Romans 2:12

Romans 2:12 says, For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;  Not everyone in Paul's day had the Jewish law to guide them, just as everyone today has not heard the gospel preached.  This does not condemn them to everlasting punishment, though.  Even without the Law of Moses in Paul's day or without hearing the gospel today, man has the ability to know right from wrong and that there is a Creator.  God would be a very unjust God if He automatically condemned all those who never heard the gospel. This does not imply that people can be saved without Christ, but that He will judge people based on their actions, not their words.  Those with the law in Paul's day were to be judged by their obedience to the law, just as we today who have heard the gospel will be judged by our obedience to the gospel.  Verse thirteen adds, (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. The Jews of Paul's day were not made just by having heard the law, but by the keeping of the law.  We today are not made just by hearing the gospel, but by living in accordance to the gospel.  We can never live a totally sinless life even after we accept Christ as our Savior, but we are called to always attempt to do so.  When we do accept Jesus as our Savoir, we automatically accept Him as our Lord. We cannot claim salvation as a simple pass to heaven that has no bearing on our everyday life.  We must be doers of the Word.  Verse fourteen continues, For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves,  Even without having the law or hearing the gospel, people are a law unto themselves.  People know right from wrong by their very nature.  Verse fifteen states, Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)  This is the closed parenthesis started in verse thirteen.  These verse, though divide in the Bible, were a continuation of the same thoughts as Paul wrote them, and he stated the working of the law was written in their hearts and their conscience and was always bearing witness to this law.  Verse sixteen adds, In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.  All people will have their actions, even their secret thoughts, judged by Jesus Christ.  He alone is able to offer forgiveness.  This in no way implies salvation by any means other than through the sacrifice of Christ, but He will determine who has truly accepted that sacrifice, whether they know the exact words or not.  Those of us who know the gospel bear the responsibility of sharing it with the world.

Romans 2:8

Romans 2:8 says, But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,  Paul continues in this verse to speak of the reasons why God will judge our actions.  We continue to be contentious and reject God's truth, that we can only be justified through Christ.  I have heard people say that when they start behaving or living better, they might turn to God for salvation, but right now they just aren't worthy of forgiveness.  We never will be worthy, and we are definitely contentious when we take this attitude.  I have also heard people express the opposite attitude, that they are having to much fun now to give everything up for God, but maybe someday they will.  This is definitely being contentious.  In both cases they are denying the truth of God, and that is that though we are unworthy, only when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord does life truly become worth living.  Verse nine adds, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;   We may not experience that tribulation and wrath in this world, but if we reject the truth of God, then that is all we can expect in the world to come.  Being a Jew, one of God's chosen people, did not exempt people from this tribulation and wrath of the soul if they chose evil over God's will.  The greatest evil we can do is rejecting salvation, because until we accept Christ as Savior and Lord, we will be ruled by evil.  Being born into a family that follows God's will does not make us right in the eyes of God any more than being born a Jew did in Paul's day and especially now.  The same is true for all others, the Gentiles, or anyone who isn't a Jew.  Verse ten continues, But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:  I don't believe that Paul was stating that this was what the world would give to every person who worked for good, but what God would give to those who worked for good through Christ in the world to come. Paul certainly did not have these things in his life here on earth, but he has them today.  Verse eleven concludes, For there is no respect of persons with God.  We as followers of Christ must never forget this truth.  Paul spoke of Jews and Gentiles which included everyone from the Jewish perspective.  We in America today may feel that God loves us and should bless us more than the rest of the world, but this simply is not true.  God loves everyone the same, no matter their nationality.  We are called to that same type of love.

Romans 2:5

Romans 2:5 says, But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;  I believe Paul was stating here that when we know the will of God, which is for all to be saved, and we become hard hearted toward others we will face the wrath of God.  This also applies to being unrepentant toward our own sins.  Matthew Henry says that the wrath of God is not like our wrath, full of heat and passion, as there is no fury in God as stated in Isaiah 27:4, but it is a righteous judgment, His will is to punish sin, which is contrary to His nature.  Once again, it is sin, in whatever form it takes, that God hates, and not the sinner.  We cannot feel otherwise. We are to become a new creature, or person if you rather, with a new heart filled with a compassion for the lost of the world.  We are called to hate sin but love the sinner as God does.  We cannot effectively reach lost people if we hate them and feel superior to them.  Verse six adds, Who will render to every man according to his deeds:  Paul here I believe gets to the truth of why we, as followers of Christ, should not attempt to judge others.  God will judge all men according to their deeds, but as followers of Christ, our deeds will be filtered by the blood of Christ.  Paul was not saying that our deeds will determine our everlasting fate, but that God knows not only what we have done, but our attitude behind the actions.  God alone is qualified to judge anyone.  If we attempt to justify ourselves in any way other than through salvation by Christ, we are doomed.  When we acknowledge that our salvation is a free gift from God, we cannot sit in judgment of others.  Verse seven continues, To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:  Paul tells us how we should live as followers of Christ.  We are to be patient, doing things for God's glory, because we have everlasting life through Christ.  We can never give up on presenting the gospel to the world.

