Solomon – Page 7 – Be Still…

Ecclesiastes 4:1-6 – Oppression

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Are you feeling oppressed today? Oppression is defined by Oxford Languages as “prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control.” Solomon was observing such behaviors in his day, too. As king, you would think he could have some control over how his subjects were being treated. The powers of evil were clearly at work then, as well as now.

It’s not pleasant to endure hardship, whether it’s oppression or otherwise. To believe we’d be better off dead is a bit “dark” don’t you think? It helps to remember that Solomon had drifted away from God and was relying on the gods of his many wives late in life. For those living on their own, hardship and oppression must be unbearable.

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 – Justice for All

Read Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

There is a line in this passage that should be a wake-up call for many. It reads, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.” Granted, Solomon was lamenting over corrupt courts, among other things. But his statement rings with truth. Nobody is exempt from God’s justice. We don’t have to worry about all the injustices we see in this world because we know they ultimately don’t matter. God is going to take care of things.

I’ve noted before the tragedy Solomon faced because he didn’t know about the Messiah Jesus. He doesn’t have the hope for eternity we do that keeps us going when we see injustice and abuse of power all around us. We may still find it difficult to truly embrace how God’s power is always in control.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 – Enjoy Life

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God wants us to enjoy life, not trudge through each day just going through the motions. We often set unrealistic expectations on ourselves for what we can accomplish in a day and end up feeling like we failed. Here we’re told that God has given us the work we are to do. What is that work for you?

If we’re focusing on what God wants, and we already know that his timing is perfect, then our day should go exactly like it should. If we are enjoying the life God has given us, living it to please him, then we have accomplished something very great. There are plenty of people who don’t have this connection to God and are not feeling fulfilled.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – The Right Time

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Time is a precious commodity. Once we spend it, we can’t get it back. This passage suggests there is a right and wrong time for doing things. Was Solomon’s wisdom causing him to overthink again? For the most part, I think he’s “spot on.” The problem is, we may not always know what the “right” time is for doing these things.

Thankfully, God’s timing is always perfect. I’ve heard that my whole life, and I’m sure I’ve said it dozens of times to help someone patiently wait. As we read through Solomon’s list of time sensitive aspects of life, I found myself nodding my head in agreement, remembering those times in my own life.

Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 – Being Without Jesus

Read Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

We all die. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Does that give us the okay to live our lives in foolish ways? Solomon seemed to think so, not realizing that God watches how we live our lives. All the choices we make in life help shape the people we become.

Fools do walk in the dark. Or should I say those that walk in the dark are fools? What does it even mean to walk in the dark? We are in the dark when we don’t have the truth in our lives. If we’re groping around in the dark, how do we find the light switch? To find the light, we need to find Jesus who is the light.