Shabbat Shalom! Please open your Bibles. We are studying in the book of Kohelet, the book of Ecclesiastes. And we are today going to deal, by the grace of God, with Kohelet, or Ecclesiastes, chapter 4. The Lord has helped us thus far. He has helped us to go through chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3. And it's so precious to move along in a study of a book and to be able to get the overview of the whole book and the reason that it had been written. And so I'm reading Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, chapter 4, verses 1 to 16. So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter.

And on the side of the oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praise the dead which are already dead, more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they which have not yet been, who have not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Tachat Hashemesh. Again, I considered all travail and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vaxation of spirit. The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh. Better is a handful with quietness than both the hands full with travail and vaxation of spirit.

Then I returned and I saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone and there is not a second. Yea, he has neither child nor brother. Yet is there no end of all his labor. Neither is his eyes satisfied with riches. Neither saith he, for whom do I labor and bereave my soul of good. This is also vanity. Yea, it is a sore travail. Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. And if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him that is alone when he falleth. For he hath not another to help him up.

Again, if two lay together, then they have hit. But how can one be warned alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and a foolish king, who will no more be admonished. For out of prison he cometh to reign. Where is also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. I considered all the living which walk under the sun. With the second child that shall stand up in his stead. There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them.

They also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vaxation of spirit. With this I am concluding with the reading of Kohelet Ecclesiastes chapter 4. And so Shlomo, Solomon the king of Israel. Who wrote Shr Hashirim, the song of Solomon. Who wrote Proverbs, Mishlei. He is also writing this Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, in the later days of his life. He has already lived much of his life. He has already have experienced all what he had experienced over the years that he lived. In actuality we understand from history that Shlomo really died at about 60 years of age. And it is amazing that he has so much to say by divine inspiration in order to help Israel the nation.

And also to help you and I today who are Bible believers. Who believe in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah who loved us and gave himself for us. I want to make a note here and emphasize that he was writing us for the nation of Israel who were the chosen people of God. But they had an inclination to depart from God and to live life for themselves. Not realizing that they are the chosen people and they ought to have a relationship with the Lord. The same thing for us. We are a people that have been saved and are forgiven people. And we cannot live our lives as people who belong to the Lord setting God aside.

Yeshua the Messiah aside. The word of God aside. Prayer aside. Godliness aside. It is not right for a believer to live this kind of life. And therefore King Shlomo the king of Israel is charging the younger generation and saying to them at the end of the book of Ecclesiastes. Remember now thy creator in the day of thy youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when you shall say I have no pleasure in them. Don't forget God in your life. He is emphasizing this again and again as he is preaching to them. In the English text the translation used the word the preacher.

It comes from the Hebrew word Kohelet. And Kohelet simply means the one who gathered the congregation. The Kehillah. And he is preaching and he is sharing what he had on his heart for an encouragement for the people of God. And so in chapter 4 beloved brothers and sisters Kohelet Shlomo Solomon is now showing to Israel things that existed in this world that were really not right. In other words he is in his own age share with his people Israel the important things of relationship and fellowship and harmony and union between people. Now we read today in Ephesians chapter 4 where the apostle Shaul Paul said to the Ephesian believers.

The important to understand to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in bond of peace. Why did Paul said it? Because there were already divisions among the people of God at the assembly at Ephesus. And he says you got to work hard in trying and seeking with the help of the Lord to bring unity and harmony among the people of God. Because God do not want to see people who are divided, who are scattered, who have no fellowship, no harmony, no union among each other, among the people of God. It was in Israel history and it is in the body of Christ today in the church of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah today.

And Solomon Shlomo's message is good for us today to encourage us to focus on the importance of unity and harmony. Now, before I'm going to read Ecclesiastes and go over that, I would like you to go back with me to Genesis chapter 1 and chapter 2, if you don't mind, please. Beloved brothers and sisters, in Genesis chapter 1, and I want you to notice what we read in verse 26 to 28. And God said, let us make men in our image after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created men in his own image, in the image of God created him, notice, male and female created he them. In verse 28, 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. And over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. You see, right from the beginning of creation, God said, let us make men in our image, in our likeness. In other words, the Godhead desire that the creation that the Godhead will make will be in God's image, in God's likeness.

