Lesson 17                                  

Ecclesiastes

The Things That Don't Work!

 

A LOOK BACK - REVIEW

 

In Ch - 1 we saw that Solomon was unhappy - he protested against what he had observed as the meaninglessness of life.

 

In ch - 2 he explored all the desires of his eyes - extensive pursuit of  pleasure - winning and womanizing to his hearts discontent. He also poured his energies into massive building projects only to discover that too didn't fulfill his soul's needs.

 

In ch - 3 we see him running into the reality that God has a plan - He is in control of history, He has established order in the world. (seen in the cycles of life)

 

Solomon's frustration is further compounded by the fact that he will have to give an account of his actions someday. (3:17)

 

In ch - 4 he shifts gears so to speak from fighting against God and therefore the disintegration of his vertical relationship with God manifests itself in the horizontal relationships of life. He observed this breakdown in oppression of others, greed manifested in climbing up the corporate ladder, the loneliness that results from being workaholics.

 

4:13-16 Fame and prestige are only temporary or today's hero is often tomorrows bum!!

 

-  You see its not just the little fellow - the small fish that Solomon speaks of in the 1st part of Ch4 who suffer oppression.

 

4:13  A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction.    (conclusion - summary 1st)

4:14  For he has come out of prison  (prison of poverty) even though he was born poor in his kingdom.    (not talking about himself)

4:15  I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.

 

We see here the picture of a man who has been at the top and felt the adoration of the crowds and heard the praises of the masses.  But he's been perched so long at the top of the totem pole that he no longer knows how to take instruction.

 

 

-  The occupational hazard  of 'doing it on your own' is an unwillingness to remember the people who helped them on the way up and to no longer listen to good counsel.

 

Principle:

Mt 23:12  "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. 

 

The ultimate irony is now stated in vs:16

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.

 

-  Even the young successor will only momentarily hold the reigns of  power. His support was great when he ascended the throne, 'no end to all the people' praising him.  Those who come later will make him the object of jeers instead of cheers. Goes from hero to bum.

 

Solomon makes some very strong observations here:

It is better to be poor and have wisdom then to have prestige, position, power and be arrogant.  (2:13 wisdom exceeded folly)

Prestige and advancement as ones motivation is just like the greed of the workaholic - the end is futility - meaninglessness and chasing after the wind.

 

Some lessons from ch - 4

 #1 - Oppression is a fact of life - especially where there is competition.

- There will always be someone who wants our jobs. We can expect it.

#2 - God hears and comforts the oppressed believer.

- He hears our prayers supplies us with His Word. (rem 2 Cor 1:3-4

#3 - Two or three together are better than being alone.

- When we're hurting, we need to learn to do the unnatural thing and reach out for someone else, and receive the  comfort and encouragement that God will provide thru that means.

#4 - We should be willing to except the counsel of others.

- We need to go beyond just sharing your troubles with someone. We  need to listen carefully to the advice that is offered, considering it thoughtfully and prayerfully.

 

Chapter Five

Introduction:

In this section Solomon is going to give us some very helpful insights into Worship - the attitudes and actions that we should have towards God.

He will also give us some warnings related to our worship - our vertical relationship with God - Some areas of importance that should be adhered to.

The contrasts here are between correct worship and empty worship or as he labels it the sacrifice of fools.

 

We must not let the pressures of our daily lives take us away from consistent assembly or we will quickly become a casualty.

 

-  You cannot cut yourself off from the source, 1st in your soul and then    physically by not assembling and expect to realize God's power and  mercy to be operational in your life at that point.

 

What is Worship?

 

1. Worship is based on an understanding of the worth of God!

Which comes from understanding His character/nature!   Only found in the Bible.

 

-  the English word comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word weorthscipe,   changed to worthship then to worship as we have it today.

 

- To worship God is to ascribe to Him supreme worth, for He alone is worthy.

Ps 96:7-8; Rev 5:12; Celebrative worship is seen in Ps 100

 

     * There must be an understanding of the worth and value of God or there is no worship!  That will only come from knowing the Word!

     *  True worship by its very nature then is theo-centric!

(most so called worship today is man centered; an attempt to please or impress man; fill seats, or to fill offering plates.)

 

-  Best definition: William Temple, late Archbishop of Canterbury,  "To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God."

 

2. Worship is a positive response to revealed truth about God.

 

   - First revealed truth is understood; that truth is interacted with; hopefully a positive response;  if it is positive, result = worship.

   - Worship really is the end result; not the beginning.

 

 

 

Examples:

Psalm 33 vs:1-3 are a call to worship; the cmd to praise.  Then with vs:4-5 we find the cause for worship; the reason we ought to do it.

 

Psalm 135  vs:1-4 are the call to worship; vs:5 begins the reason for it.

 

Even the Great God of the Universe does not ask for praise without giving us a rational reason why!

 

If we don't respond with our mind, from our understanding, what is left?  Our emotion.

 

True Worship then is a response to revealed truth, what we know about God from His word;

whether its His faithful character; whether its His dependability based on His word;

whether its His mercy and compassion; His power; His Sov;  whatever aspect of God that we know, that's in our thinking that prompts us to respond in praise to God in appreciation for who He is and what He has done, when that happens we then have true worship!