Ecclesiastes: Week 1 ~ Day 2

March 22, 2016

Week 1, Day 2

Read: Ecclesiastes 1:7-11

SOAP: 1:9-10

S:

“All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again. All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Behold, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us. There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.”

O&A:

The circle of life.  As Solomon mentioned in yesterday’s passage, everything comes back to where it started, and continues on.  History repeating itself.  There is nothing new under the sun, also to be understood as “nothing new on earth”.  What day of creation was the sun made?  First, YHVH said, “אוֹר 'owr” and there was אוֹר 'owr.    In Genesis 1:16, Abba differentiated the light into sun (greater light) and moon (lesser night).  So since the beginning, the sun has been witness to history repeating itself, maybe just in different form.  We see the harvest times as a circle, contingent upon the sun.  Till the soil, plant the seeds, nurture the growth, harvest the crop.  Wash, rinse, repeat. 

In Psalm 1, there’s a verse that speaks about the tree that is planted by the streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, or according to its cycle. “That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done.”  Even the seed that the crop comes from has already been in existence – without that seed, there is no new crop to harvest.  “Most assuredly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the eretz and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.” (John 12:24-25)  If we are to serve YHVH/God, we have to die to ourselves, and live for and in YHVH/God, for Yeshua.  Whose fruit are we bearing?  Whose works do we do?

Abba has seen a multitude of generations of people seeking after the lusts of the eyes, the lusts of the flesh, the pride of life, even when what they seek changes from generation to generation. 

P:

Abba, as I try to understand the depths of Your glory, and Your wisdom, I sometimes get really overwhelmed!  I feel like there is so much to grasp here, yet I can’t completely put my finger on it, and if I do, I can’t articulate it!  Out of today’s passage, I see how YOU are in control of ALL things.  You keep the oceans from overflowing; You keep the sun rising and setting, and the moon, too.  When I look up at the stars, and I hear Your words, that You know them and call them all by name, I am amazed every time.  Truly, what is there that is new under the sun?  Just as the messengers/angels in the shamayim/heavens, we were created to serve You, and to love You.  Since the creation of Adam and Hawwa/Eve, there has been temptation, and mankind has found new temptations, and we still fall short of the glory that is You!  And from the time of Adam and Hawwa/Eve, You have found a way to cover our multitude of sin.  In the Garden of Eden, You covered them in animal skin, for the first time, the first sacrifice.  In our time, You have covered us in the blood and sacrifice of our Savior, our Messiah, Yeshua HaMashiach/the Messiah.  Abba, You know our comings, our goings, everything in between.  You have seen it and yet You love us, Your people.  You continue to give us a way to repentance, and You keep making a way for us to return to You.  There is nothing new under the sun.  Behold, is this new?  Your love for us, is it new?  Your desire for us to love You, and turn to You - is it new?  It’s not.  All paths that don’t turn to You are worthless.  Let our eyes only be satisfied when they are set on You, and our ears filled only with Your words, and Your instructions.  In Your Son Yeshua’s name, in Your blessed and Kodesh, set-apart name, Amein.

Ecclesiastes: Week 1 ~ Day 1

March 21, 2016

Week 1, Day 1

Read: Ecclesiastes 1:1-6

SOAP: 1:1-2

S:

“The words of Kohelet, the son of David, king in Yerushalayim: "Vanity of vanities," says Kohelet; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun? One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the eretz remains forever. The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises. The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.

O&A:

Kohelet, aka the Preacher, aka Shlomo/Solomon the son of David

 הֶבֶל hebel: vain and empty

Vanity:

1. Emptiness; want of substance to satisfy desire; uncertainty; inanity.

Vanity of vanities, said the preacher; all is vanity Ecclesiastes 1:2.

Sounds like someone who has lost hope.  Vanity of vanities is a common, well-known Hebrew idiom signifying the most or highest of something.  As I discussed this with my sons (ages 15 ½ and 11), we noted that if someone says “heart of hearts” we understand that they mean the deepest part of their heart, or “holy of holies” is the holiest part of the holiest part. 

As I read the blog post for some insight, it brought to mind a conversation I’ve had with my sons, in which I shared some insight about mistakes I made in my past (before giving my life to Yeshua, my Savior, and before choosing to really life for YHVH/God).  Because I’ve been down the road of alcohol abuse, I can warn my sons of the impending dangers of abusing alcohol.  Because I’ve been on the path of drug use, I can help steer them clear of those atrocities.  Because of choices I made in the past, I can send off the signals to head them off the course of destruction, much like a lighthouse.  It may not keep them from making the choice on their own to steer clear, but I can (I MUST) offer the warning.  I drew a map saying, “Okay, so you want to get from here to here, right?”  Yes.  “So I can tell you that around this corner, there’s a sniper, waiting to take you out, and the sniper’s name is Alcohol.  Around this bend is an IED, and it’s called Marijuana.  Under this bridge is this, under that path is that, each one named after the snares that I was caught up in.  If you KNEW ahead of time that those vices were lying in wait, would you still continue on the same path?  Or would you get on the RIGHT path, the one that leads to YHVH?” 

Today’s scripture also brings to mind the parable of the Prodigal Son.  He went out to do his own will, and subjected (and submitted) himself to his own pleasures and desires, only to realize none of it mattered in the end.  Only the Father.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary states. “1:1-3 Much is to be learned by comparing one part of Scripture with another. We here behold Solomon returning from the broken and empty cisterns of the world, to the Fountain of living water; recording his own folly and shame, the bitterness of his disappointment, and the lessons he had learned. Those that have taken warning to turn and live, should warn others not to go on and die. He does not merely say all things are vain, but that they are vanity. VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. This is the text of the preacher's sermon, of which in this book he never loses sight. If this world, in its present state, were all, it would not be worth living for; and the wealth and pleasure of this world, if we had ever so much, are not enough to make us happy. What profit has a man of all his labour? All he gets by it will not supply the wants of the soul, nor satisfy its desires; will not atone for the sins of the soul, nor hinder the loss of it: what profit will the wealth of the world be to the soul in death, in judgment, or in the everlasting state?”

P:

Abba, thank You for this reminder of Who we are to serve, and Who we are to love, especially in this self-serving and self-loving society.  What a great reminder of the people who serve You, and sacrifice for You.  Abba, help me to not focus on anyone or anything but You, and to pray for the strength of those who have given their lives to You, and to pray for those who are struggling to serve You, and pray for those who have lost their way, and for those who have doubts, and for those who are sincere in their love for You.  Abba, help me to not be jaded by this world, and not sucked in by the vanity of vanities, the emptiness of emptiness.  You’ve given us a roadmap, letting us know where the enemy lies in wait, and it’s up to us to give heed to Your warnings.  Help us to stay on track with You, not just during this study, but as we continue to grow in Your word, and walk in Your ways.  In Yeshua’s name, Amein.