Rewards under the sun

Eccles. 9:7-9

7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. 8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

• How do you approach your daily life?
  
• How often do you truly enjoy the life you have?
  
• How often are you happy with the food and drink that God has given you?
  
• How often do you dress in a manner that shows your cheerfulness?
  
• How often do you enjoy life with your spouse?
  
• How long are you to love your spouse?
  
• Which are you more inclined to do: enjoy what you have been given or complain about what you don't have?
  
• If God chooses to not give you what you want in life, what is your response to Him?
  
• Where does the happiness, cheerfulness, and enjoyment originate?
  
• Do you agree with the statement that a person chooses to be happy? Why or why not?
  
• In this passage, what is the reward in life that God gives?
  
• What is our reward in Christ?
  
• Which would you rather have?

Harold's Musings:
Once again Solomon points out that the enjoyment that we have in our life under the sun is from God. There is a commercial playing now that talks about society says to just change the things in you do not like in your life and asks where the commitment is. This passage speaks strongly about commitment to your spouse. The handsome guy you married has developed "Dunlop's Disease", i.e. his belly dun lop over his belt. The beautiful woman you chased and caught has some habits around the house that drive you crazy. We as humans seem to look for faults rather than jewels in life. We see weaknesses, not strengths. God says here to enjoy what you can enjoy and that includes your spouse. Oh, and don't think that the "whom you love" clause is a loophole. It is not.

Life over death

Eccles. 9:4-6

4 But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished, and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

• For one under the sun, how is living better than death?
  - What do the dead no longer have?
  - What perishes with the dead?
  
• How does knowing that you will die change how you live?
  - How might this knowledge lead to an unrighteous life?
  - How might this knowledge lead to a righteous life?
  - How is this knowledge futile if you do not have eternal hope in Christ?
  
• Why is focusing your life on what happens here under the sun like chasing the wind?
  - How does your hope in Christ change your focus?
  - Why is it easy to let your life under the sun to receive more focus than it should?

Same for all

Eccles. 9:2-3

2 It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, [1] to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Footnotes
[1] 9:2 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks and the evil

• In Solomon's day, what was considered the reward for righteous living?
  
• What was Solomon's prior conclusion as to length of life for the wicked and the righteous?
  
• Prior to the coming of Christ, what hope did the righteous have?
  
• What is the outcome for all people who live under the sun?
  
• Why will some people spend far more money than they have to live another 6 mo to 1 yr?
  
• If all die and that is it, what motivation is there to do what is right?
  
• If long life were the sole reward for righteous living, how righteously would you live?
  
• How did the coming of Christ change the situation described here?
  
• What new hope was available?
  
• What bondage did death have on mankind?
  
• How did the new hope, freedom, and reward help the heart?

In God's Hands

Eccles. 9:1

9:1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him.

• How often do you want control over your life?
• In what ways do you try to exert control over your life?
• How important is control to you?
  
• What motivates your level of control over life?
  
• How does knowing that you and your deeds are in the hands of God impact you?
  
• How often do you struggle with your "need" for control and the faith to let God control?
  
• In what ways do you get frustrated with God's control?
  
• How often has God been wrong in your eyes?
  
• Why is trust necessary to let God truly control?

Cannot discover all that has been done

Eccles. 8:16-17

16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

• Why is it impossible to know everything that happens?
  - How much time would it require just to truly know everything your family did yesterday?
  - What would be happening during the time you were learning about yesterday?
  - How does considering the struggle of knowing just one day influence your view of God who does know all that happens?
  
• Why does mankind strive to know and understand everything that God has done?
  - What are some good motives for seeking to understand what God has done?
  - What are some not so good motives for seeking to understand what God has done?
  - Why do people want to take away God's credit for doing what He has done?
  - How many different scientific disciplines are there?
  - How many scientists are involved with each discipline?
  - How does knowing that they cannot learn all that God has done influence your view of God who knows all and has created it all?
  
• Why might someone say that s/he knows something?
  - Why would someone want to know everything that is going on around them?
  - How is faith involved in not striving to know everything that happens?

Harold's Musings:
God through Solomon said that we cannot do it, but in today's world many of us try. Once upon a time, I received a number of work related publications each week. I diligently tried to read the pertinent articles. Eventually I diligently tried to read the headlines. Now they stack up on my desk. Along the way, I subscribed to eZines to get the information in my email. I spamed myself. I now use RSS readers to control when I check the news. All of this is just so I can feel like I know what is going on. On the other side, putting my head in the proverbial sand and knowing nothing is neither wise nor healthy. The problem lies within me and within the world that expects us to know. I see some more wind to chase.

Injustice

Eccles. 8:14-15

14 There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. 15 And I commend joy, for man has no good thing under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.