God's likeness. He used the word let us. The word us is a plurality in the Godhead. Let us make men in our image, in our likeness. Already then and there we learn of the fact that in the Godhead there is more than one person. The tri-unity of God is being taught by the fact that God wanted to make men in his image, in his likeness. Notice in chapter 2 and verse 18, after he created men, Adam that is, in verse 18, the Lord said, "It is not good that a man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate." In other words, God wanted that Adam will not be alone.

So what did he do? He put Adam to sleep, supernatural sleep, in Hebrew, Tardemah, and he performed the surgery. And out of the side of Adam, he brought Chava, Eve. It is not good for a man to be alone. I will make him a helpmate. God always desired harmony and union that mankind will have. It began in a marriage union. I do not want that a man will be alone and he created Chava, a woman that will be suitable for Adam. In fact, the first time in the Bible that you have the word "built", in Hebrew, "bana", it's when God built Eve for Adam. It's not only made Eve, but he built her to be suitable for Adam.

That he will enjoy her and that she will enjoy him. And together they will have harmony with one another. And so now Shlomo is emphasizing this in the fourth chapter of Ecclesiastes, the importance of relationship and the importance of friendship. How many people are today living without friendship and without fellowship? All alone, walking the streets, trying to find satisfaction, trying to find some enjoyment. And if they don't have a friend and they don't have a husband or wife or children or family, they are feeling something is missing here. Because God has created us in such a way that we need each other. And of course, we need God in our lives.

So, look how sad the life here in this world that Shlomo is emphasizing to the people of Israel when he's writing to them. Shlomo, Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, guarding the congregation, and he's telling them in verses 1, 2, and 3 of Ecclesiastes chapter 4, look at the sad oppression that happened to men here under the sun. He's saying to them, notice I'm reading verses 1, 2, and 3, he said, So I returned, and I consider all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of some as were oppressed, and they had no comforter. And on the side of the oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter. Notice, just pause with me for a moment.

Shlomo, looking back and remember, he's the richest man on earth. He's the wisest man on earth. He's the one that had all the pleasure of this world. He knows many things that other people do not know. He possessed many things that other people would never have to possess. Wisdom and power and riches. He has servants and slaves and everything he wanted. Musicians, homes and gardens and everything that he wanted. And yet, he looks back and he says, look what I see. I see that there is oppression here in this world. It says here in verse 1 that there are those that are being oppressed. No, the three times the word oppression is used in verse 1.

Oppression, oppressed, and oppressors. Now what we learn from that, instead of people encouraging each other, and building each other up, and supporting each other, and encouraging each other, they are oppressing each other. You see, I'm looking at this. And what do I see? Those that oppress the others, they have power. They use their power in order to put some others down. And the poor, those who are being oppressed, they weep. They don't feel good. I mean, you and I know it from experiences. Sometimes when somebody doesn't treat us in the right way, and how, when we are being oppressed. And that word liot ashukim, in Hebrew liot le'ashok somebody, to take from them, and to harm them, and to hurt them carelessly.

And you leave them hanging there. What can I do now? How I'll fix my problem? Who gonna help me? And carelessly, those that have authority and power, end up to oppress those that are weak. Solomon is looking at that. He says, look what a condition in this world. Look, Israel, he's saying. He's speaking to our people, the nation of Israel. And he's speaking to you and I. What are we doing about that? What do you do when you see somebody is being oppressed? Are you taking side with the oppressor? Or with the oppressed one? Oh yes, sometimes we like to be on the side of the people with the power, right?

And we don't realize how the one that is being oppressed feels. He has tears. He has burden in his heart. Notice it says here, behold the tears of such that were oppressed. They had no one to comfort them. Solomon is saying this to Israel. Israel, what are you gonna do about this? Apostle Paul spoke about this as well. James, Yaakov spoke about this. What are you doing about those that are being oppressed by the people with power? Are you helping the needy? Are you assisting them and doing the will of God and caring for them? God is always taking care of the poor, the people that have no parents, the orphans, and the widows.

How are we dealing with this? Solomon is saying, I've seen it. He says, wow. Look at the condition that exists here in this world, Israel. Look at this. Do you understand how important for us, God, in our lives that we will have a different way of behavior when things like this happen here in this world? Are you gonna let it go and not try to help these people? They are weeping. They are crying. They don't have anyone to comfort them. And watch it when you are gonna be oppressed. You will long for somebody to come and say, help me, please. And how you will appreciate when someone comes along and says, cheer up, I'll help you with your problem.

