Ancient Wisdom

Ecclesiastes: Wisdom for the Successful

Introduction:

Is life worth living?

Now a days many would answer this question about the quality of life they are living.

Many would answer this according to the present situation that they find themselves in. I was once told “Happiness is based on what is happening around us.” Yet, joy is found even in the hardships.

For some this book may seems depressing and dark. Yet, this book holds great truth and wisdom for us today.

Because of the nature of the book many have approached the book in different ways: For example, some have tried to understand it as teaching devoted truth (religiously). Others have approached the book as the preacher is saying, “eat, drink, and be merry but remember God while you do it.”

This book was the foundation for my “Faith, Economics and Work” class in school.

What I have learned through it is, “There is a time to work and a time to pull a way from work.”

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

9:9

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made Introducing Ecclesiastes

Herman Melville called it “the truest of all books.”

Author:

Is unknown though many believe it is Solomon. Since he had such wisdom and 1:1 starts off as, “Son of David king in Jerusalem.”

Yet, even with such an introduction it could have been any direct male descendent of David. Therefore, the author of our book remains unknown. Just as he book of Job will remain.

What is Meaningless?

Meaningless:

Something is incomprehensible. Pointless and purposeless. Yet, we know that God does not create without purpose.

the word meaningless or vanity appears 35 times depending on your translation.

It holds the idea of being temporary. Something that can be easily, quickly and permanently whisked away. Like smoke or a cloud leaving behind no remainder.

The teacher says “everything” falls under this meaninglessness.

Obvious Things

Much dreaming and many words. Ecc. 5:7

Ecclesiastes 5:7 ESV

For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.

Our roving of the appetite. Ecc. 6:9

Ecclesiastes 6:9 ESV

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Laughter of fools. Ecc. 7:6

Ecclesiastes 7:6 ESV

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.

Injustice of life. Ecc. 8:10, 8:14

Ecclesiastes 8:10 ESV

Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.

Speaking of the praise and honor that the wicked receive in death.

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made Obvious Things

Among the obvious things named by the Teacher as vain are the bad things. The Teacher is not afraid to stare right into the face of life’s most difficult realities.

Questionable Things

The things that may seem border-line or neutral to us. Things that we are more slower to categorically condemn.

Pleasure

Ecclesiastes 2:1 ESV

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.

Popularity or public approval.

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made Questionable Things

as he spoke of kings replacing kings replacing kings—public opinion rising and falling

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made Questionable Things

the public is fickle, and their affection should not be overvalued or pursued

Good Things

When reading the book this is what most disturbs us. The good things.

Youth and vigor. Ecc. 11:10

Ecclesiastes 11:10 ESV

Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Yet, we find in America everybody looking for the cure to stay young and have long life.

Wealth and achievements. Ecc. 2

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made Good Things

After all, labor and achievement all spring from the envy of others (4:4), and whatever is amassed must be given away and enjoyed by others

The love of money. Ecc. 5:10

Ecclesiastes 5:10 ESV

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made Good Things

War and Peace author Leo Tolstoy wrote a short story called “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” In the story, a peasant spends his life trying to fulfill an insatiable appetite for something that he neither attains nor enjoys because he kills himself in the process of getting it. Again, I won’t spoil the story for you, but I will say that the peasant ends up needing far less of that something than he had tried to possess.

The preach covers the pursuits of Monday - Friday. Yet, he even covers the Sunday pursuits. The religious.

Wisdom Ecc. 2:15

Ecclesiastes 2:15 ESV

Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

The lesson that we learn from the teacher is contrast to the lesson that we learn from Job.

Yet two questions for us remain. First, why does he say that everything is meaningless? Second, how should we respond?

Why is Everything Meaningless?

There is no remembrance of men of old. Ecc. 1:11

We will all soon be forgotten. That sounds pretty harsh. But the reason that he is getting at is we will all soon pass.

Death

The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made How Should We Respond?

Friend, can you see how the Teacher’s honesty about sin, the Fall, and its consequences helps us understand why the world is like it is, and how we should respond to it?

How Should We Respond?

Fear God. Ecc. 12:13-14

Only with God do we have a true and meaningful perspective on life.

God has shown us through Jesus Christ that their is more than just the grave and death. But there is life and light and that light being the presence of God Himself. Shikania glory.

Song of Songs

Introduction

The most important revolution in the 20th century is the sexual revolution.

