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:
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?