Better Instructions for enduring
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Wisdom shared
Wisdom shared
We have seen much, read much, endured much under the sun and also as we have been looking at Koheleth (Solomon) view, opinion, conclusion and investigative material to back up his claim. In other words he has shared his wisdom. He does not stop here. He give more instructions, more shared wisdom in our passage tonight.
Wisdom shared from his own search for meaning (Ecc7:27)
27 “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation,
Wisdom shared from God’s wisdom given (Ecc1:16; 1Kn3:12; 1Kn4:30)
16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”
and
12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you.
and just one more
30 Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
God given wisdom that we get to hold in our hand and gain wisdom from too!
We have previously looked at better instructions for living (Ecc7:1-29) and it is good for us to take instruction, learn from instructions and apply instructions so as to improve our life “under the sun.”
There are things we can know for sure about life under the sun.
There are things we cannot change
There are things we cannot escape
There are things we cannot know, comprehend
As we survey chapters 8-9 of Ecclesiastes tonight there are two things we can know that I want to glean from the passage
The inevitability of death
The necessity, the must of enduring the government
Koheleth continues to share better instructions tonight to help us to endure life under the sun and the vanities of this life under the sun.
Enduring the government
Enduring the government
We cannot avoid that no matter where you live there is a government of men, that for the most part is for the people, but still it takes endurance in dealing with them, even if you are not a political person. We are looking at Solomon’s view and not a personal or political view, but a biblical view of dealing with government.
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Submit to authorities (Ecc8:1-3)
Respect authority and it is better for you (Ecc8:4-5)
Even if don’t agree, know God will judge in His timing and way (Ecc8:5-9)
Now a New Testament look at enduring government (Rom13:1-7)
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Submit to authorities (Ecc8:1-3)
1 Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam. 2 I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.
3 “Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.”
Remember Koheleth, Solomon, preacher is the one given all wisdom and he knows there is none wiser than him (v.1) and he is sharing good wisdom
Obey, keep the commands of the king (government) (Ecc8:2-3)
Submit to authorities (Ecc8:1-3)
Respect authority and it is better for you (Ecc8:4-5)
4 Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, “What are you doing?” 5 He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure.
Respect authorities authority and you have no trouble (Ecc8:4)
Submit to authorities (Ecc8:1-3)
Respect authority and it is better for you (Ecc8:4-5)
Even if don’t agree, know God will judge in His timing and way (Ecc8:5-9)
5 He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him.
7 If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8 No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.
9 All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt.
It is a wise man who knows all judgment belongs to the Lord and He will judge in His way and in His time, so be wise and endure life under the sun under the authority of men.
Submit to authorities (Ecc8:1-3)
Respect authority and it is better for you (Ecc8:4-5)
Even if don’t agree, know God will judge in His timing and way (Ecc8:5-9)
Now a New Testament look at enduring government (Rom13:1-7)
1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.
5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.
7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
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In knowing wisdom, having better instructions for enduring life under the sun in regards to government, may we also know there are, will be, wicked rulers, authority and we should be ready for them, in other words anticipate them.
Wickedness will be to their own demise, hurt (Ecc8:9)
After their demise they will be forgotten (Ecc8:10)
So, why be evil? because judgment is not instantaneous (Ecc8:11)
So for us, may we remember, fear God (Ecc8:12-13)
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In knowing wisdom, having better instructions for enduring life under the sun, in regards to government, authorities, may we also know there are, will be, wicked rulers, wicked authority and we should be ready for them, we should anticipate them.
Wickedness will be to their own demise, hurt (Ecc8:9)
9 All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt.
You will reap what you sow, maybe you have read that before somewhere (ref. Gal6:7) evil will have it’s just reward one day, it will be for their own hurt, own demise.
Wickedness will be to their own demise, hurt (Ecc8:9)
After their demise they will be forgotten (Ecc8:10)
10 So then, I have seen the wicked buried, those who used to go in and out from the holy place, and they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus. This too is futility.
Who was Warren E. Burger? Anyone know that name? - He was chief justice of Supreme court and chief proponent in Roe v. Wade. You may know the ruling, the evil done under the sun, but forget the man behind it.
Wickedness will be to their own demise, hurt (Ecc8:9)
After their demise they will be forgotten (Ecc8:10)
So, why be evil? because judgment is not instantaneous (Ecc8:11)
11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.
People become cold, callus even to sin because the penalty of sin is not carried out immediately.
Wickedness will be to their own demise, hurt (Ecc8:9)
After their demise they will be forgotten (Ecc8:10)
So, why be evil? because judgment is not instantaneous (Ecc8:11)
So for us, may we remember, fear God (Ecc8:12-13)
12 Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and may lengthen his life, still I know that it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly. 13 But it will not be well for the evil man and he will not lengthen his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.