And you see, the conclusion with this, in verses 2 and 3, Solomon is praising the ones that died rather than those that are still alive. He's saying, what's the use? See, notice verse 2. He said, wherefore I praise the dead which are already dead more than the living which is yet alive. He says, really, the conclusion is this, it's really better to die than to live under oppression if I'm being oppressed. And you know, today, beloved brothers and sisters, in many countries, we don't realize that we are privileged to live here in this country where there is a lot of liberty and freedom, freedom that we are enjoying today.

But imagine what's going on in places in the world where people are oppressed. People are being treated in such a way that they don't have liberty and freedom. Imagine, imagine in the days of the slavery. We as Jews know it from history because we know that when our forefathers were in the land of Egypt, slaves for 430 years in the land of Egypt. Imagine the slavery that was going in, oppression, and the tears that is coming out of these who are being oppressed and no one to comfort. Of course, we can always go back to the Lord. He is the God of all comfort. Jesus, the Messiah, who is the one who can comfort us.

You remember, Isaiah said to Israel in Isaiah 40, comfort ye, comfort ye my people. God is able to comfort his people, but he wants that the people of God will develop this attitude in their own hearts. And I need to do so in our hearts. And so, number one in verse two, he's saying, I praise the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. But notice he's going even further in verse three. He says, yes, it even better is he than both of them which has not yet have been born. Notice I'm reading verse three. Yeah, better is he than both they which has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

In other words, what he's saying, there were those two that were alive. One was oppressed and he died and one is still alive. It's better to die than to still be alive and be under oppression. But even yet more, Shlomo is saying, it's better not to even be born. In other words, the oppression has been so terrible upon these individuals that Shlomo is saying it's better not even to be born. And it reminds me of what Job said in the third chapter. You remember after he had experienced the loss of his family, the loss of his possession and then later on the loss of his health.

And he was sitting on the ground and he was peeling his skin with the boils that came all over his body. He said, it's better not to even be born. And how sad, beloved brothers and sisters, this is an observation that the king of Israel by the name of Shlomo, Solomon, has observed after he was older and he repented before God of all his failure. And he gathered the nation of Israel, the assembly of Israel, the Ecclesia of Israel, and he shared with them the truth concerning the word of the Lord. And so he found this in verses 1, 2, and 3. And he continued. In verses 4, 5, and 6, not only that there is a sad oppression that happened to men here under the sun, but secondly in verses 4, 5, and 6, the sad condition of envy that happened between men here under the sun, here on this earth.

Huh? Envy. Envy. And jealousy, you know. It is amazing how much envying is going on here in this world. You have something that I like to have and I don't have it. You have been successful in one area and I don't have that and I want to get it. And I'm envious of what you have been successful in achieving here in this world. You know why there are so many broken marriages? Because of envy. You know why there's a broken assemblies and congregation? Because of envy. You know why there is a lot of broken friendship between two good friends? It's because of envy. Because we had failed to humble ourselves as King Shlomo is seeking to teach us, to teach Israel.

And so notice now in verse 4, 5, and 6, first of all in verse 4 Solomon saw that there is envy among men in all things under the sun. And I'm reading verse 4. Again, I consider. Notice he's using the word, I consider. Ra'iti in Hebrew. I saw it. I consider that. I observed it. He says in verse 4, Again, I consider all travail and every right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vaxation of spirit. There are two words here. First of all, travail. This is hard work. And then secondly, right work. This is God gave us certain abilities. And you establish something.

You work hard. And you establish something. And somebody looks at that and he says, I want this. I'm envied over what you have. But I worked hard for that. And I labored hard for that. No, no, no. I want that what you have. He's looking down. Shlomo. He's considering the travail and every right work. For man is envied of his neighbor. You know, you heard the expression, the grass is greener on the other side of the road. You look at your neighbor. He has a nice car. We want to have that car. And you look at the neighbor. And you look at the other neighbor.

He has a nice house. Oh, I want to have what he has. And then you look at the neighbor and he achieves something. He has a good position. Envy constantly. Why do we envy, beloved brothers and sisters? You know why we envy? Because we have a sin nature that is not judged. The moment we judge our sin nature in the presence of the Lord Jesus, the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, the Messiah, we realize that that is not pleasing to him. Then we'll be able to rise up and to say whatever the Lord blessed them with or him or her with. Thank God for that. And I will have to learn to be content with such things as he has, as the writer to the Hebrew believer said, For he said, I'll never leave you nor forsake you.

