Monday Night Bible Study

In this chapter, we have more ideas that run contrary to the natural values of man. We should remember that Ecclesiastes is a book of wisdom using hyperbole to express profound ideals. The primary focus of the ideals is that improving the spirit through service to God is infinitely more valuable than working to improve the state of our brief physical lives. Keeping this in mind will help us as well look at the ideas presented in chapter 7:

vs. 2-8

• Day of death > Day of birth
• Mourning > Feasting
• Sorrow > Laughter
• The wise choose mourning
• Fools seek pleasure
• Rebuke of the wise > Song of fools
• The end > The beginning

The main takeaway from these ideas is that there are certain activities in life that bring us closer to God. Our life will be better if we build wisdom upon these; think of them as foundational ideals. Our lives will be enriched and we will be better served to pursue spiritual endeavors over the physical.  The pursuit of pleasure has the long-lasting effect of causing us to drift apart from God.

Here are some additional ideas found in verses 11-12 are  are more familiar, ideas which have established Biblical precedents:

vs. 11-12

• Patience > Pride
• Knowledge used properly is wisdom, which benefits a man
• Money used in the right way is protection
• Do not live in the past

Verses 13 and 14 give us some very practical ideas to keep in mind as we pursue wisdom. Who else besides God is the author of righteousness and can also fix what mankind ruins? It is an impossibility for us to create spiritual conditions of success; only God can do this. Mankind has tried and continues to try and live without God and to live on man’s terms, but the efforts consistently fail. If it was up to man, pleasure and happiness would be the goal of life, but in this section we understand that both the good and the bad make up the entirety of life. By thinking outside of ourselves and our normal mode, we can see the facts of existence in which we live, we can better handle the challenges of life, and our wisdom to live in the present excels along with our ability to prepare for eternity. This is the gift of Ecclesiastes. It gives us the foundations of wisdom upon which we can build. It is reasonably safe to assume that mankind would never come up with the ideas expressed in this book on his own because they run contrary to our nature. But the ideas themselves are truth and God asks us to transcend our natural state as we endeavor to meet Him on His terms.

Verses 15-22 include reasons to pursue moderation in life. It is once again important to remember our station; realize our limitations and prosper within them, not try to exceed our boundaries only to look foolish. This is not a suggestion to not work hard and improve yourself, but is rather an admonition to not foolishly pursue the unattainable. This section goes on to describe how we are all imperfect. We should not put too much stock into the things we overhear that people say about us. In all likelihood, we have said unkind things about other people as well.

Can we live a life before God without attempting to understand and even live by these ideas? Yes, I believe we can. However, if we want to have a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God as well as a more satisfying existence, keeping these ideals in mind will get us there: “Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.” (v. 19)

That is why when Solomon describes his life as meaningless, we can grasp his meaning even though it sounds absurd. Is life meaningless? Well, no. We find abundant meaning and satisfaction in our relationships and our various pursuits. Pleasure, too, can be a welcome respite from our work. But in the wide view of eternity, our earthly lives are meaningless; the only meaningful endeavor we have in this flesh is serving God.

Concluding this chapter is verses 23-29. Solomon has laid hold of the ideals described in this chapter and has reached some conclusions. He resolved to pursue wisdom and become wise, but he was unable to do so because the greatest wisdom was beyond his reach. He found that there is a consequence for the fool that is made up of an evil woman. He also found that endlessly seeking and searching for meaning is folly because there is no absolute righteousness to be had on the earth in either man or woman. Rather, it is wisdom that should be sought. The detail about not finding a virtuous woman for Solomon is understandable considering of some of the choices that he made with his life. We know from the Bible that Solomon loved many foreign women (I Kings 11:1). The character of woman that would have been predisposed to this kind of life does not lend itself to a good character. Knowing this, it does not mean that a man cannot find a virtuous woman (Proverbs 31:10-31).

God created us for perfection, but we instead sinned in the garden and God has had to make allowances for our return to Him: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Tonight I urge you to understand and accept the profound statements of wisdom found in this chapter, and to build your own house of wisdom in your heart that will sustain your spirit and make you a more acceptable sacrifice before the true and living God.

Tonight we will read and study the sixth chapter of Ecclesiastes. It is conveniently split into two sections as we read. The first section is concerned with the concept of wealth, riches, and how man is best served to relate to these blessings. The second section is presented poetically, explaining the worth of a man (i.e., a person) and how our perspective must be properly managed so that we can minimize the vanity in our lives.

Verses 1-6: The Rich and the Stillborn

When God blesses a man with wealth and honor, yet it is consumed by someone else, this is vanity. The main idea here is familiar by now in this book: prosperity without the right context of enjoyment is useless. Why work and work and work if you are unable to enjoy the fruits of your labor? Other necessary ingredients to rightfully enjoying God’s blessings are having and expressing gratitude, not being wasteful, and sharing our blessings with others, particularly those that can stand to benefit most from our abundance.

The second way this idea is expressed in verses 3-6 is dramatic. The image of a stillborn child is described and presented as preferable to the man that cannot properly enjoy his blessings. It is difficult to conjure up an image that is more sad than that of a child that is born dead. Within our value system, the wealthy man with many blessings is oftentimes the goal. To compare the wealthy man with a stillborn child is one thing, but then to say that the stillborn child had a preferable existence seems absurd. But, we should not let our tendencies blind us to the wisdom in this passage. Remember, the context of Ecclesiastes is eternal, and there is profound wisdom behind this comparison, even if it does seem absurd.

In the eventuality of judgment day, all we have to be judged by and all we bring before God is how we have obeyed Him and what we have done for Him while we were alive. A man, working endlessly yet not enjoying the blessings that result from his work, has no opportunity to thank God for the fruits of his work. His existence is hollow and his perspective is warped because he does not understand why he is working. In the end, his efforts are meaningless because they contributed to nothing for himself; because of the futility and vanity of these efforts, they are worth less than the life of a stillborn child, for even the stillborn child enjoyed peace, while the man did not. The man did not understand rest or goodness. But the stillborn child at least had rest.

