The Book of Ecclesiastes - Part 4

Well, happy Sabbath to all of you, brethren! Again, a lot of disturbing things going on, but we're here in peace and very thankful to God for the peace that we do have.

I want to continue today with the series I've been giving on Ecclesiastes. I've given, I think, three sermons already on this, and now this will be the fourth one. I don't know how far we'll get, so I won't say how far we'll get. I hope we get some ways into it. I do want to cover some ground. I noticed that last time I reviewed where we had been, and I was looking at a recording of this, and I checked the time, and it was like 21 minutes into the sermon I was done reviewing, and then moving into new material. So I don't want to do that this time, because I just hope that we're basically caught up. I will mention a few things just by way of reminder to catch us up, and hopefully we can get along pretty quickly here. First of all, we are talking about the book of Ecclesiastes. That word, Ecclesiastes, is from the Greek, and it translates to the Hebrew koeleth. That is, and koeleth is a word that basically means someone who gathers, in this sense, someone who gathers an audience to address it, and it's often translated preacher. Some people will say a teacher, because it's very instructive, but of course, either word their works. And the person who was doing this preaching and teaching of the people is King Solomon, and it appears that this book was probably written late in King Solomon's life, because it does mention things having to do with old age and near the end, and I do prefer to think that, because if it happened when he was, if he wrote this when he was younger, then we don't really have hope of Solomon turning his life around. But if this was written in old age after he had gone astray, then it's like he got it finally, and that's what this book is about. And that's what I hope this book is about, is that he realized where he had gone wrong, and that this is all the conclusion of that. A few things that we read in the book, major themes. First of all, we find out right from the very get-go the phrase vanity of vanities. All is vanity.

Hevel, which is basically a breath or a nothing. The thinnest of vapors we're talking about is this life under the sun. Vanity of vanities is this life under the sun, and under the sun in this context means while we are down here under the sun or under heaven, it's also given, while God is above the heavens, and he is separate from us right now. And while that is the case, and while we are down here, he is up there, we are in a disturbed, crooked, and fallen world with many problems. And in life under that circumstance is vanity of vanities. And the way this is often translated, some people say meaningless, but that doesn't seem to fit all the context. Some people will just translate it emptiness. That kind of fits. But maybe one very good translation that I think is often used is frustration. That it's frustration. And also we see this mentioned later, it says vanity of vanities and grasping for the wind. You try to hold it, but there's nothing there. Yes, some people say, well, it's the idea of its transit, where it's fleeting. There's nothing to hold on to. Yes, but in the sense that when you try to do that, you are frustrated. It's futility.

Futility is the idea of vanity, in this case, futility. Another major theme here is found in the refrains of the book, where Solomon repeatedly commends enjoyment. And a lot of people think, well, this is a dour book, a very glum, and looking at life from a very grim perspective. But yet, we see repeatedly through the book that we are to enjoy the blessings of everyday life, eating and drinking, and time with friends, and enjoying the fruit of our labor, and the work that we do, and all the things that we're involved in, just on a regular basis, this is our lot that God has given us to enjoy. And some people think, well, the book is sort of saying, well, this is all you get. But no, it says, this is good. And this is a wonderful thing, actually, and we could be thankful for these things. I think I mentioned last time some people, you know, you have a different perspective about life under the sun, and you think, well, things are monotonous and boring, for instance, in the natural realm, and the sun comes up every day. And how boring is just the sun rises and sets, and rises and sets? Well, it's a good thing the sun rises and sets. You can look at that two different ways. Is it boring, or is it life-giving? And you have another new opportunity. And that's actually a wonderful thing. And of course, the other major theme of the book is what we find at the very conclusion of the book, and it's mentioned several times along the way about fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. This is what it really is all about.

And all that we read in the book, and it's good in this book especially, to look at the end of each section and at the end of all the whole book to find out what it's getting toward. Because sometimes we might not get the cohesive argument that's going on here, and we may think that it's sort of wandering around the different things. What is the point of what's being talked about? The point is summarized in these conclusions, and especially the major conclusion of the book, which is what I just said, fear God and keep His commandments. That's what this is all pointing to. And if we do that, then everything else will fall into place. You know, if we sit there and try to strive after all these things that Solomon did, he went and tried to experiment with all these various things, and he tried to find pleasure and enjoyment and happiness in all of these things. Some things that were fine of themselves, but when you pursue them for that purpose, they're not fulfilling. And many of the things he pursued were just wrong.

