Shabbat Shalom! I would like you please to open in the Tanach, in the Old Testament, to the book of Kohelet, the book of Ecclesiastes. We are today to begin this study, to learn from the second half of the book of Ecclesiastes, beginning with chapter 7. And I would like just to read in the beginning, before we're going to begin with the ministry, to read the first 14 verses of Kohelet, chapter 7. Kohelet, to remind you, is the name of the book in Hebrew, Ecclesiastes is the name of the book in English, and the meaning of the word Kohelet comes from the Hebrew word, to gather the kahal, the congregation, the assembly.

That's why the word Ecclesiastes comes from the Greek word Ecclesia, a called out people. And here the king of Israel, Shlomo, is now gathering the people of Israel many, many years ago, to give them instruction. He gathered a kahal, and become the Kohelet, the one who is called the preacher in the English translation. And so we read in Ecclesiastes 7, verse 1 to 14, these words: "A good name is better than a precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men, and that the living will lay it to his heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of the fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool, this also is vanity hevel. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad, and a gift destroyeth the heart. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and a patient in spirit is better than a proud in spirit.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Say not thou what is the cause that the former days were better than these. For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight which he has made crooked? In the day of prosperity, be joyful. But in the day of adversity, consider, God also has set the one over against the other.

To the end that men should find nothing after him. And I am stopping here with the reading, beloved brothers and sisters. Now, before I am going to start even with dealing with chapter 7 of the book of Kohelet, I think it is very, very important to grasp for us as believers today what is going on with the writing of this book of Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, where Shlomo, the king of Israel, who was the wisest man on earth, could give to our own nation, Israel, many, many, many years ago. To remind you that Shlomo was the king that came after his father, David, David. Solomon was a privileged man.

He was the one who took over from his father the whole nation of Israel, and he became this privileged man of God that had led the nation of Israel for 40 years into a period of time that peace as his name saw the period of his reigning over Israel was. It was a time that never before in all Israel history ever had been, a time of Shalom. His name is Shlomo. There was Shalom for 40 years in his reign over the people of Israel. Shlomo wrote three books in scripture which were divinely inspired. He wrote Shlomo wrote Shlomo, Song of Songs, when he was young. He wrote Mishle, the book of Proverbs, in the middle of his life, you might say.

And he wrote Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, later on in his life when he got up older. He didn't die very old, as far as we are concerned, about 60 years of age. Some in Jewish circles believe that he died when he was 52 years of age. Others believe that he died at eight years of age. But really, when you see scripture, you find out that he did not live beyond about 60 years of age. But 40 of these years he reigned over our nation Israel and he ruled over them while many came to him from all over the nations of the world to hear of the wisdom of Shlomo, of Solomon.

And so, when he is up there in age, you might say, he is now writing after the many, many mistakes that he has made in his life. He is writing to his own nation Israel and he says, Listen, what I am telling you in this book of Kohelet Ecclesiastes is for your benefit. Listen to what I am telling you. I am getting up in age and I am telling you I have learned many lessons in my life, which is under the sun. The Hebrew word under the sun mentioned many, many times in the book of Ecclesiastes simply means "Life on earth here in this world of sin and corruption and sadness and sorrow and friction and wars and conflict".

I want you, my people Israel, to learn that it is very important to have God in your life. Without God in your life things are terrible under the sun. Vanity of vanity, all is vanity here in this world under the sun without having God in your life. And by the time he will conclude the writing of Ecclesiastes in chapter 12, he will say, "Remember thou now thy Creator in the day of thy youth. Don't wait to be older, but remember thou 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 wait until you are old and then you start to remember your Creator, that is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel. But remember your Creator now when you are young and you are able to enjoy life with God in your life. Don't set God aside because you are going to find yourself to be a loser at the end. He is really saying to Israel because all is vanity, all is vanity. In fact he began the book, verse 2 of chapter 1, "Vanity of vanity, all is vanity". And he concludes the book by saying at the end of chapter 12 and verse 8, "Vanity of vanity sayeth the preacher or sayeth Kohelet, all is vanity".

