I trust everyone had a pleasant Christmas and New Year’s Day, and that you plan to make the best of 2007. It is wonderful to be back with you, so let’s get right back into our schedule of entries and studies.
There has always been a desire for knowledge and understanding. Perhaps it would be better to say that there has always been a desire for wisdom, which is the ability to do what is right with knowledge and understanding. Solomon, as we have previously discussed, was the wisest man who ever lived, being gifted by God with a wisdom not granted to any other human being. But Solomon was still human, and as such was still capable of error. He chose not to use the wisdom God had given him, and it cost him dearly. The book of Ecclesiastes tells us a bit about the mindset of this man.
Chapter two is a particularly vibrant piece of Scripture in which Solomon describes in poetic detail his observations of human nature and the meaning of earthly life, and the results of such a life. Today, as then, we seem to have a “been-there” mentality when it comes to living. We like to hear the first-hand accounts of those who have experienced certain aspects of life, we sometimes want their advice. But most often we have to go through a thing ourselves before we finally “get it,” or before we learn our lesson.
Solomon uses this chapter to explain his approach to life, with the continuing observation that “all is vanity,” meaning that everything in this life is insufficient for the reason we seek them: lasting fulfillment.
In the first eight verses, the king tells us that since he had the means to try, he would. He would try everything, every pleasure, every possession this world had to offer. In verse nine, Solomon effectively says, “I had it all, more than anyone else ever possessed, and I still had this wisdom thing. Life, or so I thought, was good.” He found out the hard way that he was incorrect.
It is possible to take the blessings of God and do one of three things with them: use them, misuse them, or ignore them. History’s pages are filled with countless examples of those who made their choice. But it was theirs to make. Solomon asked for wisdom, and received it. But then he chose to ignore it. As the next verses appear, we see one of the most prolific examples of the “If it feels good, do it” persona. Verses 10 and 11 recount Solomon saying something like this (a very modern attitude), “I could have anything I wanted, and it was fun, and I enjoyed it so much that life itself was its own reward. Then I grew up, and as I looked back on life, I asked myself, ‘What do I really have to show for all that time and all those pursuits?’ Nothing but emptiness.”
At this point, Solomon reflects on life, the cyclical nature of it, the repetitiveness. He realizes that wisdom is greater than folly, then he utters some of the most profound words ever spoken by anyone aside from Jesus. Those words are found in verse 14: The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all.
As wise as we may think we are, all of us have our moments of wisdom and folly. We all make mistakes, and we are all capable of exercising right and righteous judgment. We sometimes forget that we have the capacity for both, and it remains our choice. Solomon chose poorly on many occasions, but so have we. Look back upon your life, and you will find numerous examples of when you yourself made the wrong choice. The question is, have you yet reached the place Solomon did, and realized that a pursuit of wisdom is the only wise course in this life?
There has always been a desire for knowledge and understanding. Perhaps it would be better to say that there has always been a desire for wisdom, which is the ability to do what is right with knowledge and understanding. Solomon, as we have previously discussed, was the wisest man who ever lived, being gifted by God with a wisdom not granted to any other human being. But Solomon was still human, and as such was still capable of error. He chose not to use the wisdom God had given him, and it cost him dearly. The book of Ecclesiastes tells us a bit about the mindset of this man.
Chapter two is a particularly vibrant piece of Scripture in which Solomon describes in poetic detail his observations of human nature and the meaning of earthly life, and the results of such a life. Today, as then, we seem to have a “been-there” mentality when it comes to living. We like to hear the first-hand accounts of those who have experienced certain aspects of life, we sometimes want their advice. But most often we have to go through a thing ourselves before we finally “get it,” or before we learn our lesson.
Solomon uses this chapter to explain his approach to life, with the continuing observation that “all is vanity,” meaning that everything in this life is insufficient for the reason we seek them: lasting fulfillment.
In the first eight verses, the king tells us that since he had the means to try, he would. He would try everything, every pleasure, every possession this world had to offer. In verse nine, Solomon effectively says, “I had it all, more than anyone else ever possessed, and I still had this wisdom thing. Life, or so I thought, was good.” He found out the hard way that he was incorrect.
It is possible to take the blessings of God and do one of three things with them: use them, misuse them, or ignore them. History’s pages are filled with countless examples of those who made their choice. But it was theirs to make. Solomon asked for wisdom, and received it. But then he chose to ignore it. As the next verses appear, we see one of the most prolific examples of the “If it feels good, do it” persona. Verses 10 and 11 recount Solomon saying something like this (a very modern attitude), “I could have anything I wanted, and it was fun, and I enjoyed it so much that life itself was its own reward. Then I grew up, and as I looked back on life, I asked myself, ‘What do I really have to show for all that time and all those pursuits?’ Nothing but emptiness.”
At this point, Solomon reflects on life, the cyclical nature of it, the repetitiveness. He realizes that wisdom is greater than folly, then he utters some of the most profound words ever spoken by anyone aside from Jesus. Those words are found in verse 14: The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all.
As wise as we may think we are, all of us have our moments of wisdom and folly. We all make mistakes, and we are all capable of exercising right and righteous judgment. We sometimes forget that we have the capacity for both, and it remains our choice. Solomon chose poorly on many occasions, but so have we. Look back upon your life, and you will find numerous examples of when you yourself made the wrong choice. The question is, have you yet reached the place Solomon did, and realized that a pursuit of wisdom is the only wise course in this life?
Verse 15 points to the fact that royalty or commoner, wise or fool, we are all alike. There is a common bond within humanity which unites us all: we are all weak, we all make mistakes, we all pass from this life. As grand as our accomplishments may be, or as anonymous as possible, we leave this life, and all our pursuits come to an end.
If you think for any length of time about life like this, it can really get you down. Such was the case with King Solomon, as we read in verse 17. When we reach this place, it can be dangerous, because we may be tempted to be give up on everything. But this we cannot do, as it would be foolish. Wisdom requires that we accept the situation, and move forward, keep pressing on, using the lessons of life to grow, not to destroy us.
No matter what you do in this life, someone else will one day take your place. And what will they do with your life’s work, with your legacy? It’s out of our hands, and this in and of itself makes us see the futility of much of this world’s pursuits.
We can’t give up, we can’t give in, but we must learn from our mistakes and live our life before God as best we can. This does not mean that we must simply “be good” in order to gain heaven. It means that we must use the wisdom God has given us, namely, to accept Christ as Savior and live daily for Him. We will make mistakes along the way, we will feel inadequate and perhaps like a failure at times. And in the world’s eyes, that may be true. But it is the condition of our heart, and the view which God takes of us, that determines the vanity or victory of life.
Remember this as you approach life. Don’t work for this life, but for the life to come. Don’t be discouraged by mistakes, but learn from them and do not repeat them. Look to God, not to self. Do not try to grasp the wind, but grasp the Savior. This life is temporary, but the Lord offers life eternal. So lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven by living the life God intends, not the futile existence of this earth. Don’t wait until late in life, after all your bad choices, to arrive at this place. Take the advice of one who has “been there and done that,” and by listening to King Solomon and acting on those words, make your future (and thus one day your past) a source of satisfaction and not regret.
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