Ecclesiastes 1
All Is Vanity
1The words of(A) the Preacher,[a] the son of David,(B) king in Jerusalem.
2(C) Vanity[b] of vanities, says(D) the Preacher,
(E) vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3(F) What(G) does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?
4A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but(H) the earth remains forever.
5(I) The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens[c] to the place where it rises.
6(J) The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7All(K) streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.
8All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
(L) the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
9(M) What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there a thing of which it is said,
"See, this is new"?
It has been(N) already
in the ages before us.
11There is no(O) remembrance of former things,[d]
nor will there be any remembrance
of later things[e] yet to be
among those who come after.
2(C) Vanity[b] of vanities, says(D) the Preacher,
(E) vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3(F) What(G) does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?
4A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but(H) the earth remains forever.
5(I) The sun rises, and the sun goes down,
and hastens[c] to the place where it rises.
6(J) The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7All(K) streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.
8All things are full of weariness;
a man cannot utter it;
(L) the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear filled with hearing.
9(M) What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there a thing of which it is said,
"See, this is new"?
It has been(N) already
in the ages before us.
11There is no(O) remembrance of former things,[d]
nor will there be any remembrance
of later things[e] yet to be
among those who come after.
It is all vanity, but there is one who gives meaning to it all. There is one who gives wisdom when we have been awaken from this darkened life of sin and self destruction. Regeneration is all of God bringing us out of this miry clay and makes us into something to give song and praise. Jesus Christ is the one that these passages point us to. Jesus did not come to make bad people good, nor to make poor people rich. He came to bring dead people to life. And all the while loving, and honoring the Father and loving and saving us from a Holy and Just God.
This past weekend I attended a Missions Convention and it was wonderful to see the many missions all over the world. But, I could not help but think. Who is the missionary to the churches, and the Bible colleges here in the United States? The reason I say that is, it seemed the emphasis by the featured speaker was that reaching the poor and oppressed was a greater mission than the great commission. I understand that is usually the focus of missionaries to do both and usually get caught up in the physical needs of the people. However, it should never be the emphasis of one over the other. Because, if you give emphasis to the Gospel message, (the same Gospel message that Paul gave), the results will always be compassion for the needs of the people. There are many non-religious and non-Christian organizations around the world that do a very good job of meeting physical needs. But, what distinguishes us from them is the bread that will sustain them for eternity. Living water that will eternally quench their thirst. So, I question the need to give emphasis to the Church on getting out there and helping those who are in need. This is part of our make up as human beings who are bearing the image of God. So, I hope that I am making this point clear, that it is important to meet the needs of people, but for us as the church, we must share this precious gift of Grace through Faith, on account of Christ Alone. Soli Deo Gloria!!! All the Glory goes to God Alone!!!
Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!
This past weekend I attended a Missions Convention and it was wonderful to see the many missions all over the world. But, I could not help but think. Who is the missionary to the churches, and the Bible colleges here in the United States? The reason I say that is, it seemed the emphasis by the featured speaker was that reaching the poor and oppressed was a greater mission than the great commission. I understand that is usually the focus of missionaries to do both and usually get caught up in the physical needs of the people. However, it should never be the emphasis of one over the other. Because, if you give emphasis to the Gospel message, (the same Gospel message that Paul gave), the results will always be compassion for the needs of the people. There are many non-religious and non-Christian organizations around the world that do a very good job of meeting physical needs. But, what distinguishes us from them is the bread that will sustain them for eternity. Living water that will eternally quench their thirst. So, I question the need to give emphasis to the Church on getting out there and helping those who are in need. This is part of our make up as human beings who are bearing the image of God. So, I hope that I am making this point clear, that it is important to meet the needs of people, but for us as the church, we must share this precious gift of Grace through Faith, on account of Christ Alone. Soli Deo Gloria!!! All the Glory goes to God Alone!!!
Grace and Peace,
Chris Allen
Coram Deo!!!
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