The main idea is to live with the proper context spiritually, enjoying God’s blessings and sharing with others. If we work and work and work for nothing, it can be endless and there is no room for us to consider God within the context of such a life.

Verses 7-12: Working for What?

Even though we work to sustain our bodies and our lives, this work cannot satisfy our souls. The eternity in our hearts still seeks God. Despite our efforts to satisfy our soul with things of and on the earth, it cannot be done. Our flesh keeps us earthbound, but our spirits can be filled by seeking and obeying the living God. Only God can provide respite from the toil, pain and endlessness that life on earth offers.

As we read the fifth chapter of this marvelous book, remember the themes of Ecclesiastes: Vanity and the only worthwhile endeavor of serving God. Chapter 5 explores and elaborates on the ideas of a quick temper, the words we speak and how we ought to approach the idea of labor. Each of these ideas is discussed in light of the idea that all earthly efforts are vain and all godly efforts bear fruit.

Verses 1-7

Fools do not know that they do evil. This enlightening phrase clues us in on the fact that ignorance of a law, rule, or precept is not an excuse for having committed the trespass. Our conscience, formed as the result of our knowledge of what is right and wrong, should guide us to make the right decisions. But if we are unaware of the God-given directions on how to live, our conscience will let us down and our decisions will be poor. It is better to be wise (like Solomon), and educate ourselves on the Word of God so that we do not commit sin unknowingly.

A warning against impulsive speech follows. A person can easily misspeak in haste and regret for years the things they have uttered which hurt someone or committed them to something that they cannot achieve. The greater context here, however, is that of making a vow. We should not let our passions supersede our judgment when we are making a commitment, because, as the text says, “For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.” The implication is that we cannot be sure of what will happen in the future that will prevent us from keeping a vow. Surely, we feel strongly about something and we want to seal it by swearing or by making a vow, but this passage suggests that it is better and wiser for us to realize our limits and hold our tongue. This does not mean that we should not hold true to a strong promise and keep our word, but the conclusion to arrive at is to realize that we are mere men and women on earth; our power and wisdom are little, and our speech should reflect that. If we swear or vow and break that vow, our mouth is causing our flesh to sin; this is what the passage warns against specifically.

Verses 8-20

Verse 8 might seem troublesome to comprehend at first, but if you look at it in the light of Solomon (inspired by God) explaining to us the workings of everyday life, it gets a little easier. When we see oppression in the world, this passage is asking us to not be outraged at the oppression, but rather to view it in its proper context. Is the “oppression” you see truly oppression, or is it a functioning piece of a larger machine? It could be that those hard workers labor for a greater good which serves the needs of many.

The benefits of this work are discussed starting in verse 10. If we work for silver and obtain much silver, can we eat it? No, of course not. More is needed in life than just the “valuable” things that we work for. Also, if I already have more things than I need, what good will it do me to gain even more? None! The “profit” to be had is only vanity, only for the owner to see it with their eyes. There is no real lasting value.

Adversely, the rich man with abundance cannot properly rest due to worry over his belongings, but the working man sleeps sweetly, resting from his toil and is not held down by the abundance of his possessions.

Verses 13-15 talk about the horrible end result of riches that are kept despite the fact that it hurts to keep them. If we obtain riches through dishonest ways, or hold onto riches even though it is dangerous or unwise to do so, the end result will not be worth the effort it took to procure the wealth. It is vain because, again, we were born with nothing and we take nothing with us when we die. The image of a newborn baby with empty hands is a fantastic illustration to bring this point home.

In this case, why should we labor for wealth, riches, and gold and silver and cars and houses and clothes and electronics that we cannot take with us and that will all ultimately perish? The car breaks down and rusts, the smartphone becomes obsolete, the clothes get stained and our physical body wastes away. What is the point of it all?

Solomon (inspired by God) tells us that it is good to work and enjoy the things that we receive. For the wealthy, they are given the gift of abundance from God and should rejoice in it as a gift, enjoying it appropriately, not as if it is an infinite resource that they deserve. No, the rich wise man knows from where his blessings came and He enjoys and shares them in the right spirit.

If we receive and enjoy our “vain” blessings appropriately, God will put joy in our hearts. One might say that we can have our cake and eat it too. Meaning, we can enjoy material and spiritual blessings alike, as long as we do it in the proper context.

As we delve into the fourth chapter of Ecclesiastes tonight, remember that one of the main themes of Ecclesiastes is the vanity of life on earth. The wisdom of this book can often come across as hopeless or fatalist, but at its heart, it is always pointing us to the great worth to be attained through a life serving God. Remember the phrase “under the sun.” Each time we read this phrase, it should be framed in our minds as anything that can occur (effort, work, play, pleasure) on earth. It is meant to stand in contrast to those spiritual activities (prayer, worship, obedience, righteousness) that will avail us of eternal rewards.

Chapter 4 can be divided into four small and tidy sections, each with its own valuable lesson.

Verses 1-3: Better Dead than Oppressed

Why would there be such a proclamation in the Word of God? Remember our frame….the words in these verses lament the lives of the oppressed and the living. The oppressed have no comforter (for now) and no power. Because of this, they lead a miserable existence. Those who have died are better off than the living because they are no longer living in the vain toil of life under the sun.

If we remember the concept of hyperbole, we will not get lost in the hopelessness of this discourse. Yes, Solomon is saying that it would be better to have never existed than to live oppressed on the earth. But he is not saying that to not exist is better than living for God. On the contrary, the implication of these seemingly hopeless statements is that a life lived without God, only with and for those things we find on the earth, is meaningless. As a reminder by way of concluding the idea, here are the last two verses of Ecclesiastes: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. for God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

So we must remember that as we live for Almighty God, we must take care to obey his every command.

