How is the Theme of Creation Used in the of Proverbs - Book Report/Review Example

Theme of creation in the book of Proverbs Characteristics of wisdom literature Books in this category all focus on the attainment of wisdom. The idea of these scriptures is to curb chaotic living by furnishing readers with the advice needed to have a blessed life. They talk about man’s relation to others and God. Wisdom literature addresses profound themes like why man exists or why he may be subjected to suffering. They are meant as guidebooks for daily life. Practical Wisdom literature is practical in nature; it focuses on daily living and how human beings can live happily. Rarely does one find abstract ideas in this category. Instead, it offers people skills for living on the earth. The advice stems from the assumption that God is all-knowing, so the best way of having a blessed life was to stick by the words of the all-knowing one. The practicality of wisdom literature does not in any way obscure God’s relevance in man’s life. All the advice in the books is derived from God. In Proverbs 1:7, the scriptures say that the beginning of wisdom originates from the fear of the lord. 1 The Jews were not always at war or preparing to meet adversaries. For a relatively long time, there was peace in Israel. At these moments, people simply needed guidance on how to get on with their daily lives. Indeed, the need to involve God in all elements of life was a distinct characteristic of the Jewish faith in the Old Testament era. The practical nature of these writings is evident in the absence of governance, supernatural interventions as well as sin and the consequences of the latter. Unlike other prophetic books that made proclamations about God’s word, these books talked about finding the right wife, living with others among others. Minimal focus is given to the evil aspects of creation. In fact, most of the assertions in the literature assume that the world is inherently a good place. Therefore, it is man’s responsibility to find ways of maintaining harmony as part of God’s intention when creating the world. Reflective rather than prescriptive Writings in wisdom literature are not prescriptive in nature; they are reflective instead. Focus is on understanding the world and using knowledge to deal with the physical and the social. The idea is to create social order such that people can live productive lives. Readers of these forms of literature are meant to select one of two pathways. Each of these choices has separate and divergent consequences. Emphasis on tradition Tradition is also another key characteristic of biblical books in this category. It is assumed that certain collective experiences are engrained in society. Knowledge of these structures through experience leads to wisdom. Therefore, hasty ways of tackling problems are not supported. Furthermore, it is assumed that the elderly are already familiar with these traditions. Structural institutions like the family and other governance systems lay the foundation for these insights. God’s relevance to life The foolish are those who do not recognise the sovereignty of God. Conversely the wise are persons who acknowledge this supremacy and look for ways of living in accord with his will as well as with others. Books in this category thus provide answers to questions in life. They address weighty matters like the reason for man’s existence as well as reasons for suffering. The wise will seek this counsel and abide them. Such ideas also stem from the reverence of God that is evident in the Israelite understanding of creation. They believed that God had already placed wisdom in nature so one could learn about God by understanding his creation. 2. Instances of creation and / or the natural world are presented Psalms Several instances of reverence for the creation of the universe are evident in wisdom literature. Psalms 104: 9 focuses on how God has overcome forces of chaos and darkness to establish a divine order and beauty. In this verse, God disallowed the disorder of the sea from prevailing over the mountains and on land. Sea dragons cannot be manipulated by man but God has triumphed over them. These creatures were initially powerful but lost their influence after God reigned in on them. Job Wisdom literature in the book of Job also mentions creation. According to Job, God is an unjust individual who lets the righteous suffer and the wicked succeed. However, creation illustrates that man is indeed powerless. Creation is thus a means to demonstrate the supremacy and might of God. Eternity is in the hands of God while man, as God’s creation, is only transitory. Ecclesiastes In the book of Ecclesiastes, creation is a means of creating mystery around God. In Ecclesiastes 3:11-14, the bible states that God created everything but hid the mysteries of eternity from man. Creation is so inexplicable because it does not allow man to add or take away from it. As a consequence, man ought to fear God. Creation has also been used to expose the ignorance of man. In Job 38:2, God confronts Job and asks him whether he can give an account of creation. Because the latter individual was not present in creation, he prefers to keep him mouth shut. The real wise man is one who acknowledges his ignorance about creation. All humans need to embrace their status as creatures. They must fear the creator and his supremacy. These are all matters one can deduce from different types of wisdom literature. 3. How the book of proverbs fits into wisdom literature as a whole The book of Proverbs is all about interactions between man and man in light of God’s expectations. It offers wise counsel and instruction in the way to live righteous, just and equitable lives. Its authorship is indicative of this fact because King Solomon was one of the wisest men on earth. He was responsible for writing the bulk of verses in this book. Proverbs targets the morally naive, especially young people who require instructions. It actually derives its name - “Proverbs” – from the form of wise sayings used in the book. These are riddles, parables and proverbs. Words in the books of Proverbs have been carefully selected and presented. As mentioned in the earlier section, wisdom literature is symptomatic of what is deemed as true according to God. It is a generalisation of social matters. These were not promises but rather forms of guidance that assist people in accessing certain goals. For instance, the book of Proverbs 10:4 states that lazy people become poor while diligent ones are wealthy. Conversely, the book of Proverbs 19:22 talks about the merits of love and even adds that being poor if preferred to lying. These two verses demonstrate the reflective nature of the book of Proverbs. It is not prescriptive in nature and does not guarantee certain results. In fact, it acknowledges contradictions that exist in various statuses in life. One verse admonishes laziness and poverty while another states that poverty is permissible if it comes at the expense of integrity. 