In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. Who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity”, and in chapter two and verse twenty of his book Solomon said, “I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor”, where we read,
Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun.
The verse reads, “Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair …” Solomon began with the words, “therefore I went about” or “wherefore, then and on this account I, Solomon, turned, changed and made a circuit” “to cause my heart” which means “to make my, Solomon’s, soul, mind and will” “to despair” or “to be desperate, despondent and without hope”. Solomon shared how he turned his soul and mind toward despondency and lack of hope.
The verse continues, “… of all the labor which I took under the sun.” Daniel added the words, “of all the labor” or “pertaining to each, every and the whole toil, trouble and wearisome effort” “which I took” which means “that I, Solomon, worked severely and with irksomeness” “under the sun” or “beneath the sun in the sky”. Solomon said his soul and mind were in despair over everyone of the toils and troubles beneath the sun in which he worked severely.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how Solomon caused his own soul and mind to be despondent and without hope because of the wearisome works he performed beneath the sun. His “works” or “labors” were unfulfilling and did not satisfy him. The futility of these efforts may trouble anyone who thinks upon these temporary works for a while, however, God did not intend for us to be despondent over such things. God is concerned with the eternal, and when we yield our lives to His Son Jesus as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to lead and guide us into works and activities that have everlasting significance which shall bless God and us for all eternity.
Next time Solomon says, “there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity”, 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".
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