Verses 4-8: Contentment is the Goal

People are living unfulfilled lives because they are seeking fulfillment and happiness on earth. The work that we do can bring us money, esteem, power and influence, but it is always wasting away and diminishing, every last bit of it. Remember back to a time when you had great abundance. Is it still with you? Where is it now? Why should we work for great things on this earth when it will always vanish and deteriorate as we spend and live? Rather the wisdom of this verse offers up the alternative that we ought to work well enough to be content, and that will satisfy our hearts sufficiently until our time on earth is done.

Especially hopeless is the case of the one who works for great riches all alone. Not only does he not labor for that which has no everlasting value, but he also has no one with which to share it.

Verses 9-12: Three is Better Than Two is Better Than One

The value of a true friend is invaluable. They help, they support, they advise and perhaps most important of all, they provide companionship. A true friend will be there to assist you in every way, and even more valuable is the strength to be found in a bond of three. May each of us find the blessing of invaluable friendships. We can and should seek the help of a friend in getting through all of the vanity of this worldly life – especially a friend that reminds us of the importance of seeking God and putting Him first.

Verses 13-16: The Poor King

Look at the picture painted by these four verses. There is a poor but wise youth. There is also an old and foolish king. The poor and wise youth eventually becomes king and is worshipped and admonished all throughout the land. But at the end, when the king’s life is over and all is but forgotten, this same king will also be forgotten.

Where is the value given? Someone that is poor in this world is not given over to the comforts and temptations that great wealth brings. Wisdom and humility are of greater value than worldly wealth and esteem. Verse 14 shows us how one, although poor and humble, can become a king. But, despite this great success, he will still be forgotten as time goes on.

Even though some things in this life are worth more than others, the point is that ALL things on the earth are useless and worthless as compared to serving and obeying Almighty God!

If you are like me, it is difficult to read the first eight verses of Ecclesiastes 3 without hearing the Byrds’ song, “Turn! Turn! Turn!” It is interesting because whether or not people know it, many of the phrases from the chorus of that song are taken right from this passage. The basic idea is that there is a time for everything.

As we read verses 1-8, we get a collage of life: of working and playing, giving and taking, building and tearing down. The message that everything in life has its own time is simple enough to understand. But is there a deeper meaning to the activities and cycles in verses 1-8? Yes, I believe that there are two primary lessons that we can take from this list of activities and the way they are sequenced:

1. The world is constantly changing. Therefore we need to be adaptable to our surroundings. This includes our living conditions, relationships with family members alive and passed, and changes in those things that are familiar and within which we take comfort. Familiarity is comfortable, but a reliance on our physical surroundings will ultimately end in disappointment as things and people will always and inevitably change. It is best to put our heaviest focus on God and make it our primary goal to please Him with the activities of our lives. Nostalgia has a powerful pull, but what is at the end of following our past? Where will it lead? People, jobs, material things, and familiar places will all eventually let us down. Why not then take the suggestion of wise Solomon and place the primary trust of our lives in Almighty God?
2. With these activities occurring and taking time out of our lives as the days progress, we realize that the day of our death approaches as well. Since it is in the best interest of our eternal soul to satisfy God’s requirements rather than our own, we should put a higher value in spiritual things rather than physical. After all, the results of our spiritual labor will be considered by God as our eternal fate is decided, and not the results of our physical labor.

Verses 9-15 rest on the statements made in the previous verses, and the conclusions taken in the two points above are not altogether different from what we see in verses 9-15, but there are some subtle differences. First, we should recognize that there is goodness in taking pride in, and in enjoying the fruits of our labor. Our best course is to work hard and reap the benefits of our work, but to do it in the proper context, recognizing that God is the author of eternity and should be guiding our steps in this temporary life. After all, verse 11 tells us that God has put eternity in our hearts. This means that we cannot be satisfied by the things of this world; our eternal spirits yearn for something deeper, something that only our Creator can provide. Live well, work hard, and enjoy your pay, yes, but also give thanks to God and work even harder to please Him! Our work should be pleasing to Him and there should also be primary efforts to please Him outside of our vocation, whatever that may be. Pleasing Him needs to be our goal if we are to detect and receive true fulfillment in this life.

As a final point for this section, the contrast is provided that what we do is temporary and passing away, but the work of God endures forever.

Verses 16-22 are interesting in that they make two comparisons. The first comparison is in verses 16 and 17 and here we have the idea that where there ought to be righteousness, there is wickedness. Man, fallen to sin since the garden of Eden, time and again fails to be righteous when given the opportunity. Instead he is selfish and sinful. The resulting condition is judgment, and the righteous will be rewarded as the wicked will be punished.

The second comparison made in verses 18-22 is more specific. This is a comparison made between mankind and the animals. The passage explains how man and animals are the same in that their bodies both return to dust. This fact is a reference to the bigger idea that the efforts we make on earth to improve our physical condition, status, etc., will all vanish and fade away. It may occur during our lifetime, or long after we are gone, but in either case the things of this earth and of this life are temporary. This does not mean that we cannot enjoy them or take time to improve, but our trust ought not to be in physical things, but rather upon the spiritual things of God Almighty.

Another point made between man and animals is the contrast that the animals’ spirit returns to dust while our spirits go upward to God. The eternity in our hearts knows this and we are benefitted when we remember this fact often; we are only here but for a little while, in time we will pass away and meet our Creator on the day of judgment. In the interim, our best course of action, according to wise Solomon, whose wisdom was provided by Almighty God Himself, is to work hard, enjoy the fruits of our labor, but stay spiritually focused on building a home in heaven with our obedience to God and our concentration on spiritual things as the fleeting days pass us by.

Vanity. The definition of the word can be boiled down to three concepts:

1. Pride
2. Arrogance
3. Foolishness

These are all friends and cohorts of vanity. They travel together and often accompany one another in human behavior. As we review Ecclesiastes 2, please keep the ideas of vanity, pride and arrogance in mind.

