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The Sacrifice of Fools
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
July 4, 2021

Throughout Scripture we are confronted with the reality of
People who bring UNACCEPTABLE SACRIFICES to God.

• At times God would actually command His people to stop bringing the blood of goats and bulls.
• He would tell His people that He had not interest in their songs.
• He would tell them that He would not listen to their prayers.

All of these sacrifices were unacceptable to Him
Because they were not offered with devoted hearts.

They were offered by men who came to God with a wicked heart
And therefore God was not the least bit interested in their sacrifice.

Isaiah 1:13-15 “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly. “I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.”

Hosea 6:6 “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Amos 5:21-23 “I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.”

So we learned repeatedly in the Old Testament
TO BE CAREFUL HOW WE APPROACH GOD,

For even our sacrifices are not acceptable to Him
If they are offered with the wrong kind of heart.

Well, the preacher here has something to say about that reality as well.

Here we learn about what he calls “the sacrifice of fools”

Only in his case he ISN’T TALKING ABOUT a goat or a bull or an ephah of grain.
The preacher here is talking about FOOLISH WORDS.

He is warning the young man about his words
When he comes to approach God.

And this is such an important study on so many levels.
The Bible has so much to say about our words.

• We get constant warnings against things like gossip or slander or grumbling.
• Those are sins that routinely bring with them the wrath of God.

We certainly understand the warning of Jesus regarding the sin of the lips:
Matthew 12:36-37 “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus was very clear that we must be careful what we say
For there is a judgment coming, and all our words will be remembered.

We get warnings from James:
James 3:8 “But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.”

There are so many warnings in Scripture regarding the tongue.
Especially when our tongue is used for slander or gossip
Instead of for the glory of God.

And while such studies are plentiful and needed, those are NOT the issues that the preacher has in mind here in the book of Ecclesiastes.

Instead, the preacher is referencing
How we use our tongue when we approach God.

(1) “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.”

Let’s discuss where this fits in the overall theme of the preacher here.

It is easy to discern from reading Ecclesiastes that
One of the preacher’s main concerns is that the young man
Will be enamored by the world and will make it his ambition to obtain it.

• That might be wisdom (philosophy)
• That might be pleasure
• That might be a legacy
• That might just be temporal comfort

And his warning is continually that
Instead of chasing the world, you should seek, trust, fear, and enjoy God.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

Ecclesiastes 3:12-14 “I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.”

Ecclesiastes 3:22 “I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?”

He has repeatedly returned to the point that all the allurements of this world are nothing but vapor, smoke, HEBEL.

AND THAT TRUE SATISFACTION IS FOUND ONLY IN GOD.
That has been the point.

BUT WE KNOW MEN DON’T WE.

Too many people have heard such a message and sought to sort of cheat the system.

So what do they do?
They seek God in hopes that God will give them the world.

CLEVER HUH?
• And God becomes nothing more than a powerful genie in a bottle.
• He becomes the cosmic Sugar Daddy that we run to for temporal satisfaction.
• And at worst He becomes a spiritual butler who is obligated to grant our demands.

We see and we have seen it often.
Modern Christianity has been more than infiltrated with
What is known as the “Word Faith” movement.

• It is a movement that has it’s roots in the metaphysical cults.
• It is theology that comes from New Age philosophy and Christian Science.
• Oprah Winfrey promotes it as “The Secret”
• Joyce Meyer has a book called “Change Your Words, Change Your Life, Understanding the Power of Every Word You Speak”
• She also has a book called “Power Words: What You Say Can Change Your Life”

Charismatic circles have sort of repackaged this New Age thinking
In sort of a Christian wrapper, but it is pagan to the core.

You are likely most familiar with it as “Name it and Claim it”
• In it’s pagan sense, it is the belief that our words have the power to attract things into our lives and even to create scenarios for our lives.
• And when you mix it with Christianity it is the belief that because of our relationship with God our words have the same power as His and He is somehow obligated to honor what we say.

It is actually a form of blasphemy since only God can create with words,
But this is what many actually claim even under the heading of Christianity.

But the belief is that your words have power.
• You speak things into existence.
• Your words even have the power to direct the power of God.

I’ll give you sort of an outrageous example of this.
In 2004 Joel Olsteen was on TBN

• He was discussing how after the angel revealed to Zacharias that his wife
Martha was going to conceive a child (John the Baptist)
• And that God then struck Zacharias with muteness.

Scripture says that God did that because Zacharias asked for a sign out of unbelief
So God granted that he would not be able to speak until the child was born.

But here is Joel Olsteen’s commentary on the story.
“Why did God take away his speech? It’s because God knew that Zachariah’s negative words would cancel out His plan…See, God knows the power of our words. He knows that we prophesy our future. And He knew Zachariah’s own negative words would stop His plan.”
-Joel Olsteen, Discover The Champion In You, TBN, May 3, 2004.
https://youtu.be/kOTrMSOrYew (23:01)

Wow, the entire plan of redemption hung in the balance until God,
In a last ditch effort to save redemption caused Zachariah to go mute.

That is some of the nonsense I’m talking about.
But it’s the belief that our words have such power
That God is somehow obligated to yield to what we say.

• And so we hear people who are sick say things like, “I won’t confess that sickness in my life”
• Or like Gloria Copeland who says she and Kenneth control the weather by rebuking storms, etc.
• Or you hear people say things like, “I declare…” or “I pronounce you…” or “I speak this”
• https://youtu.be/kOTrMSOrYew

There is a belief and even a growing practice
About using our words to bring about from God
The things we desire in life.

But friend there are no new heresies, just repackaged ones.
The folly of such foolishness seen today
Was addressed by the Preacher around 3,000 years ago.

He called it “The Sacrifice of Fools”.

THIS MORNING let’s listen as the preacher gives further instruction to the young man about not offering such a foolish sacrifice.

• We’re going to break the text down into 2 points.
• What we see here are 2 examples;
• 2 types of people who wrongly approach God with their words.

We can learn from both of them.
#1 THE BOASTER
Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

So here we see that INITIAL WARNING to the young man.
“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God”

• It is a warning to be careful how you walk.
• It’s not literal in the sense of actually tripping over something.
• It’s an analogy meant to tell you to give special attention to how you act.

And here specifically it has to do with
HOW YOU TALK WHEN YOU APPROACH GOD.

“draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.”

• There is a man referenced here who has entered either the temple or the synagogue in order that he might worship.
• However, the worship he offers to God is actually called “evil” and yet the man doesn’t even know it.

That alone should raise your antenna this morning.

To read here that you can ignorantly bring something to God
That God considers evil.

That should cause each of us to ask:
• What is this foolish sacrifice?
• What is this ignorant and evil offering?

(2) “Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God.”

We are talking here about a man who approaches God
In order to give instruction or advice or a “gameplan” to God.

This is very much so that man who brings his demands or declarations to God.

And to the preacher this is the epitome of foolish evil.

(2b) “For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”

To bring your demands or declarations to God
As though God is here to take orders from you
Is the most obnoxious case of arrogance that can be imagined.

The Creator does not take orders from the dirt.

Do you remember when Job sort of outgrew his britches?
Job 38:1-2 “Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, “Who is this that darkens counsel By words without knowledge?”

Do you remember when Paul addressed those who question God’s sovereignty?
Romans 9:20 “On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?”

Do you remember when Peter set out to correct the misguided plans of Jesus?
Matthew 16:22-23 “Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

What kind of fool would approach God and then do all the talking?

According to the preacher all you do when you give your plans to God like that is PROVE YOURSELF A FOOL.

(3) “For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.”

• This is a proverb of sort.
• It might actually help you understand it better if you read it like this: “As the
dream comes as a result of much effort likewise the voice of a fool
through many words.”

It’s just a simple point.
“the dream comes through much effort”

• He is NOT talking about prophetic dreams here which God did offer at times
in Bible times.
• He’s NOT even talking about your goals or ambitions as if to say your
dreams are accomplished through hard work.

He is just pointing out the simple truth that
Dreams are the result of a mind that has been running full speed ahead.

• When you work hard and occupy your mind and really push yourself the
consequence of that is commonly that you will have a dream about it when
you sleep.
• Much of the time it doesn’t make sense; it may be a fear or a fantasy about the
situation, but a dream is simply the consequence of a busy life.

A busy life has a consequence of foolish dreams.
A busy mouth before God has a consequence
Of proving yourself a foolish person.

THAT’S HIS POINT.
Only a fool would approach God with the objective of doing all the talking.

