Theme of Pillars
3154 words long.
Published on 2024-05-21
Pillars
The Bible book which mentions pillars the most is Exodus. That is the book where the Law is given. Since we have identified the Pentateuch with the floor of Lady Wisdom’s house, that is the foundation upon which all the pillars rest. Here is what those seven books have to say about pillars.
Pillars in Proverbs
The book to start with when discussing the Seven Pillars of Wisdom is Proverbs, because it names and numbers them in chapter 9, saying, “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars.” Chapter 8 lists all seven Spirits of God, though not in the same order as in Isaiah. Chapter 9 also lists all seven spirits, though some are given through synonyms.
Proverbs speaks directly of the two principal attributes of pillars, strength for today and establishment across time. One such expression of the latter is: “For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.” (Proverbs 9:11)
Pillars in Psalms
Three Psalms mention pillars: 75, 99 and 144. The first addresses both aspects of pillars, strength (“keep steady”) and establishment across time (“at the set time”):
At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
Psalm 75:2-3
Psalm 99 speaks of the pillar of the cloud that accompanied Moses and Aaron, staking the pillar into the foundation of the Law. Lastly, Psalm 144 ties together “a new song”, the “cruel sword” from which the Lord rescued David, the blessing of making children strong as pillars (which links to the great blessing in Revelation promised to the Church of Philadelphia), and a prayer for an abundant harvest:
I will sing a new song to you, O God;
upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
who gives victory to kings,
who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
whose mouths speak lies
and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;
may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce;
may our sheep bring forth thousands
and ten thousands in our fields;
may our cattle be heavy with young,
suffering no mishap or failure in bearing;
- Psalm 144:9-14
Thus in a few verses the Psalms capture and unite concisely many of the seven clues related to the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the nature of pillars, and their role in the harvest. As we shall soon see, likening a daughter to a pillar is an image that also appears in Song of Songs 8:8-10.
Pillars in Job
Pillars appear only twice in Job, but each is significant.
who shakes the earth out of its place,
and its pillars tremble;
who commands the sun, and it does not rise;
who seals up the stars;
who alone stretched out the heavens
and trampled the waves of the sea;
- Job 9:6-8
Hannah’s prayer spoke of the pillars of the earth, but Job hinted at them first. This passage is significant to me because it was the first crack in the dam. After studying Job for six months, I seemed no closer to gaining insight into its meaning. Then I saw in verse 9:8 a prophecy of Jesus walking on water, confirmed when I read that Saint John Chrysostom made the same connection and a few minutes later walked past a statue of the old saint at Harvard. The statue was on the corner of Memorial Hall. Like Psalm 144 said, he was a “corner pillar”.
Job’s second reference to pillars is equally powerful:
Then Job answered and said:
“How you have helped him who has no power!
How you have saved the arm that has no strength!
How you have counseled him who has no wisdom,
and plentifully declared sound knowledge!
...
The pillars of heaven tremble
and are astounded at his rebuke.
By his power he stilled the sea;
by his understanding he shattered Rahab.
By his wind the heavens were made fair;
his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
- Job 26:2-3,11-13
Judgment against Rahab may foretell the Exodus from Egypt, since Egypt is sometimes called Rahab. It may also be a synonym for Leviathan. Or in two verses, the earlier judgment against Egypt and the end time judgment against Leviathan may both be in view, joined together to make a point. Surely “he stilled the sea” can refer to the Red Sea crossing as well as God’s judgment against the beast from the sea.
The reference to power and strength versus wisdom and knowledge also addresses the two features of pillars, strength and establishment, since wisdom is tied up in prophecy and the understanding of God’s timing. Significantly, wisdom and knowledge is the pairing of treasures that are hidden in Christ as told in Colossians. We will see that pairing again and again throughout Scripture.
Pillars in Song of Songs
Many analogies are bandied about in this poem, but only this one both distinguishes and unites all the parties. Translations use various words here: pillar, post, column. This blurs the unity unless you dig. The five parties are the Holy Spirit (as the pillar of smoke), the Father (as the Palanquin), the Son (as the Beloved), the Church (as the Bride), and the new Israel (as the younger sister). These pillar passages also speak of swords, treasure (gold, frankincense, myrrh, lapis lazuli, topaz, silver), and the need for us to grow to maturity (the Growth Pattern).
Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
with all powders of the merchant?
