Ecclesiastes 10:1-20
Notes
Transcript
Ecclesiastes 10:1-20
Ecclesiastes 10:1-20
The book of Ecclesiastes is about one man’s search for meaning “under the sun.” Or, here on earth. That one man was King Solomon, and he was a pretty wise guy. When he became King, his father David gave him a piece of advice: 1 Kings 2:2–4 “2 “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 3 And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4 that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”
And what does Solomon do? 1 Kings 3:5 “5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?”” 1 Kings 3:7–9 “7 Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. 9 Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?””
1 Kings 3:11–14 “11 Then God said to him: “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. 13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.””
1, 2 Samuel and 1, 2 Kings are AMAZING STORIES. Now, I purposely cut a part of this story out. Anyone know what I DIDN’T mention? 1 Kings 3:1–4 “1 Now Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter; then he brought her to the City of David until he had finished building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall all around Jerusalem. 2 Meanwhile the people sacrificed at the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days. 3 And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places. 4 Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.” Whoops…Starting at the beginning, taking Pharaoh’s daughter as his wife…following in the statutes of his father…EXCEPT that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places…was that allowed? Only the priests could do that…Why was Solomon doing it? Because he could. He was king, who’s going to stop him?
Oh young Solomon…If you only knew what old Solomon here knows now, that wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one SINNER destroys much good. Isn’t that how Chapter 9 ends? Look at Ecc 9:18 My kids hate the term: All for one, one for all. Work it out for the greater good! I’m trying to teach them the lesson; one person in sin can withhold blessing! They can bring suffering. Which leads here into Vv 1 of Chapter 10.
1 Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, And cause it to give off a foul odor; So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.
We’ve got a reputation we’re building, in chapter 9 we talked about character, and the fact that it’s the only thing that will defend you when you’re not there. I don’t care if people talk behind my back. I don’t. Go spread lies. I know who I am. Most of you know who I am. If there’s smoke, I would expect you all to do what you should do, and that’s come to me and say “Hey, I’m seeing a pattern that’s OUT OF CHARACTER for you. Maybe you should work on that.” One transgression can derail all of what I’ve worked hard for though, can’t it? Not a slip of the eye…but budding a relationship. Stumbling a brother or sister. Getting my doctrine messed up. I appreciate the grace you guys give me. But I want to lead honorably. I will never be THE GOOD SHEPHERD. But I want to be “A” good shepherd.
Do we know when we stink? WE DON’T! We usually need someone around us to remind us. Be a good brother or sister. Love covers a multitude of sin. Help each of us keep the flies out of our ointment. We can’t get this life right on our own. We hurt, we struggle, but God put people like you in the life of others to help them up sometimes, and other times to stand in their way. Don’t let the dead flies rot, it doesn’t take much to ruin the whole punch bowl.
2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, But a fool’s heart at his left.
I’m going to keep the politics out of this and just address the spiritual implications. Left handed people are..........No, they’re not. Where is the most honored seat? To the right of the king, correct? Most people are right handed. Have any of you been in a castle before? They have these windy staircases? They always wind to the left on their way up, why is that? So the person fighting up the staircase has to fight left handed, with his non-dominant hand. Unless they’re Inigo Montoya, they’re going to have a bad time If you were left handed, you were considered different. Can anyone think of a famous left handed person in the Bible? His name starts with an E. Ehud, one of the first judges of Israel. Judges 3, read it…maybe not before eating.
The right hand was considered the dominant hand. If you were someone’s right-hand man, what did that mean? You were trusted, you were honorable, you were good with a tommy gun…It meant you were righteous in the eyes of the leader, respected. Are we as dextrous with our off-hand? How many of you can write with your off-hand? How about hold a pencil? It’s near impossible, isn’t it? It’s like you have to rewrite your brain to use your left hand. My wife can write with both, so can my youngest son…but that’s special.
A wise man exercises his heart, uses it wisely, a fool does what? Plays with it, at best, and at worst flat out forgets it’s there sometimes don’t we? My left hand is dead. It’s the “Hold this” hand. Put a screwdriver in my left hand, and it’ll hold something in place, but I have no focus to make it screw. My grip strength is weaker, my dexterity is less.
Jesus illustrated it best in Matthew 25:31–36 “31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’” Matthew 25:41–43 “41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’”
Right hand, left hand…sand a floor, paint the fence…up, down, up, down...
3 Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, And he shows everyone that he is a fool.
Have you ever been in the presence of a truly wise person? You’re like…”wow, this guy, this lady is special.” There’s something about their discernment…you’re drawn to that, aren’t we? Like Ecclesiastes 8:1 “1 Who is like a wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, And the sternness of his face is changed.”
How about an idiot? You’re like “woah.” Are you serious? Okay, there’s a joke here somewhere...
