Ecclesiastes Part 2 (Chapters 7-12)

Marilyn Hickey: Chapter 8 is about seeking advice. Chapters 9-10 are contrasting wisdom and folly. Chapters 11-12 are repenting from man’s wisdom. The book is located in Jerusalem, written late in Solomon’s life, about 945BC

Wisdom and Folly Contrasted

7:1 A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.

I will change your name (By D.J. Butler)

You shall no longer be called

Wounded, Outcast, Lonely, or Afraid.

I will change your name.

Your new name shall be

Confidence, Joyfulness, Overcoming One...

Faithfulness, Friend of God,

One who seeks my Face.

2 It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because [a]that is the end of every man, And the living [b]takes it to [c]heart. SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO FAST AND PRAY.

3 Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy. OUR HEART MAY BE HAPPY EVEN IF WE ARE SAD. PARENTS IN HEAVEN, ETC.

4 The [d]mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the [e]mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. BE CAREFUL OF BEING FOCUSED ON PLEASURE VS. WISDOM.

5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools. BE CAREFUL REGARDING THE MUSIC TO WHICH WE LISTEN.

6 For as the [f]crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is futility.

7 For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe [g]corrupts the heart. WE MAY BE OPPRESSED MORE AS CHRISTIANS. BE CAREFUL OF BRIBES IN PRISON.

8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. I PRAY I HEAR FROM THE LORD "WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT." HUMBLE THYSELF IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD AND HE WILL LIFT US UP, HIGHER AND HIGHER.

9 Do not be [h]eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools. THIS IS SOMETHING ON WHICH I NEED TO WORK.

10 Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this. BE CAREFUL ABOUT LIVING IN THE PAST.

11 Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun. BE CAREFUL OF BLOWING INHERITANCE. MY BROTHER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FOR HIS STEPSONS.

12 For wisdom is [i]protection just as money is [j]protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.

13 Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent? WE CAN TRY TO MOVE RIVERS, BUT IF THERE ARE FLOODS THEY MAY OVERFLOW.

14 In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider—God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after him. THIS IS A KEY VERSE. BE READY FOR RICHES AND POVERTY.

15 I have seen everything during my [k]lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness. BE CAREFUL OF WORKS.

16 Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? WE NEED TO BE BALANCED BETWEEN THE TWO.

17 Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? JUST BE A LITTLE WICKED. :)

18 It is good that you grasp one thing and also not [l]let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with [m]both of them. PRIORITIZING IS IMPORTANT.

19 Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.

20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. ROMANS 3:23 “FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.” THIS IS PART OF THE ROMANS ROAD.

21 Also, do not [n]take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you. WE NEED TO SOMETIMES HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR AND WE NEED TO BE GOOD LISTENERS.

22 For [o]you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.

23 I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.

24 What has been is remote and exceedingly [p]mysterious. Who can discover it?

25 I [q]directed my [r]mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness. WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR THOUGHTS ON THE LORD AND WHAT CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WANT. ARE WE LISTENING FOR HIS VOICE?