Under the sun, injustice prevails. God is the ultimate Judge, and He will set things right at the appointed time. In the mean time, we need to trust that He sees and cares and will judge accordingly. Only God is truly just, only God will always do what is right.
Because we are wicked and unjust, are we really any better than the animals? As the animals die, so people die. So, there is nothing better ‘under the sun’ than to find happiness in the work which God gives us to do. This is our source of joy, because, ‘under the sun’, there is nothing else which will satisfy us. We are driven for more because of envy, and this results in oppression of the poor and needy. It is far better to have little with peace than much with the turmoil which comes with envy.
Only in Jesus can there be true justice, contentment and joy in which we are completely satisfied. He is our hope and anchor in this fallen, sinful world.
Read 4:7-12
We strive because we compare and envy, and then leave it all to someone else. But, what if the person who has no inheritor--what causes him to strive for more and more when he is alone? He’s not working to provide for his family. He’s not working to provide for a child’s future. He’s not working so that he may enjoy life. He has riches, yet, his eyes are never satisfied. There’s always someone with more. So, he works and works to acquire more and more, yet has no pleasure in his work. This is vanity--it is futile and meaningless, and in the end, results in unhappiness.
Perhaps you know people like this--sometimes, we call them ‘misers’. I used to know a man named Bill who made his fortune during the Great Depression when most people lost everything. He had a wife and grown daughter, but was estranged from them for years. Without any dependants, he kept working to build his wealth, but never bought anything. He would come to my father’s restaurant each night and do menial work for food. He was worth millions, but most people thought he was homeless. All of his toil and riches didn’t bring him pleasure--he lived alone and few liked or respected him. It was all vanity.
God never intended for us to go through life alone. Remember, when Adam had perfect, sinless fellowship with God, God said it was not good. Adam did not have suitable companionship--he was alone (Genesis 2:18). God created us for community, it is vital in this life. Solomon gives three examples of why we need each other:
Verses 9-10 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!
In ancient Israel, it was safer to travel with others. Paths were rocky and treacherous. Two together can help each other navigate the paths, and, if one falls, the other is there to help. All of us have either fallen and needed help or helped one who has fallen. Falling when alone can be scary--how will we get help? Who will mend our wounds? What else may happen?
Physical falling isn’t our only concern--we can do and fall spiritually and need the help of others. Sin only worsens when we are alone with no one to help us in our time of need. Two are always better than one, community is vital in this life because God made us that way. The Scriptures are filled with many passages about how we are to live with and help one another.
Verse 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
In ancient Israel, people didn’t have blankets or sleeping bags and relied on their cloaks for warmth. It is far easier to stay warm when we are not alone. Again, this is a picture how important community is. In our lives, where we have blankets, coats and heat, only the poorest can truly understand what it is to need one another for warmth. But, we can see this idea among animals as they often cuddle together for warmth. That’s the concept Solomon is teaching us--community is vital in this life.
Verse 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Again, the Preacher gives an example of ancient Israel. It was dangerous to travel alone. Robbers would attack and overtake those who were alone (parable of the Good Samaritan). We know this is still true today, we teach our children the ‘buddy system’. It is always a good idea to do certain things with others. If trouble arises, three people together are much stronger than one.
This verse is often given a romantic feel, if God is in your marriage, it will be stronger. That concept, while true, is not what this verse is about. The point is that there is strength in numbers, if two working together is good, than many working together is even better. It’s about the importance of community to our lives--we need and are stronger because of each other.
The New Testament echoes this in teaching that the Church is a Body--many parts which work together (1 Corinthians 12). Individualism, while an American concept, is not a Biblical concept. God made us for community and we glorify Him best when we function together as a Body of believers, both in the local Church and among the church worldwide.
READ 4:13-16
The focus seems to be changing as Solomon teaches that a poor, yet wise youth is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. He contrasts:
Poor and Rich
Young and Old
Wise and Foolish
Commoner and King
Yet, he is still referring to the idea of community.
We expect the king to be wise, not only because he is the king, but because he is old, because with years comes wisdom. We expect the youth to be foolish simply because he is young and naïve. The key issue is that the king no longer knew how to take advice. In context, it refers to his ‘going it alone’. He is the king, after all, who does he need? Can anyone really give him advice? The king thinks he doesn’t need anyone and that has made him foolish. Community is vital in this life.
This poor and wise youth, although a prisoner, rose above his circumstances and took the kings place on the throne. Unlike the foolish king, he did not separate himself from his people, and they followed him--there was no end to the people whom he led. He was a successful king. Yet, even he was eventually rejected and forgotten. People are fickle, fame won’t be enough to being us lasting joy and meaning. As we already seen in Ecclesiastes, our accomplishments and successes will one day be forgotten, it is vanity and striving after the wind.
Life, ‘under the sun’ doesn’t make sense. The wise king is soon forgotten just as the foolish king is forgotten. The wise, as the fool, dies. People, like animals, die. Apart from God, there is no lasting meaning in this life--it’s vanity, a mere breath or vapor which is soon gone and forgotten.
This despair should drive us to God, for without Him, life is futile and meaningless.
Read 5:1-7
Solomon moves from the brevity and uselessness of life ‘under the sun’ or, apart from God, to His Temple. We have seen long passages in Ecclesiastes with no mention of God. Here, He is mentioned six times in seven verses. There are eight imperatives (or commands) and eight references to speech. How we approach God, how we speak and how we obey these imperatives shows whether or not we are fools.
As we approach God, we are to do it reverently, with fear or awe. Listen to God. During the time this was written, God was speaking through the prophets. Today, we have God’s Word in the Scriptures. We can hear Him everyday, but do we listen? Attending a church with a high view of Scripture where Bible teaching is the priority is an important way we approach God to listen. Trends in worship style come and go, but solid teaching of the Word with an attitude of reverence is foremost.
The wise who hear God are better that fools who offer sacrifices which do not please God. God doesn’t desire ‘empty’ sacrifice. He won’t take pleasure in them if our hearts are far away from Him. God is pleased when we listen to Him, not in our deeds if our hearts are hard.
Watch closely over your words when you speak and even what you say in your heart--for God is in Heaven and you are on Earth. God is transcendent--He is utterly different from us. He’s not our buddy or the ‘man upstairs’. It is better to say little than to be hasty in what we say before God. Often, our prayers are self centered, what we want rather than God’s desires. Our prayers can be angry of vengeful. They can be long, yet empty. We are not to approach God in this way. He is wholly other and thus, is to be approached in reverence when we pray.
We used to go a church where the pastor began his prayers with ‘God!’. It was so abrupt and harsh, it always felt like he was barging in on God or something. There are many ways which we approach God when we pray, but it should always be done in reverence and respect.
Verse 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
Just as concerns and troubles lead to dreams at night, so a fool will speak too much, he doesn’t know how to hold his tongue. Where there are many words, rash things are said. One of these rash things is a vow.
In Scripture, we have examples of people making vows that they never intended to keep, they made ‘loopholes’ so that they were freed from their vows:
Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath. (Matthew 23:16)
This is an attitude of rebellion. If you vow, you must follow through.
But, even if your vow is sincere, who knows what may happen? All of our good intentions may come to nothing because things change and people change. What if you vow to bring someone somewhere, and you get sick and can’t follow through? What if you vow to never spend over your budget, and then your family is in need? What if you vow to never leave your spouse and then they physically threaten you? It is unwise to make a vow because you don’t know the future.
The Preacher gives an example of sending a messenger to collect on your vow and telling them you can’t fulfill your duties, it was a mistake. It is sin to make promises you can’t keep, therefore, don’t vow in the first place. As Jesus taught in Matthew 5:33-37, let your yes be yes and your no be no. Anything beyond this comes from evil.
Verse 6-7 Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
The Preacher is making a connection with those who dream big, they always brag about their plans, they make promises they cannot keep- they talk too much. Dreams and hasty words go hand in hand, both are meaningless and signify a fool. Their works will come to nothing. Our words must be few before God--we must listen and fear Him.
Solomon gives many warnings about how we are to approach God, but, in Christ, there is no fear:
READ Hebrews 4:4-16
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We no longer need to fear because, in Christ, we have confidence to enter God’s presence.
READ John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
We no longer need to fear because Christ has called us friends.
READ 1 John 4:17-18
By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as He is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
We no longer need to fear because God is love, and perfect love casts out fear.
READ John 1:14-17
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.“ For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
We no longer need to fear because God came to Earth and has lavished grace upon us.
God came to Earth to be with men. This same Jesus who has redeemed us from futility of life ‘under the sun’ took away our fear by giving us grace upon grace. The Temple curtain which separated God and man was torn at Jesus’ death. We can now approach God in confidence through Jesus--He has removed our fear and called us friends.
