The Book Of Ecclesiastes Pt. 22 All Work Is Vain If We Do Not Know God.

All work in in vain when we do not know God. 

Ecclesiastes 6:7  All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

Solomon continues to show us that trying to live your life without knowing God, is a poor quality of life indeed. 

This picture here is of a man who works hard every day in order to feed himself or to provide food for his family.

Food can give only a temporary satisfaction from hunger. We will need more food soon enough, and after eating a meal, we will need to eat once more. It is an endless cycle. 

Meats are for the belly and the belly for meats. The problem is that physical food has nothing for our mind and soul. Food offers nothing to nourish or enrich the soul. 

A little food will serve to sustain us comfortably for a short time.  Having a great deal of food cannot do more than this. 

Our natural desire for food still returns each day. A man may feast today and yet be hungry tomorrow. This shows us that our lust for worldly pleasures is insatiable.

God may give bread but send a leanness into the fools heart. 

Psalm 106:13-15  They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:14)  But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.15)  And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

Look what happened to the Hebrews as Jehovah led them with care, through the wilderness. They soon forgot His mighty works. They no longer sought His guidance by reading the scriptures and prayer. 

Instead, they spoke evil of Jehovah, questioning whether He could provide food and water for them in the desert places, even though He had done mighty works and fully supplied their needs. 

Jehovah granted their desires for more food, but notice what else happened. He sent a leanness into their soul. 

They despised the manna from God, and said it was unappealing bread. God gave them flesh as they desired, but gave no blessing with it. As a consequence of their lusts, they grew apart from Jehovah. 

Thus, there is a great spiritual cost when we pursue the things of the world, instead  of the things of God. 

A wise man and a fool have some things in common. 

Ecclesiastes 6:8  For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? 

They must both labor for the same end. Both depend upon the labor of themselves or others, for the necessities of life. 

Both must eat and drink in order to live; and a rich man cannot easily eat two meals at a time, any more than he can comfortably wear two changes of clothes. 

The necessities of life are the same for both, and their condition in life is nearly the same. A wise man and a fool are both subject to affliction, diseases, and death.

Better to thank God for His supply rather than to complain. 

Ecclesiastes 6:9  Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 

Better is the sight of the eyes of a man who makes the best of that which God provides, rather than wandering desires because he is dissatisfied with God's provision. 

A man who is always content is much happier, though he has very little. A dissatisfied man is always coveting more, though he has an abundance. 

Yet, eyes that do not behold the glories of God, miss out on the best things that God can give us: salvation through repentant faith in Jesus Christ.

A wise, poor man is better off than the fool.

Proverbs 19:1  Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool. 

A poor man who knows Jehovah and walks in His ways, is far better off than a fool who is never satisfied.

A fool's lust is never satisfied. 

Proverbs 30:15-16  The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: 16)  The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. 

In the Proverbs of Solomon, he tells us that the grave is never satisfied, for it wants more inhabitants. 

The barren womb is never satisfied, for it wants to yield children. 

The barren desert is not satisfied, for it always needs more water. 

A fire is not satisfied, for as long as it has oxygen, it needs more fuel to combust. 

Each of these illustrations are examples of a fool who does not know God, and is therefore, never satisfied with his life. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

May the words of the prophet Isaiah, bring great comfort to us. 

He alerts us the common fate shared by all people. All flesh is like the grass. It will grow, and then, wither and die. However. Jehovah's word shall stand forever, and we can look to the scriptures for hope and blessing. 

Jehovah promises that He will bless those who "Behold your God!" When the gospel is preached, Jesus Christ is lifted high for all to see, and people may behold God our Savior. 

He is the Great Shepherd who will lovingly care and provide for our needs. He will feed us, bring us to pure waters to drink deeply, and protect us from our enemies. He will gently lead us.

A wise man is one who knows and trusts God. 

A fool does not know or care about God. 

A wise man can be very satisfied with life because he knows the Father has provided for his needs. 

A fool complains and is always searching for satisfaction in something other than God.  

The scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). 

May all Christians reading this take comfort. May the Spirit of God help those who do not know the LORD, to see what they are missing in not having a living relationship with God.

May God be glorified by our lives.

Bob

Isaiah 40:6-11  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. 7)  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. 8)  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth. but the word of our God shall stand for ever. 9)  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! 10)  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 11)  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.