ECCLESIASTES 9-102007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Ecclesiastes 9-10

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007. And so as we look at Solomon, we find really a bad example, an example of what not to do and how not to think, of how not to look at life.

I would encourage you as we're going through Ecclesiastes, I've encouraged you in the past as well, but read through Matthew chapter five, six and seven. Matthew chapter five, six and seven. Jesus gives his perspective on life and much of what Jesus says will deal exactly with some of the things that Solomon is talking about and will help you find perspective on what really is important and what is the truth.

Because sometimes as we read through these words of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, we can get caught up in all of the questions that he asked and the trouble that he faces because we get sucked into it and forget to step out and look at what the rest of the word of God has to say.

It's a book that we need to rely upon the rest of God's revelation so that we can stay grounded in his word and his principles and not get distracted on the confusion that takes place. It's a whirlwind of confusion that takes place when we leave his ways, when we leave God's ways and begin to walk in our own wisdom.

And so let's ask God for understanding and wisdom that we might see his ways and his principles as we study Ecclesiastes chapter 9 and 10. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we do lift up our hearts to you this evening, God, and we ask that as we spend this time in your word that you would lead us and guide us. Lord, that you would speak to us by your Holy Spirit. God, that you would bring to our hearts and minds the scriptures that you

Share your truth about the subjects we will be looking at that Solomon will talk about. God, we pray that you would help us to discern what is of you and what is not of you. Lord, that we would recognize that man's wisdom, that man's strength, Lord, that what we have to offer is not sufficient. Lord, help us to recognize that this world will not satisfy us.

And that we can only find fulfillment and joy and peace and love and right relationship with you. So God, lead us. Draw us closer to you this evening as we look at your word. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen.

A couple quick announcements before we jump into Chapter 9 here. I just want to let you know the Harvest Crusades are coming up. There's still opportunity to participate in serving at the Crusades if you attend an impact class. And there's a group that's going this Saturday. You can join them, meet here at the church at 530. And they'll be going down to attend the class.

and learn what they need to know in order to be able to serve on the field as a counselor or to serve as an usher up in the stands and be able to minister there at the Crusades. Also, not this Friday, but next Friday, they're going to be passing out flyers and inviting people to the Harvest Crusades. And that's something that we encourage all of you to be a part of. If you want more information about that, you can talk to Richard after the service.

One last thing, this coming Sunday for the Home Bible Studies, the Home Bible Study that normally meets in the Dominguez home will be meeting at the Sedota home for this week only because the Dominguez's are out of town. So if you normally attend the Dominguez home, you want to make sure that you know how to get to the home of George and Patty Sedota because that's where the study of Nehemiah will take place.

Let's start Ecclesiastes chapter 9 by reading verses 1 through 3. It says this, "...for I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all, that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God."

People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. All things come alike to all. One event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good, the clean, and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner. He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. Verse 3.

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun. That one thing happens to all. Truly, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil. Madness is in their hearts while they live. And after that, they go to the dead. Solomon has been talking about the fact that

Well, he's noticed, he's observed that in life there's some things that happen to good people that you would not think should happen to good people. He's really asking the question, why do bad things happen to good people? And he's recognizing sometimes

The wicked are blessed or they receive good things and the people who are good or righteous, they receive bad things. And it seems that it's not really fair what's going on here. And Solomon is continuing that train of thought as we begin chapter 9 this evening.

And he says in verse 1, I considered all of this. I tried to figure it out so that I could declare it to you. And he makes this statement there at the end of verse 1. He says, And here's an area where

We would agree with Solomon and what he's pointing out here. It's an observation that we have all probably made that things happen to good people and it doesn't make sense or good things happen to bad people and we can't figure out why.

And Solomon is saying, look, we cannot determine if God loves us based upon what is going on in our lives. People know neither love nor hatred by what they see before them. He's saying you can't look at what's going on in your life and determine if God loves you or not.

Now, there's times in our lives where we experience great difficulty. We have disease and illness and death and financial troubles and issues and employment problems and just all kinds of difficulties that we face. Now, does that mean that God hates us as we face those difficulties? That's what we might be tempted to think, and that's what others around us might say.

But you cannot judge if God loves you based upon what is going on in your life. Just because you're going through difficulties doesn't mean that God loves you any less. And if you are blessed greatly, it doesn't mean that God loves you more than others. You cannot make a determination of God's love that way. Now, how is it that we know that God loves us? Well, 1 John 3, verse 16 says,

Says by this, we know love because he laid down his life for us. And we also want to lay down our lives for the brethren. Solomon says you can't know love based upon what's going on in your life. And God would agree. He says, no, that's not how you should base whether or not you think I love you. Here's how you can know that I love you because I laid down my life for you.

