Ecclesiastes 10-12

Ecclesiastes 10

Ecclesiastes 10:1 I have no idea what dead flies smell like. Online seems unanimous that they smell putrid, like a rotting corpse. A little folly - one mistake, not really a mistake except in judgment - can ruin your reputation and life. 

Ecclesiastes 10:2 True wisdom is more than insight. It includes a heart that is turned toward Jesus. True foolishness is turning our heart away from Him.

Ecclesiastes 10:3 Fools demonstrate their stupidity by how they drive. It’s not just testosterone, it is an attitude that believes they can get away with driving recklessly (not wrecklessly). I’m sure God’s heart grieves for them, and hopes that they will come to their senses before they kill themselves or someone else.

Ecclesiastes 10:4 Can calmness really allay great offenses against a ruler? I don’t know, it depends in his personality. Calmness, staying on the post, will not give you peace with the King of kings, regardless of how much He grieves for you, unless you repent of your sin and receive Him.

Ecclesiastes 10:5-7 Thinking that wealth indicates the capability to rule well has been proven to be an error. Perhaps in Solomon’s day they believed that it was a sign of God’s blessing. The rich have demonstrated the ability to manage resources, but it does not prove what is in their heart. Solomon had become wealthy, and he had great worldly wisdom. But one case does not prove a proposition. 

Ecclesiastes 10:8-11 There are also hazards and risks associated with regular jobs, especially manual labor. Solomon gives a few examples. Accidents happen, often without warning. Sometimes they occur because we skip safety procedures because it seems to us that the likelihood of a risk materializing seems remote. In any job we need to study and sharpen our tools, to do the best job possible. One event can ruin everything, even be fatal.

Ecclesiastes 10:12-13 In commending worship of God, Jesus quoted David (Psalm 8:2), saying “Out of the mouths of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise.”  (Matthew 21:16) This was His response to the indignation of the chief priests and teachers to the children shouting’Hosanna to the son of David’ in the temple. He also warned that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Luke 6:45) The words of the wise bring grace, not just insight. Grace is, of course, unmerited favor with God. 

Ecclesiastes 10:14-15 Fools multiply words, but they don’t know the future, or even how to get to town. People who claim to know the future are either con artists or complete fools.

Ecclesiastes 10:16-18 Laziness is contrasted to nobility of character. If the king is of noble birth, the land is blessed if his sons eat for strength rather than feast for self-indulgence. I think that the King of kings grieves when those He calls His sons choose to use the blessings He gives to simply party through life. The practical consequences of laziness are eventually impossible to ignore - the house starts to visibly deteriorate. Paul talked about slaves wholeheartedly serving their masters. (Ephesians 6:5-8)

Ecclesiastes 10:19 Only fools believe that money answers everything. Money can be used to build God’s kingdom on earth, and address many legitimate needs. It can fund missionaries to carry the good news to the remote tribes outside the fringes of “civilization”. It can save the lives of the poor and distressed. It can pay for legitimate celebrations, or it can be used for foolish, drunken orgies. (Daniel 5:1-4) The prosperity cult taught that wealth was a result of having faith, and that this defined a believer’s standing within the kingdom of God. Solomon has previously talked about hard work vs. laziness, and their outcomes in life, but we must be careful to understand that our call is to different things. Some are called to be stewards of resources, in boardrooms or on Capitol Hill. Others are called to minister to the poor and outcast of society who have had many different paths to poverty, some self-chosen and some driven there by external forces. Giving them money often doesn’t help because they need spiritual life. Some have great spirituality yet are called to live simple lives in trusting God. ‘Money answers everything’ is a foolish, worldly error that will one day be set straight.

Ecclesiastes 10:20 Even before the days of electronic bugs, slips of the tongue in private could easily make the rounds. People talk. People gossip. And God knows when you revile Jesus, the King of kings, in your private spaces. 

Ecclesiastes 11

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 Three themes are interwoven here. 

• Since we do not know the future, invest broadly in multiple areas, so that when things go awry, some of your investments will bear fruit. This may include (as examples) selling food overseas, investing in multiple entrepreneurial startups, and planting seeds at various times of day.
• There are many things that happen that we cannot understand, control, or undo. We might be able to forecast the weather, but we can’t prevent typhoons or tornados, and cloud seeding to produce rain is a new (and expensive) capability. A dead tree can’t be resurrected. A startup business may succeed or fail for reasons we cannot control nor know at the outset. God does things in the spiritual realm beyond our understanding. He is omniscient and omnipotent, and He is not our servant.
• Don’t be lazy. Hard work pays off eventually, often in ways we don’t anticipate.

Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 As a young person, life is often sweet, so enjoy it, but remember that eventually you will age. (12:1-7) The choices of youth set the course for the rest of our life, so choose wisely. Financial prosperity ties us to this world, which we will eventually leave, and we can’t take it with us. There is a bit of seeming contradiction in that Moses advised us not to follow the desires of our heart, but Solomon says we should. (Contrast 11:9 to Numbers 15:39) The upshot is that we need to turn our heart to the Lord, and not follow the worldly or carnal lusts that tempt us. God will ultimately put everything into His order, and we will recognize (eventually) that a heart that loves and communes with Him will have joy, but life apart from Him is meaningless. Don’t let dopamine highs become the focus and priority of life. True, eternal satisfaction in the fruit of spiritual investments will endure.

Ecclesiastes 12

Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 A detailed discussion of the effects of aging, on the human body

• Ecclesiastes 12:1 The pleasure in various aspects of life is diminished. Physical, mental, and emotional pleasures no longer come.
• Ecclesiastes 12:2 Eyesight is diminished, and sunlight and moonlight no longer brighten as they once did.
• Ecclesiastes 12:3 Muscles become weak, we lose teeth, eyesight is diminished.
• Ecclesiastes 12:4 Hearing becomes diminished, but one cannot sleep in, waking early instead. Before the earliest hint of sunrise that we cannot see and chirping birds that we cannot hear, we awaken early anyway. Solomon does not reflect on this being a divine call to get up early and spend more time talking to the Lord.
• Ecclesiastes 12:5 We lose courage because we are constantly reminded of various dangers that we have learned about throughout life. Hair turns white and falls out; sexual desire and function disappear.
• Ecclesiastes 12:6 The spinal cord and brain eventually fail; our ability to work and, manage finances goes away.
• Ecclesiastes 12:7 A reference to God’s creation of man from the dust of the earth and breathing the breath of life into him, and the curse put on Adam after the fall. (Genesis 2:7, 3:19)

Ecclesiastes 12:8 From a natural or worldly perspective, the collapse of human life in old age rends all of our accomplishments, and the meaning of life from when we were young. Life is ultimately meaningless as these things are torn from us.

Ecclesiastes 12:9-12 Solomon listened to others, pondered their words, and set them out clearly in the right words, as proverbs. He warns about adding to them, maybe not as opening the door to error, but because doing the study, pondering, sifting, and seeking of truth is endless toil, and there is no final arrival at all worldly wisdom. Hence, the final conclusion is not found in the world’s wisdom….

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Life apart from God is meaningless, so while still under the sun, obey Him. As we race like rats, remember that there is something much greater outside the maze. Jesus redeems those who come to Him, through His paying the price for our sins on the cross.  We will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, but that is better than facing the final judgment at the end of time. (2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:12-15) He will welcome those who come to Him into His eternal home. (John 14:2)

Ecclesiastes 7-9

Ecclesiastes 7

Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 After birth comes life, and with it disappointment. After death comes the reality of eternity in the spiritual realm. Mourning the death of another should remind us that this day of reckoning will come for everyone. Except Enoch and Elijah, whose lives were so connected to God that they went to Him without the grimness of death.

Ecclesiastes 7:3-4 Dealing with sadness and frustration, being discipled by pain reveals the reality that foolish pleasures are only fantasy. 

Ecclesiastes 7:5-6 We have a choice. The wise who have been schooled and discipled by God through painful life experiences, and learned from them, share what they have learned. Our choice is to heed their teaching, or go through the same kinds of learning experiences (i.e., pain of reaping what we have sowed). It is better to learn from others than suffer ourselves. But it is our choice.

Ecclesiastes 7:7 The corrupting influence of money can infect even the wise and the seemingly righteous. No one ever graduates from temptation.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 There is satisfaction in wrapping up some issue or event, which is better than starting it, which requires resources and effort, and usual involves some level of difficulty. In the middle of such a matter, patient perseverance is a better path to a positive outcome than the belief that one is so wonderful or lucky that they can let things slide. Trusting in God is not pride, but trusting in one’s own faith and treating God as a servant is not going to work out well. 

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Not sure who said this - that anger is our way of punishing ourself for something that someone else did. But we do know that Jesus said that whoever is angry with his brother is guilty before the court. (Matthew 5:22)  He went on to say to be reconciled to your brother and make friends with our opponent at law. (Matthew 5:23-26)

Ecclesiastes 7:10 Fondly recalling the good old days and omitting their pain and difficulties is fantasy. We should remember the lessons we learned by paying the tuition of pain, so that our lives now will line up with reality and be better. That is wise.