Remember the evil fool James talked about?
James 4:13-17 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

That was a fool who came and sort of declared to God all his plans.
• He didn’t seek the will of God.
• He didn’t take into account the plan of God.
• He just arrogantly came and told God what he was going to do.

James implied foolishness there and he actually called it evil and sin.

That is anyone who thinks they can approach God and tell God
Or declare to God what He is going to do on their behalf.

BOASTING IS STUPID.

Remember how Abraham went before God when he was asking for the salvation of any righteous who lived in Sodom?

Genesis 18:27 “And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes.”

That is understanding how to go before God.

James gave other instruction that should certainly be heeded here.
James 1:19-27 “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

James spoke of a man who “must be quick to hear”
• That is to hear what God has to say.

James spoke of a man who must be “slow to speak”
• That is reluctant to give his opinion to God or even his excuses to God.

James spoke of a man who must be “slow to anger”
• That is hesitant to get angry when God tells him the truth about him or when God’s plans differ from his own.

Instead he is to put aside his wickedness
And “in humility receive the word implanted”

And then he is to be a doer of the word and not just a hearer.

Only a fool goes to worship and then does all the talking.
Only a fool approaches God and gives the orders?
IT IS SO BACKWARD IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNTHINKABLE.

“For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”

Remember Jesus talking about prayer?
Matthew 6:7-13 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

This is the warning of the preacher.
YOU ARE NOT GOD STOP ACTING LIKE IT WHEN YOU APPROACH GOD.

Don’t go to air your opinions and your advice, you go to hear His.
Open the Bible, listen to God, and don’t argue with Him, just do it.

• He is not your butler…
• He is not your genie…
• He is not your Sugar Daddy…

He is your God and you are His creation.
He is the Potter, you are the clay.

• So “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God”
• Be reverent, remember who He is and who you are.

To go before God as a boaster who is telling Him what He should do
Is to bring “the sacrifice of fools.”

Well that’s one mistake we make with our lips.
There is another.
#2 THE NEGOTIATOR
Ecclesiastes 5:4-7

Here we have a guy with a different tactic.
• He’s not quite as bold as the first guy.
• He doesn’t come telling God what to do.

He comes instead to negotiate with God a desired response.

His plan is to make a vow to God
In hopes that God will honor his desire.

But there is an INHERENT DANGER in that.
That can be a very foolish decision as well.

So listen as the preacher instructs the young man further.

“When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!”

There again the fool emerges.
This time it is the fool who makes a promise to God that he doesn’t keep.

Deuteronomy 23:21-23 “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the LORD your God will surely require it of you. “However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you. “You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised.”

And that is precisely what the preacher says here.
(5) “It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and no pay.”

He is addressing the temptation of man to enter negotiations with God.

• I’ve heard people in hospital beds say, “If God heals me I’ve promised I’m coming to church…”

Be careful soliciting God into some sort of agreement like that.
One thing God knows nothing of is going back on His word
And He does not allow man to do it either.

The Old Testament story of Jephthah comes to mind here.
Remember Jephthah wanted victory over the Ammonites.

Judges 11:30-31 “Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”

Nothing says that such a vow was necessary,
But Jephthah made it anyway.
And God granted the request.

And then we read further:
Judges 11:34-35 “When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me; for I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot take it back.”

Jephthah made a foolish vow,
But he was not foolish enough to go back on what he promised.

THE POINT IS THAT YOU DON’T LIE TO GOD.

Remember this couple?
Acts 5:1-11 “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.”

• If you say something to God you’d better tell the truth.
• If you make a promise to God you’d better honor it.

(6) “Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

He is speaking of a person who makes a promise to God
BUT THEN WANTS TO GET OUT OF IT.

So the person goes to the priest or the prophet
And tries to get released from the vow.

AND THE POINT IS, IT CAN’T HAPPEN.

Look at Samson and the grief he caused himself because he took the vow of a Nazarite and then allowed his hair to be cut.

You don’t make a promise to God and then go back on it.

The preacher actually speaks of God as A SERIOUS CREDITOR.
You, in effect, took out a loan from God.

• You bartered His services with promise of payment.
• If you renege on your promise, don’t expect God to just be ok with it.

In fact the preacher says “Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?”

He speaks of God as A REPO AGENT.
You made a promise, you didn’t keep it, God will make it even.

Very few people think of God in these terms today.

They think it is nothing to make promises to God that they do not keep,
But the preacher tells the young man that this is very foolish.

It is foolish to approach God and do all the talking.
It is foolish to approach God and make promises you don’t keep.

In both cases you are inviting the displeasure and judgment of God.

• Why would you think it is ok to tell God what He must do for you?
• Why would you think it is ok to make a promise to God that you won’t keep?

That is foolish.
That is the sacrifice of fools.

And the preacher continues.
(7) “For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness. Rather fear God.”

• “emptiness” is that same HEBEL that you are so used to.
• Usually rendered “vanity”; it refers to smoke or a mirage.

And here the preacher makes ANOTHER COMPARISON TO A DREAM.

He says dreams are “emptiness”

For the most part you know that’s right.
• Most of the time they are foolish and nonsense.
• They are the product of an overactive imagination.
• You can’t count on them, they aren’t true.

It’s just a figment, it’s a mirage; the preacher says.
Well, so are your “many words” to God.

That is to say “smooth talking won’t get you out of trouble”
You’re not going to talk your way out of it.

• You may make a promise to a loan shark and not be able to pay.
• He may come to collect and through your smooth speech you might negotiate a few more days out of him.

BUT NOT GOD.
He knows the words of man, because He knows the heart.

Listen to God’s assessment of the children of Israel.
Psalms 78:34-37 “When He killed them, then they sought Him, And returned and searched diligently for God; And they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer. But they deceived Him with their mouth And lied to Him with their tongue. For their heart was not steadfast toward Him, Nor were they faithful in His covenant.”

In Hosea God promised judgment
• The people said, “Let us return to the LORD”.
• God heard what they said, but listen to His response.

Hosea 6:4-6 “What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud And like the dew which goes away early. Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth. For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

Jesus knew it:
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

And again:
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

Listen to Jesus address the Pharisees:
Matthew 15:7-9 “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”

Do you get the point?
• Empty words and empty promises mean nothing to God.
• Only a fool would offer them.

But the preacher has a better solution for the young man, and for all of us.
“Rather, fear God.”

Do you want a proper attitude of worship?
Do you want to know how to approach God?

• YOU DON’T come running off at the mouth making all your declarations and demands of what God must do for you,
• AND YOU SURE DON’T come negotiating and making promises you don’t intend to keep.

Both of those men are fools.

Instead, you come before God in “fear”
You come before God with holy reverence.

Remember how Job responded after God addressed his arrogance?
Job 42:1-6 “Then Job answered the LORD and said, “I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” ‘Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, And I repent in dust and ashes.”

How do you suppose the church responded to God after He struck Ananias and Saphira dead?

THERE IS A LESSON TO BE LEARNED THERE.

When we deal with God, it is not a joke.
• He is certainly gracious and merciful and full of compassion.
• He is certainly a God who saves sinners.
• He has demonstrated His love by sending His Son to die for sinners.

ALL OF THAT IS SERIOUS TO HIM.

When God stretches out His hand to call sinners to salvation,
• Only a fool would return with his own set or conditions and seek to tell God
what else he wants.

When God stretches out His offer of mercy to a vilest offender,
• Only a fool would make an agreement with God that he does not keep.

DO YOU SEE THAT?

God is merciful, but He is still God.
God is gracious, but He is still God.
HE IS STILL GOD AND YOU STILL ARE NOT.

And when we deal with Him it is best that we not forget our place.
• Approach Him in humility,
• Approach Him in sincerity.
• Come before Him with fear and trembling.
• Submit yourself to His will.
• Confess Him as Lord.
• And keep your confession.

He is NOT your personal butler
He is NOT your sugar daddy

He is the God of the universe
And He has graciously offered you salvation.

Take His offer, submit to His will,
Keep your mouth closed and your ears opened,
And when you make a commitment to Him keep it.

• Do not take His name in vain.
• Do not say “Lord, Lord” and then not do what He says.

One final passage to close:
Matthew 21:28-32 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ “And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. “The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you. “For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.”

See the difference?
• One gave a true sacrifice.
• One gave the sacrifice of fools.

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David’s Hope
Psalms 110
June 27, 2021

If you ASK PEOPLE today what is the most famous Psalm
I think it’s probably a shoe-in that Psalms 23 would win the vote.

For centuries the church has rested in the promises of the Good Shepherd
And His care for His sheep.