• How important is justice to you?
  - How upset do you get when you see wrongdoing go unpunished?
  - How upset do you get when good deeds are unrewarded?
  - Which do you feel the most strongly about?
  - In life under the sun how much justice should you expect?
  
• What does Solomon commend to a man living under the sun?
  - Do you think he is recommending hedonistic lifestyle? Why or why not?
  
• Which of the following is more beneficial to man under the sun and why?
  - worrying about various injustices
  - enjoying the life you have
  
• How does looking at your life as something God gave you help your point of view?

Harold's Musings:
I once read that man wants justice for others and mercy for himself. Our society seems to be enthralled with "bad boys", especially those who get away with something against authorities. As a society we want to define injustice on an individual basis. "It is ok to give copies of my CD's to my friends because the music companies are making too much money on them." Translation: it is ok for me to steal but not for the company to overcharge. The company wants justice. The person claims what they are doing is just. Without God's Word as a standard, justice is close to being imaginary.

Influence of Wickedness

Eccles. 8:10-13

10 Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised [1] in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity. 11 Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.
Footnotes
[1] 8:10 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate; most Hebrew manuscripts forgotten

• Why would it be futile to forget those who were wicked and died?
  - What impact does remembering past evil as evil have on today's choices?
  - Why are some wicked persons remembered as wicked and others become "myths"?
  
• How should wickedness be dealt with?
  - What are the consequences of allowing evil or wickedness to continue?
  - What is the ultimate deterrent for most wicked people?
  - Why is "going to hell" of little concern to a wicked person?
  
• Why is it well for a person to fear God openly?
  - In what ways do you fear God?
  - Why is it spiritually healthy to sometimes be afraid of God?
  - Why is more spiritually healthy to not have to be afraid of God?
  - Which would you rather have: a long life under the sun or an eternity in heaven?

Harold's Musings:
Every so often I look around and marvel at how low our morality has sunk. A part of me says that this is as low as it has ever been. Then I bump into some historical reference and realize we have a ways to go to get to the bottom. The one thing we have today that past generations did not is an incredibly high level of communications. When a famous actress or singer gets out of her car and someone sees up her skirt, it is known to anyone who was interested in minutes to hours. Not so in the past. The evil that once was considered evil is now grain for the media mill. Things that were once covered up in shame are broadcast to the widest audience. The influence of yesterday's evil will be felt in tomorrow's lifestyle. Things that are worthy of praise are considered useless. Things that are worthy of condemnation are made public. Even horrible events are broadcast, streamed, and published. It is just empty.

Trouble Comes

Eccles. 8:5-9

5 Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. 6 For there is a time and a way for everything, although man's trouble [1] lies heavy on him. 7 For he does not know what is to be, for who can tell him how it will be? 8 No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it. 9 All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.

Footnotes
[1] 8:6 Or evil

• How can a wise man best avoid trouble?
  - How does knowing when to ask or when to do help avoid trouble?
  - How does knowing the best way to do things help avoid trouble?
  - Why does it take wisdom to know the best time and procedure?
  
• Why is it impossible to completely avoid trouble?
  - How might knowing when trouble is coming help to avoid it?
  - Who can control misfortunes and calamities regardless of their earthly power?
  
• What was Solomon's conclusion about authorities after considering life under the sun?
  - Although a ruler can make a subject's life miserable, how much control does the ruler really have?
  
• Why do people seek to achieve positions of authority?
  - How do their motives influence what they accomplish?

Harold's Musings
It is interesting how God allows human authority and rule, even when it is harmful to man. He even allows man to set himself up as a near-god figure, and does not directly smack him down. He does not even hint at opposition or rebellion against an unworthy ruler. Solomon states that a wise man will not experience trouble if he obeys the rules. We know that the apostles had trouble when they taught about Jesus, notably by breaking the rule. Christians would eventually be severely persecuted for not worshiping the Caeser. It is important to realize that there are under the sun things and in God's eyes things. Under the sun you protect yourself by obeying every rule. In God's eyes you do what the true Lord wants you to do. Trouble will come. Who do you want to please?

Wisdom and Authorities

Eccles. 8:1-4

8:1 Who is like the wise?
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
A man's wisdom makes his face shine,
and the hardness of his face is changed.

2 I say: [1] Keep the king's command, because of God's oath to him. [2] 3 Be not hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he does whatever he pleases. 4 For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, “What are you doing?”

Footnotes
[1] 8:2 Hebrew lacks say
[2] 8:2 Or because of your oath to God

• How does a man's wisdom make him shine?
  - When you have gained insight into something to the point that it made you smile?
  - When has gaining wisdom changed you completely?
  
• Why should you obey the governing authorities?
  - Do you routinely feel uncomfortable around people in authority? Why or why not?
  - What should you do when the governing authorities are doing something wrong?
  