- SS 3:6, KJV
It was the Holy Spirit in the form of a pillar of smoke that led Israel “out of the wilderness”. Next, consider that God the Father acts in material ways, not as the wind, like the Spirit or as words, like the Son. Thus, the Father is both the sedan chair or palanquin and King Solomon, as King of Kings. In the following, “posts” may be translated as pillars:
Behold, it is the litter of Solomon!
Around it are sixty mighty men, some of the mighty men of Israel,
all of them wearing swords and expert in war,
each with his sword at his thigh, against terror by night.
King Solomon made himself a carriage from the wood of Lebanon.
He made its posts of silver, its back of gold, its seat of purple;
its interior was inlaid with love by the daughters of Jerusalem.
- Song of Songs 3:7-10
The Beloved is also described as having legs like pillars, an analogy to the Lord found in the prophets as well as Revelation:
His arms are rods of gold set with topaz.
His body is like polished ivory decorated with lapis lazuli.
His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. (5:15 NIV)
Finally, the Bride and the little sister spoken of by the others:
OTHERS
We have a little sister, and she has no breasts.
What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
If she is a wall, we will build on her a battlement of silver,
but if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar.
SHE
I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers; then I was in his eyes
as one who finds peace.
- Song of Songs 8:8-10
The above compares to Psalm 144, where daughters are compared to architectural features of a palace. The important thing to note is that the little sister needs training to reach maturity before she is ready for marriage. The Beloved could be ancient Israel and the little sister the church, or the Beloved could be the church and the little sister modern Israel. Or both could be true.
Song of Songs is the emotional heart of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. It makes the most comprehensive use of pillars to show that the unity of God’s plan is not just a body of thought, but a family. The Pillars of Wisdom are personal.
Pillars in Ecclesiastes
Solomon likes to mix things up. He named and numbered the pillars in Proverbs and used them in Song of Songs to show the ultimate unity God plans between the Trinity and his Bride. The words pillar, column and post do not appear at all in Ecclesiastes, but something else does. Solomon is focused on one thing: his house. Instead of breaking Lady Wisdom’s house into pieces and studying each in isolation, the Teacher considers them holistically.
The word "houses" occurs once in 2:4 to announce the theme. It is followed by eight occurrences of "house", with two of them in pairs plus a one distinctive departure that pairs prison and throne for a total of – you guessed it – seven sections. As explored earlier in the book, these seven sections match the seven steps of the Harvest pattern as well as the seven Spirits of God. The list of passages is: 2:7; 4:13 (prison/throne); 5:1; 7:2 (pair); 7:4 (pair); 10:18; 12:3. Let’s see how they line up with those harvest and spirit themes.
LORDSHIP / PREPARATION.
I bought male and female slaves,
and had slaves who were born in my house. (2:7)
As abhorrent as slavery is, this verse bluntly declares the Lordship of the slave owner, who is a type of God. The transition from being a free person to being a slave is the preparation for all that follows.
WISDOM / PLOWING.
Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who
no longer knew how to take advice.
For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom
he had been born poor. (4:13)
Solomon said that the heart of the wise is in the House of Mourning. When a prisoner mourns their lost freedom, that encompasses most of the good things this world can provide. The opposite is to ascend the throne. Surely Joseph endured this suffering as plowing, as it prepared him for the great destiny God had planned for him as second in command to Pharaoh. The prison of suffering (the first house) leads to wisdom’s throne (a second house).
UNDERSTANDING (worship) / PLANTING.
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. (5:1) A strong connection has already been established between understanding and worship, which going to the house of God exemplifies. The planting phase is about receiving the seed, which is listening to words of instruction from God. Understanding means standing under God.
COUNSEL / POURING.
It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. (7:2-3)
As this both touches the heart and twice mentions the heart, it is properly associated with the pouring of the water of the Holy Spirit into the human heart. The whole of Ecclesiastes is counsel, but this is one of the central messages of the book. The word Teacher, Preacher or transliterated form Qoholeth occurs seven times in Ecclesiastes. The occurrence in chapter 7 is the middle one. This word means counselor and shows up when important points are being made.
MIGHT / PLUCKING.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools. (7:4-5)
There is a place for songs. Some songs are for joy, and joy gives us strength, thus the Spirit of Might. There is also a time for rebuke, when the Father disciplines us, plucking weeds and redirecting our priorities and habits.
KNOWLEDGE / PRODUCING.
