Amen.
Now, once in a while, we're going through the book of Egliseastes, one chapter a week.
This book is actually, to me, sometimes, yes, there are some verses, some verses are actually
pretty tough to understand, just based on the context.
They really have to delve deep into it, and like I said, the past two weeks, there are
as the Bible mentions it, and so I titled this sermon tonight as Trust in the Lord,
Trust in the Lord. So chapter 6 is a very, you know, the overall concept is simple,
but the Bible gives us some...
Pretty interesting illustrations to, you know, give us the final point to trust in the Lord.
So again, this chapter has two major points, point number one being the vanity of wealth without enjoyment.
The vanity of wealth without enjoyment. Look at verse number one, chapter six, verse one, the Bible says,
There is an evil which I have seen
There's an evil which I have seen into the song and it is common among men now here the word evil
I don't believe that this word means sin in
This verse because not all evil is sin, but all sins are evil right because evil can scan just some as main trouble
adversity harm right
When someone is put to death by the government, you can say that we have inflicted evil upon
that person, but not all evil is sinister.
In fact, God has done evil upon the children of Israel as a punishment, but we know that
God has not sinned.
So the word evil simply means harm, mischief, trouble.
Not all evil is sinned, but all sins are evils.
So the Bible says that, you know, there's something that causes harm, mischief, trouble,
which I have seen under the sun. And just as a reminder, the context of this whole book is
under the sun, right? Without God, you know, of this world, or life without God, okay? Because
if you don't know the context of this book,
You will think that Solomon is telling you to kill yourself
Okay, because the Bible literally says you know again like you will see in this chapter
Solomon will use some extreme
Examples to you know make a final point. Okay?
So in verse 1 Bible says that it's common for people who may have possessions yet without joy again
We will look at it later someone was building upon what he was said in chapter number five
Okay, so basically there's something that causes harm mischief in this world
And that's common among men look at verse number two the Bible says a man to whom God had given riches wealth and honor
so that he wanted, the word want means lack, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he
desired, yet God gave him not power to either of, but a stranger eat, but a stranger eat of it.
This is vanity and it is an evil disease. Okay, so in verse number two, the Bible is very clear
that riches, wealth and honor, they can be a gift from God, right, a man to whom that God has given
Again, God gives us riches, God gives us wealth, God gives us honor, and there's nothing wrong with it
if God blesses you with what you have, right? That if you're seeking God first, if you're a hard worker.
Now, keep a place in this book. Go if you want to. Do you want me to try number eight? Do you want me to try number eight?
Riches, wealth, and honor, they can be a gift from God, but they are not always a gift from God
because sometimes people can be rich because of theft, because of lies, because of simply ripping people off, right?
Cheating on taxes, you know. In fact, many rich people in this world, they are not godly people.
But the Bible does say that God will bless us with riches, wealth, and honor if we are seeking Him first,
if God simply wants us to use the riches for His kingdom, right?
As God sees you be a good steward of the riches that He has given you, He will give you more riches, okay?
And the reason that God gives us those things is so we can use it for the kingdom of God, right?
Not just wasting it.
So, riches, wealth, and honor, they can be a gift from God.
So, look at, do you know how much I remember?
A, look at verse number seven, the Bible says,
for the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land,
a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depth,
that spring out of valley and hills.
So, here we see that God was the person
that has brought the children of Israel
onto the promised land, jumped onto verse number 16.
who, talking about the Lord thy God, who fed thee in the wilderness with manna,
which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee,
to do thee good at thy latter end, and thou say in thine heart,
my power and the might of mine hand have gotten me this wealth,
but also remember the Lord thy God, notice, for it is he, it is God,
that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may
that he may establish his covenant, which he swear unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
So here the Bible is very clear, God was the person that gave the children of Israel power
to get wealth, right?
And we should not say, you know, my power and my might has gotten me what we have.
Everything good is given by God, right?
Everything we, every good thing we have is a gift from God.
You know, to even give us the power to wake up, to breathe, to work hard, right?
So God is behind everything.
That's why we should be praying for the food, right?
Even though you might be the people who actually cook the food, but how did you get that food?
God has given you the gift, God has given you the ability to even make money to even buy food, right?
Every breath we take is a gift from God.
Go to his first chronicles 29 first chronicles chapter 29
First chronicles chapter 29 look at verse number 10 verse chronicle 29 verse number 10
The Bible says, wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation, and David said,
Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel, our Father, for ever and ever.
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty,
for all that is in the heaven and the earth is thine. Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art
exalted as head above all. So the Bible says, everything in heaven and earth belongs to God, right?
Everything within this earthly kingdom, heavenly kingdom, these are all the Lord's.