If I were to ASK YOU what your favorite Psalm is, the answers might be pretty diverse.
• We love the 22nd and its revelations of the cross.
• We love the 46th and its promise that we will not be moved.
• We love the 73rd with its relevant discussion on wealth.

And the list goes on and on.

But it is apparent to me that if you were to ask the apostles
What their favorite Psalm is then I think I can confidently say
That their answer would have been: Psalms 110.

No Psalm inspired more New Testament writing than Psalms 110.
• Psalms 110 was quoted by Jesus during the last week of His life.
• Psalms 110 was partially preached by Peter at Pentecost.
• Psalms 110 was quoted by Peter in his defense before the Sanhedrin.
• Psalms 110 was the Psalm that inspired the entire book of Hebrews.

IT IS HUGE!

If we were to trace out and discuss in detail
Every time this Psalm is referenced
And fully exposit the texts where it is quoted
I suppose it would take us almost a year to fully deal with them all.

This Psalm has far-reaching application.
And we will certainly at least touch base with those uses
As we study the Psalm tonight.

BUT BEFORE THIS PSALM WAS EVER QUOTED BY JESUS
OR PREACHED BY THE APOSTLES

It was first a song written by David
Which expressed his joy in a coming salvation.

In fact, I have chosen to title this Psalm: “David’s Hope”

That is what it is all about.

In this Psalm David has been granted the privilege of
HEARING AN INNER TRINITARIAN CONVERSATION.

David says right off the bat, “THE LORD SAYS TO MY LORD”

• Certainly that is privileged information that David was given by God.
• In all actuality what David heard would be a POST-ASCENSION conversation between the Father and the Son.

So clearly David was given prophetic preference here
As God chose to reveal to him events that would occur
Following the incarnation, ministry, death and burial of Christ.

Before Christ ever came
• David saw the success of His ministry.
• David heard the promise of His reign.
• David understood His role as a priest.
• David saw His coming in power.

And what David heard here from the LORD
Became the very hope of salvation of David.

But it wasn’t just David’s hope,
• It also became Peter’s hope
• And the writer of Hebrew’s hope
• And it becomes our hope as well.

So tonight we are going to take a look at
Perhaps THE MOST FAR-REACHING PSALM in the entire book.

As I said, we can’t possibly extract every truth it inspired,
But we can certainly celebrate with David
As he examined this promise that gave him such great hope.

We are going to divide this Psalm into 3 points tonight
As each of them outline a specific truth on which David rested his hope.

#1 A PLEASING LORD
Psalms 110:1-3

Let’s just contemplate for a moment what David just heard.

“THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD: “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”

Even without our New Testament enlightenment
This is still a remarkable verse to behold.

David here makes an important announcement.
• David has a “LORD”
• David has one to whom he has submitted his life.
• David has one in whom he is trusting.
• David has picked a Savior.

BUT YOU AND I KNOW THAT
This selection is only good if God accepts Him as well.

I mean, what good does it do
To select a delegate to stand before God on your behalf
If God does not accept that delegate?

You can pick Muhammad or Buddha or Joseph Smith to be your savior if you want,
But it won’t do you any good if God doesn’t accept them.

That is why David is so elated here.
In verse 1 David learned that God has accepted David’s savior.

“The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

To sit at God’s right and was a declaration of acceptance.
And so on this day David learned that God has accepted his Lord.

THAT IS GOOD NEWS.

It’s no wonder that the New Testament took this verse and ran with it.

FOR WE UNDERSTAND THAT
If Jesus Christ had not been acceptable to the Father
Then you and I have no Savior.

This was Paul’s main argument in that famous 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians when he argued for the truth of the resurrection.

Paul said:
1 Corinthians 15:17-19 “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”

• If God didn’t raise Christ then that means that Christ was not acceptable to God.
• And it doesn’t matter how much you liked Christ,
• If God doesn’t accept Him on your behalf then you are sunk.

How wonderful to know then that God has accepted Him.
Matthew 3:16-17 “After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

• And of course God would state that again on the day Christ was transfigured.

This is foundational to our faith and salvation
To know that God has accepted Christ on our behalf.

God’s acceptance of Christ is the BEST NEWS any believer can ever hear
FOR IN HIS ACCEPTANCE WE ARE ACCEPTED.

And as we pointed out the apostles took this verse and ran with it.
Let’s take a quick look at their application of this great verse.

First we would point out that Jesus used this verse.
Matthew 22:41-46 “Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: “What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”’? “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.”

Obviously Jesus used this verse
To point out that He was in fact greater than David.

And this is precisely how Peter would use this verse too.
At Pentecost Peter preached:
Acts 2:34 “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,”

• David never rose from the dead…
• David never ascended to heaven…
• David was never invited to sit at the right hand of God…

Jesus was greater than David.
The apostles jumped all over that point.

The writer of Hebrews expanded it even further to point out that by reason of this verse Jesus was also greater than the angels.
Hebrews 1:13 “But to which of the angels has He ever said, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET”?

So clearly the apostles loved this verse
Because it highlighted the preeminence of Jesus.

Jesus is the greatest and the highest.
He alone was invited to the right hand of God.

BUT EVEN THAT ISN’T THE MAIN POINT.
• The main point that the New Testament liked is that Jesus not only was exalted to the Father but that He sat down.

“Sit at My right hand…”

The writer of Hebrews especially loved this.
• He loved to point out that sitting reveals rest.
• He loved to point out that sitting reveals being finished.
• He loved to point out that no earthly priest ever did this in God’s presence.

But Jesus has so perfectly finished His work that He sat down.

Saying it first in:
Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

And then using Psalms 110 to support his statement later:
Hebrews 10:11-14 “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

Jesus perfectly finished His work.
There was nothing left to do.

• God created the heavens and the earth in 6 days and because it was “good” or perfect “God rested”.
• Jesus came to earth, fulfilled the righteous requirement of God, and then bore the wrath of God on sin and on the cross He said, “It is finished!”
• And when Jesus ascended He rested; He sat down at the right hand of God.

THE NEW TESTAMENT LOVES THAT TRUTH.

And the apostles also loved the word “until”

Noting that His sitting on heaven’s throne is temporary
UNTIL He comes to sit on earth’s throne.

“Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Currently, as Christ is seated next to the Father,
The Father is actively working to subdue Christ’s enemies.

One by one God is subduing Christ’s enemies.
One by one God is breaking them down.

If you don’t know where God is doing that, then look around this room.

Romans 5:10 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

WE are those enemies that God has subdued
And brought to the footstool of Christ.

Paul describes what an enemy of Christ looks like:
Philippians 3:18-19 “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”

THAT WAS US.
• We were those who were enemies of Christ, but God subdued us.
• He revealed to us our rebellion.
• He called us to repentance.
• He sent His Spirit to regenerate us.
• He gave us faith.
• He atoned for our sin.
• He brought us to Christ.

Titus 3:3-7 “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

This is why it is a foolish statement to say that
You long for Christ to reign if you are not involved in evangelism.

• Evangelism is the very essence of longing for Christ to reign.
• Evangelism is the very involvement of God’s work to bring Christ’s enemies to His footstool.

And so the apostles loved this verse.
They saw so much of the gospel here and the expounded on it greatly.

But even apart from their explanation,
Just FROM DAVID we learn a great deal about our hope.

WE SEE HIS SEAT
“The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

• David had hope because his Lord and Savior had been accepted by God.

WE SEE HIS SCEPTOR
(2) “The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”

That is again a reference to the kingdom of heaven.
God would be at work to bring the hearts of wicked men into submission to Christ.

I am one of those; you are one of those.
• We are those who have confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord.
• We are those who have bowed the knee to Christ.

David had hope because his Lord had been accepted
And because God had promised that His kingdom would flourish.

WE SEE HIS SERVANTS
(3) “Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew.”

One commentary pointed out that nearly every translation of the Bible
Translates this passage differently.

• And that has made for varying interpretations of the passage, but we can still make sense of the point.

“Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power;”

Perhaps the more accurate picture is that of “freewill offerings”
• That Christ’s people will present themselves as a freewill offering in the day of His power.

Like Paul said:
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

OR
Philippians 2:17 “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”

David saw Christ’s people willingly pouring out their lives for Him.

He saw them “In holy array”; clothed in the righteousness of Christ,
But also working for the sanctification that He desires.

David saying, “Your youth are to You as the dew.”

Some translated this verse about Christ saying,
“You have the dew of Your youth”.

It’s difficult to know which, but the implication seems to be that
• Christ’s enemies have been made His servants.
• They serve Him now willingly and gladly.
• They wrap themselves in the holiness He desires.
• And they are a special blessing a delight to Him.

