Lesson 22
Ecclesiastes
The Things That Don't
Work!
Review:
Next Solomon gives some strong examples in vs:3-6
6:3 If a man fathers a hundred children
and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied
with good things (of life that he has) and he does not even
have a proper burial, (as is appropriate for his status in
life) then I say,
"Better the miscarriage than he, (be still born – 4:3)
6:4 for
it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in
obscurity.
6:5 "It
never sees the sun and it never knows anything; it is better off than he.
6:6 "Even
if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good
things-- do not all go to one place?"
OBSERVATIONS
1.
Many children and long life were considered by the Hebrews to be a blessing.
2.
His point here is this: It is better never to have experienced life at all - be
still-born - than to have experienced long life, 2000 years, have many children
and NOT discovered the life giver who is the only source for true happiness.
3.
Not being born is to be better off, free from all the suffering, toil, anxiety of the joyless rich. (vs:5)
-
especially so is it better for the one to die at birth
- be still born than to live ones life - reject Jesus Christ and die as an UB
and spend eternity in the lake of fire - eternal judgment. Mt 26:24
Maybe the answer is hard work!
6:7
All
a man's labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.
** The unregenerate does not know and
many neg bel's have
forgotten a most important Biblical Prin.:
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth
of God." Dt 8:3;
Mat 4:4;
The real you, man's
soul, is only completely satisfied with heavenly bread
-- the eternal word of God. Anything
else only provides a satisfaction that is temporary and relative.
6:8 For
what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does
the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living?
-
operating under human viewpoint, the natural systems of perception doesn't cut it so the one with great
human wisdom has no advantage over the fool
** No one, whether he be wise, poor, or rich
is able to satisfy on his own what his soul is lacking - with his under the sun
living.
6:9 What
the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a
striving after wind.
-
orienting to the situation in our niche at that point of time is better than
living in fantasy land - a dream world.
What's he saying??
1. We must get a grip on reality.
2.
Dreams won't fill a stomach any more than one’s fantasies will fulfill the
needs of their soul.
3. Present reality is better than the unknown future.
4. We need hope not fantasy land.
5.
The things that we desire always seem better in the expectation phase than they
do when we acquire them.
It is He that is Sovereign -
in rulership.
-
has been named - qara ar'q'
lit. called out > ref. to
eternity past where the parameters for man were prooridzw
- marked out - not only His desires for man, but finite man's strengths and
weaknesses which will impact the sphere in which mankind is able to live and function
in time.
The question that
must be dealt with is: Is God ultimately in charge or isn't He?
:10b and it is known what man is;
- GOD KNOWS US. He is the potter the creator, we are the
clay.
God is infinite -
we are finite.
God is OmPo, we
are limited in strength and ability.
God is faithful; we
are unfaithful and inconsistent ...irresponsible, fractured and so often
confused.
:10c for
he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.
:11 For
there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage
to a man?
-
C.S. Lewis put it this way; "To argue with God is to argue with the very
power that makes it possible to argue at all."
Observations:
1.
All the arguments, the words are useless; we should acknowledge our limitations
and begin to immediately
fear God.
Isa
45:9-12; Dan
2. We need to orient within our niche - concentrate on the vertical.
3.
So long as we fight the hand of God, we will not learn the lessons He is
attempting to place before us.
OBSERVATONS
1.
Does life sometimes seem futile? Only
God knows what is good for you and will
satisfy your soul.
2. Life flashes by very quickly - don't waste it. Jas 4:14
3.
If we live under the sun - apart from God and His Word, life will be but a mere
shadow of what it could be.
-
only thru the WOG in you under the empowering ministry
of the Holy Spirit and the application of it will anyone truly realize their
potential in life as a Believer
SUMMARY PRINCIPLES FROM CH 6
1. Contentment can not
be found in external things, the details of life, Lk
12:15
2.
Contentment re: the details of life is found in our
love of Christ and trust in His veracity.
Heb 13:5-6
3. Contentment, inner peace, is linked to one’s spiritual growth. Phil 4:11-13
3 important aspects that jump out
at you
- "I have
learned" (2x)
- "I know"
-
"I can do all things"
4.
Idolatry is the active worship or passive service to anything that takes the
place of Christ and His Word in your life.