Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Solomon continues his observations of life and that which is not as it ought to be.  The plight of man because of sin is a disturbing thing.  Men treat one another with disdain and harm one another.  Certainly there is plenty of wrong in this world and contemplating it alone apart from God’s promises will inevitably lead us into despair.  We must learn to look at the injustices of this world from the perspective that God has paid the price for sin, set us free from the power of sin and will one day make all of these things right.  Our memories of this world will only serve to make the pleasures of our eternal state that much sweeter.

THE DISGRACE OF SUFFERING: Suffering is a reality that has been imposed upon this world because of sin.  Men oppress one another in an effort to get ahead.  Those who are oppressed seem to be at the mercy of their oppressors who have all of the power which leaved the oppressed without hope and without comfort.  Solomon considers death or even never having been born to be far better than to live a life under oppression.  Men work and labor day after day in order to grind out the sustenance necessary to stay alive and at the end of their lives they have nothing to show for all of their labor and suffering.  Certainly, if our hope is for this life alone our suffering makes us the most disgraced people on the planet.  But we have an eternal hope that will make all of our sufferings fade away.

THE DANGER OF SOLITUDE: We are not meant to live in isolation of one another.  Our lives are far more successful and enjoyable when shared with others.  Relationships are essential to our well-being and we must avoid the danger of solitude.  Marriage is perhaps the best illustration of partnership where two can help one another and warm one another when things go wrong or the night gets cold.  However, I don’t believe that this passage is only applicable to marriage.  We should invest in friendships and relationships with one another for the purpose of spiritual accountability and mutual encouragement.  God must always be at the center of all of our relationships as He gives us strength, when coupled with godly relationships that cannot be broken.


THE DEMISE OF SUPERIORITY: When a slave or a poor man becomes king of a nation his tendency is to exact revenge on the people who he feels were oppressing him.  He feels that he is superior to others and above what he was.  This is a terrible condition for a nation and even for the new king.  A king who thinks himself superior to everyone will not take advice from others and will end up casing great harm to himself as well as those who serve under him.  The nation will come to ruin and the king will not only be despised by his own generation but his infamy will last from generation to generation.  Humility is a key quality for every leader to pursue, without it he and others will come to demise.

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