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Ecclesiastes Lesson Twenty-One

Ecclesiastes Lesson Twenty-One: Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 – Aging, Death, and Conclusion

So remember your Creator in the days of your youth: 

Before the days of adversity come, 

and the years approach when you will say, 

“I have no delight in them”; 

2 before the sun and the light are darkened, 

and the moon and the stars, 

and the clouds return after the rain; 

3 on the day when the guardians of the house tremble, 

and the strong men stoop, 

the women who grind cease because they are few, 

and the ones who watch through the windows see dimly, 

4 the doors at the street are shut 

while the sound of the mill fades; 

when one rises at the sound of a bird, 

and all the daughters of song grow faint. 

5 Also, they are afraid of heights and dangers on the road; 

the almond tree blossoms, 

the grasshopper loses its spring, 

and the caper berry has no effect; 

for man is headed to his eternal home, 

and mourners will walk around in the street; 

6 before the silver cord is snapped, 

and the gold bowl is broken, 

and the jar is shattered at the spring, 

and the wheel is broken into the well; 

7 and the dust returns to the earth as it once was, 

and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 

8 “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile.” 

9 In addition to the Teacher being a wise man, he constantly taught the people knowledge; he weighed, explored, and arranged many proverbs. 10 The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and write words of truth accurately. 11 The sayings of the wise are like goads, and those from masters of collections are like firmly embedded nails. The sayings are given by one Shepherd. 

12 But beyond these, my son, be warned: there is no end to the making of many books,  and much study wearies the body. 13 When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is: fear God and keep His commands, because this is for all humanity. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil. (HCSB)

This will be the final lesson in our study of Ecclesiastes. I’ll be splitting this lesson into two parts.

  • Our final season of life – verses 1-8.
  • The conclusion: Fear God and obey Him – verses 9-14.

Our Final Season of Life

  • Chapter twelve begins with the phrase, “Remember your Creator.” There are several things to consider with this simple phrase.
    • It means much more than simply to “think about God.”
    • It means to “pay attention to, consider with the intention of obeying.”
    • It’s the author’s version of Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
    • It becomes easy to neglect God when we are involved in the enjoyment and opportunities of our youth.
    • Most of us understand that there will be dark and difficult days as we age. Therefore, we should make sure our spiritual foundation is strong as early in life as possible.
    • When we’re young, our days are bright, and we often feel invincible. But, the days will come when the darkness gathers, and one storm after another comes.
  • Verses two to seven should be viewed through metaphoric lenses.
    • Verse two.
      • This verse should be interpreted as talking about eyesight.
      • Both the sun and the moon dim as our eyesight fades.
      • It wouldn’t make sense to view this as literal rain, as the skies often clear after a rainstorm instead of things remaining dim.
      • As we age, our eyesight gets worse.
    • Verse three.
      • The guardians of your house refer to our arms and hands; as we age, they begin to shake or tremble.
      • The strong men are the major muscle groups, most likely referring to our legs, back, and shoulders.
      • The grinders are our teeth. As we age, we lose our teeth, or they weaken.
      • The windows once again refer to our vision.
    • Verse four.
      • The doors being shut refers to our hearing.
      • When we’re younger, we often shut doors to exclude outside noises.
      • As we age, we begin to lose our hearing.
      • However, this brings up a cruel paradox of old age.
        • We can’t hear as well as we used to.
        • At the same time, we sleep so lightly that the slightest disturbance is enough to wake us up.
      • The end of verse four could be referring to our hearing, or it could be a reference to our voice. As we age, our voice becomes shaky, and it weakens.
    • Verse five.
      • As we age and weaken, we become or intensify our fear of heights. Additionally, as our muscles weaken, we are more prone to falling as we walk down the street. Overall, it refers to a decline in our manliness.
      • The almond tree blossoms is a direct reference to our hair becoming gray or white as we age.
      • The reference to a grasshopper is a bit more obscure.
        • As we age, our overall strength diminishes. 
        • It could be a reference to our joints or a shuffling walk.
        • It could be a reference to impotence.
          • Caper berries were an aphrodisiac in biblical times.
          • As men age, these aphrodisiacs to enhance our desire no longer have any effect.
          • The Targum, the spoken version of the Hebrew Bible, paraphrases this section to read, “You will cease from sexual intercourse.”
      • The reference to man heading to his eternal home directly correlates to death. We’ll spend eternity either in God’s presence in heaven or eternally separated from God in hell.
      • People will mourn our deaths as they walk down the street.
    • Verse six.
      • The items listed in the first part of the verse would only be available to wealthy people. The author is indicating that death is no respecter of persons.
      • The second part of the verse is a reference to the water of life.
        • Psalm 36:8-9 They are filled from the abundance of Your house; You let them drink from Your refreshing stream, 9 for with You is life’s fountain. In Your light we will see light.
        • Revelation 21:6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life.
        • The jar is shattered.
        • The wheel, the part that raises the bucket as water is drawn, is broken. The water of life is no longer being supplied.
        • The machinery of life stops working.
        • Death is suddenly upon us.
    • Verse seven.
      • Our bodies will decay once we die and will turn to dust.
        • Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.
        • Genesis 3:19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.
      • The spirit of life, given by God, leaves our body once we die.
        • James 2:26a 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead.
        • All life comes from God.
    • Verse eight.
      • The book ends with the same theme it began with: “Everything is futile.”
      • Life without God is an empty life.
      • When everything “under the sun” is considered, it does seem futile. However, when you surrender your life to Jesus, you realize life is fulfilling and has meaning.
      • 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 

The Conclusion: Fear God and Obey Him

As we conclude our journey through Ecclesiastes, it might be good to remember a quote from an unknown source, “Life is like a school, except that sometimes you don’t know what the lessons are until you’ve failed the examination!”

God teaches primarily from His Word, but He also teaches through creation, history, and life experiences. Let’s look at some characteristics of God’s teaching through the eyes of the writer.

  • His teaching is wise.
  • His teaching is orderly.
    • The author weighed his conclusions carefully and arranged them in an orderly fashion.
    • His approach was scientific.
  • His teaching is careful.
    • He used acceptable words.
    • This would draw the listener in instead of driving them away with coarse speech.
    • At the same time, he never wavered from speaking the truth or making the message “socially acceptable.”
      • Proverbs 8:6-11 Listen, for I speak of noble things, and what my lips say is right. 7 For my mouth tells the truth, and wickedness is detestable to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; none of them are deceptive or perverse. 9 All of them are clear to the perceptive, and right to those who discover knowledge. 10 Accept my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. 11 For wisdom is better than jewels, and nothing desirable can compare with it.
      • John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 
  • His teachings are inspired by God, given by the one Shepherd.
    • Inspiration by the Holy Spirit is what enabled men to write the Word of God, complete and without error.
    • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 
    • 2 Peter 1:20-21 First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
    • They contained both goads and nails.
      • The goads prod people to pay attention and to pursue the truth.
      • The nails give them something on which to hang what they’ve learned.
      • Good teaching requires both motivated students and teachers who can “nail things down” so the lessons make sense.
  • If we aren’t careful, we could misinterpret verse twelve as a negative outlook on learning. However, that is not the case.
    • It’s a warning not to go beyond what God teaches.
    • There are thousands of “religious” books on various subjects. But, we must be careful that the ones we read are grounded on Scripture and not “feel good” books that contradict what Scripture teaches.
    • Life is a school, and we must learn all we can. Our textbook is the Bible, and the Holy Spirit is our teacher.
      • Psalm 119:97-104 How I love Your instruction! It is my meditation all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers because Your decrees are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the elders because I obey Your precepts. 101 I have kept my feet from every evil path to follow Your word. 102 I have not turned from Your judgments, for You Yourself have instructed me. 103 How sweet Your word is to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth. 104 I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way.
      • John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit —the Father will send  Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. 
      • 2 Peter 3:18a But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
  • We now reach the conclusion in verses thirteen and fourteen.
    • It’s interesting to note that Ecclesiastes ends with the same conclusion found towards the beginning of Proverbs (1:7), “Fear God.”
      • The fear of the Lord is an attitude of reverence and awe that His people show to Him because they love Him and respect His power and greatness.
      • Those who fear the Lord learn and obey His Word.
      • An unholy fear causes people to run from God, but a holy fear brings them into submission to God.
      • When you fear God, you don’t need to fear anything else. When you don’t fear God, you fear everything else.
      • Isaiah 8:13 You are to regard only the Lord of Hosts as holy. Only He should be feared; only He should be held in awe. 
      • Those who fear the Lord will keep His commands.
    • All of us will face judgment in the future. This judgment results in two emotions.
      • Those who don’t know God will live in fear of death. It doesn’t matter what they believe; death is something that will trouble them.
      • Those who have surrendered to Jesus live in joy; even death can’t trouble them. They know their future is secure, and they will live in eternity with God.
    • Everything that we do will be laid bare when we are judged. Nothing will remain hidden. 
    • Six times in Ecclesiastes, the author told us to enjoy life. However, at no time did he advise us to enjoy sin.
    • The joys of the present depend on the security of the future.
    • When we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, we’ll find that life is indeed worth living. 
    • We’ll be satisfied no matter what happens to us.
    • 1 John 5:12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have the Son of God does not have life. 

