ECCLESIASTES LESSON 11


     We will begin this lesson in Ecclesiastes 9:1 "For all this I
considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous,
and the wise, and their works, [are] in the hand of God: no man
knoweth either love or hatred [by] all [that is] before them."

     Without God, man does not even have the power to tell the
difference between love and hate. Everything that man is, God created
him to be. Solomon is wise, because God gave him wisdom. Even the
breath that we take, is by permission of God. Even the little we do
understand, is by the Holy Spirit of God revealing it to us. Solomon
had searched the world over to find out what life is. He came back to
the conclusion he started with. God is all in all. There are no
solutions aside from God. Solomon is a thinker, and he has come to the
end of his earthly wisdom, no smarter than when he began. We are like
sheep that must have a Shepherd to lead us.

     Ecclesiastes 9:2 "All [things come] alike to all: [there is] one
event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the
clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that
sacrificeth not: as [is] the good, so [is] the sinner; [and] he that
sweareth, as [he] that feareth an oath."

     This is like the statement, "It rains on the just and on the
unjust". Certain things happen to all of us. We are all born. We all
die. These things are alike for the sinner and for the righteous. On
this earth, it pretty much appears that similar things happen to all
of us. That is true, until God's wrath comes, and then, those who are
not righteous in the sight of God, have terrible trouble. The
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a very good example of the wrath
of God being poured out on the wicked. The flood in Noah's time was
another example of God's wrath. In that particular time, the people
had sinned so greatly that God was sorry He had made man. Nearer our
time, the Black Plague killed many, because the wrath of God had
fallen. In our generation, I believe the disease A.I.D.S. is the wrath
of God on the earth. Sometimes when the wrath of God comes, innocent
people are injured, because of their close proximity to the sinners.
The only thing that stops the wrath of God, is true repentance. In
many instances, when the wrath of God falls, He saves a few, like He
did with Noah's family. God does make a separation, but the natural
man cannot see it. We must remember in all of this, that Solomon is
looking at world conditions.

     Ecclesiastes 9:3 "This [is] an evil among all [things] that are
done under the sun, that [there is] one event unto all: yea, also the
heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness [is] in their
heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead."

     "Sons of men" is speaking of mankind in his sinful condition
before he is saved. When a person is saved, he becomes a son of God.
Unregenerate man does have a sinful heart. If he does not repent and
become saved, he will go to hell. The following is a very good example
of unsaved man. Genesis 6:5 "And God saw that the wickedness of man
[was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts
of his heart [was] only evil continually." Matthew 15:19 "For out of
the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications,
thefts, false witness, blasphemies:" These are describing a man born
of the flesh.

     Ecclesiastes 9:4  "For to him that is joined to all the living
there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion."

     As long as a person is alive, there is hope for him. As long as
there is a breath in the body, he can repent and be saved. The dog was
thought of as a useless animal, and the lion was thought of as being
the bravest. A dead lion has less courage than a live dog, regardless
of how useless the dog is.

     Ecclesiastes 9:5 "For the living know that they shall die: but
the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for
the memory of them is forgotten."

     The wicked and the righteous realize that they will die. The dead
do not know anything. Their spirits have left their bodies. The living
are usually trying to accomplish something, before they die. Those
that die are soon forgotten. All of this is speaking of the flesh man.
This is speaking of death of the flesh. The spirit of man lives on.
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after
this the judgment:"

     Ecclesiastes 9:6 "Also their love, and their hatred, and their
envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever
in any [thing] that is done under the sun."

     All of these things are speaking of those living in the flesh on
this earth. When their bodies die, they stop feeling love, hate, and
envy. All of their feelings that manifested themselves in their lives
on the earth are gone when they die. They have no more effect on the
earth.

     Ecclesiastes 9:7  "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink
thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works."

     Man's labors on the earth give him the right to enjoy the food
and drink he has earned. Food and wine, here, are spoken of as his
daily foodstuff. Wine was drunk with meals, and this is not speaking
of getting drunk. They lived for the time on earth. The last part of
the verse above, is offering salvation through God for them. Jesus
Christ makes us acceptable to the Father.

     Ecclesiastes 9:8 "Let thy garments be always white; and let thy
head lack no ointment."

     The garments being always white speaks of being clothed in
righteousness {white}. White speaks of purity, and righteousness. In
the 23rd Psalm, we read "thou anointest my head with oil".
     Ecclesiastes 9:9 "Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest
all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under
the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that [is] thy portion in
[this] life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun."

     In chapter 7 of this book, it appeared that Solomon thought all
women to be evil. As we can easily see, here, that is not what he
believed at all. The women he had married were from tribes forbidden
to intermarry. Solomon had taken these women as wives in form only,
because he did not want war with their fathers and brothers. The worst
thing about this, was the fact that they brought their false gods with
them. They brought idol worship into the country, and Solomon built
them temples for their false gods. A good wife is more precious than
rubies. Notice, I said wife, not wives. The best arrangement is for
one man and one woman to become one flesh and live that way, until one
of them dies. This is a peaceful, contented life. Colossians 3:19
"Husbands, love [your] wives, and be not bitter against them."

     Ecclesiastes 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it]
with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

     I truly believe to have a happy life, mankind must work. It is
wonderful to be loved and wanted, but it is much more wonderful to be
needed. There is a feeling of accomplishment that comes from a job
well done. We are the happiest, when we are the busiest. Then we do
not have time to worry and fret. When we are in the grave, all
activity stops.