Actually wrong things, and they of course were not fulfilling either. But if we pursue things for their sakes, we will not find fulfillment in them. But if we pursue life in the right way, if we pursue fearing God and keeping His commandments, but not just in this sort of religious focus all the time, but also in the sense of receiving the benefits and the joys that God gives us in this life, then we will find fulfillment and contentment and happiness in this life as a byproduct of doing what we're supposed to do in that regard.

So with that, I want to get back into this. You have the outline here in front of you, just to mention where we've been. We saw, and again, this is an outline that is given by Dr. Walter Kaiser in Ecclesiastes' Total Life. I think he does a good job of breaking this book into sections.

And the first section is from the first verse up until chapter 2, 26. And it's about enjoying life as a gift from God. And the first part we talked about was, again, the restlessness of life illustrated, where there's all this monotony in the physical realm and in history, things just go on and on. And then, again, what we just mentioned, the pleasures of life tested, where he tried to find fulfillment in all these things. And then, the purposes of life examined, where he went back and he thought about his pursuit in these things.

And he made a comment like, my wisdom remained with me, which sounds very strange to us while he was doing wrong things or seemed to be very foolish. But in the sense of, he was always analyzing his life and trying to put it into perspective. And he did have a good perspective because he had a lot of wisdom and intelligence, certainly in an earthly sense. And he had grown up with King David as his father, and God had granted him a great deal of wisdom and understanding.

So he was able to think about this stuff very deeply, but he was so misguided for so long. And it's very sad when we look at his life, but we are grateful that he was able to give these conclusions. Because remember Solomon, he did it all. He did it all, and that's what he's trying to teach us. We don't need to do it all like him. Just listen to what he says. He knows what he's talking about.

And I think that is very true. And then, of course, we come to the second major section here, understanding the all-encompassing plan of God. And that begins with the poem about the times of life. To everything, there is a season, a time, to every purpose under heaven, the song goes. We know that popular song.

But of course, it comes from here. And that's the first section, the first subsection here, is listed in chapter 3, verses 1 through 15. It gives the principle about this, that God has a plan that embraces every man and woman and all their actions in all times. And some people see this as, well, we're just sort of subject to these fated times in our lives.

Or these things just happen and there's nothing we can do. Well, maybe in one sense, but ultimately what we really understand is that these things are in someone's control, just not ours. And we could be thankful whose control that they're in. They're in the hands of God. And our lives are in the hands of God. And that is something to be grateful about and to know that He cares for us.

And the things that happen in our life are shaping us according to His plan, the way that He wants it to happen. It doesn't mean that everything is necessarily fated, but let's all remember that whatever happens in our lives is because God allows it at any given moment. He could intervene at any time and stop something from happening or cause something else to happen. He has all power. He's God Almighty. And we can be thankful that He's the one that is running this show. And we need to bear that in mind. But then we have the facts, as it says here in this second subsection, which we're going to get into today, is about the anomalies and apparent contradictions in this thesis are examined and reflected upon.

You know, God is in control, but there are a lot of problems in this world. And sometimes you might think, is God really in control? Is He the one really directing what is happening in an overall sense? And again, I want us to understand that. God is not the author of confusion, for instance.

And there's a lot of confusion in the world. And that's part of what's being talked about in this book. And there's a lot of evil in the world. God does not tempt anyone to sin, the Bible tells us. And yet there's a lot of sin that is being contended with here, even as this book addresses. God is not the one who makes this happen, but God is the one who has subjected this world to futility.

We read that already before in Romans 8. Paul used the same word, that this world has been subjected to futility, and God is the one who has subjected it for the time being, because He has allowed it to persist under this condition for us to learn vital lessons that we need to learn, and for things to happen that will ultimately bring about our greater understanding of His purposes.

So right now, I would like us to look at, let's see, I just wonder how long I, yeah, I guess I've only gone a little over 10 minutes in trying to get us caught up to where we were. And so we'll proceed here reading, well, I want to remind you of one thing before we move into this new section. We just read, at the end of, I guess we were reading, again, the refrain came up in chapter 3 and verse 12, I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor.

