Ecclesiastes 4 Commentary
The oppressed have no comforter, so laments the teacher. Of course, this scripture contradicts the fact that the LORD God is a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows.
But this statement of fact shines a light on humanity’s hopeless situation. The hope is that humanity begins to see the need for salvation.
We are in the greatest danger when we think we can solve our own problems. Ecclesiastes is written to discount all hope and show it as it exactly is. The oppressor has power and zero love.
All achievements spring from one person’s envy of another. Verse 4. Isn’t the scripture calling the saint to examine her ambitions? How terrible to discover that envy and greediness have motivated your efforts! Meaningless! A chase after wind!
But it’s foolishness not to work at all. The scripture commands “less” with the peace of the LORD than “more” with wickedness.
Relentless ambition, all work with zero care for anything else, and fatty income; this too is meaningless. What for? Who hasn’t been at this point? The teacher called it a punishment from the LORD. Comparable with a mule chasing a carrot it can never get!
This chapter showcases the author’s style, quick switching from poetry to straight teaching. Two are better than one. It is a no-brainer! A careful reader will, however, see more. The author has brilliantly driven us to this section with one point in mind.
The first section laments the fate of the oppressed. They don’t have a comforter. And then there was a man all alone. He had neither son nor brother. The talk of men’s achievement being motivated by envy may yet point to the same thing. There is a lack of a standard on the other side – a companion, a hero to look up to. A standard measure of character.
This chapter has exposed man’s need for a companion. Genesis would call it the image – the standard by which both the person and the character should be judged. The man Jesus Christ fits the bill. An individual must wake up every morning thinking of this hero.
The last section may yet again expose the folly of human wisdom. Yes, it makes sense in time, but ultimately, it boils down to nothingness. What is wise today may not be wise tomorrow. The old king is kicked out for lacking wisdom. The new and young king takes his place. But he is viewed as an old king by the new generation and suffers the fate of the ‘old’ king. The loop continues.
A great product that makes you ‘walk the moon’ today will earn you a nickname tomorrow. Meaningless. Yes. A chase after wind. If we can see it for what it is, then this book will have achieved its purpose.
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