Isaiah 16
KingCommentsIsaiah 16:1
Warning Against Wine
The other danger, often associated with the danger of women, is becoming dependent on drink (Proverbs 31:4; Hosea 4:11; Revelation 17:2). Wine in itself is not wrong (Judges 9:13; Psalms 104:15). It is wrong to drink too much of it. For a king this applies even more emphatically. He should neither drink it nor ask for it. It is about the excessive use of alcohol or the need for it because of the constant pressure on him. Anyone who wants to be able to rule a people well must first of all be able to rule himself. In this Noah failed when he was given the government over the cleansed earth (Genesis 9:1-7; 20-24).
The mother holds out to him the consequence of excessive drinking: then he “will … forget what is decreed” (Proverbs 31:5). He will forget the king’s law, in which God has told him how to behave to be a good king (Deuteronomy 17:17-20). Drink clouds the mind. Those who are drunk no longer see things clearly and cannot make just judgments in disputes.
A drunken king is repugnant (1 Kings 16:8-9; 1 Kings 20:16). As for speaking justice in a trial, he will do no more than “pervert the rights of all the afflicted”. None of the afflicted will receive his right because the king is clouded in his mind. In addition, the rich who exploit the afflicted can manipulate him (cf. Hosea 7:5). They will surely predict to him what judgment he should make.
Proverbs 31:6-7 are most likely meant to be sarcastic. It cannot be a serious advice that strong drink is better given to people who are in agony (“who is perishing”), who are severely depressed (“whose life is bitter”), or who are in “poverty” and “trouble”. The advice would then be: Just give them so much spirits and wine that they get drunk. Then they will forget their misery and stop thinking about it. This advice cannot be meant seriously because the problems have not disappeared, but are still very much alive when the intoxication is over. Then they just have to drink again. In this way it becomes an addiction. It is much more so, that people who are perishing or bitter sorrow need God’s Word, understanding and practical help.
For a king who is under high pressure, who is looked up to and from whom justice is expected, the use of alcohol is not an option. He must not shirk his responsibilities or seek relief from them by ‘drinking’. A king who knows that his task has been given to him by God will expect everything from God for the performance of that task. Then he will get what he needs.
The advice King Lemuel receives from his mother is also important for us. We are kings and may reign with the Lord Jesus (Revelation 1:6). We do not reign as kings yet, but we do have the dignity of a king. We forfeit that dignity through wrong dealing with sexuality and drink. When we give in to the lust for these, we lose the purity and simplicity of our devotion to the Lord (cf. Revelation 14:4-5) and become objects of contempt and manipulation.
Isaiah 16:2
Warning Against Wine
The other danger, often associated with the danger of women, is becoming dependent on drink (Proverbs 31:4; Hosea 4:11; Revelation 17:2). Wine in itself is not wrong (Judges 9:13; Psalms 104:15). It is wrong to drink too much of it. For a king this applies even more emphatically. He should neither drink it nor ask for it. It is about the excessive use of alcohol or the need for it because of the constant pressure on him. Anyone who wants to be able to rule a people well must first of all be able to rule himself. In this Noah failed when he was given the government over the cleansed earth (Genesis 9:1-7; 20-24).
The mother holds out to him the consequence of excessive drinking: then he “will … forget what is decreed” (Proverbs 31:5). He will forget the king’s law, in which God has told him how to behave to be a good king (Deuteronomy 17:17-20). Drink clouds the mind. Those who are drunk no longer see things clearly and cannot make just judgments in disputes.
A drunken king is repugnant (1 Kings 16:8-9; 1 Kings 20:16). As for speaking justice in a trial, he will do no more than “pervert the rights of all the afflicted”. None of the afflicted will receive his right because the king is clouded in his mind. In addition, the rich who exploit the afflicted can manipulate him (cf. Hosea 7:5). They will surely predict to him what judgment he should make.
Proverbs 31:6-7 are most likely meant to be sarcastic. It cannot be a serious advice that strong drink is better given to people who are in agony (“who is perishing”), who are severely depressed (“whose life is bitter”), or who are in “poverty” and “trouble”. The advice would then be: Just give them so much spirits and wine that they get drunk. Then they will forget their misery and stop thinking about it. This advice cannot be meant seriously because the problems have not disappeared, but are still very much alive when the intoxication is over. Then they just have to drink again. In this way it becomes an addiction. It is much more so, that people who are perishing or bitter sorrow need God’s Word, understanding and practical help.
