“To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
~ Ecclesiastes 2:26
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you think that having a lot of possessions would make you happy? Do you think that having a lot of money would make you happy? Do you think that being able to do whatever you feel like doing at any time would make you happy? What do you think makes a guy, gal or kid happy? How happy would you be if you did not have any toys? How happy would you be if you did not have a computer? How happy would you be if you did not get any gifts at Christmas or on your birthdays? Your grandpaa does not remember having toys when he was a kid. Your grandpaa did not have a computer when he was a kid. Your grandpaa remembers getting one gift at Christmas and no gifts on his birthdays. Do you think that your grandpaa was happy when he was a kid? When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa’s dad would take your grandpaa fishing and hunting with him. When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa’s dad would have your grandpaa do chores – such as feeding his dad’s cows ground oats, silage or hay, milking by hand his dad’s two Guernseys, feeding his dad’s calves skim milk and his dad’s pigs slop, hauling straw from the haystack in his dad’s manure spreader as bedding for his dad’s cows, cleaning out the gutter and the west and south rooms in his dad’s barn, disking and dragging the fields on his dad’s farm, herding his dad’s cows alongside the road and shocking bundles of oats that had been bundled by his dad’s binder. When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa’s dad was one of the guys who was behind the building of a Christian grade school in Volga, South Dakota where kids are able to go from first grade through eighth grade having Christian teachers. When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa’s dad was one of the guys who was behind the starting up of a softball league between the churches that are located in Volga so that kids – like your grandpaa, and guys could play softball in a league. When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa had very few possessions. When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa’s dad would give your grandpaa ten cents for each full load of manure that he loaded in the manure spreader. When your grandpaa was a kid, your grandpaa did not have the opportunities to do a lot of things or go to a lot of places. Your grandpaa sometimes wishes that he had lived when his dad’s dad was a kid.
The Ecclesiastes Teacher had lots of possessions. The Ecclesiastes Teacher was probably one of the richest guys who has ever lived on planet Earth. The Ecclesiastes Teacher could do whatever he wanted to do at any time. The Ecclesiastes Teacher probably was Solomon. The Ecclesiastes Book author very possibly was also Solomon. Solomon lived nearly 3000 years ago. Solomon was wiser than any other guy around. Solomon more than likely had everything that any guy, gal or kid would ever want to have. Solomon probably could do anything that any guy, gal or kid would ever want to do. Solomon took on big personal projects. Solomon had splendid houses built for him. Solomon had large vineyards planted for him. Solomon had gardens and beautiful parks made for him. Solomon had his gardens and beautiful parks filled with all kinds of fruit trees and flowers. Solomon had reservoirs designed and built to hold large quantities of water to water his beautiful parks and gardens of fruit trees and flowers. Solomon had as many guy and gal slaves as he wanted to have. Solomon owned more cattle and sheep than any other guy around. Solomon amassed more gold and silver than any other guy around. Solomon had a choir of guy and gal singers. Solomon filled his life with all kinds of pleasurable, enjoyable, fun life activities. Solomon became the greatest guy who would ever live in the city of Jerusalem.
Ecclesiastes 2 has Solomon bemoaning his life. Even though Solomon had everything, Solomon knew that he really had nothing. Solomon knew that what he had he could not take with him when he died. Solomon knew that he had squandered his life pursuing possessions, money and greatness. No matter what he did or what he got, Solomon did not feel happy. Solomon tried to make himself feel happy by getting himself drunk with wine. Solomon – the Ecclesiastes Teacher, woke up one morning realizing that all the things that he had and all the things that he had done were all meaningless. Solomon – the Ecclesiastes Teacher, woke up one morning realizing that he hated life. Solomon – the Ecclesiastes Teacher, woke up one morning realizing that he had been doing everything for himself instead of for God. Verse 26 says, “To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Solomon – the Ecclesiastes Teacher, sounds like to your grandpaa is really kicking himself for having spent all his time and energy living a life that had no meaning to it. It sounds like to your grandpaa that Solomon – the Ecclesiastes Teacher, woke up one morning with the realization that the only source of real meaning and pleasure for his life could only come from God. Where are you looking for real meaning and pleasure in your lives. Are you acknowledging and revering God so that you can have real meaning and pleasure in your lives? Do you know what you would have to do to have real meaning and pleasure in your lives? Would you be willing to give away all your toys? Would you be willing to not have a computer in your house? Would you be willing to stay home and be content with what you have? Your grandpaa would never want to have it any different than how it was when he grew up as a kid. Being a missionary with your grandmaa has given real meaning and pleasure to your grandpaa’s life which he is very thankful to God for Him having this happen to your grandpaa.
Ecclesiastes 2 (438)