# 3 2024 Dev. Ecclesiastes 2:8. Pleasure! Read all of chapter two first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ecc. 2:8 “ I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem[a] as well—the delights of a man’s heart.”
Ecc.2 The word Ecclesiastes is a translation of the Hebrew word “koheleth” meaning: “one who convenes an assembly,” or “the preacher”(NIV), or as the text indicates “teacher.” This book is about the experiences throughout one person’s life, he is not named but there are indications in the text that Ecc. was probably written by King Solomon. That puts the date of writing at 970 BC to 931BC.
Vs.1-11 Worldly pleasure; “I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find what is good.’” He answers his own question; “but that also proved to be meaningless.” He speaks of ‘Laughter, wine, folly… I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.’” Next he gives us a rundown an all the things that makes a person happy, or gives a person satisfaction. Great projects, multiple houses, horticulture, agriculture, animal husbandry, treasures, many slaves, (workers) “Male and female singers, and a harem as well – the delights of a man’s heart.” Nothing was denied him “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” Solomon’s conclusion; “everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” The author gives us the worldly point of view. Two things; all things in moderation and do everything in the name of Jesus, that puts all our work on a higher plane, a heavenly plane.
The New Testament has something to say here: I Peter 4 “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God…” Read more Pet. 4:3-6.
“Wisdom and Folly…”
Vs.12-16 “Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly… I saw that wisdom is better than folly,.” He expands on it, “light is better than darkness” He does not say why wisdom is better or why light is better except that “the wise have eyes…the fool walks in darkness”. Having the light of God, ie. justice, faith and righteousness, makes all the difference in terms of quality of life. The world walks in darkness even with all their accomplishments. Yes, we all die, but the Godly leave a legacy behind to be followed. Amen!
“Toil…”
Vs.17-26 “So I hated life…because I must leave them (his works) to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?” The author is in great despair thinking about what is lost, it may be that he does not know what has been made clear to us in this time, when Christians and/or followers of God in the Old Testament die our spirits go to be with God and our works follow us, works done in the name of Jesus, work done in the name of God.
Finally, a common truth in vs.24-26 “A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God”. A secular life “is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Praise be to God!
© cgvanwyk, all rights reserved
Heavenhigh 