It is the gift of God. And then, of course, it says here, I know that whatever God does, it will be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before him. That which has already been, and what has already been, God, well, it says here in the New King James, God requires an account of what has passed.

And as we saw, there's some dispute over how that's translated, that it may just be that God recalls what has been left behind in the march of time.

But it could be a sense of judgment, because that is another recurring theme. But I actually think it probably is that when we think of the things that are left behind, God holds on to everyone. And ultimately, he's going to redeem this world. Now, I want to make a comment here that I found another source, by the way, and these messages that I've given to you, I found this really good source. It's called the preaching the word commentary by Philip Reichen on Ecclesiastes, why everything matters. And I haven't used that in a resource in these messages yet, but I did go back into the commentary that I'm writing and use it at quite a few places where we've already been, because I think it's a very good resource. And one of the things that it said about this section here, I'm going to read this to you, is it says, considering, you know, the times of life, this commentary asks and comments, do you believe in the timeliness of God, not just for the world in general, but for your own case in particular? Do you trust his timing for the seasons of your own life? People often criticize God for being too late or too early. Yet, in retrospect, we discovered that his agenda was better all along, because a door was closed when we wanted it open. We ended up going a different direction, which turned out to be the right direction all along. We were not ready for the relationship we wanted when we wanted it, but only later. Something happened to change our schedule. We ended up having an unexpected conversation that changed our whole direction in life, or maybe someone else's direction. Sometimes being in the right place at God's time, instead of at the wrong place on your own schedule, can even save your life. It's all in the timing. Rather than insisting on having everything run according to our own schedule, because remember here, it says, you know, God's put eternity in our hearts, but they can't figure out what God's doing from the beginning to the end. That's what we just read here in this chapter. But we don't have to know all that, brethren, because we just need to learn, as it says here, to trust God's timetable. Know this. The Savior who was born when the fullness of time had come, it's in Galatians 4-4, and who died for our sins at just, quote, the right time, Romans 5-6 says, has a beautiful sense of timing. God knows how to work it out on a right schedule that is a beautiful picture, ultimately, overall, and we could be thankful for that. I'd like us to read now verses 16-22, and it says, Moreover, I saw under the sun, in the place of judgment wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness iniquity was there. I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every purpose and for every work. I said in my heart, concerning the conditions of the sons of men, God tests them. Again, we're in verse 18 here of chapter 3. God tests them that they may see that they themselves are like animals. For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals. One thing befalls them. As one dies, so dies the other. Surely they all have one breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place, all are from the dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal which goes down to the earth? So I perceive that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? Now Solomon turns here to, in the commentary I titled this section, Concerning the Condition of the Sons of Men, because that's what it mentions here.

Solomon turns to elements of human life under the sun that might seem to contradict what he has stated so far. He deals with four areas that constitute major obstacles to contentment, factors that could lead some to think there's no divine plan being worked out here on earth. As they might ask, well, if there's a God who cares about man, how could God allow this?

Each of the four issues is introduced with some form of the phrase, I saw. We see this in 3.16. It says, moreover, I saw under the sun. 4.1, we see that. I returned and considered. Actually, that's I saw all the oppression in a different version here. Chapter 4 in verse 4, again, I saw this. And in chapter 4 verse 7, then I returned and saw the vanity under the sun. So these are the different things he's seeing as possible contradictions to this overall thesis that God is in charge. And we could be confident in that. Now, the first issue here is injustice, as we were reading about. This unit makes an observation, passes two comments, and reaches a conclusion. And it says in this section, this is a Tyndale commentary that's pointing this out, I saw, I said, I said, and so I saw, or so I perceived is in this section. So this is sort of summarizing the way he presents this argument. The problem here is quite egregious. If there's anywhere in society that people would expect some evidence of divine direction, it's in the matter of rendering justice, as God would seem to be intimately concerned with that. And indeed, he is, as Solomon is quick to point out in verse 17. Injustice today is proof only of the failure of man's self-rule. It is not proof that God has no control over life. He permits unrighteousness in the halls of justice for the present time, but he will set matters right in a future period of judgment, as it says right here. We just read. Now the preaching the word commentary notes, our confidence does not lie in a justice system, but in the chief justice himself, Jesus Christ.