Romans 2:1

Romans 2:1 says, Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. Matthew Henry points out that in chapter one Paul was speaking of the Gentiles, and now he started speaking to the Jews, God's chosen people.  As followers of Christ today, this chapter speaks of our actions.  Paul, having listed a multitude of sins, now tells us that we are inexcusable when we judge others for their sins.  I believe the judgment that he is speaking of is condemning others as we judge their sins.  We as followers of Christ again have to be careful that we don't judge the sins of others to be to great to forgive.  We may say, for example, that murder is unforgivable, but being disobedient to parents is just normal behavior.  We cannot categorize sin.  Paul warns us when we judge others, we condemn ourselves, because we have done the same.  That is not to say we have done the same sin, but we are all guilty of sin and should look to God for forgiveness and pray for the forgiveness of others.  We as followers of Christ can never hold ourselves above others because we feel that we are morally superior to them.  Verse two adds, But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.  Paul tells us that we need to leave the judgment up to God, since He judges us against His truth.  We are called to present God's truth to the world so that people might be redeemed, and not condemned.  We are not in the judgment business, but the redemption business.  Once a person is forgiven by God, they must be forgiven by His people.  Consequences of sin may remain in the world, but in God's judgment, the penalty has been paid by Christ for all sin.  It is simply a matter of accepting the sacrifice that Christ has already made.  Verse three continues, And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?  Paul tells us here that we should not think that we will escape God's judgment when we judge others self-righteously.  We should always call sin what it is, but we should never feel that we are more worthy of forgiveness than anyone else, no matter what their sins or our sins are.   Verse four concludes, Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?  If we set ourselves up as judge of others, we actually show that we despise God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering.  We should not be concerned with condemning others, because it is God's goodness, not our own, that leads us to repentance.  We should treat everyone as though God has not given up on their being redeemed, no matter how sinful we may think they are, because we are but redeemed sinners, by the grace of God.  God does not need sanctimonious followers.

Romans 1:28

Romans 1:28 says, And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  We do not have to listen hard today to hear people express the thought that there is no God.  Again, especially in my generation, there was the God is dead movement. There are definitely people today who don't even want to keep God in their knowledge.  Some feel they are just too smart to believe in what they call wishful thinking or a fairy tale.  We as God's followers may even have times when we don't want to retain Him in our thoughts.  If we start to stray from His will for our lives, we do not want to think about God.  Verse twenty-nine adds, Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,  Verse thirty continues, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,  Verse thirty-one states, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:  We should notice that the first thing on this long list of sinful actions is unrighteousness.  Since righteousness comes only from God, when we refuse to acknowledge Him, then we begin to fall deeper into sin. Sin affects every aspect of our lives.  We know today that sexual temptation is rampant in America especially, but right after this Paul lists wickedness and covetousness.  Some people today are just plainly wicked or evil, and we say they should be condemned, but what about those who covet?  We never really want to classify what we do as coveting, but we often desire what others have.  Without God, people become malicious and full of envy.  We do not generally take these sins as seriously as we do others but notice that Paul placed them before the next sin, which is murder.  Again, we often attempt to rate sins as big sins or little sins, which are not considered as bad.  We must remember though that the penalty for any sin is the same.  The list goes on and is not all inclusive, I'm sure.  We should note that disobedience to parents is listed ahead of unnatural affections.  I believe Paul's message to us is that without God, sin abounds in all things.  Verse thirty-two adds, Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. We cannot claim ignorance.  Knowing the judgment of God, we still not only rebel against Him, but we delight in those who do.  Just as an example, how often do we want to hear the latest gossip and enjoy the way it portrays another?  God expects us to honor Him in all things, and actions such as this does not.

Romans 1:24

Romans 1:24 says, Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves.  There is no sadder place to be than to be given up by God.  When God removes His grace from a person, or a nation, there is no hope.  We may like to think that this means that that person or nation is going to suffer in a material way, but God is speaking of giving them up to their own spiritual uncleanliness. There are nations today that deny even the existence of God, like China, that are very powerful and prosperous, but they are spiritually dead.  Even in America, there are many people who deny God exists or make their own gods of wealth and power who prosper materially. Verse twenty-five adds, Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.  This continues with the effects of God giving people up to the lusts of their own hearts.  My generation had a saying, If it feels good, do it.  Though maybe not expressed as openly today, that is what happens when we change God's truth into our own.  We worship the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed forever.  Now, we may choose not to bless Him, but that does not mean He is not blessed.  God's goodness, nor His nature, does not depend on how we view Him.  No matter what we try to replace God with, whether manmade idols or material goods, nothing can ever replace God and will ultimately let us down.  Verse twenty-six continues, For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  Verse twenty-seven concludes, And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.  God gave them up to vile affections.  The example given is homosexuality, since Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for their great sinfulness, of which this was an example.  Secular America today seems to almost promote this lifestyle, while Christians see it as one of the greatest sins.  We need to realize that this is but one sin when God allows people to live by their own desires.  We also need to realize that any sin separates us from God, and that God will always love even the worst of sinner.  Until we acknowledge God, we can expect that we as individuals or as a nation will only slip deeper into sin.

Romans 1:21

Romans 1:21 says, Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  I believe that Paul was pointing out the fundamental problem for mankind since the garden of Eden.  It is not that people do not know God, but that when they do, the become vain in their thoughts and their hearts are darkened.  People choose to follow their own desires.  Adam and Eve did not sin because of a lack of an understanding of God, but because they thought that they could be like Him.  When people fail to acknowledge God today, it is because they want to be in charge of their own fate, but this is a vain thought.  God will always be in charge of His creation, and that includes the everlasting fate of mankind.  For that reason, God sent Jesus to be our Redeemer.  Verse twenty-two adds, Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.  We today, especially in the powerful nations, come up with ideas and inventions that make us feel very wise, but we forget what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, and that is true wisdom comes only from God.  So, when we declare that there is no God or if there is He is nothing important, we become as fools.  Once again, to refer back to Solomon, he said that the fool said in his heart that there is no God. When we feel that we are too smart to believe in God and view the world was a cosmic accident, then we are truly acting as a fool.  The mere fact that we pronounce ourselves to be wiser than God points to our greatest foolishness, as we see next.  Verse twenty-three continues, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  No matter what idol we make to worship, it is corruptible and cannot represent God, Who is incorruptible.  Even if we worship the image of, or a man himself, we are changing the glory of God to something corruptible.  This is the greatest evidence of our foolishness.

