Tag: Ecclesiastes

Solomon said, “I will be wise,” but even as wise as he was, he could not understand everything. “I said, ‘I will be wise’; but it was far from me. As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep, who can find it out?”

About two-thirds of the way through Ecclesiastes, Solomon concedes that some things in life just cannot be understood, no matter how hard someone strives to learn them. Up to this point, Solomon has spoken about the vanity of life and offered some general principles about life just as he did in Proverbs. He now reminds his readers that he doesn’t know everything, and he also gives a preview of the book’s conclusion…too much study is wearisome to the flesh. Read Full Post

Shame on us if we ever underestimate the power of words, whether spoken, inscribed, texted, or typed. But we often forget how significant words are until they effect us. It’s easy to speak an idle word or give a command with far-reaching implications, but when an idle word or command (or any other category of words) impacts me, that’s when I begin to understand it. Read Full Post

“Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city. For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin.”

“Wisdom strengthens the wise,” just as muscle strengthens a body-builder or money strengthens the rich. But I think it may be more than just quantity that generates strength. Read Full Post

These verses talk about both the unfairness of life, but also the importance of living righteously and wisely despite the disparity that exists.

Verse 15 says, “There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.”

So true, so true. Many godly people die at an early age while extremely wicked people live long. But the opposite is always true. But it still seems unfair how some people die young after living godly lives while others do damage in the world and live to be old. Read Full Post

Another reminder of the sovereignty of God. There is no way to change what God does or “correct” Him. “For who can make straight what He has made crooked?” (7:13) “In the day of prosperity be joyful.”