Ecclesiastes 2

WEEK  8                                    Ecclesiastes 2

FRIDAY  Reflections

The preacher/teacher sums up that whether you are wise or foolish, rich or poor, eventually you're going to die and be forgotten. If we remember that the preacher is saying look at the world from 'under the sun" (a human perspective), then he is exactly right. The college professor who declares life and morality are meaningless is behind the times; Solomon already said this thousands of years ago.

 

The preacher says this is from the hand of God. One might think that vanity in life can't be from God, but it is if you don't have God in your life. A life without God can only be vanity because we were made to be in a relationship with God. Without God, there is nothing beyond our natural life. All we have in a life without God is what we can make of it: to eat, drink, and to enjoy our work.

 

The good news is God has made a way for us to have something greater than just this life if we'll take it. That something is Jesus and a life after this one. 

Ecc 2:1-26
(1)  I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
(2)  I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
(3)  I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
(4)  I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
(5)  I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
(6)  I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
(7)  I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
(8)  I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
(9)  So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
(10)  And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
(11)  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
(12)  And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
(13)  Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
(14)  The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
(15)  Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
(16)  For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
(17)  Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
(18)  Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
(19)  And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
(20)  Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
(21)  For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
(22)  For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
(23)  For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
(24)  There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
(25)  For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
(26)  For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

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Matthew 8

WEEK  8                                                Matthew 8

THURSDAY  Reflections

This chapter sees Jesus performing several miracles, confirming that he is sent from God. Also, there are references to the faith of the centurion, the cost of following Jesus, the rebuke of the disciples for not having faith during the storm on the water, and the casting of the demons into the pigs. However, it is where Jesus is willing to go that I want to look at today.

 

Jesus, in verse 7, tells a Roman centurion that he will go to his house. This is completely contrary to what a Jewish religious leader of his day would do. The Romans were not only Gentiles butalso the people who had taken freedom from the children of Israel.  Possibly, the closest parallel would be an American evangelical pastor going to the home of an Al-Qaeda terrorist. Yet, Jesus saw something in this centurion that others would have missed and made the decision to go.

 

Jesus, here is the person who sees what others miss. It is a reminder that we need to be led by the Spirit and not by what we see. I know some people make overtures like this for a self-serving reason, but that isn't what Jesus was doing. It isn't what we should do. We need to be willing to go where we are needed and where the Spirit would have us, no matter what others think.

 

It's something to think about.  

Mat 8:1-34
(1)  When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
(2)  And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
(3)  And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
(4)  And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
(5)  And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
(6)  And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
(7)  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
(8)  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
(9)  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
(10)  When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
(11)  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
(12)  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(13)  And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
(14)  And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
(15)  And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.
(16)  When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
(17)  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
(18)  Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.
(19)  And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
(20)  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
(21)  And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
(22)  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
(23)  And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
(24)  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
(25)  And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
(26)  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
(27)  But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
(28)  And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
(29)  And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
(30)  And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
(31)  So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
(32)  And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
(33)  And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
(34)  And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

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Ecclesiastes 1

WEEK 8                                           Ecclesiastes 1

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

I must admit that I am not a fan of Ecclesiastes. It is one of the most depressing books in the Bible. The reason for this is found in the phrase “under the sun,” which shows the perspective from which this book is written. The perspective is from a man without God, and it is pitiable.

 

So, what does this depressing book do for us?

 

I believe it gives us insight into the lie: “if I only had more, did more, if I was smarter, if I had no unfulfilled dreams, then I would be happy and content.” The Preacher/Teacher of Ecclesiastes lived in Solomon’s time. Solomon had everything a person could want, and this is his writing. Solomon had it all, and yet in this first chapter, the preacher sums it up in the term, vanity/fleeting/meaningless (depending on the translation).

 

So why is this book even in the Bible? 