Romans 1:18

Romans 1:18 says, For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Paul had just said that the just shall live by faith, and now he speaks of God's reaction to those who do not come to God by faith in Christ.  God deplores sin, and it separates mankind from Him.  If we will not accept God's salvation made available to all through Christ, then we face His wrath.  I don't believe we can interpret this to mean that God is just waiting to punish unrepentant sinners, but that He allows people to go forever out of the protection of His love and into the consequences of their sins.  We hear people say that they don't believe that a loving God could send people to hell, and He doesn't.  He simply allows them to go if they so choose. We, as followers of Christ, should never take pleasure in the fact that anyone is bound for hell.  If we feel that they are finally getting what they deserve, then what of us?  We only have hope through Christ taking on the penalty for our sins, no matter how big or small.  This verse points out a very important truth, and that is that ungodliness and unrighteousness will be dealt with, either through Christ or our own ability, which is nothing.  Sin can never be ignored.  Verse nineteen adds, Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.  Paul tells us that we are without excuse.  God makes Himself known to mankind, and there is no one who can say they didn't know or have a chance.  We in America have it so easy compared to many in the world.  Since we profess ourselves to be a Christian nation, we certainly have ample opportunity to hear the gospel.  Yet so many choose to not believe. We cannot say God did not make Himself known to us.  Verse twenty continues, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Paul says that from the creation of the world, the world itself has been a witness to the existence of God.  We cannot look at the world or the universe without acknowledging that there is a powerful Creator Who also sustains it.

Romans 1:14

Romans 1:14 says, I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.  Paul did not consider that others owed him anything, but instead that he was a debtor to all. These people may not have liked each other, but Paul said he was indebted to them both.  His debt was because of the sacrifice of Christ, and the payment was to preach the gospel.  This does not mean Paul or anyone could buy salvation, but that he lived his live out of gratitude to God.  The Greeks considered themselves superior to all others in wisdom, but whether the people considered themselves to be wise or unwise, both needed to hear the gospel.  Paul did not speak to both groups the same way, but spoke to them so they could best understand the gospel.  We should do the same.  If we reach out to people with the gospel in terms they can understand, not from an air of superiority, but as one who has a debt to proclaim the gospel, we will be much more effective.  Verse fifteen adds, So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.  Many people might have been afraid to go to Rome where the people considered themselves so wise to share with them the simple good news of the gospel, but Paul was ready.  He said that so much as was in him, he was ready.  We can never share more than is in us.  As followers of Christ, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit when we witness, then no matter where we are or the circumstances we find ourselves in, we will be able to share the gospel.  We must be ready to give all that we have to do so.  Verse sixteen continues, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, because he knew by experience that it was the only way to salvation.  Some people today want to deny the necessity of being by born again for salvation, but the truth of God teaches us otherwise.  Paul said salvation was available to all, and we must acknowledge the same thing. Verse seventeen concludes, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.   Through the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed by faith.  We simply believe it, then live it by faith.  God even gives us the faith to believe, but as always, the choice is then ours whether to believe or not.

Romans 1:11

Romans 1:11 says, For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;  Paul explained here why he was praying to be able to come to Rome.  He said that he might impart some spiritual gift, but I believe this means he wanted to help them grow in faith.  People do not give spiritual gifts. Only God can do this.  We may at times need someone to help confirm our spiritual gifts in our own mind, but God gives them and will reveal them to us.  Paul also said he wanted to help them be established in the faith.  After we reach people with the gospel, we have a further responsibility to help them grow in their new faith.  Verse twelve adds, That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.  Paul did not desire to come to them as a super Christian that they were to only receive comfort from, but as a fellow believer who would also be comforted by them.  If we begin to view ourselves as superior to other Christians, and not seek to be comforted together, the we are not living in accordance with God's plan.  We are all equal in Christ.  Again, if we start to believe that we deserve more than any other Christian, I do not believe this is God's plan.  We may be able to help others become established, or grow in their faith, but it does not in any way make us superior to them in the eyes of God.  Verse thirteen continues, Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. Paul, though one of the greatest men of faith, did not always get to do what he wanted.  He desired to go to Rome to proclaim the gospel, but he was led elsewhere by the Holy Spirit for a long time.  We need to acknowledge today that we are to go where God leads us, not just where we want to go.  We are not called to work God into our plans, but to submit our lives to God's plan.

Romans 1:7

Romans 1:7 says, To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul was addressing all the believers in Rome, whether rich or poor, Jew or Gentile.  We are all indeed equal through our belief in Christ, even if in earthly terms we are not.  Belief in Christ as our Savoir does not mean everything will be equal in this world, but in our relationship to God, we are all equal.  We are beloved of God and set apart for His purpose in our life.  To be a saint does not make us perfect, but simply set apart from the world.  Paul wished them grace and peace.  The usual greeting was for peace, but Paul knew that only by the grace of God could we have peace.  Verse eight adds, First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.  Paul thanked God that the faith of those early believers was spoken of throughout all the world .  We as followers of Christ today need to have that same testimony.  Our faith needs to be known by all the world.  I know that not all the world is aware of who we are, but anyone we encounter should be aware of our faith in Christ, and we should always be thankful to God that Christ died and arose to make our salvation possible.  Even though the world may not know us personally, our faith, the belief in Christ as our Savior, needs to be spoken of throughout the world.  Verse nine continues, For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;  Paul was very earnest in his prayers for other Christians.  He called God to be his witness to this fact.  We need to be just as earnest in our prayer life.  I will pray for you can be an empty promise made to help us feel or look good if we aren't careful.  Verse ten concludes, Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.  After praying for others, then Paul made his request for his desire.  It wasn't for things, but for being able to visit those that he was writing to and praying for.  We need to pray for others first, then share our desires, not demands, with God, and these should have to do with the advancement of His kingdom and the welfare of His people.

