Grievous evil watch out
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Demolition Zone
Demolition Zone
Koheleth (Solomon) continues to prove his thesis of “vanity of vanities” in our passage tonight. Addressing and demolishing a common pretence (myths) regarding riches.
(demolition zone picture to be inserted here)
When you see a sign that says demolition zone what do you take note of?
This demolition zone tonight we are going to demolish
Vanity that wealth brings satisfaction (v.10)
Vanity that wealth solves every problem (v.11)
Vanity that wealth brings peace of mind (v.12)
Vanity that wealth provides security (vv.13-17)
Solution to vanity of wealth (vv.18-20)
May we look at the section in it’s entirety then go back and look at the vanity in sections.
10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. 11 When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on?
12 The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. 13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.
14 When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. 15 As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.
16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? 17 Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Vanity of wealth bringing satisfaction
Vanity of wealth bringing satisfaction
What faith does for the believer, money does for the unbeliever. They put their trust, their focus and their effort on it. But wealth does not bring satisfaction as history has proven itself over and over.
Trusting in money, riches is making it a god
Sacrifices to make money and gain riches bring no eternal satisfaction (Lk12:13-21)
Just want to mention one verse from passage in Luke
15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”
People guard their money like they should guard their faith
Man was made to be satisfied only by God
Pursuit of wealth can lead to all sorts of evil (1Tim6:10)
10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Vanity that wealth solves every problem
Vanity that wealth solves every problem
We cannot deny the fact that money is needed in this world, and we need to remember that God provides the money we need through, for the most part, the labor of our hands, but money, wealth does not solve every problem.
Koheleth displays the desire for good (riches) leads to desire for more.
The more you have, the more you want, Rockefeller stated that he never got to a point where enough was enough
The more riches you have the more demands are for those riches and the demands of maintaining those riches
Win the lottery and watch relatives and organizations come out of the woodwork to try to claim some of those riches for themselves.
Riches, wealth can lead to assortment of other troubles (Jam2:1-4; 1Tim6:17-19)
Selfishness, being judgmental, divisive (Jam2:1-4)
1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,
3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?
A quick solution, instruction (1Tim6:17-19)
17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
John Wesley said:
“Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”
His life was to live simply and give generously even though he could have been a very wealthy man. for the next myth is:
Vanity that wealth brings peace of mind
Vanity that wealth brings peace of mind
“If I only won the lottery, if I only had this job” Money, wealth cannot buy you peace of mind, contrary to what the world says.
12 The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.
Money, riches, wealth is not a sleep aide, but can do just the opposite
Sleep of the working man can be pleasant, restful, regardless of the amount of money a person has or does not have.
Why do you think the working man can have pleasant sleep?
True peace is found only in God through Christ (Jn14:27; Php4:7)
27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
And then add what Paul says
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Jesus is peace and Jesus gives us the peace of God that guards our heart and minds! for there is no eternal peace of mind through wealth.
J.D. Rockefeller was an example of how money, riches, wealth can almost ruin a life. at 53 as the only billionaire in the world he was so secluded and that he lived on crackers and milk and could not sleep. Then made some changes and started giving his money away and his health changed drastically and he lived to be 98 years old.
Money is not evil, the things money can buy are not evil, but don’t lose the things, sight of the things money cannot buy like peace of mind.
Vanity that wealth brings security
Vanity that wealth brings security
Ouch, it may hurt to not have finances, money to be able to meet your financial obligations, but Koheleth brings to point that having riches, wealth can hurt too.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14 When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.
15 As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?
17 Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger.
What do you notice, What do you see, What sticks out to you?
Don’t want you guys to just sit there, this is a bible study, so how about a few quick questions from the text?
What does Koheleth call wealth here (v.13)?
What does Koheleth say the results are (v.13)?
Look at (v.14), what is the reason there can be evil, hurt?
You can see the grievous evil further expanded in (v.16) and further results in (v.17).
Trusting in wealth in riches is a grievous evil; maybe first we should define grievous.
griev·ous (adj) (of something bad) very severe or serious. synonyms:serious, severe, grave, bad, critical, dreadful, terrible, awful;painful, agonizing, hurtful, afflicting, wounding, damaging, injurious;
sharp, acute
The passage shows 2 rich men, one horded his riches, the other invested poorly both ended up the same, without because they trusted in their wealth.
One became a miser (like JD Rockefeller was shown to be at one time)
The other lost due to poor investments, maybe poor circumstances but the end was the same both had nothing.
It is better to never have had riches then to have and to lose and have nothing to leave for another (v.14).
Riches can never been an eternal, permanent possession. We call live and die the same (v.15) Reminds us of what Job said (Job1:21) or Paul to Timothy (1Tim6:7).
21 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Or even what Paul said to Timothy
7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.
Now in looking at (v.16-17) we can see again the grievous evil and that there is no advantage since we end up the same and that the grievous evil brings about great vexation, sickness and anger to go along with your lack of sleep as mentioned in (v.12).
A good N.T. passage that goes with this thought is the rich fool, you can read that story in (Lk12:13-21)
he thought he had it all going on only for his life to be demanded from him that very night. His money provided no security at all.
Solomon is not promoting, advocating poverty nor riches (wealth) for both have their problems (Pro30:7-9); some other verses to consider too (Pro15:16-17; Pro17:1)
7 Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion,
9 That I not be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.
May you also look at
16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord Than great treasure and turmoil with it. 17 Better is a dish of vegetables where love is Than a fattened ox served with hatred.
And
1 Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it Than a house full of feasting with strife.
May we be content with what we have and that is exactly where Koheleth goes next.
Solution to vanity of wealth
Solution to vanity of wealth
There are three ways to get wealth; we can work for it, we can steal it, or we can receive it as a gift (Ecc5:18-20; Eph4:28)
18 Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
20 For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
We have a little time, how about some more scripture questions?
What did Koheleth see (v.18)?
What does Koheleth acknowledge (v.18)?
What does Koheleth confirm (v.19)?
What is the promise (v.20)?
Regardless of wealth Koheleth draws the conclusion, enjoy God’s provision, do it with thankfulness of heart (Ecc5:18; 1Tim6:8; Jam1:17)
8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
Use what God has given you for they are good gifts
17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
Learn to be content with or without wealth, riches as Paul says (Php4:11-13)
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
All things you can do, is enjoy, all things you can do is share with others to help others. All things you can do is limitless when you know who the giver is and the giver is the one who gives the increase too.
A closing thought.
The man, and may we be people like this, who is content, who has learned the calm enjoyment of the material things we have will not be vexed, concerned about the temporal nature of things for we know this life is more than these things but of the eternal things God has placed in our heart and that which makes the heart glad.
If we focus on the gifts more than the Giver we are idolaters; if we accept the gifts, but complain about them as if they were not enough we are guilty of ingratitude. If we receive the gifts and hoard them and not share them with others we are guilty of indulgence, but if we yield to His will and use what He has given us for His glory, then we can have enjoyment and be satisfied.
(Encouragement slide 1) encouragement (Encouragement slide 2) prayer (exit slide)