Woe to You, O Land - Ecclesiastes 10:16

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “the labor of the foolish wearies every one of them, because he knows not how to go to the city”, and in chapter ten and verse sixteen of his book Solomon said, “woe to you, O land, when your king is a child” where we read,

Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning!

The verse reads, “Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, …” Solomon began with the words, “woe to you” or “alas toward you”, “O land” which means “O country, territory, district, region and earth”, “when your king” or “at the time and moment your, the land’s, royal ruler and leader” “is a child” which means “exists as a youthful progeny or offspring”. Solomon called upon his country and region to be alerted at the time and moment their royal ruler is a young human being.

 

The verse continues, “… and your princes eat in the morning!” Solomon added the words, “and your princes” or “and your, the land’s, rulers, leaders, chiefs, chieftains and officials” “eat in the morning” which means “consume and devour at the break of day or dawn”! Solomon referred to leaders and rulers of the people’s “land” who consume their food early in the morning. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Solomon gave an alert and warning to the country and territory at the time their youthful offspring become the rulers and their leaders consume food or parties at dawn. The idea is that the land would be greatly disadvantaged by such leadership. God promotes and demotes leadership (See Daniel 2:21), and when a country or land is provided with inexperienced and disenfranchised officials, the whole land should be warned. God loves people, and because we have sin and error in our lives like this and that sin leads to death (See Romans 3:23; 6:23), He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and to be raised from the dead after three days. When we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us through His Holy Spirit how to live before Him regardless of the leadership, youthful or not, the He assigns to us.  

Next time Solomon says, “Blessed are you, O land”, 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".