The book of Job is poetry not narrative and in the English it does not necessarily read as well as it could. Try reading this epic poem in a version of the Bible like the New Living Translation which I am quoting here, as it gives the speeches and poetry more flow.
We don’t know who wrote the book but it is probably not Job himself. Maybe Elihu? Or Moses? What about Solomon? We don’t know if the record is exactly what the people involved said or is it the gist of their arguments? Holy men of God wrote what God showed them to write and the scene in heaven at the beginning argues for someone who is very conversant with God and the Hebrew scriptures. Remember that the timeframe of this book predates the Law of Moses and the OT writings, but is very complimentary with them.
In today’s chapters Job continues to proclaim his innocence, and the comforters continue to reason with him from their human logic and understanding of God. Job does not disagree with their logic, but protests that he does not deserve God’s punishment because he has not sinned.
Job 21:1-6(NLT) Job’s Seventh Speech: A Response to Zophar 1 Then Job spoke again: 2 “Listen closely to what I am saying. That’s one consolation you can give me. 3 Bear with me, and let me speak. After I have spoken, you may resume mocking me. 4 “My complaint is with God, not with people. I have good reason to be so impatient. 5 Look at me and be stunned. Put your hand over your mouth in shock. 6 When I think about what I am saying, I shudder. My body trembles.
Job 21:34 34 “How can your empty clichés comfort me? All your explanations are lies!”
Job 22:1-5(NLT) Eliphaz’s Third Response to Job 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: 2 “Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him? 3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect? 4 Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you? 5 No, it’s because of your wickedness! There’s no limit to your sins.
Human logic demands that there is cause and effect in this life, even in our relationship with God. We continue to try to justify our own selves by pointing out to God all the good and minimizing all the evil of our hearts. Human nature causes us to want to earn our salvation and position because this is how we do it in the world. Our positions and wealth, family, friends, and possessions are a result of our hard work and shrewd dealing. Even if we are Christian we usually see it that God is the giver of all that is good, but I must deserve it because I have served Him so well.
Job 22:26-30(NLT) “Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God. 27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him. 28 You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. 29 If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them. 30 Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.”
Job 23:1-5(NLT) Job’s Eighth Speech: A Response to Eliphaz 1 Then Job spoke again: 2 “My complaint today is still a bitter one, and I try hard not to groan aloud. 3 If only I knew where to find God, I would go to his court. 4 I would lay out my case and present my arguments. 5 Then I would listen to his reply and understand what he says to me.
Job 23:10-13 (NLT) “But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. 11 For I have stayed on God’s paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food. 13 But once he has made his decision, who can change his mind? Whatever he wants to do, he does.
-Tom Siderius
Questions for Reflection:
What are the true motivations of your heart for the things that you do?
Are we trying to earn our way to the grace that God gives freely?
Job 16:1-6(NLT) Job’s Fifth Speech: A Response to Eliphaz 1 Then Job spoke again: 2 “I have heard all this before. What miserable comforters you are! 3 Won’t you ever stop blowing hot air? What makes you keep on talking? 4 I could say the same things if you were in my place. I could spout off criticism and shake my head at you. 5 But if it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief. 6 Instead, I suffer if I defend myself, and I suffer no less if I refuse to speak.
Bildad then answers Job back again reasoning from human understanding and tradition that he has observed. If Job is being punished by God then there surely must be a reason for it.
Job 18:5-14(NLT) “Surely the light of the wicked will be snuffed out. The sparks of their fire will not glow. 6 The light in their tent will grow dark. The lamp hanging above them will be quenched. 7 The confident stride of the wicked will be shortened. Their own schemes will be their downfall. 8 The wicked walk into a net. They fall into a pit. 9 A trap grabs them by the heel. A snare holds them tight. 10 A noose lies hidden on the ground. A rope is stretched across their path. 11 “Terrors surround the wicked and trouble them at every step. 12 Hunger depletes their strength, and calamity waits for them to stumble. 13 Disease eats their skin; death devours their limbs. 14 They are torn from the security of their homes and are brought down to the king of terrors
Job continues to say “I” have done this, “I” have done that, or “I” have said, showing that he has not grasped why the situation that he is in has happened. All the arguments that the miserable comforters expound are based on a human viewpoint, not on the righteous requirements of a just God. We want the outcomes of our lives to be based on the good things that we do, not on the grace which God only can give us. Without God we would all perish instantly with the Adversary able to accuse us just as Job with consequences ending in death. If God was not good and gracious all would perish from the earth.
