ECCLESIASTES
Although not specifically named, the authorship of the book is largely attributed to king Solomon, though some modern scholars dispute this. Ecclesiastes seems to be the musings of an old man reflecting on his past actions and expressing both wisdom and regret.
Wisdom can be a two-edged sword in that it provides answers to great mysteries and is a guide to life, but it can also provide insights into the evil and woes of life.
King Solomon when he was young walked closely with the Lord as did his father David, but he later disobeyed God’s commandments concerning marrying people of the surrounding nations. God had commanded;
DEUTERONOMY 7: 3-5
3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son.
4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.
5 But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire.
Scripture later records;
1 KINGS 11:1-8
1 But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—
2 from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David.
7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon.
8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
The hill east of Jerusalem was the Mount of Olives. As result of Solomon’s disobedience God would punish both him and his family line;
1 KINGS 11:9-13
9 So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,
10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded.
11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.
12 Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
13 However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”
ECCLESIASTES 1:1-7
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the Earth abides forever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it arose.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; the wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again.
The author calling himself “The son of David, king in Jerusalem” gives major weight to the author being king Solomon.
He bleakly assesses the fleeting time of life, that far too soon we pass away and that the rewards all of our work are inherited by those who come after us.
An incredible amount of wisdom is shown in that the author knew that the Earth rotates on its axis producing sunrises and sunsets; he understands the cyclonic rotation patterns of weather; he also understands that water sent to the sea returns to the land as rain, feeding the rivers.
ECCLESIASTES 1:8-11
8 All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after.
This fits in with the expression “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. Virtually everything we do has been done before in one form or another, usually all that we do is become more efficient (or destructive) at doing it.
ECCLESIASTES 1:12-18
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”
17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Again, the text seems to point to Solomon, whose wisdom is recounted in Scripture. The author realizes that increased wisdom allows the seeker to understand the concept that everything we do is temporal and over time it perishes and returns to the dust from which it was made.
The author Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote the poem “Ozymandias” a supposed fantasy writing about Pharaoh Ramses II. In the poem, it speaks of the remains of a great statue found lying alone, broken in the sands of a featureless desert. On the base of the statue was carved an inscription “'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
The idea is that no matter how powerful and mighty you are, all of your accomplishments and works are temporary and will return to the dust from whence they came and the memory of them will fade and be lost in the shifting sands of Time.
ECCLESIASTES 2:1-11
1 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter—“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove.
7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.
9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.
Solomon sets himself to indulge his ego to the fullest, in experiencing fleshly pleasures, seeking happiness in food and drink, in building monuments, by acquiring everything his heart desired and making himself the richest and greatest individual in Jerusalem’s history.
As Scripture says of his riches;
2 CHRONICLES 9:20
20 All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.
Silver was far more valuable in ancient times due to the labor of finding and refining it, but Solomon was so rich that silver had little value to him.
He quickly realized that all of these things brought temporary joy, but would not provide long-term happiness, that over time the joy would fade. Works and fleshly indulgences cannot feed the hunger of the spirit for lasting joy and peace.
Many seek to satisfy this hunger with drug use, drunkenness, hard partying and other forms of excess but these things only dull the hunger temporarily while destroying the body. In the end it can be seen as worthless and detrimental.
ECCLESIASTES 2:12-17
12 Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the man do who succeeds the king?— only what he has already done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.
14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all.
15 So I said in my heart, “As it happens to the fool, it also happens to me, and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “This also is vanity.”
16 For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool!
17 Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Solomon realizes that the wise are no greater than the fool, for the same end happens to both of them, they and their works, great and small eventually vanish from memory. Their successors cannot create anything new, they can only build on what has been previously done.
ECCLESIASTES 2:18-20
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.
This reinforces the saying, “You can’t take it with you when you go”. The rich and powerful heap wealth and monuments to themselves, but must leave it all behind when their time on Earth is ended. And who knows whether it will be a wise person or a fool that will inherit their legacy?
Solomon is considered to be the wisest man in history. When he died his son Rehoboam inherited his kingdom. To finance his lavish lifestyle Solomon had laid heavy tax burdens on the people and after his death the people begged Rehoboam to reduce their taxes.
