The Book of Ecclesiastes Helps Prepare Us for the Feast of Tabernacles!

Today we're going to have a book report sermon. But don't be fearful. It's not going to be a book report of the world. It's going to be one of the books of the Bible. To give you a little bit of a clue here, this particular book was read by the Jewish community and is read by the Jewish community on the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Tabernacles.

I thought it would be good for us to take a look at that book, what that book does talk about, and some lessons that we can learn from that book that will help us to enjoy this coming feast. But let's begin by turning to 2 Timothy chapter 3. 2 Timothy chapter 3.

Scripture I've read to you on a number of occasions, but it's so good to read as a basis for what we're covering today. 2 Timothy chapter 3, starting here in verse 14.

Now, the book I want to discuss with you today, in some detail, really helps us to do just what verse 17 talks about. That we can be more complete, that we can have a better Feast of Tabernacles based upon the principles we're going to see in this book, and be pleasing to God.

Now, as we talk about reading the Scriptures, we always talk about context. And I thought today—and this might be a little more of a Bible study type of a message more than a sermon, and you'll understand why I'm saying that as I work my way through the material— but I thought today we would take a look at the context of this book, which is actually the context of the entire Old Testament.

And to do that, I'm going to paint a very broad brush on what the Old Testament is showing us. The Old Testament, when you look in the Hebrew Bible, when you look at our index, you'll see 39 books in the Old Testament. When you look in the Hebrew Bible, you'll see there are 22 books in the Old Testament. It's not that they are missing some, but as we're going to see as we work our way through the material, in the Hebrew Bible, some of these books are combined, where there may be two books in our Bible— same materials in their Bible—but they combine them into one scroll. So let's take a look at the Bible here. Broad brush, before we get to this book I want to discuss with you today. First, we've got the Old Testament is divided into the law, the prophets, and the writings. The law, the prophets, and the writings. Each of those sections has a specific thought behind them. You know, when God was engineering the Bible, just as God has engineered the whole universe, God has engineered His Word to teach us lessons. The same is true with the way He's engineered and put together the Bible. The law is the first five books of the Old Testament—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

These books deal with very foundational material. Very foundational material. Some people—and I guess you can put whatever themes you want that are biblical to what I'm about to say— but as I've looked at this, I would maybe call them the three C's. The three C's. In those five books, which deal with foundational material, you'll see the creation, the call, and the covenant.

You've got the creation. You see the creation of the world. You see the creation of mankind. You see the creation of a very important institution called marriage. And when you take a look at Old Covenant and New Covenant, that's a theme that runs throughout the Scriptures. So you've got the creation in those five books of the law. You've got the call. You see the calling as an example of Abraham, the calling of Moses.

And also, you see the covenant. There are a number of very profound covenants in the Old Testament. You've got the covenant God made with Abraham, and the covenant God made with Moses and the nation of Israel. So each of these divisions—the law, the prophets, and the writing—have a story to tell. Now we take a look at the prophets. The prophets. You've got the former prophets, the major prophets, and the minor prophets. Now here's where you begin to see where some of these books are put together in the Hebrew Bible. Joshua and Judges are considered one book. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, are considered one book in the Hebrew Bible. Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings are called the former prophets. Now in terms of the three C's, this is telling—the former prophets tell a story about how Israel and Judah responded to their creator God, how Israel and Judah responded to their calling, and how Israel and Judah responded to the covenant God made with them. Those are the former prophets. Then comes the major prophets. You've got three of those—Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Each of those are considered a scroll. Then you've got the minor prophets, the twelve. Those twelve are considered one scroll, one book. So the prophets have six books—the book of Joshua, Judges, the book of Samuel, Kings, then individually the book of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and then the twelve. And of course, the prophets, the major and minor prophets, tell about God's judgment on Israel and Judah because of how they responded to their creator, how they responded to their call, and how they responded to the covenant.