David saw all this coming.
• He saw a Savior, who perfectly finished His work and sat down at the right hand of God.
• He saw a God who began to turn sinners into saints and enemies into sons.
• He saw former rebels now serving Christ in holy array.
• He saw Christ delighted in their service.

And David settled his hope there.
He would smile at the future
Because His Savior would be a successful savior.

THAT IS OUR HOPE AS WELL.
That our Savior is a successful savior.

He is accepted by God and He does in fact subdue the hearts of men.
5

“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on.

He has sounded fort the trumpet that shall never sound retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment seat; O be swift, my soul, to answer Him; be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave; He is wisdom to the mighty, He is honor to the brave; So the world shall be His foot-stool and the soul of wrong His slave. Our God is marching on.”

That was the hope of David as well.
He could look forward with prophetic eyes and sing
“Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord”

We sing that same hope.

A Pleasing Lord
#2 A PERMANENT PRIEST
Psalms 110:4

This verse is widely considered the heart of the Psalm.
Indeed it is the verse that stopped the writer of Hebrews in his tracks.
• He read this verse and he could not go any further.
• He stopped in dedicated meditation.

• What is this oath that is written here?
• Who is this king that is now called priest?
• How is it that He is a priest forever?
• And who is this Melchizedek and how does he relate to Christ?

And by the time he finished seeking out this verse
He had written the entire book of Hebrews.

Some would even say that the book of Hebrews is nothing more than
An exposition of Psalms 110:1 and Psalms 110:4

And we certainly don’t have time to unpack all that the writer of Hebrews said about this verse as his commentary covered multiple chapters.

But we can read a little to bring it to our minds.

Hebrews 7:1-3 “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.”

You have to go back and read Genesis 14 if you want the whole story,
But the point was simple.

After delivering Abraham from his kidnappers and capturing the spoil Abraham tithed a tenth of the spoil to this priest named Melchizedek.

• He was unique because he was both a priest and a king.
• He was also unique because we don’t have any record of his birth or death.
• In one sense he doesn’t have a beginning or an end.
• And he is unique because he is not a Levite.

And the writer of Hebrews applied all of that to Christ
Saying that Melchizedek was a picture of Christ.

• Christ also was greater than Abraham
• Christ also has no end of days
• Christ also was not a Levite
• Christ also was priest and King.

The writer of Hebrews would also say:
Hebrews 7:11-12 “Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.”

The writer of Hebrews simply pointed out that
If the Levitical priesthood had been perfect and sufficient
Then David would have never written Psalms 110:4.

That is to say there would have never been any talk about a new priest from a new line if those old priests had been good enough.

BUT THEY WEREN’T GOOD ENOUGH.
They didn’t make anyone perfect.

So God ordained a new priest,
And then the writer of Hebrews point out that when you get a new priest
You have to get a new covenant too.

(Because the old covenant explicitly stated that all priests had to be Levites)

So clearly in Psalms 110,
God was pointing out that there was coming a day
When we’d get a new priest and a new covenant.

And the writer of Hebrews seized upon that.
Hebrews 7:17-22 “For it is attested of Him, “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, ‘YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER’”); so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.”

• The writer of Hebrews seized upon Psalms 110:4.
• He saw a new priest coming and this new priest was Jesus.
• And he saw this new priest coming with an oath from God.

IN VERSE 1 WE GOT AN ORACLE OF GOD.
And if there is anything stronger than an oracle of God
It is an oath from God. -Derek Kidner

God promised that someday David would get a new priest.
• Not a priest in weakness that could make nothing perfect.
• Not a temporary priest who would one day leave office or die.
• But David would get a powerful priest and One who would be a priest forever.

And if you want to know why this new priest
And His new covenant are better, just keep reading.

Hebrews 7:23-25 “The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

• Christ is a perfect priest
• Christ is a permanent priest
• And so Christ permanently save those who come to Him.

“He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Now that is a “tip of the ice burg” explanation,
But that is still the point that David is so happy about.

• David never had a perfect priest before…
• David never had one who was capable of atoning for his sin and then setting
down because it was finished…
• David never had one who could make him perfect…

But God told him about a priest who one day would make him perfect.
AND THIS WAS DAVID’S HOPE.

AND THIS IS OUR HOPE.
• We are sinful men.
• We have no reason to expect that we could ever please God
• Or even stay pleasing if somehow we were to appease Him.

But here David heard of a Savior who was acceptable to God
And this same One would then perform as an eternal priest
To keep saved all those who come to God through Him.

That is salvation and that is security
And that was David’s hope and it is certainly OUR HOPE AS WELL.

Hebrews 6:16-20 “For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

• Jesus satisfied God.
• Jesus sits at His right hand.
• Jesus intercedes for us.

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.” “When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace; through every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.”

That was David’s hope too.

A Pleasing Lord, A Permanent Priest
#3 A PROMISED REIGN
Psalms 110:5-7

One commentator pointed out that at this point David leaves the book of Hebrews
And approaches the book of Revelation.

For David also had a hope that
One day the heavenly kingdom would become and earthly one.

• David also had a hope that one day it would not just be men who were saved from their sin, but one day all evil would be vanquished.

• David had a hope that one day every knee would bow and every tongue would confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

And that is the day David saw here.
(5-7) “The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.”

• Notice all the “He will” statements.
• It is promised, it is prophesied, Christ will come and will destroy His enemies.

We saw the same promise back in chapter 2
When those foolish kings were conspiring against God’s anointed
To throw His fetters off.

Psalms 2:7-9 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’”

THERE IS COMING A DAY
When all those who resisted Christ and refused His saving offer
Will have their knees broken and they will bow before Him.

• “He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath”
• “He will judge among the nations,”
• “He will fill them with corpses,”
• “He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.”

And the closing verse of the Psalm pictures
His relentless pursuit of the wicked until He finds none.

David said, (7) “He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head.”

The picture is that of a general in pursuit of his enemies.
• He doesn’t just sit in his tent eating fine food,
• The general who wants to catch his foe pursue him, even drinking water from the brook on the way.

It pictures a relentless pursuit of the wicked.
And David says a king who is so passionate in his pursuit
WILL MOST CERTAINLY BE VICTORIOUS.

“He will lift up His head.”

He will pursue the wicked and He will not stop
Until every grape is trampled and every sinner destroyed.

THIS WAS DAVID’S HOPE.
• A Savior who was acceptable to God.
• A Priest who could keep him saved.
• A kingdom where the wicked would be destroyed forever.

Though the writer of Hebrews did not quote from the end of this Psalm, it is clear that he read it.

Hebrews 12:25-29 “See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.”

IT IS OUR HOPE THAT
There is coming a day when our God
Will shake the heavens and the earth.

He will come and judge the wicked
And set up a kingdom which cannot be shaken
And a land where righteousness dwells.

We hope for the day when the curse is reversed and sin is gone forever.

“Joy to the earth! The Savior reigns; let me their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy. No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.”

Now you see why the apostles seized upon Psalms 110.

• David spoke of his hope in a Savior whom God would accept on His behalf and this was Jesus.

• David spoke of a priest who would forever atone for his sin and keep him saved and this was Jesus.

• David spoke of at king who would crush His enemies and set up a holy earthly kingdom, and this was Jesus.

JESUS WAS DAVID’S HOPE IN ALL THINGS.

• Even though David was a king he knew he was not acceptable to God on his own.
• Even though David was a king he was not even allowed to be a priest.
• Even though David was a king he never fully rid the world of his enemies.

David’s hope was in a better king, his Lord,
Who would accomplish all of those things.

That is the same Lord we celebrate.
That is the same Lord we worship.
That is the same in Lord in whom we place our hope.

And tonight, just to remember this great hope
We are going to partake in the Lord’s Supper.

• As we do we see His body in which He earned the righteousness that was
imputed to us.
• A righteous life that was offered to the Father on our behalf.
• And in the juice we see His blood which was shed to pay the penalty for our
sin.

And it all hinges upon the fact that
THIS OFFERING WAS ACCEPTED BY THE FATHER FOR US.

HE IS OUR ONLY HOPE.

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Another Look At The World
Ecclesiastes 4:1-16
June 27, 2021

Often times when we go on mission and spend time in a different culture
We speak of “culture shock”.

• It occurs when we get outside of the comforts of America and see villages of people living in utter poverty.
• We see them sleeping on dirt floors, drinking filthy water, wearing rags for clothes, and facing death due to lack of medical options.
• It can be eye-opening when you see it, especially for the first time.