Applications

  • Life is much shorter than we think, even for those of us who reach an old age. And the older you get, the faster time goes! Live your life for what’s important; don’t waste it chasing sin, whatever form it takes.
  • As we age, we must accept that our bodies won’t function as well as they used to. As I move into my mid-60s, I am reminded daily that my runs aren’t as fast as they used to be, and I can’t run as far as when I was younger. I forget things. My body is not as flexible, and the aches and pains don’t go away as quickly. I’ve learned to let go and not worry about these changes. There’s still too much to live for, and if I let these changes discourage me, I’ll miss out on what’s left to enjoy!
  • Look to Scripture first for the answers to life. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms are not good sources for answers to life’s challenges and riddles. God’s Word is the only source of absolute truth.
  • Each of us will face judgment one day. Are you ready? Place your faith in Jesus Christ, enjoy life, and have peace about eternity.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Seventeen

Ecclesiastes Lesson Seventeen: Ecclesiastes 8:14-9:10 – Iniquity and Enjoyment

There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile. 15 So I commended enjoyment because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself, for this will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun. 

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the activity that is done on the earth (even though one’s eyes do not close in sleep day or night), 17 I observed all the work of God and concluded that man is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; even if the wise man claims to know it, he is unable to discover it. 

9 Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. People don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. 2 Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked,  for the good and the bad,  for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live —after that they go to the dead. 4 But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun. 

7 Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.  8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. 10 Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. (HCSB)

I’ll be splitting this lesson into three parts.

  • The futility of life – verses 8:14-17
  • The righteous and the wicked – verses 9:1-6
  • Enjoy life – verses 9:7-10

The Futility of Life

The author points out the futility of life and how often the righteous suffer the fate that the wicked deserve.

  • The author starts with a variation on a phrase used throughout Ecclesiastes, “done on the earth” is essentially the same as “under the sun.”
    • This phrase is an indication of activity in a sinful, fallen world.
    • In the realm of a sinful world, actions and results often don’t make sense.
      • Righteousness is often not rewarded.
      • Wickedness is often not punished.
    • When we view this through the lens of modern Christian Theology, we know and understand that the Bible never promises an easy life to believers.
      • We aren’t guaranteed good health.
      • We aren’t promised to be rich.
      • We won’t always be happy.
      • We won’t avoid persecution.
      • The life of Jesus and the history of the Christian church proves that those who spout such heretical teaching are wrong.
    • However, we know things will change once we leave this earth and dwell eternally in heaven.
      • There will be no more sin.
      • We won’t worry about our health, happiness, or prosperity.
      • We will be united with other believers in paradise, free of persecution.
      • Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. 
  • The author now moves on to another phrase he previously used, “there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself.”
    • Enjoying life is not a call to a hedonistic lifestyle.
    • It is a call to accept that we won’t understand most of what happens in the world.
    • It’s a call to enjoy what God has provided to us, whatever our circumstances.
    • We are to enjoy God’s provision by living a life of obedience and reverence to God.
  • The author moves to a third idea he had previously mentioned.
    • No matter how hard a person tries, they will never attain perfect or complete wisdom.
    • There is one overarching reason for this: our inability to know the future, as stated in 8:7.
      • We could control our lives if we knew with certainty what actions would bring prosperity, happiness, and a long life.
      • However, we will never gain that level of knowledge.
    • In the end, God is in control.
    • Isaiah 55:8-9 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways. This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

The Righteous and the Wicked

  • As we look at this section of the passage, we need to put ourselves in the position of the original hearers of the message. This significantly changes how we view it.
    • The original hearers were under the Law.
    • We are under the New Covenant.
    • While the original hearers may have thought that there was no eternal difference between the wicked and the righteous, as followers of Christ, we know there is a difference.
      • The redeemed will have eternal fellowship with God.
      • The condemned will have eternal separation from God and torment.
  • Verse 1
    • Our lives are in God’s hands; He is sovereign.
    • Only He knows our future, whether it will bring love or hate.
    • This knowledge doesn’t mean we don’t have free will in our lives; it only means that God knows our choices before making them and the consequences they will have.
    • The author repeatedly emphasizes free will in human choice.
  • Verse 2
    • This verse is a clear example of the difference between those under the Law and those under the New Covenant.
    • Although Scripture passages in the Old Testament refer to eternal life, the idea needed to be developed more than what is presented in the New Testament.
    • Both the wicked and the righteous will experience the same end “under the sun,” the passing of the physical body.
    • The end of our physical bodies, death, is the “final enemy” we will face.
      • 1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be abolished is death.
    • However, the result of facing the final enemy will result in people spending eternity in one of two locations; heaven or hell.
      • Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
      • John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?”
      • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
    • Our works have no bearing on our eternal destination; only faith in Jesus Christ will usher us into God’s presence for all eternity.
      • John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way,  the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
  • Verse 3
    • The inevitable fact of death, and sometimes the fear of death, results in two main types of behavior.
      • It either brings out the best.
      • Or it brings out the worst.
    • We often see this play out at funerals or in the aftermath of death when the settling of an estate occurs.
      • People fight over their share of the inheritance.
      • Sometimes, they sue when they feel they’ve been wronged.
    • We also see it in everyday behavior.
      • Getting drunk and getting in fights.
      • Driving in a reckless manner.
      • Spending large amounts of money on things of no eternal value.
      • The pursuit of pleasure, regardless of how it affects others.
      • Using medical treatments in the hope of turning back, or at least slowing, the biological clock.
    • For those who don’t know Jesus as their Savior, the “final enemy” will always be there.
    • We can’t run from the final enemy, but we can face and defeat it by placing our trust in Jesus.
  • Verses 4-6
    • When we look at these three verses, we can see two critical truths to hang on to.
      • The first is that our circumstances can improve while we are still alive.
        • Regardless of what transpires in our lives, the believer has a living hope.
          • Our Savior is alive and has conquered death.
          • Unbelievers have a hope that will be destroyed by death.
        • We must seize the opportunities presented to us to improve our circumstances.
        • But, we must seize those opportunities in a way that honors God.
      • The second is that while an unbeliever is still alive, there is always hope for their redemption.
        • While it’s true that an unbeliever’s hope is shattered by death until they physically die, there is always hope they will repent.
        • We’ve all probably known, or at least heard of, someone we thought was so far lost they would never repent. Yet, by the grace of God, they surrendered their lives to Christ.
          • Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
          • Luke 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
    • In addition to the two truths listed above, there are other ideas in these three verses.
      • For the dead, regardless of their background, wealth, position, or fame, their lives are over.
        • They can’t add anything reputation.
        • There are no longer any rewards waiting to be bestowed on them.
      • For the living, even if they are in the most meager of circumstances, they can always add to the quality of their lives.
      • The living know they will face death at some point.
      • When faced with the inevitability of death, the living can embrace the joys life offers.
      • Life may not be easy, but there’s more to life than simply enduring our existence on planet Earth.

Enjoy Life

  • We now move to a section where the author exhorts the readers to enjoy life. This enjoyment is broken down into four parts.
    • The first area of enjoyment is about our meals.
      • Since Ecclesiastes is written to a Jewish audience, we need to understand the meal schedule of a typical Jewish family during this time.
        • There was normally an early snack during what we would call breakfast.
        • Then, there was a light meal taken between 10 am and noon.
        • After this meal, the work day would begin, and the family wouldn’t gather together until work was finished, often after sunset.
        • The main meal would consist of bread, wine, milk, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and sometimes fish. Meat was expensive and was only served on special occasions.
        • The contents of the meal weren’t what was important; it was “breaking bread” together in fellowship and commitment.
          • Proverbs 15:17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.
          • Proverbs 17:1 Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
        • Family love is the most important item on any menu, which turns any ordinary meal into a banquet.
    • The second area of enjoyment is to make the most of any occasion.
      • Once again, understanding Jewish cultural context reveals the intent behind the words.
      • Wearing white garments and having oil on the head carried special meaning.
        • White clothes were worn on special occasions such as weddings or reunions.
        • White clothes symbolized joy.
        • Oil should be understood as a perfume in that day.
      • The author wasn’t literally telling people to wear white and apply oil every day.
      • What he was saying is that we should make every occasion a special one, even if it is ordinary or routine.
      • We shouldn’t express our thanksgiving and joy only on special days.
      • Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
      • We shouldn’t be searching for special things to find our joy.
      • We should find joy by making everyday things special.
    • The third area of enjoyment is our marriage for those who are married.
      • We should view our spouse as a gift from God.
        • Proverbs 18:22 A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
        • Proverbs 19:14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a sensible wife is from the Lord. 
      • Marriage should also be viewed as a lifelong commitment.
        • No matter how difficult life can be, there is great joy in the home of a husband and wife who are committed to each other.
        • Unfortunately, that concept is often ignored in modern society, where couples are often too quick to give up on each other.
        • From a biblical standpoint, the only reasons for divorce are infidelity and being married to an unbeliever who abandons the marriage.
          • Matthew 5:32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
          • 1 Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. 
    • The fourth area of enjoyment is our work.
      • Again, we need to look at work through the eyes of the Jews hearing this message.
      • Jews viewed work not as something to be avoided but as a form of stewardship from God.
      • Even rabbis learned a trade to support themselves. As an example, Paul was a tentmaker.
      • Scripture also says that those capable of work but choose not to work should go hungry.
        • 1 Thessalonians 3:10 In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”
      • Whatever our job is, we should do it in such a way that it glorifies God.
        • Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
        • Colossians 3:23-25 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. 
  • If we fear God, we will walk by faith and not try to escape or endure life. We will enjoy life and receive it as a gift from God.

Applications

  • When we see injustice that causes us to shake our heads in disbelief, we shouldn’t lose sight that our existence here is a blip on the timeline of eternity. We need to trust that the sovereign God of the universe will reward the righteous and punish the wicked, even if it’s on His timeline and not ours.
  • No matter our circumstances, we should enjoy life. As long as we have breath, there is the hope that our circumstances can improve. Each life is precious, and we shouldn’t waste the opportunity to live our lives glorifying God.
  • Don’t lose sight of the fact that, as believers, we have nothing to fear. We have victory over death through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Our present lives may be difficult, but our eternity will be glorious beyond words.
  • Enjoy what God has given you, no matter how extravagant or meager. Always try to look for the blessing in any situation. If you are married, cherish your spouse as a special gift from God.
  • Do your work in a way that honors God. That means to do your best and not grumble or complain. For various reasons, many people can’t find or may not be able to work. Glorify God through and with your work.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Twelve

Ecclesiastes Lesson Twelve: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 – Wise Sayings

A good name is better than fine perfume, 

and the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth. 

