1^st – Meaning in Religion … vs. 1-7

• 1^st – Come to listen… vs. 1-3/7
  • Empty tradition… vs. 1
    • Walk prudently when you go to the house of God and draw near to hear.
    • Rather than to give the sacrifice of fools – for they do not know that they do evil!
    • As Solomon continues his search for PURPOSE under the SUN…
    • He considers RELIGION – does coming to WORSHIP God have meaning…
    • FIRST – he concludes when someone comes into the HOUSE of God [בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים]
    • They should GUARD [שָׁמַר] their FEET [רַגְלְךָ] – come with RIGHT motive…
    • Because if they give a SACRIFICE – but NEVER [אִין] think [יָדַע] about WHY…
    • If they do NOT realize they are a SINNER [רַע] – they FOOLISHLY [כְּסִיל] missed the point…
    • Which is why they should come to LISTEN [שָׁמַע] to the WORD of the LORD!
    • Too many people make CHURCH part of their TRADITION…
    • They show up on a Sunday [or Wednesdays] out of ROUTINE…
    • They assume because they SACRIFICED their time – they have done what is REQUIRED…
    • But unless they stop and THINK about WHY they are there [sinner] – CHURCH is pointless…
    • Which is why CHURCH must NOT be a tradition – it is meant to be a place to LEARN…
    • Because only through hearing the WORD – getting to KNOW God – can we be SAVED!
  • Better perspective… vs. 2
    • Do not be rash with your mouth and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
    • For God is in heaven – and you on earth – therefore let your words be few!
    • PLEASE [jussive] do NOT be quick to SPEAK [piel] in the HOUSE of God [church]
    • And do NOT think [jussive] in our HEART [לִבְּךָ] that we have the ANSWERS [piel]
    • Because God is the one in HEAVEN [בַּשָּׁמַיִם] – we are on EARTH [הָאָרֶץ]
    • Therefore [כֵּן] – we should be careful [jussive] NOT to say very much!
      
    • There are advantages to being TALL – not much blocks my view…
    • I can see off into the distance and therefore make good choices about where to go!
    • We have a problem – we do NOT have a good PERSPECTIVE…
    • We might THINK we know the best solution to a problem – but we CANNOT see tomorrow…
    • The wisdom is to come to the ONE who can see EVERYTHING…
    • God who is HEAVEN – has a much better vantage point than we do on EARTH!
    • Isaiah 55:9 – “As the heavens are higher than the earth so are My ways higher than your ways – and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
  • Foolish words… vs. 3
    • For a dream comes through much activity – and a fools voice is known by his many words!
    • [כִּי] BECAUSE – just like a DREAM comes from being too busy…
    • If have a LOT on our mind – it causes us to not get good SLEEP…
    • So also the FOOL [כְּסִיל] comes from speaking [רֹב] too MANY words…
    • When we say MORE than we should – some of it will inevitably be WRONG!
    • It has been well said that God wisely designed us with TWO ears and ONE mouth… 
    • Because we should be listening at least TWICE as much as we are talking…
    • The problem is that often open our MOUTHS – when we should be opening our EARS!
    • The LESS we say – the BETTER off we will be…
    • Because we are NOT the solution – and we more than likely do NOT have the answer!
    • Proverbs 17:28 – “Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent.”
  • Fear God… vs. 7
    • For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God!
    • [כִּי] BECAUSE – lots [רֹב] of DREAMS and empty [הֶבֶל] WORDS…
    • Are NOT what people need – that is NOT why we come to CHURCH…
    • We come to LEARN about God – [כִּי] BECAUSE we should learn to FEAR [יָרֵא] Him!
    • Bottom line – CHURCH is not a place to come and share are OPINIONS…
    • It is place where we come to HEAR the TRUTH – John 17:17
• 2^nd – Keeping promises… vs. 4-6
  • Do not wait… vs. 4
    • When you make a vow to God do not delay to pay it!
    • When a PROMISE [נֶדֶר] is made to God [אֱלֹהִים] – we need to PAY it…
    • PAY [שָׁלַם] – the verb form of the Hebrew noun PEACE [שָׁלוֹם]!
    • When we make a PROMISE – until we keep it – we have no PEACE!
  • Do not promise… vs. 4-5
    • For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed.
    • Better not to vow than to vow and not pay!
    • [כִּי] BECAUSE – God is NEVER [אִין] pleased when we are a FOOL [כְּסִיל]
    • When we just SAY things [promises] that we do NOT intend to do…
    • Therefore we MUST [imperative] pay [piel] what we have promised [נֶדֶר]
    • For it is BETTER [טֽוֹב] NOT to promise [נֶדֶר] – than NOT to pay [שָׁלַם]!
    • People often make FOOLISH promises to God when in TROUBLE…
    • God if you get me out of this – I will read my Bible EVERY day…
    • Lord if you help me – I PROMISE to go to church EVERY Sunday!
