Laboring in Wisdom, Knowledge and Equity - Ecclesiastes 2:21

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun”, and in chapter two and verse twenty-one of his book Solomon said, “there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity”, where we read,

For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

 

The verse reads, “For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity;” Solomon began with the words, “for there is a man” or “because, since and on account there exists a male human being” “whose labor” which means “whose toil, trouble and wearisome effort” “is in wisdom” or “exists within skill, prudence and understanding”, “and in knowledge” which means “and within perception, discernment and cunning awareness”, “and in equity” or “and within success, profit and advantage”. Solomon considered the person who makes his toil in skill, prudence, perception, discernment, profit and success. 

The verse goes on to say, “yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.” Daniel continued with the words, “yet to a man” or “even still to a male human being” “that has not labored therein” which means “who has not toiled, been troubled over or made wearisome effort within the labor” “shall he leave it” or “will he, the man who has labored, give, put, bestow or devote it, his labor” “for his portion” which means “on behalf of his, the man who has not labored’s, part, share or territory”. “This also is vanity” or “this even so and indeed exists as vapor, breath and transitory dissatisfaction” “and great evil” which means “and massive and abundant bad, disagreeableness, unpleasantness, displeasure and wickedness”. Solomon referred to how the person who has diligently worked in “wisdom, knowledge and equity” will “leave” his work to someone who has not “labored” at all, and Solomon considered this empty and abundantly unpleasant. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we discover how Solomon shared about the person who devotes himself to “wisdom, knowledge and equity” but eventually “leaves” what he has possessed to someone who has not worked at all. We can imagine why he felt this was “empty” and like grasping the wind. Go knows temporal things only temporarily satisfy, and because He has an eternal plan for us to be saved through His Son Jesus who came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days, when we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will lead us into works and activities that have an eternal significance and will never be seen as grasping the wind. 

Next time Solomon asks, “what has man of all his labor … under the sun?”, 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".