Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun? Ecclesiastes 6:10-12

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Ecclesiastes 6:10-12, which covers the third part of the second division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this second division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Antidotes to Satisfaction in Money, with the third (and last) part referred to as Jesus.  The commentary for this text asserts that these last few verses of chapter 6 "are a reflection on the early chapters of Genesis and the fall of mankind (Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, 317–18). It repeatedly references Adam and even the naming of things (6:10; cf. Gen 2:19). It is known what man is, and Ecclesiastes has consistently said that man is “dust” (3:20). The words Adam and dust are semantically linked because man was made from the dust and is heading back to the dust due to the fact that in Eden he tried to contend with God, who is stronger than man! Who knows what is good for Adam (6:12)? This phrase calls us back to the time before the fall when everything was pronounced good. Now, however, fallen Adam’s days pass like a shadow. Only God can tell what will happen after we pass off the scene." The commentary than uses the 3 Circles tool to further describe the text today: "[t]he first circle shows that God has a design for everything in His world. God intends the material gifts He gives us to be used in certain ways that will cause us to flourish. Thus, he has a design for sex, food, relationships, work, and yes, money. These things are not “good” or “bad” in and of themselves. They can be used in good and godly ways that benefit us or in evil and sinful ways that harm us....The second circle shows that our departure from God’s design, which the Bible calls “sin,” inevitably leads us into brokenness because we are not using things as God designed them to be used....When we do not use money as God designed—for provision, contentment, and generosity—then we become broken. Thus, love of money, hoarding, and failure to be content causes all of the harm we have seen in Ecclesiastes 5–6. It makes us miserable, lonely, insecure, and distrustful....The final circle shows that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, taking on Himself all of our sin and brokenness so that He could secure forgiveness, freedom, and a new start for us (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are called to recognize that we are broken, to repent of our sin and brokenness, and to trust in Jesus. When we do, He then makes us new creations who are filled with the Spirit and now have the ability to recover and pursue God’s original design for our lives."  Surrender to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior to find a satisfaction, peace and joy (and most importantly salvation) that cannot be found in the world.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God (the One and Only True God) who provides for all of my needs, physical, emotional, and spiritual.  You also saved me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. Ecclesiastes 6:10

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is an unassisted review of Ecclesiastes 6:10-12, which covers the third part of second division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this second division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Antidotes to Satisfaction in Money, with the third (and last) part referred to as Jesus. Solomon concludes chapter 6, in vv10-12, with one statement and two rhetorical questions.  In v10a, Solomon describes how God is in control as our current circumstances are not just known but named, implying they are part of a script that God is playing out.  In v10b, He  describes how humanity is known, implying how we are all broken and sinful in how we chase money, wealth and other pursuits that become idols.  Finally, in v10c, he states how humanity "is not able to dispute with one stronger than he."  God of course is stronger than humanity and in control of everything - He has a plan and it cannot be stopped.  Believers can take great hope from this because we know ultimately that our salvation is sealed and the victory over sin and death is assured as it was already accomplished by Jesus' death on the cross.  Blessed assurance indeed!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, saved me and gives me assurance that my salvation is sealed - You are saving a place for me in Heaven.  Thank You for the comfort in knowing that I am saved, sealed, and the victory over sin and death is already won.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 6:9

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Ecclesiastes 5:18-6:9, which covers the second part of second division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this second division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Antidotes to Satisfaction in Money, with the first second part referred to as Contentment and Joy in What God Has Given You. The commentary shares how "what you have, where you are in life, and the ability to enjoy those things are all from God. It is not just what you have that is a gift from God; the ability to enjoy it is also a gift. To be able rightly and fully to enjoy the things of this world is a gift of God’s grace (Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, 315). God gives this ability so that you do not remember the misery of this cursed world because time flies when you are having fun. The key factor to all of this is God. One can only enjoy material blessings as rightly intended and designed in dependence on God." The commentary for 6:1-2 describes how God can withhold joy of one's wealth and possessions as a means to draw someone to Himself.  The commentary shares: "He gives some the inability to enjoy what they have because in His goodness He will not give you something that drives you away from Him. He knows there is no such thing as happiness apart from Him." The commentary then shares how regardless of whether we are rich or poor we all face the same predicament - often desiring more than what we have...and this is futile and ungodly. God wants us to focus entirely on satisfaction in Him and to bring Him glory.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - giving me joy and satisfaction in You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such rich blessings and for my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 6:9

