One Generation to Another - Ecclesiastes 1:4

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon began with the words, “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun?”, and in chapter one and verse four of his book Solomon said, “one generations passes away, and another generation comes”, where we read,

One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth abides for ever.

The verse reads, “One generation passes away, and another generation comes:” Solomon began with the words, “one generation” or “a particular period, age, condition and class of people” “passes away” which means “departs, leaves, moves and proceeds apart”, “and another generation comes” or “and one other period, age, condition and class of people enters and is enumerated”. Solomon referred to the way “classes and ages” depart, and another one replaces them”.

The verse continues, “but the earth abides for ever.” Solomon added the words, “but the earth” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the land, country, territory, district and region” “abides for ever” which means “remains, endures and attends itself perpetually, continuously and indefinitely”. Solomon referred to the way the region and world continues perpetually.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we begin to learn how Solomon spoke of the redundancy of things upon the earth. For example, “a generation leaves, and another one replaces it”. We shall see more of these examples in our next few verses, and this idea once again is that nothing on earth truly satisfies. God wanted it this way, and when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit so we find satisfaction in Him and live according to His truth in the “generation” He placed us within.

Next time Solomon says, “the sun also arises, and the sun goes down”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".