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Breaking the Monotony of Life, part 2 Ecclesiastes 1:8-18 Ecclesiastes, Part 2 We learned in our first study that the author of this book is SOLOMON. What makes this book fascinating is Solomon views life from under the SUN and not under the SON of God. His perspective is that of a man not right with God. Solomon is on a fruitless search for meaning and value. At the end of the book he reaches the proper conclusion, however, to fear God and keep his commandments. We considered the key words or phrases in Ecclesiastes: VANITY: (38 times), which means a puff of air, UNDER THE SUN: (29 TIMES), PROFIT (10 times), that which is left over, and VEXATION OF SPIRIT (9 times), a chasing after the wind. Many are bored, running after cheap substitutes that don't satisfy. The first way to break life's monotony, which we considered last time, is: 1. Glorify God for His Greatness, v.4-7: Glorifying God is pursuing happiness! The next three ways to break life's monotony are: 2. Praise God for His Blessings v.8-10 Read Ecclesiastes 1:8. How is the eye not filled with seeing or the ear filled with hearing? What sights does man crave to see? Whether traveling on a dream vacation, or viewing some image on a movie or TV screen, a web site, a magazine, of sexual content or just some excitement, man is constantly seeking to find some sort of visual satisfaction by his eye and audio pleasure for his ear. The ear filled with hearing can easily be applied to the music of the world. Buying the latest album, going to the rock concert of some popular rock or rap star has people in the world standing in long lines. The ear will never be satisfied by what it hears. The eye and ear will never be satisfied "under the sun." It is all a chasing after the wind and will end in the soul crying out, "Vanity of vanities!" Look at the wisdom of verse nine. What does Solomon mean? That which was, will be; that which is, will be again. Nothing is new, inspite of man's unquenchable desire for something new. Magazines, clothes, movies, music, adult beverages, always an attempt for something new, but there is nothing new under the sun. Fashions today were in style twenty years ago. But wait! When we live for Jesus Christ, there are new blessings every day. Each day, rather than be frustrated with our eyes and ears, we should thank God for the blessings He gives to us. What an amazing display of grace to make and fashion the eye and ear! Read: Lamentations 3:22-24: It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Yes, we can look at the world as a historian and say, nothing is new, but we look at this world as children of God and thank God every day for his mercies that are new every morning! Have you every thought of the MIRACLE of MONOTONY? Every day for 40 years, God did a miracle for the Nation Israel by making the manna to form upon the ground. Yet they became tired of God's miraculous provision! God's hand of blessing is in the daily provisions of life. We need to praise God for the daily provisions. Daily strength to get out of bed. To take a hot shower. To shave. To cook, to clean, to do laundry. To breath! To pray and read the Bible! To attend a Bible study and go to church! What a blessing to draw another breath! The way to break out of the monotony of life is this: praise God for
the privileges He allows you. Every privilege is new. Every day he gives
new strength. Every breath of air is new. Every lobster tail or banana
is a new one, made especially for you! 2 Corinthians 5:17 says if any man be in Christ is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold, all things are become new! The new things we have in Christ have continuing results and lasting effects. We have a newness that does not wear off. We have a new song, a new purpose, and a new message to tell our world! In Christ, life does not get old and boring! 3. Remember this: God Always Remembers, v.11 Why is Solomon frustrated in verse eleven? How is a view of life IN JESUS CHRIST different from a view of life UNDER THE SUN, WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST? Solomon is frustrated with life when he realizes that things in this life will not be remembered. Generations come and go, and how many are remembered that live? So very few. How many get their names in a dictionary or encyclopedia? Very few. Napoleon said, "I am doing now what will fill a 1,000 volumes in this generation, in the next generation one volume will contain it all, in the third generation, a paragraph, and in the fourth, a single line!" How true! Even the most famous people are only remembered for one or two things they did or said. Soon, they are almost forgotten. Life under the sun is vanity, but wait! As Christians, we have a God who remembers! Every glass of water given in the name of Jesus Christ will be rewarded. The world forgets but God remembers! This will break the monotony of life! Remember that God remembers! Our God never forgets a single deed! That is why we can do our work heartily, as for the Lord, not as men pleasers. Is your job a monotonous grind? It does not have to be when lived for Jesus Christ. Go to work tomorrow, thinking, I will do something extra on my job, I will work as if my boss is Jesus Christ, I will do the very best I can in order to give praise to my King. 4. SEEK Wisdom from ABOVE the SUN, v.12-18 A. Read Ecclesiastes 1:13, 14 What mission does Solomon embark upon in verse 13, and what is his conclusion? How does a pursuit for knowledge and learning relate to Solomon's words? Solomon embarks on a mission to explore the things in life that might provide him satisfaction, whether it is things he experiences, sees, or knowledge he learns. He sets out to investigate every angle of life. He will enter every city, every borough, every avenue, and every nightspot to find some meaning. Solomon can explore all these possibilities without regard to finances, for he is rich. He proceeds full speed in whatever he desires. He does so with an earthly, under the sun type of wisdom. What does he find? Solomon spent his time and fortune building his empire and chasing his dreams: knowledge, wine, women, song, laughter, and much more. He only ended up frustrated. His conclusion is basically this: LIFE IS TOUGH! Life is full of "sore travail" and "vanity." Even though he spends money, increases knowledge and learning, and seeks ease and fame, life is a grievous burden. There are heavy loads to carry. All of his knowledge just brought him closer to his ignorance. B. Read Ecclesiastes 1:15, What is Solomon's frustration in this verse? C. Read Ecclesiastes 1:16-18. Notice the word "wisdom" appears four times. Does the wisdom in verses 16-18 refer to a godly wisdom or an earthly wisdom? Why or why not? The wisdom Solomon speaks of in these verses is an earthly wisdom, because the result is folly, vexation of spirit, grief, and sorrow. Read James 3:13-18 that tells us the difference between an earthly wisdom and a wisdom that comes from God. Solomon mixes his wisdom under the sun with madness and folly (foolishness). For him, this was chasing after the wind. The lures of the world were before Solomon, and he tried everything his heart desired. The temptations were stronger than the realization of the consequences, and his wisdom was an earthly wisdom, a sensual wisdom. There is an earthly wisdom, and there is a heavenly wisdom. Solomon did not exercise a wisdom with the fear of God, and the result was sorrow and grief. When we exercise a wisdom that is from God according to James 3:17, THEN we will have true joy and peace, even without the pricey apartment. Solomon realized that earthly wisdom and earthly knowledge under the
sun only brings grief and sorrow. He should have read his own counsel
in Prov. 9:10, " The conclusion is this: If there is nothing but nothing under
the sun to satisfy us, our only hope must be ABOVE the SUN, that is,
God Himself. |