Everything belongs to God. Look at verse number 12.
Both riches and honor come of thee, they come from God, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might,
and in thine hand it is to make great and to give strength unto all.
people, riches, wealth, wealth and honor, and there's nothing wrong with it.
In fact, God wants us to use the riches, use the blessings that God has given us.
to further the kingdom of God.
Bible says in Proverbs chapter 10 verse number 22,
the blessings of the Lord,
which means the blessing comes from God,
the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich,
and he added no sorrow with it, right?
Like I talked about last week,
when God bless you with money,
you will feel no sorrow,
but if you gain riches through unjust wicked means,
then you'll be sorrowful.
You'll be drowned into perdition,
eventually you'll be destroyed.
To the Bible back to Ecclesiastes chapter number six Ecclesiastes chapter number six
Many rich people
Many wicked rich people they live a miserable life because because God does not make them rich right the Bible says
You know the blessing of the Lord it make it rich and he added no sorrow with it
So even though God can bring you riches wealth and honor
But the ability to even enjoy those things are are also from God
Let's read verse number two again the Bible says
verse number two a man to whom God has given riches wealth and honor so that he wanted nothing for his soul of all that he
Desired notice the next phrase yet God given him not power to either of but the stranger eat of it
This is vanity and it is an evil disease
This is talking about you know God may give you those stuff riches and and just possessions
But but you don't get to enjoy those riches, right?
You don't get to enjoy those wealth and honor, instead a stranger gets to enjoy them, maybe
that's due to your death, maybe that's due to your loss, maybe that's due to your theft
or some other tragedies, right?
So even though God may have blessed you with all those possessions, but sometimes you don't
get to enjoy those things due to your life's circumstances.
Ecclesiastes chapter 5, look at verse number 18, because joy is not automatically attached
to possessions.
Look at verse number 18, chapter 5 verse 18, the Bible says, Behold that which I have
seen it is good and commonly for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all
his labor that he taketh.
that he takeeth unto the sum, all the days of his life, which God giveth him for, for it is his portion.
Every man also to him, God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to either of,
and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of God,
for he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answering him in the joy of his heart."
Okay, so verse 20 means that that person will not remember the miseries or the vanities of
or the vanities of life because God gives him joy.
God gives him the gift to enjoy those things, okay?
So the whole point is just because you have stuff,
does not mean you get to enjoy that.
You know, actually flip back to chapter number six.
Go back to, go back to Ecclesiastes,
go back to Ecclesiastes chapter six,
look at verse number three.
So I was saying that it is vanity if you are not enjoying the gifts of God, okay?
Look at verse number three Solomon further
You know build upon this point look at verse number three if a man begat and
Beget and hundred children and live many years so that the days of his years be many and he so be now filled with good
And also that he have no no burial. I say that
and untimely birth is better than he, okay?
So the first half of the verse, you know, the Bible says,
Amen, begat and hundre children.
Children, large family, is a blessing from the Lord, right?
The Bible is very clear that children are in heritage of the Lord
and the fruit of the womb is his...
is his reward. Okay, so if a man has a hundred children, that is great, right?
Maybe, you know, that's from the grandchildren, maybe have multiple wives, like I have no idea.
But in general, a large family is a blessing from Lord. And Baal also says that
this man also lived many years, right? Long life is also seen as God's blessing.
Turn the Bible to Proverbs chapter 17, Proverbs chapter 17.
And one way to live a long, long life is to honor your parents, right?
The Bible says, honor thy father and thy mother and thy days may be long upon the language
the Lord thy God giveth thee, okay?
So large families, many children, big family, and a long life, they are seen as God's blessing.
But even those blessings will not bring you joy if there's no satisfaction, right?
That's why that's why the Bible says, you know, even if a man begat
Begat 100 children and live many years so that so that the days of his years
So that the days of his years be many and he's so be not filled with good
And also that he have no burial. I say that and
I say that an untimely birth is better than he.
So even though he has all those blessings, all those possessions,
if he's not satisfied, you know, then, you know,
then an untimely birth, then he's still born is better than that person.
You're in Proverbs 17 look at verse number six the Bible says
Children's children are the crown of old man and the glory of children are their fathers again large families children
They are they are seen as the blessings from the Lord. These are our crowns
The they are our arrows of the mighty men, right?
So again nothing wrong with large family nothing wrong with long life
But if you're not satisfied the Bible says that you know
You will have no burial, right?
Because your soul are now filled with good.
You always want something more.
So, yeah, so if you're not satisfied with what God has blessed you, if your soul, yourself
wants more good, if your whole life's mission is to pursue wealth and if you forsake building
families, relationships, then you have no one to take care of you when you're old, right?