In Job 19 the section of his discourse includes these cherished words:
Job 19:23-29(NLT) “Oh, that my words could be recorded. Oh, that they could be inscribed on a monument, 24 carved with an iron chisel and filled with lead, engraved forever in the rock. 25 “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. 26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! 28 “How dare you go on persecuting me, saying, ‘It’s his own fault’? 29 You should fear punishment yourselves, for your attitude deserves punishment. Then you will know that there is indeed a judgment
Job speaks absolutely the truth about judgment coming for all. The revelation that there will be a Redeemer on the earth, and that this is his deliverance is amazing. Bodily resurrection is also foreshadowed here which also lights up the Word to our eyes.
Remember as we read the book of Job that the overriding theme is that this is the oldest lesson in the world. Man cannot justify or give himself righteousness. Only God is righteous and we can receive it from Him by His grace.
-Tom Siderius
Questions for Reflection:
Have you ever used the logic of the comforters using human experience to explain God’s works?
Are the speeches and answers helping you to understand the futility of our human mind to explain our life experiences?
The book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible after Genesis and that is why we are reading it in this particular chronological order. Job’s time may have been contemporary with Abraham or even earlier. The overriding theme in the book of Job is that God is supreme over all creation, and that we are subject to Him. From man’s perspective we think we have control of the destiny and flow of our lives. We do the things that seem best to us, many times regardless of what God may say or want.
Job 7:17-21(NLT) “What are people, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often? 18 For you examine us every morning and test us every moment. 19 Why won’t you leave me alone, at least long enough for me to swallow! 20 If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of all humanity? Why make me your target? Am I a burden to you? 21 Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust and die. When you look for me, I will be gone.”
Job is wallowing in the self-pity throughout the book that he is blameless, and God is persecuting him for no reason. Job though does give us the clues to his troubles in chapters 1 and 3 where he says:
Job 1:5(NKJV) So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did regularly.
Job 3:25-26(NLT) What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. 26 I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.”
After this the three “miserable” comforters come and give their discourses to Job about why he is in the straits that he finds himself. Eliphaz speaks first and then Bildad and last is Zophar. Each reason with Job from a viewpoint of man relating to God. The gist of their discourses is about how Job must have had sin in his life in to be in the predicament that he finds himself. Job continues to self-justify himself that he has no sin to confess to God. As we read these discourses from his comforters these are the themes.
Eliphaz reasons based on human experience.
Bildad reasons based on human tradition.
Zophar reasons based on human merit.
Here is an example of Eliphaz’s speech:
Job 8:8-10 “Just ask the previous generation. Pay attention to the experience of our ancestors. 9 For we were born but yesterday and know nothing. Our days on earth are as fleeting as a shadow. 10 But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you the wisdom of old.
-Tom Siderius
Questions for reflection:
Who is the shortest man in the Bible? Bildad the Shuhite 😊
What is the contest in our lives between God’s way and religious practice?
What fear do you harbor deep in your heart that can trip you up in your walk with God?
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The next time someone asks you to “go above and beyond” at work, or to “give 110%” in a game, just be thankful your boss or coach isn’t Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon in Daniel 2, had a dream and wanted to know the meaning of the dream. But instead of telling his dream to his wise men, he expected, even demanded, that *they* tell *him* the dream. Notice what the wise guys say to the King. “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king’s demand.” (2:10) My friends, that’s *exactly* the point. Only “the gods” or more accurately, only God, can make know the contents of the dreams of the King. But the wise men of Babylon don’t know the God who knows all things, they don’t worship the God who sees everything, even into the hearts of people.
