[Linux4christians] Tuesday - Ecclesiastes 4 - 5

[dcolburn at bibleseven.com]

    Tuesday


      Ecclesiastes 4 - 5



Evil Oppression on Earth

4:1 So I again considered all the oppression that continually occurs on 
earth.



This is what I saw:

The oppressed were in tears, but no one was comforting them; no one 
delivers them from the power of their oppressors.

4:2 So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than 
those who are still alive.

4:3 But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not 
seen the evil things that are done on earth.



Labor Motivated by Envy

4:4 Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is 
nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also 
is profitless -- like chasing the wind.

4:5 The fool folds his hands and does no work, so he has nothing to eat 
but his own flesh.

4:6 Better is one handful with some rest than two hands full of toil and 
chasing the wind.



Labor Motivated by Greed

4:7 So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

4:8 A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor 
siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied 
with riches. He laments, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of 
pleasure?" This also is futile and a burdensome task!



Labor is Beneficial When Its Rewards Are Shared

4:9 Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit 
from their labor.

4:10 For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the 
person who falls down and has no one to help him up.

4:11 Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other 
warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself?

4:12 Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand 
him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.



Labor Motivated by Prestige-Seeking

4:13 A poor but wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no 
longer knows how to receive advice.

4:14 For he came out of prison to become king, even though he had been 
born poor in what would become his kingdom.

4:15 I considered all the living who walk on earth, as well as the 
successor who would arise in his place.

4:16 There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet 
future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and 
like chasing the wind.



5:1 Rash Vows

Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to 
listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not 
realize that they are doing wrong.

5:2 Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a 
matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, 
let your words be few.

5:3 Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a 
fool occurs when there are many words.

5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes 
no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

5:5 It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.

5:6 Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, 
"It was a mistake!" Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy 
the work of your hands?"

5:7 Just as there is futility in many dreams, so also in many words. 
Therefore, fear God!



Government Corruption

5:8 If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice 
and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For 
the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher 
ones over them!

5:9 The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is 
served by the fields.



Covetousness

5:10 The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who 
loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.

5:11 When someone's prosperity increases, those who consume it also 
increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it 
with his eyes?

5:12 The sleep of the laborer is pleasant -- whether he eats little or 
much -- but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.



Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life

5:13 Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by 
its owner to his own misery.

5:14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a 
son, he has nothing left to give him.

5:15 Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return 
as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away 
from his toil.

5:16 This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What 
did he gain from toiling for the wind?

5:17 Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered 
greatly with sickness and anger.



Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labor

5:18 I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate 
course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all 
their hard work on earth during the few days of their life which God has 
given them, for this is their reward.

5:19 To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has 
also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and 
to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

5:20 For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life 
because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.



      Prayer


Lord, You teach us to be in balance, to enjoy every moment of life as a 
gift from You, and to share what we have as Your blessing through us to 
others. May I be generous, never envious of others, never coveting 
wealth for its own sake, and participate fully in each day -- as 
tomorrow in this world is not promised to me.



      Commentary


Solomon decided to " ... again considere(d) all the oppression that 
continually occurs on earth." and in his flesh decided that due to the 
lack of compassion those who died were better-off than those who 
continued to live, and those who had never been born the most-blessed.


He considered the matter of balance in how one engaged in skilled work, 
observing that some acted from a heart of pride -- competing against 
others -- while others didn't develop their skills at all. He concluded 
that a balance was necessary.


He considered a person who worked and lived alone, with no children or 
sibling(s), yet worked hard and then wondered to what purpose -- for 
lack of someone to bless and to share. He then observed that two were 
likely to be more productive working in harmony, could help one-another 
when ill or injured, and could defend themselves better than if alone. 
He illustrated using the physics of a woven rope where two cords were 
stronger than one and three even stronger.


Solomon observed that a old king who had become unteachable, as he still 
longed for more-prestige, was less-valuable than a younger king with 
some humility.


He warned that one who rushed into the presence of God to make promises 
had best be careful that they are ones he can fulfill, otherwise he may 
anger the Lord God.


Solomon people to not be surprised by government corruption as 
foolishness and greed would lead them to confiscate the produce of 
fields whose produce was already theirs. He further observed that there 
may be some accountability found in levels of government.


He warned that when coveted money it would always be spent as it was 
earned and keep one awake worrying about the acquisition of more. This 
he contrasted with the peace of the one who worked to pay bills but who 
was not obsessed with greater and greater wealth.


Solomon observed that one who hoarded money for the sake of amassing 
wealth would find himself constantly-troubled by fear of its loss, and 
when lost through misfortune, discover an empty life was all that remained.


He concluded that one should enjoy what the Lord God has provided in 
each moment as a gift and not worry about the future.



      Interaction

Consider

When Solomon said that one should enjoy what the Lord God has provided 
in each moment as a gift and not worry about the future, he was not 
teaching carelessness and a failure to prepare, but was instead speaking 
about enjoying moments that would pass and never return.


        Discuss

Why would Solomon make such a big deal about money?



        Reflect

In each illustration of Solomon is not the heart-condition of the person 
the primary determiner of wisdom or foolishness?


        Share

When have you experienced or observed an obsession with competing with 
others out or envy and pride leading to an empty and troubled life?



      Faith in Action

Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to me a place where I have made promises 
to the Lord God that I have not kept.



        Action:

Today I will make good on my promise to the Lord God and will be more 
careful in the future as to what commitments I make.


        Be Specific ______________________________________________________



    Wednesday's text will be:


      Ecclesiastes 6 -- 7:14



-- 

Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you,
Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!
David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com
Bible Resources: http://bible.org
Teacher's Verse: John 7:16
Defend free speech or lose your freedom.
I don't google I SEARCH! Startpage.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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