In the first portion of tonight’s text, Solomon tells us that enjoying pleasure is vanity, laughter is madness and that mirth accomplishes nothing. To come to this conclusion, Solomon completed the following activities:

• Sought how to satisfy himself with wine
• Identified folly (in order to avoid it)
• Tried to see what constitutes a pursuit that is inherently good
• Worked hard and took pride in his efforts
• Built houses
• Planted vineyards, gardens, orchards with irrigation
• Had many servants
• Owned the most livestock in Jerusalem
• Owned much silver and gold and “special treasures”
• Acquired talented male and female singers, accompanied by all kinds of musical instruments

What is his conclusion after all of these things? Solomon says that having  all of these was no different than grabbing wind. So they were useless, worthless, a waste of time. But what if we put these things into a modern context? What if you had completed and acquired the following:

• Sought how to satisfy with the finest wine, the best bourbon
• Identified common mistakes people make and learned how to avoid them
• Bought only the best of everything for yourself and your family, including home, car, clothes, education, etc.
• Got up early and worked very hard, maintaining a busy and productive calendar
• Built a large home and two vacation homes, one in Florida, one in the Bahamas
• Bought only organic food, supplemented by a garden with the finest vegetable strains
• Had a housekeeper, gardener, and a personal assistant to help with shopping and other needs
• Owned a farm from which you gathered milk, beef, chicken and eggs
• Owned millions of dollars worth of fine jewelry, diamonds and precious stones
• Had your favorite variety of artists on retainer to come to your home anytime to perform

Do we consider these things useless, worthless, or wastes of time? Certainly we recognize that these things are very highly valued and sought after in the modern context. All of the material things listed would bring us pleasure and instill in us pride of life. Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with most of these things  –  so would they still be vanity (arrogant pride) for us? If we follow Solomon’s wise logic and divinely inspired conclusion, we have to be honest and say yes. Let us look a little deeper into what is meant…

When Solomon says that all pleasure is vanity, is he saying that pleasure is arrogant pride? Yes and no. Pleasure is not proud arrogance in the sense that it is a welcome diversion from the strain and difficulties of life. The pleasure of a free afternoon spent relaxing, the enjoyment of a recreational activity, or the company of a friend are all fun, innocent pleasure. But are these things really proud arrogance? Well, no. If we take pleasure in this context to mean proud arrogance, then we would call Solomon foolish. But to do this would be to misunderstand Solomon.

Hyperbole is when something is overstated for effect, and nearly all of Ecclesiastes is hyperbole. When Solomon says that all pleasure is vanity, he is saying it in the context of eternity. As we study this book, we should try to keep it in the forefront of our thoughts that Solomon is speaking from the lofty heights of wisdom bestowed upon him by God; Solomon is speaking as a king that has been granted everything under the sun and he has not prevented himself from attaining anything that he wishes. With the combined blessings of great wisdom and great wealth, Solomon has a unique perspective to see what truly matters. As having wisdom granted by God, Solomon sees that in the long run, in the big picture, pleasure and material things are meaningless. And this is true because we will ultimately all pass away and stand before God to have our actions judged. What purpose will our pleasures and material possessions serve then? No purpose at all! In fact, it is the pursuit of pleasure and material wealth that very often drives man to sin. In this sense, pleasure IS vanity. In this sense, Solomon is absolutely right. Pleasure is indeed vanity.

The other half of this chapter addresses wisdom and foolishness in the context of eternity. In verse 14, Solomon concludes that the same death is experienced by the wise man and the fool alike. In the fullness of time, neither is remembered. Think of the smartest person you know. Do you think they will be remembered 100 years from now? What about 500? 1000? What benefit will their wisdom will have served if it has not led them closer to God? None. So then to believe in and put faith in wisdom is vanity. The blessing of wisdom from God brought Solomon to the conclusion that the pursuit of God is the only worthwhile pursuit.

The chapter goes on to describe the futility of amassing material things. We can work for a lifetime, but ultimately all will die and someone else will get our things. What if it is a fool that gets and squanders them? What then? Even the work done for these things is stressful, so what is the point?

So then, what conclusion are we to take from Solomon’s hyperbolic ramblings? In relation to our eternal destiny, even God’s rich blessings on earth do not amount to much. So we should enjoy pleasure in its proper context, keeping in mind that we will one day have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10).

Please join me tonight in reading and studying chapter 1 of the book of Ecclesiastes.

Tonight’s reading can be divided into two distinct sections:

1. Verses 1-11 discuss the vanity and futility of life in the natural world as compared with the efforts of man.
2. Verses 12-18 are a commentary on the end result of earthly wisdom.

The first eleven verses have Solomon proclaiming that all is vanity – all earthly efforts and time spent in work eventually amount to nothing. As we progress through this book, it is important to remember that the conclusion to make from such proclamations is that all earthly endeavors have no value in comparison to heeding and obeying God. So when Solomon describes the continual labor of the natural world, he is doing so to express the idea that all extant natural processes continue on and on and on despite man’s study of them:

“All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.” Ecclesiastes 1:8

We work all the days of our lives and we seek to fill our hours with satisfying things. Yet nothing earthly can fill the hole in our hearts; only God can do this.

The sentiment in verses 9-11 communicates that our lives are not really all that special or spectacular. They certainly are special to us, but when we zoom out of our singular frame and view humanity as a thriving organism, with generations spanning before and after us, our singular existence loses importance. Solomon is enlightening us to the idea that in the grand scheme of God’s creation, we are so very miniscule. We are led to the inevitable conclusion that preparing for eternity is the best possible use of our time; everything else is futile, is vanity.

The second section of this chapter in verses 12-18 deals with wisdom and its inherent worth. Solomon, inspired by wisdom granted from God, reveals to us that the end of wisdom is grief and sorrow. Notice in the beginning of this passage that after having been blessed by wisdom from God, Solomon set his heart to discern all of the wisdom under heaven. His findings led him to the conclusion that man will seek and find errors and issues and will seek to amend them, but his efforts are of little or no use:

“What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.” Ecclesiastes 1:15

Solomon is telling us that our time on earth is too limited and the problems that we find are often too great for us to make any real progress towards a lasting solution. After knowing this, along with attaining all of his great wisdom, Solomon rather intellectually concludes that the temporal nature of our reality on earth is ultimately meaningless when compared to the strength and power of God. For God’s strength and power can affect, change and fix all where our meager efforts are pitiful and sad by comparison. We are physical beings that gravitate towards the physical; however, we are spiritual at our core and will be most successful when we favor spiritual increases rather than physical.