The King even asks Daniel “Are you able to make know to me the dream?” Daniel replies “No… no one can.” But “there is God in heaven who reveals mysteries… This mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king.” Over the next few days we will try to understand what is going on with the Kingdoms of the world in Daniel and try to understand this vision better, but today I want to make this very practical.
Sometimes people tell us ideas that are not entirely Biblical because they are trying to be nice. One such idea is that “God will never give you more than you can handle.” It sounds good; we will never be overwhelmed and we will always succeed. However, as soon as our lives meet the real world, we find out that God consistently “gives us” situations that are overwhelming; try balancing getting good grades, doing extracurriculars, volunteering to pad our college applications, and then getting into and maintaining relationships, not to mention work! It’s overwhelming to write; how much more to live. But beyond the normal chaos of life, there are times when people we love are sick, when we need surgeries, when we have huge doubts about what is happening next. Just like the King demanding that the wise guys explain his dream, the world very often gives us far more than we can handle… *on our own*.
What God has promised is that we are never on our own. No one can handle this world with joy, hope, peace, and love *by themselves*. But there is a God in heaven who gives the joy, hope, peace and love we are looking for. There is a God in heaven who gives his spirit to his people, not because we are wise or smart, or pretty, or popular, or good. God gives because we trust him, and all of our faults doesn’t stop him from loving us, and he does not leave us on our own. The world often gives us more than we can handle; the world can NEVER give us something God can’t handle.
-Jake Ballard
Reflection Questions
What differences do you see between Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar? Are you ever more like Nebuchadnezzar than Daniel?
What characteristics of Daniel’s do you admire? Which would you like to work on growing in your own life? How would one go about that?
When has the world given you more than you could handle? In what ways did God provide what you needed? Thank Him!
Most of the Psalms were written by David, but there are a few that were written by others. For example, Psalm 90 was written by Moses and Psalm 127 was written by David’s son, Solomon.
Today’s reading, Psalm 127 is what we will reflect upon. It offers wisdom about the wise raising of a family. I find some parts of Solomon’s teaching a bit paradoxical. Solomon’s father, King David, had 19 sons by his wives. The year before his father David died Solomon’s first wife Naamah gave birth to his one and only son, Rehoboam. She also gave birth to two daughters Taphath and Basemath. As far as we know from the Bible these are the only three children Solomon fathered. This is odd considering Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Solomon valued children and saw them as a reward from God.
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
2
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
3
Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
4
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.
5
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
If Solomon valued children so much why didn’t he have more? The most likely answer is that Solomon’s next wife was the daughter of the Pharoah of Egypt. She worshipped idols and brought them into the royal palace. Many Biblical scholars believe that Solomon had no more children as punishment for allowing idolatry to enter his family.
Psalm 127 begins “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” The house referred to here is not a physical house or palace but a family or a household.
That strikes me as a very wise teaching. And yet Solomon’s actions weren’t very wise when he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Another paradox is that in 1 Kings 3 Solomon asked God for the gift of wisdom. Because Solomon’s request of wisdom was very unselfish (he didn’t ask for riches or a long life, God agreed to give him what he asked for, wisdom and what he didn’t ask for: wealth, honor, and long life as long Solomon followed God’s commands.
This begs the question… how did God give him wisdom? Did he open up Solomon’s head and pour in wisdom, or was wisdom acquired over time? Perhaps Solomon grew in wisdom over time, when he realized that he missed out on the blessings of a large and fruitful family because he allowed idolatry to enter his home?
Solomon doesn’t quantify a number of children that qualify one as blessed. David had 19 sons. Solomon’s 1 son Rehoboam had 28 sons and 60 daughters (wow, that’s a lot of weddings to pay for).
