Maranatha Grace Church

Brothers and Sisters,

Today we continue our reading of the Bible by taking the Book of Ecclesiates Challenge. Why do we call these Bible readings "challenges." They are challenges because in the begining it is not something that we are naturally inclined to do. We force ourselves to read our Bible, day after day, weeks after weeks, months after months, and this is not an easy task. But the result worths all the pain we endure to do so. We are building up our spiritual muscles, so we can flex them to lift up very spiritual weights (protecting our family, our family, our communities), and also to fight the good fight of  the faith.

Happy Reading!

Hello:

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 1 Ecclesiastes 1 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

The words of the Teacher,^[a] son of David, king in Jerusalem:

² “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
 says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
 Everything is meaningless.”

³ What do people gain from all their labors
 at which they toil under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 1:3)

 “The main theme of Ecclesiastes, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity (v.2), has a depressing effect on the reader. Here the Bible shows plainly the futile thinking and living of the natural man without the hope of eternal life. Indeed life is totally senseless if it is lived with an only earthly perspective. After people fight their way to the top, when they reach the top, they always ask the same question, “is that all?”

A life lived in view of eternity is the antidote for the desperation that is found in Ecclesiastes. Jesus told his disciples, ““Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthews 6:19-20)” Jesus is telling us the same thing today.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 2 Ecclesiastes 2 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. ² “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” ³ I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. (Ecclesiastes 2:1-3)

I used to be perplexed by the book of Ecclesiastes. I’ve considered it as a gloomy book which seems to contradict the rest of Scripture. But now I realize the great importance of this book in motivating Christians to pray for those who have not yet encountered the rising Savior Jesus Christ.  

The book of Ecclesiastes opens for us a window into the soul and the thinking of the natural man. He may have everything that the world can offer, but he is fundamentally a lost person. We feel compassion for him.  Knowing his desperate situation makes us more determined to reach him with the Gospel. The good news of the Gospel is that there is eternal life in Jesus.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 3 Ecclesiastes 3 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

There is a time for everything,
 and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
 a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³  a time to kill and a time to heal,
 a time to tear down and a time to build, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-3)

Jesus gives no guarantees that on this earth the Christian’s life will be a life of bliss and happiness, but he promises a great outcome for those who build their lives on his words.

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27)

What kind of builders are we?

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 4 Ecclesiastes 4 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁹ Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. ¹⁰ For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? ¹² And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

We have been warned about the thinking of the natural man as it is displayed in the book of Ecclesiastes, but we cannot make the mistake of regarding everything that the non-Christian says or every advice that he gives is wrong. All we need is the discernment of not mixing spiritual truths with human truths.

When the excitement of romantic love has subsided somewhat, a lot of young couples would be better off if they accept the truth found in verse (9), “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.” They may be going through some difficulties, but “if two lie together, then they have heat (v. 11).”

This teamwork example is also good advice for church members: “pray and encourage your church leaders to work together.” They need to be united to withstand the adversary. “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken (v.12).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 5 Ecclesiastes 5 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

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 A dream comes when there are many cares,
 and many words mark the speech of a fool.  (Ecclesiastes 5:1-3)

What is the sacrifice of fools? There are so many things that could qualify as sacrifices of fools. In general it means wrong sacrifices. When I was very young I remember our pastor, Pastor Desmornes, used to solemnly start services with Habakkuk 2:20, “L'Éternel est dans son saint temple. Que toute la terre fasse silence devant lui!” The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.

There are people who make the sacrifice of waking up on Sunday mornings, they go to church to meet the Lord in a special way, and then spoil their whole sacrifice by a flippant attitude of irreverence in the presence of the Lord. They let themselves become too distracted, by worries and boredom.  Their sacrifice becomes a sacrifice of fool because it is wrongly offered.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 9 Ecclesiastes 8, 9 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹¹ Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. ¹² Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before him. ¹³ But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear before God. (Ecclesiastes 8:11-13)

¹⁶ But I say that wisdom is better than might, though the poor man's wisdom is despised and his words are not heard.¹⁷ The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools. ¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. (Ecclesiastes 9:16-17)

How do people get to be successful in what they do without the desperation shown in Ecclesiastes? We find the secret of true success in the words of Jesus, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”(Matthew 6:33). We must put first thing first in order for our lives to be meaningful. If we want to have true success we must pursue God, we must seek him relentlessly. “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psalms 34:10)

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 10 Ecclesiastes 10, 11 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

If the ax is dull
 and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
 but skill will bring success. (Ecclesiastes 10:10)

You who are young, be happy while you are young,
 and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
 and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
 God will bring you into judgment.
¹⁰ So then, banish anxiety from your heart
 and cast off the troubles of your body,
 for youth and vigor are meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10)

In Haiti people often repeat in a fatalistic sense, “Si jeunesse savait, si viellesse pouvait.” But the life situation of the young person and the old person doesn’t have to be set in such a contrasting way. Both the young and the old can learn from each other, that’s essentially a requirement in a church environment. The youths can benefit of the experience of the elders, and the elders can be energized by the energy and the potential future of the youths. In sum both groups must recognize that they belong to the Lord.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

We have reached the end of the Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge, tomorrow we start the Book of Isaiah Challenge. We will read two chapters a day for the next thirty three days.

Book of Ecclesiastes Challenge – Day 11 Ecclesiastes 12 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹³ Now all has been heard;
 here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
 for this is the duty of all mankind.
¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,
 including every hidden thing,
 whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 11:13-14)

In a time when everyone demands self-actualization and self-fulfillment it is hard for people to accept the concept of duty.  People break their marriage vows at a whim. Children are neglected, families are destroyed in the name of personal happiness. It is as if it is wrong to do something out of duty, to do it just because it is the right thing to do. Doing something out of duty cannot be all wrong because without a sense of duty society will collapse.

In addititon, there is a duty that comes before all duties: “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind (v. 13).”

May the Lord richly bless you!