Page 113 - Advanced OT Survey Revised

God (12:21). Those who reject Him, on the other hand, suffer shame and death (3:35; 10:21). To reject
God is to choose folly over wisdom and is to separate ourselves from God, His Word, His wisdom, and
His blessings. lxxxviii

Finding God’s Will in Proverbs

Sometimes knowing God’s will for your life or making important decisions is very difficult! If you are a
believer, I’m sure you want to live your life according to God’s perfect plan. You want to marry God’s
choice for you, correct? So how do we go about knowing God’s will?

Proverbs is a book of wisdom. One who desires to find God’s will can’t go wrong in paying attention to
the various bits of wisdom found in this book. One significant passage is found in Proverbs 3:5-8.

5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.
6In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.
7Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8It shall be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones.

You don’t know the future, but God does. His path for you is very clear to Him. So, you have to rest in
Him to guide you. It involves trusting in Him rather than doing it your own way by your own
understanding. Put the Lord FIRST in your life, and He promises to guide your paths.

The Book of Proverbs
address

Ecclesiastes
Applying Wisdom to Find Life’s Meaning

Author/Date: Debated (genre/language), but probably Solomon in his old
age, Speakers (Narrator, Qoheleth). Written before 931 B.C.

Qoheleth occurs seven times in the book of Ecclesiastes (Eccl 1:1-2, 12; Eccl 7:27; Eccl 12:8-10) and
nowhere else in biblical literature. As a noun, designating the speaker, it also gives the Hebrew
name Qoheleth to the book itself.

Theme(s): Questions, Quest and Quintessence (frustration, fear, faith)

Message: Wrestling with experience vs. teaching, Qoheleth’s man-centered wisdom leads to futility.
Meaning is found in fear of God (trust/obey), enjoying His gifts.

Brief Summary
Two phrases are repeated often in Ecclesiastes. The word translated as “vanity” in the KJV, and
“meaningless” in the NIV appears often, and is used to emphasize the temporary nature of worldly
things. In the end, even the most impressive human achievements will be left behind. The phrase “under

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