Ⅷ
Proverbs 31 presents to us two models of those who fear the Lord; on the one hand, we should be like a king, a royal man like the Lord, having the authority to rule; on the other hand, we should be a worthy woman, knowing how to arrange, manage, take care of, and provide for the needs of the saints in the house of God:
Ａ
Proverbs 31:3 through 9 speaks of a reigning king—one who does not drink wine but who speaks for the rights of others and ministers justice (typifying Christ and His overcomers); only this kind of person can reign:
１
Our Lord was fully under God’s restriction; hence, He could reign for God; if we can be restricted by God and thus deal with ourselves, we will be able to reign for God.
２
In ruling over the people, the king first had to be instructed, governed, ruled, and controlled by the word of God; the principle should be the same with the elders in the churches—Deut. 17:14-20:
ａ
In order to administrate, to manage, the church, the elders must be reconstituted with the holy word of God; as a result, they will be under God’s government, under God’s rule and control.
ｂ
Then spontaneously, God will be in their decisions, and the elders will represent God to manage the affairs of the church; this kind of management is theocracy.
Ｂ
Proverbs 31:10 through 31 describes a worthy woman (12:4; 19:14; Ruth 3:11)—one who is wise, kind, diligent, and capable and who can arrange, manage, and provide for her household; “Her price is far above corals” (Prov. 31:10); her glory surpasses all her peers (v. 29); this worthy woman typifies the church and the saints who love the Lord:
１
The main characteristic of a worthy woman is that she fears the Lord (reverently worshipping, obeying, serving, and trusting the Lord with awe-filled respect); “Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; / But a woman who fears Jehovah, she will be praised”—v. 30.
２
The heart of the husband of a worthy woman trusts in her; “She does him good and not evil / All the days of her life” (v. 12); “Her husband is known in the gates, / When he sits among the elders of the land” (v. 23).
３
Such a worthy and prudent woman is from the Lord as the crown of her husband (12:4); her children and husband rise up and call her blessed (31:28); her husband also praises her by saying that she surpasses all others (v. 29).
４
A husband should be able to see with his own eyes his wife’s “pure manner of life in fear”; her adorning should not be the outward plaiting of hair and putting on of gold or clothing with garments, “but the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptible adornment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is very costly in the sight of God”—1 Pet. 3:1-4.
５
In the proper church life the sisters should “adorn themselves in proper clothing with modesty and sobriety [self-restraint], not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, what befits women professing godly reverence, by good works”; godly reverence is a godly fear toward God, a revering and honoring of God, as is fitting for one who worships God—1 Tim. 2:9-10.
６
Older women should be reverent in their behavior, their deportment, so that “they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be of a sober mind, pure, workers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God would not be blasphemed”—Titus 2:3-5.
Ｃ
In the aspect of overcoming, we should be like a king; in the aspect of loving the Lord, we should be like a worthy woman; being like this will cause us to have value and glory before the Lord.
Morning Nourishment
Prov. 31:4 …It is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say, Where is strong drink?9 Open your mouth; judge righteously, and minister justice to the poor and needy.
10-12 Who can find a worthy woman? For her price is far above corals. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
The last chapter [of Proverbs] presents two models: a reigning king and a worthy woman. On the one hand, we should be a king, a royal man like the Lord, having the authority to rule. On the other hand, we should be a worthy woman, knowing how to arrange, manage, take care of, and provide for the needs of the saints in the house of God.
Proverbs 31:3 through 9 speaks of a reigning king—one who is not licentious and does not drink wine but who speaks for the rights of others and ministers justice. This typifies Christ and His overcomers. Only this kind of person can reign. Many brothers cannot restrict themselves; therefore, they cannot reign as kings. Our Lord was fully under God’s restriction; hence, He could reign for God. We should conduct ourselves and handle our affairs like royal princes….Those who restrict themselves are revered by others [cf. S. S. 6:4b]. If we can be restricted by God and thus deal with ourselves, we will be able to reign for God.
Proverbs 31:10 through 31 describes a worthy woman—one who is wise, kind, diligent, and capable and who can take care of, arrange, manage, and provide for her household. “Her price is far above corals” (v. 10); her glory surpasses all her peers. This worthy woman typifies the church and the saints who love the Lord. We should all be like this worthy woman in loving the Lord. (CWWL, 1956, vol. 1, p. 529)
Today’s Reading
These two models signify that we should be like a king on the one hand and like a worthy woman on the other hand. In the aspect of overcoming, we should be like a king; in the aspect of loving the Lord, we should be like a worthy woman. Being like this will cause us to have value and glory before the Lord.The proverbs are not ordinary exhortations; rather, they speak of how we should conduct ourselves before God…. Only in this way can we match the standard of human conduct seen in the book of Proverbs.
After the first thirty chapters of Proverbs present the principles and details of human conduct as well as general words of wisdom, its last chapter shows two models for our human conduct. These two models signify two great figures in the universe—God and man. God is the reigning King, and man is the worthy woman. From Genesis to Revelation there is a line concerning these two great figures. In the New Testament these two great figures are Christ and the church. On the one hand, we should conduct ourselves as a reigning king, like Christ, having the authority to rule; on the other hand, we should conduct ourselves as a worthy woman, knowing how to arrange, manage, and provide for God’s household. The meaning of these two models is very deep and can cause us to receive many teachings related to human conduct, typology, our spiritual life, and practical application. It is worthy of our learning. (CWWL, 1956, vol. 1, pp. 529-530, 535-536)
In holding marriage in honor man’s faithfulness is the base. Regarding this, Proverbs 5:5-19 gives us a warning about the “strange woman,” whose feet go down to death and whose steps hold fast to Sheol. She does not make straight the path of life. Her ways wander, and she does not know it (vv. 5-6).
Whereas in holding marriage in honor man’s faithfulness is the base, woman’s virtues are the building up. A gracious woman lays hold of honor (11:16a). A worthy woman is the crown of her husband (12:4a). The wise woman builds her house—14:1a. Regarding woman’s virtues, we need to read 31:10-31. (Life-study of Proverbs, p. 15)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1956, vol. 1, pp. 529-536