Living in An Unfair World, Part 1

Ecclesiastes 4:1-8

Ecclesiastes, Part 8

Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." In this chapter, Solomon examines life and discovers the world's problems and unfairness. No matter where you are on God's earth, you will see people in peril who need some encouragement. Many people are desperately unhappy. Solomon goes to four places and sees the problems of life and again he summarizes it with "Vanity and vexation of spirit!" The four areas where Solomon peers, only to find misery and unhappiness, are: the Courtroom, (v.1-3), the workplace, (v.4-8), the highway, (v.9-12), the palace, (v.13-16).

Life is often not fair. It seems like the ungodly prosper and the godly suffer. Bad things happen to good people, and good things happen to bad people. We are prone to ask: why? Physical tragedies strike without warning. Planes crash and death comes so unexpectedly; disease strikes God's people.

What are some things you see that are not fair? How do we cope in this unfair world?

1. Realize Injustice exists: v.1-3

Read Ecclesiastes 4:1-3. What does Solomon witness in these verses and what does he conclude? Is he accurate in his conclusion? Is there anything Solomon could do to change the injustice? Is there anything we can do?

Solomon the King takes us into a courtroom in his kingdom. He views the oppression of innocent people by power hungry bureaucrats. The victims weep, but their tears draw no sympathy from the politicians. Those in power have no concern for those being oppressed. As Solomon witnessed the tragedy, pain, and sorrow of innocent people he concludes that they would be better off dead than alive. In verse three he goes a step further and says it would have been better if they were never born! What disillusionment seeps from Solomon to conclude such a thing! Of course he is not right. There will be injustice in any political system, for man is a sinner by nature. Those in power will exploit others if they can benefit and be enriched. Someone has described politics as "the conduct of public affairs for private advantage." So long as men rule over men, there will be injustice. Not even King Solomon with all of his power could uproot injustice. No man can change the human heart that is corrupt and sinful. Realize it. Do not be devastated by it. Do not forget that God will judge every man according to their work. The Hitlers, the Mussolinis, the Idi Amin's, will get their just reward in the end. No one ever gets away with anything. Be sure your sin will find you out is still in the Bible!

2. LIVE A BALANCED LIFE, v.4-8

Solomon goes to the market place of work and sees four different kinds of men and he learns this lesson, LIVE A BALANCED LIFE! BLESSED ARE THE BALANCED!

Who are the four different kinds of people Solomon sees in these verses? What kind of person ought we to be of these four?

A. A COVETOUS MAN (v.4):

Someone has translated this verse thusly, "I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor." Solomon sees a man who works only so others will envy him! He wants to be looked up to, respected, and be in the upper class. He is motivated by money, and he wants to make more than anyone else. He is hungry for status, and he realizes what will give him what he is searching for: hard work. Maybe this man was your workaholic. Many claw their way to the top of the corporate ladder, devouring anyone in their way and eventually even burn out. He was a covetous man and he was envied by others also. The covetous time has no time to enjoy he wealth.

B. A LAZY MAN (v.5):

This man is the exact opposite of the covetous man. Here is an idler. Here is what he sees: The lazy man is self destructive. "The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh." It may be pleasant to sleep late every morning, but the lazy man eventually does not have the money to buy food and other necessities. The lazy man's path is one of self-destruction! Solomon made this same conclusion in Proverbs 6:10, 11. A lazy man has no means to enjoy his time with. (Proverbs 18:9; 19:15; 24:30-34)

C. A BALANCED MAN (v.6):

It is better to have one hand full with quietness than both hands full with stress and emptiness. One hand full means that the man worked, but work was not his god. He was not overly consumed with work. He had time for work and leisure. Why have both hands full of profit if that profit costs you your peace of mind, your health, and your sleep?

A balanced man can enjoy the labor of his hands.

D. A LONELY MAN (v.7,8):

Here is the lone miser or pathetic recluse, all alone, no family, no children, no partner. All he does is work, but what good is all his work if he has no one to share it with or leave it to. He is never satisfied. To have a life full of things, but no one with which to enjoy them often brings despair and disillusionment. An isolated man has no loved ones to enjoy his wealth with.

We must live a balanced life regarding possessions and peace, recreation and work.