In Hebrew, "Hevel havalim amar kohelet". So now, beloved brothers and sisters, in the first six chapters, the preacher that is Shlomo, he searched for meaning in life. And he concluded that everything in his life under the sun is vain, is empty, when God is not appreciated and allowed to control our life. He says to Israel. But not only this, beloved brothers and sisters, in spite of the fact that there is a vanity of vanities here in this world, in spite of this fact that everything in this corrupted and sinful world is so sad, there is a possibility good can be done with God's help here under the sun.

You can enjoy certain things that God gave you when God is in your life. You can be a blessing to others when God is in your life. Now to remind you, he is speaking to our nation Israel, the chosen people. He doesn't speak to the world of unbelievers. He is speaking to the nation who knew God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And if he is speaking to us today, he is speaking to believers in the Lord Jesus and your Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. He doesn't speak to the unbelieving world. They need to know, first of all, that there is a creator and accept him.

But the believers need to remember God. You know how forgetful we are. We can live our life and we can set God inside. And we can say, praise God, I'm saved. I'm going to heaven. But, Lord, don't bother me. I don't want you to be in my life here. And I don't want you to be in my life there. In other words, Shlomo is saying, get God into every area of your life. He is any way know what you do. He is any way know where you are. Have him, the one that fill your heart and let him control your life. In the first sixth chapter, he dealt with the lessons that he had learned.

And he said, it is possible to bring good out of all this if you let God be in your life. If you just go back to chapter 5 for a moment, you notice what he says in verses 18, 19, and 20. He says, behold, that which I have seen. It is good and it is comely for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he has taken under the sun. But notice what he says immediately after in verse 18b. He says, all the days of his life which God giveth him, for it is his portion. Verse 19, every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth and has given him power to eat thereof and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labor.

This is the gift of God. Notice verse 20, for he shall not much remember the days of his life because God answers him in the joy of his heart. You see, he brings God into the picture. He brings Elohim, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into the picture. You and I can say in this present day, he brings Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah into the picture that without the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, life as a believer is joyless, even as believers, if we don't have the Lord in our life. You remember what Yeshua said in John 15, to the disciples in the upper womb, without me, ye can do nothing.

Oh yes, you can accomplish businesses. You can raise a family. You can raise a family. You can get a degree. You can be brilliant. But I tell you, Shlomo, the king of Israel, saying, vanity of vanities. All is vanity when you set God outside of your life. You will be the loser, he's saying to the people of Israel. I had my own kingdom. I had my own riches. I had my own wisdom. I had my own wealth. I had servants and maidens and all these kind of things. And I still discover that everything under the sun, if I set God aside, is empty. And we know it from experience.

As believers, when we say to the Lord, stay outside, I'm going to be the captain of my ship. I'm going to be the pilot of my plane. Don't bother me, God, now we find out how empty and shallow we don't enjoy that which God had given unto us. So that was the first six chapters. But now in the second half of the book of Ecclesiastes, from chapter 7 to chapter 12, King Shlomo gives Israel, our nation, counsel as to how to make the best out of a bad situation here in this world. In other words, what he's really saying, we need to learn to give glory to God in the midst of a terrible condition that's existing here in this world.

You know, many believers in Jesus, the Messiah, are suffering in many countries, in many lands. Just like Israel of old, they've suffered and have gone through experience and persecution by many nations. Just last night we were studying in Isaiah in the 36th chapter and how the king of Assyria came and warned the Jewish people, So don't listen to Hezekiah, the king of Judah. Don't let him lead you to believe that God will deliver you. Make an agreement with us. Follow after the king of Assyria. Forget about the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And how God has shown that he's able to sustain his people who trust in him.

And so here King Shlomo is giving us in life, in this life now that we are here in chapter 7 and all the way to the end of chapter 12. He's teaching us by and through many, many proverbs that he teaches. He's leading the people of Israel to give them counsel how to make the best out of the worst condition in life. In fact, I would like you to turn with me to 1 Kings chapter 4. Apparently, Shlomo, the king of Israel, was such a gifted man that God have given unto him the ability to write many proverbs and many, many songs. That's why you have the word "song of songs".

