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Ecclesiastes 1:15 – That which is crooked cannot be made straight:  and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

 

Thought:  As man labors in the world, he seeks to correct the problems that he finds.  He goes about trying to make the crooked straight.  He wants to make up the deficits in things that are wanting.  As soon as one difficulty is solved, another arises.  There is never the complete resolution of all difficulties.  Again, Solomon sees the labors of man that have no end.  Again, man’s labors appear to be vanity.

 

Genesis 3:17-19

 

Commentary:

 

A.     As man explores the world, he will ultimately find things that are not perfect.  He will discover things that he believes need to be corrected.  Solomon refers to these things as “crooked” and “that which is wanting.”

 

B.      In the mind of man, a problem demands a solution.

1.       He studies.  He reads.  He researches.  He experiments.  He engages in discussions.  He is involved in much trial and error. 

2.       The results? 

a.       “That which is crooked cannot be made straight.”  There are so solutions to some difficulties.

1)      Have we solved poverty or hunger?

2)      Have we been able to rid the world of natural disasters?

3)      There are some diseases for which there is no cure.

b.      Too, “that which is wanting cannot be numbered.”  That which is wanting never ends.  The more man finds out, the more there is to be learned and solved and corrected. (Ex., DNA, discovery (1869), structure (1953), junk DNA, “junk” DNA is useful).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 1:16 – I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem:  yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

 

Thought:  In our world there are some people who are extremely blessed.  Solomon was a man blessed with wisdom, riches, and power.  The blessings of these individuals allow them to pursue a course that others are not able to pursue.  They have time and resources to risk in an attempt to answer questions and solve problems.  This is what Solomon did.  He saw the monotony of the world.  He saw the emptiness of the world.  Is this all there is?  He invested himself in pursuit of an answer.

 

I Kings 3:12-13

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon notes that he took time while researching to also reflect.  “I communed with mine own heart.”

1.       Communed:

a.       Strong (1696):  to arrange, to speak

b.      BDB:  to speak, to converse, to talk

2.       Reflection is important. 

a.       Look at results.

b.      Keep the good. 

c.       Weed out the bad.

d.      Cost analysis.

 

B.      The things upon which Solomon reflected:

1.       I am come to great estate.  In 1 Kings 4:23-23, we read about the provisions Solomon needed for his administration for just one day.

 

And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and followdeer, and fatted fowl.

 

2.       I have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem.

a.       Barnes:  “…The reference is probably to the line of Canaanite kings who lived in Jerusalem before David took it, such as Melchizedek Gen_14:18, Adonizedek Jos_10:1, and Araunah 2Sa_24:23” (e-sword).

b.      It might also refer to the wise men who were his contemporaries of the day (See 1 Kings 4:30-31).

 

And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.  For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol:  and his fame was in all nations round about.

 

3.       My heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

a.       Solomon does not go into detail about his experiments in wisdom.

b.      Can you imagine the volumes of books it would have taken to reveal all the “wisdom” that he found in the world?

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 1:17 – And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly:  I perceive that this also is vexation of spirit.

 

Thought:  Solomon’s adventure would bring him many revelations about life.  It was a long, expensive road that he travelled.  There were many paths, trails, and avenues to be investigated.  Would he be satisfied with the answers?  Would he feel justified at the end of his journey?  Or, would he be left wanting?  To know the answer to these questions, we must continue in this wonderful book.

 

I Thessalonians 5:21

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon again affirms that he gave his heart to know wisdom.

 

B.      Sometimes wisdom comes by experiencing that which is negative.  Thus, Solomon spent time knowing “madness and folly.”

1.       Madness

a.       Strong (1947):

1)      Folly

2)      It comes from a root word that means clamorously foolish, to rave

b.      BDB:  madness

2.       Folly

a.       Strong (5531):  silliness

b.      BDB:  folly, foolishness, from a word meaning “to play the fool.”

 

C.     Have you ever seen teenagers or young 20-year-olds do things that are foolish?

1.       Examples:  base jumping, bull-riding, bungee jumping, running with the bulls, heli-skiing, cliff diving, train surfing, and wing-suit flying.

2.       These are things that are experienced during their foolishness:

a.       They do things that cause them to get skinned up or get broken bones.

b.      They do things that get them in trouble with the law.

c.       They do things that cost them a lot of money.

d.      In the doing of these things, they also acquire wisdom if they do not get killed first.

 

D.     We are not told the kind of things Solomon experienced.  He simply classified them as “madness and folly.”

 

E.      Once he acquired that type of wisdom, he said that “this also is vexation of spirit.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 1:18 – For in much wisdom is much grief:  and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

 

Thought:  Wisdom and knowledge are assets.  Both grant power to the person who possesses them.  They are also fraught with some misery.  Knowledge involves understanding.  This includes an understanding of things that are evil and harmful to man.  It includes an understanding of wastefulness and uselessness.  It involves an understanding of things that are of no value at all.  Knowledge of such things brings grief and sorrow to the one who possesses such knowledge.  It is true that sometimes “ignorance is bliss.”

 

I Corinthians 8:1

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Solomon states a “hard truth” about wisdom and the increase of knowledge.

 

B.      There is “power in knowledge,” but the wise man says there is also grief and sorrow in wisdom and knowledge.

1.       Definitions:

a.       Grief

1)      Strong (3708):  vexation                 : - anger, angry, grief, indignation, provocation, provoking, X sore, sorrow, spite, wrath

2)      BDB:  anger, vexation, provocation, grief, frustration

b.      Sorrow

1)      Strong (4341):  anguish, affliction

2)      BDB:  pain, sorrow

2.       This grief and sorrow arises from many places.

a.       Because we come to understand how much we still do not know.

b.      Because we come to understand the ignorance of others about things and know they will never be able to acquire the knowledge of the the things they misunderstand.

c.       Because after we have spent so much time increasing knowledge, we know that it is vanity and vexation of spirit.

d.      Because the wisdom and knowledge we have obtained have not lessened man’s problems.  Instead, they have increased them.

e.       Because some do not desire the wisdom that we have.  Thus, we know that it will only last for a generation then come to an end.

f.        Because earthly wisdom does not do anything positive for the spiritual man.