Remember the story about Bill, the millionaire who lived as though he was homeless? He came to belief in Christ, made peace with his wife and daughter and gave each of them a large sum of money. His striving for more was fulfilled in Jesus, his life did not end in vain.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
ECCLESIASTES 3:16-4:6
READ 3:16-22
The Preacher’s thoughts turn away from God’s providence over the Earth to the injustice which is done on Earth. We can all think of examples of injustice in the world--and agree with Solomon that it just isn’t right. The Bible is filled with teachings against injustice, such as:
“An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked”. (Proverbs 29:27)
“You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor”. (Leviticus 19:15)
But, under the sun, injustice prevails. God is the ultimate Judge, and He will set things right at the appointed time. We need to trust that He sees and cares and will judge accordingly. Only God is truly just, only God will always do what is right:
“The Lord within her is righteous; He does no injustice; every morning He shows forth His justice; each dawn He does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame”. (Zephaniah 3:5)
Verse 18 is curious--God is testing people so that they may see they are no different than the animals. To test can be translated ‘to prove’ or ‘make manifest’--to show. In our wickedness and injustice, we are no better than animals--not because they are wicked and unjust, but because they act on instinct without thought or care. And, like animals, in the end we die.
This echoes 2:15-16--just as all die, whether wise or foolish, so all humans, like animals, die. ‘Under the sun’, there is no difference--humans are just another animal. Evolution makes sense ‘under the sun’, humans and animals have equal worth, there is no distinction, and in the end, they both return to the dust. ‘Who can see what will be after him?‘ There is no afterlife for the one who lives ‘under the sun’ because there is no thought of God.
Because there is so much injustice and in the end, we will all die, nothing is better than finding happiness in our work. Again, the Preacher extols joy in the ordinariness of life. What God gives us to do everyday should be our source of joy. It often isn’t easy because we expect more and want more, but, in the end, these things lead to dissatisfaction.
Solomon, who had access to everything, tells us it is the simple things which will be our true contentment. Even those who live ‘under the sun’ can find joy in the everyday, this is God’s common grace given to all. They should, in fact, find joy in the everyday if this life is all that there is. ‘He who dies with the most toys, wins’ is not what Solomon advocates, and he, of all people, would know.
READ 4:1-6
Because there is no justice, wickedness and oppression prevail, just as it did in ancient Israel:
“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages” (Jeremiah 22:13).
“The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice” (Ezekiel 22:29).
“Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals” (Amos 2:6-7a).
The oppressors are powerful, those they oppress have no one to help them, they are all alone. The Preacher paints a grim picture of their hopelessness and concludes that the dead are better off than the living. Furthermore, it is better to never have been born than to see the evil which is done ‘under the sun’.
When America was attacked in 2001, I remember thinking that those who died prior to this event will never have to deal with what was coming--they were better off than we were. Even now, I sometimes think about my father, how he no longer experiences that bad things that we deal with. This is what Solomon is referring to. One who is dead, or has never been born is sheltered from the evils of this world, ‘under the sun’.
As Christians, we understand that we live in the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of Heaven at the same time, this world is not our home. That gives us perspective. Solomon is simply looking at the evils of living on Earth--the injustice and oppression and concludes that it is better to have never lived than to experience all the sorrow and suffering of life ‘under the sun’.
Verse 4-6 goes back to Solomon’s earlier observations that striving to accomplish and acquire are ultimately chasing after the wind. What causes us to strive for more is envy. We compare ourselves to our friends and neighbors--‘keeping up with the Joneses’. We may be satisfied with our car or house, until we see the new one our friend just bought. We may be content with a small business that pays the bills, until we hear of the young entrepreneur who made millions in his first year. We are glad that we were accepted at the college of our choice, until our friend is accepted at the Ivy League school. We are driven by envy.
It’s not just the big things which entice us to work more and more--maybe our friend just bought a great pair of shoes, so we head to the mall the next day. For me, it’s jewelry. An inexpensive item truly does make me happy. But, when I see something new and different, I still want it. I certainly don’t always buy it, but the desire is there. When we are enticed because of what others have and go after it, thinking it will bring us ultimate happiness, it is striving after the wind because there will always be something else that another has.
Selfish ambition, driven by envy, will not bring ultimate meaning. That’s not to say that ambition is a bad thing. The one who has no ambition is the one who folds his hand--he will not work, thus, he eats his own flesh. That is, he brings trouble upon himself when he can’t provide for himself and/or his family. There is a vast difference between being a workaholic because we envy what others have and resigning ourselves to doing nothing. Both extremes are to be avoided.
A little with peace is better than much with strife. It is better to be content with little and live a quiet life than to attain more and more when there is chaos and disorder. Being content with meeting our needs is to be desired above both not having enough due to laziness or having an abundance due to envy.
Ecclesiastes has much practical ‘advice’--God will deal with injustice, we should enjoy and be content with the simple things in life, rather than being driven by envy. In order to see how these relate to Jesus, let‘s take a look at a few New Testament passages:
Luke 18:7 “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them?”
“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
God graciously reveals Himself and His will to us, so that we are not living meaningless lives of vanity, because the Messiah has come. It is He who said, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew3:16-17).
The Preacher’s thoughts turn away from God’s providence over the Earth to the injustice which is done on Earth. We can all think of examples of injustice in the world--and agree with Solomon that it just isn’t right. The Bible is filled with teachings against injustice, such as:
“An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked”. (Proverbs 29:27)
“You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor”. (Leviticus 19:15)
But, under the sun, injustice prevails. God is the ultimate Judge, and He will set things right at the appointed time. We need to trust that He sees and cares and will judge accordingly. Only God is truly just, only God will always do what is right:
“The Lord within her is righteous; He does no injustice; every morning He shows forth His justice; each dawn He does not fail; but the unjust knows no shame”. (Zephaniah 3:5)
Verse 18 is curious--God is testing people so that they may see they are no different than the animals. To test can be translated ‘to prove’ or ‘make manifest’--to show. In our wickedness and injustice, we are no better than animals--not because they are wicked and unjust, but because they act on instinct without thought or care. And, like animals, in the end we die.
This echoes 2:15-16--just as all die, whether wise or foolish, so all humans, like animals, die. ‘Under the sun’, there is no difference--humans are just another animal. Evolution makes sense ‘under the sun’, humans and animals have equal worth, there is no distinction, and in the end, they both return to the dust. ‘Who can see what will be after him?‘ There is no afterlife for the one who lives ‘under the sun’ because there is no thought of God.
Because there is so much injustice and in the end, we will all die, nothing is better than finding happiness in our work. Again, the Preacher extols joy in the ordinariness of life. What God gives us to do everyday should be our source of joy. It often isn’t easy because we expect more and want more, but, in the end, these things lead to dissatisfaction.
Solomon, who had access to everything, tells us it is the simple things which will be our true contentment. Even those who live ‘under the sun’ can find joy in the everyday, this is God’s common grace given to all. They should, in fact, find joy in the everyday if this life is all that there is. ‘He who dies with the most toys, wins’ is not what Solomon advocates, and he, of all people, would know.
READ 4:1-6
Because there is no justice, wickedness and oppression prevail, just as it did in ancient Israel:
“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages” (Jeremiah 22:13).
“The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice” (Ezekiel 22:29).
“Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals” (Amos 2:6-7a).
The oppressors are powerful, those they oppress have no one to help them, they are all alone. The Preacher paints a grim picture of their hopelessness and concludes that the dead are better off than the living. Furthermore, it is better to never have been born than to see the evil which is done ‘under the sun’.
When America was attacked in 2001, I remember thinking that those who died prior to this event will never have to deal with what was coming--they were better off than we were. Even now, I sometimes think about my father, how he no longer experiences that bad things that we deal with. This is what Solomon is referring to. One who is dead, or has never been born is sheltered from the evils of this world, ‘under the sun’.
As Christians, we understand that we live in the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of Heaven at the same time, this world is not our home. That gives us perspective. Solomon is simply looking at the evils of living on Earth--the injustice and oppression and concludes that it is better to have never lived than to experience all the sorrow and suffering of life ‘under the sun’.
Verse 4-6 goes back to Solomon’s earlier observations that striving to accomplish and acquire are ultimately chasing after the wind. What causes us to strive for more is envy. We compare ourselves to our friends and neighbors--‘keeping up with the Joneses’. We may be satisfied with our car or house, until we see the new one our friend just bought. We may be content with a small business that pays the bills, until we hear of the young entrepreneur who made millions in his first year. We are glad that we were accepted at the college of our choice, until our friend is accepted at the Ivy League school. We are driven by envy.
It’s not just the big things which entice us to work more and more--maybe our friend just bought a great pair of shoes, so we head to the mall the next day. For me, it’s jewelry. An inexpensive item truly does make me happy. But, when I see something new and different, I still want it. I certainly don’t always buy it, but the desire is there. When we are enticed because of what others have and go after it, thinking it will bring us ultimate happiness, it is striving after the wind because there will always be something else that another has.
