Everything is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 1:1. The author, Solomon referred to himself as the Teacher, or leader of the assembly. He was both assembling people to hear a message and gathering wise sayings. Solomon, one person in the Bible, who had everything (wisdom, power, riches, honor, reputation God’s favor) is the one who discussed the ultimate emptiness of all that this world has to offer. His purpose in this book is to make people realize that their confidence in their own efforts, abilities and righteousness was meaningless . Instead their commitment to God is the only reason for living. Solomon had a purpose for writing skeptically and pessimistically. Near the end of his life, looking back on everything he had done, he saw that most of it seemed meaningless. A common belief was that good people prospered and the wicked suffered, but that hadn’t proven true in Solomon’s experience. Solomon wrote this book after he had tried everything and achieved much, only to find that nothing apart from God made him happy. He wanted his readers to avoid these same senseless pursuits. If we try to find meaning in our accomplishments rather than God, we will never be satisfied, and everything we pursue will become wearisome.
Ecclesiastes 1:2. Solomon’s kingdom, Israel, was in it’s golden age, but Solomon wanted the people to understand that success and prosperity don’t last long. All human accomplishments will one day disappear ,we must keep this in mind in order to live wisely. If we don’t we will become either proud and self-sufficient when we succeed or sorely disappointed when we fail. Solomon’s goal was to show that earthly possessions and accomplishments are ultimately meaningless. Only the pursuit of God brings real satisfaction. We should honor God in all we say, think ,and do.
Ecclesiastes 1:8,11. Many people feel restless and dissatisfied. They wonder: 1. If I am in God’s will. Why am I so tired and unfulfilled? 2. What is the meaning of life? 3. When I look back on it all, will I be happy with my accomplishments? 4. Why do I feel burned out? 5. What is to become of me? Solomon test our faith, challenging us to have true and lasting meaning in God alone. As you take a hard look at your life, as Solomon did his, you will see how important serving God is over all other options. Perhaps God is asking you to rethink your purpose and direction in life.
Ecclesiastes 1:16,18. The more you understand, the more pain and difficulty you experience. For example, the more you know , the more imperfection you see around you, and the more you observe the more evil becomes evident. As you set out with Solomon to find the meaning of life, you must be ready to feel more, think more, question more, hurt more, and do more. Are you ready to pay the price for wisdom???

I am who I am, when I am. I am the same wherever I go.
I don’t change just to please a few, I stay the same to please God.

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The End Times

Daniel 12:1,2. Great suffering is in store for God’s people throughout the years ahead. This way of describing the future is also used by Jeremiah 30:7 and Jesus in Matthew 24:21. Yet the great suffering is tempered by a great promise of hope for true believers. This is a clear reference to the resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, although the eternal fates of each will be quite different. Up to this point in time, teaching about the resurrection was not common, although every Israelite believed that one day he or she would be included in the restoration of the new kingdom. This reference to a bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost was a sharp departure from common belief.
Daniel 12:3,4. Many people try to be stars in the world of entertainment, only to find their stardom temporary. God tells us how we can be eternal stars, by being wise and leading many to God’s righteousness. If we share our Lord with others, we can be true stars, radiantly beautiful in God’s sight. Closing up and sealing the words of the scroll meant that it was to be kept safe and preserved. This was to be done so that believers of all times could look back on God’s work in history and find hope. Daniel did not understand the exact meaning of the times and events in his vision. We can see events as they unfold, for we are in the end times. The whole book will not be understood until the climax of earth’s history.
Daniel 12:7. Time, times and half a time, may add up to 3 and a half years, and may be taken as either literal or figurative. The power of the holy people seems to be crushed again and again throughout history. God’s recurring purpose in this is to break the pride and self sufficiency of his rebellious people and to bring them to accept him as their Lord.
Daniel 12:10,11. Trials and persecutions make very little sense to us when we experience them, but they can purify us if we are willing to learn from them. After you survive a difficult time , seek to learn from it so that it can help you in the future. ‘’The Abomination’’ set up in the temple refers to the alter of Zens, where Antiochus IV sacrificed a pig. Some think it will have another fulfillment in the antichrist and one of his horrible acts of evil. However, this and the predictions at the early part of the chapter may refer specifically to Antiochus IV, and the rest of the prophecy may refer to the end times.
Daniel 12:12,13. Either these are further calculations related to the persecution of the Jews under Antiochuv IV, or they refer to the end times. The abolishing of the daily sacrifices means the removal of worship of the true God, as well as oppression of believers. There is much speculation about these numbers in verses 11 and 12. The point is that this time of persecution has an end. God is in control of it, and he will be victorious over evil.
The promise of resurrection was reaffirmed to Daniel. He would one day see the fulfillment of his words, but he was not to spend the rest of his life wondering what his visions might mean. Instead, he was to rest in comfort of God’s sovereignty and look forward to the time when he would rise to receive and share eternal life with God. God does not reveal everything to us in this life. We must be content with the partial picture until ne wants us to see more. He will tell us all we need to know. Daniel stands tall in the gallery of God’s remarkable servants. Born of royal heritage, yet taken into captivity when only a teenager, Daniel determined to remain faithful to God in the land of his captivity. Even at great personal cost , Daniel spent his entire life advising his captors with unusual wisdom. God chose him as his servant to record some of the events concerning the future. As an old man, having been faithful to God throughout his years, Daniel was assured by God that he would rise from the dead and receive his portion in God’s eternal kingdom. Faithfulness to God has a rich reward, not necessarily in this life, but most certainly in the life to come.

When you go out as a light, you overcome the darkness !!!!!

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Psalm 23

Psalm 23:.1 In describing the Lord as a shepherd, David wrote out his own experience because he had spent his early years caring for sheep. Sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance and protection. The New Testament calls Jesus the good Shepherd. As the Lord is the good Shepherd, so we are his sheep, not frightened, passive animals, but obedient followers, wise enough to follow one who will lead us in the right places and in the right ways. This psalm does not focus on the animal-like qualities of sheep, but on the discipleship qualities of those who follow. When you recognize the good Shepherd, follow him.
Psalm 23:2,3. When we allow God our Shepherd to guide us, we have contentment. When we choose to sin, however, we go our own way and cannot God for the environment we create for ourselves. Our Shepherd knows the green pastures and quite waters that will restore us. We will reach these places only by following him obediently. Rebelling against the Shepherd’s leadership is actually rebelling against our own best interests. We must remember this the next time we are tempted to go our own way rather than the Shepherd’s way.
Psalm 23:4. Death cast a frightening shadow over us because we are entirely helpless in its presence. We can struggle with other enemies, pain, suffering, disease, injury- but strength and courage cannot overcome death. It has the final word. Only one person can walk us through death’s dark valley and bring us safely to the other side, the God of life, our shepherd. Because life is uncertain, we should follow this shepherd who offers us eternal comfort.
Psalm 23:5,6. In ancient Near Eastern culture, at a banquet it was customary to anoint a person with fragrant oil. Host were also expected to protect their guest at all cost. God offers the protection of a host even when enemies surround us. In the final scene of this psalm, we see that believers will dwell with the Lord. God , the perfect shepherd and host, promises to guide and protect us through life to bring us into his house forever.

Life must be lived forward, but it can only be understood backwards !!!

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