Introduction: Once again, we enter into the personal confessions of a man who had taken his flight to regions beyond the will of God. Thus far, Solomon has revealed that a life, without God, is vanity. Oh, how reversed we have it today. We have come to believe that a life, without things, is empty. Yet, King Solomon had every "thing" a man could want, yet his life was empty.
It seems that Solomon had everything that could make a man happy: wealth, power, and women. This is what men want today. Men want more money, more influence, and companionship, whether it be right or wrong. At this time,
- No man was wealthier.
- No man was more influential.
- No man had more female companions.
He boasted, "And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour." (Ecclesiastes 2:10)
He boasted again, "For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?" (Ecclesiastes 2:25)
Others even boasted and were astonished at what Solomon possessed. The queen of Sheba noted, "And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom." (1 Kings 10:1-8)
Yet, to Solomon, all of life was emptiness, "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) This is no way for a child of God to live.
All the "things" this life can and do offer, can be no more than cover-ups for what is really lacking in a person's life. In chapter 6, we find Solomon describing three cover-ups that he found to be void of joy.
1. Fortune does not bring joy. - Ecclesiastes 6:1-2
"There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease."
- Even with their possessions, Solomon observes that most wealthy people are still unhappy. But you would never know it, because riches give the impression of happiness and contentment.
- Paul warns young Timothy of the false security riches bring, "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." (1 Timothy 6:17)
- Being rich in this world is totally different from being rich towards God. Nothing is more uncertain than worldly wealth.
- Those, who are rich, must see that God gives them their riches; and He only can give to enjoy them richly. Many have riches but do not enjoy them.
- Those, who promote reason above faith, are in danger of leaving faith behind.
- The happiest people in the world are those who have what they need and need what they have.
- As stated in an earlier study, the more possessions a man has, the more possessions a man will desire.
- Solomon wisely observes that a rich man cannot take his wealth with him at death. He will leave his riches to others.
2. Family does not bring joy. - Ecclesiastes 6:3-5
"If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other."
- Solomon also wrote of family in Psalm 127:3-5, "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."
- A man with a quiver full of children can be happy...or empty. Solomon knew both sides of that coin.
- A life, filled with children and the sweet blessing of family, is still empty when a man is away from the Lord.* He may fill his life with family vacations.
* He may fill his life with family activities.
* He may fill his life with family outings.
* He may fill his life with buying things for his family.
* He may fill his life with providing for the future of his family.- Not even family can keep a man encouraged who is far from the Lord.
- He can sign his son up for Little League, Community Wrestling, and bowling tournaments. He can take his family skiing on every lake or on every slope in Colorado. He can plan all the "family" activities he cares to, but nothing will fill the empty place in his life but the One he shoved out of the way in order to make room for his family.
- Many years ago, a man came to his pastor and said, "God called me to preach." The pastor said to him, "Okay, surrender." To which the man replied, "I can't. I have a baby to feed. I have a wife to feed." The pastor firmly said, "Surrender! God will take care of you and your family." The man replied, "I can't afford it. Who will feed the child?" His pastor said, "God will feed the child." And the man said, "I can't do it." One night, he came home to find that the child had a high fever. The baby did not live through the night. The pastor stood with that family beside the casket that held the lifeless form of that little child, and the father said, "I do not have a child to feed now. I guess I can surrender to Him now."
- Sadly, this illustration has been repeated many times. There are many Christians who refuse to do the will of God and keep suffering loss, yet they keep saying "no." This is just a simple reminder that the good Lord can remove that which keeps you from doing the will of God.
3. Fullness of years does not bring joy. - Ecclesiastes 6:6-12
"Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?"
- A long life is not always a happy and fulfilling life. Solomon lived a long life, and part of those years was spent away from the Lord.
- One day in the will of God is better than a thousand out of the will of God.* A temporary fling with the world can bring temporal happiness. There are "pleasures of sin," and they do last a season. However, seasons end, and so does happiness.
* Joy is not brought on by what you possess, rather, it is brought on by Who possesses you and the reins of your life.- What joy is there, for the child of God, who lives a long life away from the Lord? At the end of his life, he only has the possessions that robbed him of the joy of the Lord.
- If a man could live to see his 2000th birthday, he would never have joy if he choose to live beyond the will of God.
Conclusion: Success is finding the will of God and doing it. Success is not found in fortune, family, or in the fullness of years; it is found in the knowing and doing of the will of God.