ECCLESIASTES SONG OF SOLOMON i -The Bible Study Textbook Series NEW TESTAMENT NewBy w, Testament Wartick &w, HistorField The Gospel of Matthew The Gos el of Mark In Four Volumes By B. d Johnson Vol. I - The Intertestament By Harold ~~~l~~ and Don DeWelt Period and The Gos els The Gospel of Luke The Gos el of John Acts Made Actual By T. R. Applebury By PauPT. Butler By Don DeWelt ---‘----I~~~ ~ ~~ ~ Romans Realized Studies in Corinthians Guidance From Galatians By Don DeWelt By T. R. Applebury By Don Earl Boatman The Glorious Church Philippians - Colossians Thinking Through (E hesians) Philemon Thessalonians By &bur Fields By Wilbur Fields By Wilbur Fields Paul’s Letters He1 s From Hebrews James & Jude TO Timoth & Titus By Jon Earl Boatman By Don Fream By Don f;eWelt Hereby K~~~ The Seer, The Saviour Letters From Peter we and The Saved By Bruce Oberst (1-11-111 John) (Revelation) By Clinton Gill Rv lamp< Straiirr OLD TESTAMENT O.T. & History Genesis By William Smith In Four Volumes Leviticus and Wilbur Fields I By C. C. Crawford I Joshua- Judges Numbers Deuteronomy Ruth I & 11 Sam?lel By Brant Lee Doty I By Bruce Oberst B~ W.W. winter I By W. W. Winter Ezra - Nehemiah I & I1 Kin s I & I1 Chronicles Esther By James E. 8mith I By Robert E. Black By Ruben Ratzlaff The Shattering of Silence Psalms In Two Volumes Proverbs (Job) 1 By Donald Hunt By James Straws By J. B. Rotherham I Ecclesiastes and Song of Isaiah Jeremiah and Solomon-By R. J. Kidwell In Three Volumes Lamentations and Don DeWelt By Paul T. Butler By James E. Smith Hosea - Joel - Amos Ezekiel Daniel Obadiah -Jonah By James E. Smith By Paul T. Butler By Paul T. Butler I I Micah - Nahum - Habakkuk - Zephaniah Haggai - Zechariah -Malachi Bv Clinton Gill DOCTRINE I Survey Course In Christian Doctrine The Church The Eternal Spirit Two Booksof Four Volumes In The Bible Two Volumes By C. C. Crawford By Don DeWelt By C. C. Crawford ii BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK SERIES ECCLESIASTES bY R. J. Kidwell SONG OF SOLOMON bY Don DeWelt PARAPHRASE AND ANALYTICAL OUTLINE by Arthur G. Clarke College Press, Joplin, Missouri iii Copyright 1977 College Press iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ECCLESIASTES Dedication., . , I ,’. ,., , , , , . ,.. xiii Foreword ..................... , ...... ..... ........ , xv Introduction . , . , . , , , . , . , , . , . , , . , . 1 OUTLINE Introduction: 1:l-ll... , . , , . , , , , . , . ,.. , , , . , 5 A. Author: Solomon (1).. , . , , . , . 5 B. Thesis: The vanity of all earthly things (2) . I , . 8 C. Explanation: (3-11). , , . , . , , . , , . , . , , , , . 12 1. Man cannot show a profit of all his labor under the sun (3) . , , . , , , , , . , . , . , . , , . 12 2. Compared with the world, man is transitory and all of his efforts are futile (4-8) . , . 19 3. History repeats itself and man forgets what has gone before (9-11) , . , . , . , . , 23 I. A MAN OF WISDOM WORKS IN HARMONY WITH GOD’S PROVIDENTIAL BLESSINGS, OTHERWISE HE DISCOVERS ALL HIS WORK IS VANITY (1:12-6:12). , . , , , . , , . , . ,. 27 A. Experiments and Conclusions (1:12-2:26) . ,.. 27 1. Experiments (1:12-2:ll). , , , , . , , . 27 a. Unlimited resources for research (12) . 27 b. Wisdom is used in exploring all that is done under heaven (13-18).. , . , . ,.. 29 c. Wisdom is used in the exploration of sensuous pleasure (2:l-11) , , , . , , . , . , . 41 2. Conclusions (2:12-26) , . , , , . , , . 55 a. Value of this wisdom and pleasure stop at the grave (12-17) . , , . , . I . 55 b. The legacy of one’s labor is often lost to fools when one dies (18-23)-, , , , , , . , , , , . , . 61 c. Labor is good only when it is acknowledged as from the hand of God (24-26) . 65 B. Acknowledgments that we must work under V ECCLESIASTES .SONG OF SOLOMON the rule of God’s providence (3:l-22) ............. 69 1 . Man should adjust to live his life within the framework of God’s providence (1.8) ........... 69 2 . Working outside the framework of God’s providence results in frustration and defeat (9-22) ............................... 78 a . Man should work with an awareness of God (9-11) b . The ability to enjoy the fruit of one’s labor is a precious gift from God (12-15) c . God’s purpose is thwarted but not defeated by perversion of justice (16-22) C . Guidelines for working with God under all circumstances (4:l-16) ......................... 89 1 . How to work under oppression (1-3) ........... 89 2 . Keep your motive for work pure (4-6) .......... 94 3 . Attain your riches for practical good (7-12) ..... 96 4 . Keep in mind that prestigious positions will soon be forgotten (13-16) ..................... 103 D . Guidelines for the work of worship (5.1.9) ......... 107 1 . Watch your step in God’s house (la) ........... 107 2 . Refrain from making a sacrifice of fools through hasty words (lb-7) ................... 110 3 . Recognize God as the Ruler over all (8-9) ....... 119 E . Admonitions concerning the futility of riches (5:10-6:12) ................................. 123 1 . Riches by themselves are vain (510-20) ........ 123 a . They do not satisfy (10-12) ................. 123 b . They may be harmful (13-17) ............... 