Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

Helpful thoughts:

• Death can be a great teacher for us if we are willing to learn from it.
• We cannot change what God has decreed. He is sovereign and good.  But that doesn’t mean everything that happens will be easy or immediately enjoyable.  God has made some things to be “crooked”.  Satan is not overpowering Him when “bad” things happen.
  • “Bad things” are not sin, but they are a consequence of the curse.
  • “Bad things” are not even bad things when God is in it. We tend to call whatever makes our lives uncomfortable and inconvenienced, “Bad things”, while God calls them “sanctifiers.” (See Romans 8)
• People try to escape the reality of death or suffering by:
  • Chasing after money (Even at the cost/hurt of others)
  • Impatience (Always chasing after something new, never finishing)
  • Anger (If I can’t control it, I will yell at it)
  • Nostalgia (Fond memories of the past can’t change, and the evils can’t get any worse when stuck in time)

Questions to consider:

1. How can death teach us more than birth? How does the reality of death cause us to number our days and to keep eternity in view?
2. Why do we call hardships “bad”? What is the cause of our anger at God during hardships?
3. Which of these methods of escapism are you most prone to participate in? Are there others you might have run to in the past?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 6:1-12

Helpful thoughts:

• This chapter is a continuation of the second half of chapter 5.
• It is quite possible to have everything you could ever want and still be unsatisfied.
• The three conditions for a perfect life in that time were wealth, many children and many years.  Solomon mentions all three.
• No matter how much wealth, power, life, etc. any one of us may have, no one under the sun compares to the One who has “Named” all things, knows man and is “Stronger than he.”

Questions to consider:

1. If man’s words are vanity, then whose words hold value?
2. If nothing under the sun satisfies, then where should our greatest enjoyment lie?
3. If I cannot change the destiny of mankind, then who should I trust?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

Helpful thoughts:

• Governments focused on self-interest will hurt it’s people (Which will not go unnoticed by the Lord).  Governments busy working for the good of productivity in the land will be a blessing to all.
• Focus on money/riches does not satisfy, whether you possess much or little.  Laboring can be joyful and lead to rest, whether you possess much or little.
• Some will be wealthy.  Some will not.  Both can accept what God has given them, continue to work hard and enjoy living.
  • Both the rich and the not-rich can enjoy their work.
  • Both the rich and the not-rich who won’t work will have nothing to enjoy.
    • The lazy rich will not be satisfied with their leisure.
    • The lazy poor refuse to accept their “lot” because they are only focused on what they don’t have.

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways is servant leadership beneficial, even in government?
2. How does the love of money hurt both the rich and the poor?
3. Why is it right to view work as a gift from God?  How could you show thankfulness for your job?  How does your salvation in Christ make this possible?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Helpful thoughts:

• In this passage, the Preacher reiterates the great commandment, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
  • Israel was told to “Hear”.  Solomon tells the reader to “Listen”
  • The Lord is one (Undivided) and He requires our undivided love.
• A person with a seared conscience is able to do religious “Good” works without repentance.  This is not pleasing to God.  It is not undivided love.  But the doer will feel like he has a clear conscience.
• God is real and He really hears and interacts with your prayers.  He is actually grieved when you fail to follow through with your vows or fail to obey His commands.
  • His grief is a loving grief!  God’s commands give life.  He wants you to have life and joy!

Questions to consider:

1. When read and considered along with Ecclesiastes chapter 4, is it possible to do religious things out of envy and only for your own personal consumption?  What will that result in? In those desires and actions, who is truly being worshiped?
2. How do you know whether you have a seared conscious or a clear conscience if both of them feel the same?  What outside source of information and authority do you have to consult for the right answer?  Why is the study of God’s Word the only right way to train your conscience and your thinking?
3. Why do you think we are so prone to stray from our commitment or our focus on God when our trials and suffering are alleviated? How is our view of God deficient when we respond that way?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Helpful thoughts:

• Mankind is prone to care/think about himself/herself.  The times we would most often think of others is to compare ourselves (Envy) or to consider what we might get out of them.
• Thinking only of myself will result in my own destruction…and at my own hands.
• It is better/happier to be “poor” and have loving relationships than to be “wealthy” and be alone.
• It is best to work hard together and to rest together in proper balance.
• Enjoy your time with others today!  Merry Christmas!