For a king who is under high pressure, who is looked up to and from whom justice is expected, the use of alcohol is not an option. He must not shirk his responsibilities or seek relief from them by ‘drinking’. A king who knows that his task has been given to him by God will expect everything from God for the performance of that task. Then he will get what he needs.
The advice King Lemuel receives from his mother is also important for us. We are kings and may reign with the Lord Jesus (Revelation 1:6). We do not reign as kings yet, but we do have the dignity of a king. We forfeit that dignity through wrong dealing with sexuality and drink. When we give in to the lust for these, we lose the purity and simplicity of our devotion to the Lord (cf. Revelation 14:4-5) and become objects of contempt and manipulation.
Isaiah 16:3
Warning Against Wine
The other danger, often associated with the danger of women, is becoming dependent on drink (Proverbs 31:4; Hosea 4:11; Revelation 17:2). Wine in itself is not wrong (Judges 9:13; Psalms 104:15). It is wrong to drink too much of it. For a king this applies even more emphatically. He should neither drink it nor ask for it. It is about the excessive use of alcohol or the need for it because of the constant pressure on him. Anyone who wants to be able to rule a people well must first of all be able to rule himself. In this Noah failed when he was given the government over the cleansed earth (Genesis 9:1-7; 20-24).
The mother holds out to him the consequence of excessive drinking: then he “will … forget what is decreed” (Proverbs 31:5). He will forget the king’s law, in which God has told him how to behave to be a good king (Deuteronomy 17:17-20). Drink clouds the mind. Those who are drunk no longer see things clearly and cannot make just judgments in disputes.
A drunken king is repugnant (1 Kings 16:8-9; 1 Kings 20:16). As for speaking justice in a trial, he will do no more than “pervert the rights of all the afflicted”. None of the afflicted will receive his right because the king is clouded in his mind. In addition, the rich who exploit the afflicted can manipulate him (cf. Hosea 7:5). They will surely predict to him what judgment he should make.
Proverbs 31:6-7 are most likely meant to be sarcastic. It cannot be a serious advice that strong drink is better given to people who are in agony (“who is perishing”), who are severely depressed (“whose life is bitter”), or who are in “poverty” and “trouble”. The advice would then be: Just give them so much spirits and wine that they get drunk. Then they will forget their misery and stop thinking about it. This advice cannot be meant seriously because the problems have not disappeared, but are still very much alive when the intoxication is over. Then they just have to drink again. In this way it becomes an addiction. It is much more so, that people who are perishing or bitter sorrow need God’s Word, understanding and practical help.
For a king who is under high pressure, who is looked up to and from whom justice is expected, the use of alcohol is not an option. He must not shirk his responsibilities or seek relief from them by ‘drinking’. A king who knows that his task has been given to him by God will expect everything from God for the performance of that task. Then he will get what he needs.
The advice King Lemuel receives from his mother is also important for us. We are kings and may reign with the Lord Jesus (Revelation 1:6). We do not reign as kings yet, but we do have the dignity of a king. We forfeit that dignity through wrong dealing with sexuality and drink. When we give in to the lust for these, we lose the purity and simplicity of our devotion to the Lord (cf. Revelation 14:4-5) and become objects of contempt and manipulation.
Isaiah 16:4
Open Your Mouth to Judge Righteously
The mother tells her son, the king, not to open his mouth to pour wine into it, but to be a voice “for a mute” (Proverbs 31:8). This does not mean someone who cannot speak. It may be about someone who is too timid to say anything. Someone may also be dumbfounded because of the unjust accusations or verbal violence of the opposing party. In any case, it is about someone who cannot speak for himself to defend his own case.
The king must also open his mouth to pronounce justice “for the rights of all the unfortunate”. They may have words, but the power to speak these words is lacking. In both cases, it requires the understanding of the circumstances of those who are miserable and turn to him for a just verdict.
