Unconventional Proverbs

Eccles. 7:1-4

7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of all mankind,
and the living will lay it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

• How is a good reputation important to you?
  - How is it better than soothing medicine?
  - How can a bad reputation affect you physically and emotionally?
  
• Why is the day of a person's death better than the day of their birth to Solomon?
  - How might this be true for Christians today?
  
• Which would you prefer: a house of mourning or a house of feasting? Funeral or party?
  - How do funeral impact the living?
  - What should a funeral remind the living of?
  
• Why is sorrow better than laughter to Solomon?
  - How does laughter push aside reality?
  - Which is wiser, an honest appraisal of mortality or an attempt to escape facing mortality?

Futility of life, yet again

Eccles. 6:10-12

10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

• How can anyone truly give a name to something that already exists?
  - Who truly knows what man is?
  - Do you truly know what you are? Who does?
  
• Who is the stronger one that man cannot dispute against?
  - When have you disputed against someone stronger than you? How effective was your dispute?
  - When have you disputed against God?
  
• How can words increase the futility of a situation?
  - If words are of uncertain advantage to man, why do we use so many so carelessly?
  
• Who does know what is good for a man during his lifetime?
  - If man does not know, why do most people want to direct their lives as if they do know?
  - Who knows what will follow a person when they are gone?
  
• How futile are your efforts to direct, plan, and control your life under the sun?
  - Who does direct and control your life?
  - How often do you struggle against Him?

Harold's Musings:
I like to be in control of things that are important to me. There are plenty of things in my life that I am not that invested in and I don't care very much who controls them. However, those things that I consider most valuable…, well I want to make sure that things are done correctly. I am starting to loosen my grip on more and more of my important things, but there are plenty left. I have found that my belief that I can do it better than anyone else is unfounded. Control is in opposition of trust. Attempting to control life is just vanity,

Satisfaction and Appetite

Eccles. 6:7-9

7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. [1] 8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Footnotes[1] 6:7 Hebrew filled

• What do most people work for?
  - In your opinion, are most people generally satisfied with what they have?
  
• What new thing have you seen lately that you think you want to have?
  - In general, how long would you be satisfied by acquiring it?
  
• What do you have that you would like to replace with a new and improved version?
  - Does this need to be replaced or do you just want to replace it? How can you tell?
  
• Is your appetite for things ever really satisfied?
  - How do your eyes cause your heart problems?
  - Even if you wisely decide to not acquire something, do you still "see and desire" it?
  
• Is the problem of dissatisfaction limited to the fool and the rich?
  - How does a person learn to be fully satisfied in Christ instead of striving after wind?

Harold's Musings:
Yet another timeless observation from Solomon. If you want to feel dissatisfied, subscribe to a magazine about something you are interested in. If you are interested in cars, a car enthusiast magazine will produce feelings of desire for a different car. You new camera is perfectly adequate, but a photography magazine will quickly point out its flaws and why you need an even newer camera. We often bring our dissatisfaction on ourselves by looking for ways to stimulate our appetites. It is just foolish, vain, chasing of the wind.

Empty life is no better than No life

Eccles. 6:3-6

3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy [1] no good—do not all go to the one place?

Footnotes
[1] 6:6 Or see

• For an Israelite in Solomon's day, what would fathering 100 children signify?
  - What would living many years signify?
  - How are these external measures of a man's life inaccurate?
  
• From earlier passages, where does the problem of dissatisfaction originate?
  - Where does the ability or power to enjoy things come from?
  - What is the problem that the man in this passage has?
  
• How does Solomon describe a stillborn child?
  - Why does Solomon state that a stillborn baby is better off than the man in this passage?
  - Is an empty life, devoid of enjoyment and filled with dissatisfaction, be no better than no life at all? Why or why not?
  
• How does our understanding of heaven, hell, and the overall afterlife differ from that of Solomon and early Israelites?
  
• If God gives the power to enjoy your lot in life and your human desires are never really satisfied, who should you be trying to please: God or yourself?
  - Who do most people try to please?
  - What is their fate? Who is better off than them?

Harold's Musings:
When I read this passage in Ecclesiastes, I think of Elvis Presley and Howard Hughes. Both men had fame, fortune, women, power, and good looks. As we have learned more about their lives, we see that they were empty, striving after the wind. Elvis was probably the most recognized and famous personality of his day and he apparently worried every day that people would forget him. Howard Hughes spend the last years of his life in seclusion and in a form of luxurious squalor. Is it any wonder that many famous people wind up using drugs, alcohol, etc. just to get by in life. Thank you God for what you have given me.

God doesn't always give enjoyment

Ecces. 6:1-2

6:1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil.