Questions to consider:

1. Why would it be better to ask, “How are we doing?” than to ask, “How am I doing?”
2. How have the expectations of “Individualism” and “Self-Esteem” in our culture actually made us more sad, depressed, and isolated?
3. When you envy other people, what is it they have that you want?  How does your envy of that apparent possession prove to you that obtaining it would never make you happy?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

Helpful thoughts:

• The Preacher points out that even in the courts of this world, injustice can be found.
• God is going to judge, and His judgment is perfect.
• Solomon perceived, with God out of the picture entirely, we are no different than the animals.  Charles Darwin and millions of others have come to the same conclusion.
  • He shows the sadness of the idea that since we cannot see and verify that the soul of man has gone “upward” (The immortality of the soul), man could not have anything more to look forward to than any animal.
    • By the way, check out Proverbs 30:4 and John 3:13.  We do not look for best-selling books about “first-hand” accounts of going to heaven and back for proof, when the Bible says that does not and will not happen.  Only Jesus has been to heaven and then come to earth.  Only four prophets/apostles were given visions of heaven.  Go to the Scriptures to learn about heaven, not unbiblical (Both in description and in disobedience) accounts of people’s, at best, dreams…and at worst, lies.

Questions to consider:

1. How amazing is it that God’s Word was saying, about 2,700 before man actually started believing, that mankind would be seen like no more than animals if they removed God from the picture?
2. Why is there injustice on this earth?  How does the knowledge of God’s final justice help us to endure injustices we see or experience?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 3:9-15

Helpful thoughts:

• The beauty of the poetry from verses 1-8 is dashed by the blunt statement of verse 9.  But, there’s hope.
• God gifted man by putting “eternity in his heart”.  We know that there is more than this life.  We cannot control eternity or bring it about, but it gives us perspective.
  • Perspective relative to our time and the temporary nature of our “good” and “bad” times.
  • Perspective relative to our lack of control and authority  and God’s absolute control and authority.
• The final portion of verse 15, “God seeks what has been driven away” leads into the next passage concerning God’s judgement.  God will recall all that has passed to give an account.
• When we fear God (Hold Him in reverence), we can view life as a gift and enjoy it, trusting that He will make everything right.
• When we fear/focus on the here and now (Ignoring God), we view life as a possession to be gained and are burdened by the prospect of eternity and a higher power.  This results in idolatry.

Questions to consider:

1. Under the sun, we view people who are older as having more experience and therefore wiser.  How can our relationship with Christ and belief in God’s sovereignty over all eternity give us great wisdom, regardless of our age?
2. What things might you try to control?  What fears drive you to this attempt?  What would repentance/surrender look like?
3. How does a high view of God (Along with a humble view of self) and a delight in Jesus Christ help us to enjoy life?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Helpful thoughts:

• Verses 1-8 are the “Under heaven” part of the story.  The “Above heaven” part will come next.  Hope will come in the next passage.
• These verses are filled with beautiful poetry that is celebrated by believers and unbelievers alike for its artistry.  It is meant to remind us of our limitations.  It illustrates the vanity (Striving after the wind) of the first two chapters.  This poem is not a celebration.

Questions to consider:

1. Parts of this poem we may have some occasional control over.  Parts of it, we do not.  What is that constant element in this poem that we cannot control?  What are the occasional elements in this poem we cannot control?
2. Have you ever heard the saying, “If you put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig”?  What are the dangers of being positive about everything?  Should we be content with the beauty of the poem, or should we be yearning for something of substance?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

Helpful thoughts:

• The inheritance Solomon would have left behind would have been for the next king (His son!), for his children and for the benefit of Israel, but he found that to be a vanity and evil.
• If a person gives their all to their possessions on this earth, there will only be pain in not feeling fulfilled or getting to keep anything after death.
• Enjoyment is a gift from God.  There is no enjoyment of anything (Temporal or eternal) apart from Him.

Questions to consider:

1. How does surrendering to God’s lordship make it possible for us to experience joy?  Why is it impossible to experience joy outside of His will?
2. How would Solomon’s view of leaving behind his possessions to others change if he was putting God first?  In what ways would that give him joy?
3. What does the phrase “Find enjoyment in his toil” acknowledge still exists?  Are we only able to have enjoyment when everything is going perfectly?  When will everything go perfectly?

Today’s passage: Ecclesiastes 2:1-17

Helpful thoughts:

• Solomon pursued pleasure in alcohol, foolishness, properties, building wealth, artistry, entertainment, sex and more.  He took for himself whatever he wanted, and did more than we could ever accomplish.  None of it satisfied him.
• Solomon pursued his wisdom, and though it was better than chasing folly, it still didn’t satisfy and he knew death was coming either way.
• The result of Solomon’s “experiment”…He hated life.  Solomon was complaining.
• Remember, the Bible is honest.  Solomon is revealing his heart.  He was in sin and was dissatisfied.

Questions to consider:

1. What is consistent of Solomon’s pursuit of folly and his pursuit of wisdom?  Who was he doing it for?  What was his goal in either pursuit? (Compare Solomon’s motivations in 1 Kings 3:6-9 with today’s passage.)
2. In our pursuit of folly, what is it that we actually want?  What motivates us?  What are we hoping to get/gain?
3. in our pursuit of wisdom, what is it that we actually want? What motivates us? What are we hoping to get/gain? (As Solomon expressed, there is a wrong way to pursue wisdom.)
4. What motivation will result in joy and contentment?