Last section has eleven books in it. Those eleven books are the writings, sometimes referred to as the Psalms. Psalms sometimes use that title because the Psalms is the largest book, and it's also the first book of the group. In the writings, you've got three books that are called the poetic books. You've got Psalms, Proverbs, and Job. Then you've got the festival books, or the megaloth, which are read on very special occasions, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther. Then lastly, you've got in the writings the historical books. You've got Daniel. You've got Ezra and Jeremiah that's just considered one book. And you've got 1 and 2 Chronicles, is where the Old Testament ends in the Hebrew Bible. 1 and 2 Chronicles are considered one book, one scroll. So these writings are referred to as the royal letters because they discuss material regarding kings or written by kings. They're called wisdom literature because they contain counsel given to those who need counsel from the elders, from the wise. And so this is a very important book in terms of how we relate to our Creator, how we relate to our call, how we relate to the covenant that God has with us. Now, the book I want to cover with you today is in what is called the megaloth or the festival books. And just to give you a brief rundown on those, and I know I'm covering a lot of material very quickly, but that's why we have things that we can record and you can stop and pause and write. Song of Solomon, and again, we're painting broad brush here. Song of Solomon, again, these are called festival books. There's a reason for that. Song of Solomon was read during Passover. And of course, you know Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread, are linked. So Song of Solomon was read during the Passover, Unleavened Bread season. Physically, the theme shows a love that should exist between a husband and wife. But spiritually, Song of Solomon shows how Christ loved for his bride.

Then you've got the Book of Ruth. Ruth was typically read, again, by the Jewish community during the Spring Barley Harvest, time of the Feast of Pentecost. There are a number of themes that you can find as you're looking through Ruth. One theme is that, you know, as God gave his law to Israel during that Pentecost period, they accepted it, becoming his people.

And like Manner, Ruth is the story of a woman who accepted the laws of God and therefore became a part of God's people. Also with Ruth, you can have the theme of the covenant. It was at Pentecost that the nation of Israel entered into a covenant marriage with God.

You know, Israel and the church. And of course, in the Book of Ruth, you have Boaz, who represents Christ, and Ruth, who represents the church.

Finally, you've got in the Book of Ruth this whole idea of the kinsmen Redeemer. And of course, we understand the Redeemer idea with what Jesus Christ has done for us.

Next in these books, you've got Lamentations, which was read on the 9th of Ab. That would be in July or August in our calendar, somewhere in there.

The 9th of Ab is a national Jewish holiday that commemorates the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Babylonians, as well as the subsequent destruction by the Romans under Titus in 70 AD.

Our Bible commentary, our UCG Bible commentary, also has this to say, says there could be a thematic connection with the Feast of Trumpets. Why would that be? Because Lamentations is a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and the horrors of war.

Next comes the book I want to refer to for the sermon today. I'm going to skip that one temporarily and go to the last of the festival books, which is Esther, which is read on Purim, the 14th day of the month of Adar in a Jewish calendar, which happens sometime in February and March in our calendar. I'll just read you a theme from our UCG Bible commentary. Read in conjunction with the Jewish Feast of Purim, commemorating the deliverance of the Jews, which is being held in the book, yet this may prefigure on some level the ultimate deliverance of all mankind foreshadowed by the eighth day following the Feast of Tabernacles, otherwise often referred to warmly as the last great day.

That brings us to the book I want to cover today, the Book of Ecclesiastes. It seems like we heard something already about the Book of Ecclesiastes in a very wonderful sermonette that we had earlier this morning. Ecclesiastes, when you take a look at that, it was read, as it may mention, on the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Tabernacles. Themes, you can look at a couple of themes of the Book of Ecclesiastes. I think the main purpose of the book is how utterly meaningless life is apart from God.

How meaningless life is apart from God. But secondly, the book is designed to make people wise and happy.

From the UCG Bible commentary, I would want to read this for you. It says, read in conjunction with the Feast of Tabernacles, though this sober reflection seems to correspond with the Day of Atonement's focus in the runner-up to the Feast.

So when you take a look at what our literature shows, our literature shows that these books definitely very much are read during the Holy Day seasons. That's why they're called the Festival Books, the Song of Solomon, during Unleavened Bread, Ruth, during Pentecost, Lamentations, Trumpets, allusions to things from the trumpets, Ecclesiastes, Atonement, and Tabernacles, and Esther, last great day.

So, that's all the big run-up to what I want to cover with you today, and that is the Book of Ecclesiastes. And my theme for this sermon, or Bible study, is that the Book of Ecclesiastes helps prepare us for the Feast of Tabernacles.

