SERIES- BEEN THERE- DONE THAT- NOW WHAT? LIFE AT THE TOP CAN BE LONELY ECCLESIASTES 4 In chapter 3 Solomon took a look all directions trying to figure out life. He Looked Up and Realized God is in Charge of Time. He Looked Within and Realized Eternity is in our Heart. Then he Looked Ahead and saw Death is Coming for All. He seemed to look in every direction hoping to find true happiness; yet he only found more emptiness! In Chapter 4 of Ecclesiastes, Solomon picks up his pen and begins to write about a subject that many in our world battle with daily. It s the subject of loneliness. In 1949 Hank Williams wrote a song called I m So Lonesome I Could Cry. Have you ever experienced loneliness? Loneliness is a real problem in our society. One survey reported that the loneliest group in America is college students. Next on the list are divorced people, welfare recipients, single mothers, rural students, housewives, and the elderly. (A study by the American Council of Life Insurance) ILL- To point out how lonely people can be, an ad was put in a Kansas newspaper. It read, I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5. It wasn t long before this individual was receiving 10 to 20 calls a day. The PAIN of loneliness was SO SHARP that some were willing to TRY ANYTHING for a half hour of companionship. In chapter 4 it appears that Solomon has ventured outside the palace. The writing suggest he made visits to 3 places. He first stops by the Court Yard. Then he goes by the Work Yard. Finally he observes the School Yard. Let s look at: I. THE COURT YARD THAT TROUBLED HIM In verses 1-3, Solomon went into a courtroom to watch a trial. And here is what he saw: A. LIFE IS UNJUST! He saw innocent people being oppressed by power-hungry officials. Verse 1 So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. Notice Solomon says, BEHOLD the TEARS! Solomon saw innocent people weeping, and yet their tears had no impact. Then Solomon repeats a phrase twice they had no comforter they had no comforter What a sad statement. How many people are hurting all around us because they have no comforter. Someone said the SADDEST LIFE is a life that has NO COMFORTER!
No one to pick you up when your down hurting discouraged! No one to comfort you when your hearts been broken! Oh how many times I have fallen on my knees and cried to the Lord and the sweet presence of God filled my soul as to say It will be alright! ILL- For 46 days, my granddad lay helpless in the hospital. Yet 45 of those days, my dad has been right beside his bedside. Why because he wanted to comfort him Do you know the Comforter? The one Jesus promised to send? B. LIFE IS UNFAIR In verse 1, Solomon witnessed 3 tragedies. He saw oppression, in the halls of justice; he saw pain and sorrow in the lives of innocent people; he saw unconcern on the part of those who could ve brought comfort. Verses 2-3, Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. (Solomon is fed up with life s unfairness just not right) Solomon is saying, IF LIFE is going to be UNJUST, and UNFAIR, then it is BETTER OFF TO BE DEAD! II. THE WORK YARD THAT BAFFLED HIM Solomon shifts his view from the court yard to the work yard. Perhaps Solomon is walking by the Temple under construction and sees all the workers hurrying around! What did he see? He saw a foolish rivalry! ILL- One survey showed that: Almost nine out of ten office workers suffer from professional envy of colleagues they perceive to have more glamorous or better paid jobs. (PersonnelToday.com) A. THE MEN THAT HE SAW He saw 4 different kinds of men. 1- First, HE SAW THE COMPETITIVE MAN- Verse 4, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. Here is a man that is working hard. He s doing a good job. He s doing every right work. That means he s doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing! The only problem is somebody is watching him with a jealous eye! They re envious of the good work he is doing because it shows the lack of work they re doing! Ever heard the phrase dog eat dog! 2- Next, HE SAW THE COMPLACENT MAN- Verse 5- Solomon describes him as a fool who foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Solomon sees one man who is a go-getter and another man who is a timewaster! Are you a go-getter or a time waster? My pastor, Dr Martin, taught me if a job was worth doing it was worth doing right the first time! Ecclesiastes 9:10 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 3- HE SAW THE CONSUMED MAN- Vs. 7-8 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? Look at this man. He s all alone, he has no friends, no family and it seems he doesn t want anybody around! He was consumed with his own work, his own wealth and his own way. 4- Finally, HE SAW THE CONTENTED MAN- Vs. 6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. (Do you hear what God is saying? It s BETTER to have one handful of money and have peace and joy; than two hands full of money with nothing but turmoil!) The competitive man thinks that money will bring him peace, but he has no time to enjoy it. The complacent man thinks that doing nothing will bring him peace, but his laziness only destroys him. The consumed man thinks that solitude will bring him peace, but he has no family, or friends with which to share. The contented man enjoys both his labor and the fruit of his labors; and, thus, balances work and rest. B. THE MESSAGE THAT HE SHARED Solomon says, in verse 4, This is also VANITY and Vexation of spirit. III. THE SCHOOL YARD THAT TAUGHT HIM Perhaps now Solomon is passing by the school yard and sees children playing! Inevitably he sees Leaders- Followers & Loners! What did he learn in the school yard? A. HE LEARNED THE ADVANTAGE OF FRIENDS Look at verse 9, He says that Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. ILL- Even the Lone-Ranger had Tonto! Don t be a Lone-Ranger Why? Because the Bible says Two are better than one!
