Riches Perishing By Evil Travail - Ecclesiastes 5:14

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt”, and in chapter five and verse fourteen of his book Solomon said, “those riches perish by evil travail” where we read,

But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

The verse reads, “But those riches perish by evil travail:” Solomon began with the words, “but those riches perish” or “however, nevertheless, notwithstanding and moreover those objects of wealth vanish, go away and are blotted out” “by evil travail” which means “through the means of bad, disagreeable, malignant and displeasing tasks, jobs and occupations”. Solomon said the temporary wealth and valuables of those who possess them vanish and go away through the means of malignant and disagreeable occupations. 

The verse continues, “and he begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.” Solomon added the words, “and he begets a son” or “and he, the wealthy person, engenders and brings forth a male offspring or progeny”, “and there is nothing” which means “and there exists not one thing” “in his hand” or “within his, the son’s, physical hand”. Solomon referred to how the “wealthy man” engenders a male child who has not one thing within his  physical “hand”. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we discover through Solomon how the wealth and valuables obtained by people vanish through malignant occupations, and when an offspring is born to the one who possesses them, they have nothing within their physical hands to add. God knows the world and the things within it are temporary, and they are best used when they promote eternal purposes. God blesses us with that which is His, (See Psalm 24:1) and when we receive His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us through His Holy Spirit how to use what God has furnished to us in keeping with His Divine purposes and will.

Next time Solomon says, “he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came”, 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".