Ecc Notes Week 7

Head — What is it saying

Oppression and injustice come from the love of money and the corruption in the justice system (Ecc 5:8)

Ecclesiastes 5:8 CSB

8 If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.

Ecclesiastes 5:8 CSB

8 If you see oppression of the poor and perversion of justice and righteousness in the province, don’t be astonished at the situation, because one official protects another official, and higher officials protect them.

1 Timothy 6:6–12 (CSB)

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. (Ecc 4:15)

8 If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

11 But you, man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

12 Fight the good fight of the faith.

Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

One will never be satisfied with wealth in this fallen world (ecc 5:10)

Ecclesiastes 5:10 CSB

10 The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.

When wealth increases so do the things that consume them

this leads to anxiety (Ecc 5:12)

The worker gets sleep

but the reich gets no sleep

Wealth can be lost in bad investments (Ecc 5:14)

You can take any of it with you (but you can send it on ahead)

There is frustration, sickness and anger (Ecc 5:17)

What is Good (Ecc 5:18-20)

God gives wealth, God gives the ability to enjoy it

God gives joy.

This may be the one place in Ecc where ‘occupied’ is used in a positive sense. (Ecc 5:20)

What is not Good (Ecc 6:1-9)

Immediately he follows up with the callorary

It it is good for God to give gifts and enjoyment,

it is not good if God gives gifts but does not the ability to enjoy it.

To live an unsatisfied life is better to have been born dead

To live a 1000 years and not experience happiness is tragic

Conclusions

appetite is never satisfied

There is not advantage in the end

‘better what the eye sees than wandering desire’

does this mean — better to have wisdom? to see truth?

than to constantly wander around driven by your desires?

To be driven by your desires is hevel

The Rich Young Ruler

Mark 10:17–30 (CSB)

17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; do not defraud; honor your father and mother.” 20 He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.” 21 Looking at him, Jesus loved him and said to him, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But he was dismayed by this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to tell him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundred times more, now at this time—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and eternal life in the age to come.

Commentary

Be Satisfied (Chapter Six: Stop, Thief! (Ecclesiastes 5))

If we focus more on the gifts than on the Giver, we are guilty of idolatry. If we accept His gifts, but complain about them, we are guilty of ingratitude. If we hoard His gifts and will not share them with others, we are guilty of indulgence. But if we yield to His will and use what He gives us for His glory, then we can enjoy life and be satisfied.

Be Satisfied (Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6))

Enjoyment without God is merely entertainment, and it doesn’t satisfy. But enjoyment with God is enrichment and it brings true joy and satisfaction.

Be Satisfied Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6)

Preacher was obviously exaggerating here in order to make his point: no matter how much you possess, if you don’t possess the power to enjoy it, you might just as well never have been born.

no burial

Be Satisfied Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6)

Here is a man with abundant resources and a large family, both of which, to an Old Testament Jew, were marks of God’s special favor. But his family does not love him, for when he died, he was not lamented. That’s the meaning of “he has no burial” (see Jer. 22:18–19). His relatives stayed around him only to use his money (5:11), and they wondered when the old man would die. When he finally did die, his surviving relatives could hardly wait for the reading of the will.

Be Satisfied (Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6))

Why does a person eat? So that he can add years to his life. But what good is it for me to add years to my life if I don’t add life to my years?

Purpose

Be Satisfied Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6)

Solomon is not suggesting that it’s wrong either to work or to eat. Many people enjoy doing both. But if life consists only in working and eating, then we are being controlled by our appetites and that almost puts us on the same level as animals. As far as nature is concerned, self-preservation may be the first law of life, but we who are made in the image of God must live for something higher (John 12:20–28). In the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), self-preservation may well be the first law of death (Mark 8:34–38).

Be Satisfied Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6)

He is only saying that these things of themselves cannot make life richer. We must have something greater for which to live.

Closing proverb

Be Satisfied Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6)

” Solomon is saying, “It’s better to have little and really enjoy it than to dream about much and never attain it.” Dreams have a way of becoming nightmares if we don’t come to grips with reality.

Be Satisfied Chapter Seven: Is Life a Dead-End Street? (Ecclesiastes 6)

True satisfaction comes when we do the will of God from the heart (Eph. 6:6). “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work” (John 4:34, NASB).

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs 17. Transition (6:7–9)

The third proverb (v. 9) asserts that it is better to be satisfied with what one has (be it money or knowledge) than to be continually driven to obtain more.

Thoughts

What if you didn’t have to worry about money?

What if you were so occupied with joy in your heart, that you did not often consider the days of your life?

Structure

Here is what is Good (tov) — Enjoy the Gifts and the Giver

It is beautiful (right, appropriate)

The Simple Things (see Sermon on Mount (Matt 6:25-30)

To eat, drink

experience good (to enjoy) one’s work

in a fallen world the few days God has given him

This is his reward (share of the booty, possession, wages)

It is good when you can actually enjoy life, food and drink, dignity in work — this is a gift from God a grace,

Furthermore — to the Wealthy

To those whom God has given wealth AND has allowed them to enjoy them — this is their reward and rejoice in their labor

this is a gift from God

(a gift, that is a grace, not earned, but recieved)

This person doesn’t not worry about life b/c he is enjoying his days (occupied with the joy of his heart)

This is what we all long for

Hevel of Worshipping Wealth

The Pursuit of Wealth creates all sorts of injustice (Ecc 5:8, 1 Tim 6:10)

The Rich get Richer — We all gain some benefit from cultivated land — but it is the King who profits (Ecc 5:9)

Wealth will never satisfy you (Ecc 5:10)

The more wealth — the more consumers show up (Ecc 5:11)

More Wealth = more anxiety = less sleep (The hard workers gets the benefit of sleep, while the greedy suffer insomnia) (Ecc 5:12)

Wealth kept to ones own harm (Ecc 5:13) (rather than given)

Wealth is fleeting (can be lost in an instant) (Ecc 5:14)

Wealth doesn’t go with you when you die (Ecc 5:15-16)

The more you have the more you leave behind

God gives wealth but not the ability to enjoy it (Ecc 6:1-2)

A person may have a hundred kids (honor and wealth) and long life

But better to have never been born than live this life.

A person may live 2000 years but no happiness — death still comes

We must be driven by more than our appetites (Ecc 6:7)

What advantage is wisdom of foolishness? The poor over the rich?

being able to see reality rather than a wandering desire.