ISDAMan
05-20-00, 01:23 AM
I’m proud to be a part of this fantastic study. The last went well and I know that the rest will be great. I really have to thank God every single day. The more we go over these things, the better I am able to function in life having the matters of God more greatly in focus in my mind. This is also a real blessing because there are so many here with questions of God and Christianity. This is an opportunity to answer those questions in action.
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1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
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(The New Living Translation)
1 I said to myself, "Come now, let's give pleasure a try. Let's look for the 'good things' in life." But I found that this, too, was meaningless.
2 "It is silly to be laughing all the time," I said. "What good does it do to seek only pleasure?"
3 After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.
4 I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards.
5 I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees.
6 I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves.
7 I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned great herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who lived in Jerusalem before me.
8 I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!
9 So I became greater than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. And with it all, I remained clear-eyed so that I could evaluate all these things.
10 Anything I wanted, I took. I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors.
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This man had an amazing ability to gather the things that people all over the world kill for! Nothing seemed to be out of his reach. He had all the women, money, fun, parties, and all around pleasure he could stand. He said that he did not restrain himself from any joy. Yet, because he sought to find the joy unspeakable and full of glory apart from God, all he found was more wantonness. Stick with me now. I’m about to hit you where it hurts. I’m sure that there are some here that would wish to have just a small part, or even all, of what he had. Only, you think you could handle it. It would never take control of you. Well, let me tell you. You might just be living that sort of life right now. You express the very same type of lifestyle when you kick back in your little fantasy zone with your remote control in you hand, never having given even a single thought to what God would have you do at that time,… much less, the time He’s gave you throughout the rest of the day. Whatever you want, you get it. You don’t restrain yourself from any joy either. You know that you haven’t worked to obtain. That doesn’t matter to you though. You’ll just finance it without even the slightest thought of waiting until you actually have the money. Who cares about the interest when there’s so much pleasure to be had?!?! Still, let the collection plate pass in front of your nose. That’s a whole different thing. It costs too much and, “What’s in it for me?”, or “Where does it really go?”, is the question of the day. Oh, and you have your concubine too. You’ve got your stash of girlie mags, re-runs of Baywatch, and that person at work you like to fanaticize about. You’ll drink to thee point of excess, surf the web, ping the night away on the Playstation, but you’re full of God’s Word in just a verse or two every few days,… if at that. A man has got to know his limitations and if you judge yours by what this guy did and think that you’re o.k., I’ve got news for you. We just went through the study of Romans wherein we learned that God is the measuring stick that we are to judge ourselves by. He sent Himself as Christ to be a propitiation, a stand-in, for our sins. As it is that we know that He is perfect and not deserving of such a fate, He has been made the mark of our value. He, Christ, being God, is the measure. Don’t look at your neighbor and think that you’re better than he. You’ve got plenty of potholes in your own road there buddy. Watching the potholes in his road will only cause you to hit more of your own. Get on the road that is without a dent and keep your eyes firmly fixed upon it!
We know that sin has pleasure for a time. Never the less, we’ll soon see that there comes a cost that none will escape.
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11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
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<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
(The New Living Translation)
11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.
12 So I decided to compare wisdom and folly, and anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did.
13 Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.
14 For the wise person sees, while the fool is blind. Yet I saw that wise and foolish people share the same fate.
15 Both of them die. Just as the fool will die, so will I. So of what value is all my wisdom? Then I said to myself, "This is all so meaningless!"
16 For the wise person and the fool both die, and in the days to come, both will be forgotten.
</FONT>
Here comes the hard crash. Real and lasting joy never comes from self-service! We know this from all throughout the Bible. Anyone that is married can tell you that, when they express their love physically for their spouse, with the intent to give pleasure, they, themselves, receive greater pleasure than when they simply look to get their own kicks. We are hot wired to serve. Only, we try hard to deny that fact and end up only serving our own foolish lusts. Serve in righteousness or you will serve in sin. That’s just a fact. Either you are for God or you are against God. There is no in between. He summed up his service of his own foolish lusts as being like chasing the wind. I’ll tell you that it’s like trying to keep the water in the ocean still by reaching in and holding it with your hands. You can’t even hold one molecule of it in its place. In the same way, you can produce no lasting goodness or joy by way of a lifestyle of self-service. There’s no difference for the smart or the stupid, the rich or the poor, even the popular or the unpopular. For all we do, the end is the same. The curse of sin is still upon our flesh, even if it has been washed from your spirit by the Blood of Jesus. Do you remember that we are to lay up treasures in Heaven? God didn’t pass that along for no reason. This is why! All this will pass away! All this is temporal! And No!!! Money does not change everything! Don’t you know that self-service always leads to confusion. Look at what was written. He can’t understand what happened. No matter what he amassed, it did not fill the void he looked to fill. His joy became a struggle. When he finally came to his senses, he realized that, even though he had wisdom, he lived the life of a fool. Don’t feel alone if God has blessed you with great wisdom and you still find it hard to conform to God’s ways. It was that way for this author and it’s that way for me too. It’s a day to day struggle to fight the temptations of the flesh and Satan. Even on our best days, we are nothing without the Grace of God. Don’t forget that. You can never be so wise or so good that you don’t need the Grace of God t get you through the day.
