Reflect on Eccl 3:1-17.  Spiritually speaking, what do each of these mean?  For example, spiritually, what does a time to be born and a time to die mean?

Eccl 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Rom 1:20-21
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-- his eternal power and divine nature-- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.

God has “set eternity in the hearts of men” so that “men are without excuse”. There will be no excuses at the judgment.

Eccl 3:14
I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.
Nothing added.  Nothing taken away. A scientific principle is that matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed.  Energy changes to mass and mass to energy.  Pure science points to the Creator.  As an example, consider the Big Bang theory.  Spiritually speaking, the unapproachable light of God (energy) is changed into the components of the universe (mass).  One day everything will return to energy.

Eccl 3:15
Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.

This verse is great confirmation of foreshadows in Scripture. God “calls back the past” to play out in the future.

Eccl 12:14
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
All Believers' sins will be forgiven.  God does forgive and forget but someone has to pay the penalty for before the sins are forgotten and atoned for.

As we look at the end of Solomon's reign, we have to reflect on his life.  Solomon started out well.  Then he began to slip away.  At first he resisted the idols of his wives, then tolerated them, and finally rationalized away the potential danger.  He didn't turn away from God all at once.  Little sins grew until they resulted in his downfall. That's why we as Believers in Jesus need to watch our step so that we do not slip away.

It seems as if Solomon was given everything, but it was meaningless to him.  However, at the end of  Ecclesiastes, he writes, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:  Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." 
Way to go Solomon.  You finally "got it"!

Proverbs 12:9-10
Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
Sounds as if Solomon had the spiritual gift of teaching.

Eccl 7:9
Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.
It is not easily done, being calm when provoked.  And yet we are told that calmness can lay great errors to rest. Eccl 10:4b

Eccl 7:20
There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.
Paul said a similar thing.
Rom 3:12
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
Wise as he was, there was wisdom beyond Solomon’s grasp. He investigated and turned his mind to understand.  He understood the need to keep his "pencil sharp."

Eccl 11:1-2
Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
As we contemplated these verses this morning it seemed as if it was contained within the frame of evangelistic urgency that we discussed last week.  Let's look at a couple of words and phrases in these verses. Cast your bread.  The bread is the Bread of Life - spiritual nourishment that can only come through Jesus.  The word "cast" implies that we are spreading something.  In this case we are spreading spiritual seeds, spiritual nourishment of Jesus, the Bread of Life.  We as Believers cast this spiritual nourishment upon the waters.  If we look at this verse in a literal way it makes no sense to cast bread upon water.  I know what happens when we toss bread into the pond at our back yard.  If the fish don't come and eat it right away, it gets very soggy and breaks apart and eventually disintegrates. So that image doesn't make sense with the rest of the verse for after many days you will find it again.  We won't find any bread after many days.  It won't be there.  The word "waters" figuratively means people as stated in Revelation 17:15.
Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.

The Hebrew word for water in this verse however is "mayim" and figuratively means "sewage water".  We cast this Bread of Life, these spiritual seeds, the gospel message upon all people, especially unbelievers.  Many unbelievers are languishing in the sewage of sin. But what happens when seed is planted in fertilized soil.  It flourishes.  Someone who has been languishing in the sewage of sin can flourish and bear luscious fruit for the kingdom.

We may never know what seeds we've planted or how those seeds have grown or who has watered those seeds after they've been planted or who's coming along to fertilize and feed the soil around those seeds.  As we have stated many times, that's God's call.  We do what He calls us to do, it will accomplish what He desires. What we say and do will not return to us empty. There is this promise from the Ecclesiastes verse, for after many days you will find it again. Maybe not in this lifetime, but certainly in the next.

Going back to the verses in Ecclesiastes, let's look at the word seven.  The number seven signifies completeness.  So when the verse says Give portions to seven, yes to eight it speaks to us of going above and beyond what's expected of us.  Seven is complete.  That would be fulfilling our calling. By using the number eight, we are encouraged to do more. The verse, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land implies an urgency to spread the gospel. There will come a time when it is too late for us to spread the gospel.  It's either too late because it's the end of the world or it's too late because it's the end of that person's life or the end of our lives.  There are many lost souls out there who are languishing in the sewage of sin. We need to be prepared at all times to cast the spiritual seeds, to share the gospel, the bread of Life to everyone we meet.

“The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails-- given by one Shepherd.
The words of the wise are collected sayings, the books of the Bible.  Of course, the Shepherd is Jesus. A goad is a rod about eight feet long, brought to a sharp point and sometimes cased with iron at the bigger end.  The sharpened end of the goad was used to guide oxen in plowing a field.  The blunt end of the goad was used to clear the plow of clay or dirt, like a spade fastened at the end of the goad. God’s Word is like a goad. The truth can prick us into going in the direction that the shepherd wants us to go.  We may begin to stray from the path He’s laid out for us, it is the truth of Scripture that pricks us into getting back on the right path. The blunt end of the goad helps us to clear the dirt, the clay, the muddy misconceptions of churchianity and religiosity and reveal the pure undiluted truth of Scripture, so that our plow will be unencumbered.

Look at the context for the use of the word goad. It mentions “The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails-- given by one Shepherd.

My, my, did Solomon know about THE Shepherd? Did he know about THE Shepherd’s nails on the cross? Did he know about the collected sayings (God’s Word) and why they were written? WOW!