2 It is better to go to a house of mourning 

than to go to a house of feasting, 

since that is the end of all mankind, 

and the living should take it to heart. 

3 Grief is better than laughter, 

for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad. 

4 The heart of the wise is in a house of mourning, 

but the heart of fools is in a house of pleasure. 

5 It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person 

than to listen to the song of fools, 

6 for like the crackling of burning thorns under the pot, 

so is the laughter of the fool. 

This too is futile. 

7 Surely, the practice of extortion turns a wise person into a fool, 

and a bribe destroys the mind. 

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; 

a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit. 

9 Don’t let your spirit rush to be angry, 

for anger abides in the heart of fools. 

10 Don’t say, “Why were the former days better than these?” 

since it is not wise of you to ask this. 

11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance 

and an advantage to those who see the sun, 

12 because wisdom is protection as money is protection, 

and the advantage of knowledge 

is that wisdom preserves the life of its owner. 

13 Consider the work of God, 

for who can straighten out 

what He has made crooked? 

14 In the day of prosperity be joyful,  but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other,  so that man cannot discover anything that will come after him. (HCSB)

The first part of chapter seven reads very much like it came from Proverbs. Although verses 1-14 could be read as one theme. It makes more sense to split it into two.

  • Wisdom can make life better – verses 1-11.
  • Wisdom helps us see life clearly – verses 12-14.

Wisdom Can Make Life Better

Verse 1

  • On the surface, these verse appears quite confusing. What did the writer mean by these two contrasts?
  • Both a good name and perfume were highly regarded in Jewish culture.
    • Proverbs 10:7 The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
    • Psalm 45:7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy more than your companions. 
  • Here, the writer contrasts outer appearance and inward values to make his point.
  • The writer also wasn’t saying death was better than birth because a person can’t die unless they were born. 
  • There are two significant days when a person’s name is known: the day they are born/named and the day they die.
    • The life lived between those two events determines whether the name leaves behind a lovely fragrance or a foul stench.
    • If a person dies with a good name, their reputation is sealed.
    • In this case, death is better than birth, as the person’s reputation is settled.
  • This same concept can be applied to a person with a bad reputation. Once they die, they can no longer do harm or cause hurt.

Verses 2-4

  • These verses make a simple point: there is much to be gained by sober reflection on death.
  • When we realize we’ll all meet the same end, a wise person will turn from foolishness.
    • Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.
  • We should learn from death but not be preoccupied with it. This could result in a person not taking life as seriously as they should.
  • As the writer transitions from the house of mourning to grief and laughter in verse three, let’s take a closer look at the meaning behind the word “laughter.” The Hebrew word can take two directions.
    • One is happy laughter, taking the word at face value.
    • The second is more subtle. It can mean derision or scorn.
  • The idea of grief and mourning being better than laughter and pleasure is simple yet deep.
    • The writer here is likely referring to circumstances that are temporal in nature.
    • Temporal happiness can divert our attention and focus away from God to things of the world.
    • When we experience temporal grief or trials, it brings us back to focusing on God and depending on Him for everything.
    • Temporal sadness is good when it causes us to turn our heart and mind back to God.
      • 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because your grief led to repentance. For you were grieved as God willed, so that you didn’t experience any loss from us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance not to be regretted and leading to salvation, but worldly grief produces death.

Verses 5-6

  • Hearing rebuke is better than hearing praise.
  • I’m sure we’ve all been in situations where all we hear is praise, how good we are, or how well we’ve done something.
    • I’ve been in that situation several different times. Although we all like to hear we’ve done something well, it’s also helpful when we’re told how we’ve fallen short.
    • Although no one likes a rebuke, which is a strong word, we’ll never grow or learn if we aren’t told when we mess up.
    • This is especially true when the correction comes from someone who is wise or has experience in general or the specific situation where we may have made a mistake.
    • Praise often comes from those who lack wisdom or experience. Or, they may be trying to curry favor, especially if they are below the person they are praising.
  • The writer is also using two similes in these verses.
    • A foolish person is worthless, like thorns.
    • A foolish person is always in danger of facing judgment, burning under a pot.

Verse 7

  • The basis for the idea that extortion turns a person into a fool is found in many ancient Near East wisdom literature. 
  • Those in positions of political power should avoid corrupt activities.
  • However, as we look around the world today, it’s very common to see people in positions of power using their positions to accept bribes or conduct “under the table” deals to benefit themselves and their supporters.
  • The widespread corruption in politics makes it difficult not to have a cynical view toward those in office, and it’s easy to believe everyone who holds office is tainted somehow.
  • Bribery undercuts wisdom because it corrupts the heart.

Verses 8-9

  • The theme in these two verses is to consider life as a long-distance event and not a sprint or trying to take shortcuts to make things easier.
  • The shortcuts and bribes were talked about in the previous verse.
  • Hard work and taking the narrow path is the correct way to live one’s life.
  • Too often in today’s world, people look for the quickest solution, which, almost invariably, is not a solution but a trap that leads us astray.
  • A follower of Christ needs to be patient.
    • Philippians 1:6 I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
    • Hebrews 12:1b-2 Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.
    • Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.
  • There’s also a warning in verse nine.
    • We need to control how we respond to situations, especially those which upset us. This also includes situations where “righteous anger” is appropriate.
    • Often, we can jump to conclusions before we know the full story.
    • How often can that lead to damaged relationships because of a simple misunderstanding?
      • Proverbs 29:20 Do you see a man who speaks too soon? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
      • Proverbs 19:3 A man’s own foolishness leads him astray, yet his heart rages against the Lord.
      • Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.
      • Acts 19:36 Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash. 

Verse 10

  • This verse also contains a warning.
  • When things get difficult, we often lack the patience to get through the situation, and instead, we yearn for the “good old days” because we think they were better.
  • A prime example is the Exodus from Egypt.
    • God was leading His people into the promised land.
    • However, every time things got tough, the people would cry out for the “good old days” of living in bondage.
  • Looking back on past events is vital to gain a true perspective of things. The Bible even commands us to do that.
    • Isaiah 46:8-9 Remember this and be brave; take it to heart, you transgressors! 9 Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and no one is like Me.
    • Psalm 42:4 I remember this as I pour out my heart: how I walked with many, leading the festive procession to the house of God, with joyful and thankful shouts.
  • We are not to dwell on the past or cause it to skew our decision-making in the present.
  • The only time to dwell on past blessings is when we give thanks to God or as a reminder of how He has been faithful to us.
  • However, if we spend too much time reflecting on past blessings, we can miss out on what God is doing around us and trying to do through us in the present.

Verses 11-12

  • What is better, wisdom or wealth?
  • A sign of maturity is the ability to put life into perspective and not get out of balance.
  • Godly wisdom is more valuable than wealth.
    • Money can lose its value, be stolen, or be spent foolishly.
    • Wisdom keeps its value and can’t be lost unless we become foolish and throw our wisdom away or ignore it.
  • A person who has wealth but lacks wisdom will often waste their wealth.
  • A person who has wisdom will know how to acquire and use wealth.
  • Wisdom can help us navigate the difficult time, regardless of our financial situation.

Verses 13-14

  • The point here is that God is in control of all things; His will can’t be resisted or changed.
  • God brings both prosperity and times of testing.
  • When we are experiencing good times, we should enjoy the prosperity.
  • When we are being tested, we should understand and accept that this is also from God.
  • We don’t know what tomorrow will bring; it could be wealth or a season of testing.
  • Regardless, we can accept that God is in control.
    • Lamentations 3:38 Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?
    • Philippians 4:12-13 I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.
  • We would do well to remember Paul’s words above. Paul was content regardless of his circumstances. And we also must correctly understand verse thirteen. It doesn’t mean we can do anything we want. It does mean we can endure whatever circumstances we find ourselves in when we are walking in obedience to God.

Applications.

  • As we consider applications to this passage, I want us to consider the world today in contrast to this passage. We live in a very materialistic and self-centered world, and this passage screams disagreement with what the world says we should pursue. Often, the world’s pressures leave us looking for a way out, a way to escape what the world says is right. Against this backdrop, I want us to consider the following applications.
  • Don’t live for temporal worldly recognition. Focus on obedience to God and what His Word says. If that results in adulation and recognition, it’s okay. Just remember to give glory to God and not think too highly of yourself.
  • Remember, our life is like a puff of smoke on the timeline of eternity. Francis Chan has a wonderful illustration of this. Think of the longest rope or string you can imagine (it will never be long enough), and put one drop of red ink at the beginning. The red ink is our life, and the rest of the string is eternity after we leave this world. Why do we focus so much on the red ink and not eternity? Don’t chase after the temporal; chase after the eternal.
  • If you are blessed with monetary success, use it to bless others and help those in need. It doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice it all and live in poverty (although it’s possible God may direct you on that path), but if we’re stingy while living in opulence, our lives are not shining the light of Christ.
  • Persevere through whatever trials you’re going through. If it’s because of disobedience, confess and return to God. If it’s because you’re being tested and refined, rejoice in the process and prepare yourself for further Kingdom work.
  • When we die, we won’t be able to take anything with us. As we stand before Jesus, will we hear, “well done, good and faithful servant,” or will we hear, “depart from me, for I never knew you”?
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Nine

Ecclesiastes Lesson Nine: Ecclesiastes 4:7-16 – The Tears of the Lonely and Disillusioned

Again, I saw futility under the sun: 8 There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. “So who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself from good?” This too is futile and a miserable task. 