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is an unassisted review of Ecclesiastes 5:18-6:9, which covers the second part of second division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this second division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Antidotes to Satisfaction in Money, with the first second part referred to as Contentment and Joy in What God Has Given You.  Here, as the commentary titles describe, the text today emphasizes how, while God gives us money and possessions to enjoy, we are not to lust over more money or possessions such that they become idols.  V5:18 shares that it is "good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot."  V19 shares similarly: "[e]veryone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil--this is the gift of God." V20 is interesting and worthy of reflection because even after few reads it is less clear: "[f]or he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart."  Clearly, Solomon is connecting v20 to v18-19; how he is occupied with joy in his heart is less clear.  My sense is that he is making this connection to describe how God gives humanity money and possessions to enjoy, much like he gives us the natural world to enjoy, and this joy that God gives us is consuming. Then, starting in chapter 6:1-2, Solomon describes an evil where a man is given by God wealth and possessions but then God does not give him the power to enjoy them and they are enjoyed by a stranger.  The meaning of this is not clear after reading one or two times.  Perhaps this stranger stole them, and Solomon is describing how things of this world are fleeting and we should not too much hope in them because of circumstances such as theft, etc. Continuing in vv3-6, Solomon describes how one can have much money, possessions, and children, and also live a long life, yet "his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial."  This proves the futility of life focused on money and possessions - we should enjoy them but focus on finding satisfaction in God first and foremost and see how all things are from Him (see James 1:14-17). The text for today ends with a gem from Solomon who shares how what we have and can see with our own eyes should be sufficient for our satisfaction vs what we cannot see but lust after. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who provides all that I need for my joy and satisfaction.  I am not deserving of how You bless me, most importantly for my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 5:10

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Ecclesiastes 5:10-17, which covers the first division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this first division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Pursuing Satisfaction in Money Is Meaningless. The commentary shares more broadly Solomon's focus with the book of Ecclesiastes: "Solomon has made the point all along in Ecclesiastes that if this cursed world is all there is, then everything is meaningless. It does not matter how much pleasure, success, or stuff you have, you come away empty. Solomon’s purpose is to expose the foolishness of life without God and to show us, through the Spirit, that everything is meaningless without Messiah Jesus."  Looking specifically at v11, the commentary highlights how wealth can attract those that seek to take from you, not caring about you, but instead about your money.  It  highlights in v13 how wealth can hurt you if you hoard, sharing: "[h]oarding riches does not help you; it hurts you. Being stingy with what you have can destroy your family because of your workaholism, it can ruin your health because you do not sleep well, and it can harm your character."  The commentary for this division concludes by sharing how in v17 "Solomon’s final point is that the rich man eats in darkness with much sorrow, sickness, and anger. This man does not enjoy life. He is lonely and has no one with whom to share his wealth. Thus, trying to find satisfaction in money and stuff is meaningless. It never truly brings satisfaction, and then you die." Pursue Jesus, not money and things!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is so good to me - giving me what I cannot attain on my own, not with any amount of money.  You give me my salvation and the blessings that accompany such an inheritance - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving...not by a long shot.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 and 5:10-6:12

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. Ecclesiastes 5:10

I continue my study of Ecclesiastes using the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for this book.  Today, my focus is an unassisted review of Ecclesiastes 5:10-17, which covers the first division of the commentary chapter titled Money Is Meaningless without Jesus - this first division specifically is referred to in the commentary as Pursuing Satisfaction in Money Is Meaningless.  Ecclesiastes 5:10 cuts to the point immediately and both the commentary chapter and division title aptly encapsulate this verse.  V11 also provides insights into the heart of those who treat money and wealth as an idol - when one acquires goods for his own pleasure but they don't truly provide an advantage to the acquirer.  V12 compares the "sweet" sleep of the poor or modest laborer with that of a wealthy person who might be constantly on the run, worrying about their pursuit of money or wealth.  Vv13-14 shares how money and possessions don't last and can be easily lost - see also Matthew 6:19-21.  Vv15-16 shares how all - regardless of their wealth - will die, and wealth, while it may be passed on to future generations through inheritance, cannot stop death. Finally, v17 shares how "all the days" of a wealthy person - without God - are spent "in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger," implying that without God we remain slaves to sin and condemned for eternity.  Believers can take comfort knowing that with God, He is with us all of our days not just when we are in our earthly bodies, but also with us for eternity in Heaven.  Believers rejoice for having such a Savior!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion.  I am not deserving of how You saved me and made me one of Your elect.  Thank You Jesus!  But again I am not deserving - my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.