Romans 1:1

Romans 1:1 says, Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.  We see first that the writer is Paul.  Some consider Paul to be, if not the greatest Christian of all time, then at least one of the greatest.  Paul tells us who he is, not by earthly degrees and standing, but by his relationship to God.  When asked who we are, this would always be a good place to start.  Our relationship to God is all that will ultimately matter, so it should be of primary importance now.  Paul said he was an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.  As followers of Christ, we to are separated to the gospel and should live accordingly.  The apostles are considered those who were the first called by Christ, but Paul considered himself no less an apostle. Verse two adds, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)  The gospel is no afterthought for redeeming mankind.  The plan for redemption, the gospel, existed before creation, because God gave man the free will to choose or reject His will for their life.  We may have a hard time understanding such love as God has shown us.  Knowing the possibility of people rebelling against Him and following their own will, God not only created us, but had a plan of redemption already in place.  Verse three continues, Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;  The redemption plan was, and always will be, salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  Having been a devout Jew, Paul understood the coming Messiah, and after encountering Him, he never doubted Who the Messiah was, and that was Jesus.  Likewise, we can never doubt Him once we encounter Him.  Verse four states, And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:  Paul tells us here how we can be sure that Jesus is the Messiah.  He was declared to be the Son of God, by the spirit of holiness, through His resurrection from the dead.  No other religion can call people to follow their leader because he has overcome death.  Christ alone can make this claim.  Verse five adds, By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:  Here, Paul tells us how we are to live as God's people.  Since by His grace we have received our calling, we are to be obedient to God, a witness to Christ to all nations.  This is and always will be our commission from God.  Verse six continues, Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:  We are the called of Jesus Christ.  All people are called to come to Jesus, but only those who accept His calling are the called.  Accepting Christ as our Savior makes all the difference.

(I missed the last few verses of Ecclesiastes it seems, so here they are before we move to Romans.)  Ecclesiastes 12:4 says, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;   Solomon is continuing to tell us why we should remember our Creator when we are young.  He continues to speak of some of the problems of old age.  As we get older, we tend to not want to venture out as much.  We close the doors to the streets.  This could also mean being more fearful even when we are at home.  We hear so many times about the elderly being attacked in their homes that we may become fearful.  Our hearing, as well as our vision is failing us, yet we rise up at the sound of a bird.  We just don't sleep as deeply as we once did.  We don't hear music as well as we once did.  No matter how good the sound reproduction of a product, if our hearing is gone, then it really doesn't matter to us.  Verse five says, Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:  As we grow older and less sure on our feet, then we are less likely to go to high places.  Again, remembering that Solomon is telling us why we should remember our Creator while we are young, we need to serve God when we ar ready to go anywhere.  I know that if we are truly serving God that we will serve Him at any age, but we cannot deny that our abilities may decrease with age.  Sixty may be the new forty, but neither is the new twenty.  Verse six says, Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.  Now matter how many years we live, death is our fate unless Christ returns, and even then this old body will die to be transformed into something new.  That is why in verse seven, Solomon concludes, Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.  Our spirit will return to God for judgment.  Those who accept Christ will stay with Him, and those who reject Christ will be sent away to everlasting separation.  In verse eight, Solomon pronounces the final conclusion about this life: Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.  Everything done simply for this world amounts to nothing, as it will all pass away.

As we look back at the Book of Ecclesiastes, we can reach several conclusions.  The first is that earthly wisdom, that not based on God's knowledge, amounts to nothing. We may learn more about the world, mankind, and the universe than any group of people before us, but we cannot keep an atom together.  We cannot really explain why it doesn't implode in on itself.  We may be able to destroy an atom, and all that is around it with it, but that is not the knowledge of how to create one.  Real wisdom comes from acknowledging that we can never be God, no matter how wise we are.  Second, we must realize that earthly wealth, no matter how much we attain of it, is only temporary and should be used for the glory of God and to help those who are less fortunate than we are.  Even as followers of Christ, if we start to spend everything on maintaining our status with no regard to the less fortunate, then we are laying up treasures on earth, and they will pass away.  Third, if we look for happiness in earthly pleasures, we will be disappointed.  There is a saying that no one starts out to be an alcoholic or drug addict.  People start by just seeking a new thrill or pleasure, then they try more and more as the misery compounds.  The same is true of any earthly pleasure we pursue to find happiness.  We soon discover that ultimately we are disappointed, because true happiness comes from doing God's will. Fourth, the time to remember God is in our youth.  The earlier we recognize that God is the source of wisdom, purpose and happiness, the better off we are.  Still, no matter our age, today is always the best day to choose to follow God.  Finally, the conclusion of life is that we are to follow God in all aspects of life.  This is what we were created for.  Still, the choice is always ours.  We as followers of Christ must always seek to serve God.