Contraception replaces conception.

We have separated pleasure and responsibility.

Abortion devices replace orphanages.

Since that time, divorce, remarriage, abortion, pre- and extramarital sex, and even homosexuality have been accepted by increasing percentages of the public.

Pornography has become business bringing in over 10 billion dollars a year.

The main competitor for the church today is eroticism.

For this reason it essential that we look to the Word of God to deal with the assaults that the culture throws at us.

This is what the Song of Songs does for us.

This book was written by Solomon

How to approach the book?

Allegorical approach - it denies the lovers and believes that the book is a metaphor of God and his people.

Yet, it seems best to understand the book as a basic human love poems.

Lovers are lovers and desire is desire.

Specifically, God has designed marriage to meet four different types of longings: for enjoying physical intimacy, for building relational intimacy, for establishing identity, and for finding meaning.

Enjoying Physical Intimacy

Our Longing

Majority of the time when we hear about physical intimacy it is of warnings from immorality.

Yet, we learn from the Song of Songs that it is good and is to be kept between a husband and a wife.

We read in Genesis that Adam and Eve “Knew” each other. And such knowledge was physical, intimate and good.

Christians should be careful, therefore, not to give the impression that our main message about human sexual desires and longings is negative. Song 8:13-14

The Bible Celebration

Physical love is delightful. Song 1:2; 4:10

Physical beauty if appreciated. Song 1:15-16

Physical love is satisfying Song 4:11.

Through out the book writer celebrates the affections that the two married lovers have for each other.

The Song of Songs celebrates the pleasures of physical love God has given us in marriage!

Building Relational Intimacy

Our Longing

- In Genesis we read that God has said, “It is not good for man to be alone.”

- We are relational creatures. We were made to know and be known.

We learn through this book that such a need is natural, healthy, and good. It is part of being human.

The Bible Celebration

the book celebrates the full relationship that physical love consummates.

Yet, it is not just a book on physical intimacy.

But of words. Speech. Communication and verbalization. We learn that this is important in a marriage.

There is a two way relationship happening through out the book. Solomon speaks and his lover speaks back.

Good physical intimacy can only occur in the context of a good relationship. Communication.

We again see this in Genesis “a man should leave his father and mother and be “united” with his with. Gen. 2:24 Jesus also affirms this Mk. 10:8-9.

God intends for two married lovers to enjoy both the physical pleasure and the relational pleasure of their love. And through the physical love in marriage God gives us a deepened relationship.

Establishing Identity

Our Longing

You know part of our longing for physical and relational intimacy is a desire to establish our identities.

Many of us have experienced this. If you have ever lost a loved one to death or a broken relationship - something significant in you goes as well.

This happens because we all know ourselves in our relationship with other people.

The Bible Celebration

The Song song celebrates the person that physical love helps us to be, and the identity that love helps us to find.

Much of who the lover and the beloved are as individuals is tied up in their relationships. Song 6:3; 7:10.

This is why some personal relationships are dangerous. Outside of marriage we are giving ourselves away. With out most intimate secrets.

Marriage provides a sense of completeness.

Finding Meaning

Our Longing

As humans we long to find meaning.

We search in all the wrong places.

Indeed marriage can become a bad thing if we place too much of an emphasis on it.

But a true balance, intimate and honest relationship with God is what the ultimate purpose of our life is. Eph. 5:22-33.

The Bible Celebration

Consider everything that God gives us through physical love in marriage: physical pleasure, relational intimacy, a greater knowledge of ourselves, and a greater trust in him. Ultimately, he helps us know more of who he is and what it means to be in a trusting, loving relationship with him.

As Paul would write the picture of marriage is of Christ in the church.

Therefore, yes we must warn on the misuse of sex.

But also we must teach love as an important part of what God has made. In married love God intends for us to find pleasure, build relationships, establish our identities and even find meaning.

Conclusion

This is why the Preacher would write in Ecclesiastes, Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life.

Pro. 5:18.

Yet, we know for those who are in Christ we can read it “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love all the days of your life that is given under the sun because that is your portion…

Because if you are in Christ you were created for a purpose.

Yes, marriage love is good, but

We will find meaning only when meaning extends beyond this life and world. Only eternity with God makes a life “successful” and “worth living.” And we will find such meaning only in Christ!

We learn this through the book of Ecclesiastic and here in the Song of Songs.