The Book Of Ecclesiastes Pt. 21 Living For God Is The Very Best Life!
King Solomon, the Preacher who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, continues to impart his understanding of a man living his life without God.
His consistent conclusion has been that such a life is empty, purposeless and causes great agitation in that man's heart.
The foolishness of a self centered life.
Ecclesiastes 6:3-5 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4) For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5) Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
He continues to observe the foolish man who hoarded all the good things God provided for his needs.
This man, you recall, did not enjoy what God blessed him with. He did not enjoy life because he constantly worried about keeping what he had for himself.
Solomon observed that this man, might produce a hundred children and live many years, but his burial was in obscurity. His life had no meaningful impact. It was as if he died like a stillborn child.
His refusal to use the resources God gave to him for his needs, made him unable to enjoy life, unable to live with meaning and purpose.
Psalm 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
He does not desire grace for his soul, which is far better than hoarding his resources for himself. His desire is set on hoarding it all for himself, because he cannot see anything good beyond himself.
Such a man is born and lives without knowing God, thus, he sees no higher purpose in life than self.
Psalm 58:8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
He never has his heart illuminated by the Spirit of God. The entrance of God's Word is turned away and his heart remains darkened.
He is like a snail that dies when exposed to the sun's heat, or a woman who gives birth prematurely, and her child dies. His life is lived but it is as if he had never been born.
This is not the kind of life God wants us to have. We were made to work, and to worship Him. When we grasp this truth, and know Jehovah relationally and experientially, then our life is filled with purpose and meaning.
Knowing God is vital for any man or woman to live a life that is full of good, purpose and meaning.
To live without God is futile and fatal.
Ecclesiastes 6:6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
Solomon answers that having a long life, without enjoying real good, is like drawn out misery. Hoarded riches cannot exempt him from going whither “all go.”
Psalm 109:13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
He will die in obscurity, mourned by no one and unloved. This man is fit neither for life, nor death, nor eternity.
Jeremiah 17:5-6 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6) For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Jehovah is against those who trust themselves, or who rely upon other people and trust them. He will oppose those who think they can muscle their way through this life in their own strength.
Such a man's heart will depart from God. He will not want anything to do with the things of God. He will mock and ridicule those who know and serve God.
But this man is like the weedy plants in the desert that produce no fruit. His soul is parched for he never drinks from the fountain of living waters that Christ promises to give (See John 4:10-14).
His life is as worthless as a barren land where soil is full of salt and unable to grown crops. This man will never see or appreciate the good things from God.
God wants all people to be saved and know Him.
Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Jehovah has no pleasure, no joy when any man, woman or child dies without knowing Him. Knowing God is the key to eternal life.
When Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, He tells those who are rejected that He never knew them, and they did no know Him (See Matthew 24:31-46).
God is not willing that any should perish. Rather, He wants all people to be saved and have eternal life with Him (See 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
God will bless His children.
Isaiah 65:21-23 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.22) They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23) They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them.
Here is the kind of life God will provide for His people. They shall build houses and inhabit them, rather than a stranger possessing it. They shall plant vineyards and enjoy the fruits of their labors.
Strangers will not take over their homes, nor shall they eat food from their fields.
The picture is of long term stability and the good things from the hand of God, being passed on from one generation to another.
Such people are the blessed of the LORD and their goodness will be perpetuated throughout many generations.
Psalm 34:11-12 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12) What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
The Psalmist declares what is truly important in life, is knowing Jehovah. We must be rightly related to Him by exercising repentant faith in Jesus Christ.
We will be regenerated by God's Spirit, and He will show us how to fear and reverence God.
This is the beginning of true wisdom and humility. When we learn to know and fear God, we will wake up in the morning, desiring to love and serve the LORD.
We will do good to others, according to our abilities, God gives us opportunities.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8) For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Far better it is to be this kind of man, a man who trusts Jehovah. Each person who puts their trust and faith in Jehovah, is blessed.
God will fill our hearts with hope and life will have meaning and purpose that it did not have previously.
The man or woman who trusts Jehovah is like a tree planted by a good source of fresh water. His roots spread out, and vigorous growth follows.
The man or woman who trusts Jehovah will produce fruit for God with their lives. They will not give up when things get difficult.
Thoughts to Ponder...
Solomon has given us a bleak picture of all people who live for self, or who reject God and love the world.
Jesus said we must be born again. We can know God through the new birth. When God's Spirit regenerates our heart, we are adopted into the family of God and made one of His dear children. He makes us joint heirs with His Son, Jesus Christ.
A child of God begins walking in newness of life, each day, learning to rely upon the Lord for everything.
It is a blessed life, one filled with joy and purpose. It is an unselfish life because we learn to love and serve God.
It is the best life, because learning to obey God always leads to blessings, whereas the way of a transgressor is hard.
The lesson from Solomon is do not live like this man lived. Give your heart to Jehovah. Trust and obey Him. Enjoy His blessings and stand fast in His promises.
Bob
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