How often do we “kick against the goads” and rebel against God’s authority in our lives? If so...Ouch!

oops, an email was posted by mistake today.  It is out of sequence.   So sorry.

Follow the Leader – a game probably all of us have played as children. There are so many instances in Scripture concerning leaders and the people they lead. God calls into judgment the leaders for the sins of the people.  However, His people are still held to account as well.

How about today? Are the spiritual leaders of today following the clear teachings set forth in Scripture? Do they even bother to study Scripture deeply enough to find out what those teachings are? Most people just follow the leaders and accept their teachings without really studying Scripture for themselves. 

When Jehoshaphat set in place the justice system for Judah, he gave them orders. Among them is this order.
2 Chr 19:10b
you are to warn them not to sin against the LORD; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your brothers. 
Look at the first four commandments.(Exodus 20)  These are sins against the Lord. The people were warned then as we are warned now.  Consequences ensue when we don't obey His commandments.

Part of Jehoshaphat's prayer is this.
2 Chr 20:12b
For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
We as humans don't have the power to face our spiritual enemy so our eyes must be on Him!

When the army of the Moabites came to make war, Jehoshaphat didn’t rely on himself or even his advisers. He inquired of the Lord. And look what the Lord did for him.

2 Chr 20:17
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'"

Wow! They didn’t even have to fight the battle. They had faith in what the Lord promised them. And notice they began to worship, sing and praise God even before He began to work. They trusted Him. Do we trust Him to keep His promises to us?

1 Cor 16:13
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

Eph 6:11-13
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

As believers in Jesus Christ we need to stand firm in our faith. We need to be on our guard against Satan’s schemes. When we play the game Follow the Leader we need to be cautious about the leaders or teachers we follow. We need to study Scripture for ourselves led by the greatest teacher of them all...the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

When Solomon wrote of the emptiness of pleasure and achievement, was he making excuses for all the  “pleasures” in which he had indulged?

One of Solomon's bits of wisdom is that there are some questions that cannot be answered.  Wisdom is knowing that.

"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief."

The more we know about God and His Word the more we are able to understand what has happened with churchianity and religiosity, therefore the more sorrow and grief we feel for those who are deceived and for those who don't know.

In all of Solomon's wisdom he sees that everything here on earth is meaningless so there must be something more.

In Chapter 4 he writes, "I saw the tears of the oppressed - and they have no comforter." How very blessed we are as Believers in Jesus!  We have the Great Comforter in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16  

And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, so that He may be with you forever, 

 As Solomon comments of the meaninglessness of false worship, these words stand out.  "Therefore stand in awe of God."  What wonderful words of wisdom for us today - to stand in awe of our Creator, Savior, and Lord! 

In chapter 5, he writes about the emptiness of wealth.  He seems to come to an understanding that it is God who enables us to enjoy what He gives us.  "He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."

We should focus on the Giver.  With God we have everything we need.

In his wisdom it seems that Solomon was seeing that everything on earth is meaningless so he must be thinking "There must be something more".

Praise God, we know there is something more – life everlasting.

One of the themes in the book of Ecclesiastes is that "without God, life is meaningless and empty".  Keep in mind the book of Ecclesiastes was written by a man who had it all - wisdom, power, wealth.

Some thoughts:

"Like the fool, the wise man too must die!"

Death is the great equalizer.

Everything in life is meaningless in the whole scope of things.  The only thing that really matters is salvation in Jesus.

"Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil."

Be righteous and live an anointed life.  After all we are anointed with the Holy Spirit.

Happiness is dependent on circumstances. True joy comes from God and brings contentment no matter what the circumstances. (see the website for Walking in the Word - Joy Parts 1 and 2.)

We don’t find meaning in life through money, pleasure, work, or popularity. Meaning in life comes from doing things that are part of God’s purpose for us. 

To be in His will is the greatest place to be.

How do we know how to be in His will?

Simple - talk to Him, listen to Him, and read His Word!

Interesting that immediately after that marriage masterpiece of Song of Songs we have the entry for today of 1 Kings 11 which relates how far Solomon strayed for the commands of the Lord. His heart was not fully devoted to God because of his foreign wives. He built high places for three major gods. When in Jerusalem in the summer of 2005 we saw the place east of the city where Solomon built those high places – not very far from the Mount of Olives. 

There are three major gods listed in the 1 Kings 11 passage, Molech, Chemosh, and Ashtoreth. The worship of Molech was accompanied by the burning of children offered as sacrifice by their own parents. It's referred to in Scripture as "passing children through the fire."

Jeremiah 32:35
And they built the high places of Baal, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech; which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. 

Chemosh was thought to be a pagan god associated with the heavenly bodies and also was worshiped by the sacrifice of children as burnt offerings. 

Ashtoreth was the ancient Syrian and Phoenician goddess of the moon, sexuality, sensual love, and fertility using sex as an act of worship. In the Old Testament Ashtoreth is often associated with the worship of Baal.

We can relate this to today's culture with a common attitude of being able to "coexist" with multiple religions. While we must share the same space with other godless religions, we must not embrace them.  We must witness to our faith in front of them.  We must walk in God's ways, do what is right in His eyes, keep His statues and laws. Be "winsome" in our daily walk and so be able to win some.

Solomon was warned about foreign gods. No wonder “the LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel,”
And so God raised up adversaries against Solomon.

How is it with all of us? Are our hearts fully devoted to God?