Bible Reading Reflection from Ecclesiastes 7-12

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (LRAU), a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝔼𝕔𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝟟:𝟙𝟚

"For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors."

Money indeed gives security. That's why ladies don't want to marry a poor man. 😂 Wisdom brings money and also preserves life. This person (wisdom) not only gives security but gives stability as well!

There's another category in the book of Proverbs: Righteous person. This person is godly in the sight of God and man. He is not a simpleton nor a sluggard. He is diligent and generous.

This person may not be filthy rich nor worldly-wise, but he will lack nothing and even his children will be well-taken care of (Ps. 37:25-26). This person gives security, stability, and longevity of prosperity!

Money, Wisdom, or Righteousness: what would you have?

 

𝔼𝕔𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝟠:𝟙𝟝

"So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun."

Friends, enjoy your life. We ought to! God wants us to. Of all people, Christians must be more joyous than everyone. This is God's world. God is our Father. Even in injustice, suffering, and pain, we can live in peace knowing God is in control of everything. Phillip Yancey wrote, “When an unbeliever gets cancer, God allows a believer to get cancer, so that the world may know the difference how believer hopes in God.”

Enjoy your life, your work, your world! Of course not in sin. Pray that you will love what you do! The writer of Ecclesiastes commended it!

 

𝔼𝕔𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝟡:𝟡

"Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun."

The blessing of marriage is granted to all: the righteous and the wicked. And no matter what, marriage is supposed to be permanent, until death does separate. And it's monogamous. It's “the woman” (singular).

Love (and marriage) is indeed a sensible, meaningful, and satisfying gift of God! Both the married and the single must have a high view of marriage! Be committed, be faithful.

 

𝔼𝕔𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝟙𝟘:𝟙𝟡

"Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and 𝕄𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕪 𝕀𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕠 𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘."

This is what it is under the Sun, but remember, the people of God live under the Son. There's a Son above the Sun. We live by the law of the Son.

But, is it not interesting that the writer of Ecclesiastes affirms that to a natural man and the natural world devoid of God, money is the answer to everything?

 

𝔼𝕔𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝟙𝟙:𝟞

"Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good."

This is one of the motivating verses that pushes me to do what I usually do like posting a WhatsApp article, publishing a blog article, and creating a lot of Bible reading groups!

There were times when I wanted to quit, give up, change, etc. but I better persevere because I never know what of my works will encourage, inspire, and transform others. But if I keep doing it, I know, at least one of them may/will bear fruit(s).

 

𝔼𝕔𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝟙𝟚:𝟙𝟚

"But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body."

Reading many books could be beneficial, but a waste of time as well! There are bad books, good books, better books, and best books! Thousands of books are being published and sold every day, yeah, endless! Steve Lawson suggested that we should buy only the best books.

People would want to have books with their names on them. They want to look smart and popular. They would even hire ghost-writers. The writer of Ecclesiastes affirmed that most books are useless even in his time.

That goes for so many blog articles and WhatsApp posts. Sometimes, I wonder even about myself and my writings. I aspire to be a smart, incisive writer, which I haven't been yet. Don't waste your time on ordinary books. Most books are empty exactly like their authors! Ecclesiastes or any book of the Bibles isn't ordinary writing!