Scripture records;
1 KINGS 12:1-11
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.
2 So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt),
3 that they sent and called him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
4 “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5 So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed.
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?”
7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
8 But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
9 And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”
10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist!
11 And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ”
King Rehoboam had big shoes to fill, living up to his father’s legacy. He had two choices, heed the wisdom of his father’s counselors or that of his foolish friends.
In verse 11, the word “scourges’ has two meanings with some Bible versions (King James) rendering it as “scorpions”. A scourge was a whip containing two or more short leather thongs which had lead dumbbells, small spiked metal balls, bits of bone or sharp pieces of metal tied to the ends. The whips with dumbbells were called “scourges”, the ones with sharp objects on the ends were called “scorpions”.
1 KINGS 12:17-18
16 Now when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!” So Israel departed to their tents.
17 But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.
Rehoboam foolishly chose his friends’ cruel, arrogant, ignorant advice and as a result 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel broke away and formed the Northern Kingdom of Israel. As Solomon had worried, a fool had inherited his kingdom.
ECCLESIASTES 2:21-26
21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
24 Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
26 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
No matter whether you’re good or bad, you will eventually leave your works behind for others to inherit. There used to be a T-shirt expression of “He who dies with the most toys, wins.” This is ridiculous, as you can’t tale it with you, so how is that a “win”?
But someone understood, because shortly afterward I saw T-shirts that said, “He who dies with the most toys, still dies.”
This goes along with Jesus’ question when He said;
MATTHEW 16:26
26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
The idea is to take pride in your work, but do not let riches become a measure of your status in life. Riches can be gone in an instant as was shown by the infamous 1929 Wall Street Stock Market crash in which fortunes disappeared overnight causing the Great Depression.
When the crash first happened there were reports of stockbrokers and rich people jumping from skyscraper windows in New York City because their money was gone and they couldn’t live without it. Without their wealth, they felt they had nothing to live for.
The Book of Proverbs puts it all in perspective;
PROVERBS 30:7-9
7 Two things I request of You (deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches— feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 Lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.
ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8
1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
God has set a time for everything; a time to plant, a time to reap; a time to live and a time to die. Some of these are set by God directly, such as the seasons, some are set by circumstances. But in any case, there is a set time for each one.
ECCLESIASTES 3:9-15
9 What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
10 I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
12 I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives,
13 and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.
14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him.
15 That which is has already been, and what is to be has already been; and God requires an account of what is past.
All things that God has created have their own beauty, if only we look for it. Some are beautiful in form, others in function both in living and in non-living things.
We should be content with what we have and while we should strive to better ourselves and our lot in life, but we cannot let ourselves become greedy. Working honestly is commendable in the sight of God, but if you cheat, deceive, and gain your wealth to the detriment of others you will bring God’s wrath upon you.
The Apostle Paul put possessions in perspective when he said;
1 TIMOTHY 6:6-10
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Jesus Himself said;
MATTHEW 19:23-24
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
We cannot create anything new, we can only improve on that which has been created. Man started off with huts and now builds skyscrapers. Horse-drawn carts became cars. Even airplanes were formed by mimicking birds.
And while God can hold Man accountable for past works and actions, He cannot hold Man to account for future actions.
ECCLESIASTES 3:16-17
16 Moreover I saw under the sun: in the place of judgment, wickedness was there and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there.
17 I said in my heart, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
We are seeing this especially today, where judges are basing their judgments according to their own biases rather than by the written law; politicians routinely break the laws they have sworn to defend and are assuming powers they are not granted by law.
But God will judge all men in righteousness at the set Day of Judgment, and justice will be delivered fairly, praise and honor to the righteous, wrath and punishment to the wicked and unrighteous.
ECCLESIASTES 3:18-22
18 I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.”
19 For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity.
20 All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
21 Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?
22 So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?
Solomon makes a bleak assessment in that men and animals share the same fate. Both came from dust, both return to dust.
But he makes one important distinction in that animals, like Man, possess a soul which gives each their own personality, but only Man has an eternal spirit. When an animal dies, their soul perishes also. When Man dies, the soul and spirit merge and the spirit goes to either Heaven or Hell to await judgment.