• Why is it not wise to put your faith in earthly rulers, governments, and politics?
  - Why does God allow unrighteous and evil earthly rulers, governments, and politics?
  

Lousy Results

Eccles. 7:27-29

27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— 28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

• What had Solomon been seeking?
• What had he been investigating?
  
• What was Solomon's discovery?
• How common is uprightness among mankind under the sun?
  
• Some authors have suggested that v. 28 uses a literary device to emphasize the inclusiveness of Solomon's discovery.
  - What do you think of his "results"?
  
• What is the source of mankind's unrighteousness?
  - How did God make mankind?
  
• The word schemes is also translated invention. Other translations use devices.
  - Why does mankind seek out unrighteous ways and means?
  
• When have you thought that mankind's behavior couldn't get any worse?
• Why is it hard sometimes to remember that God made all mankind to be upright?

Harold's Musings:
Solomon is continuing his search for wisdom mentioned yesterday. Remember he started the book looking at wisdom, pleasure, labor, fame, etc. and his early results are in. There is no clear scheme of things, no system to explain why things are the way they are. A good man is hard to come by. His experience with over a thousand women has been less successful. The really interesting point is in v. 29. God made man upright, but man invents his own schemes. God may have a plan that is truly wise, but mankind will follow its own path. Sounds terribly familiar, doesn't it? Even in areas where God has given us clear instruction, mankind says that those instructions are just suggestions. This passage is a precursor to Romans 3:9-23. Mankind is just unable to be righteous on its own. Praise God for His mercy in sending His Son.

Worse than death

Eccles. 7:23-26

23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. 24 That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? 25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness. 26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.

• Why is it harder to be wise than you want it to be?
  - Why is wisdom so hard to obtain?
  - What did Solomon do in his attempt to gain wisdom?
  
• Why is considering folly, foolishness, and unreasonable behavior necessary to gain wisdom?
  - Why is knowledge, i.e. facts and explanations, useful in gaining wisdom?
  - What is the difference between wisdom and great knowledge?
  
• How does the past serve as a storehouse for learning from past mistakes?
  - How well do you remember the motivations and internal drives that resulted in some foolishness of yours five years ago?
  
• What is more bitter than death?
  - What sort of woman is Solomon describing?
  - Why is this sort of woman so dangerous?
  
• In our more gender neutral society, could Solomon find a similar sort of man?
  - What sort of man might Solomon describe?
  - Why would this sort of man be so dangerous?

Harold's Musings:
I really do want to be wise. I want to know a lot of things, as well as how to use that knowledge effectively. I really want to know how things work. I truly understand how Solomon felt about it being far off and very deep. As soon as I learn one thing and move to another, things change with the first thing. Yet another wind to chase. On a different thread, I realize Solomon picked out a woman as the thing more bitter than death. With as many women as he had in his life, I suspect he had some experience here. I cannot help but believe in our time evil hearted, entrapping men are to be avoided as well. Ladies, what do you think? Have you seen such men in your lives?

More Proverbs

Eccles. 7:19-22

19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.

• Why does wisdom strengthen a wise man?
  - How might wisdom not strengthen a foolish man?
  
• Which do you tend to rely on: your wisdom, your strength and abilities, or God?
  - Which of these is the wisest choice and why?
  
• Why is it wise to realize no one is continually good and never sins?
  - Why is it wise to realize you are not continually good and never sin?
  - Why is this not an excuse for your behavior, i.e. "everybody sins so what is the big deal"?
  - When have you felt proud of your righteousness?
  - When have you felt personally good about your righteousness?
  
• Why is it easy to forget your faults when you are judging others?
  - How does grading sins or being selective about sin let you judge others?
  - How does a wise person deal with another person's sinful behavior?
  - How do you deal with another person's sinful behavior?
  
• How thick is your skin when it comes to others insults and wrongs against you?
  - What is more important to you: the wrong done to you or their relationship to God?
  - Why should you expect someone in the world to treat you righteously?
  - Is this expectation chasing the wind?

Too righteous nor too wicked

Eccles. 7:15-18

15 In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. 16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.

• What is the context of Solomon's observation here?
  - Is this an under the sun observation or a spiritual observation?
  
• What was the relationship between length of life and righteousness in Deuteronomy?
  - What was supposed to happen to a wicked person?
  
• What was the apparent reason to be righteous?
  - Why would an "early" death of a righteous person have been considered futile?
  
• What are the risks of extreme righteousness and wisdom?
  - How does ruin result from extreme righteousness?
  - Is this an under the sun observation or a spiritual observation?
  
• What are the risks of extreme wickedness and foolishness?
  - How does death result from extreme wickedness?
  - Is this an under the sun observation or a spiritual observation?
  
• What are the problems of extremism?
  - What are the risks of focusing on your current grace-given righteousness without remembering your wicked past?
  - What are the risks of focusing on your wicked past without remembering your current grace-given righteousness?