Through sloth the roof sinks in,
and through indolence the house leaks. (10:18)
A previous chapter explored how the whole of Ecclesiastes 10 is an extended metaphor for building a house and it prophetically described much of the church age and the past millennium. To build a strong house you need knowledge and resources. That millennium was the time when knowledge exploded, and the church produced a great harvest through Christian missions. Solomon urged vigorous activity, not sloth, and many Christians listened.
FEAR OF THE LORD / PEACE.
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent,
and the grinders cease because they are few (12:3)
The final chapter of Ecclesiastes is about the approach of death. It is an appeal to fear God and ends with the charge to “fear God and keep his commandments”. There are two kinds of peace. First is the peace of the grave, which is an end to the suffering of life. That is the negative peace and the only peace visible on the surface of Ecclesiastes. The second peace is a joyful eternal life in the presence of a loving God. Only people who truly fear God find that peace.
Pillars in Matthew
Neither the word pillar nor its synonyms are to be found in Matthew. Falling back on the word “house” as with Ecclesiastes is not useful because it appears thirty to forty times (depending on translation). Tracking the more on-the-nose phrases wise and wise men, however, is fruitful. Three different Greek root words are involved, which may be rendered wise men or magi in one case, and wise or shrewd in another. Wise is generally contrasted with foolish, whether explicitly, as with the fool who builds a house upon the sand, or implicitly, as with King Herod, who played the fool to the Magi’s reverent wisdom. In most, there is a reference to a house, a synagogue or the temple.
The several usages are found in seven chapters. Each corresponds as with Ecclesiastes to one of the seven spirits and one of the seven harvest phases, in canonical order.
2:1,7,16; 7:24; 10:16; 11:25; 23:34; 24:45; 25:2,4,8,9.
Preparation. Chapter 2 has the visit of the wise men (the Magi) to the home of Joseph and Mary. By their gifts, they acknowledge Jesus’ lordship. As a baby, Jesus was certainly living through his time of preparation.
Plowing. Chapter 7 has the story of the wise and foolish, who build their houses upon rock and sand, respectively. By speaking of a storm, Jesus indicates the suffering of life that goes with the plowing phase of the harvest. Jesus’ focus is not on pillars but on the foundation, God’s law. The stark contrast of the wise and foolish means that the spirit of wisdom is in view.
Planting. Chapter 10 tells of the time when Jesus sent out his disciples to the cities of Judea to proclaim the gospel. It mentions worthy and unworthy houses three times as well as the synagogue, which is supposed to be God’s house. The sending of evangelists is consistent with the planting phase of the harvest. The spirit of understanding is the spirit of being receptive to your teachers, to “standing under” them. The result is pupils who are “wise as serpents and innocent as doves”.
Pouring. Chapter 11 has Jesus praising the Father who has “hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children”. The Lord compassionately invites the broken and contrite, saying:
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
- Matthew 11:28-30 ESV
This is the true spirit of counsel, not proud but humble. Though the Son is here praising the Father, it is showing the Spirit being poured from one broken heart to another.
Plucking. Chapter 23 has Jesus rebuking the Jewish leaders because their forefathers killed the “prophets and wise men and scribes”, like Zechariah, who was murdered beside the temple, God’s house. He claims they are about to repeat the same error. This is Jesus trying to correct the evil habits and actions passed down from generation to generation. It is the role of a father disciplining his children. “And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.” (23:9) It is about deeds, not words or heart attitudes. “They do all their deeds to be seen by others.” (23:5) The seven woes of this chapter are the Father preparing to display the spirit of might in judgment.
Producing. Chapter 24 contrasts not the wise and foolish but the “faithful and wise servant” and the wicked. In the preceding passage, the drama unfolds again in a house.
“But know this, that if the master of the house had
known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he
would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be
broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of
Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.“ (24:43-44)
Preceding parables in the chapter speak of people left behind and people taken away by judgment. That is the harvest at the end of the age, when the righteous and the wicked are separated. As a foretaste of the harvest, the wise servant is to provide “food at the proper time”. This chapter concerns the spirit of knowledge for it speaks of the knowledge that we do not possess: when the end will come.
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not
even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (24:36)
Peace. Chapter 25 describes the wedding banquet. The wise virgins will be let into the house of feasting and enjoy peace. The spirit of the fear of the Lord is on display when Jesus speaks of the fate of the foolish virgins, who will be locked out.
Pillars in Revelation
The pillar references in Revelation are intertwined with the seven thunders, so onto the next clue.
Here are links to the sections on all seven themes common between the books that constitute the Seven Pillars of Wisdom:
