Shabbat Shalom, everyone. It's such a blessing to be under the sound of the Word. You will never regret looking back in your life. You will never regret when you allowed the Lord to take a little bit of time from your life to sit, as it were, at the feet of Yeshua, the Messiah, and to learn from His Word. Yeshua said years ago, when He was in the land of Israel, He said to the early Jewish disciples, He said in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together unto my name, He promised to be in the midst of His own people." And so, here we are, seeking to learn from Him.

So, we are today in Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, chapter 6. And I would like to read those 12 verses to us all. And we are going to go through those verses, which Shlomo, the King of Israel, who gathered the nation of Israel around Him, gathered the Kahal, the Ecclesia, the people of Israel, and gave them some counsel as to how to live their lives in the presence of the Lord. And so, in chapter 6 of Kohelet, of Ecclesiastes, Shlomo, Solomon continues in his presentation before Israel, and he said to them in verse 1, "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men. A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desired.

Yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease. If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better than he. For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. Moreover, he has not seen the sun, not known anything. This has more rest than the other. Yea, though he live a thousand years, twice told, yet he has seen no good.

Do not all go to one place? All the labor of men is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. For what hath the wise more than the fool? What hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wondering of the desire. This is also vanity and vaxation of spirit. That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is men. Neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is men? The better. For who knoweth what is good for men in this life?

All the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow. For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? I'm stopping here with verse 12 of this sixth chapter. You know, when you read such a chapter, especially in the King James, it's rather difficult for one to understand. So I pray that the Lord will help us to unfold it a little bit for all of us, so we will all benefit from the study of the sixth chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes. To remind you again, brothers and sisters, that when King Shlomo gave it to the people of Israel, the people of Israel in his old age were, you might say, getting ready for the division of the nation.

The northern kingdom, the southern kingdom soon are going to be divided. Soon later on, after King Solomon died, Israel was divided through his son Rehovam. The nation was divided, and the nation later on had been taken captive by the Assyrians, and also later on by the Babylonians. Solomon in his older age is now giving counsel to the people of Israel. He wanted them to realize that under the sun in this world, without God, things are in vain, things are empty. You notice in this sixth chapter, he began this chapter by using the expression, "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun." And he ends this chapter in verse 12, when he says, "For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?" He used this expression under the sun.

In Hebrew the word is, "Tachat Hashemesh," below the sun. The things that are going on below the sun in this world, things are very sad, many problems, many conflicts that the people of God are experiencing. Israel have experienced this in the past. You and I are experiencing this in the present. This world is not our home. There are trials and troubles and difficulties and conflicts that the king of Israel wanted to help Israel, the nation, to recognize that they need God in their life here under the sun. You see, chapter 6 is flowing immediately from the end of chapter 5. Shlomo said at the end of chapter 5, what did he say?

He said in verse 18, in verse 19, and in verse 20, "Behold that which I have seen, it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun. All the days of his life which God," listen to this, "which God giveth him, for it is his portion." In other words, Shlomo is saying the portion, whatever the Lord gave you, he's saying to Israel. And he can say it to you and I. Whatever position you have in this world, whatever place God has allowed you to be, at work, at home, at school, or whatever health situation you have, recognize that God has allowed you and has given you a lot in life.

And whatever he has given to you, be content with this. Notice in verse 19 of chapter 5, "Every man also, to whom God has given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor." This is a gift of God. In other words, everything that we are experiencing in our life, the Lord is the one that allows us to have it. Whether we are well-to-do or whether we are not. Whether we are healthy or whether we are not. Whether we are having family and children or whether we don't. Whatever the Lord allows us to experience and to have in our life, Shlomo is saying, "It is a gift that is given unto us from God." And we are to be thankful.

We are not to complain. We are not to grumble. We are to acknowledge this as from the hand of the Lord. Now, of course, we know very well that we are not so. We are always thankful with what the Lord has allowed us to experience in our life. We are very quickly dissatisfied. Why can't I have this? Why can't I do this? Why can't I go there? Why can't I be like him? Or why can't I have what he possess or she possess or they possess? We are so quickly not appreciating the lot that God had given to us in our life. And Shlomo, who had had so much in his life.

