Ecclesiastes 7:26 – And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands:  whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

 

Thought:  There are things worse than death.  Solomon reveals one of them here.  He refers to it as “the woman.”  He is not referring to all women.  He continues by describing “the woman’s” heart.  “Whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands.”  This is the evil women, the strange woman, the woman who seeks to entrap man.  She lulls him into her den.  Death, destruction, and hell are the end of this woman.  “Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.”

 

Proverbs 23:27-28

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon said that he found a woman who was more bitter than death.

1.       Bitter

a.  All of the lexicons simply define the Hebrew word as “bitter.”

b.  Dictionary.com:  hard to bear, grievous, distressful, causing pain, piercing, stinging

2.       Death is a very bitter pill.  Yet, Solomon says that there is a woman who is more bitter than the enemy called “death.”

 

B.      Solomon describes the heart and hands of this woman.

1.       Whose heart is snares and nets.

a.  These are hunting and fishing terms.

b.  Snares and nets are intended to entrap an animal.

c.  This woman is intent on entrapping a man:  beautiful appearance, kind words, flirtatious,

     uplifting, needy.

2.       Her hands are “as bands.”

a.  The picture is that of a firm, warm embrace.

b.  She shows her affection as she draws the man close to her body.

 

C.     In the book of Proverbs, Solomon often refers to this woman as “the strange woman” (Prov. 2:16; 5:3, 20; 6:24; 7:5)

 

And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

 

1.       She is a prostitute.

2.       She is a harlot.

3.       She is an adulteress.

4.       She is a loose woman.

 

D.     Solomon notes two types of men and their reactions to her.

1.       Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her.

a.  This man is aware of God’s laws regarding sexual relationships and marriage.

b.  Instead of yielding to her enticements, he seeks to escape from her and flees from sin.

2.       The sinner shall be taken by her.

a.  The sinner, on the other hand, is lured in by her advances.

b.  Many who go in unto her fail to realize that “her feet go down to death; her steps take

      hold on hell” (Prov. 5:5).

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 7:27 – Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account.

 

Thought:  As Solomon conducted his experiment with life, he was very meticulous in his efforts.  There were times when he counted “one by one.”  Solomon was young.  He was the king.  He was extremely wealthy.  He could investigate leaving no stone unturned.  This is how all of us should do our investigation.  It is the honest way.  If we do not, we may leave information out that could radically alter our conclusions.  Be careful of conclusions based upon a meager amount of information. 

 

I Thessalonians 5:21-22

 

Commentary:

 

A.     “Behold, this have I found…”

1.       We put the emphasis on the little word “I.”

2.       Again, Solomon was personally involved in this experiment. 

3.       He did not have others doing the work and bringing back the results.  He was personally invested in the work being conducted.

 

B.      “Counting one by one, to find out the account.”

1.       Solomon notes the meticulous nature of the investigation.

a.  The count was done “one by one.”

b.  It was slow.  It was laborious.  It was intense.

c.  The effort, however, was intended to find out the precise results. 

d.  Solomon wanted no stone left unturned in the process.

2.       LESSON: 

a.  The Bible exhorts us to try or test things, especially the words of preachers and teachers.

                        1)  1 Thessalonians 5:10-22

 

Despise not prophesyings.  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

 

                        2)  I John 4:1

 

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:  because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

 

b.      As we try the spirits, we need to be meticulous in our investigation.  When individuals get sloppy and lazy, they will omit important information that can radically change conclusions. 

c.       NOTE:  Some are just dishonest.  They know other evidence exists, but they refuse to include it because it will alter their conclusions (NOTE:  Climate change activists refuse to include God in their equation even though God upholds all things by the word of His power, Heb. 1:3.  If climate change ceases to be such a big concern, then they have to give up much of the control of the population they have taken).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 7:28 – Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not:  one man among a thousand have I found, but a woman among all those have I not found.

 

Thought:  Solomon’s search caused him to seek out men and women who were upright.  The results of his search are saddening.  He found one man among a thousand.  “But a woman among all those have I not found.”  Men are usually more corrupt than woman.  At this time in Israel’s history, he could barely find any good men.  He found no good women.  It was a sad state of affairs in the nation.  Pray God that He will also keep a few righteous within our nation.  They are salt.  They preserve.

 

Genesis 18:32

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     Solomon’s accounting involved questioning, research, investigation, and study involving many human beings.

 

B.      He was seeking people with a true purpose.  He was seeking those who understood why they were living on the earth. 

 

C.     “Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not.”  His search did not manifest the count that he thought he would find.

1.  “One man among a thousand have I found.”

a.  Men were the spiritual leaders of the day..

b.  Men occupied the positions of leadership among the nation.

c.  If any person ought to know his purpose for living and be pursuing it, it should have

      been among the men. 

d.  Solomon says that he only found one man among a thousand.  Think of that!  He only

      found 100 men among 100,000.

            2.  “But a woman among all those have I not found.”

a.  The women of Solomon’s day did not hold positions of leadership for the most part.

b.  Their responsibilities were primarily domestic.

c.  Solomon, therefore, found even fewer among the women of his day who did not live

      lives of vanity.

 

D.     Question:  How many men and how many women today are living lives of purpose?

1.  It might be even fewer than Solomon found.

2.  This is extremely sad since we have this wonderful book that reveals to man exactly what

      his purpose should be.