"THEN. LOOKED AGAIN AT ALL THE ACTS OF OPPRESSION WHICH WERE BEING DONE UNDER THE SUN. AND BEHOLD. SAW THE TEARS OF THE OPPRESSED AND THAT THEY HAD NO ONE TO COMFORT THEM; AND ON THE SIDE OF THEIR OPPRESSORS WAS POWER, BUT THEY HAD NO ONE TO COMFORT THEM."I LOOKED AGAIN" -Solomon once again returns... [ Continue Reading ]
"SO. CONGRATULATED THE DEAD WHO ARE ALREADY DEAD MORE THAN THE LIVING WHO ARE STILL LIVING.... [ Continue Reading ]
"BUT BETTER OFF THAN BOTH OF THEM IS THE ONE WHO HAS NEVER EXISTED, WHO HAS NEVER SEEN THE EVIL ACTIVITY THAT IS DONE UNDER THE SUN." Points To Note: 1 If this life is all there is, then it would be better not to be born, then to experience the pain and suffering that this life has to offer. 2. No... [ Continue Reading ]
"AND. HAVE SEEN THAT EVERY LABOR AND EVERY SKILL WHICH IS DONE IS THE RESULT OF RIVALRY BETWEEN. MAN AND HIS NEIGHBOR. THIS TOO IS VANITY AND STRIVING AFTER WIND." "is done is the result of rivalry" -"that the basic motive for success is the driving force of envy and jealousy" (Tay). Points To Not... [ Continue Reading ]
"THE FOOL FOLDS HIS HANDS AND CONSUMES HIS OWN FLESH." If hard work and diligence bring success, but with negative side effects, then should we sink into apathy and let things slide? "folds his hands" (Prov. Ecclesiastes 6:10; Ecclesiastes 24:33-34). That is, places his hands upon his chest, instead... [ Continue Reading ]
"ONE HAND FULL OR REST IS BETTER THAN TWO FISTS FULL OF LABOR AND STRIVING AFTER WIND"."ONE HAND FULL OF REST" -"Better is. handful with rest, than both fists full of toil and chasing after wind" (Ber). "The beautiful expression, _a handful of quietness_. manages to convey the twofold thought of mod... [ Continue Reading ]
"THEN. LOOKED AGAIN AT VANITY UNDER THE SUN.... [ Continue Reading ]
"THERE WAS. CERTAIN MAN WITHOUT. DEPENDENT, HAVING NEITHER. SON NOR. BROTHER, YET THERE WAS NO END TO ALL HIS LABOR. INDEED, HIS EYES WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH RICHES AND HE NEVER ASKED, 'AND FOR WHOM. AM LABORING AND DEPRIVING MYSELF OF PLEASURE?' THIS TOO IS VANITY AND IT IS. GRIEVOUS TASK."A CERTAI... [ Continue Reading ]
"TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE BECAUSE THEY HAVE. GOOD RETURN FOR THEIR LABOR."BETTER" -There is something 'better' then the poverty of the loner. All too often friendships and real companionship, and. good marriage is sacrificed by those frantically wanting to get to the top. Whatever the outward success... [ Continue Reading ]
"FOR IF EITHER OF THEM FALLS, THE ONE WILL LIFT UP HIS COMPANION. BUT WOE TO THE ONE WHO FALLS WHEN THERE IS NOT ANOTHER TO LIFT HIM UP." The person who can't trust anyone or is suspect towards those trying to reach out to him, will find that his wealth is. poor comforter. Money and things cannot p... [ Continue Reading ]
"FURTHERMORE, IF TWO LIE DOWN TOGETHER THEY KEEP WARM, BUT HOW CAN ONE BE WARM ALONE?" But it is obvious that the miser could buy all the blankets he needed. But there is. warmth that money can't buy. The warmth of another human being is real, and not artificial. In addition, this verse could be mo... [ Continue Reading ]
"AND IF ONE CAN OVERPOWER HIM WHO IS ALONE, TWO CAN RESIST HIM.. CORD OF THREE STRANDS IS NOT QUICKLY TORN APART." Companionship also brings with it protection and security. "While numbers, wrongly related, can be divisive or disastrous….in their right form they can not only add to the benefits of... [ Continue Reading ]
"A POOR, YET WISE LAD IS BETTER THAN AN OLD AND FOOLISH KING WHO NO LONGER KNOWS HOW TO RECEIVE INSTRUCTION." Points To Note: 1 In addition to wealth, high place and fame doesn't offer any real security either. Popularity is never permanent. 2. The "wisdom" of the young man appears to be in his wi... [ Continue Reading ]
"FOR HE HAS COME OUT OF PRISON TO BECOME KING, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS BORN POOR IN HIS KINGDOM."HE" -There is some disagreement as to whether the individual here is the old and foolish king or the youth who replaced him. 1. The youth may have been imprisoned because the old king feared him as. political... [ Continue Reading ]
"I HAVE SEEN ALL THE LIVING UNDER THE SUN THRONG TO THE SIDE OF THE SECOND LAD WHO REPLACES HIM." The second lad is the young lad mentioned in Ecclesiastes 4:13. "Solomon places himself in the position of. spectator, and marks how numerous are the adherents who flock around the youthful king" (P.P.... [ Continue Reading ]
"THERE IS NO END TO ALL THE PEOPLE, TO ALL WHO WERE BEFORE THEM, AND EVEN THE ONES WHO WILL COME LATER WILL NOT BE HAPPY WITH HIM, FOR THIS TOO IS VANITY AND STRIVING AFTER WIND." "the ones who will come later will not be happy with him" -What. contrast! "In one short breath one reads of the multit... [ Continue Reading ]