It is the choices of the many, many songs that he wrote. In the book of Proverbs, he wrote many, many proverbs. We only have a few of them. But apparently, notice in 1 Kings chapter 4 and verse 29. And I'm reading. It says, "And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Shlomo's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country and all the wisdom of Egypt." Verse 31. Verse 31. "And he was wiser than all men than Eitan de Ezraheit, and Chaman, and Halokal, and Darda, the sons of Machol. And his fame was in all nations round about." And look what we read in verse 32.

"And he spake three thousand proverbs. And his songs were one thousand and five. And he spake about trees from the cedar tree that is in the Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. He spake of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came all the people to hear the wisdom of Shlomo from all kings of the earth which had heard of his wisdom." Imagine, beloved brothers and sisters. "People came from all over the world to hear of the wisdom of Solomon." "He wrote three thousand proverbs and one thousand and five songs." "Shirim." "And we only have a few of the proverbs mentioned to us in the book of Proverbs." "And now, beloved brothers and sisters, in chapter 7 to chapter 12, he now gives our nation of old Israel an instruction using Proverbs to help them how to live life and how to make the best in life out of bad and difficult situations.

What do you do when somebody passes away? What do you do when you lose your job? What do you do when there is sickness in a home? What do you do and how do you handle life when your boss does not treat you well? How do you handle life? Do you have the God of Israel as the portion of your life when difficulties and problems rise in life?" And so, Ecclesiastes 7, all the way to the end of chapter 12, he gives some counsel to the people of Israel. And I know that you and I can say, "Oh Lord, I need these advices and counsels and proverbs and messages in my own life because I do not know how to handle situation in my life." This is not only good for Israel before Yeshua the Messiah came.

That is also good for the body of Christ, the body of Messiah, the assembly. Now that the Messiah came and you have gone to heaven, these lessons are good for us all, for the people of God in every dispensation, in every period of time in human history. And so he began, notice that in chapter 7, he gives us some counsel. And I am going to go over them with the Lord's help. You notice he began with chapter 7 and verse 1a. He says, "A good name is better than precious ointment." Now just pause here for a moment. A good name is better than precious ointment? There is a play in the Hebrew word here.

A good name, Shem Tov in Hebrew, is better than precious ointment. The word for ointment comes from the Hebrew word oil, Shemen. In other words, what he is really saying, that a good name is better than to have ointment upon you. In other words, you know, ointment may be applying to perfume or deodorant. You know, you and I might go to the store and get a deodorant, a good perfume, put a little bit here, a little bit there, and smell very good. And we'll pass by and somebody will say, "Oh, you smell so nice." But this smell is going to be temporary, yeah? You got to go back to the store, get again, somebody used the word Chanel No.

5, And you can put it on you and you're going to smell very nice. And then after a while, this smell is disappear. In other words, only for the outward appearance. Only temporary. In other words, Shlomo give us a counsel. He says, "Listen, you make sure in your life, number one, that you cultivate in your life to have a good name for yourself, a good character." Don't only look at the outward things, you know, "Okay, I'm going to put some nice perfume. I'm going to smell very nice. People are going to smell. You're going to get attracted to me. Oh, it smells so beautiful." But once we learn about each other and we find that this smell disappears very quickly and we are no longer smelling.

And nobody yet following after us because our character is very pushy and turning people away from us. So what he's really saying to Israel, what he's saying to you and I, beloved brothers and sisters, make sure that you build a good character. Have a good name, Shem Tov. Have a good name, it's far superior than a precious ointment because one is an external and temporary. The other one is internal and lasting, has value. I just, I was thinking when I was a younger boy in Jerusalem at home, there was a man who had a restaurant. His name was Moshe. He had such a small restaurant that when you come to the restaurant, there's only four chairs or something like that.

And everybody wait outside to get something to eat. But he had a good name. And everybody came. Oh, where are you going to eat? I'm going to eat at Moshe, at Musa's place. Why? Because there, people liked his food. It was reasonable. And he was very gracious with his customers and so on. He got himself a good name. It's far better than merely an external ointment or perfume that will be only for a short season. And brothers and sisters, I'm telling you, for our life, if we're going to be able to be used by the Lord to attract others to the person of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, we better develop a good character and a good name that will help us to be used by the Lord to lead others to Yeshua, to Jesus.