     Ecclesiastes 9:11  "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the
race [is] not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet
bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet
favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all."

     We find that Solomon is using his own experience to explain this.
The fastest runner who ever ran a race, could not win with a sprained
ankle. The battle is not always won by the largest number of well
trained troops either. Gideon is a very good example of that. He took
300 men, and whipped thousands of the enemy. It is not always the wise
who make money either. You may go into a business venture that
ordinarily would be sound, and have unavoidable circumstances cause
you to fail. You could be the most skillful person who ever worked,
but if the materials you were working with were poor, the finished
product would be defective. Circumstances enter into our success or
failure. I prefer to say, God is blessing when everything works
smooth. We must take advantage of opportunities that arise. We must do
our best and pray for God to bless. Then we might succeed.

     Ecclesiastes 9:12 "For man also knoweth not his time: as the
fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught
in the snare; so [are] the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it
falleth suddenly upon them."

     This is saying that mankind has no idea how long he will live. We
might start to town to work, and be killed before we get there. Some
die very young. It is sometimes an accident, and other times a disease
that strikes when we least expect it. One of the worst losses of a
loved one to deal with, is when they die suddenly. We should not say,
tomorrow, I will do something. We may not be alive tomorrow. We should
say "if God be willing, I will do that tomorrow".

     Ecclesiastes 9:13  "This wisdom have I seen also under the sun,
and it [seemed] great unto me:"

     Again, Solomon has looked throughout the earth and come to the
conclusion that something, or someone, had control of this. Mankind
must live within the circumstances he finds himself. God controls
everything.

     Ecclesiastes 9:14 "[There was] a little city, and few men within
it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built
great bulwarks against it:" Ecclesiastes 9:15 "Now there was found in
it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no
man remembered that same poor man."

     This is a parable. Solomon could be speaking of any small town.
In that city, was found a wise man who was poor. The people would not
listen to him, because he was poor. Even though he saved their city,
they soon forgot that he had saved them. This could be a type and
shadow of all the wonderful miracles that Jesus did for them, being
soon forgotten just before the crucifixion. He was their Saviour, and
yet, they did not even receive Him, until after His resurrection. At
one point, the Bible says, all forsook Him. Matthew 13:57 "And they
were offended in him.  But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not
without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house."

     Ecclesiastes 9:16 "Then said I, Wisdom [is] better than strength:
nevertheless the poor man's wisdom [is] despised, and his words are
not heard."

     Most people would listen to the wise man, if he was wealthy. They
have no respect for the poor. They, possibly, believe if he is so
wise, is he not rich? Generally speaking, the words of a poor wise man
are not heeded. They were heeded long enough to save them in verse 15
above. Wisdom is better than strength. Wisdom brings the necessities
of life to the wise.

     Ecclesiastes 9:17 "The words of wise [men are] heard in quiet
more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools."

     This is just saying, that a quiet man who speaks the truth
through wisdom from God will be heard. A fool shouting will not be
received.  You would shut off your hearing the from fool. He has
nothing of profit to say. Even if the fool is a king, those who hear
him, will not receive his message.

     Ecclesiastes 9:18 "Wisdom [is] better than weapons of war: but
one sinner destroyeth much good."
     Solomon practiced this very thing. During his 40 year reign,
there were no wars. He was known as a man of peace. He used the wisdom
God had given him to stay out of war. This was the very reason he
married so many women. All the weapons of war might not bring peace,
but wisdom can. God would destroy countries that turned away from Him
in sin. Hebrews 12:15 "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the
grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you],
and thereby many be defiled;"  Hebrews 12:16 "Lest there [be] any
fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat
sold his birthright."


     Be wise unto salvation.









































                       Ecclesiastes 11 Questions


1.  Whose hand are the righteous and the wise in?
2.  Everything man is, ________ created him to be.
3.  Where does wisdom come from?
4.  What had Solomon searched the world over to find?
5.  We are like ________ that must have a _________ to lead us.
6.  It rains on the _________ and on the __________.
7.  What are some things that happen to all of us?
8.  When does the sameness of God's dealing with mankind stop?
9.  Who are good examples of God's wrath on the wicked?
10. What is a sign of God's wrath on our society today?
11. Why are innocent people sometimes hurt by the wrath of God on the
    wicked?
12. Who did God save in the great flood?
13. Who is the expression "sons of men" speaking of?
14. When a person is saved, he becomes a ________ of _____.
15. Quote Genesis chapter 6 verse 5.
16. Where do evil thoughts come from?
17. As long as you are living, there is ________.
18. In verse 5, who knows they will die?
19. Quote Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27.
20. What is verse 6 saying about love, hatred, and envy?
21. Verse 7 says, man's labors give him what right?
22. What do white garments speak of?
23. Where do we read "thou anointest my head with oil"?
24. Who is Solomon saying to live with all the days of your life?
25. Why was Solomon not happy with his 700 wives?
26. A good wife is more precious than __________.
27. Quote Colossians chapter 3 verse 19.
28. What does the author believe makes a happy life?
29. The race is not to the _________.
30. _______ and _______ happeneth to them all.
31. Give some of the examples about time and chance affecting our
    lives.
32. What is the life of man compared to in verse 12?
33. Solomon found that ________ controls everything.
34. What is verse 14 and 15.
35. What did the poor wise man do in verse 15?
36. ___________ is better than strength.
37. The poor man's wisdom is _____________.
38. Wisdom is better than __________ of ____.
39. Quote Hebrews chapter 12 verses 15 and 16.
40. Be wise unto ___________.