Sometimes it is easy to sit in an air-conditioned house
Watching an HD television while drinking an ice-cold drink
And eating our third meal of the day
To forget just how much suffering there is in the world.

And yet, if you are willing to open your eyes
The suffering of humanity is everywhere.

If you stop and listen to a person’s story for just a few moments
You find that people everywhere are hurting.

We might even come to the conclusion that LIFE IS HARD,
Or even better yet that this WORLD IS CURSED.

And the simple fact is that you might insulate yourself from it for a while
But sooner or later HARDSHIP and SUFFERING and GRIEF will find you.

NOW THAT IS NOT A PLEASANT THOUGHT.

When a young man or woman graduates from High School
We very rarely send them a card about the cruelty of life.
• We talk to them about their bright future…
• We talk to them about all their opportunities…
• We talk to them about the potential for success…

Perhaps that is why you very rarely see a quote
From the book of Ecclesiastes on a greeting card.

The preacher here is just not “Hallmark” material.
• He does not sugar coat life.
• He does not hand out rose colored glasses.
• He tells the cold hard truth about life,
• And if you fail to listen to him the first time, then he will grab you and tell you again.

And with that we come to chapter 4 of this book.

Twice you see the statement (1, 7) “Then I looked again…”

Here the preacher takes another look at the world.
• It’s his honest critique.
• It’s his honest review.

He is out to tell you the truth, and as we have seen,
HE TELLS YOU THE TRUTH FOR A REASON.

• He has been saying repeatedly that the only true source of satisfaction is
found in the God who created you.
• He has repeatedly said that enjoyment comes only from Him and in Him.
• But if you look at this world apart from Him, you find a cold mean place to dwell.

What we are going to do this morning
Is actually cover this entire chapter in 1 sermon.

Indeed, I’m not sure our psyche could handle
Focusing on what he has to say much longer that that.

Here in the chapter we find 4 evils or vanities
That the preacher sees in life here on earth
And he wants to make sure that the young man is well aware of them.

Well let’s examine these evils or vanities that the preacher wants us to see.
#1 ABOUNDING EVIL
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

That’s a pretty difficult passage to read.
It is dark and depressing to say the least.

The preacher quit turning a blind eye.
Instead of turning away from the gutter, he purposely examined it.

He saw “all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun.”
• He simply forced himself to look at what goes on in the world.
• He made himself watch life.
• And he looked “oppression”

And his conclusion was a difficult one to swallow.
“And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressor was power, but they had no one to comfort them.”

What he saw is a definite injustice of this world.
• Sometimes those in power are evil.
• Sometimes those in power oppress the weak.

And I know that in Hallmark movies or in Hollywood blockbusters
In the end everything is supposed to be made right.

The preacher told the young man to turn off the Hallmark channel.
This life doesn’t wrap up happy endings in a nice and neat little bow.

• He saw the oppressed crying
• He saw them continually oppressed
• And he saw that no one cared to comfort them

HE SAW DEJECTED PEOPLE.

AND THE SIGHT WAS SO DISCOURAGING
THAT IT LED HIM TO MAKE A STARTLING ANNOUNCEMENT.

(2-3) “So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun.”

Wow!
• “I congratulated the dead”
• “better off…is the one who never existed”

Those are certainly harsh statements.

But look at the oppression of this world
And see if you can’t come to the same conclusion.

Look at starving children in third world countries.
• See if you do not pity what they are born in to and have to survive.
• See if your heart is not granted relief when they die and escape the horror they were forced to live in.

It’s not a pleasant thought,
But we know there is truth here from the preacher.

There is evil and oppression in this world
And it is here to such an extent
That death can be seen as a welcomed relief.

How many times have we said around the grave of a loved one,
“At least they aren’t suffering anymore”?

You understand then the observation of the preacher.
• This life brings with it abounding evil.
• This life presents oppression and tears and a lack of comfort to so many.
• For so many it is a terribly hard life.

And the preacher is simply forcing us to look at it for a moment.

Abounding Evil
#2 EXHAUSTING LABOR
Ecclesiastes 4:4-6

Now he looks at the working man.
He moves from skid row to main street.

And here he sees humanity breaking their back in rigorous labor.

And he makes some startling observations about that too.

(4) “I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

He noticed men working hard
And he noticed that the reason for their hard work
Is because they were in a heated competition with their neighbor.

The word “rivalry” there can actually be translated “jealousy” or “envy”

In short, he saw the “cut throat” nature of business.

He saw men locked in a brutal competition.
• And he saw them in a race with one another.
• That in order for this man’s business to grow stronger, that man’s business has
to grow weaker.
• It was a harsh battle for victory.

He sees men working themselves to death,
Not to simply earn a living, but to beat a competitor.

BUT HERE IS WHERE IT GETS EVEN SADDER.

(6) “One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind.”

• It would certainly be nice if those competitors could just sit back and rest and stop the battle for supremacy.

But there is a problem with that.
It is the problem the preacher mentioned in verse 5.

(5) “The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.”

• If you “fold your hands”
• That is to say if you slack off or you take a break,
• You will ruin yourself.

Man is out there killing himself in competition to grow his business
And it would be nice to just stop, be content, and say he has enough,
But if he does that it will ruin his business.

IF HE TAKES A BREAK, HIS COMPETITOR WILL SWOOP IN
AND STEAL HIS CUSTOMERS AND CRUSH HIS BUSINESS.

So the man can’t stop.
• He has to work and work and work and work.
• He has to drive his employees hard.
• He has to push through.

There is no rest, there is only labor.

LOOK AT OUR WORLD.
There used to be blue laws where at least businesses closed on Sunday,
• But you can’t now because your locked in a competition with that other business that decided to work on Sunday.

• Businesses now open on Thanksgiving and some even Christmas because they have to get ahead of the competition.

We could probably ask, “What do you have planned this afternoon?”
• We live in a day now were the majority of people squeeze in Sunday morning worship, but no sooner is it over than do they have work to do.
• It is no longer a day of rest and the culture has made you feel guilty if you take it.
• It certainly is no longer “The Lord’s Day”

Do you see how the world has stolen rest, even from the people of God?

Look at coaches and athletes.
• Summer breaks hardly exist any more.
• From the second kids get out of school it’s right back to workouts and summer leagues.
• Sure, you could take a break, but that school down the road is doing it and since they won’t take a break, neither can you.

DO YOU SEE THAT IN LIFE?
Men push each other to work longer and harder
And it robs the whole world of rest.

Now men can’t quit because their opponent will overtake them if they do.
This world is filled with exhausting labor.

Abounding Evil, Exhausting Labor
#3 REGRETTABLE SOLITUDE
Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

Here we see a man who is so consumed with his work and his profit
THAT HE HAS LITERALLY FOUND HIMSELF ALONE.

(7-8) “Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.”

The preacher says this man has no “dependent”.
The word there is literally “second”.

It may be that more than an heir the preacher is talking about
It could be a business partner or even an employee.

He works and he works alone.
• There is no one to share his life with.
• There is no one to share his profit with.
• There is no one to share victory or defeat with.

His job has literally taken him away from every human relationship.

Ever see people like that?
• They were “married” to their job…
• They sacrifice family and friends because there is always work to do…

This guy works and works and works
Even at the expense of all earthly relationships
And never even stops to ask himself why.

At the end of the day he no longer has family or friends,
All he has is the job
And he doesn’t even have anyone to leave all his earnings to.

HOW SAD.

And in this case the preacher just can’t help it.
He takes a moment to explain the importance of relationships in this life.

(9) “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.”

• That is to say you get a BETTER PROFIT if you work with someone instead of
working alone.
• You can get more done and often work harder with someone with you.

(10) “For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.”

• Which speaks of BETTER HELP.
• Jobs are just easier when there is someone to work with.

(11) “Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?”

• A companion produces BETTER COMFORT than if you are alone.

(12) “And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”

• A companion is BETTER PROTECTION.

In short the preacher is just lamenting that guy
Who worked so hard all of his life and ended up alone
AND LOOK AT WHAT IT COST HIM.

Life would have been so much better
If he had had someone to share life with, instead all he had was the job.

It’s the old “Cats in the Cradle” Song
• About the man who was so busy working he never had time for his family
• And then in the end when the job is over his family has no time for him.

IT’S INCREDIBLY SAD. And yet we see it all our world.
We see those who because they were so busy working
They found themselves alone and missed out on the blessing of companionship.

Abounding Evil, Exhausting Labor, Regrettable Solitude
#4 FORGOTTEN ACCOMPLISHMENT
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

THAT STORY CAN BE A LITTLE CONFUSING.
• In fact even translators will admit having a difficult time knowing exactly who all of the pronouns are talking about.