Selfish ambition, driven by envy, will not bring ultimate meaning. That’s not to say that ambition is a bad thing. The one who has no ambition is the one who folds his hand--he will not work, thus, he eats his own flesh. That is, he brings trouble upon himself when he can’t provide for himself and/or his family. There is a vast difference between being a workaholic because we envy what others have and resigning ourselves to doing nothing. Both extremes are to be avoided.
A little with peace is better than much with strife. It is better to be content with little and live a quiet life than to attain more and more when there is chaos and disorder. Being content with meeting our needs is to be desired above both not having enough due to laziness or having an abundance due to envy.
Ecclesiastes has much practical ‘advice’--God will deal with injustice, we should enjoy and be content with the simple things in life, rather than being driven by envy. In order to see how these relate to Jesus, let‘s take a look at a few New Testament passages:
Luke 18:7 “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them?”
- When Jesus returns, justice will be accomplished. The book of Revelation is about how God will make all things right in His time.
- Unlike the animals, we are adopted, beloved and redeemed because Jesus, the Savior, has come. Like the animals, we die, but death is more than the grave, for Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, the one who believes in Him will never die (John 11:26-27).
- When envy is allowed to have control, it always leads to sin.
- We are to outdo one another in showing love, not by doing and acquiring more. Instead of envy, we are to love one another.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
- We must find our contentment in Christ, for the temptation to get rich leads to destruction.
God graciously reveals Himself and His will to us, so that we are not living meaningless lives of vanity, because the Messiah has come. It is He who said, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Matthew3:16-17).
Monday, September 23, 2013
ECCLESIASTES 2:12-3:15
READ 2:12-26
The Preacher sought to find meaning through pleasure and accumulating possessions, now he seeks it through wisdom, madness and folly. He looks to the entire spectrum of thought and behavior--where can satisfaction be found? If money and possessions can’t bring lasting meaning, perhaps it can be found through one’s lifestyle. Since a man can’t do anything that the king hasn’t already done, all we can do is copy him, but we won’t be able to surpass him. So, at the beginning, we are already defeated if we are attempting to find meaning in what we have. Solomon couldn’t find it and neither can we.
In verse 13, Solomon comes to the correct conclusion--wisdom is better than madness and folly because the wise person can see, but the fool cannot. He walks in darkness and has no discernment. So, in this life, wisdom is to be chosen above foolishness. But, that isn’t the end of the discussion--if it is better to be wise, then, why do the wise, like the fool, die? Where is the reward in acting wisely? Where is the punishment in acting foolishly? In the end, we all have the same fate-whether wise or foolish, we die and are soon forgotten.
You might be offended by the idea that the wise and foolish are alike because, in the end, we all die. Consider this--God doesn’t allow the righteous to live on Earth forever while the unrighteous die--we all die, regardless of how we live. Consider also, you and I live in post Messianic days--Jesus, the Messiah has come.
He and the apostles taught about Heaven. Who, in the Old Covenant shadows, taught about Heaven?
We assume that Solomon knew about Heaven, but the Old Testament evidence isn’t there. God, for His own reasons, did not make this teaching clear to Old Testament saints. Therefore, we are reading beyond what was written to apply New Covenant teaching to the Old Testament prior to first understanding what has been written. Understanding it in light of the New Covenant is important, but not without first understanding how the original hearers would have understood it. Because we live in a sin cursed Earth, both the wise and foolish die. That’s why even wisdom is seen as vanity and striving after the wind--it can‘t prevent death.
In Christ, believers are assured that one day, there will be no more tears, nor death, nor crying nor mourning nor pain (Revelation 21:4) and Death, the enemy will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15: 26). That is our hope, but it will not come as long as we are living in a world tainted by sin. Solomon is contemplating life ‘under the sun’ or apart from God, where there is no hope.
When the Preacher considers that all of his wealth, possessions and work will be left to another, he despairs. Will the one who inherits be wise or squander everything? Is it fair that someone enjoys that which he didn’t work for? We work hard to provide, and many take an emotional beating everyday to do so--and then, someone else gets what we worked for. Even after a hard day when we need rest, we often can’t sleep. This too, is vanity.
Verse 24 provides the answer to his frustration and hopelessness --there is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his work. This is repeated throughout Ecclesiastes--joy is found in the simple everyday things of life. Not in what we acquire or in great accomplishments which we hope will make a lasting impact, but in eating, drinking and work. Why is joy found in these things? Because they are from the hand of God.
This is the first mention of God since 1:13 because the Preacher is making a point--apart from God, who can have any true enjoyment? Life, ‘under the sun’ brings no lasting contentment. But, God enables us to enjoy life as we realize that He gives us good gifts in the ordinary things of everyday living. With the curse of Genesis 3, work became difficult. But, God redeems the curse and enables us to enjoy the work of our hands and the food and drink it provides.
The passage ends with a statement of how God blesses those who please Him, (the context being that he is able to enjoy that which God gives) but takes away from the sinner (he cannot find enjoyment in God’s gifts) and gives it to him that pleases God.
This foreshadows the words of Jesus, who said that what the unrighteous has will be taken away from him and given to the righteous (Matthew 13:12, Matthew 25:28, Mark 4:25, Luke 8:18, John 15:2). Each of these verses is in the context of judgment. God sees all that we do and stands ready to reward those who are righteous even as he judges the unrighteous.
This passage can be summed up by saying that when we work to achieve more and more, it is a striving after the wind and ultimately meaningless. Working for ‘someday’--in America, that is retirement--will leave us unhappy in the present. Work to provide for your needs, and learn to not only be satisfied, but take joy in the simple things which God provides in the here and now, not what may come in the future. Learn from the wisdom of Solomon. Life is meant to bring joy in what God provides, not in what we accomplish.
Life, under the sun, is vanity--a breath which is gone in an instant. But, Jesus rescues us from the futility of life. We have hope only because of Him. And yet, the hope we have on Earth is nothing to be compared with what awaits us when we are in His presence and even more so when He redeems Creation and we are living with Him in eternity. God will dwell with His people and nothing will be meaningless or striving after the wind.
READ 3:1-8
At first glance, it seems that this section is teaching us to discern when it is the proper time to act. Certainly, Scripture does admonish us to gain wisdom and discernment, but the context is about God, not about us. In all of our striving ‘under the sun’, there is a proper time for everything ‘under Heaven’. The phrases in verses 1-8 are opposites--the idea is that they encompass everything in between or completeness. It is God who determines the times and seasons of our lives--He is sovereign and providential over all.
None of us would choose the ‘negative’ seasons (die, pluck up, kill, break down, etc.) and we don’t have control over them--they happen. But, good also happens and both are from the hand of God. Life is meaningless apart from God--it is only in God that we can find true meaning--He orders the seasons and events of life--they are all according to His purposes. Apart from God, life is nothing more than randomness and chance. Some get the good roll of the dice, some don’t--there is no rhyme or reason. And, this results in despair. Life is an endless cycle (1:1-11), things come and go, but nothing is ever truly gained ‘under the sun’.
In the endless cycle of life there can be meaning when we see that God orders that which will happen--there is an appointed time for everything. The endless repetition is not futile, rather, it can be counted on. We know the sun will rise tomorrow. We know the ocean will not run dry. We know that life will be born. Living life ’under Heaven’ rather than ’under the sun’ makes all the difference between vanity and purpose.
We live ‘under Heaven’ by our faith in Jesus. He is the one who can change our reality of living ‘under the sun’. Because of Him, all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28-29). The context of this verse is suffering. Like the Preacher, we can become discouraged if we forget that God has appointed a time for everything under Heaven. God promises us that these things, both good and bad, work together for our good. We must learn to view life from the perspective that God is in control and therefore, we must trust His sovereignty.
READ 3:9-15
God has given man toil, but by his efforts, he cannot change anything that has been ordained. We make decisions everyday, but how these come together to prosper or thwart us is determined by God. We have no control over the unknown--we gain nothing from our efforts ‘under the sun’. But, God has made everything beautiful in its appropriate time. The idea is that everything fits beautifully as God has appointed it. Even the bad times are made to fit under God’s providential care. He is not unaware of our labor and trials--He is not far away.
God has also placed ‘eternity’ in our hearts. ‘Eternity’ is the Hebrew word ‘olam’ and its meaning is debated. It is variously translated as ‘past and future’, ‘world’, ‘darkness’ and ‘ignorance’. It can be translated:
‘God has set eternity in man’s heart, and yet, he can’t find out what God is doing’
‘God has set the world/darkness/ignorance in man’s heart, so that he can‘t find out what God is doing‘
Either way, the conclusion is the same--man is unable to know the mind of God, He is in control, not us.
