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Ecclesiastes 6 Commentary

Wealth Is Not the Goal of Life

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KEY THOUGHT: For what more has the wise man than the fool?  [Ecclesiastes 6:8a NKJV]

Kindly read your Bible before going through the commentary!

Ecclesiastes 6 NKJV

Wealth Is Not the Goal of Life

6 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil [a]affliction.

3 If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a [b]stillborn child is better than he— 4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. 5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?

7 All the labor of man is for his mouth,
And yet the soul is not satisfied.
8 For what more has the wise man than the fool?
What does the poor man have,
Who knows how to walk before the living?
9 Better is [c]the sight of the eyes than the wandering of [d]desire.
This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

10 Whatever one is, he has been named already,
For it is known that he is man;
And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity,
How is man the better?

12 For who knows what is good for man in life, [e]all the days of his [f]vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?

Footnotes

a. Ecclesiastes 6:2 disease
b. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Or miscarriage
c. Ecclesiastes 6:9 What the eyes see
d. Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit. soul
e. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit. the number of the days
f. Ecclesiastes 6:12 futile

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Ecclesiastes 6 Commentary

In your youth, the digestive system is in its best shape! The appetite is greatest. But there is no food. The moment you can buy your own food and can choose when to eat it, the doctor shows up with countless restrictions. Your teeth begin to fall out, and your appetite begins to fail.

This is life under the sun. Yes, under the sun, not under the Son!

Those with the gift of enjoying life don’t have the goods. Those with the goods don’t have the gift of enjoying their success. Yes, life under the sun!

You cannot win. The author calls it punishment – the LORD God deliberately subjecting creation to frustration, anger, and conflict in the hope that creation begins to see the need for the Messiah.
Romans 8:20

Does it make any difference, being wise or foolish? The fate is the same: the grave.

Like in the other sections of this book, wisdom here refers to human cleverness. It will get you a good job and possibly increase your chances of advancement. But what is that for?

We all share the same destiny, wise or foolish. The grave awaits both. Isn’t the stillborn better off since it doesn’t have to undergo this trouble?

Ecclesiastes preaches the gospel in a deep but direct way. The life we know is useless. It is a chase after the wind. Meaningless. This volume exposes all pretensions and underlines the importance of seeking the life-giver. There should be more to life. It is the thought that constantly provokes the reader to reflect.

In view of all these conflicts and smoke, who knows how to live? Who knows what is good for anyone? Who is wise enough to decode the meaning of life?

The author gives us an important hint. Enjoy your food. In the context of the Old Testament, even within this very book, this is “mission impossible”. He won’t allow you to enjoy it, and that’s by design!

However, there is bread on the table – the bread of life. Is this chapter anticipating the feast of the LORD Jesus Christ?

There is a meal that the LORD actually allows you to enjoy. You can have both: possess it and enjoy it. It is the bread of life. Actually, the Bread of Life.

The reference to the brevity of our days is a strong statement that caps off human lamentations in this book. Miserable and short are the days the LORD has allocated to each individual. The same thought is repeated in Psalm 90. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan.

Ecclesiastes doesn’t want you to have gray areas. Think all the way. Debate the last line. Explore all life spaces. Don’t get scared to say it. Go ahead and say it. Life is meaningless. A chase after the wind. Smoke. Useless. Vanity and futility. Empty and nothingness. Utterly meaningless. Yes, all of this, but for what?

Let the atheist ask all the questions, not just one set of questions. The “religion” they know is vanity; what about the nothingness or the science they believe in – is it not also vanity?  This book says they are all vanity. Ask all the questions! The scripture answers them all!

Loving Scripture….

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24 thoughts on “Home”

  1. It has been exciting learning how God can make things happen to his choosen one, God workout something wonderful and fulfils the promises he made to the father of Joseph.

    God’s words remains true so are his promises and indeed it has been God working out the salvation of man Kind by Grace through Faith alone.

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  11. Profound. My life needs a new introduction to God. Not that I have been right, but because God desires to help me… I see an amazing Grace here. Having broken the first commandment, still God looks for me and helps me to build up with him… And live for him. A littles knowledge of the Lord will ignite my passion and desire to serve him. This morning I pledge to seek, live and serve the Lord Jesus Christ and His purposes everyday of my life.
    Beautiful lesson

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  12. The Lord reintroduces himself and shows Israel, He is all they need. Some boast in horses and others in chariots but we’ll boast in the Lord. He is able and the only one worthy of our trust. Lord teach me how to always look up to you at all times and not focus on my strength or capabilities. This is my prayer

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  14. This far too common today. Just do something that seems like true worship yet it’s intent and actual practice is not even close to the set standard by the Lord. I personally feel challenged of some things we do in our personal lives, the focus of many churches and ministries today. We’ll need to realize the Lord must be worship as he has personally guided. Provides a good start of my reflection today

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  15. In those days when there was no King everyone did as they pleased. This is a good reminder to us that we are on own when the King of Kings isn’t leading our lives we’ll be doing what is not right and the results will show clearly how life without Christ looks like. We thank God that even when it looks like he’s not there, he’s behind the scenes working. I have learnt to trust in the Lord always.

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  16. Iam seeing this being stressed… There was no King in Israel… So lawlessness is the order of the day. This shows how heartless and wicked man can be with out the right King in his life. He can do anything. May the Lord help us to allow Christ in our lives that every aspect of our lives is changed and we yield ourselves to him alone.

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  17. I’m sure as the two daughters in-law stayed in Naomi’s home they learned about the God of Israel and appreciated His works among his people. Ruth’s determination and what she says moves my heart. She’s convinced she must go with Naomi and wants to spend her life with her, this relationship was strong especially between a mother inlaw and a daughter in-law. Yet Ruth stays and how she puts it shows the depth of her heart, I’ll go with with you, your people will be my people, your God will be my God…

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