In the Palace (Eccl. 4:13-16)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/30/2013 8:35 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  In the Palace

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Eccl. 4:13-16

            Message of the verses:  We begin to look at the last place where Solomon was observing people and that place is in the palace.

            “13 ¶  A poor youngster with some wisdom is better off than an old but foolish king who doesn’t know which end is up. 14  I saw a youth just like this start with nothing and go from rags to riches, 15  and I saw everyone rally to the rule of this young successor to the king. 16  Even so, the excitement died quickly, the throngs of people soon lost interest. Can’t you see it’s only smoke? And spitting into the wind? (The Message).”

“13 ¶  A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. 14  For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15  I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. 16  There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.”

This section gives us Solomon’s forth “better” statement in this chapter.  We saw the others in verses 3, 6, and 9.  We see in this story a king who has gotten old and probably was only ruling to help himself, and not the people he was to care for and so he is ousted and a new young king who was in prison takes over and the people adore him.  We can speculate that the old king had something to do with his imprisonment.  So what we see is a wise youth taking over for an unwise, old king. 

This young king was born poor, but he then becomes rich, while the old king was rich but his riches did not make him wiser, so he may as well been poor.  Dr. Wiersbe says “So far, the moral of the story is: Wealth and position are no guarantee of success, and poverty and seeming failure are no barriers to achievement.  The key is wisdom.”

The story does not end there for apparently the young man got out of prison and took over by popular demand as seen in verse fifteen.  The young king’s popularity did not last too long and he too was replaced because the younger generation had grown up and did not like this new king either and so he was changed too.  Oliver Cromwell, the man who took over for Charles I had this to say to a friend “Do not trust to the cheering, for those persons would shout as much if you and I were going to be hanged.”  I know that our Lord can attest to this statement.

Dr. Wiersbe writes in kind of a conclusion to what we have been taught in chapters three and four the following:  “No matter where Solomon went, no matter what aspect of life he studied, he learned an important lesson from the Lord.  When he looked up, he saw that God was in control of life and balanced it varied experiences (3:1-8).  When he looked within, he saw that man was made for eternity and that God would make all things beautiful in their time (3:9-14).  When he looked ahead, he saw the last enemy, death.  Then as he looked around (4:1-16), he understood that life is complex, difficult, and not easy to explain.  One thing is sure:  Not matter where you look, you see trials and problems and people who could use some encouragement.”  I suppose the question is “what are we going to do about those people who need encouragement.”

We can learn from this chapter that it is better to have friends than be alone, even though being alone does have some advantages, but having friends have many more.  Dr. Wiersbe conclude with a statement that I put onto my facebook page this morning, “It’s good to have the things that money can buy, provided you don’t lose the things that money can’t buy.  What is it really costing you in terms of life to get the things that are important to you?  How much of the permanent are you sacrificing to get your hands on the temporary?”

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want to make sure that my priorities are good and that I don’t sacrifice the permanent at the expense of the temporary.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I want to remember that I am a spiritual being going through a human experience and not the other way around.

Memory verse for the week:  2 Cor. 5:17

            17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Answer to Yesterday’s Bible Question:  “First Samuel”

Today’s Bible Question:  “What happened to Gehazi after he took riches from Naaman?”

Answer in Tomorrow’s SD.

4/30/2013 9:16 AM

On the Highway (Eccl. 4:9-12)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/29/2013 10:12 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  On the Highway

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Eccl. 4:9-12

            Message of the verses:  I wish to repeat the order in which we are looking at the fourth chapter of Ecclesiastes:  “In this chapter, Solomon recorded his observations from visiting four different places and watching several people go through a variety of experiences.  His conclusion was that life is anything but monotonous, for we have no idea what problems may come to us on any given day.”  In Today’s SD we are looking at Solomon’s observation from visiting people on the highway.

            “9  Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11  Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”

            In the previous sections we were looking at individuals, but now Solomon begins to look and consider the importance of friendship and also the value of working together with others.  When it comes to working Solomon teaches us that it is better to work with someone than doing the work on your own.  I surely agree with this because I for one do not like to work alone, but I know others do, and to me I can get more than twice as much work done when working with another person and I think that is what Solomon is talking about here in verse nine.

            In verse one Solomon speaks about how much better it is for two to walk together than just one walking alone.  Walking was probably the way most people got around during Solomon’s time on earth and this was the way it was right up until the time when the automobile was invented.  It was far less dangerous to walk with another person than to walk alone, and besides there can be good times of fellowship by walking with another person.  I know from the Scriptures that Jesus and His disciples did a lot of walking together and I am sure it was a great time for Jesus to teach His disciples as they walked together.  So we can see that this walking with another is not only good for physical situations like falling down or getting hurt or staving off robbers, but it is also good for spiritual things too.  “1 ¶  Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2  Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:1-2).” 

            Next we see in verse eleven that two are better than one when it comes to warmth.  As we have already noted people walked to get around and so if they went longer distances then they would have to camp out or them may even have to stay in a courtyard at a public inn, so when it got cold and it does get cold in the winter months in Palestine it is better to be with someone to keep warm together.

            Now finally we see in verse twelve that two are better than one when it comes to watchcare, and this means especially at night.  “By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped (Eccl. 4:12 The Message).”  When you’re on the road it is best not to travel alone, and if you can travel with more than one other it is better still for as Solomon says a three strand cord is difficult to break.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  As true believers in Jesus Christ we are never alone, but I like the wisdom that Solomon gives here for both the physical tasks  of life along with the Spiritual things we go through for having someone to encourage you is far better than to try and go it alone. 

            I see the wisdom of God in this section.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Keep in closer contact with the Lord as I go throughout my day today so that He can guide me and cause me to make good decisions.

