Ecclesiastes
I've been attending a small group in Burbank, and it's been pretty much one of the greatest things in my life right now. We just finished studying Ecclesiastes which I realized has some real funny verses when you see them out of context (it helps if you read them aloud). So, I'm sharing with you some of my favorites...(each verse will be followed with my awesome commentary)
"...the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is." - Ecc 10:3
See? Even the bible calls people stupid. So, when I do it, it's not to offend people, it's to tell people they need to be more wise....hee hee
"...whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake." - Ecc 10:8
WHAT? Have you broken any walls recently? I haven't... but I don't think my fear would be snakes biting me. I know some of this is cultural... sure, but... was that really a saying in their time? "You know whatcha gotta watch out for when you demolish walls? SNAKES!!" (Actually this verse is a series of verses all about how sometimes you are trying to accomplish something and forget about the obvious consequences)
"...Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie." - Ecc 11:3
Really? Careful, too much of this might overload our senses...
And this one cracks me up.. cause out of context you can get the bible to say ANYTHING...
"A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything." Ecc 10:19
I actually want to write "ECC 10:19" on a huge board and bring it to baseball games and hold it up for everyone to see... Do you think I'd lead too many people astray?
Ok, but back to seriousness here. I actually really love this study on Ecclesiastes, cause it really has some good, wise stuff to dig through. Perfect brain food for someone like me. This verse had me thinking for days, and I think I fall into it far too often.
"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet weather he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of it's owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him." Ecc 5:10-14
It goes on for a bit on this path, but I love how it says, whoever has money will never have enough. It speaks deeply into the human condition. It strikes true in my heart, because I have been there. I have know what it is like to crave more money than I really know what to do with. I have known the depths of grievous evil under the sun. I hoarded to the harm of myself. But now that I have a chance to do it differently, how will I change?
"...the fool lacks sense and shows everyone how stupid he is." - Ecc 10:3
See? Even the bible calls people stupid. So, when I do it, it's not to offend people, it's to tell people they need to be more wise....hee hee
"...whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake." - Ecc 10:8
WHAT? Have you broken any walls recently? I haven't... but I don't think my fear would be snakes biting me. I know some of this is cultural... sure, but... was that really a saying in their time? "You know whatcha gotta watch out for when you demolish walls? SNAKES!!" (Actually this verse is a series of verses all about how sometimes you are trying to accomplish something and forget about the obvious consequences)
"...Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie." - Ecc 11:3
Really? Careful, too much of this might overload our senses...
And this one cracks me up.. cause out of context you can get the bible to say ANYTHING...
"A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything." Ecc 10:19
I actually want to write "ECC 10:19" on a huge board and bring it to baseball games and hold it up for everyone to see... Do you think I'd lead too many people astray?
Ok, but back to seriousness here. I actually really love this study on Ecclesiastes, cause it really has some good, wise stuff to dig through. Perfect brain food for someone like me. This verse had me thinking for days, and I think I fall into it far too often.
"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet weather he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of it's owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him." Ecc 5:10-14
It goes on for a bit on this path, but I love how it says, whoever has money will never have enough. It speaks deeply into the human condition. It strikes true in my heart, because I have been there. I have know what it is like to crave more money than I really know what to do with. I have known the depths of grievous evil under the sun. I hoarded to the harm of myself. But now that I have a chance to do it differently, how will I change?
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posted by Jonathan Bacon-Liu | 7:43 AM
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