ECCLESIASTES LESSON 4


     We will begin this lesson in Ecclesiastes 3:9 "What profit hath
he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?"

     In the last lesson, we were discussing the fact that there is a
time for everything. It is as if Solomon feels that man has no control
over his own destiny. Man must take opportunity, as God provides it.

     Ecclesiastes 3:10 "I have seen the travail, which God hath given
to the sons of men to be exercised in it."

     Solomon is wise, because God has given him the gift of wisdom. He
does not, however, have enough wisdom to determine everything about
God. "Travail", in this particular instance, is speaking of the work
that man must do under the circumstances God has planned. Man does not
control the circumstances. He does, however, control his own attitude
toward those circumstances. Many times, success or failure is because
of the attitude, not the circumstances.

     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."

     Genesis 1:31 "And God saw every thing that he had made, and,
behold, [it was] very good. And the evening and the morning were the
sixth day." God made everything good and beautiful It was man's sin
that caused it to become ugly and bad. Mankind is so attached to the
world that he lives on, that it is in fact, in his heart. We are
mortal, and cannot understand the entire plan of God. Since our lives
on this earth are, so temporary, it is even difficult for us to
understand eternity. God is the author and the finisher. He is the
Beginning and the End.

     Ecclesiastes 3:12 "I know that [there is] no good in them, but
for [a man] to rejoice, and to do good in his life."

     It appears, Solomon has determined that there is no good in man
himself. His goodness is of God. He decides that the thing for man to
do, is do the very best he can under the circumstances. It does bring
joy, when you know you have done good.

     Ecclesiastes 3:13 "And also that every man should eat and drink,
and enjoy the good of all his labour, it [is] the gift of God."

     I personally believe that part of the joy in life comes from
realizing you have worked, and done your best. It is a good feeling to
work all day, and then, come home and eat food you have provided for
yourself. Psalms 128:2 "For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands:
happy [shalt] thou [be], and [it shall be] well with thee."  I Timothy
2:2 "For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead
a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."  I Timothy
6:8 "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." I
believe God gave man a job to do, to help man.

     Ecclesiastes 3:14 "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."

     God created all things. Whatever we do, or whatever we are, is
because God allowed it. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
He never changes. God has set restraints upon the earth. The things
that happen are by His permission. Our lives are at peace, when we
realize that God has a plan for our lives, and we submit to that plan.
Psalms 119:90 "Thy faithfulness [is] unto all generations: thou hast
established the earth, and it abideth." Psalms 119:91 "They continue
this day according to thine ordinances: for all [are] thy servants."
God is absolute. We cannot change Him, or His wishes.

     Ecclesiastes 3:15 "That which hath been is now; and that which is
to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."

     The sad thing is that each generation fails to learn from the
past, and seems to have to make the very same mistakes. The sins Adam
and Eve committed are still being committed today. Even at the end,
the Bible says it will be as it was in the days of Noah. Luke 17:26
"And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of
the Son of man."  Luke 17:27 "They did eat, they drank, they married
wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered
into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all."  Luke 17:28
"Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank,
they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;" Luke 17:29 "But
the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone
from heaven, and destroyed [them] all." Luke 17:30 "Even thus shall it
be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

     Ecclesiastes 3:16  "And moreover I saw under the sun the place of
judgment, [that] wickedness [was] there; and the place of
righteousness, [that] iniquity [was] there."

     The place of judgement, here, is speaking of the place of those
in authority. This is saying, that the judgement of these world
authorities is wicked. The place of righteousness could be speaking of
the church. It is such a shame that even there, iniquity is found.

     Ecclesiastes 3:17 "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."

     The righteous are those in right standing with God. Their
judgement will be for rewards. This time of judging, both the
righteous and the wicked, is speaking of that time when the sheep are
separated from the goats. The goats are sent to the everlasting fire.
The righteous are sent to heaven. Matthew 25:31  "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:" Matthew 25:32 "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:"  Matthew
25:33 "And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on
the left." Matthew 25:34 "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:"  Matthew 25:41
"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:"

     Ecclesiastes 3:18 "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."

     This does not mean that man is just another animal. It means that
man does not control his destiny, any more than if he were a beast.
God allows things to take place that man might activate his own will,
to do good rather than evil. The man, who lets his flesh rule his
decisions, is very much like an animal. The true difference in man and
animal is that man has the power to do good, or evil. Man has a soul,
beasts do not.

     Ecclesiastes 3:19 "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."

     Man and beast are the same, in the sense that they both have been
given the breath of life by God. All things live and die by permission
of God. The difference in man is his soul. He is made in the image of
God, and has the power to choose right from wrong. A man who chooses
to live for his flesh is living like an animal.

     Ecclesiastes 3:20 "All go unto one place; all are of the dust,
and all turn to dust again."

     Again, it is the flesh that returns to dust. The spirit within
that flesh lives on. John 3:6 "That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."  We see from
the following Scripture, that the spirit of man does not remain in the
grave. I Corinthians 15:42 "So also [is] the resurrection of the dead.
It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:"
I Corinthians 15:43 "It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory:
it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:" I Corinthians 15:44 "
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a
natural body, and there is a spiritual body."  Man differs from
animals, in the fact that they have a spirit.

     Ecclesiastes 3:21 "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth
upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"

     The beast remains in the grave, and is not raised.

      Ecclesiastes 3:22 "Wherefore 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?"

     We must accept by faith that we will live eternally in heaven.
It would take no faith to believe in heaven, if we had already been
there and back and saw what it looked like. It is as if Solomon is
saying we better enjoy the fruit of our labor here, in case we do not
make it to heaven. Matthew 6:34 "Take therefore no thought for the
morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof."  There is no actual
proof, that we can see with physical eyes, that would cause us to
believe in heaven. Faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ is our
ticket to heaven.











































                       Ecclesiastes 4 Questions


1.  What is it as if Solomon is saying in verse 9?
2.  "Travail", in this particular instance, is speaking of what?
3.  Man does not control the circumstances. He does, however, control
    what?
4.  Success or failure is because of the ___________, not the
    _______________.
5.  Quote Genesis chapter 1 verse 31.
6.  How did evil enter the earth, if God made everything good?
7.  Why can we not understand the entire plan of God?
8.  Solomon had determined there is no good in _______.
9.  His goodness is of _______.
10. Where does the author believe part of the joy of life comes from?
11. Quote Psalms chapter 128 verse 2.
12. Having food and raiment let us be __________ __________.
13. Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be ____________.
14. Our lives are at peace when we realize what?
15. Quote Psalms chapter 119 verses 90 and 91.
16. What is sad about every generation?
17. Quote Luke chapter 17 verse 26.
18. In the days of Lot, it rained fire and brimstone from _________.
19. What is the place of judgement speaking of?
20. Where is the place of righteousness?
21. Who are the righteous?
22. When do the righteous and wicked stand together for judgement?
23. What happens to His sheep?
24. What happens to the goats?
25. How are man and beast alike?
26. What is the true difference in man and beast?
27. All things live and die by permission ___ ____.
28. The _______ returns to dust.
29. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 44.
30. Quote Matthew chapter 6 verse 34.