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Ecclesiastes Chapter 1
All Is Vanity
There are divisions of opinions of this
work of Solomon. One says he is in a backslidden condition and is
reasoning with himself speaking or writing as a natual man seekng
answers and not to take this book as the word of God but as the words
of the preacher as he describes himself to be.
Others like John Wesley takes these words
of Solomon as someone who had sinned and was publishing his
repentance to warn others from doing likewise. I personally hope
this view of Solomon is true.
Others see this as secular instead of a
spiritual book.
- Ecclesiastes 1:2
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all
is vanity.
- 3 What profit hath a
man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
If that is all we seek after and all we
are concerned with then yes it is all for nothing and is labored for
in vain.
- Ecclesiastes 1:4 One
generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the
earth abideth for ever.
- 5 The sun also
ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where
he arose.
- 6 The wind goeth
toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth
about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his
circuits.
- 7 All the rivers run
into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from
whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
Everything continues on and on swirling
and returning to the place it began. One generation passes and
another takes its place. It seems to keep happening with nothing
changing.
This is how we will see things until we
are revealed the plan of God for all who find Him and walk with Him.
Until we are born again by the Holy Spirit of God through our faith
in Jesus God's Son, we will see things like Solomon is describing
here.
One day all who believe and trust in
Jesus will understand and will understand what is going on behind
the scenes.
- Ecclesiastes 1:8 All
things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not
satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
- 9 The thing that
hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is
that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the
sun.
- 10 Is there any
thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been
already of old time, which was before us.
- 11 There is no
remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any
remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall
come after.
Mankind continually seek to understand
to know and pursue things but it continues on and on and they are
never satisfied. Sports, activities and entertainment are temporary.
Until we find the Lord and walk with Him, our souls continually seek
and search but are never happy.
The Vanity of Wisdom
- Ecclesiastes 1:12 I
the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
- 13 And I gave my
heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things
that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to
the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
- 14 I have seen all
the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is
vanity and vexation of spirit.
- 15 That which is
crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting
cannot be numbered.
- 16 I communed with
mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have
gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in
Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and
knowledge.
- 17 And I gave my
heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived
that this also is vexation of spirit.
- 18 For in much
wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge
increaseth sorrow.
True that the more we know the more we
are grieved until we find peace with God. Solomon was considered the
wisest man that ever lived yet it seems to make him unhappy and
unsatisfied.
I remember a song we use to teach children
in children's classes:
Happiness is to know the savior, living
a life within His favor having a change in his behavior, happiness
is the Lord.
Happiness is to be forgiven, living a life
that's worth the living, having a part in his salvation, happiness
is the Lord.
Real joy is mine no matter if the
tear drops fall, I have a secret, it's Jesus in my heart.
I may have forgotten some of those
words but real happiness and joy is in knowing the Lord and living
for Him. -DC
Ecclesiastes Chapter 2
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