Because someone would say, is that what Jesus is all about? You keep it for yourself. I don't want to hear about Yeshua. I don't want to hear about your God. If it's only merely an external and it's not something that you develop a character in your life. It takes time. It takes humility. It takes devotedness. It takes a broken of a heart. We need so much humility rather than pride in our life. That's what he's teaching Israel, beloved brothers and sisters. He learned this from experience. He had been there. He had done it. He can be an example to the nation. Notice in verse 1b, not only that Israel you ought to cultivate a good character, but Israel look forward, not only for here and now, but for eternity.

You see what he says in verse 1b? The day of death is better. Notice the word better is mentioned many, many times in this seventh chapter. He says the day of death is, the word better should be placed there, is better than the day of one's birth. Well, why? When a baby is born, I mean, we rejoice because the baby is born. But don't forget, beloved brothers and sisters, when a baby is born, whether it is he or whether it is she, this baby was born in sin. He or she have inherited our sinful nature. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve, Adam v'chava, from the time when they have fallen into sin.

All of us have inherited a sin nature. By one man's sin enter into this world. For all have sinned, and death passed upon all men. For all have sinned. The book of Romans, the apostle Shaul Paul tells us. So, okay, we are happy that the person was born, but Solomon Shlomo is putting things in perspective. And he says, wait a minute. He says, really, the day of death is actually better than the day of birth. And I'll tell you why he may explain to us, and you'll see that in a moment. Because when we pass out of this sin, we're going to spend eternity in the presence of God.

What will the Lord tell you and I when we're going to meet him at the judgment seat of the Messiah? Remember, he's speaking to believers. Of course, for unbelievers, when they die, it's not only that they are separated from God here and now. But they're going to be separated from God for time and for eternity. Eternal separation from the living God. But the believer. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah. Brothers and sisters, think about that. Shlomo, he knew very well. You know, he knew that he's going to heaven. Don't think it's only a New Testament knowledge that believers know today.

The Hebrews, the people of old knew very well. I know that my Redeemer lives, Job said. He knew that the Redeemer lives. And he's going to see him in a future day. But it is better. Shlomo is saying it's a day of death than a day of birth. Now, human speaking, we don't think like that, right? What's the matter with you? I'm not thinking about death. I just began life. And I was born. And I'm living here. And I'm going to accomplish a lot in here. Like we all say and do and practice. But Shlomo is putting things in perspective. And he says to them, the day of death is better than the day of birth.

And he can see the future. I want you to notice for a moment what he already says in chapter 4, verse 2. Wherefore, I praise the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Why? Because under the sun there is oppression and sorrow and sadness and conflict and fighting and sin which is so easily beset us. And Shlomo is saying, I praise the dead more than I praise the living. Amazing when you really think about it. Look what his father, David, said in Psalm 17 and verse 15. And I'm reading this verse. As for me, David said, his father, the king of Israel said, As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness.

I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. David said to the God of Israel. Amazing. You know, David understood. Like Job understood. David and Eov, they understood that they are going to be in the presence of the Lord. And they wanted, where they are going to appear in the presence of the Lord. That they are going to be honoring to him. That he will say, well done, good and faithful servant. You know, the apostle himself, the apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 1 and verse 21. For me to live is the Messiah, Christ, Christos, Mashiach. But to die, it is gain. I want to live here on earth.

I live for the Messiah. But should I die? For me, it's gain. In other words, he's speaking like Shlomo. It is better the day of death than the day of one's birth because we are going to meet the Lord. Now, again, beloved brothers and sisters, we have just experienced a funeral just recently. A dear sister has gone out of our midst and she is in heaven now. But it was sad. Sad for the family. Sad for the children. Sad for the friends. Sad for the relatives. But as far as she is concerned, it was better for her because no more suffering here on earth. She is absent from the body and she is present with the Lord.