My wife Karen and I have been blessed with 7 sons and 4 daughters (JJ, Jon, Joshua, Karee Anne (Gregory), Joel, Kailyn, Katie Beth (Mattison), Kass, Jordan, Josiah, and James). We also have been blessed with 16 grandchildren (soon to be 17). We are greatly blessed. My children (and their spouses) and grandchildren are precious gifts from God and I’ve always appreciated this Psalm. Of course, having a large family is not the only sign of blessing from God. However God chooses to bless you, receive it with gratitude and joy.
Peace, Grow, Love
-Jeff Fletcher
Reflection Questions
How would you put in your own words and explain Psalm 127 verse 1? Compare what a house/family built by the Lord looks like versus one built in vain. Consider the home you were raised in – which was it more like? Which do you want for a home/family you will/are or have raised?
What are some of the current views towards children that you have witnessed? Which ones would God agree with, which ones would he not?
Reading this passage is powerful to me. It’s only 12 verses, so take the time and read through it if you haven’t.
The imagery just really paints a picture in your mind of the kind of control being talked about. And what has this control? The tiny little tongue.
It is so small, yet so powerful.
The words you say have a powerful impact on others. A kind word can lift someone from a valley, but a negative word can push someone down who may have already been knocked down.
My 3-year-old son made the joyful revelation when talking and making faces at his baby cousin this summer – “If I’m happy at her, she’s happy at me!” Life isn’t quite always like this, but typically, if you speak kindly to someone, you are much more likely to get a positive response from them whether it is a kind word back or help in an area you are looking for.
Verses 9-10 read: With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”
[italics added]
How can we curse someone made in God’s likeness with the same mouth we praise our God with? Those ideas are so contradictory, yet it is easy to put people down.
For example, you may be aware that we have an election coming up soon. There are so many negative things being said about politicians in all parties. But how can we talk this way about someone made in the likeness of God? I think what it boils down to is that is not how we are viewing them. We are looking at them based on their actions or thoughts that we don’t agree with, but not looking at who they are as a person which is someone made in God’s likeness.
Let us try to view everyone in this way in order that we might better praise God.
~Stephanie Fletcher
Reflection Questions
What do you think God is thinking about those who praise Him and curse men?
Watch your tongue today and see how many times you speak poorly of people – or catch yourself ABOUT to speak negatively of someone made in God’s likeness. Why do you think it is so common in the world?
How can we be different? Is it possible to state your opinion about ideas without putting down people?
Scripture: “David assembled all the leaders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes and the commanders of the divisions that served the king and the commanders of the thousands and the commanders of the hundreds and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the officials and the mighty men, and all the seasoned warriors, at Jerusalem.” — 1 Chronicles 28:1 (LEB) “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 (LEB) “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” — Colossians 4:2 (LEB)
In 1 Chronicles 27, we see David’s meticulous organization of the military and administrative divisions of Israel. This structure ensured that the kingdom functioned smoothly and effectively. David’s leadership shows the importance of planning and preparation in carrying out God’s work.
Chapters 28 and 29 highlight David’s preparations for the construction of the temple. Although David was not permitted to build the temple himself, he gathered materials, made plans, and charged Solomon and the people to carry out the task. David’s forward-thinking mindset underscores the value of preparing for the future and investing in God’s work, even when we may not see the final outcome.
Psalm 90:12 calls us to live with an awareness of the brevity of life: “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” David’s actions in these chapters reflect this wisdom, as he uses his final days to ensure that Israel is prepared for the future and that God’s temple will be built.
Colossians 4:2-18 emphasizes the importance of prayer and watchfulness. Paul encourages the Colossians to be devoted to prayer and to be thankful. This devotion to prayer is essential for effective leadership and preparation, as seen in David’s reliance on God throughout his life.
David’s detailed organization of Israel’s military and administrative divisions highlights the importance of structure and planning in achieving God’s purposes. David’s preparation for the temple, even though he would not build it, teaches us the value of investing in God’s work for future generations.Psalm 90’s call to number our days encourages us to live wisely and make the most of our time, as David did in his final acts. Colossians 4:2 reminds us to be devoted to prayer, a crucial aspect of effective leadership and preparation.