And then you will die alone, you will have no burial like the Bible says.
The Bible is not saying that you will have zero burial, but rather, you will have a dishonorable burial.
Actually, turn the Bible to Jeremiah chapter 22.
Jeremiah chapter number 22.
So the blessings will not bring you joy if there's no
Satisfaction because if your whole life's mission is to pursue riches and wealth and then just you know forsake all of your friends and
Families then then you will have no burial. There's nobody to bury you
Jeremiah 22 look at verse number 18
Jeremiah 22 verse number 18 the Bible says
Therefore, thus said the Lord concerning Jehoirachem, the son of Josiah king of Judah, they shall not lament for him
They shall not mourn for Jehoirachem, saying, ah, my brother or my sister
They shall not lament for him, saying, ah, Lord, or ah, his glory. Notice verse 19
He shall be buried with a burial of an ass drawn and cast forth beyond the gates
of Jerusalem. So the Bible here is saying that Jehoiakim would not have an honorable burial,
right? He'll be buried with a burial of an ass. Basically, you'll be buried like an animal,
right? That's not an honorable burial because he's because he's been a wicked king. Look at
verse number 20. Go up to Lebanon and cry and lift up thy voice in Beishan and cry from the passages
destroyed, I speak unto thee, in thy prosperity. He was rich, yet he will be buried with a burial
of an ass. But thou sayest, I will not hear, this hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou
obeys not my voice." Right? So even though you have prosperity, riches, even though you are a king,
Just for sake, the riches that God has given you, you will have a dishonorable burial,
or you have zero burial, there will be nobody to take care of you when you are old, right?
So go back, go back to Ecclesiastes chapter number six.
In fact Solomon was so serious about this, that he even compares this person who has
wealth, yet he has no satisfaction.
That he even compares this person to a miscarrying child. He says that even a stillborn
You know a child that's dead in the womb, you know a miscarrying womb is better than that person
You know, here's here's Solomon's reasoning look at that verse number four
Because yes, chapter six look at verse number four the Bible says four because he cometh in with vanity
and departed in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness."
Why is a stillborn child better than this person?
In verse number three, because an unborn, you know, just a miscarrying child,
he comes in with vanity and departing in darkness.
What does the Bible mean when it says that his name shall be covered with darkness?
I believe this can be referring to that
You will not be you will not be remembered by others that there's no legacy no fame
No, no just identity nothing. Okay, so like someone was saying that this person in verse number three is no better
No better than they
then that is still born because they both end up in the same place number one and number two this
long live man also
Also ends up with a name covered with darkness, because if he's chasing riches and toil and
just an unfulfilled life, his name will be forgotten despite his wealth that he's got.
While the stillborn just skips all the pain and struggles that led to the same end, death,
physical death.
A person who has wealth, yet he's going through all those life struggles and
toils just to like get rich, and he's living a miserable life.
Even a stillborn child is like better than him because, you know, because a stillborn child
will not go through all those life's pains, right? And they all die. Okay, look at verse number five.
Moreover, he had not seen the sound nor known anything. This had more rest than the other.
So the stillborn never suffers life's vanity, that he has more rest, right?
So a miscarrying child just dies without you trying to, you know, sweat and try to plot against other people to gain wealth.
Go to Job chapter 3, Job chapter number 3.
Here's the word of Job after, you know, he has gone through a terrible persecution Job 3 verse verse number 11
That I was asked
Why did I not from the womb?
Why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly again kind of equating what Solomon was saying, you know
I've been through a lot of things why
You know, why was I?
you know why why wasn't I just dead from the wind when I was born look at verse
number 12 why did my knees prevent me or why the breast that that I should suck
for now should I have laying still and be quiet I should have slept and then
had I been at rest
You know, I believe there are multiple layers to this verse, but I do believe this verse
is teaching that babies do go to heaven when they die because they will be sleeping, right?
Sleeping is just another way to talk about physical death, but then Bible says, you know,
he will be at rest, you know, say people when they die, they have rest, and they will be
in heaven, right?
So look at verse number 14.
With kings and counselors of the earth while which built desolate places for themselves or
With princes that had go to who filled their houses with silver or as an hidden
Untimely birth I have not been as infants which never saw light
Okay, so they are they are at rest in a sense that they don't have to suffer through lives and fairness
just the miseries, okay? So in this regard, the stillborn is better, right?
Because the stillborn, I mean, a miscarrying child and untimely birth, you
know, the baby will not go through all the toils, all these, you know, dissatisfying
struggles in life, okay? So go back, go back to G.C. Asti's chapter number six, look
Yeah, though he lived a thousand years twice told yet have he seen no good do not all go to one place
So even if you live 2,000 years, that's a thousand years twice told okay, so even if you live 2,000 years
If you are without satisfactions, without God in mind, you are just ending up with more
vanities, right?