God has given us certain things that he didn't give others. And he gave others certain things that he didn't give to us. And therefore envy is not right. Now, I was looking in the Hebrew text. The English sometimes use two words, envy and jealousy. But whenever you read it in the Hebrew scriptures, the word is simply the same. It's one and the same word. And the word is Kina. Kina in Hebrew. Or Lekanot. You have a positive and a negative. That's why there is a usage of the word envy and jealousy. Envy usually has to do with two people. The one is envying the other.

What he or she has. In other words, it is a reaction to a lack of something. I don't have it. And I'm envying what I don't have. That is envy. In Hebrew, Kina. But there's also another way of using. That's why the English use the word for jealousy. Jealousy is really a reaction to not so much to what I'm lacking. But it is a reaction to what I may be losing. What does that mean? I'll give you an example. The Bible teaches us that God is a jealous God. He's not an envying God, but he's a jealous God. Kina. You know what? Turn to Exodus chapter 34 for a moment.

There's a verse, a beautiful verse that God is speaking about our nation, of all the nation of Israel. God said to Israel, when Israel came out of Egypt. God said in Exodus 34 and verse 14. For thou shalt worship no other God. Why? Why? God is saying this to Israel. For the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. Lo tishtachave l'el achher. You shall not worship any other God. Why? Ki Adonai, o ki Yehovah, shmo el kanahu. He is a jealous God. Now, notice that God is called to be a jealous God. Now, obviously, why is God jealous? This is not envying something that God is lacking.

He has everything. He is the creator of the universe. He possess heaven and earth. But he is jealous over his people. Israel were the wife of Jehovah, the wife of the Lord. And Israel came out of the land of Egypt. And Israel is not to worship any other God. But to worship only the true and living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And therefore, God is a jealous God. Not an envying God, but a jealous God. El kanah. And then we find it through our scripture that even the apostle Paul, when he wrote to the Corinthian, he says, I am jealous over you with godly jealousy.

The assembly at Corinth. It's a godly jealousy. He is the one who cares for the welfare of the people of God. And therefore, he doesn't want them to turn away from the will of the Lord and to stay close to Yeshua, to Jesus, the Savior, the Messiah. And so there's a difference between jealousy and envy. And here we find out that there is envying here in this world. And envying most likely has to do with a reaction to something that I'm lacking, rather than jealousy, which is a reaction to something that I may lose. God does not want his people to turn away from him.

He loves his people. He wants to have a relationship with his own people. He doesn't want them to turn away from himself. So, beloved brothers and sisters, here we can see what Shlomo is observing, considering the travail that is existing. If somebody has accomplished something, he is being envied by his neighbor. And how, what a lesson we have to learn. You know, of Yeshua, the Messiah, you remember when he went to the temple in Jerusalem? We have a quotation of Psalm 69:9, that the godly jealousy, he was so jealous over the holiness of God. With the temple in Jerusalem, there was all kind of buying and selling and there was disorder.

And he says, "My Father's house shall not be a house of merchandise." He was jealous, godly jealousy over the house of the Lord. But when Solomon looking down in this world, what does he see? He sees that man is being envied by his neighbor. And again, I would like to challenge us, beloved brothers and sisters, to seek to see what the Lord is expecting from us. If you just turn to Galatians chapter 5, please. New Testament passage. Shaul Paul writing to the Galatians. In chapter 5. And in verse 26. And he said, "Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." Brethren of Galatians.

He says, "Listen, let us not be desirous of vain glory. Let us not be those that are provoking one another, envying one another. Don't be so, because this is not the way that he is honoring to God. That is not the walk of the believer as he follows Yeshua, the Messiah." Peter said, and turn to 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 1. He says, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envies, and all evil speaking, as a newborn babe's desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby." We have to set aside envy. Because envy is only going to produce friction and division among the people of God.

And Shlomo saying to Israel that that ought not to be. We ought to be jealous over God and God's things, but not envying over that which the Lord has not given unto us. So envy is a reaction to a lack of something, while jealousy is a reaction of something that one may lose. And one has to understand how to properly have a godly jealousy rather than a human, selfish, sinful envy that only produce problems among the people of God. And so he continues in verse 5 and verse 6. And he really sees what is the reaction to envy. How do we handle when there is always envying and there is a friction?

How do we deal with this kind of situation? What do we do when there is envy and jealousy and people are not quite working together? So there is an inclination to do one thing or the other. In verse 5, the one thing of doing is that the fool, what does he do? He says, listen, there is so much envy, so much jealousy. Well, I will fold my hands. Notice verse 5. The fool folds his hands together and he eats his own flesh. He is so discouraged. He says, because this situation is existing, I am just going to fold my hands. I will do nothing. I will not seek to accomplish something in my life.