And since I laid down my life for you, never doubt because that doesn't change. Whether you're going through difficulty or whether you're really blessed, he laid down his life for you. That doesn't change.

And so you can know that God loves you no matter what you're going through, no matter what you're experiencing. Solomon's looking at life and says, it doesn't make sense. You know, we can't tell if love or hatred is being poured out upon someone just because of what they're going through, because all kinds of things happen to everybody. In verse 2, he says, all things come alike together.

to all. Everything happens to everybody. Everybody experiences death. Everybody experiences hardship. Everybody experiences difficulty. Jesus said that as well in Matthew chapter 5. He says that God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good. Right? That makes sense. The sun rises every morning for everybody. Whether you're doing good or doing bad. Whether you're evil or righteous. The sun rises every morning. Right?

He also goes on to say that he sends rain on the just and the unjust. Now, we may not think so much of rain in our day today,

I think of it more of an irritation. But at that time, I mean, rain was their survival. They were farmers. They were, you know, that's what was able to grow their crops. And so rain was a blessing. It was something that they desired and needed. And so you can get the picture, right? So you could tell the just person because when it rains, you know, there's the cloud over them. But the unjust is the one that the sun's always shining on them or, you know, they don't get the rain and the ground's all dry wherever they stand. That's not what happens, right?

It rains and everybody gets wet. The sun comes up and everybody experiences it. We all experience the same things. And it's not a testimony of whether we are righteous or not. It's not a testimony of whether God loves us or not. The testimony of God's love for us is Jesus upon the cross dying for your sin and my sin. And so Solomon determines in verse three that this is an evil that is done under the sun.

Is it an evil that good and bad happen to the righteous and the unrighteous? Is it evil that we all experience the same things? Only if you do not take eternity into account. It's only an evil thing if you don't consider the things that will take place after this life. It's only evil if you do not consider the judgment of God.

And that's where Solomon is at. One of the key phrases in this chapter, as well as the book, is under the sun. That's all he's looking at. He's doing the best that man can do to figure out life, to understand what's going on. It's everything under the sun, this life, this earth, what he can figure out, what he can know, what he can attain, how he can satisfy himself based upon his own resources. And based upon that, he can't figure out why...

Things happen to everybody. Why we all experience the same things. And he determines this is evil. It's not right that the good people should have to suffer. And it's not right that the bad people should be blessed. Because he's not taking eternity into account. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 tells us that it's appointed for men to die once. But after this, the judgment. And that is when everything will be taken care of.

Amends will be made. Everything will be brought and made right. In Revelation chapter 20, verse 12, it says the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books. We may not look at life and a person's life and think, well, that's fair. But we can look to eternity and know God will make it right. It will be fair.

Because of eternity. And that's why we need to keep our focus there on eternity and not this life so that we don't get swayed like Solomon to be focused on this life and then be confused by the things that are taking place. Let's continue on in verses four through six. Solomon says, but for him who is joined to all the living, there is hope for a living dog is better than a dead lion.

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing. And they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished. Nevermore will they have a share in anything done under the sun. Now keeping in mind where Solomon is at, he's not taking into consideration, he's not taking into account what God has said.

How God has revealed himself. He is only focused on what he can figure out by observing the things that are under the sun. He will talk about God, but not based upon what God has said of himself or revealed to us in the rest of the word. He's basically taken his Bible and thrown it out the window and only basing his decisions, his perspectives on what he can calculate, what he can understand and discern by his own wisdom.

And so what is his hope? Where is his hope placed? It's in this life. He's trying to be fulfilled by this life. He's looking for satisfaction from this life. That's what he says in verse four. He says, but for them or for him who is joined to all the living, there is hope. This is what Solomon thinks about hope. It's based upon this life.

Now, that's a very dangerous thing to do. If our hope is in this life, we will be miserable, just like Solomon. We'll become bitter and cynical, just like Solomon. We'll become depressed and discouraged, just like Solomon. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, in verse 18, he says, we don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen.

He says that the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. The things that we can see this life, this world, these things are temporary, Paul says. And so we don't look at these things because these are temporary and these will not satisfy. These will not fulfill. We look at the things which are eternal. Those are the things that are not seen. Those are the things of the spirit. Those are the things of God.

