Bible Study - Wisdom (4) - The Problem with Work - Ecclesiastes 2:18-23; 3:9-13 - March 24, 2019

Bible Study – Wisdom (4) - The Problem with Work – March 24, 2019

This is lesson four (4) in our series entitled “Finding Meaning: Wisdom from Ecclesiastes.”

Our focus scripture is Ecclesiastes 2:18-23; 3:9-13.

Our work gains meaning when it’s done to honor CHRIST.

In this lesson, we will explore work. Let’s consider the Garden of Eden as recorded in Genesis 2:4-10 and 2:15-17 and 3:8-9:

4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.

5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground,

6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.

7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.

9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.

Genesis 2:15-17:

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to “work it and take care of it.”  (my quotes)

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;

17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Adam had to work before he sinned but his work became “toil” or “burdensome” after he sinned.

Genesis 3:8-9:

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

9 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”

GOD ordained work to benefit mankind; to give mankind something to do while people were upon earth. GOD placed restrictions upon mankind, “you can eat the fruit from all the trees except one.” GOD had fellowship with mankind. GOD walked in the Garden in the cool of the evening until mankind sinned. Sin broke their fellowship and because of sin, mankind was sentenced to eternal death.

Mankind made the decision to disobey GOD, thus it requires a decision for each individual to be redeemed from the sentence of eternal death for eternal life to be restored to each person.

Sin changed the DNA of mankind from eternal life to eternal death. That is why every person needs a radical change in their lives for him or her to get new Spiritual DNA that only comes from GOD. GOD provided that radical change by allowing HIS Only Son, JESUS, to come to earth and be born as a human, to live as a human and subjected to the possibility of being tempted in all ways as humans are tempted. In order for JESUS to fulfill GOD’S plan to abolish sin in a person’s life, JESUS had to give HIS perfect life to pay, in full, the penalty for sin. As stated earlier, a person must have Spiritual DNA and comes only through the miracle of Spiritual rebirth through faith in JESUS.

Whereas a person who places his or her faith in JESUS, his or her Spiritual DNA is instantly changed by the miracle of Spiritual rebirth. The consequences of original sin continue while the redeemed live upon earth in their earth suits or flesh. But in the twinkling of the eye those in CHRIST will step forth from their human bodies into eternity displaying their new Heavenly bodies fashioned by GOD. WOW! What a day that will be! Those in CHRIST will be home.

Another consequence of sin was work, as we read in Genesis 3:17-19:

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.

18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.

19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Sin has consequences but to GOD be the Glory as we read in Romans 5:8 - 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

GOD made a path for every human to escape eternal death and to be restored to the original eternal life HE had first designed mankind to have. That is for every human to place his or her faith in JESUS, HIS only SON.

Let’s read Ecclesiastes 2:18-23:

18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.

Solomon realized that all he had toiled for did not bring him closer to the meaning of life. He further realized that he had labored hard to produce things and these things would continue after his death. Solomon was wise and he had observed enough of life that he had seen fortunes left to family members who squandered it on frivolous things. Soon, what they had was gone. The great equalizer is death both for the wise and the fool.

19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.

Whoever comes after him whether he will be wise or foolish, he will have control of what Solomon had amassed. After death he loses any control over his things, so why accumulate things. It is meaningless.

King Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, would be the successor to his throne. History reveals that Rehoboam was an evil and weak king. He lost much of his father’s territory, which resulted in Israel being divided into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Solomon’s glorious kingdom was crumbling after his death.

20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.

All physical work is very hard and burdensome. It benefits you for your life upon earth but once you are dead, others take over.

21 For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?

23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

A person may apply wisdom. Knowledge and skill to his projects but the bottom line is, he or she will leave it behind. People toil to accumulate but what do they get? They get tired, anxious, sleepless nights. The question is - “Is it worth all the toil when you consider you will leave it all behind?” Pursuing goals and achieving them gives personal satisfaction. It gives us something to do and it often provides others with jobs, entertainment, etc. The key is for Christians to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us as we consider what our LORD desires for us to do.

Let’s read Ecclesiastes 3:9-13:

9 What do workers gain from their toil?

10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.

GOD ordained work even in the Garden of Eden. We do not know how hard it was to work in the Garden of Eden but we know how hard it is to work on earth. But it is interesting, as recorded in Genesis 2:5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground,

GOD knew that mankind would need to work because HE knew mankind would sin and need to occupy their time upon earth until they go into eternity.

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Again, Solomon states that GOD has made everything beautiful upon earth and HE has placed the continuation of life beyond life upon earth in the human heart. Solomon knew GOD gave him wisdom and the height, width and depth of what GOD has done cannot be fathomed. The Apostle Paul came close to describing it in Romans 11:33-35:

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”

36 For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Back to Ecclesiastes 9:12-13:

12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.

13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

As recorded in Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

Who can know the mind of GOD? First Corinthians 2:11:

11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

But we also know as recorded in Isaiah 55:8:

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

2 Peter 1:3:

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

GOD has gifted each person with physical life. Mankind lost its eternal life due to sin but GOD has provided a path for every person to regain his or her eternal life through faith in JESUS. Acknowledge and embrace GOD by praising HIM for the gift of life found only in faith in JESUS. Blessings!!!