Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.
6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.
7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13 Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. 14 For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king's place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 4 ESV
Ecclesiastes 4
On the side of their oppressors was power - Solomon must have traveled to many kingdoms, and he had many slaves in his own land. He built a place of incredible wealth, but no matter how well the poor may have fared under his rule, no matter how justly he pursued their cause, he could not remove every tear. The most wise will often miss a traitor in their midst, and God required of kings that they be servants and shepherds of good. When he witnessed the tears of the oppressed, he realized a common flaw, that the power was on the side of the oppressors. People say that power corrupts, but I would argue that they are already corrupt, and those that cannot see that will be the more so. How many people are you willing to hurt to get your way, protect your power, prove your point? To discern through the ego leaves a mess, hypocrisy grows rampant, and then like Job's friends we ultimately consider the oppression as fitting to someone who is obviously less worthy than ourselves.
…53 But the people there refused to welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them.… Luke 9:53-55
2-3 With no certainty of eternity, or of justice after this life, then it was better to be already dead if it were but asleep, nothing. Men still reflect such at funerals, "they're in a better place, that great fishing hole in the sky, the happy hunting grounds, riding his motorcycle just like he would have wanted," if heaven were as we wanted or if there was nothing after this. I am always silent at that part of a funeral since I have never been to heaven, but I am certain it is much greater than they describe. Many times I have sat and wondered if they knew the only way to be right with God, I have shared that, and against a rather hard and angry heart, I have hoped against hope for that moment that I read about in the story of the thief on the cross. When I wanted to believe that there was no God, that everything came from nothing, and so would return to the same, then I realized that justice was a very untrustworthy tool that men used for power. What they did seemed wrong to me, but by what means could I establish that they were wrong?
Solomon could only praise the dead this way because at his time he had no certain knowledge of the world to come, and he wrote most of Ecclesiastes with an under the sun premise. If he knew and accepted what happened to the unrighteous dead, he would never say such a thing. “Men, like silly fishes, see one another caught and jerked out of the pond of life but they see not, alas! the fire and the pan into which they are cast that die in their sins.” (Trapp)
Come from a man's envy of his neighbor - Keeping up with the Jones', I was satisfied until I saw what he had. My plate was magnificent until I saw what had been prepared upon his. Truly, I could eat what I had and be full, and there would be left over, but while my other neighbor is sick at home starving, I am angry at the portion of meat on the other's table. I must work harder, longer, or else I will always be falling behind in the race for toys.
…16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, or his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. Exodus 20: 16-17
5-6 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh - He will not even work for what he envies, but he hates and brings his own demise. It is better to work and be content.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh: Solomon here answered the tendency for those jealous of the success of others to be lazy. Like fools, they fold their hands and do nothing – and so waste away. Yet it wasn’t the success of their neighbor that made them waste away; the foolish, lazy man consumes his own flesh. D. Guzik
7-8 A man with no family, who works to store up for himself, that which he will not take the time to enjoy. We can be too idle but also too busy, never contemplating why?
9-12 Family, friendship, compassion, caring, helping, building up; it is good for our souls not to be the only voice we hear. It is good to provide protection for others and likewise to receive. Take great care in who you choose to share this life with.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. 18 Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.… Proverbs 27: 17-18
13-16 An old king, anyone of authority, who cannot stop to hear wisdom, will easily be improved upon. Those who think their title makes them right, will be wrong and proud of it.
Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him: As Solomon thought of this young man who achieved much and became famous, he understood that the fame would be short-lived. Even if it lasted his entire lifetime (which would be rare and remarkable), it would not live on much beyond his own life. With his under the sun premise, this thought brought the familiar conclusion to the Preacher: Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind. D. Guzik
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