Because of this, there is nothing better for man to do but to be joyful, do good, eat, drink and find pleasure in our work--this is a gift from God. As before, the Preacher tells us to find happiness in everyday things (2:24-25). We can’t find lasting happiness in possessions or accomplishments or in knowing the mind of God, but we can find it in what God has for us, and what He has is simple.
What God does lasts forever, not our accomplishments. Nothing can be added or taken away, He is the one who is sovereign over all. He appoints the times and seasons of life and makes it fit according to His purposes. We have no ultimate control. The reason? So that people may fear Him. We stand in awe of a God whom we can’t fully comprehend--if we could, we would be God.
Invictus, a poem written in 1875 and widely quoted, ends with:
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
When we live life ‘under the sun’, we believe we are in control, there is no fear of God. But it takes only one unforeseen tragedy to show that we have no control. God is providential over past and future events, what He decrees will happen. Even in the seemingly endless cycles of life, God is sovereign. History is not meaningless, it has a purpose--the same God who appoints a time for everything under Heaven also appointed that the Savior would be born at just the right time:
‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons’. (Galatians 4:4-5)
Jesus came at the right time in order to rescue His own and bring them into sonship. There is a time appointed for everything under Heaven and it all points ultimately to Jesus. Our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15a) and the wise will find joy in what God provides. Striving for joy ’under the sun’ will only lead to vanity--a chasing after the wind.
The Preacher sought to find meaning through pleasure and accumulating possessions, now he seeks it through wisdom, madness and folly. He looks to the entire spectrum of thought and behavior--where can satisfaction be found? If money and possessions can’t bring lasting meaning, perhaps it can be found through one’s lifestyle. Since a man can’t do anything that the king hasn’t already done, all we can do is copy him, but we won’t be able to surpass him. So, at the beginning, we are already defeated if we are attempting to find meaning in what we have. Solomon couldn’t find it and neither can we.
In verse 13, Solomon comes to the correct conclusion--wisdom is better than madness and folly because the wise person can see, but the fool cannot. He walks in darkness and has no discernment. So, in this life, wisdom is to be chosen above foolishness. But, that isn’t the end of the discussion--if it is better to be wise, then, why do the wise, like the fool, die? Where is the reward in acting wisely? Where is the punishment in acting foolishly? In the end, we all have the same fate-whether wise or foolish, we die and are soon forgotten.
You might be offended by the idea that the wise and foolish are alike because, in the end, we all die. Consider this--God doesn’t allow the righteous to live on Earth forever while the unrighteous die--we all die, regardless of how we live. Consider also, you and I live in post Messianic days--Jesus, the Messiah has come.
He and the apostles taught about Heaven. Who, in the Old Covenant shadows, taught about Heaven?
We assume that Solomon knew about Heaven, but the Old Testament evidence isn’t there. God, for His own reasons, did not make this teaching clear to Old Testament saints. Therefore, we are reading beyond what was written to apply New Covenant teaching to the Old Testament prior to first understanding what has been written. Understanding it in light of the New Covenant is important, but not without first understanding how the original hearers would have understood it. Because we live in a sin cursed Earth, both the wise and foolish die. That’s why even wisdom is seen as vanity and striving after the wind--it can‘t prevent death.
In Christ, believers are assured that one day, there will be no more tears, nor death, nor crying nor mourning nor pain (Revelation 21:4) and Death, the enemy will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15: 26). That is our hope, but it will not come as long as we are living in a world tainted by sin. Solomon is contemplating life ‘under the sun’ or apart from God, where there is no hope.
When the Preacher considers that all of his wealth, possessions and work will be left to another, he despairs. Will the one who inherits be wise or squander everything? Is it fair that someone enjoys that which he didn’t work for? We work hard to provide, and many take an emotional beating everyday to do so--and then, someone else gets what we worked for. Even after a hard day when we need rest, we often can’t sleep. This too, is vanity.
Verse 24 provides the answer to his frustration and hopelessness --there is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his work. This is repeated throughout Ecclesiastes--joy is found in the simple everyday things of life. Not in what we acquire or in great accomplishments which we hope will make a lasting impact, but in eating, drinking and work. Why is joy found in these things? Because they are from the hand of God.
This is the first mention of God since 1:13 because the Preacher is making a point--apart from God, who can have any true enjoyment? Life, ‘under the sun’ brings no lasting contentment. But, God enables us to enjoy life as we realize that He gives us good gifts in the ordinary things of everyday living. With the curse of Genesis 3, work became difficult. But, God redeems the curse and enables us to enjoy the work of our hands and the food and drink it provides.
The passage ends with a statement of how God blesses those who please Him, (the context being that he is able to enjoy that which God gives) but takes away from the sinner (he cannot find enjoyment in God’s gifts) and gives it to him that pleases God.
This foreshadows the words of Jesus, who said that what the unrighteous has will be taken away from him and given to the righteous (Matthew 13:12, Matthew 25:28, Mark 4:25, Luke 8:18, John 15:2). Each of these verses is in the context of judgment. God sees all that we do and stands ready to reward those who are righteous even as he judges the unrighteous.
This passage can be summed up by saying that when we work to achieve more and more, it is a striving after the wind and ultimately meaningless. Working for ‘someday’--in America, that is retirement--will leave us unhappy in the present. Work to provide for your needs, and learn to not only be satisfied, but take joy in the simple things which God provides in the here and now, not what may come in the future. Learn from the wisdom of Solomon. Life is meant to bring joy in what God provides, not in what we accomplish.
Life, under the sun, is vanity--a breath which is gone in an instant. But, Jesus rescues us from the futility of life. We have hope only because of Him. And yet, the hope we have on Earth is nothing to be compared with what awaits us when we are in His presence and even more so when He redeems Creation and we are living with Him in eternity. God will dwell with His people and nothing will be meaningless or striving after the wind.
READ 3:1-8
At first glance, it seems that this section is teaching us to discern when it is the proper time to act. Certainly, Scripture does admonish us to gain wisdom and discernment, but the context is about God, not about us. In all of our striving ‘under the sun’, there is a proper time for everything ‘under Heaven’. The phrases in verses 1-8 are opposites--the idea is that they encompass everything in between or completeness. It is God who determines the times and seasons of our lives--He is sovereign and providential over all.
None of us would choose the ‘negative’ seasons (die, pluck up, kill, break down, etc.) and we don’t have control over them--they happen. But, good also happens and both are from the hand of God. Life is meaningless apart from God--it is only in God that we can find true meaning--He orders the seasons and events of life--they are all according to His purposes. Apart from God, life is nothing more than randomness and chance. Some get the good roll of the dice, some don’t--there is no rhyme or reason. And, this results in despair. Life is an endless cycle (1:1-11), things come and go, but nothing is ever truly gained ‘under the sun’.
In the endless cycle of life there can be meaning when we see that God orders that which will happen--there is an appointed time for everything. The endless repetition is not futile, rather, it can be counted on. We know the sun will rise tomorrow. We know the ocean will not run dry. We know that life will be born. Living life ’under Heaven’ rather than ’under the sun’ makes all the difference between vanity and purpose.
We live ‘under Heaven’ by our faith in Jesus. He is the one who can change our reality of living ‘under the sun’. Because of Him, all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28-29). The context of this verse is suffering. Like the Preacher, we can become discouraged if we forget that God has appointed a time for everything under Heaven. God promises us that these things, both good and bad, work together for our good. We must learn to view life from the perspective that God is in control and therefore, we must trust His sovereignty.
READ 3:9-15
God has given man toil, but by his efforts, he cannot change anything that has been ordained. We make decisions everyday, but how these come together to prosper or thwart us is determined by God. We have no control over the unknown--we gain nothing from our efforts ‘under the sun’. But, God has made everything beautiful in its appropriate time. The idea is that everything fits beautifully as God has appointed it. Even the bad times are made to fit under God’s providential care. He is not unaware of our labor and trials--He is not far away.
God has also placed ‘eternity’ in our hearts. ‘Eternity’ is the Hebrew word ‘olam’ and its meaning is debated. It is variously translated as ‘past and future’, ‘world’, ‘darkness’ and ‘ignorance’. It can be translated:
‘God has set eternity in man’s heart, and yet, he can’t find out what God is doing’
‘God has set the world/darkness/ignorance in man’s heart, so that he can‘t find out what God is doing‘
Either way, the conclusion is the same--man is unable to know the mind of God, He is in control, not us.
Because of this, there is nothing better for man to do but to be joyful, do good, eat, drink and find pleasure in our work--this is a gift from God. As before, the Preacher tells us to find happiness in everyday things (2:24-25). We can’t find lasting happiness in possessions or accomplishments or in knowing the mind of God, but we can find it in what God has for us, and what He has is simple.