And whatever we did for the Lord, we're going to get rewards for. And whatever we have did for self and for sin, going to all be burnt. As the apostle Paul said, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah that every one of us will be evaluated. How did he do here things in our body? Oh, how many times we dishonor God with this body of ours. How many times we dishonored the Lord here on earth. And the Lord only knows us and thank God that he will remove it all from us. But when we're going to be with him, he's the one that's going to reward us for every little thing that we have done for him here on earth.

So he's teaching there. Verse 1a, cultivate a good character in your life. Verse 1b, look forward for eternity. Look forward for being in the presence of God. For the rewards that he is going to give you if you're going to meet him one day. Now he continues. Notice that. In verses 2 to verse 6. He is teaching Israel. This is Shlomo. Solomon teaches Israel a third thing. Not only cultivate a good character. Not only make sure that you are looking forward for eternity. But thirdly, learn to be sober and serious here in this sinful and sad world. Now he doesn't mean that you have to be with your eyes always down.

But we do need to be serious. And we do need to be sober. Not everything is giggling and everything is fine and so on. I mean really, when you really think about it, there are sad things that are going on here in this world. And we have to bear in mind that it saddened the heart of God. And there are problems that a multitude of people are experiencing sadness and sorrow here in this world. So he is teaching in verse 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Learn to be sober. Learn to be serious in this sad and sinful world under the sun. So he began now in verse 2 and he is saying something very strange.

Notice what he said. "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. For that is the end of all men. And the living will lay it to his heart." In other words, if I make it in a more simple language, "It is better to go to the funeral home where you can see of a passing person, you can see the family and everyone is mourning the friends there. It is better to go there than to go to a place where everybody is just celebrating and having fun and having a good time and so on. And why?

Because, you know, when we are going to go to a funeral home, and we did just recently, what happens is we realize that that is the end of all men. This is you. This is me. One day, we do not know when, the Lord will choose the time that he will take us out of his sin. There is no one that is going to bypass this unless the rapture is happening. It is appointed unto men once to die. Scripture teaches us. When God said to Adam, even before he created Eve, Chava, he said, "Adam, the day that you will eat out of this tree, dying you shall die." And Adam died spiritually that moment when he did so.

And later on, he died physically. But because he believed in the God who created him, he was alive spiritually because his sins were forgiven. He accepted the sacrifice that God had provided for him. And therefore, Adam was alive spiritually. He was saved. Because God had closed him with a garment of skin of an animal that he offered as a sacrifice, a type and a picture of our blessed Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. But you notice what he says here? It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. Why? For that is the end of all men.

You and I are going to one day going to die, beloved brothers and sisters. Unless the rapture and the Lord will take his own to be home before. And then he continues. So then the living will lay it to his heart. You know, I can imagine everyone who sit in a funeral home pondering and thinking, "Wow, isn't it amazing? That person was just with us yesterday and he or she are no longer with us. Who is next?" And how many times we have gone to funeral services. I remember I officiated the funeral service of a young boy that just was taken out of this scene.

With every ageist, young and middle-aged and older. And you can see the families are grieving. Because death is cutting any relationship. Death sever relationship. That's it. Those of us that had mothers and fathers just recently with us are no longer with us. Death is the end of all men. And so to Israel, Shlomo is saying, "Learn to be sober and serious in this sad and sinful world because it is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting and that will remind you of the fact that you will have to stand before God sooner or later." The living will lay it to his heart.

He will ponder it. He will think about it. Perhaps the Lord will use their time to turn someone to the Lord, to the Lord Jesus, to Yeshua the Messiah and recognize, "Wait a minute, I better make things right with God." And maybe a believer who is not walking with the Lord is going to say, "Wow! I am so far away from the Lord. I need to turn back to Him. I need to be restored to God. I am not in fellowship with Him. I am living in sin. I am living away from the Lord. You are speaking to me during this time." That is what Shlomo is saying.

