The futility of temporal things


โœ๏ธ๐Ÿ THE ๐Ÿ“– OF ECCLESIASTES
Days:14 Ecclesiastes: 7 – 12
Thursday: 10.12.2020

The futility of temporal things

As you read the word vanity appears over and over. It means that the things mentioned are of no real value. You might substitute the word, futility. Early on you read that wealth, pleasure, work and even wisdom could be considered vanity and a chasing after wind! What does he mean?

But, since life is futile, enjoy it anyway!
These seems like kind of a fatalist way of looking at things, but there is an etching of truth here. Too often we are pursuing what we think will bring us true happiness and we forget to enjoy what we already have! Enjoy your life!

Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.

Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.

Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. Ecclesiastes 9:7-10

Build strong relationships
We need each other and we find strength from each other. Build relationships that are enduring and can be counted on.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?

And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand himโ€”a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

The end of the matter
When all is said and done, worship God and be obedient because there is judgment coming!

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Lasting meaning comes through relationship with God.
This, in turn, leads us to the last point: only through a relationship with God do we have the possibility of lasting value and meaning. Our identity only comes into focus through our interaction with God. Ecclesiastes states it this way:
โ€œThe end of the matter: Everything has been heard. It is God you should fear and His commandments you should keep, for this is the entirety of manโ€ (12:13).

We are created to be in awe of our Creator and follow His instructions.
This Godward focus, rather than a focus on earthly security and temporary happiness, is what God desires from us.
Amazingly, when we have this godly perspective, we can enjoy the good things that come our way (3:22; 2:24-26; 7:11-14; 9:7-10) because we recognize in humility and gratitude that they are gifts from God rather than the results of our own achievements.

Likewise, when life is messy, we can maintain an eternal perspective, and focus on His lessons for us. Indeed, it is for this very reason that the Teacher says the house of mourning is better than being at a party (7:2).
Grief drives us to consider who we really are and the One who gives us meaning in a way that joy cannot.

God has a purpose in His control of this fallen, yet wonderful world.
We may not always understand everything in life, but Ecclesiastes gives us hope that through our relationship with God, life has a lasting purpose.

โœ๏ธ๐ŸMrs. Kalaiselvi Balakrishnan in Jesus Christ ๐Ÿโœ๏ธ

Ecclesiastes chapter 7

The better life (1-12). The better life involves some “bitter things,” such as sorrow and rebuke, but the bitter things can make life better. On the day of your birth, you were given a name. On the day of your death, that name will be either putrid or fragrant, depending on how you lived. If you have a good name, your death will be better than your birth because nothing will be able to hurt your name. In that sense, the end is better than the beginning (Vs. 8). Sorrow and rebuke can teach you lessons that will not be learned any other way (Proverbs 27:5-6, 12).

The balanced life (13-24). God gives both prosperity and adversity, and He knows how much and how long. Instead of peering into the future (Vs.14b), live in the present and learn to profit from both pain and pleasure (Philippians 4:10-13). In verse 16-17, Solomon did not suggest that you play it safe and get the best of both worlds. “Do not claim to be righteous and wise.” You are still on the way and have not arrived yet (Philippians 3:12-16). That is why God balances your life with trials and triumphs to keep you from getting proud and set in your ways.
How Do You React?

Solomon recommends that you “do not take to heart everything people say” (Ecclesiastes 7:21). Proud people are alert to what others say about them and quick to react and retaliate. This keeps the fires burning and robs everybody of peace and joy. Charles Spurgeon advises, “You cannot stop people’s tongues, and therefore the best thing to do is to stop your own ears and never mind what is spoken.”

Posted by brother narayan.

Ecclesiastes 7:4
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.”

The wise man knows that his life on this earth is temporary and after death there is an eternal life for him if he lives by faith in Christ.

In contrast, a feeble-minded person thinks only about today and not about tomorrow.

The heart of the wise thinks about his life and asks what he has done with the days God has given him because he knows that he is accountable to God for all he has been given, but the heart of a feeble-minded person does not believe that he is accountable to God for his actions.

“Hebrews 9:27 says, Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” So a wise man knows that with death a man has to face judgment, but a feeble-minded person fears death.

Let’s have the heart of a wise man and let us draw nearer to God in repentance and faith.

As believers of Christ, let us not forsake the house of mourning as it reminds us about the temporary nature of life and the eternal life after death.

Licy John, Hyderabad – 7067