A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes
The First Sermon (1:12-3:15)
1. Under the Sun (1:12-2:23)
... 1:12 - Wisdom and intellect
... 2:1 - Pleasure (no satisfaction)
... 2:12 - Significance
... 2:18 - Hard work
2. God in the Picture (2:24-3:15)
... 2:25 - No satisfaction without God
... 3:11 - Everything is part of a plan and everything has a purpose
The Road of Knowledge
- 1 Kings 3:9-14... I will give you a life and discerning heart
- Solomon wrote 3000 proverbs, 1000 songs, studied architecture, botany, biology, engineering etc
- "Wisdom is the application of knowledge. Obedience is the application of wisdom."
- The fall of Solomon (1 Kings 11:4-10)
Is Life Worth Living?
We search the world for truth
We cull the good, the true, the beautiful,
From graven stone and written scroll,
And all old flower-beds of the soul;
And, weary seekers of the best,
We come back laden from our quest,
To find all the sages said
Is in the Book our mothers read.
- Gospel Herald
The Road of Pleasure
- Solomon : "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired. I refused my heart no pleasure."
- Laughter, jokes, drunkenness
- Wine, women and song
- Projects, possessions
- All pleasure are transient
- "God made all pleasure innocent
- The devil made them his bait of sin."
The Road of Significance
- Solomon : "wisdom is better than folly v.13 wisdom sees far ahead but the fool walks in the darkness."
- ... The I thought in my heart...
- The fate of the wise man and the fool is the same... Death obliterates both.
- What do you want to be rememebered for\?
The Road of Tail and Hardwork
- Solomon : "All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless."
- Reason for regrets : "I must leave them to the one who comes after me. A wise man or fool.
- Who are you working for? Yourself? Children? People? Parents?
God in Picture
- A meaningful life is : A GIFT FROM GOD
- GOD GIVES food, drink, satisfaction in doing His work
- GOD GIVES wisdom, knowledge, happiness
- GOD GIVES Time, the gift of life
*A time to be born... A time to die
*A time for ... A time for ...
TIME
- "There is a time for everything, and a season for activity under heaven" - Ecclesiastes 3:1
- Everything has an appropriate time
- Everything has an appointed time
- Everything has a purpose in God's plan
- God has made everything beautiful in its Time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
God's Work
- Verse 3:14... "I know that everything God does:-
*Permanent - God's revelation, God's word, promise
*Perfect - nothing added, nothing taken from it
*Purpose - that men may revere Him. Called to give account
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