But I think the flow of the book helps us greatly understand his point.

Here we have 2 men.
• One is “a poor yet wise lad” who we also find out was “in prison”
• The other is “an old and foolish king”

Incidentally he is called “foolish”
Because he “no longer knows how to receive instruction.”

SO THE IMPLICATION IS THAT
We have a nation that is languishing under a stubborn king.

And because this king has made mistakes due to his pride
• The nation is ready for change
• And they turn to this “poor yet wise lad” who (14) “has come out of prison to become king”
• So the nation turns to this former poor prisoner because they have had it with the stubborn king.

And the preacher says, (15) “I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.”

I saw this young man get massive support from the nation
And everyone loved him and supported him
And wanted him to be the king.

However, his fame was short-lived.
(16) “There is no end to all the people, to al who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.”

And the simple point is that
• Even though you may rise from poverty to greatness,
• And even though men may love you today,
• Your fame can be very short lived.

Ever watch pro athletes?
It’s actually a sad story.

• Fans can fall in love with an athlete; a quarterback.
• They’ll buy his jersey and chant his name.
• But it won’t be many years until the organization will draft a new young rookie
full of potential and before you know it those same fans will “boo” when the old quarterback takes the field and they’ll chant for his replacement.

AND SUCH IS LIFE.
• Accomplishment is often forgotten.
• Glory fades.
• It just doesn’t last.
• And after the world uses you, it will quickly discard you.

NOW THOSE ARE THE 4 OBSERATIONS ABOUT LIFE
THAT THE PREACHER MAKES.

Abounding Evil – this life produces no comfort for the oppressed.
Exhausting Labor – this life produces no rest for the weary.
Regrettable Solitude – this world will leave you empty and alone.
Forgotten Accomplishment – your glory will quickly be forgotten and discarded.

• Our world oppresses people
• Our world jealously attacks people
• Our world sucks people in and then isolates them and leaves them alone
• Our world uses people and then discards them

That is our world and you can see those things happening everywhere.

HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT STING?

We call it THE CURSE
Genesis 3:14-15 “The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life; And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

• The curse brought enmity.
• The curse brought rivalry.
• The curse brought envy and jealousy and cruelty and oppression.

Genesis 3:16 “To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”

• The curse brought pain and hardship and suffering.

Genesis 3:17-18 “Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field;”

• The curse brought labor and robbed man of rest.

Genesis 3:19 “By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.”

• The curse brought death and the sting of being forgotten.

THIS WORLD IS CURSED.
And now, if you open your eyes you see things like:

ACTS OF OPPRESSION – Have you read about Cain killing Abel or Joseph’s brothers selling him into slavery?

EXHAUSTING LABOR – Do you see man toiling to scratch out food from cursed ground and men crying out for rest?

REGRETTABLE SOLITUDE – Look at how this life leaves people alone. Look at how people are taught to work and make money and climb the ladder but sacrifice the people in their life to do it.

FORGOTTEN ACCOMPLISHMENT – Look at how this world uses people and then tosses them aside. This is what Israel did to Jesus even.

This world is cursed.
This world should never be the objective of your life.
GAINING THIS WORLD SHOULD NEVER BE THE GOAL.

Certainly that is a message to the young man.
If your ambition is to obtain this world you are in a sad state of affairs.

Open your eyes, this world is evil and exhausting and cruel and empty.

Just look at the WORDS THAT FLOOD chapter 4 of Ecclesiastes.
“oppression” – “tears” – “no one to comfort” – “evil activity” – “rivalry” – “vanity” – “striving after wind” – “not satisfied” – “laboring” – “depriving” – “grievous task” – “replaces” – “not be happy”

Do you see this world?
• It is broken and harsh and cruel.
• It leaves men oppressed without comfort
• It leaves men tired without relief
• It leaves men alone in solitude
• It leaves men forgotten and discarded

THAT IS THIS WORLD
And the preacher has sort of rubbed it in our face this morning.

BUT WHAT ARE WE TO LEARN FROM SUCH A REALITY?
• Are we just supposed to walk away depressed and defeated that we are consigned to live in such a cruel world?

No, we are supposed to see the cruelty of this sin cursed world
And be drawn to Christ.

This world will OPPRESS you, but Christ comforts the oppressed.
Luke 4:18-19 “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”

This world will EXHAUST you, but Christ offers rest to the weary.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This world will LEAVE YOU alone, but Christ will come to you in your solitude.
John 5:4-5“for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.”

This world will USE you and DISCARD you, but Christ sees you.
Matthew 9:36 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”

Christ came into this sin-cursed world and offered salvation.
He came to offer light in the midst of darkness.

John 1:4 “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”

• This world was never supposed to satisfy you.
• This world is cursed.
• Only Jesus offers satisfaction and life.

TURN TO: MATTHEW 11:28

We just read this passage a moment ago,
But I want us to go a bit further in Matthew’s gospel.

There are many stories we could examine this morning in order to make the point of how Jesus treats the oppressed.

• The hemorrhaging woman who had been suffering for 12 years.
• How He healed the leper who approached and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” And Jesus said, “I am willing.”
• How He forgave and healed the paralytic who was lowered through the roof.
• How He visited the city of Nain and saw a widow in a funeral possession burying her only son and how Jesus raised the boy from the dead and gave him back to her.
• How He saw 10 leprous men and healed them all.
• How He restored sight to Bartimaeus outside of Jericho
• Or all the other compassionate things Jesus did which are not written.

There are any number of stories that perhaps we could turn to,
But this morning we’re looking at Matthew 11 and 12.

We see again that famous passage where Jesus offered rest to the weary.
And then we come to chapter 12 and we read “At that time…”

IT STARTS WITH a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees because Jesus’ disciples were picking heads of grain on the Sabbath.
• Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and says:
• (7) “But if you had known what this means, “I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
• Jesus was pointing out the major problem, not only of the world, but even of the Jewish religion. There was no compassion.

BUT KEEP FOLLOWING THE STORY.
(9) “Departing from there, He went into their synagogue…”

Jesus isn’t finished.
• And here we get the story about the man with the withered hand and yet another rebuke of the religious elite.
• Jesus is full of compassion for the hurting isn’t He?

And it’s still not over, Matthew is making a point.
(READ 15-21)

There Matthew makes THE POINT he wants you to see about Jesus.
He quotes from Isaiah 42 and says it is all about Jesus.

“HE WILL NOT QUARREL”
• The word for quarrel there is ERIZO and it means “wrangling or harassing or even brawling”
• Jesus is no bully, He is filled with compassion not meanness.

“NOR CRY OUT”
• “CRY OUT” is an onomatopoetic word KRAUGAZO which means “to squawk like a bird or to scream and yell repeatedly”
• That’s not Jesus.
• He didn’t attack people, He didn’t bully people, He didn’t use or intimidate people. He had compassion on people.

“A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF”
• That is a broken person barely hanging on, but Jesus doesn’t discard them.

“A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OFF”
• A person whose light is just about to go out, but Jesus doesn’t push them aside.

“AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.”
• He gives hope to the helpless
• He gives life to the dying
• He is moved with compassion.

And Matthew loved that about Jesus.
It was Matthew who first pointed out back in chapter 4

Matthew 4:12-16 “Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES— “THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

Do you see this Jesus?
• The world is harsh and cruel.
• The world will work you to death with no relief
• The world will isolate you and take everything from you
• The world will then use you up and throw you aside

BUT NOT JESUS.
• He offers life to those who live in this world.
• He gives comfort to the oppressed
• He provides rest to those who labor
• He comes to those who are alone
• He sees those who are discarded

And it is important that you see Jesus
Because without Jesus all you get from this world
Is oppression and labor and loneliness and rejection.

SO YOUNG MAN, WHY WOULD YOU GO OUT AND SEEK THIS WORLD?

Seek, trust, fear, and enjoy the God who created you
For there is no satisfaction without Him.

Are you oppressed?
• Has this world beaten you down?
• Then run to Jesus He came “to set free those who are oppressed”

Are you tired?
• Have you gotten sucked into the rat race of this world, or even worse the rat race of religion where you are working like crazy to earn God’s approval?
• Then run to Jesus He came “to give you rest”

Are you lonely?
• Perhaps your loneliness is because you pursued the world at the expense of your family or perhaps your loneliness is from another source. But whatever the reason and regardless of who is to blame this world has seen fit to leave you alone.
• Then run to Jesus He said, “surely I will be with you always.”