127 c . Exhortation to enjoy the riches God permits (18.20) ........................... 131 2 . It is possible to possess riches which cannot be enjoyed (6.1.6) ........................... 135 3. Reasons why riches cannot satisfy (7-9) ......... 143 4 . Reasons why it is useless to strive for riches (10-12)............................... 147 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS 11. A MAN OF WISDOM WHO WORKS IN HARMONY WITH GOD REAPS EARTHLY BENEFITS REGARDLESS OF ENVIRON- MENTAL CIRCUMSTANCES (7:1-12:8), ... I. 152 A. Adverse circumstances teach worthwhile lessons but if improperly interpreted could lead to despair (7:l-22).. , . , . , , . , , 152 1. This lesson is taught by comparisons (1-14) . , . , 152 a. A good name is better than precious ointment (1) . 152 b. Attendance at a funeral is better than attendance at a birthday party (2) . , , . , 154 c. Sorrow is better than laughter (3) . 156 d. Wisdom is better than folly (4). , , 158 e. A rebuke from the wise is better than the song of fools (5-7) . , . 159 f. Patience is better than anxiety (8-9) . , . 162 g. The now is better than the former days (10). 164 h. Wisdom is better than hasty judgment (11) . 166 i. Wisdom is better than money (12) . , . 167 j. Trusting God for tomorrow is better than knowing about tomorrow (13-14).. , . 169 2. This lesson is taught even when the opposite appears to be true (15-18) . , . , . 172 a. The wicked are rewarded and the righteous suffer (15) . , , . , . 172 b. Warnings against the wrong interpretations of life (16-17) . , , , . , . 174 c. Choose the best in life (18) . , . 177 3. Wisdom leads to proper attitudes and conduct (19-22). , , . , . 179 a. Wisdom strengthens the wise (19) . , . 179 b. Wisdom leads one to see his own sin (20) . 181 c. Wisdom protects against false accusations and self righteousness (21-22) . 183 B. Important lessons'drawn from these observa- tions (7:23-29).. , . , . , . 185 vii ECCLESIASTES .SONG OF SOLOMON 1. Practical lessons can be learned. but the deeper things are unattainable (23-24)......... 185 2. Through intensive study. one comes to see the potential within men and women to do evil (25-28)................................ 189 3. A final observation: Men seek evil devices (29) . I 195 C . Admonitions to use wisdom in thework of solving the problems of life (8:1 - 9: 18) ........... 197 1. Work in submission to the king (8:l-8)......... 197 2. Work even when one discovers the oppression of the righteous (9-13)....................... 209 3. Work even when one cannot understand the working of God (14-17)...................... 217 4. Work regardless of the similar fate of the godly and the ungodly (9:l-10)................ 221 5. Work with the awareness that God will control the final outcome (11-12) .................... 232 6. Wisdom is declared to be the greatest guide in our work (13-18) ......................... 236 D . Illustrations of those who lack wisdom (1O:l-11) ... 242 1. The foolish worker is in trouble (1.4) ........... 242 2. Foolishness leads to humiliation (5-7).......... 246 3. Failures in life result from lack of wisdom (8.11) ..................................... 248 E . Those who work contrary to wisdom are repre- hensible (12.20) ............................... 251 1. Talkers and workers (12-15) .................251 2. Rulers (16.17) .............................. 254 3. Warnings (18-20)........................... 256 F . Exhortations to work in harmony with wisdom (11:1-12:8) ................................. 260 1 . Trust God and be cheerful in all of your activities (11:1-8) ........................... 260 2. Enjoy the days of your youth (9-10)............ 269 3. Remember God in your youth (12:l) ........... 272 G . Death comes to every man (2-8) ................. 274 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Conclusion: 12:9-14 A. Man is admonished to work in harmony with God through the words of one Shepherd (9-12) . 284 B, Man is admonished to fear God and keep His commandments (13). , . , , . , . , , , , , , . , , , , . , 289 C. Man is admonished to work in harmony with God because God will bring every work into judgment (14) . , , , , , , , , , , . , . , , , , , . , , , , , . , . , 292 Epilogue , , , , . , , , , . , , . , . , , . , . , , . , . , , , , . , . , . , . 293 Bibliography, . , . , , , . , , , , , . , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . , . 295 SONG OF SOLOMON Preface, , . , , , , , , , , , . , , , . , , , , , . , , . , , , , , , , . , , , . 301 Introduction . , , , , , . , , . , . , . , , , . , . 305 THE SONG OF SONGS OUTLINE OF THE BOOK by Arthur G. Clarke Title-1:l ........................................ 315 I. FIRST SCENE - The King's Palace - 1:2 to 3:s . 316 A, Shulammite: 1. Sililoquy, 1:2-4 , , , , , . , . , , , . , . , , , , . 316 2. Appeal, 1:s-6 , , , . , , . , , , , , , , , . 322 3. Sililoquy, 1: 7 . , . , , , , , . , , , . , , , . 326 B. Court Ladies: 1. Response, 1:8 (ironical) . , . 328 C. Solomon: 1. First Advance to Shulammite, 1:9-11. 33 1 D. Shulammite: 1. Narration to Court Ladies, 1:12 to 2:7. 334 a. Explanation of her situation, 1:12 , . 334 b. Estimation of her beloved, 1:13, 14.