The longer you live, the more vanities you have, and eventually, you will die.
So in that sense, yeah, an unborn child is better, right?
Again, the context is under the sun.
If you're only pursuing the things in this world, if your goal is to be rich without
without being thankful, without, you know, enjoying the riches that God has given you,
turn to Psalm 90, Psalm chapter 90, Psalm chapter 90.
People want to have long life. They have transhumanism and trying to extend life circle
But if their goal is not to honor God the longer they live the more miserable they will be
Eventually they will just you know be suicidal and just full of sorrow
Psalm 90 look at verse number 10 Psalm 90 verse 10 about says
The days of our years are three score years and ten. So basically the average
Lifesman is about 70 years old and if by reason of strength they be four score years old
If you are healthy, hey, you may live 80 years old.
Again, this is the average.
Yet, is there strength, labor, and sorrow?
For it is soon cut off and we fly away.
So basically, even though we may live 70, 80, 90, 100 years
old, the life is still short compared
to a bunch of other things, right?
Think about the earth, 6,300 years old.
think about the trees, you know, the turtle who lived a long time, right?
So life is short. Even life is short compared to all the other things.
It's soon to be cut off and we fly away.
Life is like a vapor, right? Because the Bible says we will all die,
obviously, unless Christ comes in our lifetime.
Because the Bible says, as it's a point down to man wants to die,
but after this, the judgment. So no matter how long you live,
2,000 years, 3,000 years without, without God in mind, you'll have more miseries, you'll have more vanities and you will still die.
Go to Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3.
So if you, so if you know the context, Solomon is not saying that...
We should not have children get an abortion and just go kill yourselves
Okay, because if you take verse, you know, three four five six out of context. Yeah
That is what he's talking about. But the context is I'm with the son. What's his point?
That an unrealized life without suffering is in certain earthly terms
Preferable to a long life filled with toils and just unfulfilled
desires
Because they will eventually be covered with darkness, okay? So basically
You can like compare to a baby versus the unsafe people. I mean a
the baby who
The baby who is aborted or an untimely
Miscaring womb is better than any long long live unsafe people because the baby will go to heaven
Then the unsafe will like go to hell doesn't matter how long they live, right?
But even if you're comparing with a miscarrying baby to a safe person who may have a lot of money,
but he never showed up at church, he's never serving God,
a baby is still better because the baby doesn't have to go through the life's sufferings, okay?
So the stillborn is still better than the man in verse number three,
because they both end up with their names covered with darkness, okay?
But it's still born just avoids the pain emptiness and just struggles and the frustrations
Then the man who may have been do or all those toils for like decades before before reaching the same fate
So what's the solution?
Don't look under the sound but look above the sound right? That's the whole point of Solomon's
book
Colossians chapter 3 look at verse number 1 Colossians 3 1
The Bible says, if ye then be risen with Christ,
let's talk about saved people, you are risen with Christ.
Seek those things which are above, above the Son,
where Christ siteth on the right hand of God,
set your affection on things above,
not on things on the earth.
It don't love the things of the world, right?
Don't love the things that are on the earth,
for ye are dead, and your life is hit with Christ in God,
with Christ, when Christ who is our life shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
So the whole point of verse 1 to verse number 4 is, knowing that we will one day be with Christ in glory,
that should motivate us to live with heaven in mind, right?
We should be using every blessing for God's glory.
rather than chasing temporary satisfactions.
Because that's the only way to have a name
not covered with darkness, right?
It's the only way to have your name not covered with obscurity.
You will build a long-lasting legacy.
Look at verse number five.
And also it's modified.
The word modified means to put to death.
Therefore, your members which are upon the earth.
So your members, your body parts are under the sun, right?
We should pull them to that.
Again, not just saying like self, I mean the lady, okay?
That's not the point, all right?
It's talking about die to yourself, die to your flesh,
fornication and cleanness, inordinate affection,
evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
for which things take the wrath of God comment on the chauvinism of disobedience.
Verse number six is pretty interesting because Paul was asking us a rhetorical question that
why are you still doing the things that condemn you to hell, right? Why do we still sin? Knowing
that those sins, you know, those unsaid people do the same thing. Why are you still doing that?
Look at verse number seven in the which you also walked sometime when you lived in them
But now you also put off all these anger wrath mellus blasphemy filthy communication
Out of your mouth line out one to another thing that you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man
Which which is renewed?
Acknowledge after the image of him that created him. Okay, so we should be
Constantly making a decision to put on the new man because that does not come automatically, right?