God has promised a day when his son will judge the righteous and the wicked. Acts 17, 30-31, when he will render his final verdict on all mankind. Indeed, Solomon uses the language of his earlier poem about proper times for various purposes to hear affirm that all is proceeding according to God's overall plan. You notice that in verse 17 of chapter 3, he says, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time and for every purpose and for every work. That's straight out of the poem. There is a time for every purpose under heaven. And he's saying, one of these is to judge what's been happening, and that time is coming.

And verse 17 here also demonstrates the need to live righteously, avoiding wickedness as a key message of the book. Again, some people think, well, this book advocates total hedonism and just going off and doing whatever you want. No, it doesn't. Clearly, we better be careful, is what it's saying. Solomon next comments comparing people with animals. That's seen by some as a new issue. But it's more likely commenting on the human condition in general. Initially, in response to the problem that he just mentioned about injustice, but also applicable to other problems he raises. For the time being, God withholds the judgment in verse 17. God's not given that judgment so that people can come to see what they need to see about themselves. Think about that. I mean, there is a time coming for judgment, but it's not yet. Why is it not yet? Because people need to come to certain understanding. And this is what the preaching of the word commentary says about this. Our present existence is a proving ground. It is a test, not simply in the sense of something we pass or fail, but also in the sense of something that demonstrates our true character. One of the purposes of life is to examine and ultimately reveal our place in the universe and our true relationship to God. This test is for our benefit, so that we learn to recognize our mortality when we see ourselves for who we really are.

I think that's quite a good assessment here. Solomon points out that what people need to come to see is that they by themselves, and that's really what verse 18 here should say, where it says, they themselves really should be they by themselves, are as beasts. As it says in Green's literal translation, that people by themselves are as beasts. That's what they need to come to see. They live under the law of the jungle, as it were. And within this system, all people, no matter what their behavior, meet the same end as beasts. Death. They all die, which is the apparent height of injustice. They think, well, it doesn't matter who you are, you go through this whole thing, it doesn't matter what you do, you end up dead.

Where's the justice in that? Now, of themselves, people have no advantage over animals. They cannot escape death and returning to the dust. Some think that this passage is claiming that this life is all there is for human beings, that there is no life after death. But Ecclesiastes continually points to a time of future reward and judgment for all people. And it states that the human spirit returns to God at death. That's in chapter 12 verse 7. It actually says that the spirit returns to God who gave it.

So the key to this passage in chapter 3 verses 18 through 20 is evidently the by themselves, or of themselves, in verse 18. It is apart from God's intervention, of themselves, by themselves, that people share the same end as animals. God wants people to see their dire need for him and life's problems, especially death looming at the end of life, help to accomplish this.

You know, when you're facing this stark reality, you have to understand what you need to know.

Now verse 21 about the spirit of men going up to heaven and that of animals going down to the earth is apparently translated correctly here in the New King James Version. Now some versions that follow the Greek Septuagint translate the verse to ask, it'll be worded something like this, who knows whether the human spirit goes up and that of the beast goes down? Like who knows whether it does or not? Implying that no one knows if this happens. But again, Ecclesiastes 12, 7, which is later in the book, states clearly that the human spirit returns to God at death.

So here in 3.21, it could not mean that nobody knows that.

The key again seems to be the by themselves or of themselves. In verse 18, apart from God's involvement, who would know about or give serious thought to any divergence in the paths of human and animal spirits at death? Indeed, as Tyndale commentary says, the generality of men cannot appreciate the difference in ultimate destiny and live as though there were no difference.

They are as beasts, and they act like it and they live like it.

Yet as they approach death, they are forced to think about such things. I mean, death, staring you in the face, helps you to come to right conclusions about these things.