Memory verse for the week:  2 Corinthians 5:17

            17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old has passed away; behold, new things have come.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Elijah” (2Kings 2:11).

Today’s Bible Question:  “What book records the transition from the period of judges to that of the monarchy and gives the history of Saul, Israel’s first king?”

Answer in Tomorrow’s SD.

4/29/2013 11:05 AM  

In the Marketplace PT-2 (Eccl. 4:4-8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/28/2013 8:53 AM

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  In the Marketplace PT-2

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Eccl. 4:4-8

            Message of the verses:  We will continue in today’s SD what we began in yesterday’s SD and look at the last two sub-points from this second main point from Ecclesiastes chapter four.

            The Integrated man (vs. 6):  “One handful of peaceful repose Is better than two fistfuls of worried work—More spitting into the wind (The Message).”  “One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind (NASB).” 

            I mentioned at the end of yesterday’s that there was a man that Solomon describes that would be between the industrious man and the idle or lazy man and that man is the “integrated man” which is described in verse six for this man has balance in his work and in his quietness.  Having time away from the job to relax is something that is not so easy to accomplish in the day and age we live in, but it is needed to help us quiet our souls and stay in touch with God.

            Solomon tell us that if we have two handfuls of labor and not have one handful of rest then we will be striving after the wind.  The Apostle Paul writes to his beloved son in the Lord, Timothy the following in chapter six and verse six as he instructs him about money, “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.”  Contentment is something that I am striving for and have been for a long while, but I am not sure that I can always have complete contentment, but none the less it is a great goal to have, especially in the times we now live in.

            The independent man (vv. 7-8):  “7 ¶  Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8  There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, "And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?" This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.”

            When it comes down to it the “independent man” is worse off than the industrious man or the idle man for he has nobody to even work for and no one to even leave his inheritance to when he dies.  “The unexamined life is not worth living” wrote the Greek philosopher Socrates.  Dr. Wiersbe writes “But the independent man never stopped long enough to ask himself: ‘For whom am I working so hard?  Why am I robbing myself of the enjoyment of life just to amass more and more money?’”

            In conclusion to these four men’s lifestyle Dr. Wiersbe writes “Solomon’s conclusion was, ‘This, too, is meaningless—a miserable business!’ (vs. 8 NIV)  God wants us to labor, but to labor in the right spirit and for the right reasons.  Blessed are the balanced.” 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Being retired I have opportunity to labor more for the cause of Jesus Christ and that is what I desire to do  along with doing the work around the house that needs to be done. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to direct me in the way that I should go in doing my work around the house along with doing the work of the Lord.

Memory verse for the week:  2Cor. 5:17

            17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “In Rome” (Acts 23:11)

Today’s Bible Question:  “Whom did God take directly to heaven in a whirlwind?”

Answer in Tomorrow’s SD

4/28/2013 9:23 AM   

In the Marketplace (Ecc. 4:4-8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/27/2013 9:18 AM

My Worship Time                                                                              Focus:  In the Marketplace

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Eccl. 4:4-8

            Message of the verses:  We learned in yesterday’s SD that Solomon is visiting four different places and while he is there he is watching several people go through a variety of experiences.  We will be looking at the second visitation of Solomon as he visits the marketplace in this section:  “4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind. 5  The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. 6  One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.  7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8  There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, "And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?" This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.”

            Solomon is moving from the “halls of justice” where he was disappointed in what he saw and not moves to the places where men work and surely he would find things better off, for after all Adam had work to do while he was placed in the garden, and although he would not have known it the Lord Jesus Christ worked in the carpenter shop of His father Joseph.  Solomon will consider four different kinds of men in this section.

            The Industrious man (v-4):  “I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”  You may be able to give another name for this for we commonly call this keeping up with the “Jones.”  Solomon would not be disappointed with the quality of this man’s work, but he was disappointed for the reason that he was working, he was competing with his neighbor.  Dr. Wiersbe states “God did not put this ‘selfishness factor’ into human labor; it’s the result of the sin in the human heart.”  God even made one of the Ten Commandments in place to go against this “’You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.’”  (Exodus 20:17)  I don’t think that there is anything wrong with competition as long as one does his competing honestly and can handle defeat if it comes.  The Bible is full of balance and so we have to keep our completive juices in balance.

            The Idle Man (vv. 5-6):  “ 5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. 6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.” 5  The fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide. 6  One handful of peaceful repose Is better than two fistfuls of worried work—More spitting into the wind (The Message).” 

            It seems that Solomon goes from one extreme to the other as he now is looking at the lazy man, the man who has a hard time doing any work at all.  I remember when I was probably around 16 or 17 years old and I had a job being a caddy and I would wake up in the morning and think about walking down the long seventh fairway carrying someone’s golf bag and would want to go back to sleep, but in the end I would get up and go to work.  Like said above the Bible is full of balance and one can work to much or one can work too little and not provide for his family and both of these can be wrong.  It has to do with the heart and the motive of doing the work. 

            We know that from the writings of the book of Proverbs that Solomon had a lot of negative things to say about the lazy and the slothful, calling them fools as he does in verse five or our text. 

            We have learned that the industrious man had been caught up in the rat race and the lazy man was just lazy and both were wrong and so next Solomon will see if there is a middle ground, and we will look at it in the next SD.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  The Bible is a book of balance, and the Bible was written by God using men to convey His thoughts to us and so that must mean that God is a God of balance and wants me to be in balance too.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to give me balance in my life.

Memory verse for the week:  Mark 14:38

            38 Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question:  “Judas Iscariot” (Matthew 27:4)

Today’s Bible Question:  “Where did the Lord promise Paul that he would testify as he had in Jerusalem?”

Answer in tomorrow’s SD.

4/27/2013 9:56 AM