Now if you know Shlomo, he could have had all the parties in the world because he had all the servants in the world. He had, as we mentioned, he had 700 wives and he had 300 concubines. He had experienced departure from God. He worshipped other gods, idols of his own wives that he built on altars for them and so on. And he is turning back. He is saying, "Israel have gone through it. I am telling you, it is better to go to the house of mourning, to go to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men, because the living will lay it to heart." He continues in verse 3 and he is saying an additional thing that is kind of rather strange.

"Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." In other words, he is saying things that are really the opposite of what the world teaches us. "Have good time," the world said. "Let's have celebrating and laugh at everything and joke at everything." It is nice from time to time to have some laughter. It is not that he denies it, but he is teaching us principle. "Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better." In other words, he is saying that when we go through sorrows, and some of us do.

When we go through sorrows, our sorrows are forming us. Our trials are working in our life. It makes us more, you might say, sober and wiser. It makes us much more in tune with the condition in this world. It makes us more realistic. It makes us really bring before us the fact that, God, we need you in every area of our life. And if you think about it, beloved brothers and sisters, again, I am being very practical. How many broken homes are today, even in a country such as this in which we live in? How many children are raised without parents? Or without one of the parents?

How many divorces are existing here in this world? How many conflicts are existing here in the world in which we live in? "Sorrow is better than laughter for the men and women of God who know God's mind, who want to know the will of the Lord." He says here in verse 3, "Through sadness the heart is made better." In other words, God is speaking to our hearts and help us to develop spiritually. Go back to Psalm 126. The psalmist is saying in verses 5 and 6. He says, "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Sowing in tears, reaping in joy.

Amazing the way God is ministering to the heart. I want to read one more verse in the Brit HaChadasha in the New Testament. Paul is sharing with the Corinthian words of encouragement. Paul says, "Let us listen in chapter 4 and verse 17 of 2 Corinthians. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and an eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." You know, if we only look with those natural eyes, we see temporary things.

They are all going to fade away. But the eye of faith of the man or woman of God looking beyond that. And so when they are going through sorrow, they are really experiencing lessons. And sorrow is better than merely just laughter and reckless living. God. Now you and I will not think like this normally, but that's the fact that Shlomo is teaching Israel. Back to Ecclesiastes chapter 7. And so in verses 4, 5, and 6, we have the conclusion is in light of what I just said in verses 2 and 3, verses 4, 5, and 6, look at the conclusion, what it will result, what it will accomplish. And so it says in verse 4, "The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, and the heart of the fool is in the house of mirth.

It is better to hear a rebuke of a wise than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool." This is also hevel, vanity. The conclusion is simply this, that the wise man will not going to be there having reckless life. The wise man will recognize he's going to be where there is a need for blessing and encouragement, where we can whip over the condition of this world, the condition of our family, the condition of our friends, and so on. Turn our hearts to the Lord. And then he said it is better to get a rebuke from a wise man than to hear the song of fools.

You know, sometimes we do need to get a rebuke, a good rebuke, from somebody who loves us and cares for us and wants to channel us in a better direction. It's better to hear a rebuke than to hear songs of the fools singing to us the songs. And then verse 6, the crackling of thorns under a pot. You know this expression, crackling of thorns, is when you have thorns that you put them into fire, you put fire on them and they are under a pot and you heat some soup or you heat something in olden time. But this crackling of these thorns are quickly fading away.

Because thorns and thistles, you put fire on them in no time. They just crackle, they make a lot of noise. But they don't last. They are temporary. And that's the conclusion that he came to in these verses 2 to 6. So, the first lesson is cultivate a good character. The second lesson is make sure that you look forward for eternity to be with the Lord. Thirdly, learn to be sober and serious in a sad and sinful world. Sober. Think through. Have God in the picture with all the soul that is existing here in this world. Now continue in verses 7 to verse 10. Shlomo, Solomon, give guidance to Israel.

And he says, listen, learn to have a calm spirit. We need to learn to have a calm spirit. And here is what Shlomo is teaching our people Israel of old. And he says in verse 7, oppression makes the wise man mad or in Hebrew word is like foolish. And a gift destroy the heart. In other words, what he's really saying that there is so much oppression here. And if the wise man is not allowing God to deal with it, he really, it makes the wise fool. And then look what happened in verse 7. And a gift destroyed the heart. What does it mean by the gift? That word for gift in Hebrew is matanah.