Both sections lead us to depressing conclusions: earthly toil is worthless and earthly wisdom leads to sadness. But, as we press on through this peculiar book of wisdom, let us not forget the actual conclusion to make from statements such as these:

^“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Because we live in a world filled with pointless toil and useless wisdom, we are best served to seek the wisdom and guidance of God almighty, who is preparing an eternity for those that seek Him in faith and truth.

Tonight we begin a 13-week study of the book of Ecclesiastes. This book is full of memorable and quotable statements, and there is much to admire about its eloquence. There is both positivity and negativity in Ecclesiastes, but as we will see as we move through the book, much of the negativity masquerades as positivity.

It is widely assumed that King Solomon is the author of Ecclesiastes because the writer is identified in chapter one, verse one as “…the Preacher, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.” Solomon had chosen wisdom in I Kings 3:1-15 after God was pleased with his sacrifices and love. God asked Solomon, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

Solomon, already showing qualities of humility and wisdom, answers God: “You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

This context matters because, in the highly likely event that Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, it follows that the wisdom herein is special. It is godly wisdom, bestowed upon a man by God with the express purpose of discerning good and evil and judging God’s people. This kind of wisdom exceeds any of that found today in books on philosophy, theology, or other man-made constructs. This is godly wisdom, put forth here in the book of Ecclesiastes for our benefit.

Granted, Solomon was not perfect; he sought foreign wives (which had been forbidden) and also sacrificed to idols during his time. The book, however, is thought to have been written later in his life, after he had repented of these sins.

So, what can we learn from it?

It is easy to be fatalistic or cynical after reading many of the statements in Ecclesiastes. For example:

“All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied.” Ecclesiastes 6:7

“I have seen everything in my days of vanity: there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.: Ecclesiastes 7:15

“But if a man lives many years and rejoices in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that is coming is vanity” Ecclesiastes 11:8

In light of these sentiments, we are compelled to ask – what can we learn from statements such as these? In many ways, the entirety of the book of Ecclesiastes is a prologue to the statement: “Now go serve the Lord.” Because so much of the book speaks to the vanity and the futility of life, the natural conclusion to make is that we should serve God in preparation for the hereafter and enjoy His blessings while we are here.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 has a unique way of categorizing the message. Since God created us, there is a yearning we have for Him, which can only be satisfied by an honest and obedient relationship with God. The regular person goes about their life, working, eating, playing, loving, etc., but we can only find that deep satisfaction through loving and knowing Him: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” It is the eternity that God put in our hearts which compels us to seek Him.

Despite the descriptions of life on earth as vain and despite the sometimes hopeless perspective, it is all built on godly wisdom that leads us to a truth by which to live our lives. The last two verses of the book sum it up perfectly:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

I very much look forward to our study of this book together. I hope that you get some valuable things out of it.

Please feel free to post questions, impressions or reactions in the comments section.

This chapter takes on the challenging task of summarizing the book of Isaiah. This grand book of prophecy has led us through explanations, analogies, stories and descriptions, all having to do with God’s will for His people and God’s will for mankind. The two themes of Isaiah, punishment for the transgressors and the saving of all mankind through the righteous remnant, are referenced here. God reiterates His requirements and His plan as we as readers are treated to matured analogies and rich prophecy.

Verses 1-4: God requires reverence

The temple has been destroyed, trodden down, laid waste. We know this from two references in Isaiah. In 63:18, “Your holy people have possessed itbut a little while; our adversaries have trodden down Your sanctuary.” And in 64:11: “Our holy and beautiful temple, where our fathers praised You, is burned up with fire; and all our pleasant things are laid waste.” God knows the state of His temple, but is not at this moment troubled by it. It is true that Israel would build a new temple in Jerusalem after the remnant returns, but that is beside the point that God is making here. In this conclusive chapter, the prophet Isaiah is summarizing God’s long-term new covenant plan of a “new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17). God’s throne is in heaven and all of earth will be His “footstool,” or temple, as all of the world will have the opportunity to open their hearts to the gospel plan of Jesus Christ.

It is important to put the idea of rebuilding the physical temple in the proper context. In this passage God is stressing the importance and His preference of the new temple. Looking ahead to the new covenant under Jesus, God seems to have moved on from the physical temple as His footstool. After all, He created all of the things that compose the physical temple and is not as interested in this habitation under the new covenant. Rather, God places significant value on the spiritual state of those that seek Him rather than on the physical creation/composition of His earthly habitation: “For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.” Isaiah 66:2

A footnote that we must hold to, however, is that the temple would be built after the exiles return to Jerusalem, and that it would happen under the guidance and direction of God. In the book of Haggai, there is much zeal for rebuilding the temple after they return from captivity, and the phrases “says the Lord” and “the Word of the Lord” occur numerous times in the brief book. Also, in Zechariah 1:16, “‘Therefore thus says the Lord: “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it,” says the Lord of hosts, “And a surveyor’sline shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’ These references confirm that God desired that the temple be rebuilt, so we cannot discount how important it was for the righteous to maintain the old law until Christ came. But with the phrasing of verses 1 and 2 of chapter 66, God is speaking to the time to come, when all is made new.

Verse 3 contains a series of comparisons of old law activities that show us God’s disdain for the improperly prepared heart. The “He who” that is the primary subject of these comparisons is the one that worships God insincerely. They may worship God according to the specifics of the law, but their heart and their spirit is not in it. Jesus Christ Himself saw this phenomenon years later in the Jews when He said, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with theirlips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching asdoctrines the commandments of men.’ ” Matthew 15:7-9

There are many warnings against this type of behavior. The fact that Jesus quotes from Isaiah 29:13 makes it a point very much worth our consideration. But we also have the same sentiment communicated in Ezekiel 33:31: “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you asMy people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, buttheir hearts pursue their owngain.”