He also says to enjoy each day and what it provides and not worry about the future. Jesus spoke of this when He said;
MATTHEW 6:31-34
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
ECCLESIASTES 4:1-3
1 Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: and look! The tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter— on the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, more than the living who are still alive.
3 Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Evil caused by sin is ingrained in Man and has been since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Greed, cruelty, lust for power, oppression, murder, sorrow, domination, all are attributes of Satan and are practiced by his servants, causing grief, misery, pain, anguish and bitterness in those subjected to it.
Solomon takes a cynical look at life, saying that it is better to never have been born, then to see and experience the misery found in this life. This would apply to Judas Iscariot, the disciple of Jesus who betrayed Him to the authorities who then crucified Him. As He said of Judas at the Last Supper;
MATTHEW 26:20-24
20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.
21 Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”
23 He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.
24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
Solomon praises the dead for they are free of the cares and woes of this life, but oddly enough does not speak of the fate and eternal punishment of those who die in their sins.
ECCLESIASTES 4:4-6
4 Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
6 Better a handful with quietness than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
There are always those who will envy and covet what you have, even if they are richer than you. The people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel were condemned by God for their greediness when He told the prophet Amos;
AMOS 2:7
They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, and pervert the way of the humble.
The greedy spend their energies on the constant accumulation of wealth, whereas the lazy do little, to their own destruction.
Solomon observes that it is better to work honestly for what you have and be satisfied with that, than to strive for ever more wealth, as in the end it avails you nothing.
ECCLESIASTES 4:7-8
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
8 There is one alone, without companion: he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.
Some “lone wolfs” accumulate treasures for themselves and revel in their riches but have no heirs or family and give no thought as to who will inherit their wealth after them.
ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Solomon relates the benefits of companionship versus doing things alone. God understood this when He created Adam, saying;
GENESIS 2:18
18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Therefore He created Eve. The prophet Amos also said;
AMOS 3:3
3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
ECCLESIASTES 4:13-16
13 Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
14 For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun; they were with the second youth who stands in his place.
16 There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Solomon sees himself to an old, foolish king who is rich in wealth, yet has many regrets for foolish actions, comparing himself to a young man who though poor has the wisdom to guide his ways rightly. Such a youth can rise from the prison of poverty to rule kingdoms.
Though a king may rule over many people he may not be loved by his subjects. In ancient times when a king died, a huge funeral pyre was lit for him as a memorial before burial. Yet when king Jehoram of Judah died, he was so bad that Scripture says;
2 CHRONICLES 21:18-20
18 After all this the Lord struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease.
19 Then it happened in the course of time, after the end of two years, that his intestines came out because of his sickness; so he died in severe pain. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning for his fathers.
20 He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed.
ECCLESIASTES 5:1-3
1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.
2 Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.
3 For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
When you worship God or go to church be sure to give Him the reverence and honor to which He is due. Fools, salesmen and “con men” are known for their floods of words and God will respect 10 words from a sincere, humble and grateful heart rather than 10,000 words made without thought.
As Jesus said concerning such things as “canned” and repetitious prayers and mantras, words which do not require devotion and reverence;
MATTHEW 6:7
7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
ECCLESIASTES 5:4-7
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—
5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.
6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
How many times have we cried out, “God, if you get me out of this mess, I promise....” and then forget what we promised to do after He helps us? This shows a deep disregard and disrespect to God and He is justified to be angry over such treatment.
When making a vow to the Lord, carefully consider what you’re promising to do and the potential cost of doing so. As Jesus said of such things;
LUKE 14:28-32
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
ECCLESIASTES 5:8
8 If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
When you see wicked rulers performing violence and injustice, do not become frustrated by the matter. No matter how powerful an official is, there is always someone even more powerful over them, even if it is only God Himself. Trust in God to punish the wicked.
ECCLESIASTES 5:9
9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
The land gives profit to those who work it, and that profit is to the benefit of all, no matter how high in position they might be.
ECCLESIASTES 5:10-11
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them; so what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?