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17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
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<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
(The New Living Translation)
17 So now I hate life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational. Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind.
18 I am disgusted that I must leave the fruits of my hard work to others.
19 And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? And yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work. How meaningless!
20 So I turned in despair from hard work. It was not the answer to my search for satisfaction in this life.
21 For though I do my work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, I must leave everything I gain to people who haven't worked to earn it. This is not only foolish but highly unfair.
22 So what do people get for all their hard work?
23 Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night they cannot rest. It is all utterly meaningless.
24 So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?
26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. Even this, however, is meaningless, like chasing the wind.
</FONT>
Now, comes the depression after the high. He’s almost lashing out at others in that he doesn’t want them to have what he labored to give to himself. This guy just hit face first into the wall of reality that God has set before all men. He wanted sin so badly that, God let him have what he wanted and in the end, just like Pharaoh, he ended up finding it to have a bitter end.
Now, don’t misunderstand verse 24. He is not saying that the very best is simply to eat drink and be merry. What he’s saying is that it is best for us to live within the design of God, the specifications of His Holy Will, because that is from God. God has given us more than just eating and drinking. He has designed us for fellowship with Him and others. What the author is saying is that it is best not to try and create your own boundaries. Live within the ones God gives. God has given work and sustenance and the reward thereof.
Lastly, test God on what has been stated in verse 26. I know this to be true. Stay close to God and He will reward you in this life too. Still, be warned. That doesn’t last either. Don’t give too much care to the rewards of this life. It’s the rewards of the next that are the best and eternal.
Have a passion for God!,
ISDAMan
<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
</FONT>
<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
(The New Living Translation)
1 I said to myself, "Come now, let's give pleasure a try. Let's look for the 'good things' in life." But I found that this, too, was meaningless.
2 "It is silly to be laughing all the time," I said. "What good does it do to seek only pleasure?"
3 After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. While still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I hoped to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.
4 I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself and by planting beautiful vineyards.
5 I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees.
6 I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my many flourishing groves.
7 I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household. I also owned great herds and flocks, more than any of the kings who lived in Jerusalem before me.
8 I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces. I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had many beautiful concubines. I had everything a man could desire!
9 So I became greater than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. And with it all, I remained clear-eyed so that I could evaluate all these things.
10 Anything I wanted, I took. I did not restrain myself from any joy. I even found great pleasure in hard work, an additional reward for all my labors.
</FONT>
This man had an amazing ability to gather the things that people all over the world kill for! Nothing seemed to be out of his reach. He had all the women, money, fun, parties, and all around pleasure he could stand. He said that he did not restrain himself from any joy. Yet, because he sought to find the joy unspeakable and full of glory apart from God, all he found was more wantonness. Stick with me now. I’m about to hit you where it hurts. I’m sure that there are some here that would wish to have just a small part, or even all, of what he had. Only, you think you could handle it. It would never take control of you. Well, let me tell you. You might just be living that sort of life right now. You express the very same type of lifestyle when you kick back in your little fantasy zone with your remote control in you hand, never having given even a single thought to what God would have you do at that time,… much less, the time He’s gave you throughout the rest of the day. Whatever you want, you get it. You don’t restrain yourself from any joy either. You know that you haven’t worked to obtain. That doesn’t matter to you though. You’ll just finance it without even the slightest thought of waiting until you actually have the money. Who cares about the interest when there’s so much pleasure to be had?!?! Still, let the collection plate pass in front of your nose. That’s a whole different thing. It costs too much and, “What’s in it for me?”, or “Where does it really go?”, is the question of the day. Oh, and you have your concubine too. You’ve got your stash of girlie mags, re-runs of Baywatch, and that person at work you like to fanaticize about. You’ll drink to thee point of excess, surf the web, ping the night away on the Playstation, but you’re full of God’s Word in just a verse or two every few days,… if at that. A man has got to know his limitations and if you judge yours by what this guy did and think that you’re o.k., I’ve got news for you. We just went through the study of Romans wherein we learned that God is the measuring stick that we are to judge ourselves by. He sent Himself as Christ to be a propitiation, a stand-in, for our sins. As it is that we know that He is perfect and not deserving of such a fate, He has been made the mark of our value. He, Christ, being God, is the measure. Don’t look at your neighbor and think that you’re better than he. You’ve got plenty of potholes in your own road there buddy. Watching the potholes in his road will only cause you to hit more of your own. Get on the road that is without a dent and keep your eyes firmly fixed upon it!
