King James Bible Study – [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. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Thursday, June 20, 2024
Chapters: ECCLESIASTES 1-6
Message: Leaving A Christ Filled Legacy
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today, this passage came to mind, [Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:]
Those who receive Christ as their Saviour are going to gain many things, including earthly possessions, and they will lose many things, but the important thing to remember is that we have Christ with us, [Philippians 3:13-15 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.]
The Book of Ecclesiastes contains twelve chapters, the timeline is approximately 977 BC. The author of the book is Solomon and it was first written to the Jews, but is addressed to all believers. The purpose of the book provides a description of the quest for life apart from God. What we are to learn from the book is that unless God is in the work, it is vanity (worthless) and vexation (distressing) of the spirit, [Ecclesiastes 2:26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.]
Solomon, truly loved and feared God for the majority of his life, he even became a preacher, and not only was the wisest, but richest man in the world. God, gladly gave him all his desire because of his faith and faithfulness to Him. Well, all that changed when he married women who did not fear God, astonishingly, he had over one thousand wives, all of different faiths, who turned his heart from completely following God. If that was any indication that he felt that he was missing something in life, then this book sure proves it. Solomon, wrote this book near the end of his life after realizing that two things, without God everything is vanity and worthless.
[Ecclesiastes 1:1-8 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. 6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.]
[the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.] True satisfaction actually comes when we are walking in the Spirit of God and He directs our path. If there is one thing that I am learning with all the jobs and relationships I have had over the past ten years it is that unless God’s is in it it is all vanity and a vexation on my spirit, which means Solomon goes on to express.
[Ecclesiastes 1:12-14,16-18 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.]
[and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.] I one hundred percent understand what he means by this. Apart from our salvation, we must work at everything else we do in this time of life. And let me tell you, the more you do learn, the more it really is distressing on your spirit and it can change your heart if you are not walking with Christ. The world is full of things that the heart desires, and it may not be sinful things, but unless it is in the will of God, pursuing them will always be distressing. This is exactly what Solomon discovered.
[Ecclesiastes 2:1,3-4,9-10,12 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.]
[till I might see what was that good for the sons of men,] This is where we often falter, we compare ourselves to the world, we see their happiness and wonder what they have that we do not we seek it and then when we get it we discover that it still brings no joy.
[Ecclesiastes 2:18-19,22-24 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.]
[he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour.] Now, we know that there are some things that we need to do that we do not want to do sometimes, but it is those times that make what we enjoy doing that much better. However, if we are trying to force ourselves into enjoying something then we need to find something else to do. Of course, when God’s hand is in it, we will find joy even through the sorrow, [Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.]
We can certainly do nothing without the Holy Spirit. I have said it before, and it is still as true, in all my years since dedicating my life to Christ, I have not seen God’s hand upon me more than it is now. Everything from His interventions to protections, to provisions, He gives me so much more than I deserve. Did you know that He even allows us to take a fall sometimes? Yes, everything has a purpose.
[Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.]
[and a time to every purpose under the heaven:] It is very important that our lives have a balance between good and bad. Without the bad we cannot see the good, without the bad we cannot seek the good. Without the bad we cannot understand the good. And without the bad we cannot know who Christ is and just how much we need Him. When we see the beauty of Christ, that is when we discover just how precious our soul is and that every beautiful thing comes from the sorrows.
[Ecclesiastes 3:11-17 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. 16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.]
[God shall judge the righteous and the wicked:] Yes, we will all stand before Jesus and give an account for what we did in our bodies. Those who received Christ as their Saviour will be judged with the righteous according to what they did after they are saved while the wicked will be judged for everything they did, [Matthew 25:31-34,41 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:]
Solomon, in all his wisdom also discovered that every creature will die and return to dust they were made out of. Therefore, living life to please the flesh was all vanity and distressing on the spirit because something was missing that neither man nor beast could obtain.
[Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. 2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.]
[and considered all the oppressions…on the side of their oppressors…they had no comforter.] It does not matter if we are rich or poor, helped the poor or oppressed the poor, or worked hard or hardly worked for the things we possess, everyone seeks a comforter, but the only one who gives true and eternal comfort is the Holy Spirit, who can only come to us through our faith in Christ, [John 14:1,14-16 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.]
[Wherefore I praised the dead…more than the living] It is so important that we make time for those who are here right now as we never know when our last breath will be. The older I get the more precious life becomes to me, I do not want the rest of my days to be working for nothing, I want to make each day count for those around me. Christians, ought to be the best workers in all that they do, and in doing so they will be very prosperous, but we must be careful, if we take our eyes off Jesus for one second we could lose it all.
[Ecclesiastes 5:1-3,6 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?]
[Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin;] Do not think that life does not count and we should just live as we please and suffer through the consequences of living a lustful life because, after all, we die. Life does count, in this one and the next, everything we get, including life, is a gift from God, and since nothing is certain all we have is today.
[Ecclesiastes 5:8-9,12-14,18 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they. 9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.]
[he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.] When we leave this earth there is nothing coming with us so we might as well make sure that what we are leaving behind a Godly legacy that will lead those living to Christ, [Romans 14:6-9 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.]
All the women, all the children, all the servants, all the fame, all the possessions, and the fortune, none of it gave Solomon any comfort. The sad thing is that the more he sought that comfort from the world the further he got from God, even to the point that he turned his heart from him. Solomon, warns about this evil.
[Ecclesiastes 6:1-4,7 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.]
[and yet the appetite is not filled.] You can work yourself to death, but unless your soul is saved it is all vain. It would have been better had that person never been born, at least, if they died in the womb their soul would be saved. How is that possible? Babies, whether they are born or died in the womb as well as those who are born with mental impairments are exempt from hell because they do not know what sin is. God has a special place and purpose for those who are born with impairments that limit their ability to know what sin is, [2 Samuel 12:22-23 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Ecclesiastes 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.]
Today’s Prayer: God, As much as I try to do everything in Your will I know I fail miserably. Sometimes I think I can handle life’s messes on my own and that You do not want to deal with such petty things, but I know that You want to be in every part of my life. I realize that true joy and happiness is not found in pursuits that please my flesh, but in what pleases You. Lord, give me Your power, mercy, grace, and strength to labor for the things that count. Help me to build everything upon Your foundation so I can leave a Godly mark on those I leave. Let me use my knowledge to glorify You so that my spirit will not grow to hate the things I love to do. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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