Seeking Life…Finding Death

1. Seeking Answers A Study in Ecclesiastes Seeking Life…Finding Death Lesson 16, January 25, 2012 Part 2: The Search Yields Only Dead Ends

2. Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 16And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17I 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. 18I 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. 19For 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. 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

3. Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 4:1–8 1So 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. 2Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. 3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. 4Again, 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. 5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. 7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

4. Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 4:9–16 9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 13Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

5. Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 5:1-9 1Keep 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. 2Be 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. 3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6Suffer 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? 7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. 8If 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. 9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

6. Thought for Today "The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country." -- Calvin Coolidge

7. Would You Affirm or Would You Deny This Statement? “Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong” -- Calvin Coolidge -- ??????

9. So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun…

10. …and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter…

11. …Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive…

12. …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…

17. Does the Search Yield Only Dead Ends? • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God: man is unable to predict, control, explain, determine, or alter it !!! (3:1-15) • Is there a time for justice for the downtrodden and oppressed and why does a loving and merciful God allow injustice to exist in a world that He alone controls? (3:16-4:3) • Can the motive for man’s labor under the sun alter it’s benefit to him or does a false motive just make that which is already empty seem even more empty ? (4:4 – 5:9) • If a man’s motive in his labor under the sun is pure and he achieves success in his endeavors, are the fruits of his labor still perishable? (5:10 -6:9) • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God (6:11-12) • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God (6:11-12)

18. Does the Search Yield Only Dead Ends? • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God: man is unable to predict, control, explain, determine, or alter it !!! (3:1-15) • Is there a time for justice for the downtrodden and oppressed and why does a loving and merciful God allow injustice to exist in a world that He alone controls? (3:16-4:3) • Can the motive for man’s labor under the sun alter it’s benefit to him or does a false motive just make that which is already empty seem even more empty ? (4:4 – 5:9) • If a man’s motive in his labor under the sun is pure and he achieves success in his endeavors, are the fruits of his labor still perishable? (5:10 -6:9) • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God (6:11-12) • Is there a time for justice for the downtrodden and oppressed and why does a loving and merciful God allow injustice to exist in a world that He alone controls? (3:16-4:3)

19. Does the Search Yield Only Dead Ends? • What Solomon Further Saw that Brought Him to Feel that All Is Vanity: • In the place of judgment, there was wickedness (3:16) • In the place of righteousness, there was iniquity Is there a time for justice for the downtrodden and oppressed and why does a loving and merciful God allow injustice to exist in a world that He alone does and can control?

20. Does the Search Yield Only Dead Ends? • God allows injustice (3:18-21) • Man is no better off than the beasts of the field • As one dieth, so dieth the other • Man has no advantage over a beast • Both return to dust • Man cannot know if the spirit of man goes upward or simply goes to the ground • Consider the oppressed who have no one to comfort them in the injustice inflicted upon them (4:1-3) Solomon’s sees more examples around him of the vanity of life under the sun • God allows injustice -- to test men’s hearts • Acknowledge, accept and enjoy the good things that come your way in life – they are God’s gift (3:22; 3:12-13; 9:7-9; 2:24; 5:18-19; 8:15) • God will judge the righteous and the wicked (3:17) • There is a time for every purpose and for every work – and in the case of Ultimate Justice, that time is not always within the scope of life events of verses 1-8; we must trust that Ultimate Justice lies outside the bookends of man’s birth and death and in the hands of a Just and Righteous God • God sees the oppressors and they must answer to Him (5:8-9) Yet Solomon again offers some help in dealing with the vanity of life under the sun

21. Does the Search Yield Only Dead Ends? • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God: man is unable to predict, control, explain, determine, or alter it !!! (3:1-15) • Is there a time for justice for the downtrodden and oppressed and why does a loving and merciful God allow injustice to exist in a world that He alone controls? (3:16-4:3) • Can the motive for man’s labor under the sun alter it’s benefit to him or does a false motive just make that which is already empty seem even more empty ? (4:4 – 5:9) • If a man’s motive in his labor under the sun is pure and he achieves success in his endeavors, are the fruits of his labor still perishable? (5:10 -6:9) • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God (6:11-12) • Can the motive for man’s labor under the sun alter it’s benefit to him or does a false motive just make that which is already empty seem even more empty ? (4:4 – 5:9)

22. Does the Search Yield Only Dead Ends? • Working so as to be the envy of all others in man’s labor under the sun is vanity and vexation of spirit but being slothful and unmotivated results in hunger (4:4-5) • Being greedy, miserly, and working for the personal accumulation of wealth and possessions without ones to share that accumulation is an empty and futile pursuit (4:7-8) • Working to gain fame, popularity, prestige and power will end up making vanity even emptier; a new king will inevitably ascend to the throne and replace the previous. (4:13-15) • False religious motives including the sacrifice of fools and rash vows increase the emptiness of life under the sun (5:1-7a) Solomon considers the increase in vanity of false motives in man’s labors under the sun • It is better to have less in life and more peace with one’s self (4:6) • Friends and companions can share rewards, labor, and help each other in times of trouble (4:9-12) • Fame, popularity, prestige, and power are short-lived; no one achieves full acceptance (4:16) • Fear thou God (5:7b) • Hear rather than speak (the sacrifice of fools, v 1) • Remember your place: you are on Earth, God in Heaven (v 2) • Keep (pay) your vows to God (v 4) Yet again, Solomon offers some help in dealing with the vanity of life under the sun

23. Martin Luther • Nov 10, 1483 – Feb 18, 1546 in Germany • Very well educated as a young man • Caught in a thunderstorm July 2, 1505 • Oct 31, 1517, nails “95 Theses” to door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany challenging Pope’s authority • Bible is the only source of religious authority (Sola Scriptura) • Excommunicated for his beliefs and resistance to the authority of the pope and Catholic church • Started Lutheran church after the Catholic church would not “reform”

24. Does the Search Yield Only Dead Ends? • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God: man is unable to predict, control, explain, determine, or alter it !!! (3:1-15) • Is there a time for justice for the downtrodden and oppressed and why does a loving and merciful God allow injustice to exist in a world that He alone controls? (3:16-4:3) • Can the motive for man’s labor under the sun alter it’s benefit to him or does a false motive just make that which is already empty seem even more empty ? (4:4 – 5:9) • If a man’s motive in his labor under the sun is pure and he achieves success in his endeavors, are the fruits of his labor still perishable? (5:10 -6:9) • The Inexplicable, Unfathomable, and Immutable Purpose of God (6:11-12) • If a man’s motive in his labor under the sun is pure and he achieves success in his endeavors, are the fruits of his labor still perishable? (5:10 -6:9)