King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Chapters: ECCLESIASTES 7-12
Study: An Expected End to All Sorrow
Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,
This passage showed up when I opened the Bible app this morning, [2 Timothy 2:19-21 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.]
We all rejoice and sing about the birth of Christ during the Christmas season, but His death actually made the biggest impact, and if it were not for Him we would all still be taking our sin offerings to a priest. We are all born for a purpose, and if you are reading this, then you should know that God has a purpose for you. And as we come to the end of the reading of Ecclesiastes, we are reminded that sorrow of the heart is often the best medicine.
[Ecclesiastes 7:1-4,8-11 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. 11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.]
[for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.] There is nothing like a good cry to God to clean the mind, spirit, and heart as they tend to get cluttered with worry, doubt, and confusion when we are going through these trials, [2 Corinthians 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.]
God has, in His rightful wisdom, kept away from us the knowledge of future events, especially of death so that we may be always ready for changes. There is one thing appointed to us that none of us can escape unless Jesus returns soon, and that is death. The wicked fear death like you would not believe because no matter what they do to try to escape it they cannot. The best thing that we can do with this knowledge is to fear God.
[Ecclesiastes 7:13-18 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.]
[It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this;] We can all ask why devout Christians die before their time and the wicked live beyond their time, but it is really not healthy to dwell on this. If we live our lives under that kind of doubt and fear than we are not going to find much joy in our lives. If we are living our lives in the fear of God, then there is nothing for us to fear and we can understand that God sends the rain on the just and the unjust for the same purpose, that none should perish, [John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.]
Jesus, gives us all the reason to live, but did you know that too much worry and doubt can cause God to prolong the blessing He has for us? The longer we are in these trials of live the more we do tend to look back on our past, and while much of that is dwelling on things that we could have done, it also brings us to wonder why it seemed that we were blessed more back then. Well, God has to remind us that everything has a purpose.
[Ecclesiastes 8:2-3,6-9,12-13 I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. 3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? 8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt. 12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: 13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.]
[Because to every purpose there is time and judgment,] Let me tell you, the more we walk with Christ the more we discover just how much of a sinner we are and that brings our own self judgment. Nevertheless, those who fear God, meaning accept that His Son is the only way to prolong life, they will discover that there is victory over death, [1 Corinthians 15:55-57 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.]
[Though a sinner do evil an hundred times,] You see, God is quite merciful and long suffering in that He lets us learn things in baby steps so that we do not get so overwhelmed that we run from Him, [1 John 2:1-4 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.]
Because we know Christ as our Saviour, and are fully aware of the fact that our salvation is given to us freely, we have confidence in knowing that no matter what we have done, we will still see Jesus when we leave this earth. Solomon, went through a great deal of pain to understand how God works regarding the poor and the rich, the good and wicked, and although he was no closer to an answer than we are, he did come up with one conclusion, one that we all need to agree on as well.
[Ecclesiastes 9:2-5 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.]
[for a living dog is better than a dead lion.] Since we have no idea when our last breath will be, and since Christ holds the keys to death and hell, that means only He can prolong our lives. Those who admit they are sinners, believe in the Gospel of Christ, and receive Him as their only way to life have received the Spirit of God in them, prolonging their life, [1 John 5:4-5,10-11 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.]
[but the dead know not any thing,] The dead, those who do not have the Spirit of God in their souls, have no future to look forward to because they are dead inside. Therefore, when they die the only thing they will remember for eternity are the times when they had the opportunity to get saved, [Luke 16:23-26 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.]
Let me tell you, God accepts you for who you are, not the color of your skin, which He made you as Does He accept sin? NO. Does He condone sin? NO. And He will deal with us as He sees fit. If you are saved, faithful to God, repentant, sincerely confessing your sin, then you are accepted by God. We do not shun the fallen, gossip about them, make up stories about them, or shame them. We treat them as Christ would with love, empathy, compassion, discipline, and yes, rebuke if necessary. While we have this life, there is opportunity, and since we have no idea when we will leave here, it is in our best interest to make the best possible use of the life that God has given us.
[Ecclesiastes 9:7-12 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. 8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. 11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. 12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.]
[when it falleth suddenly upon them.] All it takes is one unrepentant sin to ruin our reputation and give Jesus a bad name. While God never condones sin, what is more important is that we come to Him, confessing it, which is more honorable than a fool who is proud in their own conceits.
[Ecclesiastes 10:1-3,14-15,18 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. 2 A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. 3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. 14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? 15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. 18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.]
[and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.] Jesus, said this about idleness, [Matthew 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.]
It is our faith alone in Jesus Christ that justifies us, nothing more, but we are saved by the blood of the Lamb, we are not to be living like the world, we are to be a reflection of Christ. There are people living in the world that have more morals than some saved, born again Christians. Likewise, there are some people living in their religion that have more rules than God does. Neither one of these patterns is a reflection of Christ.
[Ecclesiastes 11:1-2.5-8 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.]
[yet let him remember the days of darkness;] Never forget where you were before Christ found you and what He has done for you this far. God, has much more to show us, but we first must endure what we are facing right now, [Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.]
Solomon, also observed that one day we will all be judged for our actions as adults, in our youth, it is easy to fall for the things of the world because we are learning and growing, but as we grow we learn that everything we do, has consequences, and we will face God in judgment for them. And this is were our good works count, not to keep our salvation, but to show God that we love and thank Him for sending His Son to save us.
[Ecclesiastes 12:1,5,7,11-14 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 5 Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.]
[and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.] We have one of two choices, one; believe upon the name of the LORD and He will save our soul, then when our body dies we get to spend an eternity with Jesus. Or two, reject Christ, and when our body dies we get to spend an eternity in hell in complete darkness and pain like you would never believe. Nevertheless, once we make that choice there is no turning back, [2 Timothy 2:10-13 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for the gift of eternal life when I trusted in Your Son as my Saviour, I know there is nothing I can do to earn or keep my salvation. I am so grateful for the sacrifice of Your precious Son and how my faith alone in Him not only gives me a place in heaven, it gives me eternal life. I know that everything You do for me is in Your best interest, things I longed for, but never gotten are only opportunities for something better. It is easy for me to say I trust You, but it is not so easy for me to understand some of the sorrows You place in my life. Lord, I want to trust You at all times, even when I do not understand. Help me to trust and obey all Your decisions, let me not get discouraged or disgruntled over things I do not understand, and keep me looking for the blessings as I endure my sorrows with You. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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