Next in enduring the government, authorities we should expect the unexplainable
Why at times righteous suffer, evil prospers (Ecc8:14)
14 There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility.
We may not know, understand, comprehend why evil seems to prevail at times, we just need to know that while God does not create evil He allows evil and judges evil. (i.e. Egypt, or look at all the minor prophets and judgment against Israel by evil nations around)
We cannot know, comprehend why things happen they way they do (Ecc8:16-17)
16 When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), 17 and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot discover.
Think of Job here? He did not know why, did not understand why everything was going on to him for even God called him a man of integrity.
So, what to do while enduring government, authorities?
Enjoy life and the fruits of your labor (Ecc8:15)
15 So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
That is nothing new he has given that sage advise before (Ecc2:24-26; Ecc3:12-13 and Ecc518-20) in case you were wondering.
It is easy to get worked up about the government or authorities turn on the News channels or AM Radio and the iniquities of men, of the government, of authorities will quickly be pointed out to you. You can dwell, be swayed by that or you can enjoy the life God has given you under the sun for the time you have.
Inevitability of death
Inevitability of death
Have you looked around, have you noticed anyone that is 2000+ years old walking around? Then there is no escaping it, death is inevitable, but how we endure that knowledge, that wisdom of it matters.
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Death happens to all, righteous and wicked (Ecc9:1-3)
We can have hope while we live (Ecc9:4)
When we die, we cannot be assured of hope and memory fades (Ecc9:5-6)
So, what do we do while know this, enjoy life (Ecc9:7-8)
Enjoy the wife you have been given (Ecc9:9)
Do your work now, do it heartily (Ecc9:10; Col3:17, Col3:23)
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Death happens to all, righteous and wicked (Ecc9:1-3)
1 For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.
2 It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear.
3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.
It does not matter if you are righteous because of Christ or you are evil because you are outside of Christ, death is the same for both.
Death happens to all, righteous and wicked (Ecc9:1-3)
We can have hope while we live (Ecc9:4)
4 For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion.
It is better to be living and have hope than to be dead and no hope. We can know what the scripture says about hope for the Christian, but may we remember when Koheleth is writing and he is addressing things under the sun, and not under the SON!
Death happens to all, righteous and wicked (Ecc9:1-3)
We can have hope while we live (Ecc9:4)
When we die, we cannot be assured of hope and memory fades (Ecc9:5-6)
5 For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. 6 Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.
Death happens to all, righteous and wicked (Ecc9:1-3)
We can have hope while we live (Ecc9:4)
When we die, we cannot be assured of hope and memory fades (Ecc9:5-6)
So, what do we do while know this, enjoy life (Ecc9:7-8)
7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. 8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head.
Enjoy the wife you have been given (Ecc9:9)
9 Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.
Enjoy the wife you have been given (Ecc9:9)
Do your work now, do it heartily (Ecc9:10; Col3:17, Col3:23)
10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
Now I have to add this
17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
And
23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
Now having said that may I move on or we will be here all night.
So, eventhough there is no escaping death, it is inevitable there is no reason to give up on life, we have a reason, a purpose to live (you can see Mt28:19-20; Mk16:15)
Next, as we are under the sun, knowing, having wisdom, regarding the inevitable what more should we expect?
Expect the unexpected (Ecc9:11)
11 I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all.
Swift, strong does not always mean you are victorious
Wise, understanding and skillful does not always equate to being fed, rich or to be recipients of good favor.
The unexpected can catch you off guard (Ecc9:12)
12 Moreover, man does not know his time: like fish caught in a treacherous net and birds trapped in a snare, so the sons of men are ensnared at an evil time when it suddenly falls on them.
Death can catch you off guard, we are not promised tomorrow! So, anticipate the unexpected so you are not caught off guard.
So, now what? Appreciate wisdom and its history
It saved the city (Ecc9:13-15)
13 Also this I came to see as wisdom under the sun, and it impressed me. 14 There was a small city with few men in it and a great king came to it, surrounded it and constructed large siegeworks against it.
15 But there was found in it a poor wise man and he delivered the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
There is much value in wisdom (Ecc9:16-18)
While a wise poor man delivered the city (Ecc9:13-15) may we appreciate the value of wisdom
16 So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the wisdom of the poor man is despised and his words are not heeded. 17 The words of the wise heard in quietness are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.
Wisdom is more valuable, should be appreciated more than strength
It is better than weapons of war
Wisdom spoken quietly ruler of fools!
(and in conclusion slide)
We cannot avoid enduring death or the government/authorities. We cannot escape the vanities of life under the sun. We can learn some better instructions for enduring under the sun.
Submit to authorities for God’s sake
Understand there is evil, will be evil and expect the unexpected
Don’t try to figure everything out, somethings are unknowable
Enjoy life
Utilize the wisdom given to us from God for this all wisdom literature for application
(Encouragement slide) prayer (Exit slide)