Micah, a contemporary prophet of Isaiah, sheds additional light on the idea that sacrifice and worship before God is worthless without the proper spirit. It is not enough to simply follow the rote commandments; we must have God’s laws within our hearts, we must livethem: “With what shall I come before the Lord, andbow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn formy transgression, the fruit of my body forthe sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what isgood; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:6-8

And also, in the New Testament, we have the same warning in James 1:22-25. In context of these Old Testament references, we can see this often-quoted passage in James in a new light. It is a progression of the idea. The layers of self-deception and forgetfulness described give us tools to watch out for the falsity of heart that God condemns in both the old and new testaments: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it,and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Because of their waywardness, God will give them up to their own delusions, He will leave them to their sin, as it were. There is another pertinent New Testament reference to be had here in Romans 1:24: “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.” When God sees that people have been corrupted and they have no plans to repent, no aching conscience, He will give them up to their sin and their eventual punishment. From the previous chapter: “Therefore I will number you for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter; because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear, but did evil before My eyes, and chose thatin which I do not delight.” Isaiah 65:12

There is a phrase in the middle of verse 4 that hearkens back to Isaiah 65:12 and also contains a phrase that is parallel to a theme from chapter 65, the theme of hearing and listening. We recall how in chapter 64 Israel made overtures to God on to how He was not listening to them. Well, here in chapter 66 God sets the record straight again (as He had already done in chapter 65): “…when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear…” Again, the point stressed here is that we must listen to and obey God. It is true that He reaches out to us, through His grace, His providence and His Word, but it is wholly our responsibility to hear, listen, believe and obey.

Verses 5-13: Childbirth

This passage starts out in verse 5 with God making sure that the righteous of Israel are protected. After so much judgment on those in Israel that were not righteous in spirit, God now speaks to those that are wholly righteous. He will increase the righteous’ joy as the those who are righteous in name only will be ashamed.

Many believe that the sound of retribution described in verse 6 is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This is recompense for the Jews that professed godliness but were actually evil within and receive the consequence deserving of their sin. We know that this sin was an issue that persisted from the judgment that Jesus handed down to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:27-28: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Verses 7-11 complete part of a larger story that was begun in the second servant song from Isaiah 49:1-13. In that passage, Zion is portrayed as a mother giving birth to the Servant. But after the song in verses 1-13, Zion is portrayed as a mother that is delighted in the return of her children in verses 14-26. The unexpected return of so many of Zion’s children results in the enlarging of the tent analogy in chapter 54, verses 1-3.

The comparison of Zion as a mother that labors for Christ, who will ultimately save mankind is a good general analogy that helps even new Bible readers to understand God’s plan. For labor Zion did, and it took much time and sacrifice to get to the point where Christ was born.

If we look at verses 7-11 in the context of Zion as a mother, it helps us to understand that the nation would not be expecting and would in fact be surprised that the Savior of the world would be born through her. Because, in the grand perspective of this story, as soon as Christ was born, (here representing His death, burial and resurrection), the entire nation was to follow (here representing disciples of Christ) and be cared for by Zion. The relative speed at which this happened is related through the opening in verse 7: “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child.” The same idea is echoed in the second half of verse 8. God goes on to affirm His promise. He has planned and He has prophesied and He is able. God will finish what He started.

The birthing mother analogy continues in verses 10-13 as God asks all to rejoice in Jerusalem for the advent of forgiveness and salvation. Peace like a river flows from God to Jerusalem in the form of nations, wealth and blessings. Jerusalem will be the place of comfort for God’s people, and they will be comforted as a mother comforts her children: tenderly and with deep abiding love. Adding to this loving scene are more picturesque analogies that help embody this comfort from God to His people:

• Feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom
  • Drink deeply and be delighted
• Carried on her sides
• Bounced upon her knees

Are these not beautiful images of mother/child? When we think about our childhood and our close relationships, we can all, to some degree, relate.

In addition to this sweet and caring scene that describes the protection of Israel, we are reminded once again that there are New Testament counterparts to this idea. An important, albeit localized example is Jesus telling His disciples that He is to go away for a while, but then He will come back. He is telling them that it will be difficult for them to wait, but they will need to wait before experiencing the joy of His return. Jesus was speaking about His resurrection and the time that He would spend with the disciples before His ascension:  “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” John 16:20-22

Another example that stands out is Paul’s explanation to the Romans about how the pain of waiting can transform into the ecstasy of deliverance. Reading these verses, we think about two “birthing” situations.

• The first is the one we have been discussing: the labor of the nation of Israel to finally result in the birth of the Savior of the world Jesus. The difficult, rebellious, bloody and unpredictable path through which Jesus came was worth the wait.
• The second situation is our current situation. We have Jesus and we have His promise to come back. But sometimes, waiting is difficult and the modern Christian’s path the world over can also be difficult, rebellious, bloody and unpredictable.

But in the end, as Paul informs us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the things we suffer now are far exceeded by the things to come: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.” Romans 8:18-22

If we are to take anything from this idea in Isaiah 66:7-13 and its analogous counterparts in the New Testament, it is that God will make all things right in His time. The comparison of childbirth is masterful because the proximity of extreme pain to extreme joy is relatable. One leads to the other and one is needed for the other to succeed. God requires faithful patience.

Verses 14-17: Gladness & suffering

When the revelation finally comes to pass, the people will rejoice. They will see the work of the Lord. Instead of the usual reference of God’s arm that we have seen so often in Isaiah, here in the last chapter, it is expressed as His hand, perhaps indicating a closer and more intimate knowledge of God and His plan.

His judgment will not be far off and it will be fierce. The Lord will judge everyone and those that suffer will be of great number. Especially called out are those that deign to be the authors of their own righteousness and that engage in unholy practices: ““Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, to go to the gardens after an idol in the midst, eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 66:17

Verses 18-21: A sign

God’s declarations in this section are predicated on the judgmental statements made in verses 14-17. God will gather all nations to Zion, to witness His glory. The “sign” mentioned in verse 19 is of ambiguous nature. This sign is brought up in connection with the sending of God’s faithful to spread word of God’s fame and glory. The collective nations listed geographically represent the entirety of the known world at that time. So, the fundamental message of verses 19-20 is that a sign will come and those who escape will spread God’s Word among the nations.

