Lessons From Ecclesiastes – Lesson 6
Chance happens to all.
We have talked about it before, bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. And sometimes good happens to good people and sometimes bad happens to bad people.
This is a principal that some struggle with. I have seen people who do not understand this principal see something bad happen to another Christian and they will automatically judge and say that they must have done something really bad. They make the wrong assumption that anything bad that happens to a Christian must be chastisement from the Lord.
That is not always the case. Yes it is true that for our good our loving heavenly Father will bring some chastisement into our lives for our benefit to try to keep us from harming ourselves. But that in no way means that everything hard that comes our way is chastisement.
Some of it is just because we live in a sin stained world. For example the problems I have with my knuckles is not chastisement from the Lord. It is simply from running a keyboard and mouse for more than 35 years. Everything in this world runs downhill.
Things rust and corrode and bodies get old and wear out. That is just the nature of things.
A Christian can be walking with God and loving his neighbor as himself and God is pleased with him and he can go out one day and his car will not start. He can go to the grocery store and buy a jar of something and not notice that it did not seal and when he opens it the contents are bad.
Life is not perfect. Everything is not all sunshine and lollipops. Some things just happen by chance.
Look at what Solomon says about this in chapter 9 verse 11.
Ecc 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Chance happens to them all. Men of understanding do not all get rich. The wise do not always get more bread. The swift do not always win the race. The strong do not always win the battle.
Things just happen sometimes in this life.
Ecc 9:12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
A fish can be swimming along and everything is just great and all of the sudden he is caught in a net. Same thing with the bird. They are just living life and suddenly with no warning the bad comes of being caught in a snare. They have no idea that a bad time is coming upon them until bam it is upon them.
Solomon compares that to men and says the same type of thing happens to men. For man also knoweth not his time. You can be living life and doing your best and out of nowhere a hard time falls suddenly upon you.
And this is in context with verse 11. Chance happens to all.
Not everything is chastisement. When something bad does happen to a good Christian it is important to remember that the Lord allowed it and He has some reason for it and His grace is sufficient and available.
Jesus never promised to protect us from all the natural things that happen from living in a sin stained fallen world.
Since this is true and because a hard time can come upon you at any time, and since you cannot stop it from happening and it cannot be predicted, then what should we do.
- Understand this is the nature of life. Do not let it shock you.
- Live your life. It is going to come or it might not.
- Do not over stress about it, but also do not stick your head in a hole like an Ostrich. Be prepared as best you can. It is wise to have an emergency fund and exercise. Both of those will help in real practical ways if and when hard times hit.
Next Solomon gets back to the fact that Wisdom is better
Ecc 9:13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
Ecc 9:14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:
Ecc 9:15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
Ecc 9:16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
Ecc 9:17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
Ecc 9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.
Wisdom is better. In the example that Solomon gave wisdom delivered the city and was better than weapons of war. Notice that wisdom is better but not always appreciated.
The poor man’s wisdom delivered the city but the poor man’s wise words are not heard. Overall percentage wise mankind is in rebellion to God and does not want God’s wisdom.
This is so true. You see this in epidemic proportions today. Too many people want entertainment, or excitement, of whatever the latest popular issue is instead of God’s wisdom.
The end of verse 18 says but one sinner destroyeth much good.
We are taught in the New Testament that a little leaven leaventh the whole lump. Sin spreads, it corrupts. It destroys.
Ecc 10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
A few dead flies ruin the entire batch. And instead of the batch doing its purpose and giving off a good smell that fills the room. It does the opposite of what it was intended for, it stinks.
The same thing can happen to a wise man. When he engages in folly, even a little folly it ruins his entire reputation for wisdom.
Look at verse 4
Ecc 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
You have to consider the ending of the proverb to understand the beginning. Pacifieth great offences. So the man who the ruler rises up against has committed great offences against the ruler.
The ruler has reason to rise up and come after him. Maybe even with many men. Wisdom says do not gather your men and leave your place to meet him. Instead yield. Be humble. This has a way of pacifying even great offences.
Next is a section that shows there are consequences in life to your actions.
Ecc 10:8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
What you do has a way of coming back upon you. You dig a pit to hurt or entrap someone else and that comes back and you end up falling into it.
Hedges often speak of protection. If you remember Satan complains that God had put a hedge of protection around Job.
And before God took Israel away into captivity He says he looked for a man to make up the hedge and He could not find one. The context of hedge here in verse 8 is protection. So if you break down your protection then you will not have any. You will get hurt.
Ecc 10:9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
There is danger to some types of work. Being a beleiver does not exempt you from those dangers.
Ecc 10:10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
If your axe head is not sharp you can wet it and it will help some. If not then the work is harder. This is you can do things smart or not. The old saying comes to mind. Work smarter not harder.
Wisdom is available and helps in life so why not use it.
Next the fool will act out according to his nature.
Ecc 10:11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
The serpent will bite because he is a serpent. That is what he does. The fool will babble and his words will hurt himself because he is a fool. And that is what fools do.
Ecc 10:12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Ecc 10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Ecc 10:14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
People get weary of the fools foolishness.
Ecc 10:15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
They get weary of the foolishness of all fools including kings who are foolish.
Ecc 10:16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
Ecc 10:17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
Two contrasting types of kings are mentioned. The king who is a child, and this is not talking age but acting foolish like a child. And he is contrasted to the king who is noble and under him the princes eat in due season for strength.
They do not feast for drunkenness under the noble wise king. It is a woe to all the people of the land when the leaders are fools.
