Ecclesiastes 9:16 – Then said, I, Wisdom is better than strength:  nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

 

Thought:  What part of the country are you from?  Where did you go to school?  Who were your parents?  These are good questions by which to get to know someone.  They are not good questions to ask in an effort to evaluate a person’s wisdom.  Wisdom resides in many places, even among the obscure, the insignificant, the poor, and the uneducated.  Sadly, the wisdom of some is rejected because of who they are and where they come from.  Those who reject their wisdom, however, are the losers.

 

John 1:45-46

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon now expresses the complete lesson that revolves around the illustration of the two previous verses.

 

B.      He notes three things:

1.       Wisdom is better than strength.

a.       Strength often operates without any thought at all.  It believes that power alone can

      dominate.

b.   However, wisdom can outwit strength at times.  Wisdom thinks, plans, calculates,

      and has the ability to be flexible. 

2.       The poor man’s wisdom is despised.

a.   The poor man’s wisdom is despised because of severe misconceptions.  One of the

      misconceptions is that poor men are not wise.

b.   Nathnael’s view of Nazareth (John 1:45-46)

 

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.  And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

 

c.   What individuals fail to remember is that wisdom is wisdom regardless of who

      possesses it.  Wisdom can reside in the young, the obscure, the insignificant, the poor,

      and the uneducated.

d.   Sometimes those thought to be less wise are wiser than the “wise men.” (See Ps. 119:99-

      100.

 

I have more understanding than all my teachers:  for thy testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. 

 

3.       His words are not heard.

a..  Because a man is poor, he often shuffled off to the side or put in a corner.

b.   If he appears to be wiser than the “wise,” he makes them look like a fool. 

c..  All of us have probably experienced a situation where the advice of an employee on the

      job is rejected for the knowledge of a new college graduate who has just taken the

      position of manager.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 9:17 – The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

 

Thought:  One would think that a person who is “in charge” would be very wise.  One would assume that the words that he publicly proclaims to his followers come from knowledge and understanding.  This is not always the case.  Rulers have their talking points and agendas.  Little wisdom comes from their lips.  True wisdom is found in quiet places.  One or two words in quiet are worth more than ten thousand words of one that ruleth among fools.

 

I Samuel 25:23-34

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon notes that true wisdom is often found in quiet places and not in public before the masses.

1.       The old widow or widower who lives alone after having experienced years of living.

2.       The worker who is on the front line instead of being in the executive office.

3.       The person who lives in a rural area and makes many decisions based on common sense.

4.       The mother who knows the needs of her children and her family.

 

B.      One would think that the person who is in charge is a “wise man.”  His proclamations to his followers should come from knowledge and understanding.

 

C.     This is not always the case. 

1.       Some become rulers because of lineage.

2.       Some become rulers by overthrowing the throne of another.

3.       Some become rulers by means of deception.

4.       Some become rulers because the people simply rejected another.

5.       Some become rulers by playing the game with others who are also in charge.

6.       NOTE:  Being ambitious, determined, and ruthless does not mean the ruler is a wise person.

 

D.     There are some rulers who cry out, but they do so among fools.

1.       They have their “yes men” who would never go against them.

2.       They have their friends who are benefiting from them and would never cut off the hand that feeds them.

3.       They have their followers who are enamored by them and blindly follow.

4.       They have their followers who are committed to party or ideology and would never turn against these things.

5.       NOTE:  Individuals who fall into these groups often allow foolish men and women to remain in power to their detriment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 9:18 – Wisdom is better than weapons of war:  but one sinner destroyeth much good.

 

Thought:  We fail to understand the importance of wisdom.  Solomon says that wisdom is better than weapons of war.  The use of wisdom will allow us to conquer our enemies without firing a shot.  Sometimes it will enable us to make friends of our enemies.  The wise man also asserts another fact.  “One sinner destroyeth much good.”  Not many.  Not even two.  Just one sinner can destroy what is good, and, possibly, what has taken years to build.

 

Joshua 7:11-12

 

Commentary:

 

A.     In verse 16, Solomon said that wisdom is better than strength.  He now declares that wisdom is better than weapons of war.

 

B.      Good decisions made by those in leadership can nullify the threats of the enemy.

1.       The enemy may not be able to fire at all.

2.       The enemy may fire in the wrong direction.

3.       The enemy may fire upon their own people.

 

C.     How many times has an enemy planned, accumulated resources, and spent countless hours in planning, but was foiled because the wisdom of their opposition countered them by moving to another position away from the field of battle, or by flanking the enemy and winning the battle?

1.       The city of Troy was a well-fortified city.  “The city itself is described as sitting on a steep hill, protected by enormous sloping stone walls, rectangular towers, and massive gates whose wooden doors can be bolted shut” (Wikipedia, “Troy”).

2.       The Greek laid siege to Troy for 10 long years, but they could not penetrate her walls.

3.       They devised a plan:  Build a wooden horse as a trophy for the Trojans.  Leave one man behind to tell about the decision of the Greeks to depart.  Leave in the late afternoon hours so the Trojans could see them departing.

4.       But, about 40 warriors were hidden inside the horse.  In the late night hours, they exited the horse, opened the gates of the city and allowed the Greeks to enter into the city and conquer it.  They had returned during the darkness of night.

5.       Ten years of hard effort could not take the city.  A little wisdom allowed the city to be overcome in one evening.

 

D.     “…but one sinner destroyeth much good.”

1.       One sinner can destroy much good in a home (i.e., Adam and Eve, Gen. 3:1-6, an adulterer)

2.       One sinner can destroy much good in a church (i.e., fornicator at Corinth, 1 Cor. 5:1-2, false teacher).

3.       One sinner can destroy much good in a community.

4.       One sinner can destroy much good in a nation (i.e., Achan, Josh. 7:20-21).