Ecclesiastes 7:15 – All things have I seen in the days of my vanity:  there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

 

Thought:  Solomon’s experiment with life caused him to see many things that were puzzling and distressing.  One of them involved length of life.  One would think that a righteous man would always live longer than a wicked man.  This, however, is not the case.  Sometimes the wicked outlive the righteous by many, many years.  We ask:  “Why?” The answer to this question is not one God has revealed.  We can speculate, but it is a matter of fact that must be accepted.

 

Jeremiah 12:1-2

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon once again refers to the life he was living here as “vanity.” 

1.       Remember, it is vanity when a person lives it without God.

2.       It is also vanity when one considers the inequity and injustice found in the world.

a.  It can directly impact those who are righteous.

b.  If it does not directly affect them, they are still cognizant of the apparent unfairness of

      the world.

 

B.      Solomon had been experimenting with life.  He had seen much.  He cannot write about everything he saw, but he does reveal much to us in this short book.

 

C.     One of the injustices was that “there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness.”

1.       Examples:

a.  Some righteous individuals die at a very tender age.

b.  Some righteous individuals are put to death early because of their righteousness.

2.       One would think that righteous people would outlive all those who are evil.  Their lives mean so much to the world.  They are both light (Matt. 5:10-12) and salt (Matt. 5:13) to the earth.

 

D.     A second injustice is that “there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.”

1.       Why do evil man get to live long lives while they practice their evil and make our world fall into more darkness?

2.       Why are they allowed to thrive, and the innocent often die early in life?

3.       Question:  What is the wisdom of this?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 7:16 – Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise:  why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

 

Thought:  There are two ways individuals can do the things about which Solomon writes in this verse.  First, one can falsely believe that he is extremely righteous and abundantly wise when he is not.  Second, a person can earnestly try to be extremely righteous and wise.  The first person is self-deceived.  The second person puts on a show and is often a hypocrite.  Either way, both will ultimately face destruction.  Their lives are not based on truth.  With no foundation, they crumble.

 

Matthew 23:27-28

 

Commentary:

 

A.     The Bible exhorts us to be righteous and to be wise.

1.       Righteous (1 John 3:7)

 

Little children, let no man deceive you:  he that doeth righteous is righteous, even as he is righteous.

 

2.       Wise (Eph. 4:15)

 

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.

 

B.      The prohibition here involves being overly righteous and overly wise.

1.       There are two ways this can happen.

a.  A person can simply believe he is extremely righteous or extremely wise.

b.  A person can try to be overly righteous or overly wise.

                        1)  I have to show people how smart I am.

                        2)  I have to tell people how much I do for the Lord.

2.       The Pharisees sought to be overly righteous.

a.  Jesus gives them a scathing rebuke in Matthew 23.  Listen to his words in Matthew 23:28.

 

Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

 

b.  In Matthew 5:20, Jesus noted the righteousness of the Pharisees as well.

 

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter in the kingdom of heaven.

 

c.  Everything the Pharisees did involved a “show” before others.

      1)  They sounded a trumpet before giving their alms (Matt. 6:2).

      2)  They prayed standing on street corners (Matt. 6:5).

      3)  They used vain repetitions in their prayers thinking they would be heard for their

            much speaking (Matt. 6:7).

      4)  They made “broad their phylacteries, and enlarged the borders of the garments

            (Matt. 23:5).

                        5).  They tithed mint, anise, and cumin (Matt. 23:23).

 

C.     The danger of being overly righteous or wise is found in the question Solomon poses at the end of the verse:  “…why shouldest thou destroy thyself?”

1.       We destroy our reputation because people notice.

2.       We destroy our effectiveness in the kingdom.

3.       We destroy our souls on the day of judgment.

Ecclesiastes 7:17 – Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish:  why shouldest thou die before thy time?

 

Thought:  Man is wicked.  He yields to the flesh and disobeys God.  Even the redeemed are victims of temptation.  Here, the writer exhorts his readers not to purposely add to their wickedness.  He also exhorts them not to be foolish.  Sin is not healthy.  Sin is dangerous.  Its effects in the hereafter are well known.  We, however, forget that sin can impact us in this life.  Many people have died before their time because of sinful activities.  Drug overdose is just one example.

 

Proverbs 10:27

 

Commentary:

 

A.     For the most part, man is a wicked being.  Even the Christian must fight against the temptations of Satan that will lead us to sin (Gal. 5:17; See also 1 Cor. 9:27).

 

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh:  and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

 

B.      Solomon counsels us that we should not purposely add to our wickedness or foolishness.

1.       Sin is not healthy.

2.       Sin is extremely dangerous.

3.       Sin entraps and will not let man go easily.

4.       Willful sin can harden our hearts so the conscience no longer burns due to transgression.

 

C.     Solomon tells us that wickedness and foolishness can cause an individual to die before his time.

1.       Many young people have died in their teens due to drinking and driving.

2.       The same is true of young people who have overdosed on drugs.

3.       Fast cars, foolish stunts, and being in the wrong places have brought an early death to some.

4.       LESSON:  Life is short enough.  Why cut is shorter by engaging in wickedness and foolishness?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 7:18 – It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand:  for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

 

Thought:  There are some teachings that we receive in life that are of the utmost importance.  When they are laid before us, we need to take hold of them.  Once in our possession, we should never, never let them go.  Solomon presents one of these lessons in this verse.  “He that feareth God shall come forth of them all.”  Honor and respect for God causes men to lead a God-fearing life.  Such a life ultimately brings glory, exaltation, and reward to the individual.  He is able to stand in the judgment.  Such a man towers before all others.

 

Psalm 25:12-14

 

Commentary:

 

A.     The Bible teaches us that all of the teachings found in God’s Word are profitable to us (2 Tim. 3:16).

 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…

 

1.       The word “profitable” means “useful, advantageous, beneficial.”

2.       Thus, we need to adopt all of the Bible’s teachings into our lives.

 

B.      There are some teachings, however, that are foundation.  Other aspects of Bible teaching rest upon these foundational matters.

 

C.     Solomon is about to set one of these forth to his readers.  Before he does he tells them two things:

1.       It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this.

2.       From this withdraw not thy hand.

3.       LESSON:  Man is a free moral agent.  He has the ability to choose for himself.  When God’s Word is set before us we can take hold of it, that is, internalize it and practice it in our lives, or, we can reject it by withdrawing our hand from receiving it.

 

D.     The teaching that Solomon exhorts his readers to grasp is the fear of the Lord.  “…for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.”

1.       Fear:  reverence, honor, to hold in esteem, to realize one’s greatness and humble one’s self before the individual.

2.       This is foundational (Prov. 14:27).

 

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life…

 

3.       Honor and respect for God leads a person to a God-fearing life.

a.  The Fear of the Lord is to hate evil… (Prov. 8:13).

b.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” (Prov. 9:10).

c.  The fear of the Lord prolongeth days… (Prov. 10:27).

d.  The fear of the Lord is strong confidence… (Prov. 14:26).

e.  …and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil (Prov. 16:6).

f.  The fear of the Lord tendeth to life… (Prov.  19:23).

g.  By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

 

E.      Faith in who God is and what He has done and what He will do will produce godly fear.  This faith will only come by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).