ECCLESIASTES LESSON 7

     We will begin this lesson in Ecclesiastes 6:1 "There is an evil
which I have seen under the sun, and it [is] common among men:"

     The expression "under the sun" is speaking of life in the
physical world. The evil that all men are tempted with is self-
gratification. At some point in his life, everyone has been a bit
self-centered. Sin occurs, when we try to please our flesh.

     Ecclesiastes 6:2 "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."

     Men, such as Solomon, who have known great wealth and honor, will
all tell you that the riches did not make them happy. The abundance of
things cannot satisfy the soul of mankind. The statement that he
wanted nothing, is saying in the physical realm, he wanted for
nothing.  Anything money could buy, he had. The truth is, money cannot
buy happiness. "To eat", in this Scripture, is speaking not of
physical food, but of enjoyment. It is so sad that he will not receive
enjoyment from all of this, but a total stranger will enjoy it. The
evil disease brings death. I believe it is speaking of sin.

     Ecclesiastes 6:3  "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."

     It seems, that Solomon is, of all men, most miserable. He even
wishes he had not lived beyond his birth. Children were thought of as
a blessing of God. To have a hundred children, would be an extreme
blessing. Living many years was thought of as a blessing, as well. The
truth is, that without God, all of this would be nothing to desire.
The only real peace and joy that any of us have is in the Lord. The
soul of man is the will of man, and is, also, related to the heart of
man.  True goodness comes from the heart of man. The hope that Solomon
is bemoaning here, as if it were lost, is the hope of eternal life.

     Ecclesiastes 6:4 "For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in
darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness."

     When a person is born, he is nothing, until the breath of life is
breathed into him by God. Then he becomes a living soul. Solomon is
speaking, here, as if that life was not breathed into him, and he was
a baby who never lived. He had never come to the Light. We know that
this is the condition of all mankind, until they receive the Light
{Jesus Christ} into their lives. He is life. John 8:12  "Then spake
Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that
followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of
life."  Acts 26:18 "To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from
darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they
may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are
sanctified by faith that is in me."  To be born of the Spirit of God,
is to be filled with the Light of Jesus. II Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." Galatians
2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for
me."

     Ecclesiastes 6:5 "Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known
[any thing]: this hath more rest than the other."

     He is still speaking of those who are not born alive. I would
tend to believe this is speaking of the spiritually dead. The sun is a
container for the light. II Corinthians 4:4 "In whom the god of this
world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should
shine unto them."  Satan is the god of this world, that brings
darkness to the spirit of mankind. Jesus brings the Light, and does
away with that darkness.

     Ecclesiastes 6:6  "Yea, though he live a thousand years twice
[told], yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?"

     The "one place", spoken of here, is the grave. Yes, all flesh
goes to the grave. It was made of dust, and will return to dust. Man
is more than just flesh. The spirit of man is made in the image of
God, that lives on forever. Years on this earth do not even matter.
The eternal life is what is important. Two thousand years would not be
long enough for man {without God} to find satisfaction in this life.
The only real satisfaction is in the Lord.

     Ecclesiastes 6:7 "All the labour of man [is] for his mouth, and
yet the appetite is not filled."

     This is true that the physical body of man requires more and more
food. They can never get enough, that they are not hungry again the
next day. Life without God would seem that it was a never ending cycle
of trying to satisfy yourself with food. Matthew 5:6 "Blessed [are]
they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be
filled."

     Ecclesiastes 6:8 "For what hath the wise more than the fool? what
hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?"

     These are profound statements that Solomon is making of the flesh
man. Truly they are neither one [wise or foolish} ever satisfied with
what they have.  The poor, that knoweth to walk before the living, is
saying that he has chosen the path that leads to life. Perhaps, the
poor finds it more readily, because he is so busy making food for his
family, he has no time to get into sin. This does not mean that all
poor men are saved, anymore than it means all wise men are lost. This
is just saying, that wealth and intelligence does not get you to
heaven. It says a poor man is more apt to seek God, because of the
necessities he does without. We must realize we need a Saviour, before
we can have the Saviour.