  • Do not sin… vs. 6
    • Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin.
    • Nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. 
    • Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?
    • PLEASE [jussive] do NOT cause [hiphil] our mouth to SIN…
    • PLEASE [jussive] do NOT make excuses telling the Pastor the promise was a MISTAKE…
    • MESSENGER [מַלְאָךְ] – angel – but in context it means Pastor [priest]
    • WHY [לָמָּה] would we want God to be ANGRY [imperfect] with us…
    • AND [וְ] – take away everything that we have worked for!
    • We must be careful and KEEP our WORD – be true to our PROMISES…
    • Because too often we speak – then we stop to think about what we said…
    • It is easy to say the WORDS – but the KEY is to follow up with ACTIONS…
    • If we are not sure if we can keep our PROMISE – better to say NOTHING!
    • Matthew 5:37 – “Let your Yes be Yes – and your No be No.  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one!”

• 2^nd – Meaning in politics… vs. 8-20
  • 1^st – Corruption… vs. 8-9
    • Do not marvel… vs. 8
      • If you see the oppression of the poor – and the violent perversion of justice.
      • And righteousness in a province – do not marvel at the matter!
      • [אִם] – IF – we see [imperfect] the OPPRESSION [take advantage] of the poor…
      • And THIEVES [גֵּזֶל] rather than righteous [צֶדֶק] JUSTICE in our PROVINCE…
      • PLEASE [jussive] do NOT be surprised!
      • Out of 180 nation in the world – the Philippines ranks 115 in corruption…
      • That does NOT surprise us – we KNOW there is corruption…
      • I knew a salesman who sold EQUIPMENT to the local government…
      • Anything that had a serial number – had to be legitimate [trackable]
      • But consumable supplies [paper] was NOT – so LARGE orders would be placed…
      • But NOTHING was delivered – the cash would be divided up among those in charge!
    • Top down…  vs. 8-9
      • For high official watches over high official – and higher officials are over them.
      • Moreover the profit of the land is for all – even the king is served from the field!
      • [כִּי] BECAUSE – the corruption comes from the TOP down!
      • Why does the BARANGAY captain require a PERCENTAGE of every project…
      • The answer is because the MAYOR also gets his cut…
      • The reason why is because the CONGRESSMAN is also in on it…
      • But it does NOT stop there – it goes all the way up to the PRESIDENT [king]
      • There is NO perfect government – because they are run by PEOPLE [sinners]
      • Which is why we should NEVER put our FAITH in politics!
  • 2^nd – Loving money… vs. 10-12
    • Never satisfied… vs. 10
      • He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver.
      • Nor he who loves abundance with increase. This also is vanity!
      • The person who LOVES [אָהַב] money – will NOT be satisfied no matter how much they have…
      • And whoever LOVES to have LOTS of things – will NEVER have enough!
      • Therefore since MONEY can never make us CONTENT…
      • And no matter how much we have – we will always want MORE – this is VANITY!
    • More mouths… vs. 11
      • When goods increase – they increase who eat them.
      • So what profit have the owners except to see them with their eyes?
        
      • Solomon had LOT of money – and a LOT of things…
      • But what he noticed is that only meant he fed a LOT of people…
      • Therefore what was the POINT – all he got to do was SEE others take it!
      • EVERY day Solomon would cook 6500 kilos of RICE [130 sacks]
      • As well as THIRTY cows and one HUNDRED sheep – I Kings 4:22-23
      • It might sound nice to have MAIDS and GARDENERS…
      • But what it really means is that we have MORE people to take care of!
    • No sleep… vs. 12
      • The sleep of a laboring man is sweet whether he eats little or much.
      • But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep!
      • Someone who works HARD – will always SLEEP well…
      • It does NOT matter if [אִם] he has eaten a LOT or a LITTLE…
      • BUT [וְ] – the RICH man will NEVER [אִין] have a good night rest…
      • He will be kept up all NIGHT as he worries about his wealth!
      • Solomon makes a solid point – why are we consumed with the idea of being RICH…
      • Since MONEY just means that we will have MORE people to take care of…
      • And WEALTH just means that we will have MORE things to worry about [no sleep]
      • Better to work hard – but be CONTENT with what we have!
  • 3^rd – Empty handed…. vs. 13-17
    • Bad investment… vs. 13-14
      • There is a severe evil I have seen under the sun. Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
      • Those riches perish through misfortune. When he begets a son there is nothing in his hand!
      • Solomon had seen another EVIL [רַע] under the sun…
      • When a man [בַּעַל] put his FAITH [holds] in RICHES – to his own harm [רַע]
      • BUT [וְ] – then loses his MONEY in a BAD [רַע] investment…
      • AND [וְ] – therefore has NOTHING to pass onto his children!
      • It is FOOLISH to put our TRUST [faith] in colorful pieces of paper…
      • All it takes is ONE bad investment – ONE bad doctor appointment…
      • And everything we have worked so hard for – can be LOST…
      • That is why we should NEVER store up our TREASURES on earth!