I am so discouraged with what is going on. Whatever I have or whatever someone has. Another one wants what he has and he is never satisfied. We are not content with such things as we have. I will never know what to do. Well, the best thing is fold my hands. Do nothing. The Bible calls him a fool. The word is ksil in Hebrew. Not wise. That is not the way to go about it. Don't sit down and do nothing because you see things are going on in the wrong direction. No, you need to seek to still labor, but do it in a godly way. Don't be this ksil, this fool who says, you know, what's the use?

I will do nothing. Then in verse 6, Solomon said that it is better to do something rather than to do nothing. So we read in verse 6, better it is a handful with quietness that both hands full of travail and vexation of the spirit. In other words, okay, so you might not be able to be what someone else have accomplished in his life. Well, settle with a little bit less. Be content with what you, with the help of the Lord, was able to accomplish in your life. And brothers and sisters, you know, I want to mention that it came to my mind that, you know, it's not only in a worldly things like material possession.

Do you know that this kind of envy happens in the spiritual life, even in ministry. I have a great followers. I have a great followers. You see, I have a large so-called assembly, a church of people who come to be after me. And in the spiritual work, Satan is really working havoc, not only in the material things in this world, but even in the spiritual work of the Lord. Instead of supporting a servant of the Lord and encouraging him in the gift that the Lord had given him and praying for him. We are doing a time because of the sin nature that we have. We are opposing the growth in a ministry that the Lord have entrusted to someone.

Why? You remember when Peter and John were following the Lord and the Lord said, Yeshua said to Peter, follow me. And Peter looked and he saw John. He said, what about him? And the Lord, Yeshua had to tell him, don't you worry about him. You follow me. Don't worry about what's going to happen with John. I will deal with John and I will assist him in the service that I would give to him. You do the responsible thing and you follow me. In fact, pray for John, for Yohanan. We are to pray for one another. You know, another verse that came to me in a preparation is found in Philippians chapter one.

Just turn there for a moment. The Apostle Paul Shaul was in prison. He's writing to the Philippians. And he's telling to them in Philippians chapter one and verse 13 and 14 and 15. So that my bonds in Christ, in the Mashiach, are manifest in all the palace in Rome. And in all the other places. And many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confidence by my bonds. In other words, I was in prison. I was in jail. I was in prison in Rome. And other believers were encouraged to continue on in spite of the fact that I was in prison. I was encouraging them. They saw that I'm continuing to follow the Lord.

And then notice what he said in verse 14b. As much more bold to speak the word without fear. And then he says, Some indeed preach the Messiah even of envy and strife. And some of goodwill. The one preached Christ, the Messiah, of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds. Now, when I read this text, I was fascinated with how evil the human heart is. People preach the word of God, according to Shaul Paul, out of envy, desiring that Paul will have additional affliction. How is it possible? I tell you how it is possible. It is possible because our sin nature is no good, period.

The heart is deceitful above all things, the scripture says. We are capable to preach the gospel and tell of the love of God so I can cause affliction upon another who is in prison. Listen, how sinful sin is. No wonder the Messiah had to die. No wonder God had to enter humanity in the person of the Son and as man to die for the sin of this world. Because we are able to preach the Messiah of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, to my chains. Shaul Paul is saying. And Shlomo, the king of Israel, is saying in chapter four of Ecclesiastes, in verse six, it is better to have a handful with quietness.

Have a little bit, not much. Rather than have both hands full, the arms full with travail and vaxation of spirit because someone is going to be envying me and I am going to envy somebody else. And it will only cause additional friction here in this world. What a lesson to learn, beloved brothers and sisters. And the Holy Spirit of God was guided by the Holy Spirit of God who have allowed him to pen this passage for the benefit of Israel and the benefit of the body of Christ, the body of Messiah. Now he continues now because he's emphasizing in chapter four, the importance of fellowship and relationship and harmony and union in a world that is filled with this union.

The people of God should aim for harmony, to be peacemaker or seem shalom, to seek to make peace among the people of God. And so in verses seven to 12, it's extremely interesting passage because here in these verses, he shows us how sad is a separation and isolation that actually is existing here in this world under the sun. When God said it is not good for men to be alone and then men is separating from each other, isolating from each other, dividing one another. And here Shlomo is saying again in verses seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, and 12, how important it is to have fellowship, harmony, union, friendship, united together in a right and godly way.