 

One thing we find in the Bible is honesty. It is honest about its heroes and the people who are supposed to be serving God. It was honest in Proverbs about the way creation was intended to run, and here it is honest about how life actually looks. Without God and God’s heavenly perspective, life is temporary and fleeting. which can feel meaningless.

 

I wish I could be encouraging about what you are going to read, but I doubt you will be. However, it will give you the truth of what the world looks like without God. It may even give you insight into why people who seem to have it all kill themselves or do wicked things.

 

I can't leave you on a downer. Life isn't just what we see. There is a God and a heavenly perspective. There is hope, for life is more than what we see.

Ecc 1:1-18
(1)  The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
(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?
(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.
(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.
(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.

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1 Kings 5

WEEK  8                                     1 Kings 5

TUESDAY  Reflections

In Kings 5, we see the preparations for the building of the temple. It is amazing to see the manpower and the work going into this project. However, I noticed something in the first verse which caught my attention and I am going to focus on it.

 

When Hiram, king of Tyre, heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. (1 Kings 5:1 NIV, emphasis added)

 

Solomon’s first ally was not based on anything he had done. His first ally was there because of whom Solomon’s father had been. We see because David had friendly relations with Hiram, Solomon was given the benefit of friendly relations back. Solomon responded wisely, and a relationship was built between Solomon and Hiram but the groundwork was already laid by David.

 

I have heard it said, be careful and don’t burn bridges behind you. The idea is you may have to cross them later, but here I see that a bridge David built was one which Solomon was able to cross. This is a reminder our actions don’t just affect our lives but the lives of those who come after us.

 

Look around, we see the effect of actions done by those who came before us still affecting us today. The effects of slavery and Jim Crow still impacts American society today. Before we go pointing at Western Culture, we need to remember that every society has a past which affects them and there is plenty of blame to hand out. However, our job isn’t to point blame but to allow God to transform us. This scripture reminds us that the good we do also has an impact on the lives of those that come after us.

 

We may need to deal with the past we have been left, but we need to be thankful for the blessing we have received also. We also need to remember that our actions today can have a positive influence on those who come after us.

1Ki 5:1-18
(1)  And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
(2)  And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
(3)  Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.
(4)  But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
(5)  And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
(6)  Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.
(7)  And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.
(8)  And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
(9)  My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.
(10)  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.
(11)  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.
(12)  And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together.
(13)  And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
(14)  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
(15)  And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
(16)  Beside the chief of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
(17)  And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

(18)  And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

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1 Kings 4

WEEK  8                                        1 Kings 4

MONDAY  Reflections

The opulence* of Solomon is astounding. However, in the middle of all of this, I see problems. Do you see them?

First, there were many in Judah and Israel, and they were eating, drinking, and making merry. Sounds like the nation was doing a lot of pleasure-seeking. If you're only seeking pleasure, you're not seeking God.

 

Second, Solomon gathered large numbers of chariots and horses. God commanded the kings of Israel not to do this, and now Solomon has done it (Deuteronomy 17:16).

 

What we see later is Solomon disobeying God by gathering large amounts of treasure for himself and his family (Deuteronomy 17:17). Solomon had previously done well when he asked God for wisdom and when he built the temple for God, but he is now living in disobedience to God.

 

 

*great wealth or luxuriousness

1Ki 4:1-34
(1)  So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
(2)  And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,
(3)  Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
(4)  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
(5)  And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:
(6)  And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.
(7)  And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.
(8)  And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim:
(9)  The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and Elonbethhanan:
(10)  The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher:
(11)  The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
(12)  Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:
(13)  The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:
(14)  Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
(15)  Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
(16)  Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in Aloth:
(17)  Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar:
(18)  Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin:
(19)  Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the land.
(20)  Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
(21)  And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
(22)  And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,
(23)  Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.
(24)  For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
(25)  And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
(26)  And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
(27)  And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing.
(28)  Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his charge.
(29)  And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
(30)  And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
(31)  For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
(32)  And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
(33)  And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
(34)  And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.