Oh the joys and sorrows of working and reaping wages. In verse 8 we are reminded of the injustice rampant in many a workplace. Oppression and cruelty abound in many places where workers aren’t treated well by those for whom they work.
In verse 10 we are reminded one again that some people are never satisfied with their monetary gain. They just want more and more but never find happiness in what they gain. Therefore, they don’t truly want what they get since they never get what they are seeking.
“Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.”
Wow. Do I have a habit of sinning because of my mouth? Or do I make frequent excuses for my sin?
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.”
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.
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.
What should I write about next? Are there issues that you are facing or that the church is facing today that need to be addressed? Take 15 seconds to let me know!
