Lesson 31                            

Ecclesiastes

The Things That Don't Work!

Chapter Nine

9:7-9 Enjoy life while you have it! 

9:7   Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works.

 

 

- As a believer - who has life – you know that you’re in the hands of God, that you should be able to enjoy life in your niche and that's regardless of the circumstances faced.

 

 

- Why should anyone who truly fears God have the enjoyment of life stolen from him because of the unresolved perplexities of life - not knowing the future - because God does not reveal all of His plan to us??

 

- All of our expectations need to filtered through Word not huvpt, emotions & certainly not the desires of the sin nature.

 

- Wine and bread, the staff of life are frequently used to represent that which God gives to comfort and cheer us.  (1 Sam 16:20; Neh 5:15; Eccl 10:19; Lam 2:12)

 

- If your an advancing believer - in fellowship - applying the WOG your a friend of God and He wants you to enjoy the legitimate things in life.

 

 

- Before one gets off on the wrong thrust here Solomon heads off the hedonistic misapplication with vs:8  so that we maintain the correct perspective.

 

 

9:8   Let your clothes be white all the time,

- experiential righteousness is in view - the exhortation is to keep your enjoyment of CWOL within legitimate boundaries. cf. Rev 3:4-5; also 19:18

 

and let not oil be lacking on your head.

 

-  Oil here indicates joy and the capacity for relationship with others

 

 

The result was that the white garments became emblems of joy and   festivity. The same was true of the anointing oneself with the best oils.

 

Observations:

1. Keep a Godly life, that is maintain the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit while enjoying life 

 

 

2. We must learn to enjoy God's grace provisions without abusing them.

 

3.  Living with the empowering of Holy Spirit, and enjoying the grace provisions available is the key to maximum enjoyment of life.

 

9:9 The joy of marriage is not to be left out of life.

Celibacy is not a holier state than matrimony - Solomon makes the same point as the writer of the book of Hebrews: marriage is honorable and the marriage bed is undefiled. (13:4)

 

 

Enjoy life - qal imperative of ra'ah   ha'r' - basic meaning is to see, to observe;

 

- it is used here of those who are experiencing the full range of emotions and passions.

 

 

with the woman whom you love

- what's ironic here??

 

 

all the days of your fleeting life

- He also understood God's view related to the permanence of the commitment.

 

 

    which He has given to you under the sun;

- He recognizes the source & the one who established marriage  Prov 18:22

 

 

for this is your reward in life   one of the grace provisions for life

-  not just your marriage relationship but also the blessings of vs: 7-8. – your capacity  to enjoy life.

 

and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.

 

 

Observations:

1. This is not just for those already married but also a challenge to the unmarried man to find that right woman. Text lit says  enjoy life with a wife. 

 

2. Don't forget this is a command!!

- God wants us to thoroughly enjoy life with our help mate our etzer.

 

3. Only way to be able to accomplish this is God's way.

- commitment made between the two > before marriage

- recognition of a common destiny in life - not two

 

 

 

- when your life is based on DVPT you are able to relate to each other with greater sensitivity - seeing each others strengths and weaknesses in the light of the Word and being able to objectively deal with them

 

4. Solomon also recognizes that this relationship is God given, not only did He establish the institution of marriage (performed the first wedding) but He also built (banah'd) and brought the help meet to Him.   Gen 2:18-25

 

- help meet - helper suitable for him - 'etzer kenigiddo - indicates one of the same nature who totally compliment each other in both soul and body.

 

5.  Principle here also that we should not overlook: For anyone who happens to be without a mate,  don't need to hustle to find a partner, God will provide for you just as He did for Adam at the correct time.

 

- As a believer seeking the will of God, one thing you can count on is that God is not going to provide one who is an unbeliever.

 

 

 

 

Observations: Overall VS:7-9

1.  Wealth and possessions which result from one’s bonafide labor are ultimately gifts of God,  5:18-19.

 

2.  It is God who gives the capacity to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor.

- 2:24; 3:13; 5:18

 

3. The ability to enjoy life and the gifts God gives comes from pleasing God.

- 2:26 the one who is good in God’s sight

 

4. In this paragraph Solomon has urged acceptance of the grace and joy of life, not pessimism, or nihilism or blind determinism that human vpt philosophies so often espouse.

 

 

Work while it is yet day vs:10-12 - Read

9:10  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might;  

 

 

 

- might = (koach x;AK) - strength, might; refers to the capacity to endure and in a general sense to cope with the many and varied situations of life.

 

-  Comment at the end of the section on koach in lexicon is most pertinent - the writer sums up the concept of the word this way;

"He is strongest who has discovered the finite limitations of his own capacity in the light of the limitless resources of God through His Spirit."

 

for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

 

- She'ol  lAaV. - hell, pit, grave (of the 65x used, most refer to the grave) that's the use here - the body goes into the grave

 

- What Solomon is saying is no denial of a future state or of personal, conscious presence with God immediately after death for the believer.

 

 

- What he is clearly saying is that in relation to this world,  the possibilities of work, planning, knowledge and wisdom have  ceased.

 

 

What's he saying?

1. The time to labor for God is while we are still on this side of the grave, for when death comes, the day of opportunity will have passed.

 

- quick check of one's MA - objectives is found in the three questions raised by Paul in 1 Cor 6:12; 10:23

 

- Is it profitable - will I be benefited spiritually if I ...........

 

- Could I become enslaved - loose control by .............

 

- If I pursue what I'm considering will I be able to continue to grow in grace or will it hinder my growth.

 

 

2. Therefore, while the resources of life are still at hand, not in the grave, have the ability to work, faculties to brainstorm new ideas, and the ability to use  your knowledge applying it wisely to the situations of life, put your whole being - whole self and strength into each task you pursue.

JIM ELLIOT: WHEREVER YOU ARE, BE ALL THERE.

 

When we think about liberty and freedom we have in Christ we need to keep in mind some principles:

 

** Liberty is not what we CAN DO!

** Liberty is not what we SHOULD DO!

** BUT liberty is what we MAY DO!

     All Within the parameters established by God!