He had wealth. He had wisdom. He had authority. He had the kingdom of the nation of Israel. He had everything he wanted. And yet he, at his life, learned that even if he had everything here in this world, he had stumbled and he fell and he had gone astray and he lost much when he was not right with God. The issue here, beloved brothers and sisters, in the whole book of Ecclesiastes, the book of Kohelet, is that we, Israel, we as believers today, we are to remember that we belong to God. Conclude the book in chapter 12. Remember now thy creator in the day of thy youth before it is too late.

Don't neglect to have God in your life. So because we are like Solomon have declared, and because we are like anyone else, God by divine design gave us this book that is called Ecclesiastes. The congregation need to be gathered. The congregation, the ecclesia need to be instructed. And here Shlomo is instructing the people of God. In this sixth chapter, he's really laboring or belaboring two major points in this sixth chapter. Only 12 verses. He developing this sixth chapter comes out of chapter five into chapter six. And he tells us two things he's saying to Israel. Number one, verses one to six. Be satisfied with all that God give you in your life.

Be satisfied. Be satisfied. This is verses one to six. Secondly, he tells Israel the second thing from verse seven to 12. Accept the fact that God limit us in this lifetime. He limit us. He doesn't give us everything. He gives us limitation. He limit men. He limit you. He limit me. He limited Israel historically. He limited the kings and the judges and the prophets and the leaders of Israel historically. And he limit us here in this world. We are not going to have everything. We are not going to possess everything in this world. We are not going to be the wisest people on earth. We have all wisdom and all power and all authority and all riches.

There is a limitation here in this world. And because we are limited here and God limited us, we need to learn to be content with whatever God had given to us. If you give us a wife, be content with your wife. If you have given us a husband, be content with your husband. If you have given us children, maybe they are difficult sometimes and not easy. We are to be content with what he had given to us. If you have given us wealth, we are to be content with whatever he had given to us. And if you have not given us wealth, we are to be content with such things as you have.

In fact, in chapter 13 and verse 5 of the book of Hebrews, look what the writer to the Hebrew believers said in chapter 13 and verse 5. He said, "Let your behavior or manner of life be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said," and he is quoting Deuteronomy chapter 31, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." In other words, God has said to Israel already many, many years ago before they entered into the promised land, "Israel, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Only be content with what I have allowed you to have in your life." And to you and I today, beloved brothers and sisters, you and I know very well that it's not easy to be content.

And especially now as we end another year and we, Lord willing, if Yeshua the Messiah will not return today or tomorrow, we will remain here for a new year, civil year, and we will need to be content with the lot that the Lord had given to us in our life. Sometime we will suffer. Sometime we will be not as healthy as we used to be. Sometime we will have problems and challenges in our life. And we will need the grace of God to help us to be content with what the Lord have allowed us to experience in our life. I remember many years ago there was an elderly brother, which I really respect, always in the prayer meeting where we were all on our knees praying.

He is now old in a retirement home. But I remember this dear brother, you're always praying at the meeting hall and he's praying, "Father, help us to be content with present circumstances. Lord, help us to be content with us in our lives." And just to mingle with that, we remember the verse that we quote many times in Romans 8 and verse 28. "For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are they called according to his purpose." God has a purpose. He allows you, he allows me, he allows us exactly what he has in mind for his own people.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are they called according to his purpose. So Shlomo, in Ecclesiastes, in Kohelet chapter 6, verses 1 to 6, "Essitch Israel, tell Israel, Israel, be satisfied with what God gave you in life." Individually, families, and collectively. So he began in verses 1 and 2, and you notice what he's saying. He's now saying to Israel, look at verse 1 and 2, "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun." Shlomo is saying, he's now getting up in his age. He's looking back, and from his experience he says, "There is an evil, in Hebrew the word evil is ra'ah, something that is not so good.

It doesn't necessarily mean to be a sin, but something that is not good. There is an evil which I have seen," Shlomo is saying, "under the sun, and it is common among men." Everybody goes through that. "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common unto all men." People are experiencing bad things. Uncomfortable things. Things that are causing us to be not too happy, you might say. And Shlomo is saying, "I have seen it. I have experienced this under the sun." And so he continued, "What is that evil?" And in verse 2, he developed this, and he gave us the description of what he meant in verse 1.

"There is an evil which I have seen under the sun that is common among men." Here it is. "A man to whom God has given riches, and wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires." In other words, God can provide for someone everything he needs. But now notice the second half of verse 2. "Yet," he says, "God gives him not the power or the authority to eat thereof, but a stranger eating it." He says, "This is vanity, and it is an evil disease." Shlomo is saying, "Wait a minute. I've noticed in my life, as I am experiencing, living here in this world, that God may give to someone everything he could ever wish for." He might give one everything like himself.