9 Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. 10 For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? 12 And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. 

13 Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer pays attention to warnings. 14 For he came from prison to be king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I saw all the living, who move about under the sun, follow a second youth who succeeds him. 16 There is no limit to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. (HCSB)

I’ll be breaking this lesson into two parts.

  • The importance of family and friends – verses 7-12.
  • Poor and wise is better than foolish and powerful – verses 13-16.

The Importance of Family and Friends

In this section, the teacher observes the importance of family and friends and the uselessness of wealth and possessions for the lonely. Let’s take a deeper look at this section of the passage.

  • The teacher observed the struggles of a person without any family or friends.
    • In this example, the loneliness is self-inflicted.
      • People become slaves to their work.
      • They’re never satisfied with what they have.
      • Money and possessions are their family.
    • The drive to satisfy their “worldly appetite” ends up driving their family and friends away.
      • The preoccupation with “stuff” prevents them from establishing and cultivating relationships.
      • Or it drives others away because they see that “stuff” is all the person is concerned with.
    • This example is personified in the person who has achieved things in life, maybe even seemingly great things, but when they look around, they’ve left a trail of broken family ties and friendships behind.
    • Success is meaningless when it consumes the person, resulting in absolute loneliness.
    • At the same time, the teacher is not condemning a strong work ethic.
      • It’s good to have a strong work ethic.
      • But it must be balanced with the other aspects of life.
      • People must enjoy the fruits of their labor and leisure time.
  • After observing the struggles of those who choose to live in isolation, the teacher now turns to the importance of family and friends and living in community.
    • Working in groups is more efficient than working alone.
      • Two or more workers can accomplish more than a solitary worker.
      • Even after dividing the profits, the increased efficiency results in greater benefits.
      • Difficult jobs are also easier in groups.
        • Some jobs are very difficult or even impossible to do alone.
        • When the work is tiring or difficult, work partners can offer encouragement to each other.
    • The idea of falling should be viewed in two ways.
      • The first is the physical act of falling.
        • Depending on the situation, a person may need help in getting back up after falling. Maybe they’ve fallen into a hole (think of ancient civilization roads) or down an embankment.
        • They may have fallen and injured themselves. In this situation, they’re incapable of getting out of the situation themselves.
      • The second view is of spiritual falling.
        • A person may be struggling with sin or an addiction. One or more people to “lift them up” is invaluable in overcoming the temptation.
        • When believers live in community, they can mutually support each other through prayer and the use of their spiritual gifts.
      • Galatians 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
    • Having companions will also prove beneficial when stranded in poor weather.
      • It’s a proven scientific fact that when people are stranded in cold conditions, and there isn’t a heat source or a way to make a fire, sharing body heat is the best solution.
      • The statement from the teacher doesn’t carry any sexual innuendo. It’s a practical application to survive in adverse conditions.
      • There is also a metaphorical understanding that emotional comfort is provided against the coldness of the world.
    • Finally, being in groups was a safety-conscious decision.
      • Traveling alone was dangerous, regardless of the time of day.
      • Even King David was grateful for a friend who stepped in during a time of need. 2 Samuel 21:15-17  The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him: “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”
  • The teacher followed a pattern that was typical in Hebrew literature.
    • He started with “one” in verse eight.
    • He moved to “two” in verse nine.
    • He finished with “three” in verse twelve.
    • One cord could be easily broken. Two provided more strength. But three cords were even better. Three cords required unity, a picture of friendship.

Poor and Wise is Better than Foolish and Powerful

This is the fourth time in chapter four that the teacher uses the term “better.” It introduces a story that teaches two timeless truths; the instability of political power and the variability of popularity. Let’s dig deeper into these last few verses.

  • The story in these verses is about a king and a wise young man who is poor.
    • Early in the king’s rule, he listened to his advisors’ advice and ruled with wisdom.
      • As he got older, the king no longer listened to his advisors.
      • It would be easy to assume the change was due to senility or inflated pride. However, the problem was likely deeper than this.
        • The king was probably surrounded by advisors who were more concerned with their position and making the king happy than they were about providing sound advice.
        • Their poor advice would isolate the king from what was actually happening around him.
        • In return, these advisors were able to live in comfort at the expense of the general populace.
        • This situation is common with weak leaders who are more concerned about themselves than they are about their people.
      • Regardless of traditional thought, neither age nor might ensure wisdom and success.
    • The youth is “better” than the king because he understands to pay attention to warnings.
    • This youth is also the person referenced in verse fifteen who succeeds the old king.
      • The first “youth” should be understood as the now old king.
      • This second youth now uses his energy and political cunning to steal the hearts of the people who have grown tired of the now distant, inflexible, and old king.
      • A perfect example of this situation is Absalom’s attempt to usurp the throne from David.
      • However, this is not the solution or end of the story.
  • The teacher is indicating the change in leadership will be a continuous loop, repeating itself endlessly throughout history.
    • Power is a fleeting commodity.
    • Being the leader is a temporary position.
    • Each one is just a timestamp in the historical timeline of the earth.

As we conclude our study of chapter four, there are a few principles the teacher is attempting to highlight.

  • Life doesn’t stand still. Regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in, we must face life head-on, with God’s help, and make the most of it.
  • We need family and friends in life. We may think there are advantages to being independent, but there are also disadvantages. These disadvantages become heavier as we get older.
  • Everyone needs balance in their life. It’s good to have the things that money can buy as long as you don’t lose the things money can’t buy. Are you sacrificing what should be permanent to get what will end up being temporary?
  • Mark 8:36-37  For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life?  37 What can a man give in exchange for his life?

Applications

  • Take stock of the relationships you have with your family and friends. Have you placed the pursuit of “worldly” desires before those relationships? Our family should never suffer as a result of our jobs. There may be times when situations arise, causing financial hardship. However, as much as possible, those should be temporary in nature. Our spouses and children are gifts from God. They are more valuable than all the money in the world.
  • Be involved in mutually supportive relationships. Extend help to others in their times of need. Accept help from others when you need it. Don’t let pride prevent you from accepting help. 
  • No matter what stage of life we’re in, we need truthful friends who aren’t afraid to “tell it like it is.” At times that may ruffle our feathers, but it will also keep us on the “narrow road.” Don’t be the “foolish king” in your relationships. At the same time, if you have friends who are suffering from the “foolish king” syndrome, speak the truth in love to them. They may not thank you right away, but once the situation clears, it’s almost certain they will value what you said.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Eight

Ecclesiastes Lesson Eight: Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 – The Tears of the Oppressed and Frustrated.

Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun.  Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. 2 So I admired the dead,  who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. 3 But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed,  who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun. 

4 I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to a man’s jealousy of his friend.  This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. 5 The fool folds his arms and consumes his own flesh. 6 Better one handful with rest than two handfuls with effort and a pursuit of the wind. (HCSB)

The teacher now addresses two issues, which is how this lesson will be divided.

  • Corruption in society – verses 1-3.
  • Corruption in the workplace – verses 4-6.

Corruption in Society

Israel had a fair judicial system based on divine Law. The details are contained in Exodus 18:13-27, Deuteronomy 17 and 19. Moses warned officials to judge honestly and fairly.

  • Leviticus 19:15  You must not act unjustly when deciding a case. Do not be partial to the poor or give preference to the rich; judge your neighbor fairly.
  • Deuteronomy 1:17  Do not show partiality when deciding a case; listen to small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.

Both prophets and the psalmist spoke out against social injustice.

  • Isaiah 56:1  This is what the Lord says: Preserve justice and do what is right, for My salvation is coming soon, and My righteousness will be revealed.
  • Amos 1-2
  • Psalm 82

Solomon had demonstrated fairness and wisdom in judging cases; 1 Kings 3:16-28.

However, every society through the ages experiences corruption, which can often lead to a downward spiral. In some cases, this downward spiral will lead to the end of the established government or at least a major evolution in how it operates.

Now, let’s take a closer look at these first three verses.

  • The teacher said that those who were in positions of power were using that power to oppress the less fortunate.
    • The powerful enjoyed the freedom to do as they wished, with little or no repercussion when they abused the less fortunate. 
    • The less fortunate people had no advocate to argue on their behalf.
    • Ultimately, the less fortunate had no means to receive justice and comfort from the society that was supposed to protect them.
  • The oppressors in the Jewish government had fallen from the instructions set forth by God.
    • Leviticus 6:2-5  When someone sins and offends the Lord by deceiving his neighbor in regard to a deposit, a security, or a robbery; or defrauds his neighbor; 3 or finds something lost and lies about it; or swears falsely about any of the sinful things a person may do— 4 once he has sinned and acknowledged his guilt—he must return what he stole or defrauded, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost item he found, 5 or anything else about which he swore falsely. He must make full restitution for it and add a fifth of its value to it.  He is to pay it to its owner on the day he acknowledges his guilt.
    • Ezekiel 22:7  Father and mother are treated with contempt, and the foreign resident is exploited within you. The fatherless and widow are oppressed in you.
    • Ezekiel 22:29  The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery.  They have oppressed the poor and needy and unlawfully exploited the foreign resident.
    • Micah 2:1-2  Woe to those who dream up wickedness and prepare evil plans on their beds! At morning light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands. 2 They covet fields  and seize them; they also take houses. They deprive a man of his home, a person of his inheritance.
    • Jeremiah 22:17  But you have eyes and a heart for nothing except your own dishonest profit, shedding innocent blood and committing extortion and oppression.
  • We see again the problem of “everything under the sun.”
    • People who live in this manner live with a sinful and materialistic mindset.
    • They use their power or influence to take advantage of others for their own benefit.
  • The oppressive nature of the social structure which the teacher witnessed had such a profound effect that he admired the dead.
  • If we remember back to the previous lesson, death is the arena of hope for the oppressed.
    • The dead are judged for their actions.
    • The righteous, even if they were oppressed, are spared eternal judgment.
    • The oppressors, regardless of their wealth, power, or position, will receive eternal punishment for their wickedness.
    • It is in death that the oppressed will finally find their rest.
  • However, never being born is the best solution.
    • They will never be tempted by what’s “under the sun.”
    • They will never be the victim of oppression and despair.
    • I think it’s a fair understanding that the teacher is using hyperbole in verse three.
      • Every human is made in the image of God.
      • All are wonderfully crafted.
      • Yet, at the same time, there will be those who are oppressed and live in despair.
      • It is in the face of this conundrum that the teacher makes the statement about never having been born.

