Lesson 6 What Attitudes Should We Embrace? Ecclesiastes 4:4-5:7
NIV I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 5The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. 6Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. 7Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:8There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. "For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?" This too is meaningless— a miserable business! 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Advancement Is Meaningless 13Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. 14The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king's successor. 16There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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The Message I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind. 5 The fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide. 6 One handful of peaceful repose Is better than two fistfuls of worried work— More spitting into the wind. 7-8 I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, "Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?" More smoke. A bad business. 9-10 It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough! 11 Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night. 12 By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A threestranded rope isn't easily snapped. 13-16 A poor youngster with some wisdom is better off than an old but foolish king who doesn't know which end is up. I saw a youth just like this start with nothing and go from rags to riches, and I saw everyone rally to the rule of this young successor to the king. Even so, the excitement died quickly, the throngs of people soon lost interest. Can't you see it's only smoke? And spitting into the wind?
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KJV I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. 5The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. 6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. 7Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. 8There 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? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. 9Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For 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. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. 13Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. 14For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. 15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. 16There 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.
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Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. 2 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 3 As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.
Watch your step when you enter God's house. Enter to learn. That's far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, Doing more harm than good. 2 Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better. 3 Overwork makes for restless sleep. Overtalk shows you up as a fool. 4-5 When you tell God you'll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. 6 Don't let your mouth make a total sinner of you. When called to account, you won't get by with "Sorry, I didn't mean it." Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? 7 But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk There's always this rock foundation: Fear God!
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
Lesson 6 What Attitudes Should We Embrace? Ecclesiastes 4:4-5:7
Purpose: To highlight a variety of negative and positive attitudes from which we can examine ourselves. "The church is full of hypocrites!" Christians often hear this from those outside the church. We like to respond by saying, "Yes, but if you think they're bad now, you should have seen them before God got hold of them!" One way or another, when it comes to how faith should change a person's life, expectations are high. And rightly so. We become like those we live around, and if that includes the Lord, then we will see our lives begin to reflect his. In this passage the Teacher explores some everyday values and attitudes that a relationship with God should influence. Eccles. 4-5:7 includes further observations the Teacher makes of people living on their own terms. Ironically, the Teacher is not talking to intellectual atheists (as Eccles. 5:1-7 makes clear), but to religious people who are practical atheists. Whatever the short-term benefits of living the way one may deem best, it is better—and here is the key word (Eccles. 4:9, 13; Eccles. 5:5)—to live life based on God's values. 1. If you could remove one negative attitude that you struggle with, which one would it be?
Questions 2-4. Eccles. 4:4 describes one possible motive behind workaholic tendencies; namely, the craving to outshine or at least not to be outshone. There are, of course, other reasons behind overworking. Eccles. 4:8 raises the question that should haunt all of us who have workaholic tendencies, no matter what the motive. 2. What are the negative consequences of the two extreme attitudes described in Eccles. 4:4-5?
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I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind. fool sits back and takes it easy, His sloth is slow suicide. 6 One handful of peaceful repose Is better than two fistfuls of worried work— More spitting into the wind.
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3. What irony concerning the workaholic's efforts is spoken about in Eccles. 4:7-8?
I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, "Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?" More smoke. A bad business.
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4. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being lazy and 10 being a workaholic), how would you rate yourself? Explain. How could the balance envisioned in Eccles. 4:6 help you? 5. What are the benefits of partnership (Eccles. 4:9-12)? Questions 6-7. The term interdependence provides a balance between unhealthy dependence and individualistic independence. Most of us living in the affluent West, however, will probably need to examine our independent tendencies most carefully.
. 9-10 It's better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough! 11 Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night. 12 By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.
6. Why is such an attitude critical in the Christian community? 7. In terms of your need for other people, are you primarily a dependent or independent person? Explain. How does the Teacher's wisdom challenge you toward growth in interdependence with others? Question 8. Eccles. 4:13-16 portrays the short-lived acclaim of success. The old king should have the advantage of age but instead foolishly disregards advice. Then there is the poor but wise youth who startles everyone by his astounding climb to the top. But in reaching the top, the youth ironically finds the same disrespect accorded to his predecessor.
8. Eccles. 4:13-16 outlines a "rags to riches" story. What, however, is the ironic twist to its ending?
A poor youngster with some wisdom is better off than an old but foolish king who doesn't know which end is up. I saw a youth just like this start with nothing and go from rags to riches, and I saw everyone rally to the rule of this young successor to the king. Even so, the excitement died quickly, the throngs of people soon lost interest. Can't you see it's only smoke? And spitting into the wind?
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9. What examples in your experience illustrate the insecure nature of achieving prestige and power?
Question 10. Religion becomes meaningless unless it is a heartfelt experience. Eccles. 5:1-7 provides instruction for worshipping God with respect. A vow (Eccles. 5:4-5) in ancient Israel amounted to a promise to God. A broad definition would include living out our commitment to Christ as Lord of our lives.
10. Contrast the two approaches to God described in Eccles. 5:1-7. 1 Watch your step when you enter God's house. Enter to learn. That's far better than 2 mindlessly offering a sacrifice, Doing more harm than good. Don't shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think. Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants 3 to hear. God's in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better. Overwork makes 4-5 for restless sleep. Overtalk shows you up as a fool. When you tell God you'll do something, do it—now. God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble. Vow it, then do it. Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up. 6 Don't let your mouth make a total sinner of you. When called to account, you won't get by with "Sorry, I didn't mean it." Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation? 7 But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk There's always this rock foundation: Fear God! 11. In Eccles. 5:7 the Teacher exhorts his readers to "stand in awe of God." In what ways are you guilty of taking God too lightly?
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But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk There's always this rock foundation: Fear God! 12. We have thus far run across five negative attitudes—laziness, workaholism, unhealthy independence, foolish ambition and a lack of respect for God. What could you do to see a positive attitude change in one of these areas of your own life?