'Dear Lord: Thank you for bringing me to Timmy's house and not to Michael Vick's A-MEN!'

Ecclesiastes 4 4: 1-16 I want what you got!!!!!!

Ecclesiastes 4 Oppression, envy and individualism are all mentioned in this chapter

Ecclesiastes 4 The individualist is to be pitied The envious are considered fools The oppressed are better off dead

4:1 Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. Solomon already commented on the wicked Judges in 3:17 Now he considers the oppressors of the world Note that these are acts of oppression by those who are in power leading to the tears of those being oppressed What are some examples of oppressors?

2 So I congratulated the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still living. Why does Solomon think that these people are better off dead?.. Because they have no comforter.

3 But better off than both of them is the one who has never existed, who has never seen the evil activity that is done under the sun. What is Solomon saying?... Without a comforter, in this evil world non-existence is probably better!!!

Where does a Christian find comfort?.. In God!!!! 2 Cor. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

4:4 I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind Here we consider the old saying… “Keeping up with the Joneses or the grass is greener” This is the great American (human) fault, seeing what our neighbor has and lusting after it. New clothing, TV, DVD player, car, etc.

We see our neighbor with it and we decide that we deserve what they have and off to work we go to get it Or, as in the case of most, into debt we go to get it. In the end, what have we got?... An aging or rusting thing that we are in debt to pay off! Some of the things we had-to-have wear out before the credit card debt is even paid!!!!!

What does God’s commandments say about wanting what our neighbor has? Ex. 20:17.“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

What is the NT understanding of lusting after a neighbor’s possessions or for that matter anything? 1John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. Solomon’s evaluation of the whole matter is that it is foolish and striving after the wind.

4:5 The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. What is going on in this verse?... The fool who does no work starves to death.

4:6 One hand full of rest is better than two fists full of labor and striving after wind. Why is this verse here after our teacher just condemned us for working to hard to stay up with our neighbor and for being lazy and not working at all? He suggests that we strike a BALANCE Work hard because work is a good thing but be wise and enjoy our labors with proper rest and relaxation.

4:7 Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. 8 There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, “And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure?” This too is vanity and it is a grievous task. What can you tell me about this man?... He is single with no children, no relatives and a workaholic What is all of his greedy pursuits accomplishing?.. Vanity and chasing after the wind!

4:9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. From the worker striving to stay up with his neighbor, to the slothful person who doesn’t work for his own food, to the workaholic building an empire to leave to no one, to these four verses of advise (9-12) that are written, to the selfish worker (or the one trying to do it all alone).

What is he telling us?.. That two working together is better then one working alone Why?.. A better return on their labor, a helper in difficult times, comfort for one another and protection.

11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. What is the meaning of the final statement in verse 12?.. If two are good then three is even better! Rather then working to better your neighbor why not work with him (YL) Again, as in the labor/rest issue – strike a balance!!

4:13 A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. Here Solomon looks at the foolishness of seeking power (We could replace king with politician or business leader) This first King is unwilling to be flexible in ruling his people.

14 For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. 15 I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. The old king is finally replaced by a second who is a younger and wiser King from a humble background meaning he should be able to relate to the people Well, that doesn’t last long before the people are rushing to replace him with yet another young king!

16 There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind. Even obtaining power through high office does not mean that you will be content if for no other reason than the fickleness of the people Will the people be content – no, the grass is always greener!!!

Being an oppressor, Striving to keep up with your neighbors, Being lazy, A driven workaholic, Trying to do it all alone, Seeking power All leads to one conclusion: It is vanity and striving after the wind!

What do we take home 1.I need to be careful that I don’t use my position to oppress others 2.I need to be content in the Lord, not in things 3.I must maintain a balance between work and rest 4.I know that power and position are fleeting

How is your Worldly footprint doing?

I hope as we learn each week that the way of the world is vanity and chasing after the wind that it has an effect on our worldly verses Christian walk