Corruption in the Workplace

Being disgusted with what he observed in the judicial and governmental sectors of Israel, the teacher ventures into the workplace. He was certain he would see a better situation here since honest work was a gift from God. Let’s take a closer look at what he found.

  • He found people who worked hard.
  • He found people who were skillful in their craft.
  • He found jealous competition. The workers’ jealousy was the problem.
    • The workers were highly skilled and produced quality products.
    • However, the only reason for their skill and quality was to be better than their competition.
    • It wasn’t to benefit the buyer; it was to benefit themselves.
  • God didn’t put selfishness into work; it was the result of sin in the world.
    • People covet what others have, even in the workplace.
      • A better reputation.
      • A product people desired to buy.
      • We envy when others have more or better “things” than we do.
    • Coveting, competition, and envy are often found as companions.
    • Competition is not sinful; it’s when being first or the best becomes more important than being honest that trouble rears its ugly head.
    • Rivalry, if done with an honest heart, will produce better products.
  • Consider examples from Scripture where jealousy or envy resulted in the committing of great sin.
    • 1 Kings 21 – The example of King Ahab’s desire for Naboth’s vineyard and the false accusation bought against him to allow the king to acquire the vineyard.
    • 2 Samuel – King David, even though he had many wives, desired Bathsheba and had her husband killed to cover up his adultery.
  • Healthy competition benefits everyone.
  • Jealousy and envy hurt everyone, including the one who seems to “come out on top.”
  • The teacher now moves to people of the opposite extreme; those who don’t possess any ambition at all.
  • Scripture is clear in its view about laziness.
    • Proverbs 6:10-11  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, 11 and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.
    • Proverbs 18:9  The one who is truly lazy in his work is brother to a vandal.
    • Proverbs 19:15  Laziness induces deep sleep, and a lazy person will go hungry.
    • Proverbs 24:30-34  I went by the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense. 31 Thistles had come up everywhere, weeds covered the ground, and the stone wall was ruined. 32 I saw, and took it to heart; I looked, and received instruction: 33 a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest, 34 and your poverty will come like a robber, your need, like a bandit.
    • 2 Thessalonians 3:10  In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.
  • When we consider the extremes of verses four and five, we observe that the industrious person was motivated by competition and consumed by the rat race of life. They had no time for leisure. The idle person was motivated by pleasure and was rushing toward ruin. They weren’t productive.
  • This begs the question. Is there a happy medium between the two extremes?
  • Verse six answers this question with a resounding “yes.”
    • This person was productive.
    • They also made sure there was time for rest and leisure.
  • The person who is driven for gain, whether it be money, power, position, or “things,” will never have time to enjoy them. They’ll always be looking for more. They’ll never be satisfied, and the obsession for more will consume them.
  • The lazy person believes that doing nothing will bring them peace, but this lifestyle will destroy them.
  • The balanced approach allows the person to enjoy their work and their leisure time.

Applications

  • Don’t tolerate oppression. All people are made in the image of God. When people are treated unfairly, Christians should peacefully stand against that oppression. Sometimes there’s a fine line we need to walk. We should never condone or tolerate behavior that goes against Scripture. However, that doesn’t give Christians the right to treat these people as less than human. Jesus never did that, and as followers of Christ, we shouldn’t either.
  • If you are in a position of leadership, don’t use that position to oppress others and elevate yourself. Treat those under you, whatever the relationship, in a respectful and honoring manner.
  • How do you approach your work? Do you do it because you want more stuff; money, possessions, position, or power? Or do you work to glorify God, provide for your family, benefit society? Make sure you build rest or leisure into your life. God provided the Sabbath as a day of rest. He recognized the need for rest, and we should, too.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Five

Ecclesiastes Lesson Five: Ecclesiastes 2:17-26 – The Emptiness of Work Apart From God

Therefore, I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind. 

18 I hated all my work that I labored at under the sun because I must leave it to the man who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will take over all my work that I labored at skillfully under the sun. This too is futile. 20 So I began to give myself over to despair concerning all my work that I had labored at under the sun. 21 When there is a man whose work was done with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,  and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great wrong. 22 For what does a man get with all his work and all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? 23 For all his days are filled with grief, and his occupation is sorrowful;  even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile. 

24 There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand, 25 because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from Him? 26 For to the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,  but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and accumulating in order to give to the one who is pleasing in God’s sight. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. (HCSB)

This passage ends the first section of Ecclesiastes, where the teacher looks at the futility of life. However, in the final part of this section, he gains clarity on the goals and purpose of life. I’ll split this passage into two sections.

  • The emptiness of work – verses 17-23.
  • The joy of obedience to God – verses 24-26.

The Emptiness of Work

Verse seventeen acts like a bridge between the previous section and this one. The word “therefore” is a key to understanding this bridge. You may have heard this said before, but it’s worth repeating. When you see the word “therefore,” you need to ask the question, “what’s it there for?” Now, let’s dig deeper into the bridge and this first section of the lesson.

  • When we remember back to the previous lesson, we remember the teacher coming to the conclusion that the end result for both the wise and foolish man was the same, death.
    • That’s the reason the teacher uses the word “therefore” to start verse seventeen.
    • Because he realized that all of his work, wisdom, and accomplishments were useless once he looked back on them, the teacher “hated life.”
    • The teacher was engaged in the constant and pointless “grind” of life.
    • No matter what he accomplished, it left him feeling empty and unsatisfied when he had a chance to look back and consider his life.
    • The teacher’s hatred of his work is also an indicator of a sinful heart.
      • It began and grew through the continual pursuit of the meaning of life without including God in the equation.
      • It was a revelation of the folly of his life. He hated life, but he was afraid to die.
    • This attitude is in contrast to the Christian attitude. Our lives should be joyful regardless of our circumstances, and death is a new beginning.
  • In verses eighteen to twenty-three, the teacher considers all the wealth he’s accumulated and the work he’s accomplished and comes to the following conclusions.
    • He wasn’t able to keep any of it.
      • Sooner or later, the teacher would die, and everything he had would be left to other people.
      • 1 Timothy 6:7-10  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
      • A writer once said money is “an article which may be used as a universal passport to anywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider of everything except happiness.”
      • At the same time, we need to remember that we are stewards of what God has given to us.
        • Deuteronomy 8:18  But remember that the Lord your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant He swore to your fathers, as it is today. 
        • We have the privilege of enjoying it and using it for His glory.
        • One day, we’ll all have to give an account of how we used the gifts we’ve received.
    • He wasn’t able to protect it.
      • Not only must the teacher leave it all behind, but he might also pass it to someone who would waste it.
      • This very thing happened with the teacher’s son, Rehoboam. 1 Kings 11:41-12:24.
      • It may be possible to try and write your will in such a manner that your estate won’t be wasted, but the effort doesn’t always succeed.
      • Parents never know how the next generation will turn out.
      • The teacher’s response to this revelation was to live in despair about the situation.
    • He wasn’t able to enjoy his wealth and accomplishments as he desired.
      • The teacher dwelled on his great wealth and worried about what would happen to it after he died.
      • He did all the work but would have to leave it all to someone else.
      • The teacher questioned whether or not this was fair.
      • He spent so much time accumulating wisdom and wealth, yet it would all pass away.
  • At this point, it appears that the teacher is extremely pessimistic, but he doesn’t remain that way for long.

The Joy of Obedience to God.

As we look at the last three verses of this passage, we encounter the first of six conclusions the teacher reaches in Ecclesiastes. Each of these conclusions emphasizes accepting life as God’s gift and enjoying it in God’s will. Now, let’s take a closer look at these verses.

  • The teacher wasn’t promoting the idea of “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” That is a fatalistic mindset.
  • The teacher is saying, “Thank God for what you have, and enjoy and use it for the glory of God.” 1 Timothy 6:17  Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.
    • Not only are blessings from God but even the enjoyment of the blessings should be viewed as a gift.
    • The teacher believed it was evil if a person was blessed but couldn’t enjoy them.
    • The Jews would read Ecclesiastes during the Feast of Tabernacles because this festival was a time of rejoicing and reflecting on God’s abundant provision for their needs.
  • Verse twenty-five encapsulates what the teacher means.
    • The problem is not necessarily with the “things.”
    • The problem is with the “thinking.”
      • It’s impossible to enjoy the fruits of all of our labors apart from God.
      • But, when we are rooted in God, we can fully enjoy the fruits of our labors because they fall in line with God’s will.
  • The key to our happiness and enjoyment of life is directly related to our obedience and desire to please God.
    • When we walk in obedience and trust Him, we live in a spirit of satisfaction.
      • This doesn’t mean we won’t have trials.
      • But we trust that God will carry us through those trials.
    • God will give wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those walking in obedience.
      • These three gifts allow us to appreciate God’s blessings and enjoy them.
      • It isn’t enough to possess “things.”
      • We must also have the type of character that enables us to use “things” wisely and enjoy them as God intended.
  • The sinner has a completely different type of experience.
    • They may accumulate great wealth but will never find fulfillment because they’ve left God out of the picture.
    • Their wealth may go to a righteous person. Proverbs 13:22  A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
  • Throughout history, Israel acquired an enormous amount of wealth from countries that walked apart from God.