• What is the evil under the sun that Solomon has seen?
  - Who does Solomon seem to attribute this "evil" to?
  - The Hebrew word means evil, misery, distress, or injury. How do the other translations help you grasp the passage?
  - Why is this misery so prevalent among men?
  - Why would God do this?
  
• What is a possible relationship between the man's soul and God's withholding joy?
  - What does the man's soul desire?
  - How is accepting your lot (Eccles. 5:19) different from having your soul's desires (v 2)?
  - How does this passage flesh out Eccles. 5:10?
  
• How frequently do you not enjoy life because your desires are misplaced?
  - Why would God not empower the full enjoyment of life to someone whose soul desires something other than God?
  - Is this a truth for today? Why or why not?

Harold's Musings:
Eccles. 5:10 - 6:10 describe our world in ways that are rather amazing. We see the same quest for our desires that results in discontent and disappointment. We are a nation of discontented people fueled by a media system that shows us what is wrong and advertises what could be better. No one is saying that God provides enjoyment in our lot in life. We are too often driven to advance ourselves rather than simply do the best job we can. We apparently love to watch reality TV shows where scheming, dishonesty, and selfishness are rewarded. And we wonder why we have so many unhappy, hurt people in the world. God told us thousands of years ago. It is vanity.

Enjoyment of life is a gift of God

Eccles. 5:16-20

16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment [1] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. 19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.

Footnotes
[1] 5:18 Or and see good

• How does the "good and fitting" contrast with the "grievous evil"?
  
• What is man's reward under the sun?
  - Does this apply to Christians today? Why or why not?
  
• Who gives man the power to enjoy his life?
  - What specific things are given?
  - How is the empowered person different from the miserly person in yesterday's passage?
  
• How is accepting one's toils as a gift from God different from seeking money and abundance?
  - Which can provide temporary happiness?
  - Which can provide lasting joy?
  
• Why is it important for Christians to remember that we are pilgrims here under the sun?
  - How does Matt. 6:19-34 expand on the thoughts of Eccles. 5:10-20?
  
• How often do you enjoy the life that God has given you?
  - How often do you complain about the life God has given you?
  - What is the basis of your complaints?
  - How often do you realize that enjoying life is a gift you have to accept?

Mortality and Riches

Eccles. 5:13-17

13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

• What is the purpose of hoarding riches?
  - What can happen to riches?
  - How effective is hoarding riches?
  - Why are riches a flimsy foundation to build an entire life on?
  - What are some specific ways that hoarding riches can hurt the owner?
  
• How often does your mortality come to mind?
  - How often does your mortality affect your daily actions?
  - How does your awareness of your mortality affect how your look at possessions? [v.15]
  
• What advantage is there in striving for riches under the sun?
  - How does a miserly attitude affect a person's enjoyment of life?
  - Who comes to mind when you read v. 17? (real or fictional)
  
• How do you approach your riches?
  - What riches do you have?
  - How might this passage apply to spiritual riches?
  - How can a person hoard their spiritual riches?
  - How happy is a person who hoards spiritual riches?
  - How happy is a person who shares his/her spiritual riches?

Harold's Musings:
This passage is a continuation from yesterday's, but this passage focuses on the hoarding of what you have. While money is the most obvious thing we can hoard, we have other riches that we keep to ourselves. If we have the joy of being in Christ and we hide it and keep it from others, what happens to the joy? We have every spiritual blessing but most of us keep them hidden and safely tucked away. What things like love, a smile, or a gracious word do you have that you are reluctant to share?

Money is empty

Eccles. 5:10-12

10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.

• When has this passage been realized in your life?
  - When have you wanted just a bit more income?
  - How soon afterwards did you want just a bit more income?
  
• Compare the amount of money "left over" at your first job to what is "left over" now?
  - What consumes your income?
  
• Why is love of money and abundance so dangerous spiritually?
  - Why is love of money and abundance a waste of time?
  - What things do you have that are valuable only to look at?
  - What wonderful, "gotta have it" things are setting in your garage, attic, basement, etc.?
  
• Why do riches cause loss of sleep?
  - What else might be involved beyond eating too much?
  - What does a rich person worry about that the working man does not?
  - How does the life of the working man encourage sleep?
  - How does the life of the rich man interfere with sleep?
  
• How do you rate yourself as a lover of money and abundance?
  - How would others rate you as a lover of money and abundance?
  - How would God rate you as a lover of money and abundance?

Harold's Musings:
Seems like a great passage to consider at this time of year. Enough said.

Chain of command and oppression

Eccles. 5:8-9

8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.

• Why did Solomon say you should not be shocked by injustice and oppression of the poor?
  