The Book of Ecclesiastes helps prepare us for the Feast of Tabernacles. The historical setting in this book is written by Solomon. His reign was from 970 B.C. to 931 B.C. It is a time of great abundance in the nation of Israel. It's a time where a nation of Israel's borders were at the furthest extent. As Lyndon Baines Johnson would say, it was a time of guns and butter. They had a tremendous military. They had a tremendous economy. The nation of Israel under Solomon was truly a wonderful setting for all of God's people there at that time. So let's take a look at some of the lessons. As I've taken a look at the Book of Ecclesiastes and how we can prepare for this year's Feast, what do we see in this book that will help us prepare for the Feast? There's a reason why the Jewish community has been reading this book for generations on the Sabbath day, the weekly Sabbath day, during the Feast. Lesson number one. At the Feast, enjoy the physical blessings, but worship God in spirit and truth. At the Feast, enjoy the physical blessings, but worship God in spirit and truth. In other words, we go to the Feast of Tabernacles, not as a vacation. We go to the Feast of Tabernacles to worship our very special God. Let's go to the Book of Ecclesiastes, and you want to put a marker over here. Ecclesiastes chapter 1 and verse 1. The words of the preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. So this pretty much narrows it down to Solomon being the author. Vanity of vanity says the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. So all human achievement apart from God is empty, it's disappointing when pursued as an end to itself. When we go to the Feast of Tabernacles, if all we're enjoying is the activities and dinners and all that sort of thing, then that will be meaningless in itself. We want to go to the Feast of Tabernacles, and brethren, as you take a look at world news, there are people that come up to me and say, we want to have more in prophecy. Well, you know, I've gone through Daniel, we're going through Isaiah, I've gone through bits and parts of Revelation, you've had that before with other pastors. But I tell you, as I look at what's happening on the world scene right now, we better be wide awake and alert. Things are happening on this world scene that I believe very much are signaling something that's going to be happening in terms of prophecy and who knows when. I have no clue as to dates and that sort of thing, but as I see what's happening to our nation, as I see what's happening around the world, I'm very concerned about what I'm seeing. Now, if we look at chapter 2 of Ecclesiastes, here we've got Solomon, a tremendously wealthy man who had at his disposal to do all sorts of things, much like we can do. Now, we're not as wealthy as Solomon, but we've got our second tithe, we've got our money, we can do all sorts of wonderful things. But as we're going to see with him here in us at the feast, again, we're only physically minded, we're just missing the point. Ecclesiastes chapter 2, verse 1, I made great works, I built myself houses, I planted myself vineyards. He's very much plugged into the physical here. I made myself gardens and orchards and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made myself water pools from which the water-growing trees of the grove.

I acquired male and female servants. And on and on and on we see here in this chapter. But again, apart from God, what does it mean? We don't want to just go to the Feast of Tabernacles and have a good physical feast. Gain five pounds, come back fatter and sassier. Let's take a look at Deuteronomy chapter 14. Put a marker there on Ecclesiastes.

Deuteronomy chapter 14.

Deuteronomy chapter 14, verse 26. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires. God has tremendously blessed us with second tithe. We have been faithful in saving that second tithe. We've got 10% of our last year's income that we can spend in eight days.

So as we spend that, if we spend all of it, we can live quite lavishly. And God doesn't want us to think of lavishness for lavishness sake. The idea is this represents the Kingdom of God, a time of great plenty. Not a time of wasting, just burning money as we go through it.

And of course, I know that many of you have been very diligent in giving to others, taking others out for meals, giving others your extra tithe that you don't need. You've been very generous with that. And that's a good trait, and that helps us put our mind in the proper frame.

Verse 26. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires, for oxen, sheep, for wine, or a similar drink. For whatever your heart desires, you shall eat there before the Lord your God. And you shall rejoice you and your household. You shall rejoice as you are there before the Lord. God doesn't want to think of the feast as being a time of stoicism. God wants us to enjoy life.

Jesus Christ came, and He said, I've come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. There's nothing wrong with that as we worship the great God. In the context of worshiping the great God. Same chapter, verses 22 and 23. Deuteronomy 14, verse 22. You shall tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year.

You shall eat before the Lord your God in a place where He chooses to make His name abide. The tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, of the firstborn of your herds, of your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. Yes, take that second tithe. Go where God has put His name. Have a great physical feast, but more importantly, have a great spiritual feast.

Make sure that we are remembering God in our daily spiritual disciplines. Make sure we make it to every church service. Make sure that we're paying good attention for every message. Perhaps the following day we can review our notes of those messages we've heard the day before. Perhaps we can read a little bit of the book of Ecclesiastes every day of the feast. Get us in the mind frame. The feast, brethren, we go to places we enjoy. And hey, I've been to Hawaii several times for the feast. Nothing wrong with that. But I can't go to a place like Hawaii and just think about being at the beach. I've got to think about being in services, and listening in services, and being with the brethren.