Have you been discarded?
• Has the world used you up and spit you out. Did you give your life to a career or job only to find out how easily replaceable you were?
• HAPPENS TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Then run to Jesus He shepherds lost and discarded sheep.

His invitation was given to people just like you.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

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Learning The Hard Way
Ecclesiastes 3:11-22
June 20, 2021

Well, I’m sure that simply upon reading the title of the sermon,
There are many of you who either immediately nodded your head
Or perhaps were elbowed in the side by your wife.

We all know what it is to learn our lessons the hard way.

Someone even once said that “Experience is what causes us to recognize our mistakes when we make them the second time.”

There are likely many of us
Who know a thing or two about learning the hard way,
And those of who do are more than willing
To tell the next generation: “Don’t do what I did.”

Well there again you understand the preacher.
• He is begging and pleading and warning at this young man
• To pay attention and not make the same mistakes in life that he did.

The last couple of weeks we’ve been discussing the issue of time.
It has been a rather EVANGELISTIC time
As we are all asked to contemplate, “What Time Is It?” in our lives.

We are really in an application/invitation section of the book.

Let’s ZOOM OUT a little in our look at Ecclesiastes
And see again his big picture point.
• So you know by now that he started out addressing those great temptations of wisdom and pleasure.
• You are well aware of what he had to say about both of those being a mirage.
• And you remember his lament about how he had no control over his legacy and how he lamented that.

And then at the end of chapter 2
The preacher made his first application of the book.

He got to his first point.
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

I hope you remember that.

When he said in (verse 24a) “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good.”

His point was that there literally is nothing better.
That is all there is.

If you’re expecting something more out of the work of this life,
I hate to disappoint you, but it won’t happen.

And I hope you remember the reason.

He went on to say, (24b-25) “This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him.”

Remember the reason?
• It is because God has so ordained that
• There is no true or eternal satisfaction apart from Him.
• He will not allow it.

All true satisfaction both in this life and certainly for eternity
Comes only through a relationship with the God who created you.

And so the preacher went on to say:
(26) “For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

So his point was that
• Your chief ambition should definitely be to please God
• And do what is good in His sight
• To seek satisfaction in Him
• For He alone has the ability to make life pleasant or difficult for you.

And He certainly has the ability to make eternity pleasant or difficult.

I hope you remember that point that the preacher made.
Because that point is still on his mind.

LOOK AT OUR TEXT THIS MORNING,
The preacher has returned right to that point now again.

Look at it in verses 12-13
“I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.”

Look at in verse 22
“I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?”

Do you see that we are still on that same point?

He is still trying to drive through to the young man
That there is only one real objective to this life
And that is to live it in a way that pleases God,
And to find you ultimate satisfaction in Him.

So that’s where we’ve been.

THIS MORNING, LET’S MOVE FORWARD
And talk about those who ignore that warning
And are still intent on learning lessons the hard way.

There are 4 points to be made in our text this morning.
#1 THE CALLING OF MAN
Ecclesiastes 3:11-13

I went ahead and included verse 11 here again because it is a good reminder.

“He has made everything appropriate in its time.”
• Which is to say that God alone determines what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior.

“He has also set eternity in their heart”
• Which reminds us that all we do today we instinctively know is also for eternity.

“yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.”
• Which reminds us that God has not told us everything. We are on a “need-to-know” basis.

Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”

SO AGAIN,
• God has not revealed to us everything,
• But He has told us what we need to know in order to prepare our heart for eternity and judgment
• And to find our satisfaction in Him.

And to that point the preacher continues.
(12-13) “I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor – it is the gift of God.”

IT IS THE SAME POINT.
• “there is nothing better”

Wisdom and pleasure and legacy and all that
Is simply going to leave you empty
When you realize that all they promise is a mirage.

However, the satisfied life…
• The fulfilled life…
• The happy life…

Is the life that learns to simply live and enjoy the good things
Which God gives daily to those who find satisfaction in Him.

You have a “lifetime” here.
• It is your life’s span
• We called it your allotted time

And that “lifetime” is filled with good gifts from God.
• Did you plant a field?
• Did you harvest a crop?
• Did you eat from your harvest?

That’s a good thing, it is a “gift of God” you should rejoice in it.

Those are the simple pleasures that you must learn to enjoy.

But even more than that,
It is an understanding of the fact that all good things come from God
AND THAT THE CHIEF CALLING OF MAN IS
To draw near to the One who gives all good gifts.

The New Testament echoes this:
James 1:13-18 “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.”

• Do you hear James reminding that there is no lasting satisfaction in following temptation?
• Do you hear James remind that there is only One good gift giver?
• Do you hear James revealing that God’s greatest gift is to bring us forth by His word (born again) and change our lives into “first fruits among His creatures”?

James is preaching the message of the preacher here.
There is no satisfaction in the lusts and temptations of this world,
They all end in death.
But there is a good God who gives good gifts
And your chief aim should be to draw near to Him.

THAT IS ACTUALLY THE CALLING OF MAN.
• Turn from sin, resist temptation
• Draw near to God, call upon Him
• And God will accomplish His will in and through your life

This is what the preacher wants for the young man.
Why would you pursue the world and all its lies when you can instead be satisfied in the life that God gives you?

That is the calling, and that really isn’t new.
That’s the same point he made back at the end of chapter 2.
But you see he is now revisiting it.

The Calling of Man
#2 THE CONTROL OF GOD
Ecclesiastes 3:14-15

This is also not really a new point.
• As evidenced by the fact of him saying, “I know…”
• It’s sort of a recap.

He is reminding us again that God is the One who is really at work.
God is the One who is sovereign over all things.

We tend to think our labors and tasks are so important,
But it is really God who is at work and who is accomplishing things in this life.

And we listen as the preacher talks about the work of God.

We see THE PERMANENCE of God’s work
“I know that everything God does will remain forever;”

• When God does something it lasts; it endures.

God ISN’T LIKE a president who may fill spiral notebooks full of executive orders
Only to have his successor come in and undo them all.

• No, if God does something it lasts forever.
• There is a permanence to His work.

We see the PERFECTION of God’s work
“there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take away from it,”

• What did God ever do that you felt the need to undo?
• What did God ever do that you felt the need to fix?

When God does it; it is perfect.

We see the POINT of God’s work
“for God has so worked that men should fear Him.”

• All that God has done has been for the purpose of teaching men to fear Him.
• All that He does is meant to show that He is God and you are not.

And we see the PRESENCE of God’s work
“That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.”

I know that’s a little mysterious verse, but it simply is saying this.

That God refuses to let His standards and His laws and His works
To just fade into the past.

Instead God continually brings His past truth
Back to the forefront for humanity.

If man could, they would gladly throw God’s Laws behind their back, vote them out, and do away with them forever.

• But God doesn’t allow that.
• The world cannot rid itself of what God has determined will always be the
governing truth of the world.

“That which is has been already”
• The Law today was the Law yesterday.

“and that which will be has already been.”
• The Law that will be tomorrow is that same Law that was yesterday.

“for God seeks what has passed by.”
• God keeps bringing His truth back to the forefront.

You never can escape it.

Now let’s just make the simple observation of what has been said so far.

• We have a sovereign God who is in control of all things.
• His Law is the Law.
• He is in charge and He will always be in charge.
• And the calling of man is to fear God and draw near to Him and to please Him
and to enjoy Him in this life.

That is the calling of man and the control of God.

Now that is simple, but I hope you understand it.

You were placed here on this rock
That you might know and fear and trust and enjoy God.

That is how you are to live this life.

Listen again to Paul’s sermon to the people of Athens.
• They were totally pagan
• They had no knowledge of the true God
• They were wrapped up in idolatry

Acts 17:24-27 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;”

The God of the universe sits in control of all things
And you were created and put on this earth that you might seek Him.

And of course Paul would go on to say that
• It is even more imperative that you do this
• Since in the end, you will stand before Him and be judged for whether or not you did that.

Acts 17:30-31 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

BUT YOU SEE THE POINT.
• God created man for His glory.
• Man was intended to seek and know and fear and trust and enjoy God.

I don’t know what else you think you were put here for, but that’s it.
That is the purpose of your life.

Now, that isn’t necessarily new information from the preacher.
He’s been all over, under, around, and through that.

Here is where he starts making his newest point.
• You were put here that you might seek, know, fear, trust, and enjoy God.
• But some people insist on learning this lesson the hard way.

#3 THE CORRUPTION OF HUMANITY
Ecclesiastes 3:16-21

• Men should fear God
• Men should seek God
• Men should trust God
• Men should obey God
• Men should enjoy God

But that is definitely not what we see when we look at this world.

