Ecclesiastes 4

The world apart from the gospel is a desperate place.

orld apart from the gospel is a desperate place.

Ecclesiastes 4:1–3 ESV

1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

There is a dark cloud hanging over . It is a very somber chapter. The Preacher, Solomon, he's not a participant. Solomon was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He's observing the world, you understand, and he's observing the world without God, without Jesus, without the gospel. And he sees that there are some in the world and all that they can say is, “I wish I had never been born.”

We call our inner cites concrete jungles. It's a euphemism for the hopelessness and despair that often mars our inner cities. Imagine one of those pictures coming out of some African country, of a little child, ribs protruding, gaunt expression on its face, eyes full but with hopelessness and despair.

The world apart from God apart from the gospel is full of injustice.

Wealthy doesn’t equal joy.

Ecclesiastes 4:4–12 ESV

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. 7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business. 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:4–8 ESV

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. 7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

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There is a desperate grab for things in our world. It is a rat race - and even when you win your still a rat!

verse. 8 “NEVER SATISFIED WITH RICHES”

Often those who have the most have the least!

Jesus Calls Them Friends

I’ve found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me, He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul; The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole. In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay; He tells me every care on Him to roll.

Refrain: He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star, He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

John 15:12–15 ESV

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:12-