That's what we want to go to the feast for. Yeah, the other things are nice, and we should enjoy those. But we go there to worship the great God. The end of the book of Ecclesiastes, let's go to chapter 12. Here's a man who did everything his heart had desired to see what it was like. But the final conclusion we see over here, in Ecclesiastes 12, verses 13 and 14, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter.

Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. Verse 14 very much underscores what you heard in our very nice sermonette today. God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil. But again, the whole conclusion is fear God. We should be able to come home from the feast. Did you have a great feast? Had a great feast. What was great about your feast? I feel I drew closer to God.

I feel closer to God than ever before in my life. That makes for a great feast. Not that you found X number of really great restaurants, or that you didn't gain five pounds, or ten pounds, or whatever, that you ended up closer to God than ever before. Unless I not quote this, let's go to John 4. John 4. Verse 23 and 24 in my Bible are red lettering. John 4, verse 23. But the hour is coming, and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.

For the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. So that's exactly what we want to be doing, this feast. Worshiping in spirit and truth.

This leads me to the second lesson. And I've got four of these for you today. That's not to say this, that's the only four lessons in the book of Ecclesiastes. As I've said in the past, no one sermon is the ultimate on any one topic. Lesson number two that we can see from the book of Ecclesiastes is that we need strong relationships built by godly fellowship.

We need strong relationships built by godly fellowship. In other words, when we go to the feast, we come to the feast to worship our great god, our very special god, and we also come to the feast to fellowship with God's very special people.

And I'm sure you've had conversations with your best buddies. I've had conversations with my best buddies, as we wonder what it's going to be like when persecution begins to really get hot for us. Just the other day, as I was going through the headlines in the Fox News website, their app there, I saw something from George Mason University, and they were intending to have a class for all incoming freshmen teaching them about all inclusion and all these politically correct things. And they were going to highlight some of the people that you really need to be careful about, because these people, and they defined what these people were, were oppressors.

And top of the list were single white Christians, single white male Christians, those four things, single white male Christians. These are oppressors. If you're a single white male, something's wrong with you. You've got to be avoided. You've got to be careful in their presence. And that was going to be something that was taught to everybody at George Mason University until some of the student bodies saw that. They told their parents who gave a great deal of money to that university, and the university pulled that curriculum.

But there's coming a time, brethren, when we do give a message, and we're pounding out the Word of God, and we're talking about prophecy, and these things are coming true, that people are going to say, well, they're the messenger, they must be bringing these things upon us. And at that point, it doesn't do any good that you stayed at home, and not that you do, because you're all here preaching to the choir here.

But for people who, those maybe who are listening who can't, who could come to church but don't, when these times of persecution come, it's going to do you no good to be able to hug your computer screen, your iPad. We need each other. It may get to the place where we can have services like this. It may get to the place where it's only you and one other Christian, or you or one other family. We need the strength of one another. Make no mistake about that. Ecclesiastes talks about that. Let's go back to the book of Ecclesiastes.

Chapter 4. Ecclesiastes chapter 4, verse 9. 2 are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls.

For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. We need each other. We need fellowship. Let's go to the feast. There are probably people we can meet there. I'm sure there are people we can meet there we've never met before.

People that we can, you know, maybe only see them at the feast, but at least we're fellowshiping with them there. We can have phone conversations, email discussions, letter writing. And then, of course, the people who go to the feast that you know are local members.

We want to make sure we spend some time to develop the family relationships we have with one another. Let's go over to the book of Proverbs. Proverbs chapter 27. Proverbs chapter 27 verse 17. Very well known. Verse. Proverbs 27, 17. As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the continents of his friend. I remember as an ambassador college student, of course, when I went to ambassador college, you know, my first year there, it was my first time starting to actually attend services.

I remember sitting in a student center during meals. I remember some of the kids, we were kids, I was 18 years old at the time, but I was watching some of the older students, you know, the grandfathers and grandmothers, those who were 20 and 21. But how they would sit at a table and they would start talking about Scripture, they would begin the Scripture and somebody would end the Scripture.

They would talk about, well, how about this subject? What are the big guns for this particular subject? Oh, we've got this Scripture, this Scripture, and this Scripture. And it was just amazing for me to watch that, how these people were sharpening each other up. How they were wanting to really know the Bible and where we can use the Scriptures for this. You know, as I was making mention to you before, I take this class on Tuesday evenings by Scott Ashley, and Scott's got a wealth of information he gives to us, but there's also other people in that class I've really come to appreciate. I've come to appreciate Mario Segley, because when he's talking, when Scott takes an opportunity, anybody have any questions or any comments?