Here are some possible interpretations of what the “sign” is in verse 19:

1. The righteous remnant coming back to Jerusalem
   1. Jewish survivors that teach others about God
2. The gentiles who come to Jerusalem and convert to worship the true God
   1. They go back to their homeland to teach others about God
3. The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans in 70 AD
   1. After this, the nation of Israel is dispersed and will teach others about God
4. The resurrection of Christ and the eyewitness accounts of His life, miracles and ascension
   1. Through Him all come to know of God’s plan
5. The coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost In Jerusalem in Acts 2
   1. The apostles receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, allowing them to work miracles and speak in languages not their own

The suggestions in the text, especially one later in this passage, indicate #5, the coming of the Holy Spirit as the meaning of the sign. While the other reasons are at least plausible, I believe that none have as much support as #5 does. The remnant returning to and the gentiles arriving in Jerusalem are signs, but their impact may not be so great as to affect the entire world. It is true that many believers would have dispersed from Jerusalem after the Romans destroyed it, but we do not have historical connotations that suggest that this dissemination led to teaching about God. The resurrection of Christ is also plausible, but it, as an isolated event, is part of a larger story that leads to the spreading of God’s Word.

To end the book of Isaiah with the mention of a sign that signifies the spreading of the gospel after Christ’s death puts a large exclamation point on the entire book. The event that occurs in Acts 2 has an expanse that reaches the ends of the earth, just as the list of nations in verse 19 represents the known world at that time. The world was in total ignorance of Christ and needed that saving knowledge. This is especially true today, because Satan has deceived so many the world over to believe in lies rather than in God’s holy truth: “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” II Corinthians 4:4

It is also interesting to consider that the animals listed in verse 20 are from different regions, representing the diverse regions from which God’s new nation would be collected. In the prophetic context, the animals can represent the gifts of praise and sacrifice that will be brought before God from the different nations.

The hint later in the passage that suggests that the coming of the Holy Spirit is the sign can be found in verse 21: “And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,” says the Lord.” This statement suggests a totally new worship design and structure for God. Instead of just the house of Levi furnishing priests, now “priests” will be able to come from all nations. There will no longer need to be a priesthood, an intermediary between man and God. Instead, all people can have that special relationship with God as “priests.” Take this statement from I Peter 2:9, where Peter is explaining blessings to those that believe and obey Jesus Christ: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

Also in Revelation 5:9-10, where the saved believers praise Christ: “And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.””

Verses 22-24: Worship and suffering

This chapter and book end not on a happy note, but on a realistic one. The positive and hope-inspiring new heavens and new earth are confirmed along with the descendants of the great nation of Israel: ““For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “So shall your descendants and your name remain.” (vs. 22)

Even more importantly, God’s utter dominance over His creation is confirmed. This verse allows that we all, as free will agents, will worship whom and what we please, but eventually we will all come to worship Him. The only barrier is the passage of time: “And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.” (vs. 23)

The final verse brings harsh realism into the light of day. Yes, God has shown Zion grace through Cyrus and brought them and foreigners back to Jerusalem with blessings. Yes, God has devised and completed a plan to reconcile all mankind to Him through the forgiveness of sins. Yes, God has made us all priests.

Despite this love and grace, if one still transgresses against God, God will not tolerate it. God has tolerated enough through the old law and He has given up His Son for mankind. Through this sacrifice, He will glean the best of mankind for eternity. But those that transgress against God will experience everlasting punishment, and the faithful will be able to witness: “And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Isaiah is an intensely complicated book, with many prophecies, intertwining concepts and powerful meanings. His plan is an unimaginable and masterful stroke that alleviates His wrath, makes us whole, and bridges the gap between us. To say it is genius is an understatement because to label it such would be to put it in human terms, which are woefully inadequate. Our best course of action at the close of such a book is to humbly accept it as divinely inspired precious information by which to live our lives.

The overall message is simple and elegant: Follow God’s prescribed plan for your life by listening to Him and obeying His Word. For if you do not, God will shut the door on you forever.

This chapter helps us to understand the fullness of God’s planning, His blessings and the activity as it relates to both Israel and mankind under the new covenant.

Verses 1-7: Seek & Find

Chapter 65 resumes hot on the heels of chapter 64. In that chapter, we will remember how Israel called and called out to God, but was saddened when He did not answer. Israel’s plea ends with the last verse of chapter 64 and God’s response begins with the first verse of chapter 65. God’s response initially consists of a contrast between the nation of Israel and the gentiles (this latter group perhaps even includes the remnant). Israel had been looking for God, but they had not been doing so with the right heart: “I was sought by those who did not ask for me.” God tells them that they were not seeking Him in the correct manner. Where Israel had sought God disingenuously, God found a different population that had not even asked for Him. Because of their righteousness and because of His grace, He found them. This is an allusion to how God received gentiles and foreigners to Jerusalem and how all peoples will eventually come to Him through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The phrases “I was sought,” and “I was found,” can literally be translated from the Hebrew as “I allowed Myself to be sought,” and “I allowed Myself to be found.” God, through grace, made Himself available to us, but still turns away from the sinful and the corrupt.

While reading these verses, there is an important lesson to apply. In the midst of our lives, we need to remember that meeting God, having communion with Him and being in His presence always occurs on His terms, not on ours. We cannot just sidle up to our Heavenly Father when it suits us. We must prepare our hearts perpetually for Him, renewing our commitment and seeking Him while obeying all of His commands.

This passage goes on to list the instances of God’s unhappiness with the nation of Israel. They rebel and live as they judge right; not how God had instructed. Their sacrifices and practices are of their own devising and stray far from God’s commandments. They sacrifice and make unlawful offerings, they seek the dead and eat unclean things. What seems to sicken God the most is their righteous attitude built atop their sinful ways. God recognizes that that they are Israel, “Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day.” Surely God is fed up with such behavior.