I think of watching a drunk…thinking of ME as a drunk after rugby matches in college, walking to my dorm room, in the snow, in shorts that came to mid thigh, stumbling into the street because the sidewalk is too narrow. So many times, I showed people how foolish I was. You don’t look at that man and say “This is the man I want to marry…look at him, passed out in the bowling alley bathroom floor. He’s so cute!” Thank you for marrying me honey, for seeing that God had something special in store for me. My wife is a Proverbs 31 woman. She brings me honor…Our wives are so gracious brothers, they look at us with special eyes, and they are fierce defenders!
Fools make excellent cautionary tales. I can’t watch people being foolish. It’s not funny to me watching someone be dumb. I use my foolishness as a tool to help others, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. My kids know i’m smarter than them. If they don’t know, one day they will…but they know when I’m being silly, and that’s different than being an idiot. Don’t be a dummy.
4 If the spirit of the ruler rises against you, Do not leave your post; For conciliation pacifies great offenses.
What is this word Conciliation? Other translations use the word calm. What do you think when people run from authority? They must be guilty of something! When you’re faced with a great obstacle, when people come after you. When your boss walks into your cubicle to ask you if you got the memo about the TPS reports...remain calm. People that want to fight can have their heart changed by someone who doesn’t get caught up in anger and fear. You’re allowed to be afraid, but don’t wear it on your face! You can control your countenance. Tame your face!
I was not bullied as a kid. I knew what I could handle, and I knew how to get up. I didn’t like it when people did the wrong things, and I told them that…and I told their parents too. It got me into trouble with my friends, but I always remained calm. Even taking blows from them, I knew that I was in the right standing firm. People will respect and depend on that about you. This goes back to your character again. When people were accused of doing the wrong thing, they knew the weight my word carried if I vouched for them. Stand on the wall and man your post. Do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Sometimes that means upsetting a friend or a family member when you can’t support them. Let me amend can’t support and change it to shouldn’t support them. There comes a time when helping is hurting. This book is full of hard lessons that NEEDED to be EXPERIENCED, because even when the rulers would write out the Torah, they were just words until the weight of their choices, their stuipdity was upon them.
Oswald Chambers said this: When your loyalties conflict, ALWAYS obey Jesus Christ, whatever the cost. Do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Stand at your post, be calm, 1 Peter 2:17 “17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” Bring honor to the King. Admit when you’re wrong and make amends quickly.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler:
6 Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.
7 I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants.
More proof the enemy is at always at work, and his tactics haven’t changed this whole time. The wicked are raised up, the righteous are put down. Righteous leaders are few. Solomon sees this injustice…but let’s look closer at the concepts here Ecclesiastes 10:6–7 “6 Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place. 7 I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants.” Let’s contrast/compare this Jesus’ words again from Mark 10:43–44 “43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.”
Did Jesus see this as a great evil under the sun? He was from ABOVE THE SUN. He said I see you way down there devil, and I’ve already got you beat at your own game. Solomon sees the problem, but as we’ve talked about, he doesn’t know the solution. In all his wisdom, the Lord came to him while he was sinning and asked him what he wanted. Knowing full-well that Solomon would continue down this path, but God had a story for him to write, that once Jesus came on the scene, all of Solomon’s woes would become clear as day.
Solomon says “I hate this!” Jesus said “This is the only way!” Always look for the foreshadowing to Jesus in the old testament. It’s everywhere, and it’s breathtaking when you find it for yourself!
8 He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent.
9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it.
10 If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success.
Pro tips from King the Tool Man Solomon: Live in a bubble, nothing bad will ever happen to you.
Is that true? Will your family still get sick if you live in a bubble? Will people you love still die?
What’s he saying here? Prepare before you undertake a task. Franklin Covey said “Begin with an end in mind.” Solomon is laying out the first OSHA handbook. Think things out, get good council, and sharpen your iron with iron! Being a sheep shearer, I know the feeling of sharp tools. Everything is smooth, the sheep is comfortable because you’re not ripping their wool out, but when they start to get dull, you know it. If you’ve ever sharpened tools before, it’s hard work, and in some cases it’s an art form. BUT, having the right tool for the job, ready, sharp, charged, makes the job easier, faster, and allows you to do it right. Don’t be hasty.
11 A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up;
13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness.
14 A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him?
15 The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city!
There is an awesome song by Hawk Nelson, called “Words” that I listened to with my kids the other day. It’s one of my favorite songs. The chorus goes like this: “Words can build us up, words can break us down, put a fire in your heart, or put it out. Let my words be LIFE, let my words be TRUTH. I don’t want to say a word, unless it turns the world back to You! Let the words I say, be the sound of Your grace. I don’t want to say a word, unless it turns the world back to You!”
We need to start living out Philippians 4 and Galatians 5 more often. If you’ve got problems with your words, read those 2 chapters Philippians 4, Galatians 5 and rate yourself…then ask someone close to you to rate you. It’s as real as it gets to tame your words, and it’s empirical. Which means you get real data that you can use to help you.