We have decided to walk in the spirit
We have to decide to put our self to death spiritually speaking right deny our earthly lust and
seeking for the heavenly riches
So Solomon is not saying don't live all right. He's saying don't live without God
Don't live, don't live under the sound because under the sound life is so empty that even the stillborn is better off
Above the sound life is rich with with an eternal purpose and our name will be remembered in heaven forever
Okay, without being covered with darkness
Turn the Bible to Genesis chapter 1 Genesis chapter 1
I don't want to address the point that
The reason that some parents don't want to have children is they think they
will bring them into this wicked world, right? So because some parents
may not want to have children so that they will suffer all these, you know,
wickedness and sufferings.
But even though this may make sense in our earthly perspective,
but the Bible says chosen are in heritage of the Lord, right?
Even though this may make some logical, humanly sense,
not to have our children suffer the wickedness in the world,
but the Bible says that we should be fruitful, right?
Look at Genesis 1, verse 29.
The Bible says,
And God blessed them and God said unto them,
Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it.
and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over
every living thing that move it upon the earth. So this passage is commonly known as the creation
mandate. The Bible used the word replenished. The Bible said we should keep refill the earth, right?
Again, I would like to add to that, hey, not just blindly refill the earth or be fruitful, hey,
but we should use, but we should raise up godly children.
Right, just like Republic of the earth does like nothing we have to we have to replenish the earth with good faithful Christian children
Go to chapter 48 Genesis chapter 48. Okay verse number nine Genesis 48
Look at verse number nine
The Bible says and Joseph said auntie's father they are my sons whom God had given me in this place
So God is the person, God is the one that opens and closes the womb, right?
You know, Joseph said unto his father, hey, they are my sons, whom God has given me.
It's a gift from God, and we should take care of the gift that God has given us, right?
Raise godly children.
Hey, we should have more children raising them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord
and teaching them to change the course of this world, right?
And turning many people to righteousness.
So the solution is not to, you know, having fewer children, we need to have more people they even forgot, okay?
Don't let the Catholics and the Muslim outperform us, okay?
We should raise up an army of believers. We should raise up godly, godly children. Eventually, there will be godly adults
and to fight mighty spiritual battles, okay?
Tell them about our back to at least ask each other number six.
Ecclesiastes chapter number six. So I said point number one, the vanity of wealth without enjoyment.
Point number two, the limitation of human wisdom. Look at verse number seven.
The Bible says, all the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
And this verse is sad but true because most people work
The sole purpose of most work is to sustain life, right?
The people always want more because all the labor of man is for his mouth
You labor because you want to eat you labor because you only provide for your family, but yeah, you still want more
You still want to eat more, you know
Exotic food you still want something more, you know stuff food
clothings
Actually go to Proverbs chapter 16 go to Proverbs chapter 16
Many people do work just for food, just for living without any eternal purpose in mind but they always want something more.
Proverbs 16, look at verse number 26. Proverbs 16 verse 26, the Bible says,
He that labored labored for himself for his mouth crave of craved it of him again
There's nothing wrong with laboring to get food right in fact. We should be labor to provide for our family, right?
That's Bible about the Bible commends that the Bible commends men to provide for
For their family, but but our desire and our appetite are like often times
Insatiable with because we always want something more go to Proverbs 27
Proverbs 27 look at verse number 20
Proverbs 27 verse number 20 the Bible says
Hell and destruction are never full so the eyes of men are never satisfied
So the Bible compares the attributes of hell with with our human desire
With our human eyes. Okay, so just like hell is always, you know
In large herself because more people are dying to hell. Hey hell and destruction are never full because because there will be always more people
rejecting God and going to hell. In the same way we as human beings we are never
satisfied naturally with what we have. That's just how most people are. Most
like heathens, worldly people are. I'm able to do a Habakkuk chapter 2. Habakkuk, Habakkuk,
however you pronounce it. Chapter 2, look at verse number 5. Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 5.
The Bible says in Habakkuk 2 verse 5, the Bible says,
Ye also, because he transgresses by wine,
he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home,
who, notice, enlarges his desire as hell,
and is as death, and cannot be satisfied,
but gathereth unto him all nations, and heatheth unto him
all people.
So here the Bible says someone is transgressed by wine because he's proud and he enlarges his desire just like hell and death and can never be satisfied.
That's why we should not be consumed with alcohol, with pride, first of all.
But we also should not be, you know, always coveting something more because the Bible literally compares
covetousness with hell and death, right? Because that's what eventually, you know,
the will to be rich and the will to be famous leads to, right? It's death.