He gives 4 examples of the advantage of having a friend. 1 st -He proves that two are better than one in terms of WORKING. You ever did a job by yourself? It s a whole lot easier with two! When two people work together, Solomon says, in verse 9, they have a good reward for their labour. 2 nd - He proves that two are better than one in terms of WALKING.. Verse 10, For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 3 rd - He proves that two are better than one in terms of WARMING. Verse 11, Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? (That speaks for itself Amen Men?) 4 TH - he proves that two are better than one in terms of WATCHING. Verse 12, And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Do you see the progression? He started with one, in verse 8; moves to two, in verse 9; and, ends us with three, in verse 12. While one cord could be easily broken, two cords would require more effort; however, three cords woven together would be almost impossible to break. Solomon seems to say that one friend is a treasure, but two, or three, friends are a treasure house. In other words, while we all need people, we especially need good people to surround us. We don t need people who will bring us down, but we do need people who will lift us up. Finally, he describes: B. HE LEARNED THE DISADVANTAGE OF FOOLS- In verses 13-14, Solomon tells a most interesting story. Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. Here was an old king who was born rich, but became poor. However, here was also a young man who was born poor, but became rich. The young man was in prison, but he got out and took the throne. The king was imprisoned and lost his throne. Solomon seems to pose the question, Would you prefer to be a poor and wise child, or an old and foolish king? I believe that his conclusion, in verses 15-16, answers that question. [15] I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. [16] There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Conclusion- Are you consumed with Riches or Relationships? Are you trusting in GOLD or GOD? Billy Graham said the most dangerous love affair is a love for money! Gold will only leave you lonely! GOD will give you life and contentment! The only way to have a relationship with Almighty God is through trusting His Son Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior! Winning the Super Bowl is the dream of every NFL player. It isn t the money they make; it isn t he Vince Lombardi trophy; but, it s the fame, and notoriety that comes from being the greatest professional football team in the world. One of the most coveted prizes in the world of sports is the Super Bowl ring, which every player from the winning team receives. But, history has proven that even that Super Bowl ring doesn t last. Charlie Waters of the Dallas Cowboys won 5 Super Bowl rings, but all were stolen from the closet in his home. Joe Gilliam won 2 Super Bowl rings as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he later pawned them for a few dollars after being caught in a vicious cycle of drug addiction and homelessness. The Dallas Cowboy s prestigious linebacker, Thomas Hollywood Henderson had his Super Bowl XII ring seized to pay back taxes. Former Raiders All-Pro cornerback Lester Hayes sold his ring to pay for dental work. Mercury Morris, of the Miami Dolphins, sold his ring to raise money to clear his name from a drug-trafficking case. And former Steeler great, Rocky Blier, sold his 4 Super Bowl rings to cover divorce and bankruptcy proceedings. It turns out that a Super Bowl ring, symbolic of months and years of hard work, crowned by a season at the top, is as fleeting as the glory it supposedly stands for. As Houston sportswriter, Steve Campbell puts it, One of the dirty secrets about the Super Bowl is that the winner s high often has less of a shelf-life than a container of cottage cheese. Solomon puts things in perspective by reminding us that while it s good to have the things that money can buy, it s not worth forfeiting the things money cannot buy. What good would it be to a man if he gained the whole world, yet lost his own soul? Someone could have fame and yet still be lonely. However, if a person knows the Father they will never be lonely. Someone could all of the prestige, possessions, position and prominence their heart desired and still be lonely; however, there is a Person who will never leave them lonely. Someone could trust in gold and they would still be lonely; but, if a person trusts in God, they will never be lonely. He is the only One who will never leave, or forsake us.
Notes: Illustrations from David Jeremiah s book Searching for Heaven on Earth Special thanks to Steve Wagers for his sermon notes.