OUR BIBLE BAND

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 17, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 19.

Schedule for Week Ending May 28, 1910

Day	Date	Reading
Sunday	May 22	Prov. 17-19
Monday	“ 23	“ 20-22
Tuesday	“ 24	“ 23-25
Wednesday	“ 25	“ 26-28
Thursday	“ 26	“ 29-31
Friday	“ 27	Eccl. 1-4
Sabbath	“ 28	“ 5-8

THE lesson for us this week is composed entirely of the writings of Solomon; namely, the last fifteen chapters of Proverbs and the first eight chapters of Ecclesiastes. Chapter 25 is the beginning of the Proverbs which the scribes of Hezekiah copied out of the many writings of Solomon, for he wrote three thousand proverbs.

CHAPTERS 30 and 31 seem to have been written by other than Solomon, and yet Solomon may have written them thus that the lessons they contain might come home to the heart in a more striking manner.

A GREATER part of the Proverbs were written about the year one thousand and later.

THE book of Ecclesiastes, a word which means the preacher, was written presumably about the year 977. Solomon had tasted of all the pleasures which this world could give; he had yielded to all the desires of the heart and the flesh; he had learned that following all the luxuries which the human mind could invent produced nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit; and Ecclesiastes is the record of the pleasure which he in his wisdom sought to find, but found it not. Very graphically the little book points out the folly of earthly pursuits without hope in God. Very forcibly it brings before us the nothingness of humanity without God; and interwoven in the sermon which is preached, is excellent practical instruction. The eleventh chapter is a splendid missionary chapter; and the last is a graphic description of the decay of man, ending with the only wise conclusion,—that man’s whole duty is in keeping God’s commandments and trusting Him.