We know that sin has pleasure for a time. Never the less, we’ll soon see that there comes a cost that none will escape.
<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
</FONT>
<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
(The New Living Translation)
11 But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless. It was like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.
12 So I decided to compare wisdom and folly, and anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did.
13 Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.
14 For the wise person sees, while the fool is blind. Yet I saw that wise and foolish people share the same fate.
15 Both of them die. Just as the fool will die, so will I. So of what value is all my wisdom? Then I said to myself, "This is all so meaningless!"
16 For the wise person and the fool both die, and in the days to come, both will be forgotten.
</FONT>
Here comes the hard crash. Real and lasting joy never comes from self-service! We know this from all throughout the Bible. Anyone that is married can tell you that, when they express their love physically for their spouse, with the intent to give pleasure, they, themselves, receive greater pleasure than when they simply look to get their own kicks. We are hot wired to serve. Only, we try hard to deny that fact and end up only serving our own foolish lusts. Serve in righteousness or you will serve in sin. That’s just a fact. Either you are for God or you are against God. There is no in between. He summed up his service of his own foolish lusts as being like chasing the wind. I’ll tell you that it’s like trying to keep the water in the ocean still by reaching in and holding it with your hands. You can’t even hold one molecule of it in its place. In the same way, you can produce no lasting goodness or joy by way of a lifestyle of self-service. There’s no difference for the smart or the stupid, the rich or the poor, even the popular or the unpopular. For all we do, the end is the same. The curse of sin is still upon our flesh, even if it has been washed from your spirit by the Blood of Jesus. Do you remember that we are to lay up treasures in Heaven? God didn’t pass that along for no reason. This is why! All this will pass away! All this is temporal! And No!!! Money does not change everything! Don’t you know that self-service always leads to confusion. Look at what was written. He can’t understand what happened. No matter what he amassed, it did not fill the void he looked to fill. His joy became a struggle. When he finally came to his senses, he realized that, even though he had wisdom, he lived the life of a fool. Don’t feel alone if God has blessed you with great wisdom and you still find it hard to conform to God’s ways. It was that way for this author and it’s that way for me too. It’s a day to day struggle to fight the temptations of the flesh and Satan. Even on our best days, we are nothing without the Grace of God. Don’t forget that. You can never be so wise or so good that you don’t need the Grace of God t get you through the day.
<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
</FONT>
<FONT COLOR=”BLUE”>
(The New Living Translation)
17 So now I hate life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational. Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind.
18 I am disgusted that I must leave the fruits of my hard work to others.
19 And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? And yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work. How meaningless!
20 So I turned in despair from hard work. It was not the answer to my search for satisfaction in this life.
21 For though I do my work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, I must leave everything I gain to people who haven't worked to earn it. This is not only foolish but highly unfair.
22 So what do people get for all their hard work?
23 Their days of labor are filled with pain and grief; even at night they cannot rest. It is all utterly meaningless.
24 So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God.
25 For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?
26 God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him. But if a sinner becomes wealthy, God takes the wealth away and gives it to those who please him. Even this, however, is meaningless, like chasing the wind.
</FONT>
Now, comes the depression after the high. He’s almost lashing out at others in that he doesn’t want them to have what he labored to give to himself. This guy just hit face first into the wall of reality that God has set before all men. He wanted sin so badly that, God let him have what he wanted and in the end, just like Pharaoh, he ended up finding it to have a bitter end.
Now, don’t misunderstand verse 24. He is not saying that the very best is simply to eat drink and be merry. What he’s saying is that it is best for us to live within the design of God, the specifications of His Holy Will, because that is from God. God has given us more than just eating and drinking. He has designed us for fellowship with Him and others. What the author is saying is that it is best not to try and create your own boundaries. Live within the ones God gives. God has given work and sustenance and the reward thereof.
Lastly, test God on what has been stated in verse 26. I know this to be true. Stay close to God and He will reward you in this life too. Still, be warned. That doesn’t last either. Don’t give too much care to the rewards of this life. It’s the rewards of the next that are the best and eternal.
Have a passion for God!,
ISDAMan