     Ecclesiastes 6:9  "Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the
wandering of the desire: this [is] also vanity and vexation of
spirit."

     "The sight of the eyes", in this, probably, is speaking of the
things around us in the physical. "Wandering of the desire" is,
probably, speaking of the imagination of the heart. A wandering
imagination many times causes a person to sin. Proverbs 17:24 "Wisdom
[is] before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool [are]
in the ends of the earth."

     Ecclesiastes 6:10 "That which hath been is named already, and it
is known that it [is] man: neither may he contend with him that is
mightier than he."

     It was part of God's plan to make man. If we wonder why we are
born, we are questioning God's good judgement. Some things about our
lives we cannot change. We have no control over who our parents were,
whether we are born a Caucasian, Negroid, or Asiatic. We have no
control over whether we are male, or female. All these things are
determined by God. God is our Creator. We cannot, and should not,
argue with God. We must accept everything in God's will. The only
thing we do have control over, is whether we accept the Lord as our
Saviour, or not. Our free will determines whether we follow the
desires of our flesh, or whether we follow the spirit.

     Ecclesiastes 6:11  "Seeing there be many things that increase
vanity, what [is] man the better?"

     The blessings God bestows upon us should not cause us to be vain,
because they are a gift. We are intelligent, because God gave us
intelligence. We are rich, because God chose for us to be rich. We are
famous, because God chose for us to be famous. How can we have great
pride and vanity in this? It is not of our doing.

     Ecclesiastes 6:12 "For who knoweth what [is] good for man in
[this] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a
shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?"

     Only God knows the answers to this. We can discuss ways to
improve our society, but truly the only help is in God. We are here
today and gone tomorrow. Our life is like a shadow, or a vapor. If we
are vain about things God has bestowed upon us in this life, our lives
are not much good. Vanity has no place in our lives. "Under the sun"
is speaking of this life on the earth. I cannot make myself
successful.  That is up to God. I can do my best, and He can make my
work a blessing. Someone else can come along, and build better than
what we have done. It is a continual thing. James 4:14 "Whereas ye
know not what [shall be] on the morrow. For what [is] your life? It is
even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth
away."
                       Ecclesiastes 7 Questions


1.  What does the expression "under the sun" refer to?
2.  What is the evil all men are tempted with?
3.  Verse 2 is speaking of what kind of man?
4.  What will all very wealthy men tell you about their wealth?
5.  The ___________ of things cannot satisfy the soul of man.
6.  What is "to eat", in verse 2, speaking of?
7.  What does the author believe the evil disease to be?
8.  How do we know that Solomon is, of all men, most miserable?
9.  What was thought to be blessings?
10. The only real peace and joy, that any of us have is in the
    _______.
11. True goodness comes from the __________ of man.
12. When a person is born, he is nothing, until what happens?
13. Quote John chapter 8 verse 12.
14. Quote Acts chapter 26 verse 18.
15. If any man be in Christ, he is a ________ _________.
16. Quote Galatians chapter 2 verse 20.
17. What does the author believe about the dead in verse 5?
18. Quote 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 4.
19. What is the "one place" in verse 6?
20. The ________ of man is made in the image of God.
21. All of the labor of man is for his ___________.
22. Quote Matthew chapter 5 verse 6.
23. Answer verse 8.
24. Why is a poor man more apt to seek God?
25. "The sight of the eyes" is, probably, speaking of what?
26. What is "wandering of the desire", probably, speaking of?
27. Quote Proverbs chapter 17 verse 24.
28. If we wonder why we are born, we are doing what?
29. What are some things we have no control of?
30. What do we have control over?
31. Why is one more intelligent than another?
32. Who knows the answer to verse 12?
33. Quote James chapter 4 verse 14.