Fellowship through Bible Study

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Ecclesiastes 1

What has been is what will be,
And what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun. (v. 9)
I may think I am unique, but there were many who were like me. There were many like me who hurt the heart of Christ by rejecting him. There were many like me who were cared after by Jesus even while they were in rebellion. They returned to soil, and I will, too. Nothing is new under the sun.

There were many like me who sinned against Jesus, but repented and loved Jesus. There were many like me who desired to seek the Lord with all might and strength, but failed to remain in the fire every now and then. There were many like me whose names were entered in the book of life by the mercy of God.

Nothing is new under the sun. The enduring love of God and the grace of Christ were then and now. Christ is same yesterday, now, and tomorrow. He was, is, and is to come. From everlasting to everlasting is the love of God that our Lord Jesus revealed on the Cross.

Father,
Truly, there is nothing new under the sun. When things were born, you were there. When things died, you were there. Nothing came to life without your will, nothing returned to soil without your will. You are the Ancient and you are the New Covenant. You are the Love of Creation, and you are the Judgment of Righteousness. Let all knees bow before you, and let all mouths praise you. Amen.

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Ecclesiastes 2
And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind. (v. 17)
This philosopher laments that nothing, not even wisdom, was worth pursuing. He laments that all he pursued in his lifetime were useless. What a tragedy it is that one has to say it at the end of his life!

From the philosopher’s conclusion, I reach my own: nothing is worth without Jesus Christ. Wisdom is worthy only if it is based on Christ. Knowledge is meaningful only if it stands on Christ.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Paul drew the same conclusion as the Philosopher: nothing is worth knowing or pursuing. Fortunately, Paul knew Christ and that was the beginning of the difference between the philosopher and Paul. Because of Christ Paul confessed that life was worth living even under great stress.

My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. (Philippians 1:23-24)

The philosopher was a man with great mind and wisdom. No one knew more than he. But because he didn’t know Christ, he had a great agony in his soul. He lamented that he pursued useless things for his entire life.

This man represents all souls of the past, present and future who do not know Christ. What a blessing it is to know Christ! What a curse not knowing Christ who was put on the cross before all Israel!

Father,
What is my life before you? It’s nothing but a morning dew that disappears as soon as the sun rises. I cannot but reach the same conclusion as the Philosopher: all efforts are in vain if I am not standing in Christ’s grace. But once touched by the graceful hands of my Lord, all comes to life, even my mortal body.

What a grace am I living under! I only bow to you and praise the great name of Jesus, your Son. Amen.

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Ecclesiastes 3

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. (v. 1-2)

I remember when I first learned about the power of death. One of the girls in my Sunday school class lost her adopted father to cancer. She was sincere in faith and attentive to class discussions. I spent more time in prayer for her than anyone else.

At her father’s funeral, I could not bear the pain of seeing her in tears. I had to walk far from the funeral and cried aloud. A time to be born, and a time to die. What God bore the enemy killed. But I do not despair since the bible says:

The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26)
There is a time for death to overcome my loved ones. But there is a time even for death to be destroyed. Amen.

Lord Jesus,
Truly, great is the power of death. But greater is your power that will destroy even the death itself. Though death may reign over my loved ones for the time being, I remain in hope to witness their resurrection and be satisfied beyond measure.

O, Lord, destroy death, and let my loved ones live with eternal life as God willed on the day of creation. Amen.

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Ecclesiastes 4

I thought the dead more fortunate than the living. But better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. (v. 2-3)

I am amazed by this statement. I have witnessed certain evil deeds and heard many more on newspaper and TV. But I have never wished I had not been born and spared of witnessing evil deeds. I am utterly amazed by the statement.

Seeing evil deeds must have immensely disturbed Solomon. It aroused more than indignation. It must have tormented him to such an extent that he wished he had not been borne. How can a man say such a thing? What kind of man was he?

In the parable of Widow and Unjust Judge (Luke 18), Jesus urged us to pray over injustice day and night. Had Solomon lived in Jesus’ time, upon hearing this message, he would have prayed day and night because of the evil he witnessed.

But I must confess that seeing evil does not disturb me that much at all. Yes, I petition to God about it but not day and night with fervor.

Lord Jesus,
This is my lesson for today, Lord. My love for justice is so scarce that I am not disturbed by evil deeds much. Solomon’s statement comes to me as a shock. Teach me, Lord.

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Ecclesiastes 5

Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink,
and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun
during the few days of life God has given him -
for this is his lot. (v. 18)
The poor have nothing. So they toil to gain. The rich have much. But they also strive since the rich are given more opportunities to gather more. In fact, it is easier for the poor to be content than the rich. The lures of wealth are set up to snare the rich, not the poor.

Be content with what you have. (Hebrews 13:5)
It sounds easy and simple. But I am finding it takes more than a few noddings of head. I think it takes faith to be content with what I have. Only when I say to myself, “Since I have Jesus, I have all and shall not want,” then I am content with what I have.

Once I am content, I can find satisfaction in my toilsome labor.

In toil you shall eat of ground all the days of your life.

By the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread. (Genesis 3:17, 19)
For, by finding satisfaction in my toilsome labor, I am living according to the will of the Father.

Father,
I rise in the morning and go to work. As the sun sets, I come back home and have a meal with my family. It is the same day after day. Let me find this routine of life deeply satisfying to my soul. Let no words of complaints or boredom come out my mouth.

Let my labor and sweat be my thanksgiving to your merciful provisions. The Rock is always with me for the water of life. And manna comes down from your throne as I kneel before you after work. Why can I not be content with what I have? My soul is rich and I have enough already, Father. Amen.

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Ecclesiastes 7

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning.
But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (v. 4)

No one gains wisdom without receiving it from God. To those he gave wisdom, he also gives the truth, and the truth reveals the coming judgment. Then they mourn for their friends and families who spend time in the house of mirth.

Brothers and sisters,
the appointed time has grown short;
from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none,
and those who mourn as though they were not mourning,
and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing……..

For the present form of this world is passing away. (1 corinthians 7:30-31)
Mourning is the share of the wise. Daniel mourned for weeks for his people’s sins. What about Elijah or Jeremiah? While the Israelites were eating and dancing, Moses mourned before God for his people.

Who will mourn for this nation? God is calling. Who will say, “Here I am?”

Father,
How can I mourn for this nation without loving the people in it? And how can I love the people if I have little compassion for them?

Father,
It is too much work for you to cleanse me, teach me compassion and love, and have me mourn for the nation. But if it is your will, I will obey. Start your work in me now; I will follow. Amen.