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, 2019
Chapters: Ecclesiastes 1-6
Message: Without Christ
Hello My Friend,
Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books, every time I read it I am reminded of why I chose Christ over the world. Many people see the Book of Ecclesiastes as being something of great sorrow, and while some parts are, I find great comfort in it. We need to know and understand that the things we go through have a purpose, and while some things are unbearable, all work out for good. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28.
The Book of Ecclesiastes contains twelve chapters, the timeline is approximately 977 BC. The author of the book is King 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, to prove that no matter how much one has, it is vanity (worthless) and vexation (distressing) of the Spirit of God is not a part of it.
“I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 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. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 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. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” – Ecclesiastes 1:12-18.
“and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” While knowledge is power, sometimes too much knowledge can get the best of us. Ever learn of something you wish you had not? This is the way Solomon felt, especially after his heart moved away from God, he discovered he had everything he ever wanted, gave into every lust the world had to offer, and yet it was all vanity. I completely understand where Solomon is coming from, the more you know, especially about the things of the world, the more sorrow it brings because you begin to lust for them, without Christ, it is easy for the flesh to succumb to the lusts of the world. Solomon did not stop at wanting to know, he wanted to do, and he succumbed to every lust in his heart.
“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 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. 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. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.” – Ecclesiastes 2:1-3,10,20-21.
“till I might see what was that good for the sons of men,” I have learned one valuable lesson in all my years when seeking the pleasures of the world, without Christ, it truly is vain. We do not know what our heart wants when it does not have Christ in it, we just keep jumping from one thing to another as nothing satisfies it. You know, life has a toll on us, and how we react to it does as well, there are things we will never understand, but we have to understand that there is a time and purpose for everything, even in sorrow.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 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. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8,17-19.
“so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast:” Without Christ people fear death because they have no idea where they are going when they die, many believe when you die, that is all, life is over so live it up now. Many believe if you are good you go to heaven, and if you are bad you go to hell, and still many believe your soul or spirit jumps into another body, or even animals. All these things are man made beliefs drummed up by someone who feared death, and not knowing Christ, came up with their own ideas, and people followed. Solomon knew that living life to please the flesh was all vanity, something was missing, whether the ones who are oppressed or the oppressor, we all need a comforter. “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. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 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. Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.” – Ecclesiastes 4:1-3,13.
“and they had no comforter;” Without Christ we are left to figure life out on our own, and let me tell you, we fail at it. I have seen people literally die prematurely because they could not get over a death. Solomon craved love, which is why he tried to find every way possible to please his flesh, but something was missing from his life. 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 to make life count.
“And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. 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. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.” – Ecclesiastes 5:16-20.
“because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.” The older I get the more precious life becomes to me, I do not want the rest of my days to be worthless, I want to make each day count. 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. Solomon warns about the evil of superficial wealth.
“There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 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. 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.” – Ecclesiastes 6:1-3.
“so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth,” There are people so rich with so many things that they see no need for God because they have everything they desire. This is also vanity and vexation of the spirit, which is why most Christians learn to live day by day their daily bread for a good part of their lives. Every faithful and true Christian will face some financial hardships, but through them they find the best treasure of all, Jesus Christ. Let me tell you, God blesses us for our faithfulness, He will always take care of us and provide for us, we just need to have faith, remain faithful, and above all, we need Christ. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” – Ephesians 2:8-9,12-13.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “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.” – Ecclesiastes 3:17.
Today’s Prayer: God, As much as I try to do everything with Your Son guiding me I know I fail miserably at it. I know that without Christ, life truly is vain. Sometimes I think I can handle it 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, and that all things work out for good when I put my faith and trust in You. Lord, give me Your power, strength, and guidance to do the work you called me to do. Help me to build everything upon Your foundation so I cannot fall. And if everything crumbles to the ground keep me looking to You, and for the blessings that come from my loss. Let me make each day count by filling it with the love, mercy, and grace that only You can fill. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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