Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The Value of the Qoheleth Who Speaks Truth
The Hebrew word in the above passage for “preacher” is “Qoheleth.” It is pronounced ka-ha-leth.” A Qoheleth was someone who had a collection of “sayings” and imparted “knowledge.” The Qoheleth is introduced in the beginning of the book of Ecclesiastes:
Ecclesiastes 1:1 (ESV Strong's)
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Since Solomon was the “son of David” and Solomon wrote many “sayings of wisdom,” it is easy to assume Solomon is Qoheleth. In today’s society we might call motivation speakers and leadership speakers/writers Qoheleths. They walk around telling us their versions of “truth” so that we can grow in knowledge. The enterprise of the Qoheleth was no more unusual in Solomon’s day as it is in our day. The difference between the Qoheleth in Solomon’s day and Solomon is that Solomon is said to be claiming that he speaks “truth.” Whoever wrote the epilogue to this book tells us, “The Preacher (Qoheleth) sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote of truth.” The Qoheleth is supposed to bring words of truth at the right time to the hungry soul.
Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, writes a similar proverb:
Proverbs 15:23 (ESV Strong's)
To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
The key for the Qoheleth is bringing truth. That is what the Queen of Sheba discovered when she traveled miles just to hear Qoheleth, Solomon:
1 Kings 10:4-9 (ESV Strong's)
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.
And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.”
When a Qoheleth speaks truth the world around them notices. That should bring Glory to the God of Truth. That is the desire of the Qoheleth then and should be the desire of the Qoheleth now.
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