Solomon's Need of Want Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2

It is possible to never have "need of want". But is it possible to fill our "want of need"?

Solomon discourses on this truth in this chapter of Ecclesiastes. He realized that he had everything he could ever want. He would never "need of want" for: food, work, pleasures, folly, mirth, possessions, gems, etc... His physical body (senses) would never have need. He was set. He is trying to help us see that although being king or (having everything) may fill his cup of "want", it will not fill his cup of "need".

Want and needs are two different things. Solomon told us in the first chapter of Ecclesiastes that those who focus on the physical aspect of "the days of our lives" will never find contentment. Contentment cannot be found in a never ending cycle. We will always want for more. But here is Solomon the King and he has no need for want. Why then does he still need?

We are both spiritual and physical beings. We all have physical and spiritual needs. Until our spiritual needs are met (by giving and serving a higher purpose) it does not matter how many of our physical needs are met. We will still fill empty.

Spiritual needs are set up differently. Unlike the physical which must "take in" in order to be fulfilled, the spirit must "give out" in order to find fulfillment.

Words and Phrases

vs 1. mirth and pleasure ... Solomon's words taken out of context here can bring the wrong message. I don't believe he is saying that mirth and pleasure are wrong because they are vain. Later in the chapter we realize that he is saying that without God, they bring only vanity.

vs 2 laughter - laughter cleanses the soul. It is good medicine. But without God it is of no value.

Vs 3. what they should do under heaven - what do we do? What is that thing we do? Solomon apparently was a busy man because he is going to recount to us all of the things that he has done his whole life to keep busy. He says that without God, without the higher purpose it brings only vexations.

vs 4-6... He made many things. We too have many duties that keep us focused in this life. We too have many jobs that help us move forward and find a feeling of accomplishment. But how much is this accomplishment worth if we can't take it with us? If it is bound to this earthly world?

vs 7-9 - He collected many things of value and worth: servants, gemstones, land, etc. We too collect many things as we travel on our journey of life. We too carry with us many different items in our tote-bag. How important are they if they do not fill our spiritual needs.

v9 my wisdom remained with me - Solomon truly was wise. He knew that it wasn't about what you had, or what you did, or (what he is trying to help us see) what we don't have or what we don't get to do. It's about seeking wisdom and living in such a way as to be able to retain it.

vs 11 no profit under the sun. Here he is cataloging all that he has done, all that he has owned, and considering if he has real profit? His wisdom has brought him to a higher understanding. His wisdom has helped him to see that while all of these things help us as we pass our days "under heaven" they give no real profit. Why ? Because we can't take them with us.

vs 13 wisdom exceedeth folly - He compares wisdom to light and folly to darkness. Those who choose to be foolish with their time will walk in darkness, while those who seek wisdom will fine light.

vs 14 the event happeneth to them all - We are all subject to life experience. What determines how we will react to the experiences we have in life is weather we have cultivated wisdom or folly.

vs 15 Why was I more wise? a bit of self reflection here? Some self abasement as well. Solomon was a humble man.

Vs 16 how doeth the wise man? Solomon believes that the wise man who believes he is wise will die a fool not because he is wise but because the cycle of life will cause him to be forgotten. Then how has his wisdom profited him?

He is actually using a bit of Socrates philosophy here and using the question to lead him to an answer.

18 I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me - Wo.. this is profound. Solomon realized that no matter how hard he worked, no matter how hard he tried to be in control of his labors, his life, his "wisdom", he was not. It would be left to the cycle of humanity that would follow him. Left to their interpretation of him, left to their perspective. His vanity causes him great pain. He feels caught between his own wisdom of what he has figured out and what he is to do with it?

vs. 19-23 He's cycling down now. His thoughts are becoming deep and despairing. He saying that vanity comes from his realization that he is proud of his work and does not want another to overseer it.

vs 24.. make his soul enjoy good in his labor - from the hand of God. He's beginning to see that he does not need to be frustrated. He does not need to be vexed. He just needs to realize that when we let God in our lives.. we have no need.

For God giveth to a man that is goo in his sight wisdom, and knowledge and joy.

What else can we take with us when we pass on but wisdom, and knowledge and joy? Wisdom from our experience. Knowledge from our learning and experience and Joy from our relationships that allow us to give of ourselves.

When we live for a higher purpose we are able to have our needs met. We don't need to feel the frustration and depression that Solomon felt. We can learn lessons from his wisdom and know that our labors are not in vain when they are done through and for God.

As an example, consider the words that we are reading. Where did they come from? Solomon. Are his words lost on his vanity? Or are they spread to all the earth because of his wisdom?

Seeking wisdom Ecclesiastes 1

Ecclesiastes 1

Mark 16:26

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Today I take a sidetrack from the Book of Mormon and read from the books of Solomon. Solomon is credited with three books from the Old Testament: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Psalms. All were very poetic in their verse.

How I read it:

• 1. I read it through one (two) times.
• 2. I went back and thought deeply about certain verses that jumped out at me and I asked questions?
• 3. I tried to imagine that I was the author. Why would I say what I said this way? What was his mood? (Somber) What was his intention?
• 4. I tried to remember something about Solomon to help me. What I couldn’t remember I looked up.
• 5. Finally, I was able to pull from it what was pertinent to me.