Like David, we do not always see the results of our work. Our Lord teaches us, though, to number our days and live with wisdom, making the most of our time for His purposes. Serve the Lord with a heart of wisdom and a spirit of prayer, investing in His work for future generations.
-Jeff Ransom
Reflection Questions:
How can you apply the principles of organization and planning in your own life and service to God?
In what ways can you prepare for the future and invest in God’s work, even if you may not see the final outcome?
How can Psalm 90’s call to number our days inspire you to live more wisely and purposefully?
What steps can you take to deepen your devotion to prayer, as encouraged in Colossians 4:2?
In the final portion of the book, Solomon turns to remind his readers to think often of their Creator early in life before all the “evil days” come. His point is not to just think of God when you are young, but the need to establish the foundation of one’s life in their youth. The phrase “evil days” probably refers to old age (and eventually death). As life goes on, there is more opportunity for trouble and adversity. Old age has its host of difficulties and struggles. One’s youth is often thought of as the best of times, and during that period of life it is good to develop the habit of remembering the Creator before the days of “evil” come. That doesn’t mean that older individuals cannot “remember” the Creator. Solomon is simply asserting that this practice is best formulated and built into the foundation of life at an early age before life’s complications arise and produce much turmoil and frustration.
Verses 1-7 is a whole poem that focuses on the remembrance of one’s youth and the pleasures of life that a young person is able to enjoy in contrast to the gradual decline of physical abilities and the dulling of the senses with age, a relentless progression ultimately toward death. To be “afraid of heights” and the “terrors…in the road” refer to the weakening of the body and the feebleness that accompanies aging to where a person cannot defend themselves. The “almond tree will blossom” is likely a figurative reference to the graying of one’s hair with age, like the white blossoms of the almond tree when it is in season.
The complicated saying that the “grasshopper will be a burden” likely represents small activities and simple tasks; when you are old even the smallest endeavors can seem difficult. Furthermore, when one’s “desire will fail” perhaps refers to sexual desire, but if that is true, by metonymy it refers to the failing of the physical body in general. And the “age-long home” is the place, after the failing of the body, when a person goes to the grave.
Verse 8 is a large inclusion (i.e., bookends) restating the thesis that Solomon presented at the outset of the book in 1:2, ““Utterly pointless,” says the Sage. “Everything is pointless!”
The change in voice to the 3rd person (i.e., “the Sage”) perhaps indicates that a narrator is giving an epilogue to the foregoing discourse (chs. 1:1-12:7). This epilogue functions to frame the previous discourse and Solomon’s investigation.
The summary of what Solomon discovered is that to submit to and obey God is what it means to truly live as a human being. It might be difficult to understand why Solomon asserts the “pointlessness” of life so heavily and exposes it in so many facets of life under the sun. His approach can appear to lean toward doubting everything or concluding that nothing ultimately matters (i.e., nihilism). But the pointlessness of everything he saw has driven him in the end to a deep piety and dependence on God. To understand that everything that happens under the sun has no ultimate significance or meaning only draws out the fact that meaning must reside outside of life under the sun and the work that humans do. In the face of all the oppression, injustice, uncertainty, and death in life, the Sage finds the only true meaning in life is humbling oneself before the Almighty Creator and remembering that he is God, and we are not. Our role as creatures is to worship and obey the one who makes everything and to not try and control or manipulate life, because everything we can try and do on our own is ultimately pointless. The only ultimate meaning is found in relation to the Ultimate Being whose breath fills the world and whose hand spans the universe. It is to him that we are accountable and will be judged for everything we do, whether good or evil.
So, let’s live for Yahweh and trust in him and not in our own understanding. We are weak and finite creatures, and our meaning and purpose in life can only be discovered through an obedient and faithful relationship with our God and Creator. This is the wisdom of the book of Ecclesiastes.