Solomon himself, he was the richest man on earth. He had everything he wanted. And yet, he also shows that even if God gave someone everything, it is the very same God that had to give him power to enjoy what he gave him. In other words, beloved brothers and sisters, and he's speaking, of course, to Israel, and he can speak to you and I today as believers in Yeshua, the Messiah. The Lord might give you so much in this world, but he will also, he's able to withhold from you and I the privilege of enjoying what he had given to you. And the reason is simply this.

Because the inclination of us, of human beings, is to take from the Lord and to say to him, "Goodbye. I'll see you later. When I have problems, I'll come back to you. And then you can give me more, and then I'll have it again, and then I will leave you alone." In other words, the lesson is very simple. We always like God to give us when we are in trouble. But when things are fine, we don't need him. And therefore, you know what God does? He withholds from the one who received the gift, the ability to enjoy what God had given to him. That's why sometimes, brothers and sisters, believers who are part of the family of God, if we neglect the Lord in our life, what Shlomo is saying, God is able to take away from us the joy of enjoying what he had already given to us.

That's why you find out many who have so much, but they don't have the joy in, you might say, using the gifts that the Lord had given unto them. You know why? Because they don't want to have God in their life. They only want God for the good things that he gives. He gives riches, he gives wealth, he gives honor. Nothing is to be lacking. We all got it. We got the riches, we got the wealth, we got the honor, everything is fine. But we set God aside. We're trying to enjoy what he gave to us. And you know what God does? He gives him not the power, the Hebrew word for power is shlita, the ability to control what God has given unto you, because you set God aside.

You remove God from enjoying his presence, and you think that you can enjoy what God had given to you a giver in your life? That's, by the way, what happened to Shlomo. God had given him all the wealth and the riches and the power and the wisdom. And then what Shlomo did, God now, move out of the way, I want to marry 700 women, I want to have 300 concubines, and I want to develop for all of them to have each one their altar and their gods, and now I want to worship those gods. But just a while ago, God had given him everything. And Shlomo should have enjoyed it and used it for the glory of God, but Shlomo made that mistake, the same mistake that you and I do, the same mistake that Israel did, the same mistake that the church, the body of Messiah do, setting or letting God outside of our life will never allow us to enjoy what God has given unto us here in this world under the sun.

And so that's why, in verses one and two, he gave us this description, and he showed this to us, and he says, "Listen, God gave the gifts, but God does not give us the authority and the power to enjoy what he had given to us." And then he continued at the end of verse two, he said, "A stranger is eating it, somebody else coming and enjoy it, because to him he will give, do enjoy it, but not to you." Solomon is saying, "Because you did not want God in your life." And so verses one and two, the ease and evil that existing in this world, not only Shlomo experiences, you experience it, I'm experiencing this, when we do not allow God to have control over our life, we will never enjoy the gift that God has given unto us, even though we'll try hard, we'll work hard at trying to do so, but when God is not part of our life, the joy and the authority, the power to use what God had given to us will be set aside.

And so now in verses three to verse six, Shlomo is presenting two illustrations, in order to explain what he just said from life. He gives us two illustrations from life. The one thing is having children, and the second thing is having long life. Now if you look back in biblical history of our nation Israel, two of those things have been promised to Israel by the Lord. To have children is a blessing from God. To have long life is a blessing from God. God had promised his people Israel these two important things. The gift from God is to have children, to have a large family, and secondly to live a long life.

Just go back in your Bible to Psalm 127, and I want to show you, first of all, how children are a gift from God. Psalm 127 and verse three, Look what he is saying. Look what he is saying. Children are in heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the earth. Happy is the man that has his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gates. You know, happy is the man that has his quiver full of children. You know, children are a blessing in Israel's history.

Today if you will ask any conservative, orthodox woman and a man, what is the most important thing for them to do and to have in their life as a family is to bring children into this world. Children are a gift from God, a heritage of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is the reward that God rewarded the women in Israel's history and even today. You remember what Rachel said to her husband Jacob, Jacob, give me children lest I die. I want to have children. Children are a blessing from the Lord in biblical teaching and that God had given to our people Israel. But not only children, it's also the long life.