Mario's generally there, well, yeah, we've got this Scripture over here, and this Scripture over here, and this Scripture over here, and this Scripture over here. And somebody also was like that, it was Tom Robinson. And they just start pulling these Scriptures and saying, we can put all these things together over here, maybe not so much this thing over here, but pull this over here, and they know the Book.

And they are an iron, sharpening iron situation there with the rest of us in the class. That's what we want with our friends here in church, to have spiritual conversation before and after church, to have that kind of conversation at the feast, to have that kind of conversation that some of you have when you call each other during the week. I know some of you do.

You call one another up. You talk about, you have Bible studies on the phone. We want to have those strong relationships, because we're going to need them. We're going to need them. Let's look at Hebrews 10. We need them right now, not just the future. Hebrews 10, verses 24 and 25.

Hebrews 10, verse 24. And let us consider one another to stir up love and good works. This is what good brothers and sisters do. Let us consider one another. Consider our brother, consider our sister. Where is their point of need? What can I say? What scriptures can I bring to bear here that would encourage them, that would comfort them, that would instruct them, that would edify them?

To stir up love and good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of Psalm, but exhorting one another and so much more the day as you see approaching. Now again, brother, I know some can't make it here because of health. Some can't make it because they're concerned about COVID. I understand that those are reasonable things for people to stay home. But then sometimes I know people stay home simply because it's easier to listen to church in your pajamas.

It's easier to listen maybe with a cup of coffee. We can't do that. We should not do that, brethren. 1 Corinthians 1.

1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1.

1 Corinthians 1.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Perfectly joined together in the same mind, the same judgment.

As family, as brothers and sisters in the faith. So yes, brethren, we will need each other for the hard times, and each other right now, to sharpen each other up. So lesson number two, we need strong relationships built by Godly fellowship. Lesson number three of the four. Lesson number three. Life lived God's way is to be enjoyed.

Life lived God's way is to be enjoyed. We don't need to think about the feasts as being stoic. We normally don't. But we don't need to feel guilty about having a good time as we keep everything in balance. As we keep everything in balance. Let's go back to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 12 and 13. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verse 12. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all of his labor. It is the gift of God. It is the gift of God. To rejoice. We've been called to rejoice. We've not been called to be stoics. Yeah, there's a time for fasting. As we see in chapter 3, there's a time for everything. But there's a time for rejoicing at God's feast of tabernacles. God gave us five senses. They are a blessing. Now, they've got to be properly used. The five senses could be a curse if not used the way God intended them to be used, but used the way God wants them to be used, a tremendous blessing. And again, Jesus Christ came to give us the abundant life. You were called to live in the abundant life. God wants you to have your second tithe so you could enjoy the feast of tabernacles. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 65. Isaiah chapter 65. Talking about the world tomorrow and the beauty there. Perhaps even talking about what we call the last great day period. Verse 21, And they shall build houses and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit. They shall not plant and another eat. For as the days of atreasal shall be the days of my people, long life, in a tremendously good atmosphere. And my elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain or bring forth children for trouble. For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. They shall come to pass, and before they call, I will answer. And while they are still speaking, I will hear tremendous discussion here, mostly about the millennium. But here we see how beautiful life is going to be, and God says that He wants them to enjoy all of this. My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. Verse 22. Life lived God's way is to be enjoyed.

I have quoted to you John 10. I have come that they may have life, and they might have it more abundantly. Let's go back to Leviticus 23, the chapter that talks about God's holy days, and how we are to keep them. Leviticus 23.

And verse 40. Leviticus 23. And you shall make for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. Seven, meaning completeness, completely rejoice in an atmosphere of honoring God, of loving God, of worshiping God, of serving God. Truly a beautiful thing. One last scripture along these lines is going back to Isaiah 11.

Isaiah 11, verse 9. And they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. No matter where people turn in the millennium, as we see in the Feast of Tabernacles, the Word of God, the truth of God, is going to be everywhere. I don't know whether it's all going to be homeschooling, if we're going to have that, and some combination of public schooling. I don't know how that's going to work.

But in any case, whether it's homeschooling or some combination with a public school, all of it is going to be based upon the Word of God. All of it is going to be based upon the principles we see here in Scripture. It's all going to be good stuff. Wonderful stuff. It's not going to be anything taught that is heretical or harmful or hurtful.