And we look for fulfillment. We look to hold on to and to stay focused on, to place our hope in the things that are yet to come and not the things of this life. Because if we base it upon this life, if our hope is rooted in this life, we will be disappointed. We will be distraught. And the thing that happens, if you only consider this life,

If that's all there is, if this is what you got and you better live it up and this is the best that you can get, then what will begin to take place is that human life will become nothing more than the life of another animal. And he goes on in verse four to explain that. He says, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. Think about that for a second. A living dog is better than a dead lion. Makes sense, right? Which would you rather have?

A living dog or a dead lion. We don't want the dead lion. It's just a nuisance. We'd have to get rid of it. But a living dog would be useful. And that's what he's saying. The living dog is better than a dead lion. And so life must be better than death. And in this life, you have hope and that's it. So just like an animal, it's better for you to be alive than to be dead.

See, when you eliminate God and what God has to say about himself and what God has to say about you and I, then we all become just another animal, another creature. No meaning, no purpose, no hope. Just trying to make the best in this life with nothing more beyond that. It's so much like we see in our nation and society as we've taken God out of the picture. And so...

We're becoming more like animals. Viewed the same, treated the same. Sometimes animals are treated better than us. Like Solomon, society can talk about God and that's accepted, but it's not the God of the Bible. Not God as he has revealed himself. You know, in society, you can believe anything you want and it'll be tolerated and accepted and encouraged unless you believe in the God of the Bible. And that's what Solomon has done. He talks about God, but he doesn't

Receive God as he has revealed himself in the word of God. Society has rejected the same. And so we see a lot of these principles found in the society around us. It's very clear and apparent to us. They talk about God and you can talk about God as long as you don't talk about the God of the Bible, this God, then that's offensive. And now you're intolerant and and now they have a problem.

But Solomon, he's counted God out of the picture. He's taken what he can figure out and understand. And he concludes now, verse 5, that the dead know nothing and they have no more reward. He says, look, the living know that they're going to die. So it's better to be part of the living because at least they know something. But the dead, they don't know anything and they have no more reward. So why would you want to be dead?

See, Solomon has decided that there's nothing after death because he can't figure it out. He can't calculate it. He can't understand it. Even though he has all wisdom, God made him to be the wisest man that ever was. He had the best education that ever was. But even with the best education, you can't figure eternity out. You must receive what God has said about it. It's by faith that we receive what God presents to us in his word.

But Solomon rejecting that figures there is nothing after death. There's no reward. There's nothing that you could know. But the Bible says quite the opposite. Peter in 1 Peter chapter 1 tells us that we have an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for us. That is for those who believe in Jesus Christ and have been born again.

There is for us something, well, that cannot be described. Something that our language doesn't even come close to be able to relate to us. And it's incorruptible. And it won't fade away. It won't get lost. It won't wear out. It's something, well, we'll just have to wait and see. But it's reserved there in heaven. There is reward. There is more to live for than this life.

But Solomon cannot see it because he will not receive what God has revealed of himself. Only what he can figure out, calculate and understand by his own wisdom. Since there is nothing more.

In Solomon's mind, now he comes to the next conclusion that we should just enjoy it while it lasts. This is all you got. There's nothing afterwards. So live it up because there's nothing greater. There's nothing more that you're going to get. We see that in verses 7 through 10. He goes on to say this.

Go, eat your bread with joy and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already accepted your works. Let your garments always be white and let your head lack no oil. Live joyfully with the wife and

Verse 10. See, it's very clear where Solomon...

His thinking is very clear what he has decided and concluded. Notice how many times he's using the phrase under the sun. It's there in verse three. It's there in verse six. It's in verse nine twice. He's just looking at this life. And so he says, go eat your bread with joy.

I mean, you're going to die and you're not going to remember anything and there's nothing there and you're just going to be gone. So when you eat, make sure you enjoy it. Make sure you live it up. Make sure you have a good time. He says, drink your wine with a merry heart. Drink it up. Might as well, because this is all you got. So do the best you can to be happy and do the best you can to find joy in this life, because there's nothing else.

And he couldn't be further from the truth. But this is all he can figure out. He says, let your garments always be white. Now, what that means is, well, in that time, they would wear white garments for the special occasions.

You know, when you have the wedding feast and you're celebrating and having a good time, you'd bring out the white garments. Or when there's a special occasion and you're going to celebrate, you'd bring out the white garments. You wouldn't wear them normally because white garments, you know, you're working around. It's going to get dirty and stained and stuff. But when you're relaxing and partying and just celebrating, well, that's when you'd wear those. And so he says, let them always be white. Just white.