Riches and plenty are a lure for everyone. Some good examples are the “boom towns” that spring up like weeds around a rich mine strike, oil field, etc. Witness the infamous California “Gold Rush” of 1849 where greedy men frantically rode exhausted horses to death and raced buckboard wagons westward for hundreds of miles to stake a claim in hopes of getting rich.
Lawless towns and camps immediately sprang up overnight like mushrooms, attracting workers, miners, thieves, prostitutes, “con men”, outlaws and the like. Prices for basic services and staples and lodging skyrocketed, sometimes increasing by the day and even by the hour consuming the profits of citizens.
So even when gold was found in abundance, there were few who actually profited from it.
ECCLESIASTES 5:12-17
12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
13 There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
14 But those riches perish through misfortune; when he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, to go as he came; and he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this also is a severe evil— just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?
17 All his days he also eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.
The rich are always worried about how to keep their money and how to make more. Greedy governments and individuals are constantly trying to take their money through taxes, fraud, theft, charging outrageous prices for products (like $500 pairs of shoes, $1,000 purses, cars costing hundreds of thousands of dollars), sky-high rents, etc.
There used to be an expression of “He who dies with the most toys, wins”. But a more sober-minded individual amended that to accurately say, “He who dies with the most toys, still dies.”
Solomon correctly noted that we came into this world with nothing and we will leave the same way. So what is the end benefit of being rich? You can claw and hoard riches all of your life and live with constant worry, and to what end?
An honest man will sleep soundly in peace as he knows that what he has is the fruits of his labor, whereas the wickedness of ill-gotten riches will corrode the soul and deprive a man of peace.
ECCLESIASTES 5:18-20
18 Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.
19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
God has decreed that men should rejoice and take pride in honest work, and enjoy the fruits of their labors be it little or much. There is much satisfaction in a job or creation that is well done and a man can justly take pride in his own work.
I read a story about a rich, single man who lived in luxury and lived next to a poor man who lived in a run-down house. The rich man was admiring his possessions and out a window saw the poor man playing in the small yard of his house with his children.
As he watched the family, he realized that he, the rich man, was actually the poor man as the man next door had the abundant riches of love and happy children, whereas he, the rich man, had only loveless possessions and himself for company.
ECCLESIASTES 6:1-9
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he—
4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,
6 even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied.
8 For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
No matter how much you accumulate, someone else will always get part of it. As discussed earlier, taxes, theft, bad investments, market crashes, and bad decisions can all drain your wealth into other pockets.
ECCLESIASTES 6:10-12
10 Whatever one is, he has been named already, for it is known that he is man; and he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man the better?
12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
Solomon soberly observes that Man always strives to enrich himself, but to what end? Increased riches bring increased worries, stress and sorrow. There is no sin in trying to better yourself or make your life more comfortable. But if you seek riches for the sake of being rich it becomes sin and all of your work will be eventually inherited by someone else.
As Solomon bitterly observed earlier concerning his riches and works;
ECCLESIASTES 2:18-19
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
ECCLESIASTES 7:1-4
1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth;
2 better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Much of Ecclesiastes is a sober looking back at a life wasted in indulgence and regrets for a life lived foolishly. While what Solomon says may appear depressing, given thought it has its own wisdom and has lessons for all of us. As he had previously said;
ECCLESIASTES 4:4
4 Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.
In verse 1 above Solomon says that the day of death is better than birth, as at death the toils and sorrows of a person’s life are over, while at birth they are just beginning.
In verses 2 and 3, Solomon advocates that sorrow is better than joyous indulgence as sorrow causes the heart to dwell on serious matters. He is not condemning joyous feasting but sorrow causes one to consider issues of life and can prevent foolish, hasty and frivolous decisions.
ECCLESIASTES 7:5-6
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Crediting wisdom to fools makes a person just like them. Fools often think and act without forethought to possible consequences and are wise in their own estimation. Burning thorns make a meaningless sound and Solomon equates the laughter of fools as being equally meaningless.
ECCLESIASTES 7:7
7 Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s reason, and a bribe debases the heart.
Greed and the love of money has resulted in the misery and destruction of many lives. While a life may be long, riches can be temporary and can vanish in a moment. And as the expression says, “You can’t take it with you.”