What God does lasts forever, not our accomplishments. Nothing can be added or taken away, He is the one who is sovereign over all. He appoints the times and seasons of life and makes it fit according to His purposes. We have no ultimate control. The reason? So that people may fear Him. We stand in awe of a God whom we can’t fully comprehend--if we could, we would be God.
Invictus, a poem written in 1875 and widely quoted, ends with:
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
When we live life ‘under the sun’, we believe we are in control, there is no fear of God. But it takes only one unforeseen tragedy to show that we have no control. God is providential over past and future events, what He decrees will happen. Even in the seemingly endless cycles of life, God is sovereign. History is not meaningless, it has a purpose--the same God who appoints a time for everything under Heaven also appointed that the Savior would be born at just the right time:
‘But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons’. (Galatians 4:4-5)
Jesus came at the right time in order to rescue His own and bring them into sonship. There is a time appointed for everything under Heaven and it all points ultimately to Jesus. Our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15a) and the wise will find joy in what God provides. Striving for joy ’under the sun’ will only lead to vanity--a chasing after the wind.
Monday, September 16, 2013
ECCLESIASTES 1:12-2:11
Apart
from God, what we accomplish is never enough--and will result in
emptiness and despair. The Preacher explores the different ways that
people try to overcome this and find meaning among the emptiness. Our
natural inclination is to leave God out of our searching, and that
results in futility.
The first eleven verses describe the frustration of life in this fallen world--in the end, nothing is truly satisfying. Interestingly, God is not mentioned in these verses and I believe the Preacher intended it that way. Apart from God, all of our efforts are frustrated. We work and work to attain that which will last, but will fail every time when we strive for ultimate meaning apart from God.
There is One who brings ultimate meaning to the emptiness we feel--the Lord, Jesus. His words point back to Ecclesiastes, He is the fulfillment of the vanity in life. Even so, we need to understand the book as the original hearers would have understood in, in the ‘shadows’ of the Old Covenant’ before we understand it in the reality of the New Covenant.
Key themes in Ecclesiastes are :
Vanity, which is repeated 38 times and can be translated as empty, meaningless or futile. It conveys the idea of a breath or vapor--gone almost immediately with nothing to show for it. Nothing in life is permanent.
Man, which is repeated 56 times. Usually, it is the word ‘Adam’ (mankind). A few times, it is the word ‘male’. Ecclesiastes deals with humans living in a fallen world.
Work, which is repeated 26 times. Work is important but has been negatively affected by the Fall.
Under the sun, which is repeated 26 times. It is a way to describe life apart from God.
The book is designed to both be meditated upon and provoke dialogue. There appears to be contradictions within the book and against other Scripture. That’s because there are exceptions to every rule, life isn’t always so neatly packaged. We need to rest in the tension and not make any conclusions until the author does.
READ 1:12-2:11
In verses 12-14, the Preacher describes his credentials as he did in verse 1--’king in Jerusalem’. He tells us why he is qualified to teach the assembly--because he set out to use his wisdom to search all that is done under Heaven. All of us seek to know what life is all about, what God is doing. How many times have you heard someone say that when they get to Heaven they will ask God why He did some things? Perhaps you have said that. Solomon is reflecting on this. He had the power and resources to do whatever his heart desired. If anyone can find out what God is up to, it was Solomon.
He quickly concludes that it isn’t possible to know. Not only that, but what God has given man to do results in unhappiness. Why? Because it is striving after the wind--there is no real, lasting happiness in it. Life is burdensome. Don’t lose sight of the fact that his context is in this fallen world, where there is sorrow, frustration and grief.
The Preacher is unable to realize his quest to know what life is all about and what God is doing. Verse 15 is the point of this passage--we are helpless to change what God ordains, and what God doesn‘t provide can‘t be had. Even with the Preacher’s great wisdom, vast knowledge and plentiful experiences, it is all a striving after the wind. We don’t realize the entire consequence of the Fall in Genesis 3--every part of life is affected. Even the Earth is subject to frustration and awaits its redemption (Romans 8:20-21). Living became hard and often burdensome.
Just this past week, we commemorated lives lost in the attack on America--those who were directly affected will never be the same. We watched as fires rage in Seaside only months after it was ravaged by a hurricane. How will these people find the fortitude to rebuild? I am reminded of an acquaintance whose young son was killed in an auto accident at the fault of his older brother. How does one go on? Yes, life ‘under the sun’ is fleeting and sometimes, downright harsh. The Preacher looks squarely in the eye of the difficulties of life ‘under the sun‘, and declares it to be vanity--a mere breath.
Since Solomon cannot know all that God is doing, He looks in other directions to find something which will satisfy. He applies his heart to madness and folly--his great wisdom hasn’t brought lasting meaning to his life--maybe he’s been too serious minded--perhaps, he needs to ‘lighten up’. Once again, it is shown to be striving after the wind--he cannot grasp happiness for very long.
“For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” (v.18)
Wisdom is good, but with it, comes sorrow. As we learn more about the world, stress and fear increase. Being oblivious is sometimes a good thing. Therefore, wisdom and knowledge are mixed blessings. Solomon, even with all his resources, possessions and the wisdom to enjoy them, couldn’t. Apart from God, nothing bring lasting fulfillment.
But, maybe this isn’t the final word--perhaps there is ultimate meaning in this world, maybe there is something to which he hasn’t yet availed himself. So, he sets out to do just that. Chapter 2:1-8 gives us a rapid succession of all the ways the Preacher set out to find meaning ‘under the sun’:
Nothing was withheld from him, he surpassed everyone--no one was greater than he (I Kings 10:23). Solomon found pleasure in his work, the things he accumulated brought him reward. There is enjoyment in accomplishment and gain. But, in the end, he was left wanting. You and I will most likely not have anywhere near the wealth, power and possessions of Solomon, neither will we have his wisdom. Therefore, it is wise for us to learn from him. If he couldn't find true meaning, then neither will we. Possessions are never enough because they can’t bring lasting satisfaction--it’s all striving after the wind. In the end, there is nothing to be gained ‘under the sun’.
Studies have shown that the very wealthy are happier than those who live paycheck to paycheck, that shouldn't come as a surprise. What is surprising is that there isn’t as large of a gap as one might think--one's happiness is not exponential according to their wealth. One writer put it this way--when we enjoy a good meal, we are satisfied--we don’t immediately have another because we enjoyed it. Possessions, however, are different. Even when we are satisfied, we want more. The rich may have more expensive things, but the desire to have newer and better is the same.
According to these studies, people are happiest when they can pay the bills and have a little left over. That’s pretty much what Ecclesiastes teaches as we shall soon see. Trying to find lasting joy in money and things is futile, a chasing after the wind. It never brings lasting meaning to our lives. As the great modern poet once said, ‘Money can’t buy me love’.
Nothing relational is mentioned thus far--even his wives were due to political alliances with the nations. The Preacher is searching for lasting meaning for himself, by himself, under the sun. All that he finds is that it is vanity, a chasing after the wind.
The first eleven verses describe the frustration of life in this fallen world--in the end, nothing is truly satisfying. Interestingly, God is not mentioned in these verses and I believe the Preacher intended it that way. Apart from God, all of our efforts are frustrated. We work and work to attain that which will last, but will fail every time when we strive for ultimate meaning apart from God.
There is One who brings ultimate meaning to the emptiness we feel--the Lord, Jesus. His words point back to Ecclesiastes, He is the fulfillment of the vanity in life. Even so, we need to understand the book as the original hearers would have understood in, in the ‘shadows’ of the Old Covenant’ before we understand it in the reality of the New Covenant.
Key themes in Ecclesiastes are :
Vanity, which is repeated 38 times and can be translated as empty, meaningless or futile. It conveys the idea of a breath or vapor--gone almost immediately with nothing to show for it. Nothing in life is permanent.
Man, which is repeated 56 times. Usually, it is the word ‘Adam’ (mankind). A few times, it is the word ‘male’. Ecclesiastes deals with humans living in a fallen world.
Work, which is repeated 26 times. Work is important but has been negatively affected by the Fall.
Under the sun, which is repeated 26 times. It is a way to describe life apart from God.
The book is designed to both be meditated upon and provoke dialogue. There appears to be contradictions within the book and against other Scripture. That’s because there are exceptions to every rule, life isn’t always so neatly packaged. We need to rest in the tension and not make any conclusions until the author does.
READ 1:12-2:11
In verses 12-14, the Preacher describes his credentials as he did in verse 1--’king in Jerusalem’. He tells us why he is qualified to teach the assembly--because he set out to use his wisdom to search all that is done under Heaven. All of us seek to know what life is all about, what God is doing. How many times have you heard someone say that when they get to Heaven they will ask God why He did some things? Perhaps you have said that. Solomon is reflecting on this. He had the power and resources to do whatever his heart desired. If anyone can find out what God is up to, it was Solomon.
