Ecclesiastes - Part 4

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Ecclesiastes - Part 4

MP4 Video - 720p (165.26 MB)
MP3 Audio (2.7 MB)
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What's in your money's future? What you leave behind will it be handled wisely?

Transcript

 

[Darris McNeely] Do you enjoy your work? Do you enjoy the fruits of your labor? And after many years of working, do you ever wonder what will come of it? What's the end result?

In Ecclesiastes the same question was asked. We're talking about the book of Ecclesiastes. We've been doing a series, and today I want to make a few comments about what it says about the subject of work. In Ecclesiastes chapter 2, beginning in verse 18, the author says this: "I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave it to others, everything I have earned." Isn't that quite often what happens? A lifetime of savings, accomplishment, fortunes large and small, are left to another generation. He goes on, "And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world," in verse 20 (Ecclesiastes 2:18-20).

So in a few short verses, Solomon sums up here in this passage some very, very modern questions that still plague us, because the question is still asked, and as people determine that they will leave through a trust, through their will, $100,000, $500, several million dollars, whatever it might be – you know there's going to be the question in their mind, will it be used wisely? What will happen to it, all that I've accumulated? Some people have even decided to give it all away before they die, and for some, there's too much to give away.

There was one such man: John Rockefeller, who was an oil baron in the 19th century, started Standard Oil, which later became Exxon. John D. Rockefeller gave rise to a very prominent American family and a prominent American fortune, the Rockefeller dollars and money. And it still is a viable foundation and money – in fact, just a few days ago I read an article where his descendants, who now control the vast millions that were left behind, have made a decision with the Rockefeller Foundation funds that still numbers over $860 million in reserves. But what they have decided is that they will divest all of the investments of their foundation out of fossil-based businesses and industries, and transfer that money into more green or renewable energy sources as part of their heartfelt, sincere desire to see us wean ourselves off of dependency upon fossil fuels – coal, oil, and gas – and onto renewable sources of energy. And they are encouraging other vast sums of monies and foundations to do the same thing. It's an interesting situation. When I read the article, I wondered, did they stop and think about what was turning on the lights in the building where they made this announcement? And when they got in their car, or in their plane and flew off after that, what was fueling those means of transportations? You look at something like this and it can certainly be seen to address a problem, but quite likely, it's going to create some other problems and frankly, the poor will suffer more than the rich on this.

But it's a perfect example of several generations removed from John Rockefeller, these people now have made decisions that really go counter to the actual philosophy and means by which that fortune was raised, in oil and gas. Well, such is the world. And this is exactly what is said in this passage from Ecclesiastes, that people will control what I gained with my skill and hard work, and what will become of it? Well, hard work is important, and other passages in Ecclesiastes show us that we should continue to work very hard, and we should work honestly. In chapter 9 and verse 10 of Ecclesiastes, it talks about honest work. It says, "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going" (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Work hard. Work honestly, work at honest work, and do your best with that.

There's another passage in chapter 5 and verse 9 of Ecclesiastes that says, "The profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field" (Ecclesiastes 5:9) I think this passage speaks to the matter of seeking to do justice. Do justly with others by whatever means you can and with your means, with even your money, to seek and to do justice in godly, biblical fashion to help people and to help the community, and certainly to further the purpose and the plan of God, as well. But a lot to say about honest work and a very interesting question there out of the book of Ecclesiastes on the futility of work. We should work hard and we should seek to use wisely what God does give us, and in that way, and leave it in trust to God, and He will take care of it – it all belongs to Him in the end anyway. More thoughts from Ecclesiastes.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.