From the beginning of the book we see that the earth and what it provides (after sin from the Garden) is meaningless. Nothing changes and endless pursuit ends in frustration. Ecc. 2:22, “What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?” Ecc. 2:24-25 find some solace, “There is nothing better for a man {than} to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him?” We see that (Ecc. 2:26 NLT) “God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him…”
One of Solomon’s early conclusions (Ecc. 3:14 NLT) “I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose in this is that people should fear him.”
Those who pursue money (Ecc. 5:11b NLT) “what is the advantage of wealth--except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers!” and (Ecc. 5:10 NLT) “Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness!” But (Ecc. 5:19a NLT) “it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it.” So having wealth is to be enjoyed, but not be our pursuit.
In our life we should enjoy what God has given to us (Ecc. 6:6 NLT) “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind.”
Death refocus on how we should be living our life (Ecc. 7:4 NLT) “A wise person thinks much about death, while the fool thinks only about having a good time now.” We that people don’t live life according to God’s design (Ecc. 7:29 NLT) “I discovered that God created people to be upright, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.” While living life, (Ecc. 7:14 NLT) “Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life.” While in this life we see that injustice exists (Ecc. 8:14 NLT) “In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!” But we aren’t to pursue the wrong (Ecc. 8:12 NLT) even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.”
An ounce of foolish outweighs a pound of wisdom (Ecc.10:1 NLT) “Yes, an ounce of foolishness can outweigh a pound of wisdom and honor.” The foolish are distinguishable by their very nature (v. 3 NLT) “You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street!”
We need to sharpen our wisdom (Ecc. 10:10 NLT) “Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.” Wisdom teaches us that things aren’t perfect in this life (Ecc. 11:4 NLT) “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” But we shouldn’t be paralyzed by knowing that bad things might happen, because good things can happen as well (Ecc. 11:6 NLT) “Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops, for you never know which will grow--perhaps they all will.”
Solomon has repeating themes to enjoy life (Ecc. 5:18 NLT) “Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat well, drink a good glass of wine, and enjoy their work--whatever they do under the sun--for however long God lets them live.” And what we are to fear God (Ecc. 12:13-14 NLT) “Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”
Ecclesiastes provides a reminder to not focus or get distracted by the temporal (this earth). But while we are on this earth, we are to enjoy what God has given us and to pursue wisdom.
One of Solomon’s early conclusions (Ecc. 3:14 NLT) “I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose in this is that people should fear him.”
Those who pursue money (Ecc. 5:11b NLT) “what is the advantage of wealth--except perhaps to watch it run through your fingers!” and (Ecc. 5:10 NLT) “Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness!” But (Ecc. 5:19a NLT) “it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it.” So having wealth is to be enjoyed, but not be our pursuit.
In our life we should enjoy what God has given to us (Ecc. 6:6 NLT) “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind.”
Death refocus on how we should be living our life (Ecc. 7:4 NLT) “A wise person thinks much about death, while the fool thinks only about having a good time now.” We that people don’t live life according to God’s design (Ecc. 7:29 NLT) “I discovered that God created people to be upright, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path.” While living life, (Ecc. 7:14 NLT) “Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life.” While in this life we see that injustice exists (Ecc. 8:14 NLT) “In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!” But we aren’t to pursue the wrong (Ecc. 8:12 NLT) even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off.”
An ounce of foolish outweighs a pound of wisdom (Ecc.10:1 NLT) “Yes, an ounce of foolishness can outweigh a pound of wisdom and honor.” The foolish are distinguishable by their very nature (v. 3 NLT) “You can identify fools just by the way they walk down the street!”
We need to sharpen our wisdom (Ecc. 10:10 NLT) “Since a dull ax requires great strength, sharpen the blade. That's the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.” Wisdom teaches us that things aren’t perfect in this life (Ecc. 11:4 NLT) “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” But we shouldn’t be paralyzed by knowing that bad things might happen, because good things can happen as well (Ecc. 11:6 NLT) “Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops, for you never know which will grow--perhaps they all will.”
Solomon has repeating themes to enjoy life (Ecc. 5:18 NLT) “Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat well, drink a good glass of wine, and enjoy their work--whatever they do under the sun--for however long God lets them live.” And what we are to fear God (Ecc. 12:13-14 NLT) “Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”
Ecclesiastes provides a reminder to not focus or get distracted by the temporal (this earth). But while we are on this earth, we are to enjoy what God has given us and to pursue wisdom.
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