People can easily spot fools and they get weary of them. The point is being made here that it is no good to be a fool and people get weary of fools.
Next it is not good to be lazy and that is contrasted to having what you need because you work.
Ecc 10:18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
This has literally happened to both the FBI headquarters which is called the Hoover building, and to the Kennedy center. They both literally have parts of the buildings falling down. They have decayed to the point that they are dangerous.
They Dems have been in control of both of those for decades and they were lazy and never maintained them.
Over and over again Solomon is giving examples of God given wisdom and knowledge and with this Solomon is proving that there is a better way to live. Living according to God’s will and His wisdom is better. And it is better in so many different areas.
Hopefully you are noticing that when Solomon is giving these examples that they cover a very wide range of the issues of life.
Ecc 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
Yea, you can have a feast and make merry, but that does not earn the money you need to fix and maintain things. Working so you have what you need is wise.
Some will choose to be lazy and then curse those who have money because they worked for it. Socialists do this all the time.
Ecc 10:20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
Next is the wisdom of giving to others.
Ecc 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
Ecc 11:2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
This is sowing and reaping. You work for bread, you earn it. And if you cast some of it out. That is giving to others, then it will come back to you later. Sometimes not right away. But after a while the good you cast out in giving does come back your way.
So give a portion to 7 or 8 people. So do not give it all away. Just be faithful to give some of it.
Why? Because you don’t know what evil will be in the future. A way of saying you don’t know what hard times might be coming your way.
You might find yourself in need one day. And if you were faithful to give when you had, then the good that you did will come back to you when you are the one in need.
God is not mocked a man will reap what he sows. If he sows stingy and greedy and will not give to others, then when in need he will reap that. However, if he sows loving his neighbor as himself and cares and gives, then when he is in need help will come. He will reap the good of what he sowed.
We want to finish Ecclesiastes today so jump down to verse 9.
Ecc 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
1st Rejoice. Young man rejoice in you youth. And go ahead and listen to your heart. And rejoice in all the wonders that you see. Live and enjoy life. Enjoy your health and experience some things. Rejoice in it.
But then the warning. While you are doing that always remember that God will bring you into judgment for everything you do.
So live life but always with your eye on the judgment seat and live with Eternity in mind.
Do not live for pleasure and the only here and now view. Live the way God wants, which includes rejoicing and experiencing life. Live life but with an eye on what happens at the end of this life. Live with an eye on eternity.
Ecc 11:10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.
Without God they are vanity. Without walking with God and without considering God’s judgment in what you do and how you do it then it is vanity.
Why? Because in the end it will be judged and if what you did was against God’s ways then even if saved it will all be wood hay and stubble and be burnt up in the fire of God’s judgment and you get nothing for any of it.
So the wise thing to do is to put away wickedness and live according to God’s wisdom.
Remember Your Creator in Your Youth
Ecc 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Ecc 12:2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
This is important. Remember God when things are good. There are way too many Christians who only really go to God in prayer when they need something. They only turn to God in times of trouble.
Wisdom says Remember God when the evil days come not. In the good days. Praise Him when you don’t need anything or have any trouble. Do not wait until the hard times come.
Ecc 12:3 In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,
Ecc 12:4 And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;
Ecc 12:5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
Ecc 12:6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
Hard times come in this life. And at the end your body goes back to the dust and your spirit goes to the God who gave it.
Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
You should remember and praise God in the good times and you need Him in the hard times. And thru it all know that this is all temporary. The end is what really matters. And that is standing before your creator. Live with Eternity in mind.
Ecc 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
This is not said in the context of the beginning, which was the look thru the lens of the atheist world view.
This is said in the context that there is a God and you will meet Him one day and have to give an answer to Him. And everything in this life that a believer can get into that is not going to be judged as precious stones at the judgment seat is not going to matter in eternity.
Solomon started the look thru the correct world view that there is a God by saying God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy. He then spent a good amount of time proving that is true.
And he gave many examples. And he prepares for the conclusion with live life with your eye on the judgment seat. Live life with your eye on Eternity, anything else is vanity.
Now comes the conclusion, the wrap up on the whole meaning of life.
It can be summarized as Fear God and Keep His Commandments
Ecc 12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
Ecc 12:10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
Ecc 12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Ecc 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The whole duty of man. The entire purpose that you exist is to fear God and keep his commandments.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This is not fear as in a horror movie. Not that type of fear. This is not fear as in go hide from God.
This is the healthy proper respect type of fear. Understand that He is Holy and Righteous and Just and if you do wrong fear the punishment that you deserve. Fear the natural consequences that God will let come your way for bad choices.
Jesus said if ye love me keep my commandments. Fear wrong doing and out of love obey God.
And why? Because God shall bring. Not maybe. Not could be. and not might. But shall bring every work into judgment. And every secret thing.
There is no hiding anything from God. And all will be judged both the good and the bad. And for the Christian our bad will be wood hay and stubble and burned up, and the good will be precious stones and will be rewarded.
So live every day with your eye upon pleasing God, obeying Him out of love and live every day with your eye upon the judgment seat and Eternity.
This is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
And this lines up with what Jesus taught.
The parable of the wise servant in Matthew chapter 24.
Judgment for every idle word in Matthew 12:36.
He will judge John 5:22, John 5:27
Rewards Mat 16:27, Luke 6:23
Obey John 14:15, John 14:21
And the first and most important thing to obey is Jesus’ call to be saved. Ye must be born again John chapter 3. You need to answer His call to come unto Him. Matt 11:28-30
See more lessons from Ecclesiastes