God had promised the people of Israel that if they will obey his word, he will give them a long life. In fact, you and I are no different. We would love to live a long life. That's why we are going to the gym and we are exercising and we are eating right. But the reason that we are doing so because we want to live a long life. You know, we are pushing, pushing, pushing further the time in which we live here on earth. Everybody does so. Long life is a promise and a gift from the Lord and Shlomo is using these two illustrations or the children and the long life to illustrate what he was just saying about the evil that exists in this world.

Look what he is saying. Go down to Ecclesiastes chapter 6. In verse 3, he began to illustrate this in these two ways. And he began in saying, if a man begat 100 children. Now, who of us can say, we have 50 children? Or 25 children? You see, he's stretching it. He said, if a man had 100 children. Notice that, verse 3. And he lived for many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial, I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. Let's just pause here for a moment. What he's really saying, Shlomo, Solomon, to the people of Israel, he says, Listen, a man may have 100 children, and live a long life, if he is not thankful for the lot that God have allowed him to have in his life, it is better for one that will be born as a miscarriage.

Notice in verse 3. I say that an untimely birth is better than he. Why? It simply is this. Because if a man live long life here, and do not give thanks to God, and it brings so much evil upon his life, and so many trials, and so many problems in his life, it is far better for the baby that was miscarried, and ultimately went to the presence of the Lord. in the presence of the Lord. It's much better for this baby that was not born, you might say, than the one that lived long life on earth, and did not acknowledge God in his life. Why it is?

Because the baby that was miscarried, he's going to be absent from here, he's going to be in the presence of the Lord. He will be the one, he's alive in the presence of the Lord, even though his mother is sad, and it's a sad experience for a woman that has a miscarriage, but for the baby himself, he's going to be in the presence of the Lord. But for a person to live so many years, and to have a hundred children, and then not his soul be not filled with good and thankfulness before the Lord, what kind of a life it is. That's what Shlomo is really saying.

It's far better for the baby to be taken to heaven, and not to live here in this world, and to see the darkness and the sadness and the sin that exists in this world, than to be like that man who lived for a long time here, having a hundred children, and yet was ungrateful to the living God. See, he's explaining himself as Shlomo here in this verse 3. He used this illustration of children and long life. Children are heritage of the Lord. Long life is a promise for those who will follow the Lord here upon the face of this earth. So in verses 4 and 5, Shlomo continues and he says, "Because that miscarried baby has more rest than the other, one that lived long life and had many children, and yet he did not acknowledge that everything that he has came from the Lord." Look at verses 4 and 5.

"For he..." This is the untimely birth of that child. "For he cometh in with vanity, with emptiness, and he departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness." Another one, no one knows about him. He never knows anything here on this earth. He didn't experience all the sorrow here in this world. "That untimely birth person, now came in vanity with emptiness here, and he went out of here. His name shall be covered with darkness." Verse 5. "Moreover, he has not seen the sun nor known anything. This has more rest than the other." In other words, the one that was miscarried would be better off than the one that lived here in this world under the sun in sin and not appreciating the provision that the Lord had given unto him.

And we know, brothers and sisters, today how many babies are being killed because of abortion. This is one thing to have abortion where man is purposely aborting children. But here is a baby that was miscarried. God took him. It was not aborted because of man's will. It was simply God have taken out of here. And verse 5 says that this has more rest than the other because he is going to be in the presence of the Lord rather than to live a life of sin here in this world and dishonor to the Lord. By the way, the word untimely birth comes from the Hebrew word hanefel.

Hanephel comes from the fallen one. In other words, he fell. Something had happened and he was not born into this world. He was miscarried. It was the one that was born not in a due time. Therefore, he had been taken to the presence of the Lord. So, verses 4 and 5, he explained further why it is better not to be born into this world and to live a life of discontentment and unthankfulness, even if you have many children, live long life, is better for the one that is being taken out of here into the immediate presence of God. Now, I know because we are here, we don't see it in this way.