Whether it's a physical death or your emotional death and with all the life's toys and things like that
And people live for themselves and they work only for themselves and all they care about is their own gain and the things of this world and they
Anyway eventually leads to death
Destruction punishment from God depends on whether you are saved or I don't say go go forward
Go forward to John chapter six John chapter number six
But the Bible is abundantly clear that life is more than food, right? Life is more than
sustenance
Again, I'm not saying food is not important and as man we should work and provide for our family and just provide a
comfortable living condition
But if your soul focus is food and possessions, then there's something wrong with you
Because because the Lord Jesus Christ said it's not the life more than meat and the body
Then Raymond, right? There's something better and more than meat and clothing
obviously
You should wear clothing, but there's something more than that. Okay, there's something more to life than that
John chapter 6 look at verse 27 John 6 verse 27
Well says labor not for the meat which perisheth hey don't again don't put your soul focus on laboring for the earthly perishable meat
But for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life
Which the Son of Man shall give unto you for for him had God the Father sealed we should labor for the
For this meat which endureth unto everlasting life look at verse number verse number 33
for the bread of God
Is he which cometh down from heaven and gives life unto the world?
Now obviously I believe the primary context is tongue-boss salvation, okay the bread of life
We like consume this spiritual bread and just get it and the and the get everlasting life one
We believe on him, but as Christians
Which you still power ties the bread of God, right?
What is the bread of God look at verse 134 then said they unto him Lord
Evermore give us this bread and Jesus said unto them. I am the bread of life
He'd I come to me shall never hunger and he that believed on me shall never thirst
So Jesus Christ is the source of eternal life, right?
I believe that's the primary contest.
That's about salvation. Once you believe on him, symbolically, spiritually, you will never hunger, you will never thirst, and you will have everlasting life.
But, however, Jesus Christ is not only the source of eternal life, but he is also the source of abundant life on this earth.
What is Jesus Christ also called? The Word of God. He is the bread of life.
That's why we should consume the word every single day,
just like we consume physical food every single day.
Christ said, you know, mentioned earlier,
by bread alone, physical bread,
but by every word, the bread of life
that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
So if you eat food every day, if you work for food every day, are you getting nutrients from the Bible every day, right?
The Bible says we should prioritize laboring for the spiritual meat even more. If you feed your children daily meals every day,
I mean, I hope you do. Are you feeding them daily with the word of God?
Are you feeding them daily with God's truth? If you plan your meals ahead of time,
I think you should for some good like budgeting purpose if you're playing on meals ahead of time
Are you planning your time to consume the Word of God?
If you eat
three times a day, you know, in your meal, are you reading God's Word at least once a day, right?
You know, so we should also not just reading, but also
laboring for the Word of God in a sense of studying it, right?
Laboring to get some spiritual nutrients from the Word of God. That's what the Bible says,
laboring not for the me which perished it, but for the me which endured unto everlasting life.
Go back, go back to PCS, the chapter number six.
Ecclesiastes chapter 6. Job said, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
Again, a comparison between laboring for physical food versus the word of life.
Ecclesiastes chapter 6, look at verse number 8.
The Bible says, for what hath the wise more than the fool, what hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living.
So whether you are wise, full, poor, and rich, you all face the same fate, which is physical death.
No matter how wise you are, how stupid you are, one event happened to you all, and that's physical death.
Look at verse number nine.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire.
This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
I believe the side of the eyes is talking about what you can see or what you have.
And the wondering of the desire is what you just dream about, just aimlessly desire about
all day.
So the problem is saying that, you know, it's better to just be content with what you have
and what you can see with your eyes than just wondering about and constantly want something
more, right?
That's not yours, that's a vanity and you will vex your soul.
Go to Hebrews 13, go to Hebrews chapter 13.
So the point is being content with what you have is better than daydreaming.
Just be content with what your eyes can see.
Be content with what you currently have.
The bow has better is and hand full with quietness than both the hands full with travail and
taxation of spirit.
Hebrews 13, okay, verse number five.
Hebrews 13 verse five, the Bible says,
let your conversation, the word conversation means lifestyle,
let your conversation, how to converse yourself,
let your conversation be without covetousness
and be content with such things as you have.
Be content with the things you currently have,
but don't miss the second half of this verse
because we often,
take the second half out of context, okay?
So in verse five, the first half is telling you to be content, right?
But then the second half says, for he had said,
I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
Hey, be content with what you have, and God will sustain you.
God will never forsake you nor leave you, right?
Just be faithful, be content.
with what you have, and don't desire uncertain riches, and God will never leave you hungry."
Same thing as what David's saying, right?
I've been young, and I've been old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
God will never leave him, nor forsake him, because he is without covetousness, okay?
So the point is we should trust God for our daily provisions. Give us this day our daily bread, right?