And in that sense, maybe we should understand that God allowing us to be in this predicament is a great blessing, ultimately for all of us. It really is to help us. Now, verse 22 is an instance of the book's refrain. I perceive nothing is better than man should rejoice in his own works. That's his heritage. Here it presents the conclusion of this unit addressing injustice. This is the way the New American commentary words this. It says, if God is sovereign in his disposal of earthly events, as we saw in the great poem at the beginning of chapter three, and has a purpose even in allowing human injustices, as we just read in this little subsection here, and holds our ultimate destiny in his hands, as we see in verse 21, then the attitude of the wise should be joyful confidence in the pursuit of earthly responsibilities and the pleasures they bring. That's what we do in the meantime. Where this is elsewhere shown to be God's gift to man, it is here referred to as the person's portion, or lot, or heritage. That is one share in God's blessings to mankind. The same wording used in the refrain at the end of the present section that we'll come to at the end of chapter five. The end of the last sentence here of the end of 322 that's translated after him in many versions probably ought to be just rendered afterwards, as it says in the New American commentary. So the sentence would not necessarily be asking how a person could know what will happen after his death. That's what it looks like here in the New King James, but just merely after the present. Like, who knows what's going to happen after whatever you choose to do now. The point in context would seem to be that we should use the time that we have as best we can, not fixating on injustices that we've just been reading about, as we don't know how God is going to work everything out. Oh, you may be all up in arms about how bad this is, but maybe it'll be fixed tomorrow, the thing you're all upset about.

Or maybe a long time later, you just don't know. You don't need to be all worried about that, is what it's saying. And that, of course, implies trust in God's oversight. You just need to take life as it comes and enjoy what God gives you and not worry about how to correct all this mass.

You won't be able to do it, and God may not do it right away. And there's a lot he's going to leave undone. Let's go on in chapter 4 now, another issue here, verses 1 through 3.

Solomon writes, Then I returned and considered, or I saw, all the oppression that is done under the sun. So now it's even injustice, and we move into oppression. And look, the tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter. On the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter. He repeats it. Therefore I praised the dead who were already dead, more than the living who are still alive. Yet better than both is he who's never existed, who's never seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Now this second problem that Solomon mentions oppression is a consequence of the problem of injustice that we just read about right before this. Man's mistreatment of fellow man, the strong abusing the weak, is horrible.

And it's made worse by the twice-mentioned absence of a comforter, one who could ease their pain.

Now this doesn't seem to refer to having no human companion, which is another problem that we'll get to next. Since oppressed people may well have friends, particularly among those who are oppressed along with them, lots of people get oppressed together. Those are your companions, your friends. You could be oppressed in groups, and often are. Considering that the observance is of the plight of humanity, the likely problem here is that they don't have the comforter that could truly help them. And who is that? Almighty God. Which is kind of strange to think, well, they don't have a comforter. God is the comforter. Why don't they have God as a comforter? Well, some might take this as an indictment against God, or as proof that he's not working out at some plan, since he obviously doesn't care. But God is not to blame. He cares deeply we know he does, brethren. And he desires to be man's comforter, but man has rejected him.

And as a consequence, all the world suffers oppression at the hands of fellow man and evil spirit forces led by Satan the devil. But this does not mean that God has no plan to rescue humanity or to ultimately comfort them. But in the meantime, so bad is the suffering of mankind that Solomon came to state that it's better to be already dead than to go on seeing and experiencing this.

In fact, he goes further in stating that it'd be better to have not existed than to live and see man's oppression. Now, how are we to understand these remarks? Because that seems wrong, if you think about it. Well, first we should note that they evidently represent his past thoughts in contemplating the matter. See what he said? He said when he witnessed this, he said, therefore I praised the dead who were already dead. He doesn't say so he's still doing that.

That was his reaction to what he was seeing. So these thoughts don't necessarily reflect his current outlook. Indeed, Solomon later states that it's better to be alive than dead as there is hope in life. He says it in chapter 9 in verse 4 that it's better to be alive than dead. You might remember he says for a live dog is better than a dead lion. It's better to be alive.

And that would seem to contradict the thoughts here. Now, some see the sentiments of Ecclesiastes 4, 1, 2, 3 as having come in a time of deep despair over man's abusive treatment of fellow man. But Solomon at the time he wrote this is apparently not gripped by overwhelming despair, as we can see from the fact that in chapter 5 verse 8 he actually says not to marvel at seeing oppression and injustice. Don't be surprised at this, he's saying. So it seems maybe his perspective has shifted from when he was thinking this until when he's writing this now. Yet since Solomon does not immediately deny or qualify what he stated in chapter 4 verses 2 through 3, his remarks leave many with the impression that he remains utterly pessimistic and hopeless. Indeed, while verse 2 can more easily be read as a past conclusion, verse 3 does seem to read as a present determination, but this too could be part of what he earlier thought in verse 2, not necessarily what he now thinks. It's a little unclear.

