Ecclesiastes 4:15 – I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

 

Thought:  During Solomon’s research project, he saw many unique things.  He has discussed several up to this point.  He now tells of another.  He notes there have been times when the second child takes the forefront.  The firstborn should be the one with the preeminence in the family, but this is not always the case.  There are many examples of the second being first and the first being second.  Because God rules in the affairs of men, He can raise up whom He desires.

 

Genesis 48:17-19

 

Commentary:

 

A.     Birth order in many societies is extremely important.  It was in the Jewish community. 

1.       The first born received a double portion of the inheritance.

2.       Too, he received his father’s blessing.

3.       Most of the time, the firstborn child would be the one in line to take over the kingdom of a monarch.

 

B.      There are times when the second child stands in the stead of the first.

1.       God chose Jacob over Esau (Mal. 1:2; Rom. 9:13).

2.       Jacob put his right hand upon Ephraim, the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh, the older child, when he blessed them (Gen. 48:14).

3.       Others:  David was the eighth son of Jesse and was chosen to be king.  Solomon was the tenth son of David and sat upon his father’s throne.

4.       LESSON:  Secession by birth order does not insure the best person for the throne.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 4:16 – There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them:  they also that come after shall not rejoice in him.  Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

 

Thought:  In verse 15, we found that the second child sometimes proceeds the first in rule.  When this happens, Solomon found that “there is no end of all the people.”  The masses rejoice.  They shout:  “God save the king.”  They brag and put their hopes in their new ruler.  But, in time, they cease their rejoicing.  The king does not fulfill his promises.  He is not as successful as desired.  He has his faults and shortcomings.  The ruler the people joyed in is now despised.  Doesn’t this happen in all walks of life?  Solomon declares:  “Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.”

 

II Samuel 19:9

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     Sometime an individual appointed to rule is not allowed to by another.  We have just seen that there are times when the second stands in his stead.

 

B.      When this happens, “there is no end of all the people.”

1.       The people rejoice over this new leader.

2.       The people put their hope in their new leader.

3.       The people pledge their allegiance to their new king.

 

C.     In the course of time, however, “they also that come after shall not rejoice in him.

1.       The king does not fulfill the expectations of the people.

a.  He becomes selfish.

b.  He rules with a powerful hand.

c.  He treats the people cruelly.

d.  He causes the nation to become weak.

e.  He aligns his nation with his enemies.

f.  He is lazy and does nothing for the people.

            2.   Saul started off as a decent king, but his position and power went to his head.  He was so

                  consumed with self that he even refused to obey God (1 Sam. 15:17-19) 

 

And Samuel said, when thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?  And the Lord sent three on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinner the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.  Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?

 

D.      Solomon notes that this, too, is vanity and vexation of spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 5

 

Ecclesiastes 5:1 – Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give sacrifice of fools:  for they consider not that they do evil.

 

Thought:  There are some things that are to be done with great caution and in the right way.  Entering the house of God is one of them.  Solomon notes that one should enter the house of God with a readiness to hear.  One should be extremely attentive to hearing God’s instructions.  Sacrifice is good, but some believe that the motions of worship are what are most important.  Just going through the motions is evil.  God’s people should not just come to God just to complete a few rituals.  Men should come to God because of the serious relationship they share with Him.

 

Isaiah 1:11-15

 

Commentary: 

 

A.     LESSON:  There are some things that must be done with great caution and in the right way.  One of these things involves “how” we behave in “the house of God.”

 

B.      Solomon writes:  “Keep thy foot” when thou goest to the house of God.

1.       Keep:

a.  Strong (8104):  to hedge about, to guard, to protect, to attend to

b.  BDB:  to keep, guard, observe, give heed…to be on one’s guard, take heed, take care,

      beware

2.       Solomon was specifically talking about being cautious when one enters into the temple of God.

 

C.     He exhorts them to do two things.

1.       “…and be more ready to hear…” (Eccl. 5:1a).

a.  The Bible tells us that faith comes “by hearing” not by speaking (Rom. 10:17).

                             Learning comes from hearing (Prov. 1:8; 4:1).

b.  When it comes to the reception of the Word of God, we are to be swift to hear (James

       1:18-20 Heb. 3:15).

 

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruts of his creatures.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God…While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

 

                        c.  Some are more interested in speaking than they are listening.  The question is: 

                              “Why?”

1)      Some are filled with pride and want to stroke their own ego.

2)      Some want to impress others with their knowledge.

3)      Some want to create strife.

4)      Some want to “show up” the teacher.

d..  What kind of things hinder our listening?

                              1)   The speaker

                              2)   The subject

                              3)   Our mood

                              4)    Our experiences at the time

                              5)    Our environment

2.       Do not give the sacrifice of fools (Eccl. 5:1b)