All that we learn will be able to enjoy life under what God wants us to do. That brings us to number four. Listen to number four. Last one. Godly life should be balanced. As we go to the Feast of Tabernacles, let's remember to be balanced. Let's go back to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1 and 2. To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven, a time to be born, and a time to die, a time for everything in between, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.

Back in 1965, some of you were alive then. Back in 1965, that was the first year I was a teenager, which gives away my age. There was a song by the birds where they sang this. They did a pretty good job of singing it. In fact, those of you who enjoy 60s music, my wife hates 60s music. That always makes for interesting conversations between she and I. But this is one of the most moving passages of the Bible. It's a tremendous poem when you read the whole thing here in chapter 3.

I'm not going to read the whole thing. But it just shows that life has to be balanced. When we go to the feast, we want to have a spiritual feast. But we don't want to be in our room 24-7 reading a Bible. There's times for other things. There's time for the fellowship. There's time to get out there and do and see some things. There's some time to appreciate the beauty of God's handiwork wherever you're at. That's one of the reasons why I do enjoy going to Hawaii. Somebody's frowning now because they don't like Hawaii. That person needs help. I'll try and help this person later. You all know who I'm talking about.

I'll drag her to Hawaii one of these days. She's been there. She's a lovely soul. But I really enjoy just being able to look at God's creation, God's handiwork, to walk on that beach and just look out there and realize every drop of water is packed with life. And our dad did that. And all the engineering that goes into this universe, and our dad did that. And how awesome of a father do we have? How great a being is he? And he wants to share that level of life with me, with you. We, who've got to wash every day so we don't smell.

It's amazing what God has in mind for us. Let's go back to Ecclesiastes, this time chapter 4, talking about helping a balanced life. Ecclesiastes chapter 4, verse 6.

Better a handful with quietness than both hands full together with toil and grasping for the wind. And that's a beautiful scripture, isn't it? Talking about balance. Better a handful with quietness than both hands full together with toil and grasping for wind. You know, I read an article one time, and I don't know if it's true, but they were talking about if you want to catch a monkey. Now, I know there's a lot of monkeys scrambling around your neighborhood. But if you wanted to catch a monkey, you were to have some sort of treat that they would enjoy and some sort of a bowl or a round object or something, and have a relatively small hole in it, just a hole big enough for the monkey to put his hand in. So the monkey puts his hand in this object, grabs what he wants, but then because he's got too much in his hand, he can't get it out. And that's how you catch him.

You have whatever the bowl or whatever is nailed to the ground or a tree or whatever. But isn't life that way? People want to grab the gusto, and they're caught. They're caught, and they can't move. They can't get away, because they're grabbing with the hand that just won't let go of the things that they want. But here it says, you know, better a handful with quietness, than both hands full.

Balance is found over here in Matthew 22.

Matthew 22. We're talking spiritually now, spiritual balance.

Matthew 22.

Teacher, what is a great commandment in the law? Jesus said to them, You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. And these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Two spiritual priorities. Two things to keep in mind as you and I want to be balanced. At the Feast of Tabernacles. One other scripture here, last scripture of the day, for me, for you, in this service. Let's go to Ephesians chapter 5.

Ephesians chapter 5. I gave a sermon on this some time ago, but we want to just reiterate a point here. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 15 through 17. See then that you walk circumspectly. Ephesians 5.15. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Brother, these days are tremendously evil. Our nation is unraveling like I can't believe. It is pitiful to see what is going on in our nation. One author talking about what has happened in Afghanistan recently made the comment in his article. He said, this is soul crushing. This is soul crushing. Boy, those are words really put together well. Soul crushing. Redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Redeeming the time, verse 16. That phrase, redeeming the time, means to make wise and sacred use of every opportunity. A wise and sacred use of every opportunity. Another definition from another lexicon is to take full advantage of every opportunity, every chance. And yet a third definition for that phrase, redeeming the time, is to do everything with urgency because the days are evil. When you put those three definitions together from various lexicons, to put all the concepts together, it would be, we are to wisely take full advantage of every God-given opportunity with a sense of urgency because the days are evil. I'm going to leave that with you. I'm not going to see you again for services until the Day of Atonement. Next week I'll be in Michigan, and then after that I'll be mostly in Beloit. But this is the last time we'll be able to speak in general terms other than Day of Atonement. But let us be wise, taking full advantage of every God-given opportunity with a sense of urgency. Let's keep that in mind as we go to this year's Feast of Tabernacles. We need this year's Feast of Tabernacles. We need to draw close to God. The days are evil, and we want to be prepared as a bride.