He quickly concludes that it isn’t possible to know. Not only that, but what God has given man to do results in unhappiness. Why? Because it is striving after the wind--there is no real, lasting happiness in it. Life is burdensome. Don’t lose sight of the fact that his context is in this fallen world, where there is sorrow, frustration and grief.
The Preacher is unable to realize his quest to know what life is all about and what God is doing. Verse 15 is the point of this passage--we are helpless to change what God ordains, and what God doesn‘t provide can‘t be had. Even with the Preacher’s great wisdom, vast knowledge and plentiful experiences, it is all a striving after the wind. We don’t realize the entire consequence of the Fall in Genesis 3--every part of life is affected. Even the Earth is subject to frustration and awaits its redemption (Romans 8:20-21). Living became hard and often burdensome.
Just this past week, we commemorated lives lost in the attack on America--those who were directly affected will never be the same. We watched as fires rage in Seaside only months after it was ravaged by a hurricane. How will these people find the fortitude to rebuild? I am reminded of an acquaintance whose young son was killed in an auto accident at the fault of his older brother. How does one go on? Yes, life ‘under the sun’ is fleeting and sometimes, downright harsh. The Preacher looks squarely in the eye of the difficulties of life ‘under the sun‘, and declares it to be vanity--a mere breath.
Since Solomon cannot know all that God is doing, He looks in other directions to find something which will satisfy. He applies his heart to madness and folly--his great wisdom hasn’t brought lasting meaning to his life--maybe he’s been too serious minded--perhaps, he needs to ‘lighten up’. Once again, it is shown to be striving after the wind--he cannot grasp happiness for very long.
“For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” (v.18)
Wisdom is good, but with it, comes sorrow. As we learn more about the world, stress and fear increase. Being oblivious is sometimes a good thing. Therefore, wisdom and knowledge are mixed blessings. Solomon, even with all his resources, possessions and the wisdom to enjoy them, couldn’t. Apart from God, nothing bring lasting fulfillment.
But, maybe this isn’t the final word--perhaps there is ultimate meaning in this world, maybe there is something to which he hasn’t yet availed himself. So, he sets out to do just that. Chapter 2:1-8 gives us a rapid succession of all the ways the Preacher set out to find meaning ‘under the sun’:
- I cheered my body with wine
- I pursued folly
- I built great buildings
- I planted vineyards, gardens, parks, fruit trees, and engineered the means to irrigate
- I accumulated many slaves, herds and flocks, more than anyone else in Jerusalem
- I had silver, gold and great treasures from kings and foreign lands
- I accumulated singers, and many concubines (300, and 700 wives 1 Kings 11:3). The old KJV says he accumulated musical instruments.
- I had the delight of sons and men--anything one could want, Solomon had
Nothing was withheld from him, he surpassed everyone--no one was greater than he (I Kings 10:23). Solomon found pleasure in his work, the things he accumulated brought him reward. There is enjoyment in accomplishment and gain. But, in the end, he was left wanting. You and I will most likely not have anywhere near the wealth, power and possessions of Solomon, neither will we have his wisdom. Therefore, it is wise for us to learn from him. If he couldn't find true meaning, then neither will we. Possessions are never enough because they can’t bring lasting satisfaction--it’s all striving after the wind. In the end, there is nothing to be gained ‘under the sun’.
Studies have shown that the very wealthy are happier than those who live paycheck to paycheck, that shouldn't come as a surprise. What is surprising is that there isn’t as large of a gap as one might think--one's happiness is not exponential according to their wealth. One writer put it this way--when we enjoy a good meal, we are satisfied--we don’t immediately have another because we enjoyed it. Possessions, however, are different. Even when we are satisfied, we want more. The rich may have more expensive things, but the desire to have newer and better is the same.
According to these studies, people are happiest when they can pay the bills and have a little left over. That’s pretty much what Ecclesiastes teaches as we shall soon see. Trying to find lasting joy in money and things is futile, a chasing after the wind. It never brings lasting meaning to our lives. As the great modern poet once said, ‘Money can’t buy me love’.
Nothing relational is mentioned thus far--even his wives were due to political alliances with the nations. The Preacher is searching for lasting meaning for himself, by himself, under the sun. All that he finds is that it is vanity, a chasing after the wind.
Monday, September 9, 2013
ECCLESIASTES 1:1-11
Ecclesiastes is traditionally believed to be authored by the wise King Solomon, ‘the son of David, king in Jerusalem’ (1:1). Some scholars, however, believe that the language and topics discussed are not that of Solomon, but of someone presenting it as if it were from Solomon, who is the great voice of wisdom. Furthermore, the name Solomon is not mentioned, the author refers to himself simply as ‘The Preacher’. Ecclesiastes (Greek), or Qoheleth (Hebrew), as the book is sometimes called, means ‘assembly‘. Thus, the person addressing the assembly is ‘The Preacher‘.
The book is written to God’s people who struggle with what He is doing in their lives and the world around them. All of us can relate to that--life often seems so wrong and unfair. We want to achieve and fall short. Life can become meaningless in our sorrows and even in our successes. We try to make sense of life, but our striving will only leave us hopeless and disillusioned.
The Preacher explores the different ways that people try to overcome and find meaning among the emptiness. Our natural inclination is to leave God out of our searching, and that results in futility. Apart from God, what we have is never enough--that‘s why it results in emptiness and despair. Solomon understands the complexities and frustrations of life ‘under the sun‘ or, apart from God, and makes his point over and over again. He is forthright and gritty--nothing is sugar coated here. If we aren’t rooted, grounded and anchored in God, we will strive but not endure and we will lose hope.
Ultimately, the message of Ecclesiastes is about Jesus, because He tells us that all of Scripture is about Him (Luke 24:27, John 5:39). In this study, we will learn to see Jesus in Ecclesiastes--how it all points to Him.
Chapter 1:1-11 is the thesis statement of the book--it tells us what the book is about.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.
The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.
All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”?
It has been already in the ages before us.
There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.
As I read this passage, I am reminded of the hamster on the wheel--going and going, but nothing is accomplished. It’s leaves me frustrated. God is nowhere mentioned in these verses.
That’s the point. Apart from God, all of our efforts are frustrated. And that’s the message of Ecclesiastes.
The main points of the book are:
Everything is vain (empty or useless) ‘under the sun’ (apart from God)
The cycle of life and nature exemplifies this uselessness--nothing is truly gained
There is no lasting satisfaction
Nothing is ever truly new
Nothing will be remembered forever
If you miss that these statements all refer back to verses 2 and 3, that is, life ‘under the sun’, then you will miss the point of the book and dismiss it as pessimistic. Instead, we should see Ecclesiastes as a book written by a very wise man who, because of his experience, has something to teach us about how we should live.
Verse 1 tells us that the author knows what he is talking about, he is the king, after all--everything is at his disposal. He, along with his father, David, were the kings during the glory days of Israel. God granted him great wisdom and wealth (1 Kings 3:5-14, 2 Chronicles 1:7-12) and Jerusalem prospered under his rule. Some believe that Ecclesiastes was written at the end of his life when he was in a depressed and backslidden state--one who started well, but didn’t end well. If you are one of these people, perhaps this study will change your mind and you will see the book in a new way.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that the cycles of life and nature reveal that nothing is ever really new. The sun rises and sets, the wind blows, the waters fill the sea, but never to fullness--it’s just the same thing, over and over again. In the same way, when we have, we want more. The enthusiast wants the newest and best; the musician wants a better instrument, the jewelry lover wants a bigger diamond, the salesman wants a bigger sale, and on it goes. There will always be something newer and better, therefore, any satisfaction we get is fleeting. We are never truly satisfied.
What is, has been before and will come again. New products and technology lead to new and improved products and technology--it’s never enough. Even this is just another way to communicate or get things done--the basis doesn’t change. People have always communicated, people have always worked, people have always traveled--the modes are always changing, but there is nothing truly new under the sun. It’s all been done before.
The Preacher says that nothing will be remembered forever. You might be thinking that there is remembrance of things that people do- I’m sure you can list some of them. The point is, there will always be someone to take their place, there will always be someone new to be excited about. Celebrities are on the front pages, until someone new comes along--how quickly they become ‘has beens’. Buildings, schools and stadiums are named for great people, until a big corporation pays enough money to remove the name and replace it with their own.
And one day, they are old and torn down. They are just a memory.
Look at the ruins in Rome and Greece, they are nothing like they were when new and bright and filled with life. Imagine the excitement of the Roman Coliseum, which held up to 80,000 people. Built from 70-80 AD, the Coliseum was the symbol of Roman power. The giant statue of Nero, Emperor of the world, towered before it. The statue is long gone and forgotten. The arena, once vibrant, is just a façade.