But while it may be that Solomon's remarks in verses 2 through 3 represent rashly drawn false conclusions to which he no longer adheres, that's one possibility. This was his reaction to seeing it and he was wrong about that. But it's possible that his sentiments here are valid to a certain extent. Solomon's thought in verse 2 that it's better to be already dead is true in some context. You know, it says later in the book that the day of one's death is better than the day of his birth in chapter 7 verse 1. In death, a person's suffering or witness of suffering is over, and he or she will be resurrected at the time of God's intervention to set the world straight.

So that's a good thing in that sense. But what about his idea in verse 3 that it would be better to have not existed in the first place?

You know, if we understand that to mean that non-existence is to be preferred to life that dark though it may be could end in eternal happiness, which it can, then this notion is definitely false. Right? You shouldn't say it's better to have never existed if maybe you'll be happy for eternity, ultimately. But the statement could be true if it's referring to the timing of people's existence. I've thought about this a little. Not whether they ever existed or not. You know, after the present evil age of human misrule under Satan, God will, at that future time, free the world from oppression, leading mankind to righteousness and peace. And for the vast majority of people who are not called to God's way in salvation during this present age, it would be preferable in a certain sense to not exist until God sets the world straight.

You might think, I'd rather have come along then than come along today.

Thus, if Satan meant for us to take his statement in verse 3 as true and not merely as his former despair, that's what he could have meant. But again, it's not entirely clear. Another possibility here is that verses 2 and 3 are to be read in light of the dilemma of verse 1, where it's talking about having no comforter to relieve the oppression. So in this case, the thought would be that it's better to be dead or to have never existed as long as man has a good life. As long as man has no comforter. In other words, as long as that situation exists, that's also true. Yet the condition of being without a comforter is not permanent.

And that brings us to an important point here. I want us to understand this.

It's often thought that the message in this unit is completely hopeless.

Grieving for the oppressed, but giving no solution to dealing with the problem. But the solution is in part implied here in the repeated statement in verse 1 that there is no comforter. Notice that. They have no comforter. He says it twice.

So what we desperately need in coping with the problem of oppression is a comforter.

That is the solution. I want us to notice that. The solution is actually in the despair.

And the ultimate comforter is available if we will turn our lives over to his guidance and care. Eventually, humanity as a whole will experience his intervention and help.

And even now, the individual who turns to God receives his help in the present to endure. Indeed, we are evidently meant to reflect on the conclusion as just given in chapter 322 as we proceed through the problems presented in this subsection. We need to bear this in mind. And this will be further affirmed and expanded on when we come to the major section conclusion at the end of chapter 5. I want us to continue here in verses 4 through 6. So another thing that he sees, he says, again I saw, what did he see this time, that for all the toil and every skillful work, a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. Better a handful with quietness than both hands full together with toil and grasping for the wind.

What is this little unit talking about here? The next obstacle here to contentment and trusting that God has a plan for mankind, considered by Solomon, is human rivalry in the working world born out of envy. He laments the dog-eat-dog competition that gets people nowhere, as Tyndale says, the scramble for wealth, leadership, power, or status.

In response, he offers two proverbs. That's what these little sayings are here that can seem contradictory. They might seem that way, but that's because they apply to opposing circumstances. For those who might be tempted to just withdraw from the hectic rat race, altogether the point of the first proverb is that we have to work. See, it says, again, the fool folds his hand and consumes his own flesh. That's not the answer. You're a fool if you do that. You think, well, I don't have to do anything. I'm not going to be part of this. A person who foolishly refuses to work comes to poverty and self-destruction. On the other hand, the second proverb, verse 6, is for those who go overboard in work, for the great payoff it'll bring. Because the first people are saying, well, I don't need to work. And the second people are saying, better a handful of the quietness than both hands full. They're going for both hands full. It says, and this is a New American commentary, that it's better to have a few things, one handful, yet be satisfied and happy than to have many things, two hands full, and yet be consumed with work and worries. The teacher steers away from both idleness and slavery to work. Both of these are bad ways to go. Quietness in the second proverb means peaceful and composed, content, rather than always striving for more. Preaching the word commentary says, the quiet person has found the right balance. His hands are not folded like the fool. He is working hard enough to have a decent handful of what he needs in life. But that's enough for him. He does not keep demanding more and more, but accepts what God has given. So that is the way to respond to that, to this whole rat race. Verses 7 through 16, looking at another problem you see, is then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, without companion. He is neither son nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eyes satisfied with riches. But he never asks, and we'll go back to this in a minute, but probably, but he never asks, is not in the text right there. For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good? This also is vanity and a grave misfortune. Two 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 three-fold cord is not quickly broken. Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who will be admonished no more? I'm going to break off from that and get back to that in a second. That actually is, I believe, part of the same section, but it's a little bit of a different thought. We'll see that in just a moment. But what we just looked at, I want to talk about this for a second. Solomon addresses the problem of human isolation here. Having just cautioned against some of the problems of human isolation, having just cautioned against overworking for material reward, he starts with someone engaged in this pursuit who sadly has no one with whom to share, in verse 8. Now, I mentioned that we're at Sytalasites here in the New King James, but he never asks, which is similar to the King James, the Revised Standard Version. But that's not in the Hebrew here. There's only an and, a vah, and that proceeds for whom.