The apostle Paul said;
1 TIMOTHY 3:10
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
We have often heard that “money is the root of all evil”. Money itself is neither good or evil, it is the love of money that makes it appear evil and can be the source of oppression and misery. Moses said to Israel;
DEUTERONOMY 16:19
19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.
And Jesus put it in perspective when He said;
MARK 10:23-25
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Being rich is not a sin in itself. How you obtained them and how you use them determines whether riches become sinful or not. Note that Jesus said that those who trust in riches will find it very hard to enter the kingdom of Heaven.
The rich trust in their riches to sustain them whereas the poor trust in God to provide for them. As Jesus said;
MATTHEW 6:25-34
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
ECCLESIASTES 7:8-10
8 The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?” For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
The end of a thing is considered better than its beginning as the entirety of the matter is known, whereas the future of a thing is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.
Sudden anger has resulted in much destruction, violence and misery. Anger clouds thinking causing emotions to override clear reasoning. As Proverbs says;
PROVERBS 14:29
29 He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.
Jesus’ physical brother James wrote:
JAMES 1:19-20
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
We often hear about “the good old days”, but careful research shows that we only remember the good times of old and overlook the terrible times that accompanied them. For example, diseases ravaged entire communities before medicines were developed to counter them. Drought could wipe out entire regions as food transportation was limited. Hospitals (especially surgical wards) were breeding grounds of horrible diseases and infections before sterility measures were introduced.
ECCLESIASTES 7:11-12
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and profitable to those who see the sun.
12 For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it.
Wisdom and money can each sustain you in hard times, but money without wisdom is useless for without wisdom and discretion it is soon gone. And a poor fool will endure a lifetime of hardships and privation.
ECCLESIASTES 7:13-14
13 Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.
It is only when Man discovers something that he cannot fix or make better that he considers the perfect works of God. Nature itself proclaims His wisdom in the very fact that “nature” is self-perpetuating.
For example, plants absorb the suffocating carbon dioxide that we breathe out, convert it to sugars for tissue formation thereby providing food for men and animals and give off life-giving oxygen replenishing the atmosphere.
In a different vein, the Moon’s gravity stirs the atmosphere and oceans to keep them from stagnating; it’s gravity stabilizes the Earth’s axis at its present tilt of 23.5 degrees, keeping it from wandering about which would destroy all life on Earth. It also provides light at night and marks the months and seasons and its narrow orbital plane makes it just the right size and distance to provide spectacular solar eclipses.
ECCLESIASTES 7:15-20
15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity: there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
16 Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: why should you destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before your time?
18 It is good that you grasp this, and also not remove your hand from the other; for he who fears God will escape them all.
19 Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city.
20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.
We all wonder why the righteous perish, seemingly before old age. God has His reasons and many times they are unknown to us. However, consider what God spoke through the prophet Isaiah;
ISAIAH 57:1-2
1 The righteous perishes, and no man takes it to heart; merciful men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous is taken away from evil.
2 He shall enter into peace; they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
When God decides to punish a land for its wickedness, He will take away the righteous in peace so that they do not see or suffer under the disasters to come.
On the other hand, God is long-suffering, giving the wicked opportunities and time to turn their lives around. As the apostle Peter said;
2 PETER 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
God summed it up when He told the prophet Ezekiel;
EZEKIEL 33:13-16
13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die.
14 Again, when I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right,
15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
16 None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
We are to be moderate in all things. Too much wisdom breeds arrogance and too little makes one a fool. Too much righteousness like too much wickedness leads to oppression and strife.
ECCLESIASTES 7:21-22
21 Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 For many times, also, your own heart has known that even you have cursed others.
We should all learn and understand this. Do not get angry when others curse you as you yourself have cursed others in your time. And when you curse another, you are setting yourself as a judge of that person, which none of us have the right to do as none of us are sinless.
Judicial authorities have the power and authority to judge the actions of the accused, but only God can judge the persons themselves. We may not sin in the same manner, but we still sin. As the apostle Paul said;
ROMANS 2:1-3
1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?
ECCLESIASTES 7:23-29
23 All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; but it was far from me.
24 As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?
25 I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be trapped by her.
27 “Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to the other to find out the reason,
28 which my soul still seeks but I cannot find: one man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among all these I have not found.
29 Truly, this only I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.”
Solomon in his search for wisdom indulged in numerous foolish pursuits even worshiping idols and the demon gods of the surrounding nations. (1 Kings, chapter 11). He also set out to know madness and discovered that such pursuits ended in foolishness, saying;
ECCLESIASTES 1:16-18
16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”
17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
An immoral woman is one of Satan’s most effective “honey traps” and many men’s souls have been trapped by Satan through the allure of a woman. By the same token, men can also be used to snare women.
However by implication, men are supposed to know better than to seek the company of an adulterous woman especially as they run the risk of the jealous rage of a jilted husband. As Proverbs admonishes concerning such a woman;
PROVERBS 7:6-27
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice,
7 And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, a young man devoid of understanding,
8 passing along the street near her corner; and he took the path to her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.
11 She was loud and rebellious, her feet would not stay at home.
12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him; with an impudent face she said to him:
14 “I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my bed with tapestry, colored coverings of Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;
20 he has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home on the appointed day.”
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, with her flattering lips she seduced him.
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, he did not know it would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children; pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death.
ECCLESIASTES 8:1-9
1 Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the sternness of his face is changed.
2 I say, “Keep the king’s commandment for the sake of your oath to God.
3 Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him.”
4 Where the word of a king is, there is power; and who may say to him, “What are you doing?”
5 He who keeps his command will experience nothing harmful; and a wise man’s heart discerns both time and judgment,
6 because for every matter there is a time and judgment, though the misery of man increases greatly.
7 For he does not know what will happen; so who can tell him when it will occur?
8 No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, and wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it.
9 All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun: There is a time in which one man rules over another to his own hurt.
God sets up rulers according to His purposes, be they good or bad. He uses evil rulers to accomplish his will, punishing nations and people for their wickedness. Some examples are;
When Judah refused to listen to God and turn from their wickedness, God in His wrath promised through the prophet Jeremiah;
JEREMIAH 25:8-11
8 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words,
9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.
11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Note carefully that God calls wicked pagan king Nebuchadnezzar “My servant.”
Another time God sent the brutal, savage Assyrians against Judah for their wickedness. God spoke of Assyria and Sennacherib its ruler through the prophet Isaiah;
ISAIAH 10:5-7
5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath. I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off not a few nations.
God calls Assyria the rod of His anger, used to punish wicked cities in His wrath.
Obedience to rulers is right in the sight of God as long as they reward good and punish evil. As the apostle Paul wrote;
ROMANS 13:1-7
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.
7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
ECCLESIASTES 8:10-17
10 Then I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of holiness, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done. This also is vanity.
11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him.
13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
14 There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
15 So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that is done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night,
17 then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.
The wicked fear punishment and the long-suffering, patience and restraint of God tends to cause the wicked to believe that either there is no God or that He doesn’t know or care what they do. Therefore they are emboldened to increase wickedness. However except in rare or in exceptionally atrocious cases the wicked are soon forgotten when death takes them.
People wonder how God can allow vile, murderous individuals such as some of the Nazis who were guilty of horrendous crimes to live to ripe old ages while the righteous die seemingly before their time.
First, we must understand that God determines how long a person will live according to His plan and to question God’s plans is to question God Himself. He gives the wicked time to repent and at a time of His determination the wicked will perish.
ROMANS 9:22-24
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
God allows wicked men to rise to power in order to use them as examples of His wrath against wickedness. The Pharaoh of the Exodus was such a figure - God told him;
EXODUS 9:15-16
15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth.
16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.
Jesus said of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him to the authorities;
MATTHEW 26:24-25
24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.”
Solomon recommends to not fret about others, but to trust in God, enjoy life and rejoice in your own works. Do not dwell overly much on a matter as you will never gain a complete understanding of it no matter how wise you may be.
ECCLESIASTES 9:1-6
1 For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them.
2 All things come alike to all: one event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun.
Solomon reflects on the inevitability of death which comes to all living beings, be they righteous or wicked. No matter how bad things are, if there is life there is hope. All plans, ambitions and desires perish when death comes and Man’s works are eventually forgotten.
When he says that the dead know nothing, he means that the dead will know nothing of what will happen on Earth after they die. Their works, good or bad, will be finished and they go to await their judgment.
ECCLESIASTES 9:7-10
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.
8 Let your garments always be white, and let your head lack no oil.
9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
There are those in different religions that believe that neglecting the body through rigid fasting, beating themselves, living in deepest poverty, etc. are forms of suffering that will be rewarded after death. All of these things mean nothing to God and are meant to impress men, and contribute nothing toward salvation.
Jesus addressed these things when he said;
MATTHEW 6:1-4
1 “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
Solomon says to enjoy life to the fullest while you are here on Earth, live joyfully with your wife and take pleasure in your works. Do what you can to the best of your ability while you have the means to do so for after death you are finished with all of your works and labors.
ECCLESIASTES 9:11-12
11 I returned and saw under the sun that— the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.
12 For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them.
Solomon understands that all things are in God’s control and it is He who determines the outcome of a matter. The Bible is full of examples of the weak defeating the strong, the rich suddenly becoming poor, etc.
Most people have no idea when they will die, especially those killed in accidents. Some die in their sleep, others perish suddenly from heart attack, stroke, or other ailments. Even those who understand that cancer or some other terrible disease will eventually take them still do not know the day or the hour it will happen.
ECCLESIASTES 9:13-18
13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:
14 There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it.
15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.
16 Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength. Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.”
A mighty man of deeds is remembered more than a quiet, wise man. A mighty man’s deeds are immediately visible and are his legacy whereas a wise man’s deeds are remembered only if a mighty man performs them - and who remembers the wise man who gave the mighty man the means of victory?
A horse is strong but without a wise rider to guide it it’s strength avails nothing. Even so, a mighty man or a strong king without wisdom or without a wise counselor will spend their strength in vain.
And just as a grain of sand can destroy a mighty machine, a single sin can destroy good works.
ECCLESIASTES 10:1
1 Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.
We’ve all heard that when a person does something good, no one remembers, but make one mistake and people never forget. Even the most wise and honorable make foolish mistakes and it is well for us to remember that.
ECCLESIASTES 10:2-3
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left.
3 Even when a fool walks along the way, he lacks wisdom, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.
Pretty much self-explanatory.
ECCLESIASTES 10:4
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post; for conciliation pacifies great offenses.
If you offend a ruler, don’t just flee his presence thereby intensifying his wrath. Try to appease him and seek his forgiveness. Jesus spoke of something similar when He said;
MATTHEW 5:25-26
25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
We are seeing this kind of rebellion today where criminals are glorified, police are condemned, the wise are scorned, and fools are praised.
ECCLESIASTES 10:5-7
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.
7 I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants.
We are seeing this in abundance of rebellion today in the United States where the wicked are praised and the righteous are condemned. Criminals are claiming to be victims when caught and arrested; police are vilified; perverted individuals are demanding ‘special rights’; militant agitators are setting races against each other; looters are stealing and claiming that they are ‘owed’ what they’re not willing to work for.
Christians are being persecuted; dictatorial politicians are forbidding churches to hold services claiming that it will spread the Corona virus but then allow ‘big box’ stores to remain open. Christian organizations and businesses are being forced to accept and cater to LGBTQ members or face fines and imprisonment.
This is in fulfillment of God’s prophecy to Isaiah which, while spoken to Judah speaks to us today;
ISAIAH 3:4-5
4 “I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
5 The people will be oppressed, every one by another and every one by his neighbor; the child will be insolent toward the elder, and the base toward the honorable.”
ECCLESIASTES 10:8
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.
The King James Version renders the word “wall” as “hedge” (Greek: ‘phragmos’) which I think is a better usage of the word, especially in light of the example found in the book of Job;
JOB 1:6-12
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.
7 And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the Earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the Earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
9 So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”
12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
Note that Satan, also known in Scripture as ‘the Serpent’, complained that God had hedged Job on every side, keeping him from harm so that he, Satan could not attack him. God puts such a hedge about believers to keep Satan at bay but sins can create holes in that hedge allowing the Serpent to attack us.
As Scripture records, when God allowed Satan access to Job to test him he brought on terrible afflictions as recorded in Job, chapters 1 and 2.
ECCLESIASTES 10:9-10
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 If the ax is dull, and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength; but wisdom brings success.
A little foresight, careful planning and preparation can save you a world of difficulty and effort later. Remember, hindsight is always 20/20.
ECCLESIASTES 10:11-15
11 A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; the babbler is no different.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, and the end of his talk is raving madness.
14 A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; who can tell him what will be after him?
15 The labor of fools wearies them, for they do not even know how to go to the city!
Self-explanatory.
ECCLESIASTES 10:16-17
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes feast at the proper time— for strength and not for drunkenness!
A child-king is easily manipulated by tutors and advisors and if they work their own agendas through the king, the land suffers. And princes who are drunkards and gluttons are virtually useless parasites.
ECCLESIASTES 10:18
18 Because of laziness the building decays, and through idleness of hands the house leaks.
Self-explanatory.
ECCLESIASTES 10:19
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but money answers everything.
Certain things are made for certain purposes but money has universal uses.
ECCLESIASTES 10:20
20 Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter.
Birds carrying spoken words is not to be taken literally, it means that even in private words you speak might be overheard by another and reach ears you don’t want them to. Unspoken, silent curses will eventually show in your attitude.
ECCLESIASTES 11:1
1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Do not refrain from giving to others for God will repay you generously for your charity. As the authors of Hebrews wrote;
HEBREWS 13:2
2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
ECCLESIASTES 11:2
2 Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, for you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
Not sure about this one.....
ECCLESIASTES 11:3
3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree falls to the south or the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.
Things both good and bad will indeed happen just as God ordains them according to His will.
ECCLESIASTES 11:4
4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
If you spend your life philosophizing but do not do what is necessary for life, you will surely remain poor and destitute in both body and spirit.
ECCLESIASTES 11:5-6
5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
Whatever you do, do it to the best of your ability hoping for prosperity in your work. If your efforts fail despite your best ability and diligence it is because God for His own reasons has decreed that it be so. As Solomon had previously written;
ECCLESIASTES 9:10
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
ECCLESIASTES 11:7-10
7 Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun;
8 but if a man lives many years and rejoices in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that is coming is vanity.
9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh, for childhood and youth are vanity.
Enjoy your days on the Earth and enjoy the pleasures of life, but refrain from sin knowing that God will sit in judgment of your actions. The errors made in childhood and youth are no excuse for repeating them as adults. In other words, do not, as some are known to, claim “I had a bad childhood” as a reason for criminal behavior as an adult.
As the apostle Paul wrote;
1 CORINTHIANS 13:11
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
ECCLESIASTES 12:1-8
1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”:
2 while the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are not darkened, and the clouds do not return after the rain;
3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow down; when the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows grow dim;
4 when the doors are shut in the streets, and the sound of grinding is low; when one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low.
5 Also they are afraid of height, and of terrors in the way; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper is a burden, and desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well.
7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity.”
Do not forget God in your youth when thoughts of age and death are far from you. Remembrance of God will sustain you and bring comfort during old age and during times of calamity and fear.
Solomon urges us to remember and revere God before death takes us and we are sent to either Heaven or Hell to await our Judgment. Your actions and decisions here on Earth determine your outcome in Judgment and where you will spend eternity.
And remember, after death you can change your mind but that’s all you can do. Those in Hell now believe in God and bitterly regret their sinful actions in life but that will not change their reality or their Judgment.
ECCLESIASTES 12:9-14
9 And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out and set in order many proverbs.
10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright—words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
12 And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh.
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Here Solomon proves that he wrote many of the proverbs found in the book of Proverbs in order to pass on his wisdom to others. The book of Ecclesiastes could also be called the “Book of Regrets” as it details bitter observations and warnings against wasted, foolish, unfruitful pursuits as seen through the eyes of age.
He sums up the matter with the admonishment that we fear God, listen to the wise and keep His commandments as that will spare us from many sorrows and will provide us hope and comfort throughout our lives and in the hereafter.
Questions? Comments? E-mail: watchmen_777@yahoo.com