The preacher knows what you see,
Because it’s the same thing he saw.

(16) “Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.”

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell isn’t it?

“Under the sun” – that is in this world
We rarely see life played out as it was intended to be.

• We don’t see men seeking God we see them suppressing the truth about God.
• We don’t see men trusting God we see men rejecting Him.
• We don’t see men fearing God we see them blaspheming Him.
• We don’t see men enjoying God we see men seeking to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.

Romans 3:10-18 “as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.” “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,” “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”; “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”; “THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN.” “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

At the very least it is safe to say that
Man has totally missed the point of what he was created.

“in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.”

IT IS JUST EVIL AND BACKWARD.

And at the very least it does force a person to question
Why God, who is in control of all things,
Would allow His world to go so far into depravity.

Here we have a God
• Who will not allow His work or His law to pass away or be altered,
• But at the same time He has seemingly permitted men to fall headfirst into sin.

Why?

It frustrates the righteous for sure,
BUT IT ALSO SEEMS TO INVIGORATE THE WICKED
• Men who think they can sin an God will do nothing.
• They’ve been doing it for years, and thus far no judgment.
• What does it matter?

GOD CALLS them to fear and trust and enjoy Him,
BUT THEY have chosen instead to love and pursue and seek sin
And thus far it doesn’t seem that God is doing anything about it at all.

Well the preacher is going to shed some light on that.

There are two things that every human ought to know.
1) THE PROMISE OF JUDGMENT
(17) “I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.”

Just because you get away with it now
Does not mean you won’t be judged for it later.

• That is the simple truth.
• That is actually the truth the preacher is driving toward at the very end of this book.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

• We could go to the book of the Revelation and read about the end when the books were opened, but I hope you get the point.

You’re not getting away with anything.
You’re just storing up wrath until the day of wrath.

But it is the second point you really need to see and understand.
2) THE PURPOSE OF PATIENCE
(18) “I said to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

The preacher says that God’s allowance of man
To run headlong into sin and depravity and wickedness
WAS FOR A PURPOSE.

What purpose?

God is showing man just how wicked he is.
“in order for them to see that they are but beasts.”

One of the reasons God does not instantly judge sin
Is because God allows men to get into sin
So that He may easily make His case as to how wicked man is.

WE HAVE SAID IT OVER AND OVER,
But it is so important to our understanding even for the gospel.

Today man holds the unyielding belief that he is basically good.
I talk to people all the time who are totally convinced that they are good people.

Now, what they mean by that is that
They are good compared to the human average.

And the reason they are convinced of their goodness
Is because they know that they have had opportunity for greater evil
That they have not taken.

So, because they had a chance to be more evil than they are,
And because they are not as evil as some,
Then the conclusion is that “I am a good person.”

However, human goodness or morality is easily explained.

God has placed in society certain barriers or constraints to help man choose what is right.
• The first line of defense is parents, who from an early age begin to instill right from wrong in us.
• The second line of defense quickly becomes the conscience where we feel guilty for doing what we are taught is wrong.
• Other lines of defense are societal peer pressure, where we know society will react negatively to us if we do things that society depicts as wrong.
• Governing authorities place a barrier to our wicked behavior because we can actually be punished for doing some things.
• Natural repercussions can be a deterrent. Things like smoking can give you cancer, or if you have an affair you can lose your marriage.

Point being there are all sorts of natural constraints
That God has put into effect
To keep man from being as wicked as he could be.

But if you start removing those restraints,
There is literally no limit to the level
That even “good men” can stoop to.

• If you sear the conscience
• If you nullify parental authority
• If you corrupt the societal notions of what is right and wrong
• If you vilify the police

Then man can quickly fall into all sorts of depravity and sinfulness.

In fact, you will “see that they are but beasts.”

Man is in effect nothing more than A STRAY DOG.
Whatever gratifies the flesh at the moment is exactly what he will do.

Now, in order for man to be saved, he must come to this understanding.

• The first criteria for salvation has always been that man become “poor in
spirit”.
• Man has to come to grips with how sinful he is.
• This is the only way he will cry out to God for mercy and salvation.

Well, one of the reasons God allows wickedness to continue
Is not because He is pleased with it,
But because He is allowing man to see just how corrupt he actually is.

I’m sure the prodigal thought he was “a good guy”,
• And as “a good guy” he was a long way away from salvation.
• But after his father permitted him to chase his sin and eat with the pigs he then became ready for salvation.

MAN HAS TO LEARN THIS.
And UNFORTUNATELY some people have to learn it THE HARD WAY.

We remember Nebuchadnezzar who literally became a beast to learn this lesson.
Daniel 4:33 “Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.”

• And after that 7 year hiatus as a vile beast Nebuchadnezzar was finally ready to repent and run to God.

We think certainly of the Prodigal Son:
Luke 15:13-16 “And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. “Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. “So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. “And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.”

• These are just two graphic examples of men who had to learn what they were the hard way.
• They put themselves through unspeakable misery by chasing their sin to the max
• And God allowed them to chase their sin and even enjoy it for a time that He might finally show them just how wicked they actually were.

Consider Romans 1 where Paul outlines that God does this very thing.

TURN TO: ROMANS 1:24-32
• You see that repeated phrase, “God gave them over”

It is God letting men have the sin they crave
And the repercussions that come with it
Until they learn “that they are but beasts”

So God lets man in sin until he sees how sinful he is.

But that’s not all.
Through this process man is also forced to learn HOW MORTAL HE IS.

(19-21) “For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?”

The simple point here is that
• Though man thinks himself so evolved.
• And though man thinks himself higher than the animals.
• And though man thinks himself superior.

Here’s the simple truth.
On your own, and by following your own desires,
You will live like an animal and you will die like an animal.

The preacher is clear:
• “As one dies so dies the other;”
• “All go to the same place” – death
• “All came from the dust and all return to the dust.”

And he asks:
“Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of beasts descends downward to the earth?”

His point is not to argue eternal things, but merely to point out that

Though man thinks himself so important he ought to realize that
If given the opportunity he will be just as sinful as a stray dog
And someday he will die just like a stray dog.

The Psalmist made this clear:
Psalms 49:10-12 “For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish And leave their wealth to others. Their inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called their lands after their own names. But man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish.”

Again:
Psalms 49:18-20 “Though while he lives he congratulates himself— And though men praise you when you do well for yourself— He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They will never see the light. Man in his pomp, yet without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish.”

AND SO HERE’S THE POINT OF THE PREACHER.
• There is a calling for man to know, seek, trust, and fear God.
• God is in control of all things doing His perfect work so that you
will fear Him.
• AND YET, SOME MEN ARE STUBBORN.
• They don’t want to trust God,
• They don’t fear God,
• They won’t seek God.
• Instead they resist God and seek sin.

And for a time, though judgment is inevitable,
God actually allows them to walk in the sin they seek.

He does so that He might show them their sinfulness
And teach them their mortality.

NOW,
You who lives in sin.
You who chases the flesh,
whether substances or sexual immorality or whatever else gratifies the nature.

Can you not see that this mindset is no different than a beast?
A stray dog will eat what it can eat and mate what it can mate.

And if God has allowed you to walk in that sin
It is only so that on days like today
You might come to your senses and see that you need a Savior!

• You need the mercy of God to forgive you.
• You need the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to you.
• You need the atoning work of Jesus Christ to pardon you.
• You need the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God to change you.

Can you see that?
The preacher is here again driving men to the gospel.

HOW GREAT IT WOULD BE
If you would simply listen to the word of God and seek Him as He intends, but unfortunately some are determined to go and learn the hard way.

• So they chase their sin…
• They live in their immorality…
• And all the while they are simply moving one step closer to the pig pen and the final judgment.

The preacher is telling the young man not to be that person.

One final point
#4 THE CONVICTION OF THE PREACHER
Ecclesiastes 3:22

So here he has now COME FULL CIRCLE, and we are back to the point.
“I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot.”

Man should seek satisfaction and enjoyment in God
For that is why he was created.

And then the preacher asks:
“For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?”

In other words:
FOR THIS LIFE IS ALL YOU GET.

• You get one life…
• You get one allotted time…
• You were placed here that you might seek and know and fear and enjoy God.

Don’t be one who has to learn that lesson the hard way.
• Some do learn it through a life of pain.
• Sadly some don’t learn it until the day of judgment.

THOSE ARE BAD WAYS TO LEARN THAT LESSON.

We could go on with this subject for a long time, but I hope you get the point.

I’ll close again with that super relevant sermon of Paul:
Acts 17:24-31 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”