Morning Sky

As I look to the sky,
On this Easter day,
Tears of joy I cry,
For Jesus providing the Way.
That first Easter morn,
There at the empty tomb,
The veil of death was torn,
And sin met its doom.
Nothing is ever the same,
For those who believe,
As through Jesus' name,
Salvation we receive.
Will you this day rejoice,
Making Jesus your choice?
      16 Apr 17
         JBD

This morning I am going to leave the book of Romans for the day, because this is the day we celebrate Easter, the day that Jesus rose from the dead, overcoming death for all of us.  This is the greatest gift that was ever giving to mankind, yet so many refuse to accept it.  We hear of people doing anything possible to hang on to this temporary existence, but Jesus willingly laid down His life that we might be victorious over death.  Still, people will not accept this free gift that we celebrate today, even while searching for a way to prolong this life we live.  Just as the Friday of the crucifixion paid the death penalty for the sins of all mankind, that Easter Sunday morning was the ultimate victory over death for all time.  Jesus did not just die on the cross and rise from the tomb for a select few, but for all people for all time.  Still, not all, or even most, accept this gift.  We must come to Christ in faith that He died for us in order for Easter Sunday to have meaning.  That first Easter, most people were still celebrating the death of Christ.  They felt they had put an end to His claim to be the Messiah.  This was especially true of the religious leaders who were supposed to represent God to the world. Today, most people in the world will ignore the true meaning of Easter, that Christ arose as the eternal Savior.  Most of God's Chosen People still do not acknowledge that Jesus, Who went to the cross for their sins, is the Messiah they still await.  Some of us, as followers of Christ, have sunrise services to celebrate the fact that the empty tomb was discovered early on that first Easter Sunday, though sunrise may be celebrated later than it actually occurs. When we do celebrate Easter, whether at sunrise or later, we need to have that urgency that the women and the disciples had that first Sunday and go and tell others.  We wear empty crosses to acknowledge that Christ died for our salvation, but the empty cross means nothing without the empty tomb.  Men took Jesus down from the cross and sealed Him in the tomb, but He took Himself out.  Matthew 28:5-7 says, And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

Ecclesiastes 12:9 says, And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.  Even as Solomon sought to find purpose in life, he still considered himself to be wise.  He did not attempt to keep his wisdom to himself, but sought to share it with those that he ruled over.  We need never attempt to hoard knowledge, especially the knowledge of God, Who is the source of all true knowledge.  Solomon tried to share his wisdom in a way that all people could understand it.  When we share the good news of the gospel, we need only simple words, not those that not everyone would understand.  We need to share our wisdom with simplicity, as did Solomon.  He sought new ways to share his wisdom, and we can benefit by doing the same.  In verse ten, Solomon continues, saying, The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.  When we speak today, we need to search for the words of truth as Solomon did.  We can be sure that his words, and all written in the Bible, are upright and the words of truth.  Verse eleven says, The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.   Again, I believe we can apply this to the words of the Bible, which ultimately come from one Shepherd, and that is God.  Verse twelve states,  And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.  There is definitely no end to the number of books today that tell us how to live, but as Solomon warned, studying them is a weariness of the flesh.  Only God's word can really reveal wisdom and truth to us.  Verse thirteen begins to summarize Solomon's wisdom, stating, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.  To find purpose in life, we simply need to live in awe of God and keep His commandments.  Solomon concludes with the reason this is true in verse fourteen, saying, For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.  God will one day judge all our works, and we need to be sure they are washed by the blood of Christ.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 says, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;  In contrast to the last two verses of chapter eleven, here Solomon offers advice instead of sarcasm to those who are young.  When is the best time to remember God, to look to the Creator instead of to the ways of the world?  From our youth on.  Some people say that when they are older they might follow God, but while they are young they don't want to miss out on the fun. We must remember what Solomon had just concluded about all the things the world chases after in the pursuit of happiness.  It all amounts to nothing.  The longer we wait to follow God, the more we have to be accountable for.  Now, I know that God forgives all sin for all time through our faith in Christ, but that doesn't mean that we are to see how many sins we can commit before turning to Christ.  In the next few verses, Solomon gives us some good reasons to remember God in our youth.  As we grow older, our physical abilities begin to fail us and we are less able to work for God.  In verse two, Solomon says, While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:  I believe Solomon was speaking of vision beginning to dim.  As we grow older, things just don't look as bright as they once did.  Also, the older we get, the more we seem to be afflicted by the weather.  It seems that the sky quickly clouds again after the rain, though it is no sooner for an older person than for a young person.  Verse three says, In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,  I believe Solomon paints a good picture of getting older.  Our arms and legs will begin to tremble as we exert ourselves, our teeth, or grinders will become few, and again our vision will dim.  We need to serve God in the strength of our youth, while our abilities are the greatest.

Ecclesiastes 11:7 says, Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:  Matthew Henry sees this and verse eight as Solomon telling us how to prepare for death after telling us how to live life.  That may be true, but we can certainly say that these verses tell us that even if we live in the light, dark days will come.  When days are going well, when everything is light, life is indeed sweet.  I believe we can all look at life and see that some days stand out as better than others.  Yet, we must remember, as verse eight says, But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.  Solomon tells us that even if we live a long life and enjoy all the years, we must not forget the dark days.  We must learn from the times of struggle and not simply attempt to ignore them.  We cannot allow the dark days to overpower us, but we cannot pretend they didn't happen, even when we are most filled with joy.  This world is going to have dark days, but the one to come, for those who are God's children, will be full of nothing but light.  Verse nine says, Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.  I believe Solomon was speaking sarcastically in this verse.  He was telling us while we are young to go ahead and do whatever our heart tells us to do if we so choose to live without God's direction.  Young people are more likely to be less concerned about the ramifications of their actions.  When we look at what college life is portrayed as today, we can see that even those who are considered to be intelligent are shown to act very foolishly as they follow their heart or the crowd.  Solomon also issues a warning, and that is that God will hold us accountable, even if we are young.  Once we are old enough to know right from wrong, we are accountable for our actions.  No records are sealed with God, no matter our age once we know right from wrong.  Verse ten concludes with, Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.  We are called on to put evil from our heart, and we can only do this successfully by turning to the will of God.  All else amounts to nothing.