But it is a gift that was given as a bribe. If you look under the law, God said to Israel in Exodus 23, Do not take bribes. Because bribes, what does it do? According to verse 7, it destroys the heart. It doesn't help. And it's so hard for one not to take bribes. You know, in governments and in politics and even in religion. Bribes. What does it do? It destroys the heart, the tenderness, the convictions. I want you to turn back with me for a moment to Proverbs 17, verse 23. The wicked man taketh a gift, a bribe, out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. See, in other words, sometimes when bribe is offered, it changes the justice and the judgment.

That is, one has to be so careful with it. He says really learn to be calm in spirit and be careful in this. He gives counsel again to our people Israel, King Solomon. In verse 8, he says it is better the end of everything and it's better to be patient rather than to be proud. And I'm reading now verse 8. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. You know, the fact that in life, in the beginning, whenever you do something in this world, sometimes it's hard in the beginning. But at the end of it, it's so much better the end of all experiences that we have in our life.

But then he says, listen, make sure that you're patient. You're patient because it's better to have patience than to be proud, to have a proud spirit. And what the scripture teaches us about patience. You know, have you seen this sign on a secretary's desk where it says, God, give me patience and I want this now. Now, how can you get patient now? The Bible teaches us in Romans chapter 5 that through tribulation, we learn patience. Patient is not that God will send to us a hundred pounds of patience and all of a sudden we become the most patient person on earth. No, God going to allow us to experience things in our life.

So, through things that happen in our life, in the beginning it's hard, but at the end of it it's better. Therefore, wait on the Lord, be patient, and eventually he will sustain you, will help you to go through these experiences. Pride comes before a fall. Pride is that which hinder men. Pride dies last, we are being told. It was through pride that sin entered into this world. It's through pride that Satan wanted to take the place of God. And he said, I will be like the most high in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. Where Lucifer wanted to become the supreme and therefore God judged him. And he caused him to be cast down.

Pride is so much of that which dishonored the Lord. The Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah became such a wonderful example. He humbled himself. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. What a lesson we learn. And Shlomo is saying, It is better the end of things than the beginning thereof. And the patient in spirit better than a proud spirit. In verse 9, it says, Be not hasty to be angry. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry. For anger rests in the bosom of fools. Don't be angry so fast. Sometimes we get angry very quick. And what happens when we get angry?

The anger rests in the bosom, in the heart. And it's not wise to be angry. All the time was so fast. The Lord was angry, but he had a righteous anger. Most of the time when we are angry is because we don't get our own way. We don't get our own will. We get angry. And so, King Shlomo says, Listen, don't be hasty. Don't rush to be angry. Because anger is that which will eventually stay in your heart and will harden your heart. Kaas in Hebrew. Don't have kaas. Don't have anger. And be hasty to have anger. I mean, there are so many verses that I have marked in order to be able to communicate on these various proverbs or councils of King Solomon.

I cannot give all of them in one session. But nevertheless, these are verses that can help us in our walk here with the Lord to learn to live a calm life here in this world that is filled with sadness and sorrow and sin. Therefore, we have to have God in our life to recognize Him, acknowledge Him, and He will help us. And notice, it says here in verse 10, You know thou what is the cause of the former days that were better than these days? For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. You know, many times we say, Oh, those were the good old days. We look back to another 10 years before and say, Wow, we had such a good time.

Today is not the same. But remember, today's days are going to be the former days in 5-10 years. And in 10 years from now, we're going to ask again, Wow, he says, I remember those days. And Shlomo says, you don't ask wisely because the former days of the past were past. Make good today with what you have today. Be content with such things as you have the writer to the Hebrews have said. How to make the best out of a bad situation. Wherever you are, whatever time you are, learn from this, King Shlomo is saying to the people of Israel. Then he continues now. In verses 11 and 12, he gives us the fifth instruction to Israel.

