JANUARY 16, 2024
“Open thy mouth for the dumb…Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8, 9)
These words were addressed to King Lemuel, together with the remaining portion of this chapter, by his mother. There are differing opinions as to who this King Lemuel was, but the best founded of them is that he was King Solomon. His mother called him Lemuel either because it was an endearing appellation with which she would address him, or maybe it was a name in addition to that by which he was usually known, which was not uncommon among the Hebrews. So Jehoiachin is called Coniah (Jer. 22:24), and in like manner, Solomon was called Jedidiah (II Sam. 12:25). Therefore, there is reason to believe that Lemuel was merely another name for Solomon.
The meaning of the name Lemuel is literally, “Unto God,” that is devoted to God, or belonging to God, or simply, “God’s,” as Paul referred to Him who is “greater than Solomon,” our Lord Jesus Christ. (I Cor. 3:23) Lemuel’s mother addresses her son with the excellent counsel contained in this chapter, which counsel begins with the words of our text: “Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” In other words, she is calling upon her son, the king, to speak for the poor and needy, who cannot speak for themselves, who seem to have no voice to plead their cause. Is this not what a righteous judge ought to do? Should he not see that the poor and needy are heard the same as the rich and powerful? There should not be a two-tiered system of justice in which only those of an elite class have a voice. Though Solomon did not perfectly heed all of his mother’s wise counsel (See Vs. 3), it seems that he did “open his mouth for the poor and needy.” In wisdom, he judged righteously.
King Lemuel, or Solomon, as he is better known, is a striking type of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is therefore the spiritual application of the text that is most meaningful to us. When we look at the spiritual meaning, we see that “a greater than Solomon is here,” and Lemuel points to a greater King than ever Solomon was in all his glory. As the name signifies “devoted to God,” or “God’s,” Who more emphatically answers that signal than the Lord of life and glory, He Who is God’s Son, and God’s Servant, and God’s Ambassador, and Who was fully devoted and consecrated to the Father.
Since Lemuel pictures the Lord Jesus Christ, who might we understand His mother to be? We read in the Song of Solomon 3:11, “Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him…” Since there is no doubt that this Song is a description of the love of Jesus and His Church, His mother then must represent the Church.
It is our blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinner’s Advocate, who at the pleading of the Church, opens His mouth for the dumb. There is a certain character represented here, and upon him is written the title “dumb.” Who is this character? It is one who is arraigned and summoned to the seat of judgment. But why is he dumb, and in need of an Advocate to speak for him?
First, he is one who is overcome with guilt and conviction of sin. Such persons find themselves dumbfounded before a holy God. Since the accusation is true, the guilty party is brought to silence. Thus, when our Blessed Substitute lay under the weight and guilt of our sins, “As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” He could not plead His innocence, because, as our Substitute, he was bearing the guilt of our sins.
Thank God, our Lord bore that awful guilt and shame in silence, without protest, and now stands as our Advocate with the Father. (I John 2:1) When the Judge says to the sinner for whom Christ suffered,“What do you have to say for yourself?” The Lord our Advocate breaks the silence and speaks for the dumb, and upon the merits of His own suffering, gains pardon for the poor and needy.
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