OceanSide church of Christ

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Ecclesiastes 3:9 – What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?

 

Thought:  Solomon has contemplated the activities of the world.  He has seen the regular events that happen in the course of time.  He has experienced the ups and downs, the ins and the outs, the good and the bad, and the various contrasts found during man’s existence.  After examining all of these things, a question still plagues his mind.  “What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?”  Even put in the context of the ebb and flow of life, what is the profit of man’s labors?

 

Ecclesiastes 5:16

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon has just listed 28 things that will eventually have their time, place, and purpose in a person’s life. 

1.       Sometimes we have complete control over them.

2.       At other times, we have little, if any, control over them.

 

B.      If there are things that will happen in life regardless, “what profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth”?

1.       Question:  Will the things Solomon listed happen whether a person labors or not?

Answer:  Yes. 

2.       If so, then what is the profit in labor? 

3.       LESSON:  Could it be that Solomon focuses on labor in this manner because he knows the importance individuals put on labor?

a.       Work is the god of many people.

1)      It often comes before the true and living God.

2)      It is the only excuse one can have, other than being sick, for not serving and worshipping God.

b.      Work, however, cannot stop the various seasons of life from happening.  Too, all of its benefits will terminate at death.  Thus, it is vanity and vexation of spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Thought:  The word “travail” is very strong to us.  The word means “work, job, or occupation.”  Solomon has been experimenting trying to find joy.  What he has found is that man has been assigned to work and labor and toil.  The Jews labored six days a week.  In our society, it is not uncommon for individuals to work seven days a week.  Some find some satisfaction therein, but man’s labors eventually come to an end.  Even the rewards of his labors are given to others.  It seems like vanity.

 

I Thessalonians 2:9

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon seems to have been heavily involved in the experiments he was conducting.  He states:  “I have seen…”

 

B.      The word “travail” is strong to us.  Let’s look at the definition.

1.       Strong (6045):  ado…employment

2.       BDB:  occupation, task, job

 

C.     Jobs are given to men by God. 

1.       No, God does not specifically assign each task to each human being.

2.       But, God does give the capacity for knowledge, various talents, and personality traits to each individual.  These things are very important to the type of job a person has.

3.       NOTE:  There are many kinds of jobs.  We will hear of a job from time to time that we never knew existed.

a.       A man had a job testing the UV protection in sunglasses after they had been on a display in an eye doctor’s office.

b.      At FEDEX, there are individuals who are Ramp Agents.  These individuals are tasked with getting “their plane,” out on time.  They keep up with the weight of the containers that go on the plane.  They align the containers for loading so the weight on the plane is properly distributed. 

 

D.     God wants us to be “exercised” in our jobs.

1.       BDB tells us that the word means “to be occupied with” or “to be busy with.”

2.       God did not put man on earth to do nothing. 

3.       As the old saying goes:  “Idleness is the devil’s workshop.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 beginning to the end.

 

Thought:  Solomon’s findings seem to be negative much of the time.  Here, however, he points out some positive things he has seen.  God has made everything beautiful in his time.  There is beauty in the world.  The world buds, blossoms, and develops.  Things fulfill wonderful purposes.  Man is one of these beautiful things.  He has been created with the ability to know and understand.  God has placed eternity in his heart which causes him to seek out the difficult and unseen.  There are limits, however.  He cannot discover and understand all of God’s creation.  God’s power and wisdom are far too great for finite man to comprehend.

 

Romans 11:33

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     Solomon’s experiment imagines a world without God.

 

B.      However, Solomon is not an unbeliever. 

1.       He knows God exists. 

2.       From time to time, he makes mention of God (Eccl. 1:13; 2:24, 26).

3.       Here, he elaborates upon God more than the other times he has mentioned God.

 

C.     He notes two things God has done.

1.       He hath made everything beautiful in his time.

a.       All that God has created, designed, ordered, and set in motion is beautiful. 

1)      Beautiful

a)      Strong (3303):  beautiful

b)      BDB:  fair, beautiful, handsome

c)       Barnes:  “fit, in harmony with the whole work of God”

2)      Clarke:  “God’s works are well done; there are order, harmony, and beauty in them all” (e-sword).

b.      NOTE:  This includes the idea that God designed man to labor in this world.

c.       LESSON:  When Solomon experimented with the world, he did not see an accident.  He did not see random forces haphazardly working.  He did not see mutations forming that over hundreds of millions of years finally produced something positive.  No, he saw God’s order, structure, creativity, and beauty in the world. 

2.       Also, He hath set the world in their heart

a.       World

1)      Strong (5769):  concealed, vanishing, time out of mind, eternity

2)      BDB:  forever, always, everlasting, unending or indefinite future, eternity

b.      The eternal God has placed the concept of eternity in the hearts of all men.

1)      If this world is all there is, and man can only know and understand things that come through his five senses, how did he ever conceive of the idea of God?

2)      Man knows something exists beyond this creation. 

a)      He yearns for it.  Studies it.  Seeks it.  Worships it.

b)      How does he know?  He sees God in the beauty of the creation (Ps. 19:1).

 

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork.

 

c.       Even though man has this knowledge, this sense, still “no man cannot find out the work that God maketh form the beginning to the end.”

1)      Let’s assume evolution is true.  This means man has been around several million years now.

a)      Man has only travelled to the moon.

b)      He has only landed a rover on Mars.

c)       He has only sent spacecrafts with camera into our solar system.

d)     He has yet to discover all that is in the depths of the ocean.

e)      He does not know all of the ins and outs of the human body, especially the human brain.

2)      This reveals two things:  the greatness of God and the smallness of man.

3)      Romans 11:33

 

O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.

 

4)      LESSON:  Man should appreciate the greatness of God.  Sadly, there are some who can only see themselves as great even though they admit there is so much more to discover and learn. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Thought:  Man labors and works diligently most of his life.  Where is the good in what he does?  First, his labors bring him personal joy and satisfaction.  There is self-fulfillment that is received through work.  Second, his work enables him to do good in his life.  He is able to support his family.  He is able to give to charitable causes.  He is able to invest in other good works.  Yes, there is some profit to the toil that a man puts forth in his life.

 

I Timothy 6:17-19

 

Commentary:

 

A.     The word “them” applies to man’s labors. 

 

B.      “I know that there is no good in them.”

1.       This has been one of the conclusions Solomon has reached about man’s labors.

2.       He works, and he dies.

He works, and someone else reaps the benefits of what he has worked or.

He works, and leaves all to another who fails to use his assets properly.

 

C.     The benefit is in this life only.

1.       Man can rejoice in his labors.

a.       He has provided for his family.

b.      He has been able to be somewhat self-reliant, giving him a sense of pride.

c.       He has been able to be successful in some of his accomplishments.

d.      He has been able to enjoy some of the rewards of his labor:  luxuries, vacations, retirement.

2.       Too, he has been able to do good in his life.

a.       He has assisted others.

b.      He has given to good causes.

c.       1 Timothy 6:17-19

 

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.