Ecclesiastes 11:4 says, He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.  I believe Solomon was once again speaking of living by faith, even in our giving.  I believe farmers must live by the faith that their efforts are going to pay off.  They cannot let the wind or rain determine their efforts, but must sow with the belief that conditions will prove right for a good harvest.  Even when one year fails to produce a good crop, the farmer comes back in faith of a good harvest the next year.  The same is true for our helping others.  We cannot continue to wait for everything to be perfect, but must give when the need arises.  If we wait for the perfect time, we will never give.  If our giving does not produce the results we hoped for, we cannot allow that to cause us to not give in the future.  We must give with faith in God to produce the outcome.  Verse five says, As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.  We today may think we know more about the way the human body grows in the womb.  We may even think we can create life on our own, but we must acknowledge that we do not know how the body and soul are united.  We likewise cannot know all the works of God Who created it all.  We will never be able to take nothing and make something.  We will never be able to breath the breath of life into a person created from the dust of the earth.  No matter how brilliant scientists may think they are, they always work with something and have yet to create something from nothing. Verse six says, In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.  I believe that Solomon was still speaking of helping others.  I would say charity, but charity has taken on such a negative connotation.  We should be ready to help others, no matter the time of day, or as Matthew Henry says, our age.  We can never be certain that our help will have the desired results, but we can never allow that to prevent us from giving.

Ecclesiastes 11:1 says, Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.  I believe Solomon is speaking of charity to the poor in this verse and verse two.  We are not to hoard the bounty of life for ourselves, but are to share liberally with those around us who are less fortunate than we are.  We, as followers of Christ, are called on to help the poor, the widows, and the orphans.  Much of this requirement has been turned over to the government, but that does not relieve us of the obligation.  If the government is taking charge of this requirement, we need to hold them accountable for doing so.  Verse two continues this idea stating, Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.  We often feel that we have helped enough, but Solomon is telling us to not count how many we have helped, but to always be ready to help another.  I know we may at times have people take advantage of us or the government, but we cannot use this as an excuse for not helping someone we see that is in need.  We must do all in under the leadership of God and put the results in His hands.  When we help someone, make sure that God is given the credit for our actions.  We can never know when our fortune may change, so we need to give while we are blessed with enough to share.  Verse three says, If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.  We need to remember that Solomon was speaking of helping others still.  A cloud, when it is full of rain, empties itself of water.  The cloud does not consider the worthiness of the ground to receive the water, nor does it hold anything back.  We are to give the same way.  If we see a need, we are called on to meet it if it is within our ability.  Our reward comes from God, and we can trust that he will meet our needs.  We, like a tree falling where it stands, can only serve where we are.

Ecclesiastes 10:16 says,  Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!  I don't believe that Solomon was referring to age in years, but in maturity of action concerning the way they rule.  If all the people in power are more concerned with meeting their own needs than they are in helping those they govern, then they are acting like a child.  A mature leader cannot act on simply what they want, but must look to what is best for those that they govern.  When leaders are more concerned for themselves than the nation as a whole, even those who may not agree with them, then the nation does live in woe.  Verse seventeen continues this thought stating, Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!  I don't believe this means that we are to have a line of nobility to rule over us, but that we are blessed when we have leaders that are taught nobility of spirit.  We need leaders that look beyond what they may want to what will be best for the nation.  When we have leaders who are not controlled by their own appetites, but by living in moderation in their actions, we are blessed.  Verse eighteen says, By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.  When a person, or a nation, begins to live in a lazy manner, not taking care of their houses or even the structure of the government itself, it will soon collapse.  We are not called to ignore the world, but to care for it.  Verse nineteen says, A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.  I don't believe Solomon is saying that money is the answer to all problems, but that it is better for meeting the needs of life than feasting or wine.  Those things may be enjoyable, but money can be used to meet the needs of life.  We are charged with using it wisely.  Verse twenty says, Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.  We are not called to curse those in power or the rich, but to pray for them continually that they will follow God in all their actions.

Ecclesiastes 10:12 says, The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.  I have heard people say that if you have nothing good to say about a person, then say nothing at all.  We seem to live in a society that takes the opposite view.  Many people delight in television shows that do nothing but speak badly about people.  Solomon tells us that a wise man's words are gracious.  We need to look for something good to say about people, or just say nothing at all.  Many times, the actions people take are done just to create talk.  When we begin to respond foolishly to those actions, and I believe condemning the person instead of the act is one way to do that, then we do ourselves as much harm as we do them.  Verse thirteen says, The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.  We must remember that in this verse Solomon is still referring to the words of the fool.  His words begin in foolishness and end with madness.  Some people speak foolishly, and when others don't believe them, they act maliciously.  We can see that with many groups today.  They spout hatred for other people and then, when words have no effect, they begin to try to harm those who don't listen to them.  This applies to individuals as well as to groups.  The more they are ignored, the more malicious they tend to become.  Then, verse fourteen says,  A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?  I believe Solomon is saying, among other things, that the fool is full of words about the future, which no one can know.  When we hear someone forecasting our future, remember the source.  God tells us we cannot know the future, other than in a broad overview, and we do not need to look to someone who claims to know what our future holds.  Verse fifteen says, The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.  The labor of the foolish making them weary is simple to understand.  They work simply for the things of this world without acknowledging God's plan for their lives, and they are never satisfied.  Matthew Henry says that not going to the city refers to an inability to follow even the most obvious path to meeting their needs.  When we will not turn to God for direction, even if His path for us is obvious, we will miss it.

