Ecclesiastes 4:7-16

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Ecclesiastes 4:7,8

Then I looked again at vanity under the sun. There was a certain man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches and he never asked, And for whom am I laboring and depriving myself of pleasure? This too is vanity and it is a grievous task.


Very few movies do I ever enjoy watching even a second time. But one classic I have seen many times is Citizen Kane. Charles Foster Kane had wealth beyond compare but he died alone in his Xanadu uttering the words Rosebud. Reminding himself of the last time he was truly happy.

Solomon must have known a few Kanes himself. And here he describes the foolishness of amassing wealth. In order to make this even more of a fools task he eliminates the possibility of anyone saying he was amassing wealth for his heirs...he has none.

And yet he deprives himself of pleasure and labor for wealth.

In Matthew 6:21 Jesus said that a man's heart is where his treasure is. And this man's heart is in his bank account.

Solomon concludes that this is meaningless, pointless, empty, and a heavy task that is placed upon one's self for no purpose.

Solomon moves from the subject of success and wealth at any cost, a manner of live that leads to isolation and loneliness, to the subject of companionship.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12


THE VALUE OF COMPANIONSHIP.

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.


Solomon gives four rewards of companionship.
1. Companions can get more done: v 9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.

2. Companions know one another well enough to know each other's faults.

v 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

It is good to have those who know our faults and our weaknesses. They can help us through the times when we fall and when we fail.

It is strange that we so often become defensive when those close to us are critical of us. We think that because we fail that person suddenly does not like us.

But we are told in Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

It will be our companions, our friends, who know us and know our weaknesses that will be there with honesty and love and doctrine for us and will stick with us to the end.

3. Companionship provides warmth: v 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?

While there is an obvious physical side to this there is also an emotional side. The context is the rich who seek wealth over relationships. And the rich can always buy more blankets to keep warm.

The so often the person who has oppressed others in exchange for wealth, who has made success his idol will be isolated and alone. And when the problems come life alone will provide only more bitter cold.

We live basically in a very cold world. And the warmth of a friend who knows us is something we all need.

4. The fourth reward of companionship is strength: v 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

While this has an obvious physical side, I also see in this a spiritual side.

The one who would want to overpower us is Satan. But we can resist him even more when we stand in companionship, with other believers.

It will be our friends who will warn us, encourage us, help us shoulder the load when the load begins to wear us down. Two are stronger than one.

And that should be true of the local church. We are stronger because of relationships one with another.

THEN AN ANALOGY: A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

We have an interesting numerical change in the analogy. Up to this point it has always been two. But now it is three strands. Why not just two, why not more, four or five?

This analogy is showing how the relationship of two can be held together. What, or should we say WHO is the third strand?

It is GOD. In any relationship, marriage, friendship, business partnership, any relationship, it is God whose presence in the relationship will make it work, make it strong.

Ecclesiastes 4:13-16


LEADERSHIP AND POSITION.

The last four verses of this chapter relates a hypothetical situation and principle. But in doing so it also gives a prophecy. Let me read it to you . . .

A poor, yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction. For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom. I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him. There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.


Here we have two men, a poor wise lad and an old foolish king. The king is a fool because he no longer knows how to receive instruction.

The poor lad has come out of prison to become king. The idea of prison can also be the idea of exile. The poor lad who becomes king has all the people flock to him.

But then there are those who are dissatisfied with that king. So there is a cycle, kings come into power, they are popular, but then they fall into disfavor with the people...and on and on.

There are some definite principles Solomon is teaching.

1. Nothing is permanent

2. Popular leaders come and go

3. Popular acclaim does not last

4. Time and familiarity have a way of eroding popularity

5. Even at its highest levels, life is insecure

6. Even our highest dreams (to be a king) can turn out to be nightmares a part from God's plan

7.One cannot depend upon position, we can only depend upon the One ho gives these gifts. He will never fail.

While this story illustrates these principles, it also is predictive of what happened to Solomon's kingdom.

The following comments are from I Kings 11.

v 9 God was angry with Solomon

v 10 Reason for the anger

v 11 The chastisement that will come

v 26 Jeroboam, and Ephraimite, rebelled against Solomon

He was from the household of a servant, a poor man's son

v 29-37 The prediction of Ahijah the prophet

v 40 Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, so Jeroboam went into exile in Egypt (came out of prison)

Turn now to I Kings 12.

v 2-3 Jeroboam comes out of exile and the people flock to him.

v 15 Because of Rehoboam's foolish arrogance, Jeroboam ends up ruling over the northern tribes, Israel.

NOW HERE IS THE THING I WANT YOU TO SEE, Solomon knew before his death what his discipline was going to be.

He accepted it and even used it to teach us a principle back in Ecclesiastes 4...the glory of man is fleeting.

Can significance be found in positions of power? Or do the powerful face the same tests as all of us? Solomon tells how even kings have to deal with rejection.

Principles of rejection.
1. Your significance as a believer is not in other people nor is it in the person or persons rejecting you.

2. The fact that you are rejected does not change you

3. Rejection and the behavior of another person does not define our self worth, the Lord does that

4. Rejection is the problem of the person rejecting us not our problem. We do have to take rejection personally.

5. When we are rejected do not react to the rejection. Just move into greater dependency upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

WE CAN LEARN FROM REJECTION.

From Mark 6:1-6 and 7 and 11

v 1 And He went out from there, and He came into His home town; and His disciples followed Him.

v 2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?

v 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us? And they took offense at Him.

v 4 And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor except in his home town and among his own relatives and in his own household.

v 7 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs; and He was giving them authority over the unclean spirits

v 11 And any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake off the dust from the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.

Jesus used his rejection in Nazareth to prepare the ones he loved, his disciples, for the rejection they would face.

Solomon used the rejection he faced and even the prophecy of rejection of Jeroboam to teach us that even the mightiest of men, in high positions, face the test of rejection.

Principle: Our significance in life cannot be built upon our popularity or our acceptance or rejection by others.


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