Other translations, including the NRSV and the NIV, consider that the person does ask about whom he expends himself for. Like, who am I doing this for?

But either way, there's no one else there.

Friend or relative.

It's probably not mere coincidence that he has no one close to him and no progeny.

More likely, it's his drive for personal accumulation that has led to him becoming isolated from others.

And for what?

Despite his gains, the person is not satisfied. His pursuit of gain has actually deprived him of good.

A major good he's missed out on is companionship. Solomon goes on to show why this is so serious, by highlighting the value of companionship in verses 9 through 12.

Two can achieve more together than one, and they support and comfort one another through hard times.

Verse 12, with its one-two-three-fold advancement here, may be a proverb. Or at least the third line is, the Tyndale commentary says, the strength of the three-ply cord was proverbial in the ancient world as seen in Sumerian and Akkadian texts. So this may well be a common proverb.

In context, the step up to three is evidently a general indication that having more friends than one is even better. Like, two is good, but three is better.

And having more friends is better.

This verse is sometimes used to point out the strength of marriage, the union between not just two, the husband and wife, but three, including God. You'll sometimes see that said.

But that's probably not the specific intent of this verse, but it is a valid application.

I mean, certainly it's definitely better to have another who's supporting you, and especially that other being God.

Definitely want that. Solomon's presentation of the value of companionship implies, of course, that we should seek to avoid isolation. So that's another solution that's implied in the problem.

In other words, we don't want to end up like this. We need to try not to be like this. We want to be in connection with people. That's going to help us endure the bad things in this world.

Now, verses 13 through 16 are deemed by some to present a new problem.

But I think these verses continue to under, as one commentary says, to underlie the folly of self-sufficiency and growing isolation.

Let's look at it here. Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more.

For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom. I saw all the living who walk under the sun.

They were with the second youth. I think that's a wrong translation. Probably should just say, they were with the second youth. There's only one other youth here. They were with the second, this new ruler, the youth, who stands in his place. There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king, yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Now, Solomon gives the story here of a king who grows too self-confident and feels he needs no advisors.

So there's a sense of isolation. You think of some people being spoken of as being in their ivory tower. You don't really know what's going on.

They have limited contact with people.

Because of that, they're out of touch.

That was certainly the case here.

Even not listening to advisors.

He falls from favor and a new regime takes over.

Despite his humble origins, the crowd flocks to the side of the newcomer, who too will grow old and be abandoned in turn to his own isolation.

We should first notice that of all the contrast between the two kings, youth versus age, poverty versus wealth, wisdom versus folly, the most important is their attitude toward advice. The tragedy has been repeated many times in the history of nations. It also stands as a warning to older Christians. We usually think that gray hair brings wisdom, and often it does. But whether they are young or old, the wisest Christians are the ones who listen to counsel and if necessary accept correction.

Now some take the story here to be a made-up example, which is possible. Solomon saying that he saw the throngs supporting the new king in verse 15. Might seem to counter that, but this could perhaps mean that he merely visualized a mental picture.

On the other hand, he may have actually witnessed what he describes.

The situation could refer to a regime change in a neighboring kingdom, Solomon having been present at the coronation ceremony, or maybe one of his vassal kingdoms.

