The king wondered about some of the things which God did, and about God’s ways of working. He said, “I gave my heart to, seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven.” We are going to learn today some of the things which the king discovered about God. God has made everything beauti ful in its time; no one can fully understand the wonders of God’s creation. That which God does is eternal, forever: “nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that man should fear before him.” Long ago, to show their reverence, people removed their shoes before they entered the temple. The wise king says, “Keep thy foot [be rev erent] when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools.” In some churches, boys and girls whisper and move around so much that they keep others from wor shiping; perhaps they even keep someone from accepting Christ as Saviour. People who are sick, or who have a sick loved one, or are in another kind of trouble, often promise God many things, if He will heal them or help them. Soon after everything is all right again, they forget their promises to Him. The king said, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not * thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God.” The king saw a city surrounded by enemies. There were not enough men to defend the city, but a wise man delivered it by his wisdom. “Wisdom is better than strength.” The wise king thought much and wrote much as he tried to under stand God’s way. Some of his words will be used by the Holy Spirit to help us, too, to know more about our God. Seven Minds Mind your tongue! Do not let it speak hasty, cruel, unkind, or wicked words. Mind your eyes! Do not permit them to look on wicked books, pic tures, objects. Mind your ears! Do not suffer them to listen to wicked speeches, songs, words. Mind your lips! Do not let strong drink pass them. Mind your hands! Do not let them steal, fight, or write any vile words. Mind your feet! Do not let them walk in the steps of the wicked. Mind your heart! Do not let the love of sin dwell in it. Do not give it to Satan, but ask Jesus Christ to make it His throne. — Wonderful Word T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
SEPTEMBER 28. 1947 TESTING PHILOSOPHIES OF LIFE E ccl . 1:2, 17; 2:1, 11, 24; 12:1-8, 13,14
Points and Problems 1. "All is vanity" (Eccl. 1:2). Not everything in the Bible is true. The record is always true, but the Scrip tures include statements that are false, such as the words of Satan and evil men. The words in this verse are not true. They are the words of the natural man whose horizon of life goes no higher than the sun. For such a man whose life is altogether circumscribed by this world, it doubt less is true that “all is vanity,” but for the one whose hope is above the sun, and who is seated together with Christ is heavenly places, the state ment is not true. For him life is full and rich with meaning. It all de pends upon man’s position—whether he is in Adam or in Christ. 2. "There was no profit under the sun" (11). The purpose of the book of Ecclesiastes is to show that, apart from God, life is full of weariness and disappointment. Life “under the sun” offers no ultimate satifaction. In order to get the other side of the picture, one needs but to turn to the New Testament book of Ephesians which shows the redeemed man in Christ, quickened, raised and seated together with Him above the world and the sun. There is infinite profit to such a man. 3. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter" (12:13). The preacher, after having called attention in his sermon to everything the world has to offer, recognizes that the best pos sible thing for the natural man to do is to keep the commandments. But those commandments cannot save, for man is unable to keep them. Therefore, Ecclesiastes is “the way-preparer for the gospel of ■Christ.” Like every other Old Testa ment bopk, it points and leads to Christ in whom all problems are solved, all questions answered, and through whom life ceases to be “vanity of vanities.” Only in Him can man rise above the sun. For the Children A W ise M an ’ s T houghts A bout G od (E ccl . 1:12, 13a; 3:11, 14; 5:1; 9:10a, 14-17; 12:9-13) M emory V erse : “Fear God, and keep his commandments” (Eccl. 12:13). All of us have thought about God: Who He is, what He is, and where He is. The ancient writer, a very wise king, Solomon, taught his peo ple about God and showed them how to understand God’s way.
Outline and Exposition V anity “ U nder the S un ” (1:2, 17; 2:1, 11, 24)
The Book of Ecclesiastes reveals only what the natural man can dis cover “under the sun.” After seeking satisfaction in human wisdom, and madness, and folly, he found only “vexation of spirit," and came to the conclusion that “all is vanity" (1:2, 17). Man tried mirth and giving him self to pleasure, but it too resulted in vanity. He tried great works, and houses, and vineyards, and gardens, and orchards, but all this also proved disappointing, only vexation of spirit and no profit “under the sun.” At last he thinks there is noth ing better for a man than to eat and drink and bring enjoyment to his soul; all was vanity “under the sun” (2:1, 11, 24). B revity “ U nder the S un ” ( 12 : 1 - 8 ) The young are exhorted to remem ber their Creator in their youth, be cause evil days come to all, when age creeps on and no pleasure may he found in living. Sickness comes, doors are shut, noises are stilled, fear is on every side, and desire it self fails (vv. 1-5). Finally death comes and “man goeth to his long home,” leaving only mourners in the streets, while the dust of the body returns to the ground (vv. 5-7). The philosophy ‘hinder the sun” has no ray of light for what lies beyond the grave, no hope of any thing “above the sun.” All it knows or can discover is “under the sun,” and this is but “vanity of vanities . . . all is vanity.” Little wonder that Ecclesiastes has been called “the suicide’s arsenal” (v. 8). T he C onclusion “ U nder the S un ” (12:13, 14) The ' natural man instinctively knows there is a Supreme Being to whom answer must be made at long last for the life lived “under the sun.” Hence, the only conclusion he can come to is that God must be feared and obeyed, because all work will be brought into judgment, to gether with every secret thing. Thus all philosophies “under the sun” end with nothing but vanity and vexa tion of spirit. How fearful this would be if there were no light from “above the sun” bringing hope into the hopelessness of all “under the sun.” But such a light is not found in the philosophy of Ecclesiastes. Page Forty-two
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