Understand that wisdom is even better than if you have all the riches here in this world. Wisdom is better than wealth. And so he says in verse 11, Wisdom is good with an inheritance, but by it there is profit to them that see the sun. In other words, what he's saying, A wise man, a wise woman will trust the Lord and make sure that their life will be so much an advantage when someone allow the Lord to direct them. And all other things are less than having the wisdom from the Lord in our life. Wisdom is good with an inheritance. You know how to organize yourself.

How to manage your life if you have wisdom. But it is far more powerful to have wisdom than even all the wealth that one may have here in this world. And so he says in verse 12, For wisdom is a defense and money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to them that have it. Let's pause here for a moment. Notice he says that wisdom is a defense and money is a defense. If a person is bright and wise, it becomes to him like a defense, a protection. If another person has plenty of money, it becomes to him a source of protection.

He can help himself, he can cover himself, he can do many, many things with that. And that's what Shlomo is saying. This is actually wisdom will protect you much more than all the money that you will have here in this world. And finally, for the message today, beloved brothers and sisters, in verses 13 and 14, the king of Israel is saying to Israel, that you are submitting to God's will in everything in your life. Just be subject to God's will. Whatever the Lord have allowed you to experience in your life, just take it from his hand. And notice I'm reading just those two verses for us for today.

In verses 13 and 14 of Ecclesiastes chapter 7, he says, "Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight which he, this is God, has made it crooked? In the day of prosperity, be joyful. And in the day of adversity, consider: God also has set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him." So he, in his advice that he gives to Israel, he says, "Look at the way things happen in our life. Look at the work of God." No one can change things that happen. Let's say there is some situation that happened, let's say an earthquake. God allowed to happen.

We cannot change it. And that's why he's saying, "Consider the work of God. Who can make straight which God has made crooked?" If something the Lord has allowed us to experience in our life, can we change it? Can we make it straight where God has allowed something to happen, or vice versa? Can we make crooked when God made something straight? We can't change it." He's saying to Israel, "Who can change it?" "Consider," he says, "God is the one that has allowed things to happen. He brings challenges to our life. He brings certain problems into our life. He brings joys and blessings into our life. We cannot change it." Again, remind me of the verses in Romans 8.

"For we know that all things work together for good." All things. Not all good things, but sometimes not so good things. But they work together for good. To them that love God. To them who are the called according to His purpose. He has a purpose in our life. He allows us to experience. And that's why he says, "Consider the work of God." Don't forget. Consider. Think about it. Why does the Lord have allowed this to happen? And Lord, help me to submit to what has happened to me in my life. In the day of prosperity, be joyful. Verse 14. Consider. "God also has set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him." You know, really, brothers and sisters, what Shlomo is saying?

We will never know. We can never exhaust God. If the heavens are higher than the earth, God said to Israel through Isaiah, "So, my thoughts are higher than your thoughts. My ways are higher than your ways." Just let God be God. Don't grumble. Don't murmur against him. Recognize the work of God. Take it from his head. He's speaking to Israel, speaking to us. So we will live our life, and as we began in our session here today, that we will make the best out of worse situation here in this world under the sun. And surely one day, when he's going to take us home, and we're going to have to meet the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, it would be so good that he can tell us, you are a good and faithful servant.

I have allowed you to go through trials. I have allowed you to go through problems. But you stayed put. You stayed close to me. You realize that everything is for my hand. Prosperity is for my hand. Adversity is for my hand. I have allowed you to experience. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not unto your own understanding. Shlomo said it elsewhere in the book of Proverbs. In all thy ways acknowledge him, acknowledge God, and he will direct thy path. Oh, how we need beloved brothers and sisters. This is not only for Israel of all our people. This is not for others. Only for you.

Every one of us can say, it is for me. It is for me. There is a song that we sometimes sing. It is me. It is me. Oh, Lord. Standing in the need of prayer. Not my brother. Not my sister. But it is me, oh Lord. Standing in the need of prayer. Each one of us can ask the Lord to help us. It is me. I need this for my life. Because I am often failing in a proper reaction to the plans and the purposes of the Lord in my life. May the Lord bless his word. Can we say amen? Amen.