Ruling Proverbs
“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel”
Proverbs 1:1
“Proverbs” has the concrete and action verb root of “to rule”. The first use of this term in the Torah is in the fourth day creation of the sun, moon, and stars. The proverbs or parables or similitudes or poems are the means of rulership, specifically of Solomon’s rulership, and thus are an illustration of Christ’s rulership. A lesser light type that points to the greater light anti type. As the sun, moon, and stars are degrees of the great light known as “Day”, so Solomon and his proverbs, are lesser degrees, like a star and moon, even as a sun in his rulership, carry the message of the great first light—the light of Christ, the Word, the Law of God’s love.
Proverbs should rule the mind. That is, they should be lights and way-marks that lead the line of thinking as the lights in the heavens align our position of perception in earth below. Even more simply, as the lights are signs and markers for days, seasons, and years, so proverbs should be, in the mind, as lights which direct our activities. When we look up and follow a line of stars, do we, similarly, “look up” and follow the line of thought which the proverbs lead us on? How can we do this? For example, this Scripture has many lines to lead us in our investigations after some truth which may further direct our thoughts. This Scripture leads us to see the relation between proverbs and Israel. For they are of Solomon, who was of David, who was king of Israel. The rulership of Solomon can be traced either in purely genealogical relationship, or it can be understood that the proverbs were the real means of rulership, apart from the biological position. All these thoughts are contained within this Scripture, this opening proverb.
Ultimately, however, this Scripture and proverb reveal the rulership of character. Proverbs are found on the lips and in the mind and heart of a person, in Solomon. Who was Solomon? He was the son of David. Was it this relationship that made him wise? We find in the story that this is not the case at all. It is the sins of the father which had influence in Solomon’s downfall. But not all that he received from David was bad genes. The God who David served, the God of Israel, the God of “he who prevails with God”, was also given to Solomon by David. It was this gift which made Solomon who he was. The presence of God in Solomon’s life gave him wisdom to rule. Apart from God’s presence and power, Solomon had no wisdom to rule himself or others. So the ruling proverbs find their ultimate source in the God of Jacob, and thus the God of Isaac and the God of Abraham.
In light of these thoughts, the proverbs are therefore the means of liberation. For God called Abraham out of Babylon to free him from the mischaracterization of the Creator of the Universe. He freed him from the systems of human sacrifice and led him into the wisdom of the Everlasting Covenant. The sacrifice of God was the wisdom which set Abraham free. Therefore these Proverbs of the “King of Israel” have the same ultimate message at their source and center. The purpose of the proverbs must be to call people out of Babylon, out of Egypt, out of the slavery of sin which is unbelief in the essential goodness and love of God, into that voluntary relationship which makes one truly wise in God’s eyes.
When the ruling proverbs have dominion over the spirit, that is, over the heart, then the mind and the outer life will shine brightly as the firmament in the heavens. Is this not what the Prophet Daniel wrote?
“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;
and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
Daniel 12:3