The king here seems to be both lawyer and judge. As a lawyer, he has made himself one with the cause of the mute and of all the unfortunate in Proverbs 31:8. This allows him to act as a judge in Proverbs 31:9. Because he has not drunk wine, but has remained clear in his mind, he is able to open his mouth and judge righteously and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy (cf. 2 Samuel 14:4-11; 1 Kings 3:16-28; Psalms 45:2-4; Psalms 72:4; Isaiah 9:5-6).
Isaiah 16:5
Open Your Mouth to Judge Righteously
The mother tells her son, the king, not to open his mouth to pour wine into it, but to be a voice “for a mute” (Proverbs 31:8). This does not mean someone who cannot speak. It may be about someone who is too timid to say anything. Someone may also be dumbfounded because of the unjust accusations or verbal violence of the opposing party. In any case, it is about someone who cannot speak for himself to defend his own case.
The king must also open his mouth to pronounce justice “for the rights of all the unfortunate”. They may have words, but the power to speak these words is lacking. In both cases, it requires the understanding of the circumstances of those who are miserable and turn to him for a just verdict.
The king here seems to be both lawyer and judge. As a lawyer, he has made himself one with the cause of the mute and of all the unfortunate in Proverbs 31:8. This allows him to act as a judge in Proverbs 31:9. Because he has not drunk wine, but has remained clear in his mind, he is able to open his mouth and judge righteously and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy (cf. 2 Samuel 14:4-11; 1 Kings 3:16-28; Psalms 45:2-4; Psalms 72:4; Isaiah 9:5-6).
Isaiah 16:6
The Value of the Excellent Wife
Introduction to Proverbs 31:10-31
Much has been written in the previous chapters about woman Folly, about foolish, wrong women. Even in this last chapter we still hear the warning against her from the mouth of Lemuel’s mother to her son (Proverbs 31:3). That is why it is so beautiful that the book concludes with a song of praise to woman Wisdom, to the woman in the full value she has for God, for her husband and for her children.
Wisdom is personified by a woman because, because of the variety of applications, woman is an excellent example of wisdom. Everywhere she is, her wisdom is seen, and in everything she is involved with, we see how wise she is. We see her at home, in the marketplace, in proving charity and in business. By personifying wisdom, the author makes all the lessons concrete.
We see her in action in everyday life. She is called “someone weaker” (1 Peter 3:7). Yet she acts powerfully. The cause of this is her fear of God and her wisdom. As a result, she does her work diligently and at the same time quietly and in a controlled manner. We see these qualities in her commitment to her husband and children, in how she deals with her staff and in her business pursuits. She is decisive in her actions without abandoning her place as a wife next to her husband. She honors her husband, who is honored in the gate. Her behavior is such that he trusts her completely in everything she does. She is honored by her husband, her children and her works.
This song of praise to the woman is an example or model for all women who want to develop a life of wisdom. But because it is about the essence of wisdom, what is said of her contains important lessons not only for women but also for men. This section teaches that the fear of the LORD inspires women as well as men to be faithful stewards of the time and talents God has given to them. This stewardship is best taught and lived out in the family atmosphere. The wisdom with which this stewardship is exercised is manifested in a balanced life, where attention is given both to household tasks and to business dealings and the rendering of charity.
This tribute to the woman is written in the particular style form we find in the book of Psalms, among others: Psalms 9; 10; 25; 34; 37; 111; 112; 119; 145. That form is called ‘acrostic’. In an acrostic, the first word of each verse or group of verses begins with a subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The acrostic begins in Proverbs 31:10 with the first letter, the aleph, and ends in Proverbs 31:31 with the last letter, the taw.
That the entire alphabet is used to sing of the excellent wife may symbolically indicate that we have a complete description of her, that nothing is missing. It is a completed whole. It has been pointed out that love is not mentioned. But would a commitment such as this wife shows be possible without love being the motive? We see a wife joyfully performing her duties. If we want a description of the relationship of love between husband and wife, we can turn to the book of Song of Songs. In Proverbs 31 it is about the wife’s commitment to her husband that is visible in everything she does.
The description of this wife is not one that applies without question to every wife. The wife presented here is a wealthy and distinguished person with, like her husband, a high social position. She runs a house with an estate and servants. She deals in real estate, vineyards and merchandise. The domestic affairs are under her control and she is doing charity, for which she also has the means. There are not many wives in such a position with those circumstances.