-Jerry Wierwille
Reflection Questions
If you were to write a book of wisdom – what would your conclusion be? Where did you learn this “wisdom” from? Do you think God would agree with your conclusion?
Regardless of your age, what changes have you seen in yourself as you have grown older? How does growing older affect your wisdom? What changes in your relationship with God would you like to see as you keep growing older? What can you do to bring this about?
What challenges do you find in Ecclesiastes 12? Will you rise to these challenges?
Life is uncertain. That seems to be the theme that Solomon focuses on in this chapter. His first statement seems quite enigmatic, “Cast your bread on the waters; for you may find it after many days.” “Casting one’s bread on the waters” may be a metaphor for maritime trade, and what one might “find after many days” could refer to the revenue that comes back to the person after the goods are sold. The numerical proverb in verse 2 could suggest the wisdom in diversification of cargo on different ships, so that if something happened to one ship, the entire shipment won’t be lost. The reasoning for this is that a person cannot know “what evil may happen on the earth,” referring to unforeseen disasters and circumstances in the future.
Another imagery that is used is that of clouds that are full of rain (v. 3). The imagery is meant to depict the randomness of life and the unpredictability of events. The implicit idea that the imagery represents is the uncertainty of disasters or bad things that will negatively impact one’s life. We have no control over where a cloud will drop its rain. We know that clouds bring moisture, but the definitiveness of when and where that will take place is outside the ability of a person to know. We are simply subject to the randomness of weather patterns. Now, ultimately we know that weather is not truly random, but it is impossible for us to know all the factors that play into the weather and the behavior of clouds.
A modern expression that captures this same idea is: “That’s the way the cookie crumbles.” No one can predict how it is going to happen. But when it does, then that is how it happens.
Next an agricultural illustration is used describing farmers and how the inevitable randomness can cause one to be paralyzed by the inability to know the future. If a farmer tries to predict when the wind will be favorable for planting, they will never sow their seed because the wind might change at any moment. In addition, the farmer who stares at the clouds in order to predict when it will be dry to harvest will never gather the crops because it might rain before the harvest can be completed.
As one scholar summarizes the point of v. 4, “…one cannot use the possibility of misfortune as an excuse for inactivity. Someone who is forever afraid of storms will never get around to working his field. The Teacher in effect says, ‘Just face the fact that things may go wrong, but get out there and do your work anyway.’” (Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, [Vol. 14, The New American Commentary], 338)
We humans are vastly ignorant about the inner workings of life and of God. In this verse, Solomon is stressing that fact but using the developing fetus in a womb as a clear example of something we know nothing about. One of the great mysteries of human existence is how life comes together in a fetus as it forms in the womb. We have no idea how “spirit” (i.e., life) enters the bones of a baby.
This example of human ignorance is being used to make the point that even though we don’t understand how many things in life really work, we should not let a lack of knowledge paralyze us into inactivity.
Thus, while trying to figure out what is going to come in the future is not profitable, we should still act wisely and take reasonable chances in life, unlike the skeptic and fearful who will not move forward in life even if the opportunity is there.
This illustration is compared then to the “work of God” in the world. Solomon describes God as the one who “makes everything.” The reference is to the operations of creation (e.g., gestation). God causes the sun to rise and the rain to fall, just as he gives life to the fetus and causes it to grow in the womb. And so, in the same way that we don’t understand how certain things happen, like a pregnant woman who is trusting God that the baby will develop as God designed, so also all future plans must likewise be put in the hands of God. We ultimately cannot control success or failure. We must simply do our best and trust God with the rest (i.e., the outcome).
In light of the general ignorance about life and the work of God, Solomon encourages the reader to work hard in the face of uncertainty, even if we don’t understand what is going to happen. He instructs farmers to “sow your seed,” meaning go out and plant the crops, and “do not withhold your hand,” meaning don’t refrain from working. Finish the job!
We have no idea whether something will turn out good or bad. We have to wait and see. Maybe one thing will work, and another will fail, or perhaps both will work, or both will fail. But one thing we can be sure of, if we don’t do anything, then nothing will ever happen.