We are here in this world. We say, oh, you know how sad to the family it is said here and now, but to the very baby, he or she are in the presence of the Lord, never to live a sorrowful life here in this world. If you just turn with me for one more verse in Psalm 139, please, we read about the knowledge that God has of any baby that is formed in the womb. Psalm 139, verse 13 says this, For thou hast possessed my reign. Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrote in the lowest part of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect. And in thy book all my members were written, which in continuous were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. The psalmist David, who is the father of Shlomo. Shlomo heard from his father of what the knowledge that he received, that in the mother's womb, God already fearfully and wonderfully made that baby. And even before this baby was born, his substance was not hid from God. So in Ecclesiastes chapter 6, in Kohelet chapter 6 and verses 3, 4 and 5, it is better if one was an untimely born and had been taken to heaven, rather than to be one that lived long life and having many children, and never have acknowledged to God the appreciation of what he had provided for him.

And so in verse 6, beloved brothers and sisters, why? Solomon is saying because even if a man lived long life, he will die eventually just like the one that was born out of due time in an untimely birth. We read in verse 6, yet though he lived a thousand years, twice told, two thousand years, yet hath he seen no good. Do not all go to one place, Shlomo is saying. The one that lived a long time, two thousand years and had a hundred children and so on, he eventually going to die and leave this world just the same like this one that was in untimely time, was born and is gone out of this scene.

Both of them eventually going to leave this world. But the one that have died before he was actually came into this world, he is ultimately never had to go through all the dishonor to the Lord, the sin against the Lord, the failure here in this world, the discontentment here in this world. Both are eventually going to be taken out of here from this world. Notice he used the word for a thousand years twice. You know, a thousand years, there was only one man that lived upon the face of this earth by the name of Metushelach, who lived for 969 years long. You read it in Genesis 5.

His name was Metushelach, 969 years old. And then we know that the people in the Messianic kingdom will live because the Messianic kingdom, according to Revelation chapter 20, will be 1,000 years long. So everyone that will live during the Messianic kingdom, as a believer, he will live the whole thousand years. And if he entered into the Messianic kingdom at the age of 20, 30, 50, whatever the age he entered in, he will live the thousand years plus the years that he was here. So he's stretching it. He's saying even more than Metushelach, Genesis chapter 5, and more than the Messianic kingdom, Revelation chapter 20, even if a person lived for 2,000 years. Yet, he says in verse 6, do not all go to one place?

Do not all die eventually? So why don't you be thankful in whatever God had given to you? Why to live your life without to enjoy the gifts that God had given to you? Shlomo is saying to the people of Israel. And he's saying it to us. Why should we live our life here with an unthankful attitude, we're then not appreciating the Lord and his word, we're setting him aside, and not even enjoying what he had given to us? Eventually, we're going to leave this scene, and then we're going to be in the presence of the Lord. If we are believers, we're going to be with him.

If we are unbelievers, we're going to be separated from him. Why live a life like that? Shlomo is saying to our people of all, the people of Israel. Therefore, he's encouraging them. Don't follow that evil that I have seen under the sun that is common unto all men. Don't be unthankful. Whatever God had given to you, acknowledge it from the Lord and don't be unthankful. Give praise to God, and he will give you also the ability to enjoy what he had given to you in your life. That's the lesson that we have here in the sixth chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes. Now, from verse 7 on to the end of the chapter, he's not only saying that we are to be satisfied with what God had given to us in life, but in verse 7 to verse 12, we are to accept the fact that God limits us here in this world.

We're not going to accomplish everything, have everything, do everything, enjoy everything. We will be limited here in this world. And because we're going to be limited in this world, we are to be content. So now, notice how we live in a world of so much disorder and so much imperfection. How do we live and have a right attitude of contentment? And so he gives us a list here in verse 7 all the way to verse 12 that we, Israel, you and I need to realize. Because we are never going to be able to accomplish everything and we are limited in this world, how should we live in such a world in which we live in?

Well, we are to realize in our mind and in our hearts certain things. And here's the list, beloved brothers and sisters. The first thing in that list is found in verse 7. The first thing that he wants us to understand is that we are to realize that temporal things will never satisfy us completely. Notice what he says in verse 7. All the labor of men is for his mouth. And yet the appetite is not filled. You know, we work. Man is working. Why do we work so hard? So we can have food on the table. So we can have a home and we can live our life.

And that we are going to be satisfied and so on. And so we are working hard. The labor of men is for the mouth. To eat, to enjoy what God has given to us. And yet, notice what he's saying. The appetite is never filled. You notice when you get up in the morning and you eat breakfast. And then time passes by, you want to eat again lunch. And then when lunch is over, you have to eat dinner, right? Because you are never satisfied. Because the way life is, beloved brothers and sisters, there is never completely be full satisfaction here in this world. Never. The more we have, the more we want.

