Month: March 2011

I know, I know. I looked at verse 2 yesterday. But it bridges verses 1 and 3-5 in such a way that I think it needs to be included in the discussion of both. Verses 3-5 talk about guarding what we say, and verses 4 and 5 specifically talk about promises.

Many are the fools who say things that they shouldn’t before God. They offer up illegitimate worship or make promises they don’t keep, and in both cases they are better off not saying anything. The second half of verse 5 says, “A fool’s voice is known by his many words.” Read Full Post

Oh, how important it is to come before God with pure motives and actions when we worship Him.

According to Ecclesiastes 5:1, it is better to draw near to the house of God and listen to the worship of others than to enter God’s presence and fail to properly worship Him. Improper worship is sin. It is “the sacrifice of fools,” and they don’t even realize that they are sinning. Read Full Post

Oh, life is so unfair! At least that’s what Solomon is saying. But it’s very true because life is extremely unfair. Everything is equal and fair in a perfect world, but we don’t live in that world.

In this passage, the king of Israel reminisces over a young, poor man who replaces an old king. The young man is youthful and wise, and the old king has become foolish and stubborn, not receiving advice from anyone anymore. Therefore, as unfair as it may seem, the poor yet youthful man becomes ruler of the kingdom. He started out on the low end of life only to be raised to the highest position among his people. Many other poor people live in the kingdom, and presumably so do other rich people, but somehow this man rose to power and is now ruling over them. Read Full Post

Ah, the classic “two are better than one” passage: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Read Full Post

I thought about studying verses 7-12 today, but after reading through the six verses, I thought it might be more beneficial to break it up and spend more time on the smaller sections. So here’s today’s passage: “Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.” Read Full Post