“Light is sweet” appears as a mismatched metaphor. How can “light” be tasted. Here “light” is likely a metonymy of association referring to the perception of light by the senses of one who is alive. Thus, it refers figuratively to “life” and represents a living person (cf. Job 3:20; 33:30; Ps 56:14). This is the opposite of “darkness” which represents “death.” And “sweet” is a metaphor of taste referring to a pleasurable experience, not actual tasting with one’s mouth. This figuratively represents something that is good and delightful. Furthermore, “to see the sun” refers to being alive and able to work and do something “under the sun.” The idea is that being alive is “good” and something to be enjoyed.
Verse 8 provides the reader with encouragement to rejoice in life no matter what age a person might be. But that rejoicing is to be accompanied by an awareness that life is filled with “darkness” and that everything that happens cannot be explained or give ultimate meaning to life. Sometimes bad things happen, and no explanation can be offered to explain them. Thus, attempting to know the reason why everything happens is not possible, and therefore, it is “pointless.”
Solomon is advancing the premise that joy should accompany a person throughout their life, but life is not solely one of bliss and ease, it is also filled with hardship, pain, and various evils. And this is why he returns to the idea of “joy,” and now in more forceful terms, he flat out instructs the reader to “Rejoice!” The instruction is not meant exclusively to be directed or applied exclusively to young people. What is meant by the expression is for “joy” to become a set pattern early on in one’s life.
The phrase “let your heart cheer you…walk in the ways of your heart…in the sight of your eyes” uses the terms “heart” and “eyes” as organs of desire, and they refer to one’s inner yearnings and inclinations. The exhortation is not to follow whatever impulses one has regardless if they are immoral or reckless. Rather, one is to pursue desires and the joy they bring into life with the awareness of God’s impending judgment over everything you do.
Lastly, with God’s judgment in mind, a person should not allow the frustrations of life to incumber their pursuit of joy. We must not let the enigma of life and the unexplainable and uncontrollable realities weigh down our rejoicing in life. On the other hand, a person must not let their desires draw them into evil either. Pursuing one’s desires often can lead to wickedness and sin. Thus, one must be diligent about avoiding temptations that arise from the desires in our flesh. So, despite the human condition, we are to overcome the troubles that the “pointlessness” in life brings and focus on the joy that we can experience in the midst of it.
-Jerry Wierwille
Reflection Questions
Have you ever used the possibility of misfortune as an excuse for your inactivity? If so, what might Solomon say to you?
“Pursuing one’s desires often can lead to wickedness and sin.” How have you seen this in your own life? What desires? What wickedness and sin? How can you protect against this? Should some desires be changed? How? Should you go about pursuing some desires in different ways?
Even with the unknowns and the difficulties in life, how can you still pursue and show joy?
Ecclesiastes chapter 9 ended with an expression of the power of foolishness: “Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good” (9:18).
Here in verse 1, the premise of 9:18 is now carried forward. The principle that is being addressed is that a little bit of a bad thing (e.g., foolishness) can completely ruin a good thing. The modern saying “A fly in the ointment” contains the same wisdom and is used to represent how something small (or seemingly insignificant) can have a powerful or far-reaching effect. There are many small things that can produce a powerful effect.
We have another modern proverb to convey the same idea, “One rotten (bad) apple spoils the barrel.” This is a truism as we now know because of microorganisms (e.g., mold, bacteria, yeast), which tend to have a permeating effect. Once they are introduced, they will continue to spread until they have affected every part of the substance and adjacent substances.
Foolishness and sin are often likened to a foul stench, such as Proverbs 13:5—“A righteous person hates a deceptive word, but a wicked person will become a stench and display his shame.” Clearly the “stench” in Proverbs 13:5 is the speech (i.e., words) of the wicked person (i.e., fool). What Solomon has in mind is likely the words of the “sinner” in 9:18, not just the person. Thus, what he is saying is that it only takes a few foolish words to bring about a whole world of destruction. Furthermore, a fool cannot conceal their foolishness, but clearly demonstrates it each time they open their mouth or do anything.