Ecclesiastes 7:11-12 Anyone who is alive can get wisdom. If heeded, it preserves their lives. Money can buy things, but wisdom can (if heeded) bring life itself. Israel is Abraham’s inheritance, but wisdom is found in God’s word.

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 If we believe in God’s omnipotence and His love, then we should see dry spells as learning and growing experiences. This is part of the resolution to the problem of pain - why does God allow bad things to happen to good people. We need to roll with the punches, having confidence that God will set things right in the end.

Ecclesiastes 7:15-18 Continuing on the problem of pain, explicitly identified here. (7:15) Perhaps the Pharisees of Jesus’ day exemplified over-righteousness. Their problem was that they thought that the appearance of righteousness - words and externals - were all that mattered, but ignored the content of their hearts. (Matthew 23:27-28) Avoiding extremes doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be fully devoted to God. W should reverence Him. This will enable Him to help us, in humility, avoid sins lurking at the extremes of behavior.

Ecclesiastes 7:19 Wisdom provides a strategy for life, so that we don’t have to fight off ten demons who would try to assert control over us. Jesus has defeated them. 

Ecclesiastes 7:20 This was quoted by Paul. (Romans 3:12) The consequence of the fall of Adam. As soon as we are old enough to understand that we can choose, we choose to sin in the likeness of Adam. (Romans 5:12-14) There was only One who was completely righteous and never sinned.

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 Mind our words, so that we do not become a stumbling block to others. Just avoiding hurtful words is a good start, but we need to change our heart to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us. (Matthew 5:44)

Ecclesiastes 7:23-25 Based on this, Solomon set out to discover wisdom. Hence we have both this book and the Proverbs. He searched to find out the scheme of things. This did not necessarily mean science, but human affairs. Why do people stupidly choose to do wicked things, or act as though insane  with their foolishness. In today’s internet era, there are endless videos of people doing foolish things and immediately getting hurt, but fewer depict the long-term consequences of evil. Read books like the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.

 https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Fall-Third-Reich-History/dp/1451651686

Ecclesiastes 7:26 The very first thing that comes to Solomon’s mind in his search for how things work is a woman like Jezebel, who controlled Ahab. (1 Kings 16:30-31) Ahab was already sinful. She just encouraged and amplified his sin. Disaster not only for him, but for the northern kingdom of Israel.

Ecclesiastes 7:27-28 There was one upright Man. Solomon did not know Him in the flesh, but recognized that He would come. Paul quoted this verse also. (Romans 3:10) In the garden of Eden, we are told of the coming seed of woman. (Genesis 3:15) Solomon looked forward to that.

Ecclesiastes 7:29 God created man upright, in His image. (Genesis1:21) But Adam and the rest of us have sought after other things besides God. (Genesis 3:17)

Ecclesiastes 8

Ecclesiastes 8:1 How does wisdom affect our appearance? Solomon says it brightens and softens our face. Wisdom brings sorrow, but also compassion for those who muddle in darkness and ignorance. We don’t normally associate wisdom with compassion, although we can simply see Jesus as wisdom personified. (For example, in The Final Quest trilogy.) 

Ecclesiastes 8:2-5 Solomon warns about taking oaths, especially foolish oaths before God and king, for bad causes. These days, within a democracy and having freedom of press, anything we say or do will be criticized by someone online. Aside from breaking laws, the president and the police have authority to tell some to stop doing something. Of course, you can always be sued in court. But we have no earthly king to tell us what to do. A wise person will know how to do things properly without a king’s direction. However, when do what the King of kings command, we may face opposition.

Ecclesiastes 8:6 The  Jewish calendar given to Moses identifies proper times and procedures for all the matters of life. Apart from that, we may not know when is the proper time. If God sets a proper time, we should do it even if we are struggling with trials. He knows what we are going through. 

Ecclesiastes 8:7 The prophets reveal what is to come. There are many fakes out there. Beware of mediums who consult dark spirits. (Deuteronomy 18:9-15)  

Ecclesiastes 8:8 There are four observations in this compact verse. Most are ignored by everyone. Pay attention!

