Single lesson
Wisdom of Solomon 5: Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives
Wisdom of Solomon 5:1–14; Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–23
This dialogue presents people who once mocked a righteous man, then finally admit how wrong they were. Their fear and regret are matched with vivid pictures showing how empty arrogance, riches, and ungodly hope prove to be. This lesson also brings together God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment.
Before you teach
In this passage, the righteous man stands boldly before people who afflicted him and dismissed his labours. Seeing him, they are terrified and amazed. They then confess their past scorn, admit that they went astray from truth and the Lord’s way, and describe how their confidence vanished.
Explain the central teaching of Wisdom of Solomon 5: Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives, using two details from the reading. This passage shows that scorning the righteous and trusting in arrogance, riches, or wickedness ends in regret and no lasting gain. This passage teaches that the Lord cares for the righteous, while lawlessness finally meets God’s armed and impartial judgement.
Welcome: Wisdom of Solomon 5: Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives
5 minIntroduce “Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives”, “God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment” and locate Wisdom of Solomon 5:1–14; Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–23. This passage shows that scorning the righteous and trusting in arrogance, riches, or wickedness ends in regret and no lasting gain. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:1, Wisdom of Solomon 5:8, Wisdom of Solomon 5:14
Read and explain the passage
12 minFormer mockers confess the emptiness of their lives (Wisdom of Solomon 5:1–14): The passage opens with a reversal. The righteous man stands in great boldness before those who afflicted him and counted his labours as nothing. The people who once looked down on him are now the ones shaken. They are troubled with terrible fear and amazed at the marvel of salvation.
God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment (Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–23): The passage begins with assurance, not fear. The righteous “live forever”, and their “reward is in the Lord”. Their safety is described as “the care for them with the Most High”. This places their future in God’s keeping, not in their own strength or status.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives”, “God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:1, Wisdom of Solomon 5:2, Wisdom of Solomon 5:15
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “How does the passage contrast the righteous man with those who afflicted him?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. This passage teaches that the Lord cares for the righteous, while lawlessness finally meets God’s armed and impartial judgement. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:1, Wisdom of Solomon 5:2, Wisdom of Solomon 5:3, Wisdom of Solomon 5:4, Wisdom of Solomon 5:5, Wisdom of Solomon 5:21, Wisdom of Solomon 5:22, Wisdom of Solomon 5:23
Make and respond: Wisdom comparison cards
12 minWork on “Wisdom of Solomon 5: Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives: Wisdom comparison cards”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives”, “God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:1, Wisdom of Solomon 5:12, Wisdom of Solomon 5:23
Closing: return to God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment
3 minRevisit Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–23. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:15, Wisdom of Solomon 5:19, Wisdom of Solomon 5:23
Questions to explore
How does the passage contrast the righteous man with those who afflicted him?
Look at who stands in boldness and who is troubled with terrible fear when they see him.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:1, Wisdom of Solomon 5:2
What past judgements do the speakers now admit were false?
Notice the harsh names they once gave the righteous man’s life and end, then compare their surprise in verse 5.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:3, Wisdom of Solomon 5:4, Wisdom of Solomon 5:5
How does the final section use lightning, hail, water and wind to describe the result of lawlessness?
Trace the creation images carefully, then connect them with the closing statement about desolation and overturned thrones.
Wisdom of Solomon 5:21, Wisdom of Solomon 5:22, Wisdom of Solomon 5:23
Make, think or respond
Wisdom of Solomon 5: Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives: Wisdom comparison cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “What the passage commends”, “What it warns against”, “The reason or outcome stated”.
- Read Wisdom of Solomon 5:1–14; Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–23. Use “Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives”, “God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Write a proposed everyday example beside one teaching. Label it as your example and explain which words in the text guided it.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Wisdom of Solomon 5: Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “Former mockers confess the emptiness of their lives”, “God shields the righteous and arms creation for judgment” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Wisdom of Solomon 5:1–14; Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–23. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Wisdom of Solomon 5:1–14; Wisdom of Solomon 5:15–23. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Wisdom of Solomon 5
1 Then the righteous man will stand in great boldness before the face of those who afflicted him, and those who make his labors of no account.
2 When they see him, they will be troubled with terrible fear, and will be amazed at the marvel of salvation.
3 They will speak among themselves repenting, and for distress of spirit they will groan, “This was he whom we used to hold in derision, as a parable of reproach.
4 We fools considered his life madness, and his end without honor.
5 How was he counted among sons of God? How is his lot among saints?
6 Truly we went astray from the way of truth. The light of righteousness didn’t shine for us. The sun didn’t rise for us.
7 We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction. We traveled through trackless deserts, but we didn’t know the Lord’s way.
8 What did our arrogance profit us? What good have riches and boasting brought us?
9 Those things all passed away as a shadow, like a rumor that runs by,
10 like a ship passing through the billowy water, which, when it has gone by, there is no trace to be found, no pathway of its keel in the waves.
11 Or it is like when a bird flies through the air, no evidence of its passage is found, but the light wind, lashed with the stroke of its pinions, and torn apart with the violent rush of the moving wings, is passed through. Afterwards no sign of its coming remains.
12 Or it is like when an arrow is shot at a mark, the air it divided closes up again immediately, so that men don’t know where it passed through.
13 So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be; and we had no sign of virtue to show, but we were utterly consumed in our wickedness.”
14 Because the hope of the ungodly man is like chaff carried by the wind, and as foam vanishing before a tempest; and is scattered like smoke by the wind, and passes by as the remembrance of a guest who stays just a day.
15 But the righteous live forever. Their reward is in the Lord, and the care for them with the Most High.
16 Therefore they will receive the crown of royal dignity and the diadem of beauty from the Lord’s hand, because he will cover them with his right hand, and he will shield them with his arm.
17 He will take his zeal as complete armor, and will make the whole creation his weapons to punish his enemies:
18 He will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and will wear impartial judgment as a helmet.
19 He will take holiness as an invincible shield.
20 He will sharpen stern wrath for a sword. The universe will go with him to fight against his frenzied foes.
21 Shafts of lightning will fly with true aim. They will leap to the mark from the clouds, as from a well-drawn bow.
22 Hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult. The water of the sea will be angered against them. Rivers will sternly overwhelm them.
23 A mighty wind will encounter them. It will winnow them away like a tempest. So lawlessness will make all the land desolate. Their evil-doing will overturn the thrones of princes.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.