Ecclesiastes 10:8 says, He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.  I believe that Solomon is warning against trying to set a trap for others or breaking down long established boundaries.  When we attempt to trap others to do them harm, it is often going to backfire on us.  For one thing, if we are following the leadership of God, we are not going to be attempting to harm others, and if we are, ultimately this will cause us harm in the eyes of God.  Likewise, if we are attempting to take something that belongs to others, the same ultimate fate awaits us.  There are wars today where one country is trying to take what belongs to another, sometimes simply because they are more powerful and feel that they have a right to do this because of their might.  This is folly, or foolish thinking according to the wisdom of God.  Verse nine says, Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.  I believe this must be a warning to work with care and wisdom.  If we just randomly or carelessly remove stones from a wall, or tear down established laws just because of a dislike for them, then we set ourselves up to be harmed.  If we are cutting wood, it is better to use a sharp axe.  I believe we can apply this to anything we are doing.  We are better off using well maintained tools.  One of the tools we have to combat the evil in the world is the Bible, and if our knowledge of it becomes blunt, we are less able to shape our lives in obedience to God's will. We must live our lives wisely in all we do.  Verse ten expands the thought, stating,  If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.  We can work wisely or forcefully by our own strength.  We may feel that we can power through on our own strength, but we are better off to be directed by wisdom, the leadership of God.  Verse eleven says,  Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.  I believe Solomon is warning us against idle talk or gossip, which he compares to a serpent.  We may not even understand how many people our blabbering, speaking without real knowledge, may harm.

Ecclesiastes 10:4 says, If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.  Matthew Henry says that this refers to the fact that even though the people in Solomon's day were rich, they were tempted to revolt against the government over taxes.  It wasn't that they couldn't afford to pay them, they simply looked for ways not too because they felt that they should be able to keep more for themselves.  In any case, we can see that we are advised to not rebel against a ruler simply because we do not like what he is doing.  I don't believe this means that we simply accept everything that a ruler does without speaking out if we think that he or she is wrong, but that, especially in a democracy, we do it without rebellion.  Verses five and six say, There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.  Again, according to Matthew Henry, this error that comes from the ruler is to put their own interests ahead of the good of those that they rule over.  We don't have to look too far in the world today to see those who rule living in luxury while those that they rule over are living in squalor.  He also says this refers to the rich being ignored for service to the government while the poor rule over them.  I do not believe we see much of this today, nor do I believe that the rich, without the wisdom of God, always have the best interest of the poor in mind.  Verse seven continues with,  I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.  Solomon is continuing with his look at the folly of life, and he states that the servant riding while the prince walks is folly. I admit that for me, these verses are harder to apply to today's world and our role in it as followers of Christ.  I believe that are showing the folly of any one, rich or poor, attempting to govern without the wisdom of God.  When this happens, no one profits, but that does not mean we are to rise up and seize power ourselves.  We are to look to God for the wisdom to make things better.

Ecclesiastes 10:1 says, Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. Solomon seems to be bringing together a collection of proverbs in this chapter, more than preaching, according to Matthew Henry.  In this verse, he speaks about folly ruining ones reputation as dead flies ruin an ointment.  It causes the ointment to stink and be useless.  If we allow folly to ruin our reputation, as followers of Christ, we can only confess, ask forgiveness, and hope to begin to rebuild what we have lost.  What we cannot afford to do is allow ourselves to just wallow in the stench of our folly.  We cannot change the past, and even if the world continues to judge us by our folly, we cannot allow it to determine who we are in God's sight.  Once forgiven, God no longer sees the folly, or sin as we should call it.  Verse two says, A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left.  Being left-handed, I will still attempt to discuss what I believe Solomon to have been saying.  Throughout history, the right hand has indicated things that are correct in the eyes of the world, and the left hand has indicated things that are evil or sinister.  I believe Solomon was saying that the heart of a wise man is dedicated to doing the will of God, or that which is right.  Likewise, the heart of the fool, those who do not acknowledge God, is turned to evil or sinister things.  Verse three says, Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.  The wisdom of a fool will ultimately fail him, and the world will know that he is a fool.  Those that deny God and rely on their own wisdom will one day realize how foolish they really were, if not in this world, then in the world to come.

Ecclesiastes 9:16 says, Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.   Solomon continues his discussion of strength versus wisdom, concluding that wisdom is better.  There seems to be an idea today that because we are stronger, whether individually or as a nation, that we should use and rely on that strength to insure that we get what we want.  I believe that Solomon was saying that even if we have the strength, we are to look to wisdom, to God's will, for the answers to the problems in life.  We, as God's people, are not called on to bully others into accepting Christ, but we are to reach them through love and compassion.  We are not called on to beat plow shares into swords, but just the opposite.  Verse seventeen says, The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.  Those who live by wisdom do not have to shout it from the roof tops.  People who are truly looking for wisdom, for the will of God, will hear it no matter how softly it is spoken.  Those who are looking to elevate their own status may shout their words as loud as possible, but those truly seeking God's way will not be swayed by the volume of their words.  There are a lot of angry words shouted by the rulers of the world today, speaking about what they are going to do to their enemies, but we must listen to the voice of God.  Verse eighteen says, Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much gold.  Wisdom is better than weapons according to Solomon, but we look to weapons for solutions.  As God's people, we are to act in wisdom when we are dealing with those around us, whether individually or as a nation.  According to Solomon, we cannot rely on the weapons of war to find peace and security.  We must rely on the knowledge of God.