The more we accomplish, you ask all the people in the rocket business. They have a gun to a certain star. No, we got to get to the moon. We got to get higher and higher. We got to accomplish more and more. Because it says here in verse 7. The appetite is never filled. Is never completely. That word for appetite, the soul is never filled. And you know why we are never filled here with temporary things? Because the only one that can fill our soul is God himself. We were created in the image and the likeness of God. When God made Adam in the Garden of Eden, he's made him in the image and in the likeness of God, spirit, soul and body that Adam could be filled with the person of God and enjoy God forever.

But the world and the things that we have here in this world, we never are satisfied with them completely. The more we have, the more we need. The more we accomplish, the more we want to accomplish even greater things. Temporal things in this world will never satisfy us completely, Shlomo is saying to Israel. Therefore, accept the fact that God limits us. He's not going to give us everything. We're not going to possess here everything. And therefore, be content with this. That's what Shlomo is saying to the people of Israel. But not only this, beloved brothers and sisters. In chapter 6, where we are now, in verse 8, the first part, he's saying additional information on the list that he gives, that Shlomo is giving.

Realize that the wise has no more than the fool. And I'm reading what he says. Notice in verse 8. For what hath the wise more than the fool? Now, you might say, the wise man is wiser than the fool. And it's better to be wise, chacham, rather than to be ksil, fool. And of course, it is better to be wise than to be fool. The fool says in his heart, there is no God. Of course, it's better to be wise. But eventually, eventually, when time passes by, what does he have more than the fool? Eventually, both of them leave this scene. And both of them still desire to accomplish more.

There's no more. The wise man, though it's better to be wise. But the wise man, according to verse 8, the wise, what does he have more than the fool? Nothing more. When it comes to a relationship with God, the wise men need God like the foolish men need God. The smart person who have a high IQ or the one who is not as smart, both of them need God in their lives. The fool will take God and the wise will not. The foolish one will be far superior than the one who is smarter and brilliant. If he or she set God aside, they are no better off.

Therefore, he says, so what if the smart person or the wise person has more wisdom and is brighter here in this world? He or she need God just the same like the fool. Notice he continues in verse 8b realize not only that the wise has no more than the fool, but realize that even the poor is able to know how to walk before God. Notice the second half of verse 8. What has the poor that he knows to walk before the living? The poor person is able to know how to walk before God even though he is not as wealthy as the other. Because man's life is not consistent by the things which he possesses.

It doesn't matter how much one possesses. Life in relationship to God does not depend upon how much one has. It depends on our relationship with God. So even the poor, who doesn't have much wealth, he is able to know how to walk before the living. He knows how to walk before God. You know, there was a rich man, if you turn with me to Luke chapter 12, who was not giving glory to the Lord. And notice in Luke chapter 12 that Yeshua explained this to the people of Israel when he was here on earth. Notice what he says in Luke chapter 12, verse 15. "And he said unto them, take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses." He said it when he was speaking to his own disciples.

"Take heed, beware not to be covetous." Why? Because man's life is not consist of the abundance of that which he has, he possesses. Life is much more than power and wealth. Life is a relationship with the living God. We often don't take it to heart, and Shlomo is appealing to Israel to realize that the wise is no more than the fool, fool, and the poor is able to walk here in this world. If he let God lead him and he take God into account, he will be far better than the one who might be smarter and more bright. But in reality, he does not give God a place in his life.

So in the list that he's giving, number one, realize that temporal things are never going to satisfy us, verse 7. "Realize that wise is no better than the fool, verse 8a." Thirdly, realize that even the poor is able to do things right if he allow God to be in his life. Fourthly, verse 9, "Realize that it is better to be satisfied with what is in front of you rather than to have imagination about what you could have." Notice I'm reading verse 9. "Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire." This is also a vanity and vaxation of spirit. Whatever the Lord lay before us, we see what he had given to us?

Praise God for what he has given to us. Not to have this imagination. Notice as he says here, the wandering of the desire. The one, if I could accomplish this and I could have had this and do this. It is so much better to be satisfied with what the Lord had given to us and we can see with our eyes than to have this imagination. As it says in verse 9, the wandering of the desire. This is also vanity and vaxation of spirit. Notice how many times he used the word vanity. The word vanity comes from the Hebrew word hevel. Hevel means emptiness. And vaxation of spirit is actually evil spirit.

