Thoughts on Ecclesiastes

I am really enjoying sitting down every day and reading complete books of the Bible. I just believe that we get a better understanding of God and who He is when we get the whole picture. So today I decided to read Ecclesiastes. Solomon has long been one of my favorite characters in the Bible and as a matter of fact, the first sermon I ever preached was on the Book of Ecclesiastes and the life of Solomon.  After that first sermon I thought I would never preach again but many years later I am still doing it. I like to think that I am a lot older and a litter wiser now.

Solomon was the son of King David and Bathsheba and he succeeded his father David to the throne as King in Israel. After being anointed as king, Solomon prayed for wisdom and the Bible says he was the wisest man who ever lived. If you do a search of Solomon you will find that he had everything a man could ever want. Not just wisdom but money, fame, friends, 700 wives, and 300 concubines or girlfriends. Now I am not sure how the wisest man in the world could have done so many stupid things but then I think of the stupid things we do today and we certainly know better. Just because one does stupid things doesn’t mean they have no wisdom.

Here are some of the verses that I highlighted in Ecclesiastes as I read today and then I will share some thoughts.

Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind. Ecc. 6:9NLT

Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies—so the living should take this to heart. Ecc. 7:2 NLT

A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. Ecc. 7:4

Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool. Ecc. 7:9

Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. Ecc. 10:10

Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Ecc. 11:4

Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. Ecc. 11:9

Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.” Ecc. 12:1

That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Ecc. 12:13

My Thoughts:

Solomon tried everything to find lasting satisfaction in this life and what he found was this. It rains on the just and the unjust. Good people get sick and evil people get sick. Sometimes you are happy and healthy and sometimes you are sad and unhealthy. You may have worldly riches in this life but it doesn’t satisfy. In other words, nothing in this life done to satisfy the flesh will ever last.

If you look at his conclusion you will find that Solomon was sharing what all of us have found who have lived for more than 40 years, life is just tough. There is good and bad, laughter and crying, sorrow and joy, but the only thing that endures is what we do to please God. This life is short and the older we get the faster time flies but we are moving on to ETERNITY, live well!

Ronnie

Of course we have no real pictures of King Solomon or the temple that he built but this is a rendering of what the temple would have looked like. It is obvious he had resources.