It is apparently more about the general idea, what a wife is capable of when fully guided by wisdom. The ideal wife is presented, the perfect wife, the committed help of her husband, upright, God-fearing, economical and wise. The characteristics mentioned will be found in every God-fearing woman according to the measure of her abilities. It is about making herself available to others. Therefore, this section also applies to the God-fearing man.
Behind the description of this wife we see the picture of the church as the Lamb’s wife, or the church as the Lord Jesus sees it, in its perfection, without defect. In practice, He is working through His Word to present it to Himself in this way (Ephesians 5:26-27). There is often an application of what is said about the excellent wife to the church.
Proverbs 31:10 The introductory question in the first line of this verse assumes that the wife the mother is about to describe is not easy to find (cf. Proverbs 20:6; Ecclesiastes 7:28). But when she is found, she is a treasure of great value. King Lemuel’s mother has warned him in Proverbs 31:3 above all not to give his strength to women. Now she is going to teach him about the wife who will be a real help to him. She describes of this wife the characteristics and qualities. This is what he should look for in his search for her.
Her concern is for her son to look for “an excellent wife”. With this, she gives a “total description” at the beginning of the description of qualities. The word “excellent” means: meeting all requirements, reliable, tried and tested, of good quality, in a good, solid way. It means that this wife possesses and practices all the excellencies mentioned of her in this hymn of praise. This wife, like wisdom, is worth more than jewels, indeed, she “is far above” their value (Proverbs 3:15; Proverbs 8:11).
Spiritually, we can apply this to the church. The church is the Lamb’s wife, that is, Christ’s. It is to Him “one pearl of great value” for whom He gave and did all to possess it (Matthew 13:45-46).
Isaiah 16:7
She Looks After the Interests of Her Husband
After establishing the woman’s value, which cannot be expressed in money, there now follows the description of her excellencies, that is, her good qualities, which become apparent in her actions. Before that description follows, it is first said how her husband sees her, what she means to him (Proverbs 31:11), and vice versa: how she sees him, what he means to her (Proverbs 31:12). Her husband trusts her with his whole heart. Not love, but trust is the most important foundation of a good marriage. Love may be less at times, but trust must always be fully present. A trusting husband and a faithful wife form an indissoluble union.
Her husband goes out the door in the morning to go to work in full confidence in her (Psalms 104:23). When he closes the door behind him, so to speak, he does so with complete confidence in his heart that she will look after his interests at home while he is away. He confidently leaves everything to her, allowing him to focus fully on his task in society.
She stands in stark contrast to the adulterous woman who takes advantage of her husband’s absence to commit adultery (Proverbs 7:18-19). The same contrast is with the women whom the prophet Amos calls “cows of Bashan” and of whom he says they command their husband: “Bring now, that we may drink!” (Amos 4:1).
She in no way betrays the trust her husband has in her. His property is in safe, trusted hands with her (Proverbs 31:11). His wife is not a spendthrift; she is not a wasteful wife, but one who manages his possessions with wisdom. When he comes home from work, she has not misused any of his possessions. In any marriage, and especially if there is a large household, such confidence in her commitment to him and his house with all its possessions is essential.
His wife “does him good and not evil” (Proverbs 31:12) because she is committed to him. Were she to do him not good but evil, she would do the same to herself. In a good marriage, husband and wife are always out to do good to each other and will never seek to do evil to each other. Here the emphasis is on the wife’s actions. She is in a position where her husband has entrusted her with everything and she has great freedom of action. But everything she does, she does with him in mind. She illustrates in her life what Paul writes: “One who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:34b).
In this way she acts not incidentally, when it suits her at times, but “all the days of her life”. It points to her continued faithfulness in marriage. She remains faithful to the oath she swore when she married him: until death separates her from him. Even when they have both grown old, she continues to do him good.
She is independent, but not self-centered. Her pursuits serve not to develop herself, but to support her husband. She is focused on him and not on her career. There is no question of her taking a path separate from her husband, as often happens and is encouraged in our modern society.
This relationship of trust and doing good pictures how the Lord Jesus trusts His church. He knows her, cares for her, and trusts her to look after His interests on earth while He is absent. That the church as a whole has become unfaithful to Him is not the aspect highlighted here. The issue here is that He sees in faithful, committed believers the faithfulness and commitment He values.