And so notice he says in verse seven and eight, Shlomo sees the loneliness of a person who has nobody, who has not even a child or a family member to be with him. Notice I'm reading verses seven and eight. Then I returned and I saw vanity under the sun. And there is one alone. There is one alone. And there is not a second. Yeah, he said in verse eight B, he has neither child nor brother. Yet he says there is no end of all his labor, neither his eyes satisfied with riches, neither saith he for whom do I labor and bereave my soul of good.

This is also vanity. And yes, he said it is a soul travail. So what does he see? He's observing once again. And what does he see? He's saying to Israel, I saw that under the sun, in this earth, not in heaven, here in this sinful world, I see that there is those who are alone. They don't have neither notice, neither a child, neither a brother, relative. He says, and you see, there is no end to his labor. He works, he works, he works, he works, he works. But eventually, whatever he has, he has no one to give it to. Can you imagine? Can you imagine?

You know that in scripture for Israel, it was important to have always a descendant. If a man has died and his wife did not have children, his own brother had the responsibility to marry her and to have a relationship as a husband and wife with her so she will have a descendant. It was given to Israel, our people, in the law. So that there will be no one remain alone. There will be always a descendant, always a family. That's why if you notice in scripture how many times we have the genealogy. The genealogy of Yeshua HaMashiach, Matthew chapter 1. We have a genealogy throughout the Tanakh, the Old Testament, where always God says, Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve children, and so on.

And everyone, you can see the genealogies of all the history of the people of Israel. Now imagine if you don't have a son and don't have a daughter, don't have a family member, and you labor and labor and labor so hard. I saw one that is alone. You remember what God said in Genesis 2? It is not good for men to be alone. I will make him a helpmate. And now when he observes and he sees someone here alone, there is no child, no brother. There is no end of all his labor. He is working and working and carrying on life here in this world. And what happened?

Neither is his eye satisfied with riches. For whom do I labor? And he says, and bereave my soul of good. This is also vanity, and it is a sore travail. Eventually, he's looking and he says, I'm working so hard. I refrain myself from enjoying what I'm laboring for, but there's nobody to live it for. God desires to have harmony and unity and family and descendants, and that one will work so we can provide for the children, for the family. That's the process in life. And so Solomon, he said, no child, no brother, no end of labor, and even no satisfaction in verses 7 and 8. Work, work, work, gather, gather, gather, save, save, save, and leave it here behind.

And no one to hand it over to. So Solomon now in verses 9 to verse 12. He's really belaboring the importance of being together, of having someone along with us. And notice it's beautiful in those verses 9, 10, 11, and 12. He presents before us four points. It is important to work together. It is important to walk together. It is important to warm together. And it is important to withstand our enemies together. And notice he used this expression in verse 9. He began of the importance of working together. Notice he says in verse 9, Two are better than one. In Hebrew, it's really beautiful. Tovim hashnaim min haechad. Two are better than one.

Why, Shlomo, you are saying that two are better than one? First of all, notice what he says in verse 9. Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. The reason the two are better than one is because when they are working together, they will benefit from their labor together. Now you notice, beloved brothers and sisters, how it is so wonderful when people are working together. We accomplish so much and we benefit so much. It reminds me of one of the most beautiful passages that I love to read in the book of Psalms. When God said to our people of Israel, this is the father of Shlomo.

He said in Psalm 133, Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. In unity. Why it is so much a blessing? Because it is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard of Aaron's beard. And went down to the skirt of his garment. And as the dew of Hermon. And as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord commended his blessing even life forevermore. Do you want to be blessed? He is saying to our people of Israel of all. He says you want to be blessed? Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren Achim to be united together.

You know when you see people walk together. This is by the way a prophetic Psalm. That speaks of the day when our people of old Israel will be gathered together. And they will be united in the Mashiach, in the Messiah. And it will be like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard of Aaron. Even Aaron's beard that went all the way down the garment. In other words it will be such a blessed time that Aaron the high priest when he was anointed. The anointing oil came down from his head all the way down to his beard. All the way down to his garment all the way to the lowest part of his skirt of his garment.