Make life a party. Live it up because, again, this is all you got. This is the best that you can do. So you might as well enjoy it. Do the best you can to make yourself happy. He goes on in verse 10. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might because there's nothing in the grave where you are going. Now, if you believe this, if this is what you think, if this is your understanding, well, I pity you.

There's nothing gloomier or more depressing. So you mean I just got to get through this life and do the best I can and bad things are going to happen and good things may happen too, but I'm going to suffer and I just got to try my best to be happy and I know it doesn't last very long and then that's it, it's over? There is an eternity. Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6, don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth. He says the opposite of Solomon. So who are you going to listen to, Solomon or Jesus, the Son of God?

He says, don't lay up treasures for yourself on earth. Don't live for this life. He says, moth and rust destroy with thieves break in and steal everything that you can amass for yourself. It's going to be wasted. It's going to be ruined. He says, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth nor rust destroys, where thieves do not break in and steal. Our focus, our hope is

The things that we value the most need to be the things of eternity and not the things of this life. If they're the things of this life, we will be miserable completely and absolutely. Going on verses 11 and 12. Solomon says, I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill, but time and chance happen to them all.

Here Solomon continues. Under the sun, focused on this life. He says, look, the swiftest, the fastest don't always win the race. The strong don't always get the bread. And so on and so forth. He's basically saying, look,

Even if you have what it takes and you are the best, it doesn't mean that you will achieve the goal. He says time and chance happen to them all.

So you can try real hard and prepare yourself and be the best and try to be successful and prepare yourself to be successful. But that doesn't mean that you will be time and chance. It's just kind of hopefully, you know, like we say to one another, good luck. That's all you got. You just got luck. Hopefully you'll get lucky and you can prepare yourself and kind of increase the odds of getting lucky. But it's just all chance. There's nothing valuable. There's no reason really for working that hard. And then he goes on to say,

We're just like fish caught in a cruel net or like birds caught in a snare. We're just stuck in this life. We're caught here. We can't do anything about it. There's nothing that we can do to change it. See, Solomon is depressed and cynical. He feels stuck in this life. He says we're no better off than a fish caught in a cruel net. But it's not true. We will experience hardship and difficulty. I'm sorry, but life will be difficult. There will be hard times.

But we need to recognize what God has said, that it's working within us something far greater. I was sharing with you that portion where Paul was telling us about the things seen and unseen. Right before that, he explains our light affliction, which is just for a moment is working in us or working for us far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

The things that you and I go through in this life are preparation for the rest of eternity. And the ways that we suffer and the difficulties that we face as we face them in obedience to God, as we follow his principles and the things that he has given to us,

Those things that we suffer and those experiences that we go through, they are working for us. Something that's far greater, something exceeding an eternal weights of glory that we can't understand. Something far greater than we could grasp. Solomon does not believe this at all.

He does not think this way because he has rejected the word of God, rejected God's revelation of himself. Solomon says, I've seen everything under the sun. This is how we are. We're like fish caught in a net. Who wants to believe that? How depressing is that? Paul says, I don't look at anything under the sun. I look at the things which are eternal because as I'm going through this life,

There's something far greater reserved for me that's waiting for me that God has planned for my life. Going on verses 13 through 18, Solomon changes the subject a little bit and begins to talk about wisdom and foolishness, comparing the two. He says in verse 13, this wisdom I have also seen under the sun and it seemed great to me.

There was a little city with a few men in it and a great king came against it, besieged it and built great snares around it. Now there was found in it a poor wise man and he by his wisdom delivered the city.

Verse 17. Solomon tells a story now.

Says there is a city, the little city, there is not very many in it. It was pretty small and weak. They didn't have much defenses or strength. And this great and powerful king, the strong king came to wipe this city out and besieged this city. But inside the city, there was this one man. He wasn't rich. He wasn't famous. He was a poor man and he was wise.

And because of his wisdom, he was able to save the entire city from this great army that had come against them. But Solomon says, but then he was forgotten. There was no great value for him saving the city. There was no great reward. There was no great honor. Solomon says in verse 16, wisdom is better than strength. But then at the same time, he says the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words aren't heard.

