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24. There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: {exceeding...: Heb. wise, made wise}
25. The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26. The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27. The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; {by...: Heb. gathered together}
28. The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.
The mind of man spreads over the length and breadth of creation, and draws instruction from every part of the universe presented to his senses. Everywhere God teaches us by his works as well as by his word;† by his works, small as well as great. He instructed Job by Behemoth and Leviathan. (Job 40. 41.) Here he instructs us by the ants and the conies. And indeed in the minute creation his splendor shines as gloriously as in the more majestic. ‘At one end’ (of the scale) (as Dr. Paley finely draws the contrast) ‘we see an intelligent power arraying planetary systems; fixing, for instance, the trajectory of Saturn, or constructing a ring of two hundred thousand miles diameter to surround his body, and be suspended like a magnificent arch over the head of his inhabitants; and at the other, bending a hooked tooth, concerting and providing an appropriate mechanism for the clasping and re-clasping of the filaments of the feathers of the hummingbird.’†
Agur had before mentioned four things that seemed great, but were really despicable. Here he produces four things little upon the earth, but exceeding wise. Therefore despise them not for their littleness: but admire the wonder-working hand which hath furnished these little creatures with such sufficient means of provision, defense, and safety. As has been beautifully remarked — ‘God reigns in a community of ants and ichneumons as visibly as among living men or mighty seraphim.’† Truly nothing was made for nought. The world of instinct shews that which will put to blush our higher world of reason. Yes, — these four remarkable instances of Almighty skill, the natures and habits of these four little animals, teach many useful and important lessons, to which the greatest philosopher might attend with profit, and “he that hath ears to hear may hear” words of suitable wisdom, rebuke, direction and encouragement for himself.
‘Industry is commended to us by all sorts of examples, deserving our regard and imitation. All nature is a copy thereof, and the whole world a glass, wherein we may behold this duty represented to us. Every creature about us is incessantly working toward the ends for which it was designed; indefatigably exercising the powers with which it is endued; diligently observing the laws of its creation.’† The ants have already brought the lesson before us (Chapter 6:6-8) — a people not strong;† indeed so weak, that thousands are crushed by one tread of the foot; yet wise in preparing their meat in the summer. A quickening sermon do these little insects preach to us! They make preparation for the coming winter. What must be the thoughtlessness of making no provision for the coming eternity! whiling away life in inactivity, as if there was no work for God, for the soul, or for eternity! Shall not we learn to be wise betimes; to improve the present moment of salvation; not to wait for the winter — the verge of life, when that grace, offered now, shall be offered no more? Sinner! if all be lost by thy indolence, wilt not thou be the great loser? What else hast thou to do but to prepare for eternity? What hope canst thou have of heaven at the last, if thou hast never seriously thought of heaven before? Oh! — ere it be too late, throw thyself at his feet whose heart overflows with love. If thou art ready, “all things are ready.” Exclusion is with thyself, not with thy Savior.†
The ants are a people not strong. Yet — apart from their wisdom — what people more diligent, more persevering, or more effective? Indeed the union of so many noble qualities in so small a corpuscle is one of the most remarkable phenomena in the works of nature.† Weakness, then, is no excuse for indolence, no occasion of despondency. Is it not rather the cheering exercise of faith? (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10.) “The worm shall thresh the mountains.” (Isaiah 41:15.) To the diligent “laborer shall be given the meat that endureth to everlasting life.” (John 6:27.) “Working out his salvation in helpless dependence,” his “labor shall not be in vain in the Lord.”†
As the ants prepare their meat, so do the conies their refuge. Feeble folk as they are, they secure themselves from impending danger by making their houses in the holes of inaccessible rocks.† Thus what they want in strength they make up in wisdom. Not less feeble are we; not less exposed to assault. And is not our refuge, like theirs, “the munitions of rocks”? (Isaiah 33:16.) Are we then, like them, making our house, our home, there? in the foresight of evil hiding ourselves? abiding in our shelter in conscious security? (Chapter 22:3.)
Observe again the instinct of the locusts. Some insects, like the bee, are under monarchical government. But the locusts have no king. Yet how wonderful is their order, going forth all of them by bands; like an army with unbroken ranks, and under the strictest discipline!† Jerome mentions what he had lately seen — ‘When the swarms of locusts came, and filled the lower region of the air, they flew in such order, by the divine appointment, and kept their places as exactly, as when several tiles or party-colored stones are skillfully placed in a pavement, so as not to be an hair's-breadth out of their several ranks.’† Do not these little insects read to us a lesson on the importance of unity and unanimous movement? Here is not an ungoverned, disorderly multitude flying in different directions. But all go forth by bands. All keep their ranks. Many professors, instead of going by bands, prefer an individual course. They belong to no cohort. They are under no discipline. This unsettled principle can never issue in a Christian steadfastness. Unity, not diversity, brings “the good thing of the heart established with grace.” (Hebrews 13:9.) The strength of the Church is — not as an army of irregular soldiers, a regiment in loose disorder, unconnected with each other; but when she goeth forth by bands, united, concentrated, well disciplined, every officer at his post, every soldier in his ranks, each under rule, helpful to each other and to their great cause! (Numbers 2.) “When shall it once be.” Lord, heal our unhappy divisions. Unite our energies ‘in one holy bond of Truth and Peace, of Faith and Charity.’†
And what lessons does the spider teach, of ingenuity, patience, and untiring labor and perseverance! ‘Its claws or spinning-organs serve both as hands and eyes to the animal.’† She forms her web against the walls, as if she took hold of them with her hands. She frames her fine-spun house with such exactness of proportion, as if conversant with mathematical rule.† She steals her way alike into the cottage of the poor and king's palaces; as if God would instruct even the great ones of the earth by this pattern of diligence. Such assiduity; such “diligence” in the work of our high calling, if it shall not bring us into the king's palaces (Chapter 22:29), will ensure the full reward of the man, whom the Great “King delighteth to honor.”†
The general lesson to learn from these diminutive teachers is the importance of acting wisely according to the principles of our nature as the best means to secure the greatest quantum of happiness of which they are capable. God has provided happiness for every nature, and for each its own happiness. In more particular detail how many of us stand condemned by the sermons of these little insects! Let us not be too proud to learn, or too careless to attend to the humbling but most valuable lessons taught in this school of instruction: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning.” (Chapter 1:5.)
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