Isaiah 16:8
She Looks After the Interests of Her Husband
After establishing the woman’s value, which cannot be expressed in money, there now follows the description of her excellencies, that is, her good qualities, which become apparent in her actions. Before that description follows, it is first said how her husband sees her, what she means to him (Proverbs 31:11), and vice versa: how she sees him, what he means to her (Proverbs 31:12). Her husband trusts her with his whole heart. Not love, but trust is the most important foundation of a good marriage. Love may be less at times, but trust must always be fully present. A trusting husband and a faithful wife form an indissoluble union.
Her husband goes out the door in the morning to go to work in full confidence in her (Psalms 104:23). When he closes the door behind him, so to speak, he does so with complete confidence in his heart that she will look after his interests at home while he is away. He confidently leaves everything to her, allowing him to focus fully on his task in society.
She stands in stark contrast to the adulterous woman who takes advantage of her husband’s absence to commit adultery (Proverbs 7:18-19). The same contrast is with the women whom the prophet Amos calls “cows of Bashan” and of whom he says they command their husband: “Bring now, that we may drink!” (Amos 4:1).
She in no way betrays the trust her husband has in her. His property is in safe, trusted hands with her (Proverbs 31:11). His wife is not a spendthrift; she is not a wasteful wife, but one who manages his possessions with wisdom. When he comes home from work, she has not misused any of his possessions. In any marriage, and especially if there is a large household, such confidence in her commitment to him and his house with all its possessions is essential.
His wife “does him good and not evil” (Proverbs 31:12) because she is committed to him. Were she to do him not good but evil, she would do the same to herself. In a good marriage, husband and wife are always out to do good to each other and will never seek to do evil to each other. Here the emphasis is on the wife’s actions. She is in a position where her husband has entrusted her with everything and she has great freedom of action. But everything she does, she does with him in mind. She illustrates in her life what Paul writes: “One who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:34b).
In this way she acts not incidentally, when it suits her at times, but “all the days of her life”. It points to her continued faithfulness in marriage. She remains faithful to the oath she swore when she married him: until death separates her from him. Even when they have both grown old, she continues to do him good.
She is independent, but not self-centered. Her pursuits serve not to develop herself, but to support her husband. She is focused on him and not on her career. There is no question of her taking a path separate from her husband, as often happens and is encouraged in our modern society.
This relationship of trust and doing good pictures how the Lord Jesus trusts His church. He knows her, cares for her, and trusts her to look after His interests on earth while He is absent. That the church as a whole has become unfaithful to Him is not the aspect highlighted here. The issue here is that He sees in faithful, committed believers the faithfulness and commitment He values.
Isaiah 16:9
She Provides Clothing and Food
In Proverbs 31:13, the enumeration of activities begins. She appears to be a wife of whom the adornment, “as it suits women who confess to be pious”, consists of “good works” (1 Timothy 2:10). Her first concern is that the family be well clothed (Proverbs 31:13). She neither buys the clothes nor outsources the making of them. She might well do that because, after all, she has the means to do so. She does not even buy the fabrics for the clothing in the market, but the raw materials “wool and flax”, to make the fabric herself. Even purchasing the raw materials she does with care. “She looks for”, meaning she tries to get the best material.
Once she has the raw materials, she goes to work. She does not work reluctantly, but with pleasure. This is evident from the expression that she “works with her hands in delight”. Wool comes from sheep and flax grows on the land. Wool is made into clothing that keeps the body warm when it is cold. From flax, linen is made for airy clothing more suitable for warmer days. She has the appropriate clothing for every temperature.
As a spiritual application, the following can be said of this. If it is about the wool, it indicates that the church is a place where there is a warm or loving interest in each member. Linen represents righteous deeds (Revelation 19:8). The church is also a place where each is given what he is entitled to. Each is recognized for his specific qualities. Space is given to develop them.
The church looks for that. That means that the church prays for that. It seeks from the Lord what it needs to radiate loving interest and justice.
In addition to providing clothing, she also provides food (Proverbs 31:14). Just as she diligently seeks out the materials for the clothing she makes, she also diligently seeks out the food. In her search for it, she is compared, not to “a merchant ship” but to “merchant ships”. There is versatility in her activities to get food. She takes the best from everywhere. It is “her food” and she “brings” it “from afar”. It is food from which she lives and which she also gives to her house. She has no food for her household members other than what she herself eats.
The spiritual application is about the spiritual food for the church and for all who belong to it. That food comes “from afar”, from heaven, where Christ is. He nourishes and cherishes the church (Ephesians 5:29), that is, He gives it food and warmth.
The food must not only be purchased but also prepared and put on the table (Proverbs 31:15). For breakfast, this must be done before everyone wakes up and comes to the table. She does not instruct the maidens to prepare and set everything, but she does it herself. For that, she gets out of bed early. She wants to make sure that her husband, her children and also the maidens start the day with a good meal.
The church is made up of believers who aim to serve each other with the food of God’s Word. They realize they need each other in this. One learns from the other. The believers are not only members of God’s house with all the privileges that go with it, but they also all have a task. To perform that task well, they need the strength of the food of God’s Word. Each receives his assigned portion, as much as is needed to perform the service.
Isaiah 16:10
She Provides Clothing and Food
In Proverbs 31:13, the enumeration of activities begins. She appears to be a wife of whom the adornment, “as it suits women who confess to be pious”, consists of “good works” (1 Timothy 2:10). Her first concern is that the family be well clothed (Proverbs 31:13). She neither buys the clothes nor outsources the making of them. She might well do that because, after all, she has the means to do so. She does not even buy the fabrics for the clothing in the market, but the raw materials “wool and flax”, to make the fabric herself. Even purchasing the raw materials she does with care. “She looks for”, meaning she tries to get the best material.
Once she has the raw materials, she goes to work. She does not work reluctantly, but with pleasure. This is evident from the expression that she “works with her hands in delight”. Wool comes from sheep and flax grows on the land. Wool is made into clothing that keeps the body warm when it is cold. From flax, linen is made for airy clothing more suitable for warmer days. She has the appropriate clothing for every temperature.
As a spiritual application, the following can be said of this. If it is about the wool, it indicates that the church is a place where there is a warm or loving interest in each member. Linen represents righteous deeds (Revelation 19:8). The church is also a place where each is given what he is entitled to. Each is recognized for his specific qualities. Space is given to develop them.
The church looks for that. That means that the church prays for that. It seeks from the Lord what it needs to radiate loving interest and justice.
In addition to providing clothing, she also provides food (Proverbs 31:14). Just as she diligently seeks out the materials for the clothing she makes, she also diligently seeks out the food. In her search for it, she is compared, not to “a merchant ship” but to “merchant ships”. There is versatility in her activities to get food. She takes the best from everywhere. It is “her food” and she “brings” it “from afar”. It is food from which she lives and which she also gives to her house. She has no food for her household members other than what she herself eats.
The spiritual application is about the spiritual food for the church and for all who belong to it. That food comes “from afar”, from heaven, where Christ is. He nourishes and cherishes the church (Ephesians 5:29), that is, He gives it food and warmth.
The food must not only be purchased but also prepared and put on the table (Proverbs 31:15). For breakfast, this must be done before everyone wakes up and comes to the table. She does not instruct the maidens to prepare and set everything, but she does it herself. For that, she gets out of bed early. She wants to make sure that her husband, her children and also the maidens start the day with a good meal.
The church is made up of believers who aim to serve each other with the food of God’s Word. They realize they need each other in this. One learns from the other. The believers are not only members of God’s house with all the privileges that go with it, but they also all have a task. To perform that task well, they need the strength of the food of God’s Word. Each receives his assigned portion, as much as is needed to perform the service.
Isaiah 16:11
She Provides Clothing and Food
In Proverbs 31:13, the enumeration of activities begins. She appears to be a wife of whom the adornment, “as it suits women who confess to be pious”, consists of “good works” (1 Timothy 2:10). Her first concern is that the family be well clothed (Proverbs 31:13). She neither buys the clothes nor outsources the making of them. She might well do that because, after all, she has the means to do so. She does not even buy the fabrics for the clothing in the market, but the raw materials “wool and flax”, to make the fabric herself. Even purchasing the raw materials she does with care. “She looks for”, meaning she tries to get the best material.
Once she has the raw materials, she goes to work. She does not work reluctantly, but with pleasure. This is evident from the expression that she “works with her hands in delight”. Wool comes from sheep and flax grows on the land. Wool is made into clothing that keeps the body warm when it is cold. From flax, linen is made for airy clothing more suitable for warmer days. She has the appropriate clothing for every temperature.
As a spiritual application, the following can be said of this. If it is about the wool, it indicates that the church is a place where there is a warm or loving interest in each member. Linen represents righteous deeds (Revelation 19:8). The church is also a place where each is given what he is entitled to. Each is recognized for his specific qualities. Space is given to develop them.
The church looks for that. That means that the church prays for that. It seeks from the Lord what it needs to radiate loving interest and justice.
In addition to providing clothing, she also provides food (Proverbs 31:14). Just as she diligently seeks out the materials for the clothing she makes, she also diligently seeks out the food. In her search for it, she is compared, not to “a merchant ship” but to “merchant ships”. There is versatility in her activities to get food. She takes the best from everywhere. It is “her food” and she “brings” it “from afar”. It is food from which she lives and which she also gives to her house. She has no food for her household members other than what she herself eats.
The spiritual application is about the spiritual food for the church and for all who belong to it. That food comes “from afar”, from heaven, where Christ is. He nourishes and cherishes the church (Ephesians 5:29), that is, He gives it food and warmth.
The food must not only be purchased but also prepared and put on the table (Proverbs 31:15). For breakfast, this must be done before everyone wakes up and comes to the table. She does not instruct the maidens to prepare and set everything, but she does it herself. For that, she gets out of bed early. She wants to make sure that her husband, her children and also the maidens start the day with a good meal.
The church is made up of believers who aim to serve each other with the food of God’s Word. They realize they need each other in this. One learns from the other. The believers are not only members of God’s house with all the privileges that go with it, but they also all have a task. To perform that task well, they need the strength of the food of God’s Word. Each receives his assigned portion, as much as is needed to perform the service.
Isaiah 16:12
Her Sound Financial Management
After taking care of her family and all who belong to it, she has her hands free to take actions that increase the family budget (Proverbs 31:16). She increases her husband’s income. In this part of the enumeration, we see that the wife is also a good businesswoman who invests wisely. There is no foolish buying or going into debt here. After acquiring the field, she plants a vineyard from her earnings.
The spiritual application is about the things we set our sights on. A field is an area that is worked in order to grow something on it and benefit from it. After the field there is a vineyard. A vineyard speaks of joy. In this context, we can see the field as a picture of the family. The church is also made up of families. Every family that lives for God is a joy to Him. We can also buy a field for ourselves (Luke 14:18). Then we think only of our own pleasure and leave God out of it. This is inconsistent with the church’s calling.
Everything she does, she does with the use of all her strength (Proverbs 31:17). To gird oneself means that the clothing is pulled up and tied around the hips so that walking can be done unhindered. At the same time, the girdle gives strength to the hips. An arm is also a symbol of strength. She makes her arms strong. She does not possess that strength in herself. She is a God-fearing wife (Proverbs 31:30). That means her strength lies in her dealings with God.
The church has no strength in itself. It strengthens itself in the Lord and in the power of His strength (Ephesians 6:10).
While she is busy, “she senses that her gain is good” (Proverbs 31:18). She evaluates what she has done and sees positive results. This encourages her to continue in this way. She is busy late into the night. Of course, she needs her rest and sleep and will not work through the night. It is about her commitment. It is not limited to a number of hours specified in a contract.
It says of Anna that she was “serving night and day with fastings and prayers” (Luke 2:37). This is also does not mean that Anna never slept. It is about what characterized her. So it is with this wife. That her lamp does not go out at night may also mean that her house is spared disasters that come upon the wicked (Job 18:6; Jeremiah 25:10).
When the church lives with the Lord and seeks and finds in Him its strength, it sees that its work is blessed. We see this especially at the beginning of the book of Acts (Acts 2:47). The church lives in the night of the world. Then its lamp should not go out, but burn brightly. This points to the testimony it gives of Him Who is the light of the world. We may all give that testimony individually. It can also be seen in our homes (cf. Exodus 10:23).
Isaiah 16:13
Her Sound Financial Management
After taking care of her family and all who belong to it, she has her hands free to take actions that increase the family budget (Proverbs 31:16). She increases her husband’s income. In this part of the enumeration, we see that the wife is also a good businesswoman who invests wisely. There is no foolish buying or going into debt here. After acquiring the field, she plants a vineyard from her earnings.
The spiritual application is about the things we set our sights on. A field is an area that is worked in order to grow something on it and benefit from it. After the field there is a vineyard. A vineyard speaks of joy. In this context, we can see the field as a picture of the family. The church is also made up of families. Every family that lives for God is a joy to Him. We can also buy a field for ourselves (Luke 14:18). Then we think only of our own pleasure and leave God out of it. This is inconsistent with the church’s calling.
Everything she does, she does with the use of all her strength (Proverbs 31:17). To gird oneself means that the clothing is pulled up and tied around the hips so that walking can be done unhindered. At the same time, the girdle gives strength to the hips. An arm is also a symbol of strength. She makes her arms strong. She does not possess that strength in herself. She is a God-fearing wife (Proverbs 31:30). That means her strength lies in her dealings with God.
The church has no strength in itself. It strengthens itself in the Lord and in the power of His strength (Ephesians 6:10).
While she is busy, “she senses that her gain is good” (Proverbs 31:18). She evaluates what she has done and sees positive results. This encourages her to continue in this way. She is busy late into the night. Of course, she needs her rest and sleep and will not work through the night. It is about her commitment. It is not limited to a number of hours specified in a contract.
It says of Anna that she was “serving night and day with fastings and prayers” (Luke 2:37). This is also does not mean that Anna never slept. It is about what characterized her. So it is with this wife. That her lamp does not go out at night may also mean that her house is spared disasters that come upon the wicked (Job 18:6; Jeremiah 25:10).
When the church lives with the Lord and seeks and finds in Him its strength, it sees that its work is blessed. We see this especially at the beginning of the book of Acts (Acts 2:47). The church lives in the night of the world. Then its lamp should not go out, but burn brightly. This points to the testimony it gives of Him Who is the light of the world. We may all give that testimony individually. It can also be seen in our homes (cf. Exodus 10:23).
Isaiah 16:14
Her Sound Financial Management
After taking care of her family and all who belong to it, she has her hands free to take actions that increase the family budget (Proverbs 31:16). She increases her husband’s income. In this part of the enumeration, we see that the wife is also a good businesswoman who invests wisely. There is no foolish buying or going into debt here. After acquiring the field, she plants a vineyard from her earnings.
The spiritual application is about the things we set our sights on. A field is an area that is worked in order to grow something on it and benefit from it. After the field there is a vineyard. A vineyard speaks of joy. In this context, we can see the field as a picture of the family. The church is also made up of families. Every family that lives for God is a joy to Him. We can also buy a field for ourselves (Luke 14:18). Then we think only of our own pleasure and leave God out of it. This is inconsistent with the church’s calling.
Everything she does, she does with the use of all her strength (Proverbs 31:17). To gird oneself means that the clothing is pulled up and tied around the hips so that walking can be done unhindered. At the same time, the girdle gives strength to the hips. An arm is also a symbol of strength. She makes her arms strong. She does not possess that strength in herself. She is a God-fearing wife (Proverbs 31:30). That means her strength lies in her dealings with God.
The church has no strength in itself. It strengthens itself in the Lord and in the power of His strength (Ephesians 6:10).
While she is busy, “she senses that her gain is good” (Proverbs 31:18). She evaluates what she has done and sees positive results. This encourages her to continue in this way. She is busy late into the night. Of course, she needs her rest and sleep and will not work through the night. It is about her commitment. It is not limited to a number of hours specified in a contract.
It says of Anna that she was “serving night and day with fastings and prayers” (Luke 2:37). This is also does not mean that Anna never slept. It is about what characterized her. So it is with this wife. That her lamp does not go out at night may also mean that her house is spared disasters that come upon the wicked (Job 18:6; Jeremiah 25:10).
When the church lives with the Lord and seeks and finds in Him its strength, it sees that its work is blessed. We see this especially at the beginning of the book of Acts (Acts 2:47). The church lives in the night of the world. Then its lamp should not go out, but burn brightly. This points to the testimony it gives of Him Who is the light of the world. We may all give that testimony individually. It can also be seen in our homes (cf. Exodus 10:23).