Nobody pays any attention to him. He goes on to say in verse 17, the words of the wise spoken quietly should be heard rather than the shout of the ruler of fools. But they're not. So on the one hand, he's saying wisdom, it's able to save the city. It's very valuable. But at the same time, people don't see wisdom is very valuable. And the wisdom of this poor man is despised because he's poor. His wisdom is not heard. His words are not heard.

But he says they should be, but they're not. Now, we can observe this and absolutely these same things are true. The wisdom of God is not heard. People don't regard it. It's despised. See, true wisdom is from God and he gives it to us in a still small voice through his word, through what he has written to us. And it should be heard, but it's despised sometimes by our own selves.

We disregard the wisdom of God, the word of God. And instead we listen to the shouts of fools because we have so much influence on

From our friends and family and TV and radio and all these areas that are bombarding us. And these shouts of the fools that this is what life is about. And this is what will make you happy. And this is what you should search for. And if you find your match here, then you'll be happy. And if you chase after this career, then you'll be satisfied. If you move to this place, then you'll be fulfilled. And all these things are filling us. And yet God is here with a still small voice.

His wisdom should be heard. I would challenge you. What are you listening to? The shout of the ruler of the fools? Yeah, I'm sure you could turn up your TV a lot louder than you can turn up the volume on your Bible. But this is where wisdom is found. And this is what should be heard. God is who you need to be listening to and not the world.

He continues this discussion in this train of thought as we go now into chapter 10. Let's look at verses one through three. It says dead flies putrefy the perfumer's ointment and cause it to give off a foul odor. So does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor. A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart is at his left. Even when a fool walks along the way, he lacks wisdom and he shows everyone that he is a fool.

Solomon continues now talking about wisdom and looking at foolishness and comparing the two. Wisdom is great, Solomon has just been saying, but the problem is, well, not many people listen to it. And not only that, in verse 1 he says, and it's destroyed so easily. He starts talking about dead flies and the perfumer's ointment.

You can imagine the perfumer making his perfume and all of a sudden he goes and looks and there in the CK1, you know, there's dead flies floating in it. Could you imagine if you bought a bottle home from the store, right? I don't know what perfumes you guys use, colognes and stuff, but there's dead flies. I mean, would you want to spray that stuff upon yourself? Of course not. He says, just like that, a little folly, a little bit of foolishness destroys one who is respected for wisdom and honor.

Solomon saying, look, wisdom is great, but it's so easily it just takes a little bit. Just one fly ruins the whole bottle. Just one act of foolishness destroys the reputation of one who is respected for wisdom and honor. He goes on to say that the wise man has his heart in his right hand and the fool has his heart in his left hand. The right hand is always a symbol for power and strength. The left hand was a symbol of weakness.

The wise man, he's saying, look, he has his heart and his strength. He has strength over his heart. He has control. He has power. But the foolish is weak. His heart is weak. Now, the scriptures tell us that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. The fool is easily led astray by this deceitful heart that we have because it's in the area of weakness in his life.

His heart is on the areas where he's weak. His heart is on the things of this life and not the things of God, but the heart of the wise in his right hand and his strength or strength is in God. Our power comes from him. When your heart is in God, when your heart is set upon God, that's when wisdom comes. But when your heart is caught up in the things of this life, you know, that's your weakness.

And it will destroy you quickly. He says even when a fool walks along the way in verse 3, he lacks wisdom and he shows everyone that he is a fool. Wisdom, the heart in the right hand or the left hand, it's hard to tell for me. I can't tell which hand your heart is in. But Solomon says, look, wisdom, it's going to be demonstrated. Whether you're wise or not, it's demonstrated by how you live.

It's not based on what you know. It's not based on your intelligence or your IQ. He says, and he shows everyone that he is a fool. If you're a fool, you'll demonstrate it by the way that you live, by whether or not you put into practice the things of God, by whether or not you follow what God has given to us, by whether or not you believe what God has revealed of himself to us. Continuing on verses four through seven, he says, if the spirit of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post.

For conciliation pacifies great offenses. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun as an error proceeding from the ruler. Folly is set in great dignity while the rich sit in a lowly place. I have seen servants on horses while princes walk on the ground like servants. Solomon now.

going on with his observations about life. You see, he's trying to do the best he can to figure it out, to understand it, to make sense of it all, just like so many are today and perhaps you. Trying to figure out what's the point, what's the purpose, why am I going through all these things, why should I endure these things, why should I believe the Word of God, why should I put these things into practice? Solomon's trying to figure out and he can't do it because he refuses to receive what God has said of himself.