The end of chapter two completes the first section of Ecclesiastes, often described as “The Problem Declared.” Let’s take a summary look back at the first two chapters.

  • The teacher presented our arguments that painted a picture that life isn’t worth living.
    • The monotony of life – 1:4-11.
    • The vanity of wisdom – 1:12-18.
    • The futility of wealth – 2:1-11.
    • The certainty of death – 2:12-23.
  • These points are valid if you only consider “life under the sun” from the human viewpoint.
  • But what happens when God is brought into the picture?
    • Everything changes.
    • Looking back at the first two chapters, we see God isn’t mentioned from 1:14 to 2:23.
    • Yet, life and death, wisdom and wealth, are all controlled by God’s hands.
    • God wants us to enjoy His blessings and walk in obedience to His instructions.
    • If we revel in the gifts but forget where those gifts come from, we are nothing more than ungrateful idolaters.

Applications

  • Take stock of what you’re pursuing in life. Are you chasing things “under the sun,” or is your vision focused on God’s will and being obedient to His instructions? If you’re dissatisfied with life, it may be because you’re focused on the wrong things or at least viewing them in the wrong way. 
  • Come to grips with the fact you can’t take your possessions or accomplishments with you after you die. Then, focus on whether your accomplishments are of an eternal or temporal nature. Trim the temporal goals and focus on or add to the eternal goals.
  • God’s Word says that those who are pleasing in God’s sight will receive wisdom, knowledge, and joy. Sometimes we lose sight of how short our life is on earth and how long eternity will be. Focus on those things that will be credited to your eternal account and remove those that are credited to your earthly account.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Three

Ecclesiastes Lesson Three: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 – The Emptiness of Pleasure and Possessions

I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile. 2 I said about laughter, “It is madness,” and about pleasure, “What does this accomplish?” 3 I explored with my mind how to let my body enjoy life with wine and how to grasp folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what is good for people to do under heaven during the few days of their lives. 

4 I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. 6 I constructed reservoirs of water for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned many herds of cattle and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men. 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. 10 All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. 11 When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. (HCSB)

In this section, the teacher will tell how the pursuit of pleasure and the amassing of possessions left him feeling empty. In the thousands of years since this was written, mankind still hasn’t changed. Those with money and power still pursue after pleasure and possessions, only to be left feeling unsatisfied and desiring more. The teacher has discovered a valuable lesson that we need to remember today. I’ll split this lesson into two parts.

  • The pursuit of pleasure – verses 1-3.
  • The pursuit of possessions – verses 4-11.

The Pursuit of Pleasure

As we look at these first three verses, we need to think like the original Hebrew readers would have thought. One of the main viewpoints is that the Hebrews correctly believed that God intended mankind to enjoy the blessings of creation.

  • Psalm 104 (entire Psalm).
  • 1 Timothy 6:17 – Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.

If we consider the different harvest seasons the Israelites enjoyed, we can see how they would have rejoiced as they collected a bountiful harvest. The teacher used the Hebrew word for “pleasure” numerous times in Ecclesiastes. Because of its numerous use, it’s clear God intended us to enjoy the fruits of our labor in conjunction with His will and instructions. If we close our eyes, we can picture Solomon in his banquet hall enjoying life.

  • 1 Kings 10:21 – All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, since it was considered as nothing in Solomon’s time.
  • 1 Kings 4:22-23 – Solomon’s provisions for one day were 150 bushels of fine flour and 300 bushels of meal, 23 10 fattened oxen, 20 range oxen, and 100 sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and pen-fed poultry.

However, when the parties were over, and the teacher had time to reflect on the activities, he felt empty. Chasing after pleasure and laughter were temporary emotions and quickly vanished. It’s very likely that the servants envied those enjoying the pleasures of life, but the king wasn’t happy with his experiences. Proverbs 14:13 – Even in laughter a heart may be sad, and joy may end in grief.

When we look at the world today, especially areas of affluence, people have become obsessed and will pay any amount of money to buy experiences to temporarily escape the burdens of life. Let’s consider the idea of seeking fun in greater detail.

  • There is nothing wrong with innocent fun as long as it doesn’t become an idol.
  • The person whose life is built on seeking fun will always be disappointed in the end.
    • Pleasure-seeking is almost always a selfish act.
    • Selfishness destroys joy.
    • Those who live for pleasure almost always exploit others in their pursuit of pleasure.
    • Often, a trail of broken relationships is left behind, in addition to empty hearts.
  • Too often, we forget that people are more important than things and thrills.
  • Chasing pleasure is like taking drugs.
    • Once we get numb to the pleasure created by “things,” we need to increase the intensity of the pleasure to get the same result.
    • Increasing the intensity means going deeper into the habit.
      • For those who drink, it means drinking more.
      • For those who chase money, it means having more money.
      • For those viewing pornography, it means viewing it more often or going to more extreme forms.
      • For those who chase fame and adulation, it means seeking greater attention.
      • The list could go on and on, but the idea is the same. If we aren’t satisfied, we will seek more extreme means to “get our fix.”
  • An ancient example of this is the Epicurean form of hedonism.
    • Epicurus taught that by avoiding pain and pursuing pleasure, people would obtain happiness.
    • Paul encountered Epicurean philosophers when he addressed the Athenians on Mars Hill in Acts 17:18.
    • The main problem with hedonism is that it will consume us and blind us to eternal truth.
  • False pleasure alone can’t bring satisfaction.
    • It appeals to only a portion of our being, not the total being.
    • Shallow entertainment will always leave us empty.
    • Enjoyment, where the “whole person” is involved, brings enjoyment and enrichment.
  • True pleasure brings both delight and builds character. 

The Pursuit of Possessions

The teacher now talks about acquiring possessions of many kinds.

  • He talks about different kinds of projects, each one an attempt to find satisfaction and make life worth the effort.
    • He built houses and his palace – 1 Kings 7.
    • He built cities. 2 Chronicles 8:4-6  He built Tadmor in the wilderness along with all the storage cities that he built in Hamath. 5 He built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon —fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars — 6 Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to Solomon, all the chariot cities, the cavalry cities, and everything Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, Lebanon, or anywhere else in the land of his dominion. 
    • Possibly his greatest building undertaking was the construction of the temple. 1 Kings 5ff.
  • Not only did the teacher build great works, but he also had an abundance of workers.
    • He had two types of slaves.
      • Those who were purchased.
      • Those who were born in his household.
    • He also “drafted” 30,000 Jewish men to work on various projects. 1 Kings 5:13-18  Then King Solomon drafted forced laborers from all Israel; the labor force numbered 30,000 men. 14 He sent 10,000 to Lebanon each month in shifts; one month they were in Lebanon, two months they were at home. Adoniram was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had 70,000 porters and 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, 16 not including his 3,300 deputies  in charge of the work. They ruled over the people doing the work. 17 The king commanded them to quarry large, costly stones to lay the foundation of the temple with dressed stones.  18 So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders, along with the Gebalites, quarried the stone and prepared the timber and stone for the temple’s construction.
  • The teacher acquired great wealth.
    • He had an enormous amount of livestock. 1 Kings 8:63  Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. In this manner the king and all the Israelites dedicated the Lord’s temple. 
    • His monetary wealth was unmatched.
      • 1 Kings 4:21  Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines and as far as the border of Egypt. They offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
      • 1 Kings 10:1-14  The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon’s fame connected with the name of Yahweh and came to test him with difficult questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels bearing  spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. She came to Solomon and spoke to him about everything that was on her mind. 3 So Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba observed all of Solomon’s wisdom, the palace he had built, 5 the food at his table, his servants’ residence, his attendants’ service and their attire, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered at the Lord’s temple, it took her breath away. 6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and about your wisdom is true. 7 But I didn’t believe the reports until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, I was not even told half. Your wisdom and prosperity far exceed the report I heard. 8 How happy are your men. How happy are these servants of yours, who always stand in your presence hearing your wisdom. 9 May Yahweh your God be praised! He delighted in you and put you on the throne of Israel, because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel. He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.” 10 Then she gave the king four and a half tons of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again did such a quantity of spices arrive as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 11 In addition, Hiram’s fleet that carried gold from Ophir brought from Ophir a large quantity of almug wood and precious stones. 12 The king made the almug wood into steps for the Lord’s temple and the king’s palace and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood come, and the like has not been seen again even to this very day. 13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba her every desire—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she, along with her servants, returned to her own country. 14 The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was 25 tons.
  • The teacher was the wealthiest and wisest man in the entire world, but he was not happy because these things didn’t bring lasting pleasure.
    • He derived joy while engaged in these projects, “I took pleasure in all my struggles.”
    • Yet once it was finished, there was emptiness, “When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind.”
  • The teacher wasn’t condemning work. Work is a blessing from God. Adam worked in the Garden before the fall. But, the intent of the heart regarding work is what’s important.
    • 1 Corinthians 10:31  Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.
    • Isaiah 55:2  Why do you spend money on what is not food, and your wages on what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.
  • The teacher’s words, as he reflected back on his life, help us to understand why those who achieve great things are often unhappy people.
    • An overachiever is often a person who is trying to escape themself by being a workaholic.
    • The result of being a workaholic is often disappointment.
    • It’s not uncommon for workaholics, once they retire, to feel useless or even die from a lack of meaningful activity.
  • It’s not just the teacher who warns us about the empty pursuit of pleasure instead of pursuing God.
    • Paul warns us about this. 2 Timothy 3:1-5  But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!
    • James tells us to examine our motives for our pursuits. James 4:3  You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.

