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

 

Thought:  No human being knows the day when he will depart this earth.  Fish are suddenly taken by the net without warning.  Birds are caught in the snare without warning.  In like manner, men are also taken without warning.  We can be here one minute and gone the next.  Tragedy can come suddenly upon any man.  This is a fact of life that many have experienced.  Others have been witnesses to it.  The only hope at such times involves spiritual preparation.  Remember:  “Man also knoweth not his time.”

 

Luke 12:20

 

Commentary:

 

A.     When is the day of your death?  There is not a person alive who knows the day or hour.

 

B.      Solomon notes this in the words:  “For man also knoweth not his time…”

 

C.     Example:  My mother

1.       My mother quit eating and drinking.  This was on a Tuesday.  When she did, they said a person will usually die within 7 days.

2.       The following Monday, we put her in a hospice facility.

3.       When we left her on Tuesday night, the hospice staff said it looked like she had about 24 hours to live.

4.       We arrived home just before 10:00 p.m.  As we entered the door, we received a phone call from hospice telling us that mom had died.

 

D.     He provides two examples from nature that show the expected time of death.

1.       A fish is never expecting to be caught in a net.

2.       A bird is never expecting to be caught in the hunter’s snare.

 

E.      “…so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.”

1.       Examples:

a.  A fall

b.  A sudden illness

c.  A car accident

d.  A mishap while swimming for fishing

e.  A heart attack, stroke, or embolism

f.  A victim of a shooting

2.       It is the death that brings about the “evil time” mentioned by Solomon.

a.  It is evil as opposed to a happy, enjoyable time.

b.  It involves hurt, sadness, grief, tears, depression, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Thought:  Solomon really spent some time looking at, investigating, and researching the events of life.  As he looked at them, he would evaluate them.  His evaluation of the thing to follow was that “it seemed great unto me.”  Could it be great in significance?  Could it be of great joy?  Could it be of great injustice?  The inspired writer does not say.  He will let us read for ourselves and allow each of us to do our own assessment.  It may seem great to us in another sense.  Just keep reading.

 

Deuteronomy 4:32-33

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon had spent a great deal of time looking, searching, researching, investigating, testing , and evaluating the events of life.

 

B.      Most likely, he saw something very insignificant, but he is about to reveal something to us that he said, “Seemed great unto me.” 

1.       Will it be of great significance?

2.       Will it be an event that brings great joy?

3.       Will is be something that describes a great injustice in the world?

 

C.     LESSON:  Every human being has the ability to perceive.  And, each person’s perception is different.  This involves spiritual things as well as physical things.  As we consider Solomon’s words, let’s remember:  1)  He is the wisest man to have ever lived other than Jesus, and 2) He is inspired of God as he writes these words.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Thought:  From time to time in our lives, evil will come against us.  Sometimes it comes against us personally.  At other times, it attacks our community, city, or nation.  We must remember that the enemy is very strong.  Too, the enemy is not our friend.  The enemy will do all it can to destroy.  The enemy is smart.  The enemy possesses many skills.  Please never underestimate your enemy.

 

I Peter 5:8

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon spoke about something that was common in his time.

1.       A little city with few inhabitants was attacked by a great king.

2.       The king besieged the city and built great bulwarks against it.

a.  A bulwark was a wall of earth and other materials.

b.  It would allow the enemy to ultimately get to the top of the wall and climb over into he

     city.

 

B.      LESSONS:  There are those in our world who are our enemies.  These enemies will seek to overthrow us.  This is true in our personal lives and with regard to our communities, cities, and nations.

1.       The enemy is strong.

2.       The enemy is not our friend.

3.       The enemy is smart.

4.       The enemy possesses many skills.

5.       The enemy will to all he can do to destroy.

6.       NOTE:  Never, NEVER underestimate your enemy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Thought:  In the previous verse, it was said that a great king besieged this city.  His intent was to overthrow the city.  He would have killed or enslaved her citizens.  Fortunately, a wise man delivered them from their enemy.  However, he was just “a poor wise man.”  Many of us might be described with these words.  His efforts were monumental, but he was never honored.  How would you have felt if it were you?  Why do we allow class to determine one’s worthiness?  Even the poor can be great.

 

Esther 6:2-3

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon continues the illustration from the previous verse.  Remember, a powerful king had waged war on a small city.  He built a bulwark so he could overthrow the city.

 

B.      However, in that city was a “poor wise man.”

1.       Because he was poor, he was not a man of notoriety.

2.       Because he was poor, he did not hold a high-level position in the city.

3.       Because he was poor, he was probably the most unlikely others thought to deliver the city.

4.       But, note:  He was wise.  The socio-economic status of an individual does not determine how knowledgeable and wise a person is. 

a.  Wisdom is acquired through education.

b.  Wisdom is obtained by listening to others.

c.  Wisdom is gained from experiences in one’s life.

 

C.     This poor wise man “by his wisdom delivered the city.”

1.       Many will listen to the rich and powerful until evil is about to prevail.

2.       Then, it doesn’t matter who provides deliverance.  The poor, the frail, the weak, the feeble, the infirmed, the elderly.  When evil is at the gates, survival is the only thing that really matters.

 

D.     But notice, the end. 

1.       “…yet no man remembered that same poor man.”

a.  He was not honored.

b.  He was not exalted to a high position.

c.  He did not become wealthy.

d.  He was simply forgotten.

2.       This is the thing that was “great” to Solomon (See Eccl. 9:13). 

a.  A wise man is not recognized.

b.  Deliverance from evil is not rewarded.

c.  Freedom receives no gratitude.

d.  Relief and joy find no place for exaltation of any sort.