The idea here in verse four is that when you have done something wrong, when you've shown yourself as a fool, don't abandon your post. Don't don't freak out and take off when you've done something wrong. Stay and agree with the ruler about what you did. And that will pacify that that pacifies or that brings agreements far better than if you run and try to avoid and try to hide from what you did.

Trying to explain away and excuse yourself from the wrong that was done. Solomon, though, is looking at how backward things can be. In verse 6, he says that sometimes folly is set in great dignity. Sometimes foolishness, he says, is given a great and honorable place. It's celebrated. Man, we could see that today. Foolishness, rebellion against God, celebrated foolishness.

By our society, he says in verse seven that he's seen servants on horses while princes walk on foot like servants, the ones who should be walking and the ones who whose rightful places there on the ground are on the horse and the ones whose rightful place is on the horse. They're walking on the ground. Things are backwards. Why? Well, that's what Solomon's trying to figure out. I can't understand it.

He can't make sense of it. How come the ones who deserve honor are given the place of servants? How come the roles are swapped so many times? Again, going back to what he's been asking, how come good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people? What is it all about? But you can't figure it out. You can't make sense of it. If you only look under the sun, it's only when you look at the sun, Jesus Christ, and recognize that there is more than this life.

That there is an eternity in store for us. Job said, as he was going through the midst of his trials and sufferings, he said, surely there is a hereafter. There is something after this. There's something I can hold on to. I know that God has more in store for me. And he does. Far greater than you can know. Far greater than we can understand. Continuing on, verses 8 through 10, he says, he who digs a pit will fall into it.

And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits wood may be endangered by it. If the axe is dull and one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength. But wisdom brings success. Here Solomon observes some of the dangers in the workplace. This is the official passage for workers' compensation insurance. He says, you could dig a pit, but you'll fall into it.

Break through a wall, but a serpent will bite you. What is he talking about? Well, since he's been talking about fools and folly and foolishness,

He may be talking about that these are foolish people who dig a pit and then fall into it or who break through a wall and are bit by a serpent because, you know, they didn't take the proper precautions. They didn't think things through. They didn't use wisdom. Or he might just be saying that life is dangerous and ironic, you know, that you dug the hole and you fell into it. And often that's how it is in our lives. We we dig our own graves. Right. That's a saying that that is common around us.

The contrast there is at the end of verse 11, but wisdom brings success. The idea that Solomon is saying is, look, these guys, you know, it's foolishness. But if you have wisdom, if you think things through, then you'll be successful. Now, it seems to make sense, but he's just got through telling us that just because you have wisdom, just because you're supposed to be the prince doesn't mean that you get the things that you're supposed to get. And once again, just like I was sharing last week, we find Solomon going in circles, right?

He can't figure it out. He's trying desperately. He wants to know the truth, but he refuses to hear God. Verse 11 goes on to say, a serpent may bite when it is not charmed. The babbler is no different. The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up. The words of his mouth begin with foolishness and the end of his talk is raving madness.

Verse 14, a fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be. Who can tell him what will be after him? The labor of fools wearies them, for they do not even know how to go to the city. Now Solomon addresses wisdom and folly in conversation or in the mouth, the tongue, and the talk that takes place.

In verse 11, there's some different ways that this verse can be translated and scholars discuss which way is the preferred. The New International Version reads it this way. If a snake bites before it's charmed, there is no profit for the charmer. So you know the picture of the guy who's got the little recorder there that you learned in elementary school and he's charming the snake and it's not biting him. Well, he says if the snake bites before it gets charmed,

Because you've got to be real quick. You've got to start playing the notes real quick, otherwise you're in trouble. So if you don't do it quick enough, if you don't get it up to your mouth quick enough and the snake bites you, well, then he says there's no profit for the charmer. That's the way the New International Version renders it and the way some scholars say that it should be translated. The idea being, well...

Yeah, if you don't charm it fast enough, then you don't have any profit because, you know, who's going to pay you for the show where you get bit and die? You know, there's no profit there. You don't want to be involved in a show like that. That's not one you could take to America's Got Talent and win the million dollars. Well, you would lose because you'd be dead. But this verse could also be saying this. Just like you have to charm a snake...

You have to charm a babbler or that word babbler literally means a master of the tongue. This is someone who talks a lot. Just as you charm a snake, you have to charm a babbler so that you don't get bit by their many words.

is possibly the idea that Solomon is saying. And it seems to make sense with the verses that follow. As he begins to talk about talking and conversation, he's saying there's these kind of people that, well, you need to charm them and kind of get on their good side. Otherwise, you might get hurt by what they say to you or about you. Then he goes on in verse 12 to talk about the words of a wise man.

