Solomon’s lesson to the sluggard has been generally adduced as a strong confirmation of the ancient opinion, that ants have a magazine of provisions for winter; it can, however, only relate to the species of a warm climate, the habits of which are probably different from those of a cold one; so that his words, as commonly interpreted, may be perfectly correct and consistent with Nature, and yet be not at all applicable to the species that are indigenous to Europe. But Solomon does not affirm that the ant laid up in her cell stores of grain, but that she gathers her food when it is most plentiful, and thus shows her wisdom and prudence. The words thus interpreted will apply to the species among us, as well as to those that are not indigenous.—Kirby and Spence’s Entomology.
outlines and suggestive comments.
Verse 6. We may infer Rehoboam’s character from such exhortations as these. And these and following precepts derive much interest from what we have reason to believe was his character. His position bore some resemblance to that of our own Charles II., at the voluptuous court of Versailles, before his accession to the throne, and the character of the one was in some respects similar to that of the other. The unhappy example of his own father Solomon, in his old age, was more potent for evil than the precepts of the Proverbs were for good. At the age of forty-one Rehoboam was a feeble libertine. The warnings of the Icón Basiliké fell flat on the ears of the royal author’s own son, and Rehoboam derived little benefit from the book of Proverbs.—Wordsworth.
Verses 6 to 8. Our whole present life is the time for action; the future for retribution, which shall be ushered in by the judgment: the latter is the harvest (Matt. xxv. 3, 4).—Fausset.
How is man degenerated from the nobility of his creation, that an insect must be a pattern unto him. He that goes well without a guide is fit to be a guide, he that does well without an overseer is fit to be an overseer, he that orders himself well without a ruler is fit to be a ruler. Let the ant, therefore, be a guide unto the sluggard, and teach him to guide himself, who guides herself so carefully. Let the ant be his overseer, which he sees to overgo himself so much in pains and labour. Let the ant be his ruler, and by her example command him to work which rules herself so well in working.—Jermin.
First, as the ant in summer gathereth whereupon to live in winter, so every Christian in a time of quietness should gather out of God’s word, that in trouble and adversity he may have wherewith to live spiritually. Secondly, we ought to labour by the example of the ant, that we get the fruit of good works, in the harvest of this present life, so sedulously and diligently, that in the time of winter and judgment we perish not with hunger.—St. Augustine.
These precepts have a spiritual meaning and are to be applied to the soil of the heart and mind. As Bede says here, “The present life is compared to summer and harvest, because now, in the heat of trials, we must reap and lay up for the future, and the day of death and judgment is the winter for which we must prepare, and when there is no more any time for preparation.”—Wordsworth.
Man, that was once the captain of God’s school, is now, for his truantliness, turned down into the lowest form, as it were to learn his A B C again; yea to be taught by these meanest creatures. . . . Let no man here object that word of our Saviour, “Take no thought for the morrow.” There is a care of diligence, and a care of diffidence; a care of the head and a care of the heart; the former is needful, the latter sinful.—Trapp.
Verse 9. Much more loudly would we call to the spiritual sluggard—thou that art sleeping away the opportunities of grace; not “striving to enter in at the strait gate” (Luke xiii. 24); taking thy salvation for granted; hoping that thou shalt “reap where thou has not sown, and gather where thou hast not strawed” (Matt. xxv. 26); improve, after this pattern, the summer and harvest season—the time of youth, the present, perhaps the only moment. The ant hath no guide. How many guides have you?—conscience, the Bible, ministers! She has no overseer. You are living before Him “whose eyes are a flame of fire.” She has no ruler calling her to account. “Every one of us must give account of himself to God.”—Bridges.
Epaminondas, finding one of his sentinels asleep, thrust him through with his sword; and, being chidden for so great severity, replied, “I left him but as I found him.” It must be our care that death serve us not in like sort, that we be not taken napping. . . . Our Saviour was up and at prayer “a great while before day” (Mark i. 45). The holy angels are styled “watchers” (Dan. iv. 10), and they are three times pronounced happy that watch (Luke xii. 37, 38, 43).—Trapp.