Alternatively, some propose that the old and foolish king was Saul and that the newcomer was David, Solomon's father. Though David did not actually come out of prison, he did in a figurative sense, having been hiding from Saul who pursued him as a rebel outlaw. And while in hiding, David even prayed to God, bring my soul out of prison.

That's what he said in Psalm 142, verse 7.

Of course, David's coronation occurred even before Solomon was born.

Yet Solomon no doubt saw a great throng supporting his father early on, but later forsaking him during the revolts of Absalom and Sheba.

So he saw early popularity and then later being abandoned by the crowds.

And the one coming out of prison, so in that sense, his father, if it was, went through this whole experience that is typical. We're going to see that in just a second as well.

Now, some think that the person was actually Solomon himself, that he is the old and foolish king, and that the one coming out of prison to be king refers to Jeroboam, who was prophesied to be king over the northern tribes following Solomon's death as punishment for Solomon's terrible sins. Solomon had tried to have Jeroboam killed, and so Jeroboam fled to Egypt, which is possibly maybe a figurative imprisonment in that sense. Perhaps Solomon was envisioning his eventual return and coronation.

But whatever is intended, the specific case is actually not important. What matters here is, first, the need to remain teachable. It's the meek who will ultimately inherit the earth, the teachable. We see that in Psalm 37.11. We see it in Matthew 5.5, the Beatitudes. The meek are the ones who will inherit the earth. The other thing to recognize here, again, is how typical this situation is, with the same thing ultimately befalling the younger ruler. People may think that attaining high station will ensure the love and support of many, but it won't. Power corrupts, so those in high office often fail to remain humble and teachable, or they end up listening to the wrong advisors, and moreover, the crowds are fickle. They support whatever they perceive as new, or change for the sake of change, until the new gets old and something supposedly newer comes along. This is not the friendship that will stave off isolation. It's only one more example of the vanity of the human condition pursuing nothingness. There is something else here to consider. There was one wise young man, the wisest and meekest, who ever lived, who was born poor in his kingdom, and later came out of the prison of the grave to take over from the ruler of this world as our king, who many rejected, yet whom in the end all the living will follow for eternity.

If we are wise and live accordingly, we will follow his example and reign with him for eternity. In the face of the obstacles to faith and happiness in this subsection, injustice, oppression, the rat race, and isolation, these are the four things he's looked at, we are implicitly told with each problem how to cope.

So what do we do? I mean, what is implied in these verses? Live righteously with future judgment in mind. That's one thing that is implied here. We need to live righteously with future judgment in mind. And derive joy from daily work and accomplishment. Seek comfort from God, the ultimate comforter. People are suffering with no comforter. There is a comforter, and we need to seek that comfort from God. What else? Work to meet needs. We have to work to meet our needs without becoming a slave to work for a big payoff. So we don't want to be lazy. We need to work, but we need to not work in this way that we think this is going to get us what we need. Or we're going to get all we can get. We're going to go for the gusto. Whatever we might need to do in that sense. And with isolation here, we need to seek the companionship of true friends and wise counsel with a teachable spirit. We need to seek the companionship of true friends and wise counsel with a teachable spirit. And of course, we need the ultimate companionship of God himself and Jesus Christ. And we're given this in the fellowship of God's people, brethren. It's an amazing thing. In the next subsection, which ends the major conclusion, which is all of chapter 5, Solomon will go further in helping us domain a right perspective and live properly despite the obstacles. And you can look at that on your own, too. We'll definitely cover it through chapter 5 next time. It is, again, a remarkable chapter. It's interesting when you come to chapter 5 because in chapter 5, you're given actual directives. It's the first time there's actually, this is what you need to do, kind of thing will come up. Here we see what to do, but it's more implied. It's not so directly stated. These are important things to consider, to think about. And one thing to remember as we look at all of this is what we're talking about in context. Remember that we're talking about the fact that God has a great plan. He's working all of this out. There are bad things that are going on that may look like God isn't really in control. Things are crazy. Things are crazy in your life. Things are crazy in this world. But God is in charge. He's in control. He's allowing things to happen. He wants us to learn from these experiences. And there is a way to make it through and a way to deal with these things that would tend to make us think God isn't in control. Let's remember that, brethren. Let's use this book to help us make it through this life that God has given us as a challenge and as a time of learning and testing to see what kind of character we will produce. We'll continue this in the next time.