• No one can control the wind. Hurricanes and tornados happen, and weather forecasters work very hard to forecast a few days out where they might occur. No one can control them.
• No one can prevent their own death. It is possible to commit suicide. However, this is not a desirable action and the consequences are horrendous. It is self-murder. (Exodus 20:13)
• Whether one has been drafted or volunteered for active duty, the nation will not release soldiers from active duty while they are needed. War is hell, which the Bible doesn’t say explicitly but it is consistent. The Prince of Peace will end war for a thousand years. But until He returns, this adage is obvious.
• Doing something evil to try to get out of a bad situation is a losing strategy. The outcome will be worse. The only way out is to turn to Jesus, confess and repent, and do what He says. 

Because there are many things we can’t control - weather, war, death - we have to trust God for the outcome. Sin and evil will never deliver us.

Ecclesiastes 8:9-13 It may be that an evil person will outwardly be respectable-looking, honored in public, and live a long time. They may get a church funeral. But their end will not escape justice. (Revelation 20:10-13) 

Ecclesiastes 8:14-15 Solomon once again raises the problem of pain. His answer here is superficial. Enjoy life with whatever you have been given by God under the sun. Jesus will solve the problem of pain. Rather than trying to be a conqueror who compels good to be done, we need to recognize that God has an inscrutable strategy, revealed in the gospel, and respect Him, and gratefully receive His gifts, as well as obey Him.

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 Solomon finally admits it is unknowable even by him. In this life, things will always have the potential to go wrong, and some will, due to our own mistakes, even if evil is throttled. Anyone who claims to have it all worked out, doesn’t.

Ecclesiastes 9

Solomon continues to elaborate on how, through our sin, we destroy the blessings God has given us

Ecclesiastes 9:1-2 Everyone shares a common destiny - to stand before the judgment seat of God. The outcome of that judgment depends on what is written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 13:8, 20:12; Daniel 7:10) Solomon mentions taking oaths as though the outcome doesn’t matter. Jesus said it is better not to take oaths, but simply say yes and no and follow through. (Matthew 5:33-37)

Ecclesiastes 9:3-6 Despair is the sin of not trusting God for the outcome. Looking only at events on earth apart from Him, despair is a logical result. Question: does difficulty in life mean that we lose meaning in life and despair, or does it give meaning to what we do while we are alive, accomplishing something for God against opposition?

Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 Has God already approved what we do? Probably what Solomon means is that if we do what God approves, we are told to enjoy life, this results in us being able to enjoy life. Serving Him gives meaning to an otherwise meaningless existence. The answer to the issue just posed. 

White clothing symbolizes purity. Being anointed with oil symbolizes the anointing of Ruach HaKodessh. We need to be that way every day, not just in church, but in our daily life activities - both pure in heart and inspired by the Spirit of God.

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 Solomon is wrong! God rewards our efforts on His behalf, and He controls the outcomes. (Jeremiah 1:12, 44:27) The timing of our death is unknown to us, and it could happen when we are young or old. (8:8) 

Ecclesiastes 9:13-18 We have an example of both wisdom and foolishness. The wisdom of an old but poor man is stronger than the military prowess of a king. The wise man understands the unseen realm and God’s power, and how to overcome evil. The people recognized that wisdom and appreciated being rescued, but otherwise ignored the wisdom of age, experience because they looked down on his poverty. But his wisdom was insight into God and His ways to live them out. Unfortunately, we live in an age where the internet and social media amplify the shouts of a ruler among fools. 

Ecclesiastes 4-6

Ecclesiastes 4

Ecclesiastes 4:1 There is a difference between leadership and power. People need leadership to point them towards repentance and prayer to honor God. It does not help their spiritual Health and growth to be controlled and forced. The oppressors, however, totally lack any comfort from God, having rejected Him. Paul explained that believers have abundant comfort from God, as we share in the suffering of Christ. 

Ecclesiastes 4:2-3 While it may be blissful to be with Christ in heaven eventually, there will be a judgment seat to stand before. And after passing that, there will be joys we cannot imagine. But this does not justify the killing of another person (Exodus 20:13); Solomon’s statement about the happiness of those never having been born does not justify abortion. The unborn child that is murdered has experienced evil firsthand.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 Does all achievement spring from envy? (Exodus 20:17) Certainly much evil does result from wanting something that someone else has, but there is also the desire to accomplish something for good, and/or for God, that is motivated by a desire to be recognized and rewarded by Him, irregardless of what others may receive. That should be our motivation for whatever work we do.

Ecclesiastes 4:5-6 Fools ruin themselves. They just don’t see it. 