He's kind of giving us characteristics. Okay, the babbler, you have to charm him, kind of, you know, schmooze him a little bit, make him feel good, make him think that you're friends and stuff. Okay, the wise man, here's how you recognize him. His words will always be gracious. His words will always be gracious. His mouth, it's gracious. It's something that the Bible commands us in Colossians 4, 6. Paul says, let your speech always be with grace.

And that's to mark and to be the characteristic of our conversations, of the way that we talk. So wisdom, well, that's demonstrated by a gracious mouth. But how about foolishness? Well, they're also going on in verse 12. He says, the lips of a fool shall swallow him up.

So the lips of the wise, gracious. The lips of the fool, well, he destroys himself with his lips is what Solomon is saying. Your mouth either helps you or hurts you. And that's the difference between wisdom and foolishness. The fool, he goes on to say in verse 13, his mouth begins with foolishness and ends with madness. So it goes from bad to worse. He goes on to say that the fool multiplies words.

So it's going from bad to worse, and so trying to fix it and deal with it, he speaks more and more and multiplies and multiplies and multiplies and figures if he says enough things and comes up with enough things to say and has enough arguments and has enough angles that he'll be able to work his way out of it and fix the problem. But going back to verse 12, the lips of a fool shall swallow him up. For as many words, he still is destroyed. And then he says there at the end, verse 13, that...

His work wearies him. Labor wearies him. So he likes to talk and talks a lot, but he doesn't get anything done. There's no work being accomplished. That is the mark of foolishness. The wise, well, their words are with grace. But the fools, they have many words. And that's a problem. Proverbs 10, 19 tells us that when words are many, sin is not absent. Our words need to be with grace.

Finishing off the chapter, verses 16 through 20, it says, Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child and your princes feast in the morning. Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles and your princes feast at the proper time for strength and not for drunkenness. Because of laziness, the building decays and through idleness of hands, the house leaks.

A feast is made for laughter and wine makes merry, but money answers everything. Verse 20. Do not curse the king even in your thought. Do not curse the rich even in your bedroom. For a bird of the air may carry your voice and a bird in flight may tell the matter. Here Solomon says, well, he pronounces a woe. Basically saying, I feel sorry for the land that has a king who is a child. Whose princes feast in the morning. That is,

They begin to party. They begin to drink. They begin to get drunk in the morning. They're not getting anything accomplished. They're just living for a good party all day long. But he says, blessed are you. It's good for a land. Hey, when your king is the son of nobles and they feast at the proper time, he's not saying that feasting in itself shouldn't be done.

Solomon is not saying that, but he's saying it needs to be at the proper time. And if they eat and have a good time for strength and not for drunkenness, then you're blessed. The land is blessed. Because of laziness, the buildings decay. Through idleness of hands, the house leaks. See, if you're always partying, if you're always involved in that, Solomon's saying, well, then your life is just going to waste away. Your kingdom is going to waste away.

Feast is for laughter. The wine makes merry. But money answers everything. Now, this is, again, Solomon's conclusion. OK, so, yeah, feasting is good. Makes you laugh. Makes you merry. But, you know, you need to get the money. Money answers everything, Solomon's saying. Now, this is not true, but this is what, well, this is the best you can do when you don't include God. And this is what much of the world will tell you. Money answers. Money talks. Right? Show me the money. Show me the money.

I think this is Solomon's conclusion based upon the contrast between the child and noble kings. The child, well, you've got the feasting and the laughter and the merriment, but you need the money. Money answers everything. Money takes care of those things. Money takes care and you need to have that. The wise ruler will restrain himself and make money is basically what Solomon is saying. Make laughter, make merry, or make money, Solomon says, make money.

It's totally false and contrary to what God has said. Again, don't store up for yourselves treasures in this earth. God is the answer to everything, not money. Finally, verse 20, he says, Don't curse the king even in your thought. Don't curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your voice. You ever heard the expression, a little birdie told me? Probably came from this verse. Don't think those things in your heart, Solomon says.

Because now Solomon is not concerned about morality so much. He's not concerned about, well, you know, you don't want to have a bad attitude or a bad heart. He's just saying, look, you're probably going to get found out if you think those things and talk about those things. If you have this attitude, then it's going to cause you trouble. You're going to get the king mad at you because he said this and this about him. That's all that Solomon cares about. It's true, though. We shouldn't curse the king.