      • Matthew 6:20 – “Store your treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy and thieves do not break in and steal.”
    • Naked… vs. 15
      • As he came from his mothers womb – naked shall he return – to go as he came.
      • And he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand!
      • Just as [כַּ] we came INTO this world [birth] – we were NAKED…
      • When we LEAVE [שׁוּב] – we will take NOTHING with us!
      • Jesus gave a PARABLE of the RICH fool – Luke 12:16-20
      • A man had such a great harvest – he did not know what to do with all his CROPS…
      • He decided to build bigger and better BARNS – then he would enjoy the EASY life…
      • But the Lord called him a FOOL – for that night he would DIE…
      • Then what would happen with all his MONEY – what would happen to him!
      • When we were BORN we had nothing – when we DIE we will leave with nothing…
      • So all even if we had ALL the possessions – ALL the money in the world – it does not last…
      • We can WASTE our life chasing these things – or choose to be CONTENT – Hebrews 13:5
      • Because the meaning of in life is not how much we OWN – it is KNOWING Jesus!
      • Luke 12:15 – “Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
    • For nothing… vs. 16-17
      • And this also is a severe evil. Just exactly as he came – so shall he go.
      • And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?
      • All his days he also eats in darkness – and he has much sorrow and sickness and anger!
      • ALSO [גַּם] – this is EVIL [רַע] – since we LEAVE the same way we CAME [naked]
      • Then what is the BENEFIT of chasing [imperfect] after the WIND our whole lives…
      • ALL [כָּל] of our days we are FRUSTRATED – SICK – and ANGRY…
      • Because we are looking for ANSWERS in a world that has NONE to offer…
      • Then we DIE – and take NOTHING with us – making this an EMPTY [vanity] life!
      • We all have all worked hard – suffered – only to get paid a small wage…
      • And the money we received did not even last very long – we had to work again!
      • If that is all that life was – then truly it would be EMPTY – and EVIL…
      • Because everything we do – means NOTHING – because we cannot take ANYTHING with us…
      • But that is NOT the case – life is about a choice – we have to decide what we want to live for…
      • Do we live for the moment and GRASP for the wind – or listen to the truth and live for God!
  • 4^th – Simple life… vs. 18-20
    • Enjoy life… vs. 18
      • Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink.
      • Enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun.
      • All the days of his life which God gives him for it is his heritage!
      • Solomon did see ONE thing that was GOOD [טֽוֹב]
      • If someone can EAT and DRINK – meaning they do NOT lack what they NEED…
      • AND [וְ] – they get to SEE [רָאָה] all [כָּל] their hard work do GOOD [טֽוֹב]
      • It gives purpose to the SHORT [מִסְפָּר] life God [אֱלֹהִים] has given to him!
      • I can remember thinking that THIRTY was OLD…
      • Now I look at those who are THIRTY and think they are YOUNG!
      • Life is QUICK – it passes like in the blink of an eye…
      • We do NOT have much time – and therefore not much time to waste…
      • Rather than chasing after the WIND – we should be looking to make a DIFFERENCE…
      • So long as our NEEDS are met – we should focus on trying to do GOOD!
      • James 4:13 – “What is your life…  a vapor that appears for a little time then vanishes away.”
    • Blessed life… vs. 19
      • As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth and given him power to eat of it.
      • To receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor – this is the gift of God!
      • ALSO [גַּם] – any [כָּל] man [אָדָם] who focuses on doing GOOD…
      • Will be blessed by God [אֱלֹהִים] – and given wealth…
      • Along with the POWER [שָׁלַט] to be able to ENJOY [eat] it…
      • Because they are NOT looking for they MONEY – they are focused on the Lord…
      • Therefore – they will take whatever God gives to them and REJOICE…
      • Knowing that everything they have received as a GIFT from God!
      • If I gave TEN pesos to someone and asked them to BLESS others…
      • And they went and bought themselves a snack – that was their CHOICE…
      • But I would NOT give them more – because they used it selfishly!
      • God does NOT lack for resources – He has MORE than enough to go around…
      • Yet He is looking to BLESS those who want to do GOOD…
      • Not that we EARN it – ALL that we have is a GIFT from God – I Corinthians 4:7
      • And those who understand that – REJOICE in using those GIFTS to do GOOD to others!
    • Full life… vs. 20
      • For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life.
      • Because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart!
      • [כִּי] BECAUSE – that person is BLESSED by God…
      • That man will NOT think much [hiphil] about his SHORT life…
      • [כִּי] BECAUSE – God [אֱלֹהִים] has filled [hiphil] his heart with JOY!
      • The most MISERABLE person – is someone who lives ONLY for themselves…
      • A FULL and BLESSED life comes from doing good to others…
      • It will FILL our hearts with JOY – as we get to be used by God!
      • Acts 20:35 – “‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.”