One final point of discussion regarding this passage. Read through the passage again and note how many times “I” is used. Now, let’s compare that to the teaching of Jesus and Paul.

  • Mark 8:34-38 – Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. 36 For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life?  37 What can a man give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
  • Galatians 2:20 – And I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
  • Philippians 3:1-11 – Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a protection for you. 2 Watch out for “dogs,” watch out for evil  workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who serve by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh— 4 although I once also had confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ  Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.  10 My goal is to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

It should never be “I” or “me,” but always Christ.

Applications

  • Evaluate where you find your happiness and fulfillment. If your greatest fulfillment doesn’t come from God, your priorities are misplaced. The things of the world may give us temporary “fixes,” but they will never leave us feeling satisfied or fulfilled.
  • At the same time, we shouldn’t become people who avoid fun or pleasure. Scripture is clear that we should enjoy what God has created. But do it in a way that honors God and follows His instructions.
  • Check to make sure that the things you enjoy doing don’t take advantage of or harm others. Every person is created by God and has intrinsic value. If we hurt them in any way, we harm God’s creation and bring judgment against ourselves. 
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Two

Ecclesiastes Lesson Two: The Limits of Wisdom – Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; 

what is lacking cannot be counted. 

16 I said to myself, “Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge.” 17 I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind.

18 For with much wisdom is much sorrow; 

as knowledge increases, grief increases. (HCSB)

We’ll look at this passage as one coherent whole. When we consider what’s written in Ecclesiastes came from the mouth of Solomon in the later stage of his life, and he was widely commended for his wisdom and knowledge, it can be both discouraging and comforting that the acquisition of knowledge has its limits. It can be discouraging because no matter how hard a person tries, they will never understand everything. It is comforting for the same reason; the pursuit of knowledge should not be the goal itself.

Now, let’s take a deeper look at this passage.

  • The teacher sought to attain wisdom and knowledge.
    • The pursuit of wisdom wasn’t just a passing fancy or a whim.
    • Pursuing wisdom was a passion for the teacher.
      • A primary theme in wisdom and philosophic writing is that a life of wisdom is the highest of all callings.
      • Plato believed the work of a philosopher was the purest form of living.
    • 1 Kings 4:29-34 – God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding  as vast as the sand on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 He was wiser than anyone—wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol. His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations. 32 Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs, and his songs numbered 1,005. 33 He described trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. 34 People came from everywhere, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.
    • Why does the teacher call the task of acquiring wisdom a “miserable task?”
      • The teacher is challenging the widely-held view of the time that the pursuit of knowledge fulfills their life and gives them permanent significance.
      • The teacher finds it a hopeless task; he can’t find the answers he seeks.
      • The teacher views life as being under the sovereign rule of God.
      • Philosophers and their work are under the control of God. 1 Corinthians 3:19-20 – For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written: He catches the wise in their craftiness; 20 and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings of the wise are meaningless.
    • Although some believe verse fourteen pertains to both physical as well as intellectual pursuits, when the context of this section is considered, it makes more sense to interpret the teacher’s focus as being on intellectual pursuits only.
      • All intellectual work done by an individual will disappear with time and their passing. None of it has eternal worth.
      • The phrase “a pursuit of the wind” should be interpreted in the following manner.
        • You can chase the wind but never catch it.
        • Even if you were able to catch the wind, you wouldn’t have anything of substance.
      • The pursuit of wisdom won’t satisfy the heart.
    • Verse fifteen should be understood in two different ways.
      • Not everything can be changed, referring specifically to mistakes made in the past.
        • We can’t undo the mistakes we’ve made in the past.
        • Since we can’t change the past, we should stop worrying about the mistake itself.
          • This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t learn from the mistake to avoid repeating it.
          • It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t confess and repent of the behavior if it is sinful.
          • It does mean we should move forward and not be weighed down by the past.
      • Even God can’t change the past.
        • However, God has the power to straighten what has been twisted and supply what is lacking.
        • God can change how the past affects people.
          • For the unbeliever, the past is a heavy weight that can drag a person down.
          • For a believer, past mistakes can push them back on the correct path and guide them forward. Faith in the redemptive power of Jesus is the key.
        • Jesus often straightened out the twisted and provided when there was a need.
          • Luke 13:11-17 – a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for over 18 years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, He called out to her, “Woman, you are free of your disability.” 13 Then He laid His hands on her, and instantly she was restored and began to glorify God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded by telling the crowd, “There are six days when work should be done;  therefore come on those days and be healed and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “Hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you untie his ox or donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it to water? 16 Satan has bound this woman, a daughter of Abraham, for 18 years—shouldn’t she be untied from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” 17 When He had said these things, all His adversaries were humiliated, but the whole crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things He was doing.
          • Matthew 12:10-13 – There He saw a man who had a paralyzed hand. And in order to accuse Him they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 11 But He said to them, “What man among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out? 12 A man is worth far more than a sheep, so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored, as good as the other.
          • Matthew 15:29-31 – Moving on from there, Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee.  He went up on a mountain and sat there, 30 and large crowds came to Him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, those unable to speak, and many others. They put them at His feet, and He healed them.31 So the crowd was amazed when they saw those unable to speak talking, the deformed restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they gave glory to the God of Israel. 
          • John 6:1-13 – After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias ). 2 And a huge crowd was following Him because they saw the signs that He was performing by healing the sick. 3 So Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5 Therefore, when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward Him, He asked Philip, “Where will we buy bread so these people can eat?” 6 He asked this to test him, for He Himself knew what He was going to do. 7 Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii  worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what are they for so many?” 10 Then Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, so they sat down. The men numbered about 5,000. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were full, He told His disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they collected them and filled 12 baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten. 
        • Solomon was viewing problems from the perspective of “under the sun,” meaning he wasn’t bringing God into the discussion. This is why the problems were insurmountable.
    • The second understanding is a problem that can’t be solved.
      • Some problems are not solvable from a human perspective.
      • Some problems have critical information missing, which would aid in finding the correct answer.
      • More than anyone else, the intellectual understands the futility of humanity. They can’t answer some of the fundamental questions of life.
      • God’s ways are so much higher than ours; we’ll never fully understand some of the questions we have.
  • In the final three verses of this passage, the teacher acknowledges that wisdom and experience will not solve all of our problems.
    • If we try and go through life focused on explanations, we’ll be unhappy for two reasons.
      • There are no logical reasons for some of the things people experience. God is under no obligation always to provide explanations, and if He did, we might not understand anyway.
      • God has ordained His people to live by promises and not explanations.
        • By faith and not by sight.
        • John 20:29 – Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.”
    • The teacher comes to the conclusion that acquiring great wisdom only added to his difficulties in life.
      • Increasing one’s wisdom and knowledge leads to an increase in sorrow and grief.
      • For those who don’t ponder the problems of life, there is an innocence of not having to wrestle with the “why’s” and try to understand God.
    • If we think back to Genesis 3, where Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan, we have a clearer understanding of this picture.
      • When they sinned, they received an experiential understanding of good and evil.
      • This revelation resulted in their alienation from God.
      • The increase in knowledge only increased their sorrow.
      • This cycle has afflicted mankind ever since the fall in the Garden of Eden.
  • For many people, life is boring and monotonous.
  • For the Christian, life should be an open door and not a closed circle.
    • The believer experiences daily blessings from God.
    • While it is true we can’t understand or explain everything; life is not built on explanations.
    • For the Christian, life is built on the promises of God.
    • God’s Word is full of His promises.
    • As a believer, if your life resembles a closed circle, you need to turn back to Jesus and experience once again the fullness and blessing of living in a close relationship with God.

Applications

  • Seeking after wisdom for the sake of seeking is wasted time. Education for the purpose of our vocation is not a bad thing unless our motivation is wrong. Follow the path of God’s will for our life and find your wisdom in Scripture.
  • When incidents occur where there is no explanation, don’t try and force an explanation. God’s ways are higher than ours and always perfect. In this life, we may never understand all the things that happen to us. That’s certainly been my experience. Focus on God’s promises and find peace in them.
  • The only wisdom we should chase after is found in Scripture. 
  • Fullness in life is found in Christ, not in anything the world will try and use as a substitute. 
truthproject777

Ecclesiastes Lesson One

Ecclesiastes Lesson One: The Humdrum of Life – Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem. 

2 “Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. 

“Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” 

3 What does a man gain for all his efforts 

that he labors at under the sun? 

4 A generation goes and a generation comes, 

but the earth remains forever. 

5 The sun rises and the sun sets; 

panting, it returns to its place 

where it rises. 

6 Gusting to the south, 

turning to the north, 

turning, turning, goes the wind, 

and the wind returns in its cycles. 

7 All the streams flow to the sea, 

yet the sea is never full. 

The streams are flowing to the place, 

and they flow there again. 

8 All things are wearisome; 

man is unable to speak. 

The eye is not satisfied by seeing 

or the ear filled with hearing. 

9 What has been is what will be, 

and what has been done is what will be done; 

there is nothing new under the sun. 

10 Can one say about anything, 

“Look, this is new”? 

It has already existed in the ages before us. 

11 There is no remembrance of those who came before; 

and of those who will come after 

there will also be no remembrance 

by those who follow them. (HCSB)

As we begin our study of Ecclesiastes, the biggest question that is debated is, “who wrote it?” There are two main opinions.