Solomon keeps saying “Who can tell what will happen after a man?” He’s obsessed with the fact that we all die and go to the same place. This whole world is chance, it’s luck…you might have got a bum hand, really stinks to be you! Where was his focus at the end of his life? Down. Under the sun, not in the sun, not above the sun, but here on earth. Nothing can explain what is going on here. That’s why the Lord set eternity in our hearts to search after him. The problem is, we keep talking. We keep babbling…we pray and hang up the phone. We make our own narrative. Stop talking and listen. Take up the challenge with your wife or husband, or someone close to you. Philippians 4, Galatians 5.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning!
17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness!
Quality leaders are hard to come by these days. Look at our young government officials. They’re awfully full of themselves, aren’t they? Do you keep up with all of the tomfoolery of the mockery that our country’s leadership has become. They’re all power hungry, aren’t they? Few are respectable, even fewer listen to reason. King Solomon is showing us that even in his time, immature leaders brought shame. Solomon has said there is nothing new under the sun, the devil has no new tricks. If you remember months ago, we talked about the fact that every generation deals with the same issues, over and over again, it’s like football practice: run it again, run it again, run it again…Fewer and fewer people get it.
But what has happened to our world?
18 Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks.
19 A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything.
We have become lazy, haven’t we? As a people. We’re complacent, comfortable. What happens when we stop doing maintenance on our vehicles? When we get lazy about it…it breaks down. How about our home? Does your house take care of itself? Do those hail marks heal themselves? What does it take most times to fix them? Motivation and…money.
Now, Solomon isn’t saying money is everything, he’s saying money answers everything. It’s not the only answer, but it’s a good one. He’s being pragmatic, if you’ve got money, you can fix about everything. Most all of us will never know what too much money can bring us. In fact, most all of us live paycheck to paycheck. But, we know that money pays bills, money can get you a more reliable vehicle, can buy you a house, etc. You can pay off a college counselor to get into that ivy league school...Just like bricks, you can use them to build something amazing, or you can use them as weapons to destroy. How we use what God gifts us is what matters more than anything. Just like the comic book saying “with great power comes great responsibility.” With great wealth, comes great responsibility. I’ve known a lot of people with money. Some obsess over it and about it. Others know they have it and are comfortable with helping take care of others. Money doesn’t solve the problem, but it does answer questions, doesn’t it? Don’t let it consume you, especially the pursuit of it. Keep Jesus and your family in focus. Money isn’t bad…it’s use is.
20 Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.
Have you ever heard of the term “A little birdie told me?” This is where it came from. Just like Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates took bits of wisdom from Solomon and made them their own, we still use euphamisms today that he uttered. Today, we live in a divided country. The thought police are coming for us. Everything is offensive to everyone. Can anyone truly live above reproach? I ask most of you who know me, do I live, as much as I can, above reproach? Am I the man you think you know? Am I respectable? Honest? Kind? Merciful? Just? Within reason, I mean. And I’m not asking you to answer me…but it’s a question I ask myself. Am I, in private who the Lord needs me to be in public? Would my character be able to defend me if slander came my way? Just when I think nobody is around, I notice the walls have ears, in my phone. We’re never truly alone anymore.
In today’s world, we get so caught up in opposing other’s views that we disrespect the office others hold. There are people in my life I have a total lack of respect for personally, but they’re in positions of authority and I have to place respect in the position. Romans 13 tells us that there are bad rulers who will be placed over us. We are to show them respect because of the position they’re in, and rebel when they infringe on what Scripture says we should do.
Think of our kids. They hear everything. They need to see that we may disagree with our president, but he is our president. I’ll never disrespect the position of President of the United States, because it’s a position of honor and importance. It’s a symbol of freedom to our world. The right person in that position can change the world, it can bring blessing back to our country. Just like the kings of Israel and Judah. Good kings prospered the country, bad kings brought judgement. Their stories are told to so the new things under the sun can make changes, if we want to…if we’re not too lazy to do so.
Thru most of this book, Solomon has been venting his frustration with the fact that his world was so focused on self that life was meaningless, it’s a vapor. He’s been there, done that, and now he’s got a story to tell…that this life, under the sun, is meaningless. He’s proof that this world is missing something. And what is this world missing? Jesus. What does this world need? Jesus.
Why are we so lazy? Why do we let this house fall apart on us? God’s house is in shambles, His people are scattered, mostly afraid to speak up because we don’t want to offend anyone. We’re afraid we won’t have the words, or we’ll open our mouth and insert the other foot. How does a mighty man become mighty? What does every inspirational person you know, or you’ve seen in movies have? What quality? They are stripped to nothing, and they stand.
In the beginning of this message today, I went back to the beginning of King Solomon’s reign to prove a point. In the midst of Solomon’s sin, the Lord came to him. How many times does He call out to us as we’re headed down that lonely road to our sin. As we sit at our computer…as we answer that text to head to the bar, as we look at our children as they sleep and can’t remember the last time we saw them awake.
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