Verses 6 and 7 show us that God is indeed fed up and that He will repay them for their iniquity. The recompense seems particularly troublesome, but also acknowledges the degree of the sin as God says that their punishment will be measured “into their bosom.”

Verses 8-16: True Servants are Blessed

The tone of the chapter changes notably here as God divulges that all will not be destroyed. Just as an entire bunch of grapes is not thrown out due to a few rotten ones, God will not dispose of the entire nation of Israel for the sake of the righteous remnant. The remnant saves in more ways than one: they save the nation of Israel physically through God’s grace (completed by Cyrus) and they save all mankind through the bloodline that leads to Jesus. Geographically, the locations mentioned in verses 9 and 10 represent the total expanse of the nation, a detail suggesting totality of reconciliation; the righteous remnant will inherit the whole land of God, which, in the new covenant, is suggestive of the righteous being recipients of the full blessings of God, particularly forgiveness of sins.

This blessing is restricted to the righteous, however, and God makes it clear. Their worship of false idols has angered God and He calls them out for worshipping Gad and Meni. Gad was a pagan deity whose name means “Troop” or “Fortune.” Meni was another whose name means “Number” or “Destiny.” In hindsight, it is fairly easy to see the source of God’s anger. God hands down true righteousness and blessings. With the choice of God’s perfect providence and the untrustworthy allure of ideals like fortune and destiny, Israel chose wrongly again and again. This is true despite all the ways He had rescued, cared for and loved them. In fact, after the mention of the nation following a god called destiny, God tells them that He will destine them for the sword and the slaughter.

God turns the seek and find paradigm back on the nation with this phrase in verse 12: “Because when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke you did not hear, but did evil before my eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.” This proves to Israel that no matter how they may try to best or blame God, finding fault in Him is an impossibility. Because of these, God’s blessed servants will eat, drink, rejoice and sing while sinful Israel goes hungry, thirsty, is ashamed and cries. The fault lies with Israel, not with God; He had been speaking to them all along through prophets, directives, laws and commandments.

God seals this passage in verse 15 and 16 with more judgment of Israel and coming blessings to the righteous that cling to the true God. Seeking fortune and destiny will bring forth death, but those that would have a new name will be blessed and their sins will be forgiven: “Because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from my eyes.”

Verses 17-19: New Creation

These verses are striking and memorable for their purity and joyous character. The “I create” found here can also be translated as “I am creating” or “I am about to create.” The new heavens and new earth are representative of the new salvation structure that God builds for us through Jesus Christ. For Israel, there is a new and exciting opportunity to be in communion with God. For us today, we have joy and satisfaction in Jesus as well as the hope for an eternal home with God. He will remove tears and He will rejoice in His people.

This brief yet powerful passage prompts us to look back to Isaiah 43:19, where the prophecy of Christ instills wonder, awe and worship: “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness andrivers in the desert.” It also prompts a look forward to Revelation 21:1-2, where John tells of the kingdom, the church, prepared as a bride for God: “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

The idea of newness here deserves our consideration. This new salvation, new heaven and new earth all have their origin in God and His eternal plan for mankind. But the newness also originates in us when we are baptized into Jesus Christ: “Therefore, if anyone isin Christ, he isa new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things areof God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” God’s plan is not only a new creation, but we are too when we follow the gospel plan of salvation.

Verses 20-25: The Exceedingly Blessed

Now God begins to tell of the many rich blessings that will come to pass for the blessed that will live under the new covenant. Righteousness is valued and sin abhorred as blessings are described in terms of physical longevity: ““No more shall an infant from there live but a fewdays, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred years old, but the sinner beingone hundred years old shall be accursed.” Isaiah 65:20

Verses 21-23 continue the description of a happy, blessed and fulfilling life on earth. The meaning of all of these basic descriptions of agrarian life is twofold: one is for the new inhabitants of Jerusalem and the prosperity they will enjoy, surely. But the deeper, more expansive and ultimately more important meaning rests in the application of these carefree boons to spiritual principles. Theirs is a salvation that will not be taken away from them (They shall not build and another inhabit) and their work will bring great reward (They shall not plant and another eat). In the long term under the new covenant, those that are righteous and follow God’s plan will find safety and assurance. “Days of a tree” and “long enjoy” indicate successful longevity and a full life.

Notice the gracious contrast in verse 24 with the complaint Israel had previously of God not listening to them: “before they call, I will answer.” God is never far from those that seek Him. This statement confirms that Israel, who thought that they were reaching out in righteousness to God, were so infirm with sin so as to not elicit a response from God. Nevertheless, He had spoken and was still speaking to them through prophets, laws and commandments. They needed to only follow them for God to listen to and grant their petitions. The contrast that God will anticipate needs and answer accordingly in the new covenant is contrasted with complaints brought forth from Israel in chapter 64.

With so many references to the new covenant, the chapter concludes with a description of the peace that will come. The description is abstract, but it is not one that we are unfamiliar with as students of the book of Isaiah. Predator and prey feeding together and a vegetarian lion represent a peace that is so great so as to be striking in its appearance. The peace that is coming to Israel and mankind is such that they have never know or could not conceive. Consider this companion passage in Isaiah 11:6-9: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.the nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

The final word on this chapter is a condemnation of evil; once God has established His plan and created the avenue of salvation through Christ, it is a road that cannot be destroyed or blocked by the evil one and his machinations: “And dust shall bethe serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.”” This is an indication of prophecy fulfillment for the curse given to the serpent in Genesis 3:14: “ So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you arecursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.”

A valuable lesson to take from this chapter in general is to approach and appeal to God in conjunction with His directives and commandments. We cannot just come to the throne of God in prayer or with allegiance in the way that we think is best. He demands the respect, honor and understanding of His parameters outlined in His holy Word in order for us to reach His blessings. Considering the gift of forgiveness of sin and eternal life in heave, He is not asking a lot.