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
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.
