Unyime Akpan - December 3, 2017 Evening Service - a podcast by NBC Podium

Solomon –A Portrait of a Futile Life
Ecclesiastes 6
Main Lesson: To have a fruitful and satisfying life
God (Jesus) must be given first place
God (Jesus) must be the center of our lives
Major pursuit in life is knowing God (Jesus)
Ultimate response to life is loving God (Jesus)
Satisfaction comes only by vibrant relationship with God (Jesus)
Knowing God -Our Main Pursuit
Jeremiah 9 (NET)
23 The Lord says,
“Wise people should not boast that they are wise.
Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich.
24 If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me.
They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things,”
Paul boast
Philippians 3 (NKJV)
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord

Galatians 6
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom he world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Loving God -Our Ultimate Response to Life
4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
The Situation
Ecclesiastes 6
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men— 2 a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

Wealth without enjoyment
Common among the affluent
God is the giver of life and all gifts
Riches, wealth, honour, ability to enjoy them
The person in this story seemed to have it made
This verse brings us back to the overriding theme of the book
LIFE IS VANITY
Solomon’s Story
Solomon made an unselfish request
God granted him additional blessings –
riches and wealth and honour
Solomon probably ignored God as a result
God did not give him satisfaction
God did not cause him to enjoy the benefits of riches and wealth and honour
The Situation
6 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men— 2 a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

Foreigners may signify
An adversary
Sickness
Domestic conflict
Natural calamity, natural disaster
……..
So ultimately, we must find our joy not in what God gives but who God has given


Philippians 4
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Solomon’s Observations
10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? 

God is sovereign
Mankind is not sovereign
Disputing with God is a waste of time and effort
12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

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