Tuesday 26 November 2013

Read Ecclesiastes 12:11-12

When the Bible talks about “goads” we are tempted to keep reading without pausing to think about what God is saying to us. Do you know what a goad is? Do you know how it was used? Do you see the parallel between a goad and the Word of God?

A goad was a long thin pointed rod, sometimes tipped with iron, which a farmer used for driving or guiding cattle, especially his oxen in ploughing. The farmer used the goad to direct, to spur on and to encourage the cattle in the right direction.

“The words of the wise are like goads” means that God’s Word directs us and encourages us to go in the right direction. The Word of God spurs us on and guides us. The Word of God is the rod that God uses to keep us on the straight and narrow.

The Word of God is also described as ‘firmly embedded nails’. It pictures something that is fixed and immovable - a picture of the stability and surety of the wisdom given by God. 

Finally we are told that the words of the wise are given by one shepherd. This could refer to Solomon but it more probably refers to the Lord Himself who is the author of Scripture. The “words of the wise” does not refer to writings and sages of all religions for the surrounding nations had many sages and writings. God never encouraged His people to indulge in these writings. Rather the passage is referring to that which was revealed and given by God Himself to His people.

Prayer:

Pray that your congregation would see the Word of God as it really is, the Word from the Lord and not from mankind. Pray that there would grow a deep, reverent respect for the Word of God.