It is that which is evil that is happening here when one does not allow the Lord to control his or her life. Verse 10 is number 5 in the list that we have before us. Verse 10, the first part of verse 10, realize that whatever has been is God's appointed. And it is made already. In other words, whatever God have allowed us to have. Notice I'm reading verse 10. That which has been is already named. And it is known that it is men. And whatever already existing, it was already there before. God have allowed this to happen. This is verse 10a. Verse 10b, realize that you are human and God is above you.

He is divine. I'm reading verse 10b. Neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Don't fight with God. He is stronger than you. He is higher than you. He is a creator. You and I are creatures. Therefore, the king of Israel, Shlomo, is saying don't fight with God. Don't go against him. You are not higher than him. He is higher than you. In chapter 5. In chapter 5. In a previous chapter we have studied. In verse 2. Shlomo said God is in heaven. Verse 2b. And you are here on earth. Recognize that he is in heaven. Don't fight with him. Don't go against him. He is mightier than you.

He is stronger than you. Whatever the Lord has allowed you to experience in your life. Appreciate it. Because he wants you to be content with what you have. In verse 11. An additional information. An additional way as to how to live in this world that is in disorder. And is an imperfect world. How to accept the fact that God is limiting us. How is the list he gave this to us. Notice verse 11. Realize that you need to inquire whenever you have to make a decision. To ask God what is better to do in a world that is filled with vanity. What is the choice to make.

And I am reading now verse 11. Seeing there be many things that increase vanity. What is man the better. In other words whenever you have to make a choice. In this world make a choice that is better. That God is the one that leads you to make this choice. To choose the job that we are going to look for. To choose a bride or a bridegroom in our life. To choose even a local assembly with whom we are going to have fellowship. To choose what to do. It is so much better to realize that in a world that is filled with increased vanity. What is man the better.

What will be the better for me to decide to do. Is what Solomon is saying to the people of Israel. Make a better choice. A choice that will draw you closer to God. Rather than take you away from the Lord. A better choice in this world in which we live in. Two more things here in verse 12. Realize that without God you do not know what life will bring. And I am reading verse 12a. For who knoweth what is good for man in his life. All the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow. Who knows what is going to happen. Who knows as it says here what life will bring.

Look at what happened to us here just recently. A young person had been taken out of our midst. Who would believe that. Is it possible that it will happen. We all went to sleep. We got up in the morning. And all of a sudden God has changed matter here in this world. Even among us in our own midst. You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Who knows what is good for man here in this life. You and I need to have God in our life. At every situation. Because we do not know what tomorrow will bring. We are going to leave this meeting today.

We do not know what's going to happen on the highway. We are going to go home to our families. We do not know what's going to happen. Will we finish this year and enter into a new year? We do not know. Therefore we need God in every situation in our life. And Shlomo concludes this sixth chapter by saying. And here is the last thing. Verse 12b. Realize the uncertainty of life that is existing here under the sun. He says, "For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?" We do not know. We do not know. Everything is uncertain here under the sun.

It is not in our hands. It is in the hand of the Lord. And therefore we do need the Lord in our life. And if I will lead from here to the end of the book of Ecclesiastes. And what he asked is, Shlomo is saying to Israel, "Remember now your Creator in the day of thy youth. Be sure that you don't forget him. Be sure that you are content with what he allows you to experience in your life. Don't neglect God in your life, Israel." Shlomo is saying to our people of old. And as I mentioned in the beginning of our meeting. The chapter 6 began with the word under the sun.

And it ends with the statement under the sun. In Hebrew, "Tachat Hashemesh." It began with instructing Israel, "Look what is going on here under the sun on earth." And it is going to end. We do not know what is going to happen under the sun. We need the Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah to lead us here in this world under the sun. So may we learn from Shlomo, this older man who later on in his life. Consulted our people of old, the people of Israel. And charged them and challenged them. Not to forget God in their lives. Because he did. And he ended up losing out.

And he turned around. And God now used him to be a blessing in writing such a book. A book of Ecclesiastes. A book of Kohelet. To write for the benefit of you and I. And of course for the benefit of the people of Israel. Well, may the Lord bless us as we continue on in the study of the book of Ecclesiastes. Can we say amen to that?