Life can be hopeless, if you let it. Wisdom comes to those who seek it, and when we find the knowledge needed to make us wise, it often brings us sadness. Why? Because, true wisdom does not come from knowledge (alone) of this earth which is cyclical, repetitive, and predictable. It is not until you add the element of God’s spirit into your life do you find something that will lift you above the mundane. Something that is able to help you make choices based not on pattern, but on truth that comes from an eternal source.

What is the difference in wisdom and profit? Why was Solomon bemoaning the fact that he could not have any real profit from doing his earthly labor? How you think Solomon saw profit? Did he include wisdom in his equation of profit? Wisdom is knowledge + spirit. Wisdom is knowledge + experience. Without a touch of experience to season our knowledge, knowledge is a valuable as vanity. Without the spirit to season our knowledge it brings us little gain. When you think of it this way, you can find a new understanding of Solomon’s words.

I have known quite a few older people in my life. I watch these older people. Why? Because I want to see if they have found the secret of life, or are they tired, lonely and angry. The ones that are happy, really happy with a smile that burns through to your soul, are the ones that have kept a higher law. They are not shy about telling you so. They have an energy about them that draws you to them. And when you are around them, you feel alive, full of hope and you begin to cultivate a desire to have wisdom. I think that we have a choice in life to choose to be a battery charger or a battery drainer. When we choose God, we become a charger.

I once met an older man at a social gathering. When his son introduced me to him, it was like plugging into a battery charger. He was in his late 80’s, but carried the demeanor of a much younger man. His smile spoke volumes about his faith. I knew from knowing his son that he (my friends father) was a man of great faith, but I didn’t have to be told that. His faith was apparent in his aura, in the way he treated others, in his smile and his consideration for others. He was happy! No he was full of joy! Happy comes from earthly experience, Joy comes from God.

When we get our energy from something “above the sun”, when we find our wisdom from keeping God’s commandments we forego the frustrations of life. We forego the difficulties and the seemingly endless cycles of life that “run into the sea” and “return again”.

You can read this with a touch of pessimism as many have, or you can read the first chapter of Ecclesiastes with a touch of optimism. It does get rather boorish listening to Solomon recount the reasons that life without the spirit does not bring profit, but I believe he is trying to emphasis these points so that he can help us understand where exactly our focus should be if we want to have true profit from our lives.

(Words and Phrases)

Vs 2 Vanity.. all is vanity. Vanity: worthless, pride, narcissistic, egotism. Basically anything that you can't take with you when you die.

Vs 3 What profit our work for this life? When we die do people really remember what we did or didn’t do to make a living? I have done a great deal of genealogy work and discovered that when we die we are most remembered for whom we lived with, where we lived, and the families that we bore. Sadly, we are also often remembered for the “skeletons” we create. The best way to be remembered in this life is to be kind. To be forgiving. To love another human being. When we become too caught up in our work, in ourselves, in our vanities… then we become part of the life cycles that never end, and never change. We must live a higher law.

Vs. 4 One generation passeth away.. another cometh. The families of man are born. They die. And the earth on which we live abides.

Vs. 5 A day.. a cycle in the time we have here on earth. A small circle of time in the larger span of time in our existence here.

Vs. 6 according to its circuits – even the wind has its patterns. Meteorologist know the patterns of wind. They are daily, seasonal, and patterned. Forever

Vs 7 all the rivers. – the cycle of water it comes from the rivers, to the sea, and back again. It is a never-ending cycle of moving water.

Vs 8 full of labor – No matter what man does for his labor, he will never be satisfied. There is not contentment in a world where the cycles of life are never ending.

Vs 9 no new thing - Elements. We are made of elements. The world within which we live is made of elements. There is no new thing. It just all gets transferred from one phase of the cycle to the other.

EXCEPT WHEN we show kindness, show love. This is new. To the soul that receives it, it is new. Spiritual truths, spiritual gifts, spiritual kindness always brings newness. New ideas, renewed hope, understanding. When the spirit has gone out of us, when we loose hope then we are merely elements awaiting our cycle to turn its course.

Vs 11 no remembrance of former things – I believe this is a reference to the veil. We cannot remember our lives before. When we are on this earth, we must be content with the elements that exist. We cannot know what is to come (after this life)

Vs 13. I GAVE MY HEART TO SEEK AND SEarCH OUT BY WISDOM -

Enough said. Give your heart to know wisdom. Wisdom comes from God.

Vs 14vexation of spirit – Solomon is frustrated because he wants more. He was the king over Israel. He does not understand the prophets, the hope the promise. Or if he does he still wants more and God will not give it to him.

Vs. 18 he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow – knowledge alone will not bring us joy or lift up our spirit. Knowledge used for vanity brings sorrow. At the end of the book Solomon will tell us that knowledge used for service of God brings joy

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As I read this first chapter of Ecclesiastes, I was reminded to consider that a life lived for oneself is vanity. Vanity is worthless and meaningless. There can be little joy in labor that does not serve a higher purpose.

But wisdom can be found within the cycle of life. It comes in keeping God's commandments and learning to understand God's ways.

One of the greatest gems I received today was the realization that the spirit of giving renews us all. We all have a spirit of goodness within us. We all have a spirit of God. We can choose to ignore it and live a life of drudgery, or we can choose to embrace it and help bring a new spirit to those we meet, we work with, to those we love. We can do this by giving our heart to search out wisdom.