Likewise, the Parthenon, a temple to the Greek Goddess, Athena, was captured by the Ottoman Empire and turned into a Mosque, no longer to symbolize Greece and its religion. The building, along with it’s magnificent sculptures, was eventually badly damaged by invading armies. It’s magnificence--gone. Two great world Empires are now tourist attractions--the might and terror are gone. The monuments built to display their significance for all time are a shadow of what they were- broken and scattered.
These are just two examples of structures intended to leave a lasting legacy of might and strength. Of the Seven Great Wonders of the Ancient World, only the Pyramid of Giza remains. The rest? Gone. Now, there are new lists of ‘Great Wonders’--they are been replaced by the ‘new and improved’. Nothing remains forever, there will always be something or someone to take its place.
Your children and grandchildren will likely remember you--your great grandchildren? Maybe. Beyond that, it is doubtful that they will know anything about you and your accomplishments. Given enough time and distance, even the greatest legacies will be forgotten, it’s all vanity.
Does this depress you? Good! That’s what the Preacher wants you to realize. The greatest accomplishments are futile, apart from God. He is not referring to joy in accomplishment, he is referring to ultimate meaning. Without this, there is despair, and this is what he shows in the following chapters. There are no quick and easy answers in Ecclesiastes. We must slow down, think pensively and drink deeply of the futility of life ‘under the sun’.
In all the emptiness of life, there is One who brings ultimate meaning--the Lord, Jesus. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). But, we don‘t need to live apart from Him. Jesus’ words point back to Ecclesiastes, and He is the fulfillment of the vanity in life:
“And He said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (LUKE 12:15-21)
The rich fool lost everything, his barns, his riches, and most importantly, his soul. Jesus’ teachings echo the themes in Ecclesiastes. The one who put all his hope in riches, in the end, had nothing. Living life ‘under the sun’ is ultimately meaningless, regardless of how much we achieve. In the end, it is vanity.
“Therefore, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
Ecclesiastes has a very contemporary message for us, for, we too are tempted to live life apart from God--’under the sun’. As Jesus taught, we need to put our hope in Heavenly things, not Earthly things. Our hope is to be in the things will which last, not that which will become corrupt and decay. We need to learn the lesson from the wise Preacher that apart from God, ultimately, nothing is gained and all is vanity. Life will be constant striving with no satisfying meaning.
Jesus became sin so that believers might become the righteousness of God
(2 Corinthians 5:21) Believers are now in union with Him. That’s how we can have ultimate meaning in life, because of what He has done on our behalf and who we are in Him. Solomon understood the futility of life ‘under the sun’ and we too need to understand it. Only in Christ are we able to avoid the fate of the rich man, who gained the whole world, but lost his own soul (Mark 8:36-37).
The book is written to God’s people who struggle with what He is doing in their lives and the world around them. All of us can relate to that--life often seems so wrong and unfair. We want to achieve and fall short. Life can become meaningless in our sorrows and even in our successes. We try to make sense of life, but our striving will only leave us hopeless and disillusioned.
The Preacher explores the different ways that people try to overcome and find meaning among the emptiness. Our natural inclination is to leave God out of our searching, and that results in futility. Apart from God, what we have is never enough--that‘s why it results in emptiness and despair. Solomon understands the complexities and frustrations of life ‘under the sun‘ or, apart from God, and makes his point over and over again. He is forthright and gritty--nothing is sugar coated here. If we aren’t rooted, grounded and anchored in God, we will strive but not endure and we will lose hope.
Ultimately, the message of Ecclesiastes is about Jesus, because He tells us that all of Scripture is about Him (Luke 24:27, John 5:39). In this study, we will learn to see Jesus in Ecclesiastes--how it all points to Him.
Chapter 1:1-11 is the thesis statement of the book--it tells us what the book is about.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.
The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.
All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”?
It has been already in the ages before us.
There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.
As I read this passage, I am reminded of the hamster on the wheel--going and going, but nothing is accomplished. It’s leaves me frustrated. God is nowhere mentioned in these verses.
That’s the point. Apart from God, all of our efforts are frustrated. And that’s the message of Ecclesiastes.
The main points of the book are:
Everything is vain (empty or useless) ‘under the sun’ (apart from God)
The cycle of life and nature exemplifies this uselessness--nothing is truly gained
There is no lasting satisfaction
Nothing is ever truly new
Nothing will be remembered forever
If you miss that these statements all refer back to verses 2 and 3, that is, life ‘under the sun’, then you will miss the point of the book and dismiss it as pessimistic. Instead, we should see Ecclesiastes as a book written by a very wise man who, because of his experience, has something to teach us about how we should live.
Verse 1 tells us that the author knows what he is talking about, he is the king, after all--everything is at his disposal. He, along with his father, David, were the kings during the glory days of Israel. God granted him great wisdom and wealth (1 Kings 3:5-14, 2 Chronicles 1:7-12) and Jerusalem prospered under his rule. Some believe that Ecclesiastes was written at the end of his life when he was in a depressed and backslidden state--one who started well, but didn’t end well. If you are one of these people, perhaps this study will change your mind and you will see the book in a new way.
Ecclesiastes reminds us that the cycles of life and nature reveal that nothing is ever really new. The sun rises and sets, the wind blows, the waters fill the sea, but never to fullness--it’s just the same thing, over and over again. In the same way, when we have, we want more. The enthusiast wants the newest and best; the musician wants a better instrument, the jewelry lover wants a bigger diamond, the salesman wants a bigger sale, and on it goes. There will always be something newer and better, therefore, any satisfaction we get is fleeting. We are never truly satisfied.
What is, has been before and will come again. New products and technology lead to new and improved products and technology--it’s never enough. Even this is just another way to communicate or get things done--the basis doesn’t change. People have always communicated, people have always worked, people have always traveled--the modes are always changing, but there is nothing truly new under the sun. It’s all been done before.
The Preacher says that nothing will be remembered forever. You might be thinking that there is remembrance of things that people do- I’m sure you can list some of them. The point is, there will always be someone to take their place, there will always be someone new to be excited about. Celebrities are on the front pages, until someone new comes along--how quickly they become ‘has beens’. Buildings, schools and stadiums are named for great people, until a big corporation pays enough money to remove the name and replace it with their own.
And one day, they are old and torn down. They are just a memory.
Look at the ruins in Rome and Greece, they are nothing like they were when new and bright and filled with life. Imagine the excitement of the Roman Coliseum, which held up to 80,000 people. Built from 70-80 AD, the Coliseum was the symbol of Roman power. The giant statue of Nero, Emperor of the world, towered before it. The statue is long gone and forgotten. The arena, once vibrant, is just a façade.
Likewise, the Parthenon, a temple to the Greek Goddess, Athena, was captured by the Ottoman Empire and turned into a Mosque, no longer to symbolize Greece and its religion. The building, along with it’s magnificent sculptures, was eventually badly damaged by invading armies. It’s magnificence--gone. Two great world Empires are now tourist attractions--the might and terror are gone. The monuments built to display their significance for all time are a shadow of what they were- broken and scattered.
These are just two examples of structures intended to leave a lasting legacy of might and strength. Of the Seven Great Wonders of the Ancient World, only the Pyramid of Giza remains. The rest? Gone. Now, there are new lists of ‘Great Wonders’--they are been replaced by the ‘new and improved’. Nothing remains forever, there will always be something or someone to take its place.
Your children and grandchildren will likely remember you--your great grandchildren? Maybe. Beyond that, it is doubtful that they will know anything about you and your accomplishments. Given enough time and distance, even the greatest legacies will be forgotten, it’s all vanity.
Does this depress you? Good! That’s what the Preacher wants you to realize. The greatest accomplishments are futile, apart from God. He is not referring to joy in accomplishment, he is referring to ultimate meaning. Without this, there is despair, and this is what he shows in the following chapters. There are no quick and easy answers in Ecclesiastes. We must slow down, think pensively and drink deeply of the futility of life ‘under the sun’.
In all the emptiness of life, there is One who brings ultimate meaning--the Lord, Jesus. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). But, we don‘t need to live apart from Him. Jesus’ words point back to Ecclesiastes, and He is the fulfillment of the vanity in life:
“And He said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (LUKE 12:15-21)
The rich fool lost everything, his barns, his riches, and most importantly, his soul. Jesus’ teachings echo the themes in Ecclesiastes. The one who put all his hope in riches, in the end, had nothing. Living life ‘under the sun’ is ultimately meaningless, regardless of how much we achieve. In the end, it is vanity.
“Therefore, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
Ecclesiastes has a very contemporary message for us, for, we too are tempted to live life apart from God--’under the sun’. As Jesus taught, we need to put our hope in Heavenly things, not Earthly things. Our hope is to be in the things will which last, not that which will become corrupt and decay. We need to learn the lesson from the wise Preacher that apart from God, ultimately, nothing is gained and all is vanity. Life will be constant striving with no satisfying meaning.
