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Pondering Life's True Meaning: Pursuit of Wisdom in Ecclesiastes

Delve into Ecclesiastes exploring Solomon's search for meaning through wisdom and folly. Contemplate life's vanities and embrace lessons on wisdom, folly, death, and eternity.

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Pondering Life's True Meaning: Pursuit of Wisdom in Ecclesiastes

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  1. Ecclesiastes (11) Wisdom Excels FollyEcclesiastes 2:12-17

  2. Having searched for meaning through: • Wisdom, mirth & laughter, wine (and drugs), luxury & recreation, dominion, materialism, entertainment • Solomon concludes that all is vanity • We now begin a study of WHY

  3. I turned to consider (12) • Solomon looks back and contemplates his completed work • What have I learned from this?2 Corinthians 13:5 – “test yourselves”, “examine” (NASB), “prove” (KJV) – to scrutinize, to make a critical examination of something to determine genuineness; to draw a conclusion about worth based on testing (BDAG)

  4. I turned to consider (12) • Solomon looks back and contemplates his completed work • Was his search a failure? • Yes – he couldn’t find meaning in the avenues of this life • No – he did determine where true meaning is found (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) because of his failures.

  5. I turned to consider (12) • Solomon looks back and contemplates his completed work • Experimentation is not just about achieving intended results every time. It is about learning what does and does NOT work • AND learning from it! Good CAN come from failurecf. Philippians 3:13 – but forget, and press on

  6. I turned to consider (12) • What can man do who succeeds the king? • A personal observation – indicating none would do more than he did • Implied – the things he learned will NEVER change! Life is a cycle –the nature of man and life remains Ecclesiastes 1:9

  7. Wisdom excels folly (13-14a) • Even as light excels darkness. • Wisdom is a good thing • Proverbs 1:5 – a wise man will hear • Proverbs 2:1-12 – wisdom preserves • Proverbs 3:13-18 – value her • Throughout Ecclesiastes, Solomon will make applications about wisdom

  8. Wisdom excels folly (13-14a) • The wise man’s eyes are in his head, (14a) • He is alert and thinks before he acts and speaks.He considers long term consequences and exercises self-discipline/control

  9. Wisdom excels folly (13-14a) • But the fool walks in darkness (14b) • Folly is inferior to wisdom. • Often fools walk in darkness – not thinking about consequences, acting “foolishly” and reckless, wasteful, seeking immediate gratification.The fool is more likely to die young, or to hurt the innocent

  10. Wisdom excels folly (13-14a) • But the fool walks in darkness (14b) • The most foolish thing one can do is to disregard God! • Proverbs 1:7 – fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction • Proverbs 3:7 • Ephesians 5:15, Romans1:22 • Ecclesiastes 12:1

  11. Wisdom excels folly (13-14a) • But the fool walks in darkness (14b) • Darkness often associated with rejection of God and His ways • John 3:19-21, (1:4-5)Romans 13:12 – the wise will cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light

  12. The vanity of wisdom (14c-16) – Why? • Reason #1 • The same event happens to them all • DEATH! Ecclesiastes 3:18-19 • Hebrews 9:27, Romans 14:10-12 • When we die, our fate is sealed – are we prepared? Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

  13. The vanity of wisdom (14c-16) – Why? • Reason #1- Death comes to all • So why was I more wise? What good did all that wisdom do him (from a worldly standpoint)?1 Corinthians 1:20-26

  14. The vanity of wisdom (14c-16) – Why? • Reason #1- Death comes to all • You can be the richest, wisest, healthiest, … person, but you ARE going to die and your flesh will rot like everyone else • And you will NOT return - Luke 16:19-31

  15. The vanity of wisdom (14c-16) – Why? • Reason #1- Death comes to all • There is no more remembrance of the wise than the fool forever (16) • For 99% of people, it is only a matter of a generation or two before you are totally forgotten

  16. The vanity of wisdom (14c-16) – Why? • Reason #1- Death comes to all • There is no more remembrance of the wise than the fool forever (16) • What about the “rich and famous”? • 1) They are the exception • 2) Even if they are recorded in history, so what? • 3) When THEY die, will it matter to them? • 4) When YOU die, will they matter? Fame is not only associated with the good!

  17. The vanity of wisdom (14c-16) – Why? • Reason #1- Death comes to all • How does the wise man die? As the fool! (16b) • Death comes to all – 1 Corinthians 15:22 (except when the Lord returns, Elijah and Enoch) • Therefore, PREPARE to meet your God! You never know WHEN you will face eternity – 2 Peter 3:10

  18. The vanity of wisdom (14c-16) – Why? • Reason #1- Death comes to all • While, on average, the wise live longer than fools, there is NO guarantee! • And it is only a matter of a brief span compared to eternity

  19. Where is your wisdom leading you?

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