I will be posting the 12 chapters of the Book of Ecclesiastes one chapter at a time on my blog. Look on the blog for new postings of new chapters as I post them. I am using bold text for the Word of God from the King James Version Bible as it is written. I will use italic for my commentary below the chapters and verses from the book of Ecclesiastes, This commentary is how I help people understand what is written in the Bible.
This is Ecclesiastes 4
Ecclesiastes 4
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
You may be rich and powerful. In fact, you may be so powerful that you can force other people to obey your orders. Perhaps many people work hard for your pleasure or for your profit.
But there is one important fact that you need to know. The day is coming when you will lose your power. You will lose it suddenly, in a moment of time. And it may happen soon.
Your power, like your wealth, belongs only to this world. Elsewhere, in heaven and hell alike, strong people will not control weaker people (Job 3:18-19). “18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.”
In hell as in heaven, everyone recognizes God’s power and authority (Philippians 2:10). “10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”
On the day when you lose your power, you will also lose all your wealth. When God is your judge, you cannot pay him to be kind to you. All his judgements are right and proper (Ecclesiastes 3:17). “17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
It seems a strange statement that death is better than life (Ecclesiastes 4:2). “2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.”
But after death, God is our judge, and all his judgements are right. That is better than this world, where judgements are so often wicked (Ecclesiastes 3:16). “16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.”
It seems even stranger to say that it is better never to live (Ecclesiastes 4:3). “3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.”
Solomon says that in order to emphasize how terrible people’s cruelty can be in this world, it would be better if we never had to see such cruelty. Solomon wanted his people to know that God hates this cruel behavior. The Bible constantly explains that fact – see (Isaiah 1:21-26);
“21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:
23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
24 Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies:
25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:
26 And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
(Micah 3:8-12); “8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.
12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.”
(James 5:1-6) “1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”
The modern idea that God does not Judge or punish people even their cruel and wicked deeds is completely untrue.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-6
4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6 Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Ecclesiastes 4:4-6
When we first read this chapter, there seems no connection between the cruelty (in Ecclesiastes 4:1), the jealous attitudes (in Ecclesiastes 4:4), and the lazy behaviour (in Ecclesiastes 4:5). But with the help of the Book of James, we can discover a connection.
James was worried about Christians who cared too much about money (James 2:1-7). “1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?”
They were making plans to make themselves rich (James 4:13-16). “13 Go to now, ye that say, Today or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”
James warned them that they were allowing themselves to become jealous of other people (James 4:1-4). “1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
James saw the truth about the easy and comfortable lives that those Christians so much desired. Those Christians were trying to imitate some rich people who were lazy and cruel. Of course a rich person can have an easy life if he is lazy. And of course he can have a comfortable life by means of cruelty to other people. But God will punish anyone who behaves like that (James 5:1-6). “1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”
Or perhaps we should say that those people bring about their own punishment (Ecclesiastes 4:5); “5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.”
(James 5:5). “5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.”
They have allowed jealous attitudes to control their lives completely. They have become so lazy that they will not even lift a hand to work (Ecclesiastes 4:5). “5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.”
Near the end of their lives, a farmer feeds his animals plentifully. He wants the animals to be very fat when the butcher kills them. A cruel person may imagine that he is living well. But really, he is getting himself ready for his own punishment (Ecclesiastes 4:5); (James 5:5).Jealous attitudes can ruin your life. Such attitudes cause people to do many evil and cruel things. It is better to be poor than to behave like that (Ecclesiastes 4:6).
Ecclesiastes 4:7-8
7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labor, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
Ecclesiastes 4:7-8
Solomon studied the world, he saw one particular man. This man’s behavior seemed truly extraordinary. But in fact, the man was just behaving as all people behave. From his actions, we can learn a useful lesson about our own human weakness.
The man’s strange idea was that he could make himself content by his own effort. So, he worked continuously. His idea was strange because all that work had never made him content. His continuous efforts proved that he was not content.
Even the man himself knew that his work was without any proper purpose. He did not need the money. And he had no family who could benefit from his work. But still he worked. And he was unable to relax.
The man’s problem was that his work, like all human effort, belonged to this world. And nothing in this world can satisfy us. The man’s efforts were as weak as the man himself. A man must die and a man’s efforts cannot really satisfy him. He may feel a temporary feeling of satisfaction with his work. But it will not last. Only God can satisfy us (John 7:37); “37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
(Psalm 62:1-2). “1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.”
We can trust him completely and he will not disappoint us.
The man already knew that his efforts would never satisfy him. That fact was clear to him because of his wealth and his family circumstances. He realized that his actions were foolish. But most people never realize that fact. And they continue to do things that can never satisfy them. They still believe that, somehow, something in this world will give them real satisfaction. And because they believe that, they will not trust God.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Solomon believed that this world is in a terrible state because of people’s evil deeds. But he saw that love still remains in this world. And love is good.
Solomon had not seen the perfect love that comes from God (1 Corinthians 13:1-13). “1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”
He saw something that was weaker. It was the kind of love that people show for each other. It was like an agreement that says, ‘I will help you if you help me.’ Or, ‘I will show you love because of the benefits that I will receive.’
Solomon learned that people wanted to get love more than they wanted to give love. But even that kind of weak love achieved good things. When a man fell, his friend helped him to stand again. When a man lay with his wife, she kept him warm (1 Kings 1:1-4). “1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.”
When robbers attacked, a man’s companion fought on his side.
If you wind three pieces of string together, the string will support a heavier weight. In the same manner, people’s relationships with other people make them all stronger. That is true about friendship, marriage and even business relationships.
But of course, a string will always break in the end, however strong it seemed. In the same manner, when the strain becomes too much, people will disappoint us.
Only God can show us perfect love. Only God will never disappoint us.
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ecclesiastes 4:13-16
Solomon has just explained how good it is to have support from other people (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) “9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Now Solomon will show us how weak people’s support really is.
Solomon tells us about a powerful king who had ruled for many years. However, this great king became foolish. His advisers warned him that the people did not like his laws. But the king would not listen to their advice. He was becoming very unpopular, but he would not recognize that fact.
So that old king lost the people’s support. And, instead, a young man from a poor family became popular. Suddenly, everybody wanted that young man to rule. They took him out of prison to be their new king.
You could imagine that such a popular and wise young ruler would always have the support of his people. But that did not happen. After a few years, people were not happy with his rule. Perhaps he even became as unpopular as the old king whom he had replaced.
Nobody could have had more people to support him than that young man had. That support seemed extremely strong. People were willing to fight and even die for him. But really, that support was very weak. It did not last. And perhaps there was no proper reason why the young ruler lost the people’s support.
David was a popular king. But he did not imagine that his rule depended on the support of his people. He declared that God alone kept him safe (Psalm 62:1-2) “1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.”
I will be posting the 12 chapters of the Book of Ecclesiastes one chapter at a time on my blog. Look on the blog for new postings of new chapters as I post them. I am using bold text for the Word of God from the King James Version Bible as it is written. I will use italic for my commentary below the chapters and verses from the book of Ecclesiastes, This commentary is how I help people understand what is written in the Bible.
This end Ecclesiastes 4
All Glory to God
His humble servant Lee M Buchanan