Jesus became sin so that believers might become the righteousness of God
(2 Corinthians 5:21) Believers are now in union with Him. That’s how we can have ultimate meaning in life, because of what He has done on our behalf and who we are in Him. Solomon understood the futility of life ‘under the sun’ and we too need to understand it. Only in Christ are we able to avoid the fate of the rich man, who gained the whole world, but lost his own soul (Mark 8:36-37).
Friday, August 16, 2013
The Blessing of Ruth
I have been teaching Ruth, and, in my studies, I learned to appreciate the book in a new way. We all know the love story between Ruth and Boaz, how he became her redeemer and how this points to the final Redeemer, that is, the Lord, Jesus. But, if that is all we learn, we have missed so much.
The account is filled with intrigue and suspense, even cliff hangers. We are left with wondering, What's going to happen next? Where is God? What now? Won't He do anything? The account is filled with 'coincidence'--it just so happens that there was a famine in Israel; it just so happens that Elimelech moves his family to Moab (really??); it just so happens that his sons marry Moabite women; it just so happens there are no children; it just so happens they both die...and so it goes. But, God, who remains silent, is not silent at all. He is providentially orchestrating everything for their good and His purposes. We miss the nuances because we have become so familiar with the story. Read it again, even better, listen to it aloud and you will likely hear things you have missed.
The book of Ruth is an account of hope being brought to those in despair. It takes place during the times of the Judges, a dark time in Israel's history, replete with sin. Naomi lost everything and she was in despair, believing that God's hand was turned against her. But, it is also about 'Hesed', a Hebrew word which has no direct English translation. Hesed is love, compassion, mercy, kindness and goodness in action. It is going the extra mile for another. It is helping another when they are weak. Throughout the story, the giver and receiver of Hesed changes as each of the characters show Hesed to each other at different times. God made us for relationship, and the account of Ruth is a glorious example of what this should look like--how we are to live with one another by helping, providing and caring. And, we need to be willing to receive those things from others. Imagine how the church would be if each of us lived out Hesed!
Naomi, who lost everything, was greatly blessed by the Hesed of both Ruth and Boaz. When they marry and have a son, it is with joy that the townspeople proclaim that Naomi has a son--the one who was empty is now filled. If that were the end of the story, it would be enough, but there's more. The account ends with a genealogy--this child would be the grandfather of David, the great king of Israel. And, as we know, David was the ancestor of the King of the Universe, the Lord, Jesus Christ. The one who was in despair became the means of blessings to Israel and ultimately, the whole world. Such is the goodness and kindness of God!
The account is filled with intrigue and suspense, even cliff hangers. We are left with wondering, What's going to happen next? Where is God? What now? Won't He do anything? The account is filled with 'coincidence'--it just so happens that there was a famine in Israel; it just so happens that Elimelech moves his family to Moab (really??); it just so happens that his sons marry Moabite women; it just so happens there are no children; it just so happens they both die...and so it goes. But, God, who remains silent, is not silent at all. He is providentially orchestrating everything for their good and His purposes. We miss the nuances because we have become so familiar with the story. Read it again, even better, listen to it aloud and you will likely hear things you have missed.
The book of Ruth is an account of hope being brought to those in despair. It takes place during the times of the Judges, a dark time in Israel's history, replete with sin. Naomi lost everything and she was in despair, believing that God's hand was turned against her. But, it is also about 'Hesed', a Hebrew word which has no direct English translation. Hesed is love, compassion, mercy, kindness and goodness in action. It is going the extra mile for another. It is helping another when they are weak. Throughout the story, the giver and receiver of Hesed changes as each of the characters show Hesed to each other at different times. God made us for relationship, and the account of Ruth is a glorious example of what this should look like--how we are to live with one another by helping, providing and caring. And, we need to be willing to receive those things from others. Imagine how the church would be if each of us lived out Hesed!
Naomi, who lost everything, was greatly blessed by the Hesed of both Ruth and Boaz. When they marry and have a son, it is with joy that the townspeople proclaim that Naomi has a son--the one who was empty is now filled. If that were the end of the story, it would be enough, but there's more. The account ends with a genealogy--this child would be the grandfather of David, the great king of Israel. And, as we know, David was the ancestor of the King of the Universe, the Lord, Jesus Christ. The one who was in despair became the means of blessings to Israel and ultimately, the whole world. Such is the goodness and kindness of God!
In Essentials Unity.....
...in non essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.
Christians can become so focused on secondary issues, that we unwittingly cause deep division and hurt in the Body of Christ. We need to be better at discerning what is essential and what is non essential. What are the things which are a true test of orthodoxy, and what is little more than our own biases and prejudices?
The easiest way to discern these things is, what does Scripture have to say? Is doing a particular thing a sin? Is not doing it a sin? There are plenty of things that we are told to do--encourage, pray, help, care for the helpless, teach sound doctrine and show mercy are just a few examples. Not doing these things is sin. Likewise, there are plenty of things we are told not to do--lie, cheat, steal, show favoritism, gossip, covet--the list goes on. Doing these things is sin. The Scriptures are clear that certain things are to be done, while others are to be avoided. If we are in constant, unrepentant rebellion, our very salvation is to be questioned.
But, what about our beliefs on issues such as election vs. free will? The timing of the Second Coming? Women in ministry? Leadership? Israel and the Church? Tongues? Although not unimportant, these things are not vital to the faith--Christians can disagree and still be Believers with a high view of Scripture. Too many times, we make these secondary issues, primary, and even a test of one's orthodoxy. When we do, we are often guilty of causing division.
But, since Scriptures teaches on them, we would be wrong to disregard them. In my opinion, two good resources to help us are the Apostles Creed, which is a summary of the Apostles' teachings, and the much more recent Fundamentals of the Faith. If they do not mention a specific item, I think we can allow freedom in diversity.
Jesus prayed for love and unity in the Church, so that the world may believe (John 17:20-26). We are like Him when our priorities are in line with His. As a lover of good, theological debate, I know what it feels like to want someone to believe rightly, they will be more secure in their faith because of it. But, if I cross the line and begin to mock and demean someone because they believe differently, who is the one who sins? If I break fellowship with them because of their views on non essentials, again, who is the one who errs?
In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity is a good rule to live by and will go a long way in building up the Body of Christ for His glory, so that the world may believe.
Apostles' Creed
1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit:
9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
1l. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting. Amen.
The Five Fundamentals of the Faith
1. The inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture
2. The deity of Jesus Christ
3. The virgin birth of Christ
4. The substitutionary, atoning work of Christ on the cross
5. The physical resurrection and the personal bodily return of Christ to the earth.
Christians can become so focused on secondary issues, that we unwittingly cause deep division and hurt in the Body of Christ. We need to be better at discerning what is essential and what is non essential. What are the things which are a true test of orthodoxy, and what is little more than our own biases and prejudices?
The easiest way to discern these things is, what does Scripture have to say? Is doing a particular thing a sin? Is not doing it a sin? There are plenty of things that we are told to do--encourage, pray, help, care for the helpless, teach sound doctrine and show mercy are just a few examples. Not doing these things is sin. Likewise, there are plenty of things we are told not to do--lie, cheat, steal, show favoritism, gossip, covet--the list goes on. Doing these things is sin. The Scriptures are clear that certain things are to be done, while others are to be avoided. If we are in constant, unrepentant rebellion, our very salvation is to be questioned.
But, what about our beliefs on issues such as election vs. free will? The timing of the Second Coming? Women in ministry? Leadership? Israel and the Church? Tongues? Although not unimportant, these things are not vital to the faith--Christians can disagree and still be Believers with a high view of Scripture. Too many times, we make these secondary issues, primary, and even a test of one's orthodoxy. When we do, we are often guilty of causing division.
But, since Scriptures teaches on them, we would be wrong to disregard them. In my opinion, two good resources to help us are the Apostles Creed, which is a summary of the Apostles' teachings, and the much more recent Fundamentals of the Faith. If they do not mention a specific item, I think we can allow freedom in diversity.
Jesus prayed for love and unity in the Church, so that the world may believe (John 17:20-26). We are like Him when our priorities are in line with His. As a lover of good, theological debate, I know what it feels like to want someone to believe rightly, they will be more secure in their faith because of it. But, if I cross the line and begin to mock and demean someone because they believe differently, who is the one who sins? If I break fellowship with them because of their views on non essentials, again, who is the one who errs?
In essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity is a good rule to live by and will go a long way in building up the Body of Christ for His glory, so that the world may believe.
Apostles' Creed
1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Spirit:
9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
1l. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting. Amen.
The Five Fundamentals of the Faith
1. The inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture
2. The deity of Jesus Christ
3. The virgin birth of Christ
4. The substitutionary, atoning work of Christ on the cross
5. The physical resurrection and the personal bodily return of Christ to the earth.
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