Exodus chapter 22, verse 28, God tells us, hey, don't curse the ruler of the people. Romans 13 tells us to submit to the authority that God has given. But in all these things, again, we're in the middle of Solomon's journey here. We're in this time in his life where he's thrown out everything that he's ever known about God and he refuses to receive God's revelation of himself.

But he's not happy. He's not satisfied. He's miserable. And he's trying desperately to figure out life. And he can't figure it out because the things that he thinks will satisfy him, he finds out that they don't. And he finds out that he's still yearning and he's still thirsty and he's still wanting more. And so he's frustrated and he's got all wisdom. He's got the best education. And he can't understand why he can't figure it out.

He knows that wisdom is good, but that's not a guarantee. And things are so backwards so many times and I can't figure out what's the point of it. But we know. We don't have to be caught up into that. We don't have to be confused. We don't have to be miserable trying to find out what's the purpose and meaning and what will bring us fulfillment in life. We have a guarantee. Live for God and you'll find that it's worth it. I shared at the beginning and I often share Matthew 5-7.

You get Jesus' perspective. And at the end, as he's talking, Jesus is talking about all these different topics and discussions and the right perspective and the way that we need to think and the way that we need to do. He says at the very end in Matthew chapter 7, he tells the story of the wise man, the foolish man who built his house upon a rock. The point of the parable that he told there at the end, after talking about all those things and many of which we've talked about this evening, the point of it all, he says...

Those who put my words into practice are the wise ones. They're the ones who will last. Those who do not put them into practice, they will be wiped out and destroyed. You and I, we have a choice. We can be like Solomon and not receive the words of God, not put them into practice. We can throw them out. And I guarantee you, you will find yourself in the same place.

searching and frustrated and miserable, trying to figure out life, not being fulfilled, not receiving joy in the things that you thought would satisfy you, and then being taken maybe from the heights of what you thought would satisfy you, and then just everything being flushed down the toilet and ending up with nothing. It's the only way when you throw out the things of God. There's no other alternative.

If you don't put them into practice, you'll be like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand. But if you will receive what God has said, if you will live for him, if you will put his principles into practice, if you will receive his son, if you will live in relationship with him, you will find fulfillment and peace and joy. It's the fruit of the spirit. It's what you and I are thirsting for.

But so often, like the rest of the world, we try to find it just like Solomon did in the things of this life instead of the things of God. Stop searching. Stop looking in those areas. Stop looking under the sun. Stop looking at the things which are seen. Let's set our hearts. Let's set our focus now on the things that are unseen. Believing God at his word, living according to it.

Jesus said, the thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. If you want everything stolen, if you want to be destroyed and be miserable, then follow the path of Solomon and live for this life. Believe the enemy and try to find fulfillment here. But Jesus said, I come that you may have life and have it to the full.

If you want to experience life as God has promised, as God intends, the fullness of what He has for you, then follow Jesus Christ. And turn. Turn from sin. Turn from the chase of the things of this world. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray. Lord, for all of our hearts, God Solomon had it all. He had the best education. Lord, his father was a man after your own heart. He knew everything.

Your word. He knew about relationship with you. He had heard your voice and seen you work. And yet, Lord, we find him at this place in his life where he has cast all of that aside. And God, none of us are exempt from that possibility. Lord, we're all capable. Help us, God. Guard us from being caught up in the deceptive philosophies of this world.

Help us, Lord, not to follow that same path, but to take your word and believe it and put it into practice in our lives. And God, I pray for any who right now are on the path of Solomon. Lord, even as Roman shared earlier, he'd been on that path. Lord, I can testify that I have been on that path in my life in times past. Lord, I pray for those who are there. Lord, that you would help them open their eyes.

Lord, may they see what lies ahead and that there is nothing, there's nothing of value in walking away from you. There's nothing that will satisfy. There's nothing that will fulfill. Lord, I pray that they would turn back or that they would repent and that they would follow you, that their house would be built upon the rock. And even though difficulties come and even though hardship happens, Lord, it would stand because it's been founded upon you.

God, may their lives center around you. And may they put your words into practice that they might experience the abundant, full, wonderful life that you promised to those who follow you. And yet, Lord, even though you promised abundant life and we desire for that, God, help us not to put our hopes here. But Lord, we want to stay focused on eternity. Help us not to look at the things which are seen, but the things which are unseen.

Lord, may we live for you with all of our hearts. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of his word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.