It speaks of the spirit of God. Ruach HaKodesh is filling up this harmony and unity together of the people of God. This Aaron the type of the Mashiach of the Messiah Yeshua in a future day when Israel will accept him. And then it is as the Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in Israel. Mount Hermon, the mount of the transfiguration. There it is like the dew that come down from Mount Hermon all the way up on the mountains of Zion. And Israel the whole nation is benefiting from the dew that descend from Mount Hermon. And again Mount Hermon is a picture of the person of Yeshua the Messiah who is one that is above all others.

And the blessing that he can bring to the nation of Israel. There the Lord commanded his blessing even life forevermore when there is unity among the people of God. There is a blessing flow. And so two are better than one. Why Shlomo? Why? Because he is saying in verse 9 they have a good reward for their labor. Two are better than one. They will benefit from that. They work together. A local assembly, a local congregation that don't work together. They are never going to be able to stay together. They will never be able to benefit from the blessing that God is intending for her. You remember they say they that pray together stay together.

But he continues in verse 10 he says not only the two are better than one because they will benefit from that. Secondly two are better than one he says for if they fall the one will lift up the other. This is not only a matter of working together but also walking together. When we walk here in our life together somebody might fall. Maybe someone fall in sin. What do we do? Do we push him further into sin? Or do we lift this person up? So it's not only working together but walking together. Paul said in Galatians 6 if any man be caught with a fault. Ye which are spiritual restore such a one with spirit of meekness.

Considering yourself because your turn may come. And you will need someone to lift you up. He continues now in verse 11. Two are better than one. Why? Again if two lay together then they have heat. But how can one be warmed alone? Now even with common sense. The fact when two are not only working together. Walking together but also warming together. You know we know very well. Even if we rub each other's hands just doing like that. How it's warming the body. How warming together. I remember in the military when I was in the Israeli military. Years ago when we were so cold and we had to cuddle together.

To be warm in a time when there was a wintery time. And how wonderful it is to realize that God desires union and harmony among the people of God. Working together. Walking together. Warming together. But also with standing enemies together. Notice what it says in verse 12a. And if one prevail against him. Two shall withstand him. Now just pause here. It's not only working, walking, warming. But also with standing the enemy. If we work together and walk together and warm together. We are able to withstand all the attacks of the enemy. Because the enemy is desiring to harm God's people. And it's so wonderful when they are working together and warming together and walking together.

But also are able to withstand the enemy. You know the enemy shooting darts to harm God's people. In our home life. In our family life. In our assembly life. In our work life. In our personal life. In our personal life. He always trying to find something to hinder us from spiritual growth. What do we do about that? Shlomo saying to Israel. Listen. Israel. You need to realize that two are better than one. One. Don't divide yourself. Don't scatter yourself. Don't think that you are superior than somebody else. Don't be proud and arrogant. But humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. He will exalt you in due time.

Be a blessing to the nation. To God's people. But then he adds something that I think is the most beautiful thing. In verse 12b. Not only those four points. Walking. Warming. Working. And withstanding. But he adds in verse 12b. A threefold cord is not easily broken. Oftentimes when we officiate a wedding. And we have the bride and the bridegroom facing each other. And giving their vows to the Lord and to each other. And we're saying often to them. We read that text. A threefold cord is not easily broken together. Who is the third one? If the husband is one. And the wife is one. Who is that third one?

It's the Lord. It's the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. For Israel of course the Messiah hasn't come as yet. Israel the God of our fathers must be the center in your life. Don't think that you can even go together with two. And set God aside. Because the threefold cord. Three is even better than two. If two is better than one. Shlomo is saying to Israel. I can assure you. That three is even better than two. And that third person. Is none else but our blessed Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. And I'm always fascinated. How wonderful. How many times. When we set the Lord out of our lives. We feel the loss.

The Lord want to bless us. He want to be the center of our life. Our individual life. Our work life. Our assembly life. And also. Our family life. He want between a husband and a wife. And between friends. He want to be the center of God's people. God always wanted to be the center of his people. To God in 2 Samuel 7. He said. What is one nation. That has a God like unto our God. There is no nation like this. Israel was chosen by God. And then we find out as well. That in other passages. God promised in Ezekiel chapter 37. When he will restore Israel in a future day.

Israel will enjoy the presence of God. Who will be the center of the nation of Israel. And what Yeshua said in Matthew 18 20. Where two or three are gathered together unto my name. There am I in the midst of them. He is the center. In the midst of the gathered saints. He want to be the center of his people. He delight to be the center of his people. And I just want to read Hebrews chapter 13. And I'm going to read that for us. Where the apostle wrote to the Hebrew believers. In chapter 13. In verses 4 and 5. It says. "Marriage is honorable in all. And the bed is undefiled.

