ECCLESIASTES 12.9-12

9. Not only was the Koheleth [Preacher] wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs.

10. The Teacher searched to find just the right words [words of delight], and what he wrote was upright and true.

11. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails, given by one Shepherd.

12. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

Koheleth the Acquirer has now become Koheleth the Preacher and spiritual Teacher – and in these final verses of his work, Solomon issues an important warning to those ready to accept his message and turn their lives towards God.

As we have already seen, Solomon devoted his life to the study and teaching of Wisdom. In so doing he collected, then pondered and analyzed many proverbs, the sayings of the great sages, almost certainly including those of Joseph, a teacher of wisdom in Egypt centuries earlier (Psalm 105:17-22), polishing, improving and rewriting them, carefully searching out just the right words, or words of delight, with which to express them – carefully engineering in layers of meaning that make them equally valuable to young and old, the simple and those already considered wise. In modern educational parlance, the proverbs are “differentiated”.

The inspired words of Solomon are both upright and true, no matter what problems he may have experienced in his personal life. Notice that there are in fact two kinds of proverbs, both possessing a metaphorical sharpness that makes them penetrating and effectual – first, Goads, proverbs that penetrate our thick skins of self-assurance and stubbornness and move us to action -- and second, Nails, time-tested and firmly embedded truths, realities of life on which we can confidently rely for guidance in living our lives.

Ecclesiastes and Proverbs together provide a comprehensive guide to wise and Godly living – but, as we turn to God, it is crucially important to take note of Solomon’s timely warning, Quote: “Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.” -- in other words, beware of accepting “religious” practices, regulations and mystical philosophies that may have an appearance of piety and wisdom, but which are actually useless and unnecessary and backed by wicked and deceitful spiritual powers (Colossians 2:18-23).

Jesus also warns against false teachers, and time and again throughout the New Testament we read of such pious-appearing and even charismatic individuals seeking, often with great success, to turn Christianity into a “Religion” and impose burdensome and unnecessary regulations on his disciples in order to exploit them for financial gain (1 Timothy 4:1, Galatians 5:1-24).

Perhaps this is why James also reminds his readers that, following repentance and the acceptance of Jesus as our personal saviour, Christianity is simply a Godly way of living and doing good -- saying, Quote: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27).