, has taken on the responsibility of running their church’s vacation Bible school. Instead of procuring curriculum, she is writing it herself, planning all the crafts, and teaching them how to play hand bells, xylophones, and triangles—all the while planning nutritious breakfasts and lunches for them. Best of all, she wants them to meet the person of Jesus— “this pursuit of Wisdom” being done “with a view to God’s purposes and designs.” She will be teaching them of His birth, His visit at twelve with the teachers in the temple, and His sovereignty, as God with us. One of the verses she will be using is found in Luke 2. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Lk. 2.52).
It is ambitious, no doubt, but Kristy and the Holy Spirit, will make this happen.
I, for one, would love to attend this VBS under the tutelage of those two.
Her goal is for the children is to become more like Jesus every day. To know and love God, learn of Him through His Word, fellowship with Him in prayer, living in the Wisdom of God—Jesus Christ our LORD.
Jesus, at twelve, was three days in the temple with the teachers “listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers” (Lk. 2.46, 47). He was God, and yet, He was learning, and sharing, and answering, and asking questions. Much wisdom can be gained by following His example.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point to death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2.5-8).
“For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow” (Eccl. 1.18).
Jesus—Wisdom personified—was a “Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Is. 53.3).
For our sake.
We long to be like Jesus. Full of His Wisdom, not afraid of sorrow, but willing to take up our Kingdom work in the way that we have been instructed: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Lk. 9.23).
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.
Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child
will by no means enter it” (Mk. 10.14, 15).
No matter our age, we are still God’s children. And we need to continue to grow up to be more like Him every day. The calling and task are great; but we have the promised gift of the Holy Spirit to help sanctify us for the work (Jn.14.26; 15.26).
The hardest part being:
we must do this without handbells, xylophones, triangles, and Kristy’s Jesus-filled teaching.
Regardless, we must take up The Burdensome Task of Wisdom.
Reflection
1. In what sense is the pursuit of Wisdom—Jesus—a “burdensome task”?
2. How would you counsel a new believer to take up the pursuit of Jesus and the Wisdom of God? How would you try to help a new believer do this?
3. What do we need to guard against as we pursue the Wisdom of God?
Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man’s wickedness and misery; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn. Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the Savior. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1.12-18
Pray Psalm 119.43-48.
Pray that God will cause His Word to inform your words and ways today, that you may be wise in the liberty you have in Jesus, and that He will guard you against every temptation to vainglory.
Sing Psalm 119.43-48.
(Dix: For the Beauty of the Earth)
Let my words be Your words, LORD; strengthen me to keep Your Law.
All my hope is in Your Word, and I seek Your precepts all.
I will ever keep Your Word, for I trust in You, O LORD!
LORD, take not Your Word from me, for I trust it day by day.
I will walk in liberty as Your precepts I obey.
I shall keep Your truth, O LORD, for I hope in all Your Word.
I will speak Your Word to kings, and I will not be ashamed.
In Your Word my glad heart sings, as Your truth I have proclaimed.
In Your Law will I delight, which I love with all my might.
To Your Law I lift my hands to embrace and hold it dear.
In Your truth my glad heart stands, knowing You are ever near.
I will meditate, O LORD, on Your statutes and Your Word.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Read Moore (from the book, Revived!); from Crosfigell, “He Knows What He’s Doing”, on the work of the Holy Spirit; and “More of Jesus” from our ReVision series, “Pray for Your Church.” And new in our bookstore, Let God Be True and Enjoying God, both free to download and share.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