While a ruler or person in authority is not immune to foolishness, verse 4 does not seem to be closely connected with the previous verses but offers advice on how to act in the presence of those with authority. Previously, Solomon had advised that a person follow the command of the king and not argue with him (8:2-9), it seems that he is saying the opposite here. However, the present context is not about opposing the king, but how to deal with him when he is angry with you. To walk out on the king in his anger will only incite him to be even more angry with you. Rather, Solomon suggests to change how you interact with him; it is wise to use a “calm” demeanor, as that can reduce his anger and offense against you.
Part of Solomon’s observational dilemma is that what he sees in the world is perplexing and out of order with what he thinks should be the case. When he sees, “Foolishness is set in many high positions, while the rich sit in a low place. I have seen servants on horses while officials walk on the ground like servants.” The point of Solomon’s examples is to say that if foolishness is in charge, then the world will be upside down and wisdom won’t work as expected.
In another way of looking at the world, Solomon notices that things can happen to the best of us (i.e., skilled and knowledgeable in their craft). One way to see Solomon’s point is that being a skilled expert does not remove all potential danger or guarantee success. The other way is that a skilled expert will fail if they don’t properly apply their knowledge.
Foolishness has a progression to it. The beginning is foolishness (v. 13), but the foolishness deteriorates the situation into becoming “hurtful madness.” Foolish words harm both the speaker and the listener, but a fool is oblivious to this. It seems that the fool has a false perception of understanding or control over life that they don’t recognize how they are stumbling further into foolishness and disastrous consequences.
The delusional consequences of the fool are further elaborated by depicting him as forgetting how to go to a city where he presumably works or needs to go to sell goods. The effort of the fool is compounded by the fact that he does not even have the basic understanding of how to carry out business. And thus, the fool’s effort must be multiplied because of his lack of sense about where he needs to go. To run a successful industry requires knowledge about trade and commerce, and the fool is deceived into thinking they can be successful without it.
If a foolish leader will bring about disorder and chaos, in vv. 16-17 Solomon now contrasts the consequences of foolish leadership with the advantage of wise leaders.
Solomon identifies in verse 16 two detrimental qualities of leadership: being immature and being neglectful. “Feasting in the morning” implies that when leaders should be tending to the business of the kingdom (i.e., in the morning), they instead are reclining to eat. This does not refer to breakfast but a large-scale banquet typically involving entertainment, music, and drinking wine.
The concluding phrase of verse 19 might be the most difficult of the chapter. On the surface, the verse seems to be advocating a sensual lifestyle of eating, drinking, and using money to satisfy one’s desires and enjoy the luxuries of life.
While the phrasing is a little difficult and the Hebrew offers a high degree of latitude in meaning, it seems that what Solomon is affirming is the need to have money in order to buy food and wine and other provisions for enjoying the simple aspects of life that Solomon has been endorsing all along.
Solomon closes with a warning about how to conduct oneself in the presence of a king (or any authority figure). He warns about the dangers in cursing the ruler or person in authority, even in one’s thoughts or “sleeping chamber” (i.e., in secret). The point of the warning is that the danger of consequences is not worth the risk. The king is sovereign and can issue severe punishments. We have a modern saying that expresses the same admonition: “The walls have ears.” The warnings are hyperbolic (e.g., exaggerated) because no one can know another person’s thoughts. But the emphasis is to be overly cautious about how you act and what you say about a ruler or person in authority. You never know who might be listening; and you don’t want to be caught and suffer the consequences.
-Jerry Wierwille
Reflection Questions
What examples can you give of how a little of a bad thing can spoil a good thing? Can you think of a time when you tried to let just a little bit of a bad thing in and it led to big problems and a lot of spoilage? What could you have done differently to lead to different/better results?
What verse do you like best in Ecclesiastes 10? What wisdom do you find in Ecclesiastes 10?
Seek Grow Love 