Be content with what you have work hard and rely on God's strength and he will take care of you
That and that's a promise from God
Go back go back to he says these chapter number six look at verse number ten
If he says the chapter number six verse number ten
The Bible says that which hath been is named already, and it's known that it is man, neither
may he contend with him that is milder than he.
So I think, in my opinion, verse 10 is actually a tough verse, so let's just break it down.
If you have a different interpretation of this verse, please let me know.
But I think this is what this verse is talking about because the Bible says that which has been is named already.
I believe this is talking about everything life has already been defined by God.
Again, I'm not talking about a calmness God, but God knows everything that's, you know, everything going on.
Everything, you know, that which has been is named already.
Everything life has been defined or quote unquote named by God bear with me.
I think this means no matter how accomplished you are rich you are you are just a man or a woman and then he
Continuous. Neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. I think this person he
Could be like referring to God him that God is more mightier than us, okay?
So the point is we cannot fight God with his design in life. Okay, again
I'm not talking about a calvistic God
I'm saying that God has allowed certain things to happen God has put certain things in place in your life, right?
We have our lot
in our life that which has been is named already you know earlier in chapter 2 I believe the
Bible has God has said the world in our heart right God has given us the willpower to try to
understand the things of the world but we still need to keep having in mind right we should pursue
hey wisdom and trying to make a good living to like
to like take care of us and our family, you know, God has said that the desire for us to learn
and to like pursue, but which you still have, having in mind, no matter how rich you are,
why as you are, you are just a man, and you know, why are you contending with God that is much
milder than you, okay? So I think that's what verse 10 is talking about. Go to Isaiah chapter 45.
Isaiah 45, look at verse number 9, Isaiah 45, verse number 9.
The Bible says in Isaiah 45 verse 9,
That's the person who's contending with God,
Let the posture, strive with the posture of the earth,
Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it,
What makest thou, or thy work he hath no hands?
Just like some some people may complain to God. Hey, why do you place me in this wicked world?
Right? Why do you allow these things to happen to me?
You know in Romans 9 20 the Bible says, nay, but old man, who are thou that?
Reply this, reply this against God.
Shall the thing form, say to him that form it,
why has thou made me thus?
Hey, why didn't God make me this way?
Why did God, you know, put me, put me, put me in this place?
And the point of Solomon is, hey, why are we contending
with God who knows much more than we, right?
Why are we contending with God who is much mightier than we?
And God, you know, knows what we are going through, right?
God knows that, and no matter how much we're trying to do things ourselves, we are just
men.
Hey, don't complain to God, right?
Because God has made you and God has placed you in your current state of life, okay?
Don't complain about God's purpose, don't complain about your lot in life, okay?
because God has a plan for you, whether you want to acknowledge it or not,
and God even has a plan for you before you were even born, okay?
In John 1, look at verse number 5.
Jeremiah 1 verse 5 the Bible says before I formed thee in the belly
I knew thee and before thou chemist forth out of the womb I sanctify thee and I ordain thee a
prophet on donations
Again, not Calvinism, but God through his foreknowledge knew that you know Jeremiah would be a prophet on the nation
So God has a plan for you obviously God also knows the you know
the free will choice you will make and the outcome it will lead, right?
That's all part of the omniscience of God.
But God has a plan for you and God has plans for all Christians, right?
You know, the Bible tells us some of the plans.
Again, if I have time, I will show it to you.
But, you know, the whole point is, you know, God has, God has his plan for you.
And the whole point of Solomon is we should embrace the state we are in, right?
Apostle Paul said in in a whatsoever state I am there with to be to be content no matter what
You know, no matter what God's plan is in our life be content
Don't strive with God. Don't fight against God. Don't complain to God. Okay, embrace the state that we are in
if if you are in a terrible
Situation because of your sin, or maybe it's because of some what
Someone else saying hey get right with God do what's right to learn from it and don't complain
Okay, it doesn't matter. You know even if you are suffering
Even even if you are poor because of your sin and learn from it get get right with God and still don't complain to God
Be content. Okay, that's the whole point no matter what day you are in be content
Go back to DC ask the chapter 6
it
At least ask the chapter number 6 look at version 11
The Bible says, seeing, there will be many things that increase vanity, what is man, the better.
Many things can mean aimless labor, people only working for money and foolish talkings, complaints, so on and so forth.
And the Bible says, what is man, the better.
Will men be profited from those vanities, right?
Will men be benefited, will men be better, you know,
from those things that will eventually increase vanity?
Okay, verse number 12.
For who knows what is good for men in this life,
all the days of his vain life,
which he spent it as a shadow,
for who can tell a man what shall be after him,
what shall be after him?
I'm going to sound.
