Ecclesiastes Chapter 7
Notes
Transcript
What was “Step 9?”
What was “Step 9?”
This past Sunday night I mis-counted! “How to Backslide in 9 Easy Steps” However, if you were following along, you realized that I only gave you 8. I didn’t even realize it until I had some individuals come up to me after the service on Sunday to ask, “What was #9?” I want to apologize for this. In my preparation for the message, #9 did not make it from one set of notes to another set of notes - the notes which I preached from on Sunday night.
So, what was Step 9?
Become hardened to sin and to anyone who seeks to turn you back to God.
Become hardened to sin and to anyone who seeks to turn you back to God.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Turn to and read Proverbs 1:22-33.
When you reach step 9 you will have reached the point where you can sin without it bothering you in the least bit. Your conscience will have become seared.
Not only that but you will no longer have desire to listen to anyone who tries to warn you!
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
So, what should you do if you find that a friend or loved one has taken these nine steps or is somewhere in the process of taking these nine steps?
There are two things that you should do...
Pray!
Pray!
Ultimately there is only One who can turn that person’s heart around - that is God!
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
It’s not the prayer which makes the difference. It is the God Who hears and answers that prayer that makes the difference!
But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: The Lord will hear when I call unto him.
But the second thing that you can do is also found in James 5:16:
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Do right!
Do right!
Live the life, in front of them, that they should be living themselves. Don’t badger them; don’t harp. Live a righteous life before them. Ultimately, you are only responsible for one individual - yourself.
Now, back to the book of Ecclesiastes. Turn to and read Ecclesiastes 7:1-14. Pray. We will not, tonight, make it all the way through vs. 14, but that is the direction that we are going to head.
Since it has been a few weeks since we last looked at the book of Ecclesiastes, it would do us well to briefly review.
Everything’s Empty
Everything’s Empty
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Solomon, in his attempt to find satisfaction and purpose in life continually came up empty. (That’s what the word, vanity, means.)
Remember...
King Solomon was the wisest man to ever live.
King Solomon was the wisest man to ever live.
And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
King Solomon was a “holy man of God.”
King Solomon was a “holy man of God.”
Really? Yes, he was.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
So, why did everything come up empty? Because his perspective was...
Under the Sun
Under the Sun
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Solomon’s perspective was entirely physical. He had a humanistic, worldly philosophy. He left God out. That is why everything came up empty.
Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes as an old man. But, he was an old man that had allowed his heart to be turned from God.
For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.
So, what’s the lesson that we can learn - and continue to be reminded of?
Just because you start well doesn’t guarantee that you will end well.
Just because you start well doesn’t guarantee that you will end well.
That’s why it is good to keep in mind Solomon’s words from Proverbs chapter 4:
Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Ponder the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.
Now, let’s dive into Ecclesiastes chapter 7!
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
The first statement of this verse is true: A good name is better than precious ointment. One of the most valuable things that you have is your reputation.
A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, And loving favour rather than silver and gold.
But, we must remember that our reputation is built upon our character. Our reputation - sooner or later - will become a reflection of our character. Just as rust, if not treated properly, will eventually eat its way through that beautiful paint job, so will our character!
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Instead of building your reputation build your character!
But then, in Ecclesiastes 7:1, we see Solomon’s pessimism once again shine through when he says, “…the day of death [is better] than the day of one’s birth.” Solomon was depressed to the point that he looked forward to death.
Sin always brings despair and hopelessness!
However, if you have the correct perspective, that statement does ring true!
There is coming a day
When no heartaches shall come
No more clouds in the sky
No more tears to dim the eye
All is peace forever more
On that happy golden shore
What a day, glorious day that will be
What a day that will be
When my Jesus I shall see
When I look upon His face
The One who saved me by His grace
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me to the Promised Land
What a day, glorious day that will be
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
Solomon here suggests that a funeral - the house of mourning - was a better event to attend than was a wedding - the day of feasting. Why? Because everyone is going to die! What a pessimistic perspective to have!
That would be kind of like going to a wedding and, while everyone is celebrating and congratulating the bride and groom, you walk up to them and simply say, “You’re going to die,” and then walking off.
Now, while I would not suggest that you do that, I would say this: If we have a Biblical perspective, there is much that we can learn - or be reminded of - from both a wedding and a funeral.
What can we learn - or be reminded of - biblically, from both a wedding and a funeral?
What spiritual significance is there in a wedding and a funeral?
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
As one preacher explained, “To Solomon’s twisted thinking, sorrow was better than joy.” Apparently Solomon thought that that would allow him to “cope with reality!”
Sorrow - or pessimism - versus Laughter - or optimism? Which is better?
Does it have to be one or the other? Life is filled with both.
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Instead of being a pessimist or an optimist why not be a biblicist? Solomon was viewing the world - and everything in the world - with a humanistic perspective. We should view the world with a Biblical perspective!
Besides, it is not sorrow or laughter that makes the heart better; it is God Who makes the heart better!
My flesh and my heart faileth: But God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Solomon considered himself to be wise (although at this point in his life God definitely would not have agreed with him).
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
Solomon also, because of his humanistic perspective, found himself in the house of mourning. Therefore, in Solomon’s mind, if you wanted to be wise, than you needed to be in the “house of mourning.” Conversely, since Solomon considered himself wise but definitely not enjoying life, he assumed that only fools inhabited “the house of mirth!” In other words, if you were enjoying life and were satisfied with life, than you must be a fool!
However, the fallacy of this is the fact that wisdom (and foolishness) do not depend upon which “house” you are in. You can be wise - or foolish - in the house of mourning; you can be foolish - or wise - in the house of mirth!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: A good understanding have all they that do his commandments: His praise endureth for ever.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: And the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, There is none that doeth good.
If you desire to be wise than you need to fear the Lord; grow in your knowledge of the Lord; and be obedient to His Word. Becoming wise is not a complicated process; it is not an impossible process. God will give wisdom to any who will ask!
For the Lord giveth wisdom: Out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Solomon gets it right here. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools! Solomon had already touched on this subject in the book of Proverbs.
Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: But he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.
The ear that heareth the reproof of life Abideth among the wise.
He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: But he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; And before honour is humility.
Church family, listen to your pastor!
Children, listen to your parents!
Employees, listen to your employers!
Christian, listen to God’s Word!
Listen to those who seek to help you; who seek to keep you walking in wisdom!
We’ll finish with vs. 6:
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
This verse continues the thought from vs. 5. The fool doesn’t take anything seriously. Unfortunately, as we have seen in 1 Kings chapter 11, Solomon was a fool, not taking the chastening of the Lord seriously. Instead, he just became more foolish.
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