• What is the risk of bureaucracy?
  - Who do most people work to please: their employer or their customer?
  - How does trying to please a boss who is trying to please his/her boss cause stress?
  - Why is it easy to focus on pleasing one boss instead of pleasing a bunch of customers?
  
• Who is responsible for helping the poor?
  
• Who is responsible for assuring justice?
  
• How likely are the poor to be truly helped and justice truly dealt under the sun? Why?

Harold's Musings:
It is depressing to think that the poor must suffer for a country to be great. Yet if we honestly think about it, we know that it happens all the time. It is the line workers who provide the labor that makes a company great. It is the rank and file soldier that makes an army great. It is the average citizen that makes a country great. Yet each of these examples has layer upon layer of bureaucracy. Sometimes bureaucracy works, sometimes not. In general though, everyone is concerned about themselves and what the person over them thinks about their performance. If I need to fire someone to balance my budget, then they are gone, justice and righteousness aside. Heaven is looking even better and better.

Careful with your vows

Eccles. 5:4-7

4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you [1] into sin, and do not say before the messenger [2] that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; [3] but God is the one you must fear.

Footnotes
[1] 5:6 Hebrew your flesh
[2] 5:6 Or angel
[3] 5:7 Or For when dreams and vanities increase, words also grow many

• What was involved in an Israelite making a vow to God? [See Numbers 30, Deut. 23:21-23]
  
• What does Solomon call a person who is late in paying their vow to God?
  - Was a vow required or voluntary?
  - Why might a person make a vow to God?
  
• Which was better: no vow or broken vow?
  
• How could a person's speech cause them to sin?
  
• What might be the outcome a person's foolish vow?
  
• When have you foolishly committed to do something and not done it?
  - How often does this occur?
  - Why did you commit to do it?
  - What caused you to fail?
  - Could you have predicted the failure beforehand?
  
• When have you carelessly made a vow and broken it?
  - How often does this occur?
  - When have you done this to or before God?
  
• Why are dreams and many words empty?
  - How are they related to your fear of God?

Harold's Musings:
At work I have a really strong tendency to over commit. As I have gotten older, I've gotten a bit wiser and more likely to say "No", but it is a struggle. I don't usually consider these commitments vows, at least not in the same way as wedding vows. Yet if I stop to think about it, when I commit to do something I am essentially vowing to do it. We may do this before God. We promise God we will stop doing a particular sin. We don't state "try"; instead we promised to do. When we fail to stop (and we usually do fail to stop), we have now two sins: the problem sin and the broken promise. Once again God warns, be careful with your words.

Careful in God's Presence

Eccles. 5:1-3

5:1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.

• Why would Solomon caution his readers about how they went to the house/temple of God?
  - As a Christian you are a "brick" in the house of God. How might this passage speak to you?
  
• What was the recommended goal of going near the house of God?
  - How often do you go to God in prayer to tell Him something rather than to hear from Him?
  
• What might have been the sacrifice of fools?
  - Why is ignorance not always an excuse?
  
• How does v. 2 conflict with today's approach to prayer?
  - Is it wrong to lay every detail of life before God? Why or why not?
  - How might praying about life's details keep you from praying about more important things?
  - How might praying about life's details keep you from hearing God speak through his Word?
  - How might praying about life's details keep you aware of God's presence throughout the day?
  
• Eccles. 5:1-7, as a unit, address making vows before God. How often have you made a hasty, impulsive promise to God?
  - How often have you expected God to provide the effort for the promise you made to Him?
• In general, are you a person of many words or many actions?
  - Does this extend to your relationship with God?

Harold's Musings:
Realizing that I am a temple of God is one of the most important things I frequently forget. We like the tangible so we find it hard to recognize God's presence in our life. We want to feel something that says that God is there. We want to put the responsibility of knowing God's presence on God. We are often like the friend that complains that we do not call enough; yet they seldom make the call either. One attempt to know God's presence is to pray often throughout the day, which is great. How often do we actively listen for God? How often during our busy lives do we take the initiative to find where God is in our life? Like I said, I frequently forget the most important things.

Wisdom and popularity

Eccles. 4:13-16

13 Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. 14 For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that [1] youth who was to stand in the king's [2] place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Footnotes
[1] 4:15 Hebrew the second
[2] 4:15 Hebrew his

• Which is better: wisdom or experience? Why?
  - When might experience not produce wisdom?
  - Why is inexperience with willingness to learn better than "know-it-all" experience?
  
• Why might a poor, average person make a better king than one who inherits the kingdom?
  - Why do people under the sun seem to support any changes in leadership?
  - Why might people support the new young, common man king?
  
• Why might wisdom result in unpopularity under the sun?
  - Why do people under the sun frequently not appreciate wisdom?
  - Why is seeking popularity empty and chasing the wind?
  