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 Some people are so driven by the need for worldly success that they do not see any value in cultivating relationships, with God or other people. This leads to a meaningless life - who cares? Showing their enemies that they are better? What comfort is that? The advantage of a couple is that one partner can support the other when they stumble. It goes deeper than that  - the comfort of relationship includes companionship, encouragement, practical help, and corrective feedback rather than judgment and condemnation. They have each others’ back. The ultimate cord of three strands is the Trinity, of YHWH AB, Yeshua HaMashiach, and Ruach HaKodesh. They are three yet one, and demonstrated that even death cannot break their bond.

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 It is unclear if this account of a king and his successor is a fictional account, or perhaps refers to Saul as the foolish old king, and David as the successor who was born in poverty. Why were people not pleased with the successor later? At least two theories are possible. One possibility is that the successor was despised because of his sin. He started with an eternal mandate from spiritual sources, but later sin contaminated his reign. Another possibility is that because he was devoted to God, the people came to a point where they wanted freedom to do their own thing without reference (or deference) to what God wants, and the king opposed that path. Either way, it points to chasing wind. Political power is strong on earth, but has no eternal value unless it aligns with eternal values. This completes the observation earlier. (4:1)

Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 Wanting God to speak to us is good, but we need to have an appropriate mindset. God is not a quick-fix artist. When we are in a jam He is certainly able to resolve the problem, but … we need to hear what He has to say to us to get our life back on track. While sometimes problems come because of actions by others, how much of our difficulty in life is the result of our own actions that He advises us about and we have ignored His advice? He has the eternal perspective and already knows what is going on on earth, with the addition of heavenly insight. Rather than endlessly repeat to Him our circumstances, we need to hear and heed what He has to say, which means listening.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 Jesus repeated this warning about vows. (Matthew 5:33-37) His advice was to never make a vow, but simply say yes or no. In fact, He said that anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 Having been king, Solomon is rather cynical about politics. Things haven’t changed much in 3,000 years. Rather than seeing power as a responsibility before God, sadly many politicians see it as a boost to their ego, to puff themselves up.

Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 Jesus made it clear that we cannot serve both God and riches. We will love one and despise the other. (Matthew 6:24) And, being wealthy simply attracts dependent dependents. 

Ecclesiastes 5:12 Do rich people have trouble sleeping because of guilt about how they got their wealth, or worry about losing it? Laborers are both tired and comparatively guilt-free. They may worry, but not about losing their wealth (which they don’t have anyway), but about whether they have faithfully served God.

Ecclesiastes 5:13-17 Jesus advised us to lay up for ourselves treasure in heaven, where it will not be stolen or decay or rot. (Matthew 6:20) When we die, only that which we have already sent to heaven will be ours. The phrase ‘you can’t take it with you’ is only partial advice. Using our earthly treasure to further God’s kingdom is the true way to send it on ahead of us to heaven.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 God grants us satisfaction in this life if we seek and work for what He has called us to. Whether that is stewarding financial resources, or laboring among the poor on His behalf, that focus in life enables us to accept our lot in life and be happy with doing it. 

Ecclesiastes 6

Ecclesiastes 6:1-6 What is the key to enjoying life? The world says that financial success, or being honored, are the road to happiness. By contrast, Paul wrote that being content with what one has is that key. (Philippians 4:11-12) At best, wealth only buys superficial distraction, but worse is that it distracts us from what really matters. A large family, a healthy life are better than wealth, but still do not buy eternal happiness. Solomon’s cynicism about these things leads him down a road that says it is better to die before having to experience life, but that is not God’s plan. In any event, saying that a stillborn child is better off than living a long life does not justify abortion. When David cried out to the Lord about feeling abandoned by Him, his psalm of praise ends by declaring that dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations, David sings that this will be declared even to the unborn, and all will worship Him. (Psalm  22:22-31) But only some are allowed to go into the holy city, the new Jerusalem, in eternity. (Revelation 21:27)

Ecclesiastes 6:7-12 There is nothing wrong with hard work, but it is not an end in itself. Wisdom can give us an advantage on earth, but the greatest wisdom is to fear and serve God, which many of the worldly wise reject. The roving appetite, whatever a person may desire in the world, is just chasing after wind. New knowledge isn’t really new; despite scientific discoveries, God created it. No matter how strong someone is, there is always someone stronger, ultimately God will show this to the one who trusts in his strength. (1 Samuel 17:10,43,50) Endless talk does not convey more and more wisdom, eventually the words repeat. Who knows what the future holds? God revealed it through the prophets. (Daniel 2:27-28) Ultimately, whether individuals or nations flourish or perish on earth, all will be held accountable in eternity. (Revelation 20:11-15)