Ecclesiastes 9:13 says, This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:  Verse fourteen continues with, There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:  Then, verse fifteen concludes the thought stating, Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.  Solomon says that he has seen a great wisdom in what he is about to say.  We must look to wisdom , which in my understanding comes from God, if we have in hope of finding purpose in this world.  Matthew Henry says,   This wisdom, that is, this which he here describes, enables a man to serve his country out of pure affection to its interests, when he himself gains no advantage by it.  When we are looking for service to our country simply in terms of what is in it for me, or for self glory, we are not acting wisely.  We should do what is best without concern for what we get out of it.  Solomon speaks of a little city besieged by a powerful king.  There is no reason given as to why the king wanted this city, but don't have to look far today to see this happening all over the world.  It may just be that a stronger nation feels they have the right to take over a weaker nation.  There is seldom a declaration that this is happening just because the stronger nation can do it and wants to.  We may think that the powerful will always win, but as we look around the world today, we can see this isn't always so.  Verse fifteen speaks of a poor, wise man in the city who by his wisdom delivered the city, but no one remembered him.  The poor are often overlooked and their council ignored.  Somehow there is a belief in the world that if a person is rich they must be wise, and if they are poor they cannot be.  Being rich does not equate to being wise, since wisdom comes not from material possessions, but from God.  We cannot afford to listen to only the rich and powerful in the world, but must listen for the wisdom of God, no matter the material status of the one who shares it.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.  People were not created to be idle, but to care for and have dominion over the earth.  There may even be times in our life when others get upset because they feel that we are working too hard.  We do what our hands find to do instead of looking for ways to avoid doing anything, and others feel this makes them look bad or that more will be expected of them.  As followers of Christ, we have an obligation to do our best by our employers.  In our own lives, we have a responsibility to do what God gives us to do as long as we are able, because as we get older, ability decreases until at death we can do no more.  As long as we do everything for the glory of God, we will always do our best.  Verse eleven says, I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.  I believe Solomon was saying that life doesn't always go according to plan and expectations.  We have seen races where the fastest was winning and suddenly tripped, and someone else won the race.  Sometimes, simple overconfidence in ones own ability can lead to failure.  We cannot put our faith in the things of this world, but must trust the guidance of God.  Ultimate victory is assured if we do, no matter how many failures we experience in this life.  Verse twelve says, For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.  We cannot know the time of our death, but we can be tempted into actions that may lead to death much sooner than would be normal for a person.  Fish tempted by bait or just unfortunate enough to be swimming where a net is cast die sooner than those who don't take the bait or get caught by the net.  Some actions we take can lead to a sudden, unexpected death, while at other times just being in the wrong place can cause our death.  We may feel that we live in an evil time, and for so many people in the world today, that is especially true.  Still, we as God's people, must not live in despair, but in hope through Christ.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 says, Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.  I believe that Solomon is saying to us that as we live our life for God, under His direction, these are things that we should do.  When we have been blessed with food, we are to enjoy eating it.  We are to enjoy what is ours and not attempt to claim what belongs to others.  Solomon tells us to enjoy our wine with a merry heart.  This does not mean to get drunk to get happy.  I also believe we can assume this was alcoholic wine, but we are called on to enjoy both food and drink in moderation.  When we are content to live with what God blesses us with we will be joyful and God will accept our works.  We need to realize that just because we say we are doing something for God doesn't mean that God has to accept what we do.  God will always look beyond the action to the reason for the action.  Verse eight says, Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.  I believe that Solomon is saying to us that we are always to attempt to live a pure life in dedication to God.  We are not being called on to only wear white clothes and have our heads annointed with oil but to live a life that these things represent.  White means purity, and we are to live our lives in purity before God and other people that we encounter.  Yet, until we live in purity before God we cannot hope to live in purity toward others.  There are no magic or holy clothes that can make us pure before God, but only a pure heart.  Annointing ones head was a sign of God's blessing, but for us it is more than a physical act.  We are to let all our thoughts be under God's guidance, and if they aren't, no amount of oil will help us.  Verse nine says, Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.  Solomon had three hundred wives, but that was never God's plan.  God's plan is one man and one woman completing one another for a lifetime.  If both are dedicated to each other under God's guidance, it will be a joyful marriage.  We must always approach marriage with this understanding, even if things have gone wrong in the past.  We must live satisfied with what God blesses us with materially, but we must live joyfully in our marriage.

Ecclesiastes 9:4 says, For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.  In life, there is hope.  No matter how hard life seems to be for a person, as long as life exists, there is always hope that tomorrow will be better.  This should especially be true of God's people.  We should always live life in hope that tomorrow will be better than today.  I don't believe that God told us what was to come as the end of time drew closer to lead us to a life of resignation.  We, as followers of Christ, are to live in hope, victorious over the things of this world.  As long as we have life, we are to live in and proclaim the hope of Christ to the world.  A live dog is indeed more powerful than a dead lion.  Some people may seem to have all the power in this world, but in death, nothing of this world remains.  Death may release us from the stresses of this world, but we are not to seek death, but we are to live life in the hope of God.  Verse five says, For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.  As long as we live, we know that death awaits us, but once we die, we no longer know anything of this world.  Solomon also states that once we die, we have no more reward.  What we do with Christ in life is all that matters in the life to come.  There is no purpose in praying for the souls of the dead, and there is certainly no need to be baptized in the place of those long dead.  It is only what a person does with Christ in this live that matters, so no matter how big a sinner a person may be, as long as there is life, there is hope.  Then in verse six we read, Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.  Solomon said it doesn't matter how we feel about a person here on earth, whether we love or hate them, once we are dead, those feelings perish.  The things of this world truly no longer hold any power over us once we are dead, and as followers of Christ, they shouldn't have power over us even now.