• How does this passage somewhat foreshadow Jesus? [Note: It is not totally clean, but there are some interesting similarities.]

Harold's Musings:
I wish I better understood the context that Solomon was thinking of when he wrote this. I see a some of David replacing Saul, a king that did not take advice. I see a little of Joseph, who emerged from prison to essentially rule Egypt. I see Jesus, a man of humble status, receiving a king's welcome from the people who would soon want him killed. I see us today electing someone to political office and soon after complaining about them. Which are you chasing: wisdom or popularity?

Weakness of being alone

Eccles. 4:9-12

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

• What was God's evaluation after he made Adam? (Gen 2:18)
  
• What specific circumstances might this passage be talking about?
  
• What are the benefits of working with someone else on a job or task?
  
• Why is it more comforting to walk with someone at night instead of walking alone?
  
• Why can loneliness such a distressing feeling?
  
• Why would a person believe that God would want them to live as an isolated Christian?
  - What might be the underlying reasons for comments like, "I don't need church to be a Christian"?
  
• Why does Satan like to get us into real or perceived isolation?
  - In general, do you behave better around Christians or non-Christians?
  - If you spiritually fall around non-Christians, who is there to lift you up?
  - If you see a fellow Christian fall, how likely are you to lift him up or to walk away?

Harold's Musings:
To paraphrase an old saying, "People, can't live with them and can't live without them." As a mildly introverted, perfectionist, American male, I would generally rather do things for myself. I am willing to ask for help, after I have tried for too long to do it myself. While that might be OK for puttering around the house, it is not so safe in dangerous environments. If I were going to walk down a dark, probably dangerous street, I would want someone else with me. Well, the world in general is a dangerous place because Satan is roaming it. We foolishly thing we can deal with Satan one-on-one. How foolish! We need each other's help even if our self-reliant nature says we do not.

Why Work?

Eccles. 4:7-8

7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

• How does your commitment to family motivate you to work?
  
• Why do people work and accumulate wealth?
  - How often do you hear people mention plans to leave an inheritance for their children?
  - How often do you hear people just wanting things to have things?
  - Why is it common to not be satisfied by riches?
  
• How likely are you to work hard and not stop to enjoy life?
  - How often do you ask the question "For whom are I laboring?"
  - When is your labor vanity and chasing the wind?

Harold's Musings:
Here Solomon talks of a man with no dependents and has apparently put work into that void. Some of us have been guilty of putting work into the family's space, even when we have family. Solomon is pointing out that work for works sake is not worth it. Money for money's sake is not worth it. Neither is truly satisfying in the long run.

Envy and Rivalry

Eccles. 4:4-6

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

• How many scientific advances were the off-shoot of the "space race" or "arms race"?
  - Why did it take a "race" to produce the everyday advances that were eventually `seen?
  - Why weren't the everyday advances motivation enough?
  
• Why is competition a powerful motivator in many people?
  - What are some positive outcomes of competition and rivalry?
  - What are some negative outcomes of competition and rivalry?
  - Why is rivalry and competition vanity and chasing the wind?
  
• How often are you motivated by rivalry?
  - How strong is your competitive nature?
  - Which would produce your best performance: a comparison with yourself or with someone else?
  
• What is Solomon's view of rest?
  - What does it mean when a fool folds his hands?
  - Why is one hand full of rest better than two fists full of labor?
  - How do you achieve the balance between rest and labor?
  - How does your motivation help guide the balance?

My apologies

I have not posted in awhile and I apologize. It has been due to a combination of things; some of which could not be avoided, but some could have. I'll try to do better moving forward. Thanks for your patience and endurance.

Oppression

Eccles. 4:1-3

4:1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

• What do you consider oppression to be?
  - When have you been truly oppressed?
  - How do you feel when you see news accounts of oppression of various forms?
  
• What are some of the acts of oppression that Solomon probably saw?
  - How different are things today?
  - How do government programs impact oppression in this country?
  
• What was the troubling thing about the oppressed people that Solomon saw?
  - What comfort do you have that those people did not? See 2 Co 1
  - Where do most people today seek their comfort from oppression?
  
• Would you agree with v. 3 today? Why or why not?
  
• Why is life under the sun so oppressive?
  - How does your life under the sun help you long for life above the sun?

Harold's Musings:
I get upset when I see, hear, or read about the atrocities that occur in other countries. This passage expresses my feelings. I think I feel safe to be upset with that oppression because I really cannot do anything about it. I'm less sensitive to the oppression around me. Even when I hear of something locally, I am comfortable that the authorities will deal with it. Thanks to my wife, I am more involved with things that happen outside my family (church and physical). Perhaps we should all see the oppression around us and merely help. Perhaps we will truly be a light to the world.