Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died,
are happier than the living, who are still alive. 3 But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. 6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. 7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: 8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business! 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. 13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Part I – Gallery of People Mistakes
1. People that Crush
Ecclesiastes 4:1 MESSAGE: Next I turned my attention to all the outrageous violence that takes place on this planet—the tears of the victims, no one to comfort them; the iron grip of oppressors, no one to rescue the victims from them.
“THEY HAVE NO ONE”
So I congratulated the dead who are already dead instead of the living who are still alive. But luckier than the dead or the living is the person who has never even been, who has never seen the bad business that takes place on this earth.
2. People Driven by Envy
Ecclesiastes 4:4 MSG Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind.
"O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on."
Comparison is a race with no finish line and no winners.
3. People who ruin themselves.
Ecclesiastes 4:5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
are happier than the living, who are still alive. 3 But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. 6 Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. 7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: 8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business! 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. 13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Part I – Gallery of People Mistakes
1. People that Crush
Ecclesiastes 4:1 MESSAGE: Next I turned my attention to all the outrageous violence that takes place on this planet—the tears of the victims, no one to comfort them; the iron grip of oppressors, no one to rescue the victims from them.
“THEY HAVE NO ONE”
So I congratulated the dead who are already dead instead of the living who are still alive. But luckier than the dead or the living is the person who has never even been, who has never seen the bad business that takes place on this earth.
2. People Driven by Envy
Ecclesiastes 4:4 MSG Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind.
"O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on."
Comparison is a race with no finish line and no winners.
3. People who ruin themselves.
Ecclesiastes 4:5 Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves.
- Selfish.
- Impulsive
- Ignore wisdom.
- Disregard priority and balance in life
4. People Who Devalue Relationships
Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: 8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business!
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind
Part II – Four Ways To Improve Life
1. Partnership
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor
2. Support
Ecclesiastes 4:10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up
3. Present
Ecclesiastes 4:11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
4. Protect
Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken
