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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction & Prologue

2. The Search for Meaning I

3. The Search for Meaning II

4. Solomon’s Observations I

Today is Sunday. November 10^th, 2024

INTRODUCTION

We began looking at Ecclesiastes two weeks ago and discovering how this self-proclaimed preacher (Solomon) started his search for the meaning of life.

Scholars believe that Ecclesiastes was written near the end of Solomon’s life, which means it takes place after his falling away from God. We read in 1 Kings 11 that Solomon turned away from God and worshipped other gods because of his many wives.

700 wives & princesses, 300 concubines, and he did not heed God’s warning in 1 Kings 11 and ended up worshipping the false gods of his wives, just as God said he would. So, God takes the kingdom away from Solomon.

Something good for us to remember is that nothing here under the sun (on Earth) truly belongs to us. Scripture says all good things come by the hand of God, which means He can take them back at any time if He so chooses.

Would God remove blessings from His people?

We see it all the time. Solomon’s kingdom is a good example.

Hebrews 6:4-8 warns about apostasy and the consequences of falling away from faith.

1 Corinthians 11:29-32 warns of disobedience and discipline.

Matthew 13:1-23 warns about not producing fruit.

And Revelation 2:14-15 warns of rebellion and idolatry.

God’s removal of blessings in your life is directly linked to spiritual disobedience, being unfaithful or rebellious.

Solomon, in his search for meaning, sees the cycles of nature and life (Ecclesiastes 1:4-11)

He recognizes human wisdom is folly (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)

And he sees you cannot find meaning when searching with human wisdom.

He compares this to grasping for wind (Ecclesiastes 1:17)

Human wisdom only brings much grief and sorrow (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

He searched all things to find meaning and found none, concluding that everything under the sun (on earth) was vain (pointless/meaningless).

So the real question is raised, what profit is there in life when viewed from an earthly perspective?

What value is there in our labor when we fail to consider God’s will in life?

The conclusion Solomon, and we as well, should have is…for life to have meaning, we must seek the divine purpose of God.

Today, we will examine Solomon’s Observation.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE - Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:16

There are three main things observed in these passages.

There is an appointed time for everything.

God set eternity in man's heart, or the quest for meaning.

The tears of the oppressed, who seem without hope.

I. THE INEXPLICABLE PURPOSE OF GOD

a. All things serve a divine purpose, even when we cannot understand it

i. “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

ii. “He has made everything appropriate in its time.”

1. What about bad things that happen in your life?

a. Romans 8:28 “…we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

b. For those who love God and seek His purpose or His Will, even the bad things in life will work together for good, even if we don’t see it or understand it.

iii. “What do you mean, even if we don’t see or understand it?”

b. Yet man is unable to find out God’s purpose Ecclesiastes 3:11b

i. God has put it in our hearts to seek out the purpose of life

ii. But we cannot understand God’s purpose.

1. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” declares God.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways

And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

2. Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him (God) who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or understand, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

3. Finite humans are no more capable of fully understanding the ways of God than a two-year-old is of the functions of algebraic geometry formulas.

4. We will one day have understanding…

a. 1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror [in a riddle] dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

b. We see in part until we stand face to face with the Lord. And what we see is a riddle to us.

c. Why does God prevent us from fully understanding now?

i. Look at all that happened just from Adam and Eve eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The only understanding they gained was good and evil, and look what happened.

ii. Ecclesiastes 3:14 tells us, “God has so worked that men should be in awe before [fear] Him.”

iii. This “fear” of God means reverence for Him.

1. “He made from one man every nation of mankind to inhabit all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope (fumble of fish for) for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;” Acts 17:26-27

iv. God created us as inquisitive creatures.

v. He has also made life such that we are always seeking something better, or for some purpose, in hopes we will keep searching until we find Him!

d. Solomon’s conclusion

i. “I know that there is nothing better for man than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; that every man who eats and drinks and sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.” Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

ii. What is the good he should see in all his labors?

1. That they serve God’s purpose, not his own.

iii. This is a gift of God. Serving Him brings meaning, and He rewards us with joy, happiness, and purpose.

iv. What if we do not want to serve God in our lives?

1. “For God will bring every work to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14

a. Ecclesiastes 3:15; Ecclesiastes 11:9

Without revelation, we cannot discern God's purposes; without His blessing, we cannot enjoy the good of our labor. Therefore, any effort to live without God can only be vanity, and we will not find purpose or meaning in life.

II. SOLOMON WITNESSED INJUSTICE AND OPPRESSION OF MEN

a. What Solomon saw

i. “I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.” Ecclesiastes 3:16

ii. Power on the side of the oppressor, with no comfort for the oppressed - Ecclesiastes 4:1

iii. -- Prompting Solomon to think the dead were better than the living, even better were those who had never been born - Ecclesiastes 4:2-3

1. When we look at the world, without the understanding of God, we will not find meaning. The injustice and wickedness we do see can drive a man insane.

2. Nothing is fair in the world, and it is filled with much evil.

b. So, Solomon reasoned in his heart with Godly Wisdom

i. God will somehow use injustice and wickedness in carrying out His purpose, even if I don’t fully understand - Ecclesiastes 3:17b (just as God used Assyria and Babylon to discipline Israel)

ii. We read in Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 that God allows injustice to test men.

1. We know God will never tempt anyone (James 1:13-14 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.”)

2. However, God does test us!

a. James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith brings about perseverance. 4 And let perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”

b. 1 Corinthians 3:13 “each man’s work will become evident, for the day will indicate it because it is revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.”

3. This testing is to make us aware that we are mortal and will one day die, and our bodies return to dust, but our spirit returns to God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7

4. Only then, when we realize our own mortality and eventual return to God, can we persevere and mature spiritually and ensure that our works glorify God and not ourselves.

c. What Solomon concluded

i. Once again, Solomon sees the value of rejoicing in one's own works when finding purpose and meaning in God.

ii. We can see rejoicing and gladness as a gift and reward from God when we live for Him- Ecclesiastes 3:22a

What if you serve yourself rather than God and His purpose? What if you live and work for your own gain and benefit? What is the profit?

III. THE VANITY OF SELFISH WORK

a. IT CAN BREED ENVY IN OTHERS...

i. He saw how excessive work and success came from envy of his neighbor - Ecclesiastes 4:4

1. We call this ‘keeping up with the Joneses’

2. This is an idiom in many parts of the world, referring to comparing oneself to one's neighbor, where the neighbor serves as a benchmark for social class or the accumulation of material goods.

3. Failure to "keep up with the Joneses" is perceived as a demonstration of socio-economic or cultural inferiority.

4. The phrase was coined in the 1910s

ii. While it is foolish to fold one's hands and do nothing in life, acquiring too many material possessions and wealth is not worth the effort because it will never truly satisfy - Ecclesiastes 4:5-6

iii. Solomon says with the wisdom given by God, in Proverbs 15:16-17

1. “Better is a little with the fear of God

Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

17 Better is a dish of vegetables where there is love

Than a fattened ox and hatred in it.” Proverbs 15:16-17

2. It is far better to be poor and know God than to be rich and have all the instability that comes with being rich.

3. It is far better to only have a dish of vegetables in a home filled with love than a fatted ox in a house filled with hate.

CONCLUSION –

Solomon’s observations about the vanity of life and wisdom for living "under the sun" will continue in the following chapters.

As Christians today, we may be perplexed at times concerning the workings of God and our lack of complete understanding of why things are the way they are.

But we have the assurance that all things work for good for them who love God and are called according to His purpose - Romans 8:28

We have the family of God to help us in our labor and in time of need - 1Thessalonians 5:11

And, of course, there is no greater friend than the One who is the ultimate end of all God's purposes in this world: Jesus Christ! (Ephesians 1:9-10).

Through Him, we can "obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Remember what Jesus said: "You are My friends if you do what I command you."

- John 15:14

Let Jesus be your friend by obeying His will! - Matthew 28:19-20

Next week, we will examine more of Solomon’s "observations."

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Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Ecclesiastes Part 4: Solomon’s Observations I