Blogging the Apocrypha - Wisdom of Solomon 3

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Wisdom of Solomon

"...the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them."
This begs the question, in this case, what torment is. Persecution and martyrdom happen daily around the world. There is so much suffering all around us, all the time. When we are in Christ, we have a refuge from the storm. He has been a shelter for every generation. Our hope is in Him and we can ask Him to hide us in the shadow of the cross whenever we want to. He is so faithful in responding when we ask for help. The souls of the righteous are ever in His presence and we have peace in the storm. Often we do cause our own trauma, but there are definite times when trauma comes to us because of others or because sin is in the world. Will it touch our souls if they are in the hands of God? It may touch our flesh, our emotions, or our thoughts, but not our souls if they are truly in His care.

"...though in the sight of others they were punished, their hope is full of immortality."
Martyrs and those persecuted for Christ's sake are said to have been "disciplined" and counted worthy. What do these sufferings for a short time matter with an eternal perspective like this?

"In the time of their visitation..."
OK, this section weirds me out. Does this mean the righteous will walk the earth once more to rule with Christ when He comes? This does not flush out with the rest of scripture. Although it would be a blessing to be so ruled, I think it is more advanced metaphor and description, the idea being that those who are the righteous are blessed beyond measure. It would have to be divine revelation to be anything other than fiction. (This borders on Mormonism - what little I know if it.)

"...those who despise wisdom and instruction are miserable."
This is true - and I speak from experience. If we do not learn we do not grow and we do not become as God would have us be and we are stuck in our cycles of sin and death.

"...blessed is the barren woman who is undefiled, who has not entered into a sinful union; she will have fruit when God examines souls."
It does not seem to be a blessing to not have children. Especially in this culture, not having children (or being a Eunuch) was considered to be a sign of displeasure and certainly not of blessing. My notes point this out - that virtue not success, is a sign of blessing and honor from the Lord. I can take comfort in this - as can the prostitute who has repented and been cleansed in the blood - that we are blessed not by having children, but by being His and having been called to know Him and take part in His death, through communion.

"...children of adulterers will not come to maturity, and the offspring of an unlawful union will perish. Even if they live long they will be held of no account, and finally their old age will be without honor. If they die young, they will have no hope and no consolation on the day of judgement. For the end of an unrighteous generation is grievous."
I just finished watching a movie on a teenage mother who decides to give her child to a childless couple who desperately wants a baby. Movies like that always make me cry. I am the product of an adulterous union - my birth mother having been 18 years old when I was born. She made the same decision. She chose life. This is the beauty of Christ - He makes all things new. He has given me life and honor in Him despite being the offspring of an unlawful union. Amazing how he (technically) did the same with His own Son. It is true that an unrighteous generation is grievous though. What generation has been righteous? None, according to Romans. This piece of writing clearly does not fit in with the whole of scripture as I understand it. Thankfully, even if it were, God has given us a Savior and we are no longer under this social rule any longer. Grace abounds!