But who mongers and adulterers God will judge. Let your conversation be without covetousness. And be content with such things as ye have. For he has said I will never leave you. Nor forsake you." God promised to be. The Lord Yeshua promised to be in the midst of his own people. And what a blessing it is beloved brothers and sisters. The apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter 4. To the brothers and sisters. Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in bond of peace. For there is one body and one spirit. Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord. One faith. One baptism.

One God and Father of all. Who is above all. And through all. And in you all. There is a desire for oneness and harmony. That God will enjoy in the midst of his people. And so brothers and sisters. It is sad. That in this world. There is such a condition. Lack of harmony. Oppression. Envying. But among the people of God. All of God. There ought to be. Something that will characterize. The person. Of the Godhead. And so. Just to conclude. In verses. Thirteen. To sixteen. Solomon give advice. To the people of Israel. In light of all this. Shlomo is saying. In light of all. What I told you.

In verses. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. And sixteen. I am going to give you some counsel. How to handle. A situation. Such as this. He began. First of all. In verse thirteen. It is better to be poor. But a wise child. Rather than to be. An old. And a foolish king. It is far better. To be. As it says here. A child. But wise. Poor. Wise. Child. It is better. Than to be an old. Foolish. King. And it is interesting. That he used the word. King. Because he was a king. And he made a fool. Of himself. When. He turned away. From the God of Abraham. Isaac.

And Jacob. When he. Have established. Altars. Everywhere. For his. Seven hundred wives. And three hundred concubines. When he. Ended up. Worshipping. All these. Idols. He became. Fool. It is far better. He is saying. To be. As it says here. In verse thirteen. A poor. And a wise. Child. Rather than. An old foolish king. Who will no more. Be admonished. Not listening. To someone's advice. That is not wise. You better stay. Simple. Young child. If you will. And. You are going to be. Far better off. Be a. King. But a. Foolish king. That doesn't take. Advise. Godly. Advise. In verse fourteen. He says that the poor.

Young. Wise. Person. Is able to rise up. Even out of. Prison. To become a king. God is able to do so. Notice. I am reading this. Verse fourteen. For out of. Prison. He comes. To reign. Where is also. He. That is born. In his kingdom. Becometh. Poor. Now. That is an interesting. Verse. Who is that person. That was in prison. And poor. And eventually. He became a king. You remember. Yosef. Joseph. He served. Potiphar. Then they put him in prison. And continued to be there. In prison. Until. You see. Solomon knows his bible. Very well. His history. Until by divine design. God took Yosef. Out of prison.

And he made him. Second. To Pharaoh. To Pharaoh. And how much blessing. Yosef. Became to our nation. Israel. What a blessing. His father. Yaakov. That haven't seen him. For years. Gained to Egypt. And he gave him. To dwell in Egypt. And he blessed Yaakov. And he blessed his brethren. He was a poor. Young man. In prison. That by divine design. He became. The king. Next to. King. Paul. Then in verses 15. Solomon. Conclude. And he considered. All the living now. And the children. That will come later on. And he said. In verse 15. I considered all. The living which. Walk under the sun. With the second child.

That shall stand up. In his stead. There is no end. Of all the people. Even of all. That have. Been before them. They also. That come after. Shall not rejoice. In him. And you know. What he's saying. He's saying. Eventually. Even if somebody. Was a poor. And he became a king. And then in his generation. People appreciate him. The new generation. Going to come. And they will not. Rejoice at all. With him. Because that's the cycle. Of the sin. That exists here. In this world. Men. By nature. Repeating again. What they have done. In the past. The new generation. Not going to be better. Than the old generation.

Unless. They will remember. Their creator. In the day. Of their youth. Don't wait. Till you are old. Like me. Walk with God. Now. So. You can use your life. For the future. In the day. In the day. Of your youth. Don't wait. Till you are old. Like me. Walk with God. Now. So. You can use your life. For the future. In the day. Of your youth. Don't wait. Till you are old. Like me. Walk with God. Now. So. You. Can use your life. For a blessing. To God's people. And harmony. And unity. And fellowship. Will be that. Source. Of blessing. To the people. Of God.

And beloved brothers. And sisters. May the Lord. Help us. With this. We need that. Today. As Israel. Needed that. In past days. When Solomon. Was preaching. To the nation. Of Israel. May the Lord. And encourage us. All. Can we say. Amen. To that.