A Closer Walk
“The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 'Vanity of vanities,' says the Preacher, 'Vanity of vanities, All is vanity,'" Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 NKJV. Evangelical scholars believe that Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon. He is the only historic figure that fits all three qualifications listed in verse 1. The son of David. We know that David had many sons but only his son Solomon was named by David as the heir to his throne. The writer was a king. Again Solomon fits the description. Not only was the writer a king but was king in Jerusalem. Solomon fits all three things listed in verse 1. Scholars further believe that Solomon wrote Song of Solomon as a young man; he wrote Proverbs as a middle aged man; and Ecclesiastes as an older man. Personal observation: Ecclesiastes is filled with wisdom for the ages, and is one of my favorite Bible books.
"Vanity of vanities, all is vanity..." Then Ecclesiastes lists some things to ponder. “One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth abides forever,” Ecclesiastes 1:4 NKJV. The earth continues even though generation after generation after generation pass away. While the earth abides it continues to produce crops and other things such as precious metals, and oil, other metals, clay, and so on, and so on. Everything we need for life and living. Look where we are living. The United States of America. Many people in other countries would likely tell us that just by being here we are living a life of abundance. Just like Jesus promised. “Then Jesus said to them again, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,'” John 10:7-10 NKJV.
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity...” “The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose. The wind goes toward the south, then turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they come again,” Ecclesiastes 1:5-7 NKJV. So the natural elements do what our God created them to do, and they keep doing it. The sun rises and sets, then rises again. The wind blows sometimes from the south, sometimes from the north. Then blows again. The rivers all run into the sea. Yet the sea never gets full. Thank God all these thing happen. If they didn't the earth might be a barren wasteland. Almighty God created us and He knows what we need, what we can live with, and what we can stand. Places on earth get down to sixty or so degrees below zero. Yet on some of the other planets in our solar system the temp drops to or stays at hundreds of degrees below zero. The temps on earth get up to one hundred twenty or thirty or so. The temps on some of our other planets get up into the hundreds of degrees. Humans can't survive those extremes, cold or hot, and so God provided what we needed and threw in some variety as well.
“All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing,” Ecclesiastes 1:8 NKJV. All things are full of labor. No matter how much we see or how many things we look at, whether our loved family members, a sunset, the flowers in bloom, yet our eyes are not satisfied with seeing. No matter how many things we hear, whether a Mozart concerto, or a conversation, or the birds singing, our ears do not get full of hearing. And praise the Lord for that.
In the end the preacher sums up. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgement, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil,” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NKJV. Good advice indeed.
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This coming Thursday, November 11, is Veterans Day. Remember to thank a veteran for their service. And if you are a veteran, THANK YOU for your service and sacrifice.