  • Solomon.
    • The traditional viewpoint, based on verse one, is that Solomon wrote it.
    • D. Fredericks found forty-six points in which Ecclesiastes agrees exclusively or primarily with biblical Hebrew over later Mishnaic Hebrew.
    • Fredericks also found six grammatical features of Ecclesiastes that appear dependent on early biblical Hebrew and none dependent on late biblical Hebrew.
    • The Hebrew of Ecclesiastes reflects authentic Canaanite vocabulary, rendering the position of an Aramaic base text unlikely.
    • There is a parallel between the Epic of Gilgamesh, written around 2,000 BC, and Ecclesiastes 9:7-9.
    • This belief prevailed until the rise of historical criticism in the 18th and 19th centuries.
  • Non-Solomonic authorship.
    • Linguistic evidence.
      • This is the most important issue when considering non-Solomonic authorship.
      • The language of Ecclesiastes is unusual.
      • It appears to have been written in either very late Hebrew or possibly Aramaic prose.
      • The Hebrew of Ecclesiastes doesn’t fit anywhere in the known history of the language; it doesn’t resemble the Hebrew of Malachi, Esther, or the Chronicler.
      • There are also two Persian words contained in the letter. This hints at the possibility it was written in or after the rise of the Persian empire.
      • By the beginning of the 20th century, the theologian G. A. Barton stated the idea of Solomon being the author of Ecclesiastes was “unthinkable.”
  • The modern opinion is that Ecclesiastes is from Solomon, but was most likely written in the post-exilic period. This would explain the “mixing” of styles from different historical periods.

Now, let’s begin our study of this first section of Ecclesiastes.

Many translations use the term “vanity,” but the HCSB uses “futility.” When read in the context of the beginning of the letter, futility makes more sense and is better understood in modern society. The teacher uses the word quite often throughout the letter, underscoring its importance to understanding what he is writing. Now, let’s dig deeper into this passage.

  • Although the letter was written at some period before the birth of Christ, we should understand it in light of the difference between worldly living and Christian living.
    • Living the way the world says does lead to futility.
      • We’ll never have enough.
      • We’ll never be satisfied.
      • We’ll always be chasing after the next “dream” or the next “new toy.”
    • Living for Christ leads to abundant living.
      • John 10:10b – I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
      • 1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work,  knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
    • As we progress through the lessons connected with Ecclesiastes, always remember this contrast. It will distinguish between Christian and worldly living.
  • As was discussed above, we don’t know who wrote the letter, but the one who spoke these words identifies themself as a king in Jerusalem.
    • Someone of this stature wouldn’t be lacking in “things.”
    • They would be respected and honored.
    • They would have the “pick” of whatever they wanted.
    • Yet, they understood that everything was futile.
    • None of it would satisfy.
    • No matter what we do or accomplish, there is no gain for their efforts “under the sun.”
      • This phrase repeatedly occurs throughout the letter.
      • It means to view things from a human perspective and not from a heavenly perspective.
      • At the end of his life, the author acknowledged that there was something “above the sun.” The world no longer mattered. It was the eternal that mattered.
    • The word “gain” means a surplus and is the opposite of futility. 
    • The word “labor” means to work to the point of exhaustion and not experience fulfillment in your work. It also contains the ideas of grief, misery, frustration, and weariness.
  • As we review the theme from the first three verses, we see the following points.
    • Living for “worldly” aims is futile and will leave us feeling empty and exhausted.
    • Living to please God and align with His will leaves us feeling satisfied and rested.

Now that we’ve looked at the first three introductory verses let’s take a closer look at verses four to eleven.

  • As we look at this section of Scripture, one theme stands out. Life and the world are cyclical in nature.
  • As we look at verses four to seven, we see that nothing changes.
    • The earth is unchanged. It has existed for thousands of years.
      • From a human perspective, the earth is the most permanent and durable “thing” we can envision.
      • The laws and dependability of nature are the basis for modern science.
    • Man is transient.
      • Our time on earth is a tiny blip on the timeline of eternity.
      • We are pilgrims on the earth.
      • The author introduces a theme that is prevalent throughout Ecclesiastes; life is short, and death is certain.
      • Individuals come and go.
      • Nations and empires rise and fall.
      • The world doesn’t change, but the “actors” on the stage do change.
    • The author now moves from the cycle of birth and death to the cycle of day and night.
      • Each day the sun rises, and the sun sets.
      • The author uses the term “panting” to illustrate the sun’s daily journey. The sun is eager to reach the “sunset.”
      • But nothing changes. Each day is the same; the sun rises, and the sun sets.
    • The author then describes the wind.
      • He isn’t giving a lesson in atmospheric physics.
      • The wind is in constant motion, following cycles that man can’t understand.
      • John 3:8a – The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.
      • The author’s point is that the wind is constantly moving and changing directions, yet it is still the wind.
      • We can hear it, feel it, and see its effects, but over the life of the earth, it hasn’t changed.
    • The author now describes the water cycle, which sustains life on the earth.
      • According to scientists, 97% of all the water on the earth is in the oceans.
      • The interaction between the sun and wind makes evaporation possible, leading to the transport of moisture and circulating the water.
      • But the sea never changes. Rivers and rain send water into the oceans, but they remain the same.
    • When we consider the earth, sky, winds, and waters, the same conclusion is reached. There is motion, but nature doesn’t change.
      • This is the first point in the author’s discourse that life is monotonous and not worth living.
      • But that is only true if you look at life “under the sun” and leave God out of the equation.
        • When we do that, we see a closed system that is uniform and predictable.
        • It’s a world with no answers to prayer and no miracles.
        • A God in this kind of world can’t act on our behalf because He is imprisoned inside the “laws of nature.”
      • But we know that God does exist “under the sun.”
        • He hears and answers prayers.
        • God has acted “inside” nature to alter the normal physical laws.
          • Joshua 10:12-13 – On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” 13 And the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Isn’t this written in the Book of Jashar? So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed its setting almost a full day.
          • Isaiah 38:7-8 – This is the sign to you from the Lord that He will do what He has promised: 8 I am going to make the sun’s shadow that goes down on Ahaz’s stairway go back by 10 steps.” So the sun’s shadow went back the 10 steps it had descended.
          • God opened the Red Sea and the Jordan River for Israel; Exodus 14 and Joshua 3-4.
          • God turned off the rain for Elijah – 1 Kings 17.
          • God turned on the rain – James 5:17-18 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; yet he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.
          • Jesus (God the Son) calmed the wind and the waves – Mark 4:37-41 – A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?” 39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful?  Do you still have no faith?” 41 And they were terrified  and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
          • God will use the forces of nature to bring terror and judgment to people – Revelation 6.
        • When we come to faith through the sacrifice of Jesus and become part of God’s spiritual family, we no longer live in a “closed system” of endless monotony.
          • We can joyfully sing, “This is my Father’s world.”
          • God meets all of our needs. Matthew 6:25-34 – This is why I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? 27 Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worrying? 28 And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these! 30 If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith? 31 So don’t worry, saying,‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
          • As Christians, we live in this world as pilgrims, not as prisoners. Therefore, we should live with joy and confidence.
  • Looking at verses eight through eleven, we see that there is nothing new.
    • This may not have troubled the original readers of this letter. However, in the context of our modern world, where we believe there is constant “change,” this revelation may jolt us.
      • Modern science has provided us with electronics, medical advancements, wonder drugs, and extraordinary means of travel.
      • Advancements in education have also uncovered many hidden truths.
    • In this section, the author stopped being a scientist and transitioned to the role of a historian.
      • Man desires new things.
        • The world ultimately brings boredom, and people desire new things to distract or deliver them.
        • They are like the Athenians in Paul’s day, spending time either telling or hearing new things. Acts 17:21 – Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent their time on nothing else but telling or hearing something new. 
        • Yet, this still leaves people unsatisfied.
        • The entertainment industry thrives off of this desire for “newness,” and takes advantage of it to reap a great profit.
        • As Augustine prayed, “our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
        • Matthew 11:28 – Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
      • The world provides nothing new.
        • A quote from Dr. H.A. Ironside, a longtime pastor at Chicago’s Moody Church, says, “If it’s new, it’s not true; and if it’s true, it’s not new.”
        • If something is purported to be new, it is actually a restructuring of something old.
        • Man can’t create anything new because we are a creature and not the Creator.
        • Thomas Edison said his inventions were “bringing out the secrets of nature and applying them for the happiness of mankind.”
        • Only God can create new things.
          • When we enter God’s spiritual family. 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
          • We walk in newness. Romans 6:4 – Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life.
          • We sing a new song. Psalm 40:3a – He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
          • We enter God’s presence through a new and living way. Hebrews 10:20 – by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh).
          • We will enjoy a new heaven and earth. Revelation 21:1 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed.
          • God will make everything new. Revelation 21:5a – Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.”
        • The author wrote about the basic principles of life and not methods. A simple saying reflects this concept. Methods are many; principles are few. Methods always change, but principles never do.
  • As we look back on this passage, we should realize that it is not a contradiction to the Gospel but rather a call for it.
    • The world is in bondage.
    • Humanity is not able to explain, be satisfied, or change it.
    • Only Jesus, who came from “above the sun,” can give understanding and escape.
      • Jesus has done a new thing.
      • He has created a new covenant.
      • He has given a new birth and life.
      • He has given a new commandment.
    • Everything else is old and passing away.
  • The sum of futility in placing our hope in the world is captured in Matthew 16:26a – What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his life?

Applications

  • Don’t chase after “worldly” goals or items. As the author of Ecclesiastes writes, it’s all futile. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t work; Scripture commands us to work. But our work is a means to glorify God and not pursue materialism. 
  • Don’t chase after fame or recognition. Live a life of obedience to God and His commands. A person may be famous or infamous but live a life of unrighteousness and spend eternity in hell. It may not satisfy our human wants, but living a life of anonymity, and after dying, hearing the words, “well done, good and faithful servant,” should be our goal.
  • Our only satisfaction and fulfillment in this life are found in being an obedient follower of Christ. John 10:10b – I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. A life outside of obedience to Christ is a life that will leave us unfulfilled and frustrated.