Harold's Musings:
This is a difficult one. I accept that this is Solomon's under the sun viewpoint, but it sort of make my teeth set on edge. For my little mind to manage this, I see the reprobate on one side and the stereotypical Pharisee on the other. One is too wicked, a person caught in their own desires. One is too righteous, a person caught up in their own desires. While we can be wicked on our own, we cannot be righteous on our own. We can get so caught up in being righteous that we start to believe that we are in fact righteous. Or we get caught up in our failure to be righteous that we destroy ourselves and slide into to wickedness. I think the lesson is to avoid the extremes and fear God.

Consider God's Work

Eccles. 7:13-14

13 Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? 14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.

• How often do you think that things should be good for you because you are a Christian?
  - Why is it sometimes easy to believe the "good-time gospel", i.e. doing right gets happiness?
  
• How often do you complain about things in life?
  - When you complain, who are you complaining about?
  
• Who is able to straighten what God has bent?
  - How does this passage challenge you to depend on God and His wisdom?
  - How do you feel knowing that God makes adversity as well as prosperity?
  
• Why do the big changes in life seem to be very unexpected?
  - Why is it important for man to not know the future?
  - How would your life be different if you could know the future?
  - Which would you choose as your future: prosperity without God or adversity with God?

Advantages of Wisdom

Eccles. 7:11-12

11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.
12 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

• Which is more important: wisdom or inheritance? Why?
  - Which appears to be more important to those under the sun?
  
• How is wisdom protection?
  - How is money protection?
  - How does wisdom preserve its owner's life?
  - How effective is money at preserving its owner's life?
  
• Which do you find your self striving for more often: Wisdom or money?

Harold's Musings:
Being sick is not fun. How's that for an obvious piece of wisdom? For the past week, I've had a very bad cold. So bad that I stayed home from work Friday and Monday. People at work thought I had to be in the hospital to miss two days of work. When I'm sick, I am not very wise. I cannot think straight or my thinking is as least fuzzy. I hope this is clear enough. Maybe I'll be more clear tomorrow.

Beginning, Middle, or End

Eccles. 7:8-10

8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,
and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.
10 Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

• Why is the end better than the beginning?
  - Which do you prefer: starting new projects or finishing a project?
  
• Which are you more inclined to have: a patient spirit or a haughty spirit?
  - How prone are you to become angry and irritated?
  - Would others consider you eager to get angry?
  - How is the nature of your spirit related to your eagerness to become angry?
  - Why is becoming easily angry or irritated a problem? How does it adorn Christ?
  
• How much selective memory do you have when remembering "how it used to be"?
  - Why might you become attached to a time or place as the "good old days"?
  - Why is it unwise to ask "Why were the good old days better than today?"
  - What does your appraisal of how things are reflect your appraisal of God's control?

Harold's Musings:
I am a creative being. I am energized by considering, planning, and creating a new project. While I like finishing a project and looking at the accomplishment, I don't particularly like the middle when my best laid plans start to unravel. The worst is afterwards as I start to dry up inside when I have to go into maintenance mode. I have a fairly large number of partially finished projects in my life. I have almost countless projects planned. I struggle with liking the beginning more than its end. I struggle with the patience to "get 'r dun" and, while I have a better handle on my anger than earlier in my life, it is setting under the surface. Once again, God through Solomon points his finger at me.

The Sound of Fools

Eccles. 7:5-7

5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of the fools;
this also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression drives the wise into madness,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.

• When recently have you thought about wanting a carefree life?
  - When recently have the pressures of daily life pushed you into making unwise decisions?
  
• When have you been rebuked for some unwise or even ungodly behavior or attitude?
  - How well did you receive the rebuke?
  - When have you received rebukes and responded wisely?
  - When have you received rebukes and responded foolishly?
  - What made the difference between the two?
  
• How long do twigs or small limbs burn?
  - Why would you not want to use twigs or small limbs as your primary source of fuel?
  - Why does Solomon compare this type of fuel with the pleasure/laughter of fools?
  - Why would you want to choose the laughter of fools?
• What is the risk of unending/unyielding pressure?
  - Who have you known that has "broken" under the oppression of life?
  - In what ways might a wise man "go mad"?
  - How might the pressure of money cause a form of madness?
  - Who or what do you turn to for comfort from life's oppression?

Harold's Musings:
In the computer world, there is a saying, "The nice thing about standards; there are so many to choose from." In life, the nice thing about experts is that there are so many to choose from. The shelves of the bookstores have a wide selection of experts to choose from. If you do not like what is there today, wait a few weeks and look again. Christian booksellers have found that people want an expert to tell them what to do. Authors have found ways to scratch that itch. Be careful that you are not trying to cook a meal over a pile of twigs.