So let's unpack this. Who knows what is good for me in this life?
You don't even know what's good for you in in this life only God knows, right?
Because if it's only up to you, you will live a miserable life. Who knows what is good for me in this life?
Only God knows the point is you don't know and the Bible says all the days of his vain life
Which he spent it as a shadow your life will spend as a shadow it goes by fast
If you only go by your earthly plan, you know your life will be as a shadow and just be covered with darkness, right?
And then
And then he says,
For who can tell a man what shall be after him, and of the sound?
So, I think this is talking about that we can't tell others exactly what's going to happen in this life, in this world.
Obviously, that's talking outside of prophecies and the consequences about the Bible.
The whole point is, we cannot tell others exactly what's going to happen in this world outside of God's plan, in this life.
So so the point is don't live your life for yourself, right?
Don't live your life without God live your life under the will of God because life is truly as a
Vapor, okay, go forward to John chapter 6 John chapter 6
John chapter number 6
See God knows exactly
and what you need to do in this life,
and we need to live our life completely under the will of God.
John chapter 6, look at verse number 40.
John 6, verse 40, the Bible says,
And this is the will of him that sent me,
that everyone which seeeth the Son,
and believeth on him, may have everlasting life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
So in order for you to be in God's will,
you have to be saved first.
They have to be born into God's family first, because that's the starting point, right?
And beginning saved is the will of God, right?
His will is not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
So this is the will of God that we should believe on the sound so that we can have everlasting life.
Go to 1 Thessalonians 4.
Let me show you another will of God first. That's when chapter 4 look at verse number 3
The Bible says for this is the will of God and that's pretty clear because people always want to find out the will of God
Here the Bible clearly tells us what the will of God is for this is the will of God even your
Santification that you should abstain from fornication that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in
sent a face in
Santification and honor so not only is it God's will for you to be saved. It's also God's will for you to be
sanctified after you are saved, right?
We should live a clean life.
It's time to clean up our life, right?
It's time to live for others.
It's time to live for God.
Hey, quit sinning, put your flesh to death,
give the sins out of your life,
so you can actually benefit others.
So you can actually honor and glorify God, right?
So get saved and get sanctified.
Now go to chapter number five.
First, that's on chapter five, okay, verse number 18.
First, that's only chapter 5, verse 18. The Bible says...
In everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
So this verse kind of sums up chapter 6 of the book of Ecclesiastes because I'm probably saying that we should approach everything with thanksgiving, right?
Realizing that every good thing we have is a gift from God.
Enjoy the things that God has blessed us with, with thankful joy, right?
with Thanksgiving, acknowledge that it's through God's strength and just live a content life.
Okay, that's the whole point of chapter number six.
So again, it's God's will for you to be saved.
After you're saved, it's God's will for you to be sanctified.
And then it's God's will for you to be content and to be thankful
and to just be content with the law that God has placed you.
So what's the point of so what's the point of this chapter that wealth without God is manatee, right seek first the kingdom God
And enjoyment is also a gift from God. Enjoy the things we have, you know, I mean I talked about it last week
In detail. Hey, enjoy the good things that God has given you but also remember to be thankful for what he gives you, okay?
Talk about what the Proverbs chapter 3 Proverbs chapter 3 this this will be the last passage
By the way, contaminant is greater than abundance of riches, right?
We should train our heart to rest in Christ,
to be satisfied with whatever God has given us.
But also,
man's wisdom is
extremely limited, okay? Because in chapter number six,
We see Solomon's reasoning about life, death, vanity, you know, men's wisdom in this world is limited.
That's why we should trust in the Lord, right, with all of our heart, you know.
I think I said it several weeks ago,
hey, don't live under the sun,
but live under the sun, the Lord Jesus Christ, right?
So Proverbs chapter three, look at verse number five,
it says, trust in the Lord with all thine heart,
and link not unto thine own understanding.
Notice verse number six, in all thy ways,
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path.
The Bible says, in all thy ways, all means all, right?
You know, everything you do.
Every choice you will make, acknowledge God and God will direct your path.
Because eternity changes the value of everything.
Living in the sun will give you temporary sorrow, misery, and then you'll heap yourself up with more vanities.
But eternity changes the value of everything, you can build long lasting legacies.
We can store treasures in heaven, right?
So we can finally live in the will of God and live a happy, joyful life on this earth.
So let's close in with a prayer, thank you all for this chapter.
I pray that we will truly trust you in everything we do, and I pray that you will bless us,
with good things to enjoy,
but help us to use those things to glorify you
and help us to be,
and just help us to be content with what we have
and not be a spoiled brat
and just simply giving you honor and glory for everything.
In the praise and Jesus' name, amen.