Live Joyfully!

by Paul Earnhart Biblical Insights 14(9) September 2014 The Preacher concluded the eighth chapter with another of his oft-repeated observations that God’s ways are inscrutable to men, however wise (Ecclesiastes 8:17). Job, in his misery, twice asks plaintively: “But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?” (Job 28:12, 20). He then…

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I Can’t Get No Satisfaction

by Rick Lanning Ecclesiastes: Solomon’s Masterpiece Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones fame, both turned 80 years old this year. They have been singing rock-n-roll hits for 60 years. Back in 1972 Dick Cavett interviewed them on his TV show and asked them when they were 29 years old, “Do you think…

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The Whole Duty of Man

by Matthew W. Bassford The opening chapters of Ecclesiastes are surely among the gloomiest in the entire Bible. In them, Solomon examines life under the sun and concludes that all of the usual human pursuits are futile and vain. Wealth doesn’t bring lasting satisfaction. The pursuit of pleasure proves to be pointless. The accumulation of…

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The Conclusion of the Whole Matter

by David R. Pharr Frank Sinatra was only 54 when he recorded his popular song, “I Did It My Way.” The song may imply his life was nearly over. “And now the end is near, So I face the final curtain.” The lyrics may suggest a full and mostly successful life, with emphasis on it…

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Could you explain Ecclesiastes 2:26?

Question: Could you explain Ecclesiastes 2:24-26? What is meant in verse 26 by “… while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight …”? Answer: The book of Ecclesiastes is exploring the purpose of life. Solomon shows that…

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Did Solomon miss out on heaven?

Question: Jeffrey, Another question that I realize we probably can’t really answer. However, since I’ve been curious about it for some time, I thought I’d ask anyway. In the Old Testament, we read of Solomon letting his wives turn his heart from God. “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives…

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Enjoy What God Has Given You

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Enjoy-What-God-Has-Given-You.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 50   I.         Have you given a gift that wasn’t appreciated?             A.        “That’s nice, but it wasn’t what I hoped to receive.”             B.        “Thanks, but it would have been better if you also included …”             C.        Or worse, it just sits there, not being used             D.        It’s frustrating to the giver.             E.        But consider…

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Does Ecclesiastes contain statements that don’t make sense to Christians?

Question: In your article, “Do people know what is happening on earth after their death?”, you plainly state the dead don’t know what happens on Earth. After looking at Coffman’s Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 9 he points out interesting points in the chapter. If dead refers to “dead people” in verse 5, what is meant by…

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Is there something wrong with being left-handed?

Question: What does Ecclesiastes 10:2 tell us? Is there anything wrong with left-handedness? Answer: “A wise man’s heart is at his right hand, but a fool’s heart at his left” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). Being left-handed is far less common than being right-handed. It is unusual enough that it is mentioned as a feature of some people.…

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Do you know what it means to “cast your bread upon the waters?”

Question: Do you know what it means to “cast your bread upon the waters?” Answer: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, for you do not know what evil will be on the earth” (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2). The phrase is…

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How can Solomon’s writings be God’s words?

Question: I read what you said about Solomon’s writing being the words of God, but it seems to me that something must have changed. How do you explain Proverbs 10:15 (in light of James 1:9-10), Proverbs 10:27 (in light of Jesus and John the Baptist), Proverbs 12:21 (in light of people like Hugh Heffner), and…

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