2 Writings in Proverbs are such that they induce a person to think about truth. They provoke deep reflection through the use of strong imagery. For instance, Proverbs 3:18 compares the path of righteousness to morning light and the tree of life. Some of this wisdom is better understood by invoking such images in the mind of its readers. Words in the book are quite relevant to life. They outline two pathways that one can select in order to live with these expectations. The wrong path is often seductive and easy to follow. Conversely, the other path is unpopular and ascribed to by the wise. These assertions may seem obvious now, but the manner in which they are described is quite creative and captivating to the reader. Personification is quite prevalent in the book and some insight is required in order to understand them. For instance, Proverbs 1:20 personify wisdom as a crying woman. She is repulsive to many and no one would want to associate with them. On the other hand, the adulterous woman is easy on the eyes and lures the gullible. These personifications cause one to ponder over life issues and thus seek wise ways of living. In essence, the book of Proverbs fits in with wisdom literature because it is an instruction on how one can think correctly; it shows man how to live a righteous life. It provides guidance on human behaviour as prescribed by God. The book is relevant to parents as they can find counsel on how to raise their children. Likewise, the youth can also find a lot of direction on the way to go. Married persons have a lot to learn from the book. They can find teaching on what it takes to become a quality wife or husband. Additionally, instructions for working are also available in the book. Plenty of information about friendship is also present. Essentially, Proverbs gives wise counsel on almost all element of life. 4. Creation Imagery in the book of Proverbs Perhaps the most relevant part of the book of Proverbs concerning creation is Chapter 8, specifically verses 22-31. These scriptures talk about the importance of wisdom in creation. They also address the relevance of wisdom during the creation process. Further, they show God’s attitude towards wisdom. In Proverbs 8: 22-26, the book talks about the relevance of wisdom in creation.3 It was there before God created the mountains or the hills. The beginning was characterised by the presence of wisdom. It existed prior to the separation of water from land. Many controversies have arisen when discussing the meaning of this passage in the book of proverbs. Some analysts state that wisdom was merely a personification of a divine witness who was there during creation. Others even assert that wisdom was like the architect who implemented the work of creation. In order to settle this debate, one must look at other verses on creation. The book of Psalms 33: 6 states that God made the earth and heavens through his breath or spirit. Therefore, in accordance to this script, the spirit of the Lord was responsible for all creation. This was the agent of creation.4 On the other hand, another scripture in proverbs expounds on the role of wisdom in creation. Proverbs 3: 19 declare that the Lorded founded the earth through wisdom, and the heavens came into being through understanding. This verse seems to treat wisdom as an agent. In contrast to the Psalmist who thought that creation was carried out by the spirit, Proverbs focuses on wisdom as the agent. These two books still prove that some sort of agent was required in order to bring forth creation. It is understandable why the two authors would make this assumption. God is a transcendent being whose form is beyond man’s comprehension. He thus requires another form to carry out the work of creation. Nonetheless, one must not assume that wisdom was the creator of the earth. The latter was just an agent that was fathomed by God.5 God was the one who existed at the beginning. He only relied on wisdom as a partner. The same may be said of God and the Holy Spirit, who acted as counsel in the book of Genesis during creation. These agents are not supreme to their creators and must not draw attention from God’s divine work. The book of Proverbs thus contains certain poetic narrations of the work of creation. It talks about the process by which the dome around the earth and the heavens was formed. It also mentions the creation of mountains. Furthermore, the limits of the sea were also outlined in the book. Perhaps one of the most significant components of creation imagery in the book of Proverbs is the joy that God felt upon completion of creation. Proverbs 8: 30-31 states that God was proud of his establishment of the earth in creation. He wanted to show that this process brought him joy. Wisdom delights in the existence of man because this is an important part of creation. The latter personification thinks of the universe and all its inhabitants as good thing. Therefore, this reinforces God’s attitude towards his creation. Bibliography Coogan, M, A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament, Oxford, 2009. Crenshaw, J, Old Testament wisdom: An introduction, John Knox, Louisville, 2010. Estes, D, Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms, Baker Academic, Ada, MI, 2010. Harper Collins, The Harper Collins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Harper, San Francisco, 2006. Murphy, R, The tree of life: an exploration of biblical wisdom literature, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI, 2002. 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