Ecclesiastes 10-11

It’s sad. I feel it in my bones. Already our time in Ecclesiastes is coming to a close.

Verse 1 is so true. You can do a thousand things right and well, but inevitably, someone will find the one thing bad and point it out, blow it up, and bring you down. Someone like me. I do that, primarily to myself. I give grace to others and harp on myself.

Verse 20 is so true. You have to watch what you say, for words travel fast. Words of critique and disdain seem to travel even faster than those of praise and approbation.

In chapter 11, verse 5 is of great interest to me. It is something we never consider. Sure, the sperm and egg carry the DNA to make up the bones and muscle and everything physical about the baby. But how do embryos/babies receive their spirits? Where and from whom do those come?

Verse 9 of chapter 5 makes you think about the excuses that people make for teenagers. There is no excuse before the Lord. Think about it.

Ecclesiastes 8-9

I have to tell you again, “I love this book.” It’s full of goodies.

A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed. Truth. I’ve seen it.

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. Truth. I’ve seen it.

However much man may toil in seeking [the work of God and the work done under the sun], he will not find it out. Truth. I’ve tried it.

Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. I’m thinking about trying it.

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might. Truth. I’m living it.

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. Truth. I’ve seen it.

 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Truth. I hope this blog represents it.

Ecclesiastes 7

I’ve never had a problem with Ecclesiastes 7. Many people do. They would rather ignore death, pretend as if it doesn’t exist. They don’t ever think about how they are moving closer toward it with each passing day. But you simply can’t ignore it. Death is like a magnet, an engulfing hole, something you simply cannot escape. It will grab you eventually.

Personally, I think of death often. I consider that my life is likely over 1/3 expired. It’s appointed for man to live 70 years. The rest is bonus time. So thinking about this, it motivates me to action. It motivates me to invest my talents.

When Solomon tells us that the house of mourning is better than the house of feasting, I have no problem with it. I’ve never had a problem going to the house of mourning. In fact, I think there is much more to learn in the house of mourning than the alternative. See, we must remember the truth. And the truth is there is wisdom in the house of mourning.

The truth is: Wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

Limited Knowledge / Unlimited Resources

We have more resources available to us than any prior generation. We can fill our plate with enough podcasts or sermons to keep us occupied for the rest of our years. In some cases, a single person’s recordings (whether audio or literary) could keep us busy the rest of our lives. I think of men like Ravi Zacharias or Charles Spurgeon. We can’t even begin to touch the number of books calling to us from the shelves, begging us to read them. Let me put this in perspective:

If I only tried to read the books that were published in America in 2010, and I read a book per day, it would take me 899 years to finish all of them. Can you imagine? Just considering what was written in 2010 in America. But I want to read much more broadly than that. I want some theology of ages past, some philosophy; I want a better grasp on history; I like to keep abreast on current events. How will I even begin to get a fair representation of literature?

The truth is, I won’t. At some point, I have to admit my knowledge is limited. My time is even more limited. I have to choose what voices to listen to, what content to address.

Right now, I am in 4 broad areas, and I suspect I will spend most of my life in them: Theology, Language, Business, and Political Thinking (not the talking head junk, but the theories of government systems and the challenges of governing).

That’s what I give ear to. What will you give ear to?

Ecclesiastes 5-6

In verse 13 of chapter 5, and following, the writer talks about evils he has seen under the sun. He is speaking in relation to wealth. He observes two evils (among others):

  1. When wealth is hoarded
  2. When wealth is lost through some misfortune

Both are terrible to see. One is greed. The other is misfortune. The latter destroys wealth. The former destroys your ability to enjoy wealth.

Thru these two chapters, many words are given to the idea of not being able to enjoy your wealth. And the whole time I read it, I think of countless Americans. They don’t realize how much they have, and due to the greed in their hearts and the ubiquitous advertisements, they think they always need more. I pray, earnestly, that God would allow me to enjoy the wealth I have. For contentment (with godliness) is great gain.

Ecclesiastes 1-4

Chapter 1 sucks me into the book every time. I have read this book numerous times and something about chapter 1 connects with my spirit. I think Solomon and I share the same soul.

At the end of chapter 1, he makes a profound statement: “For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”

This is a good word. A true saying. Not to say that someone with a stockpile of knowledge must be a grouch, or a genius must be depressed. It’s just that knowledge has a way of making you more aware. And awareness in a fallen world can bring great sorrow, for you see things as they really are, not as they are marketed or displayed.

Much of chapter 1 reminds me of a Jason Mraz song, “Life is Wonderful,” due to its cyclical observations. In chapter 2, the writer says everything I did felt like I was grasping after the wind. Nothing seemed to have substance or significance. At the end of the chapter, he contrasts the lot of two types of men: 1) the man who pleases God 2) the sinner. I sure am glad God has given me the first lot. Praise Him!

I think you can summarize chapter 3 as “enjoy the work/toil God has given.” In chapter 4, verses 12 and 13 warmed my soul.