Wisdom from Under the Sun
Matthew5:3; I Samuel 16; II Peter 2:7
Ecclesiastes

Life just wasn't what Solomon expected...
Vexation of Spirit!


VEX
1.  To irritate; to make angry by little provocations
2.  To plague; to torment; to harass; to afflict.
3.  To disturb; to disquiet; to agitate.
4.  To trouble; to distress.
5.  To persecute.

He saw that all the works that are done under the sun are vexation of spirit!
Ecclesiastes 1:14   I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

He saw that the works that his own hands had wrought under the sun
was all vanity and vexation of spirit - and not even for any profit!
Ecclesiastes 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Mark 8:36  For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?


His observations gave him a grievous attitude!
Ecclesiastes 2:17  Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

He learned that vexation affects the heart!
Ecclesiastes 2:22  For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

He saw that envy was all over nothing!
Ecclesiastes 4:4  Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour.  This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

He saw that the "lifestyle" of "too much" and "abundance" is vexation of spirit!
Ecclesiastes 4:6  Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Full hands:
choke the word...
keep folks from getting saved...
cause folks to fall into temptation and a snare...
lead folks into many foolish and hurtful lusts...
drown men in destruction and perdition...
cause people to err from the faith...
pierce folks through with many sorrows...

Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverbs 15:16
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
Proverbs 16:8


He saw how easily people are forgotten!
Ecclesiastes 4:16  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.
Psalm 6:5  For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
Ecclesiastes 2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten.  And how dieth the wise man?  as the fool.

He saw the truth of God's way and design as vexation of spirit!
Ecclesiastes 2:26  For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God.  This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

To be truly "good in His sight," we must have Christ be our propitiation - our mediator - our advocate - our walk - we must have Christ!

Otherwise, we are 'not a people' - we are 'dogs.'  See Romans 10,11!

The lost do 'store up' their earthly treasures for their white throne judgment!
Romans 2:5-11  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:  For there is no respect of persons with God.

Romans 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Romans 10:2-4  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
God sees the works of Christ in our lives, not our works!!!  See Galatians 2:20


He saw the need for final authority in all matters of practice!
Ecclesiastes 6:9   Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

People today have "wandering desires"... and "don't" see the truth, they "won't" see the truth, because they "can't" see the truth!
II Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Temptation drags them all everywhere! Rev 3:10

They are dragged into Satan's snare!
I Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
I Timothy 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
II Timothy 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

People want to SEE today, but they want to see first!  They can only SEE because of faith, and with faith, we will SEE in the Book the final call on any issue!
John 21:29  ...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
I Corinthians 2:9,10  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Final authority is the word of a king - even Solomon knew that!
Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?
Ecclesiastes 8:4
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:16



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