Scripture points are shared, today, to clarify King Solomon’s prophetic use of the terms vain, vanity, and under the sun. Solomon, Job, Jeremiah and others throughout the holy writings take up the themes of aging, life’s brevity, arbitrary change (we also say, evil; unasked for, unintended, unnecessary, unplanned change), death, inheritance, mortality, and sin as fixed conditions that introduce despair, frustration, injustice, imbalance, impracticality, and ungodliness. A writer at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Risa” (Level 2 with 982 points, a member since January 18, 2010) posted the following:
What did Solomon mean when saying that everything is vanity under the sun?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 6: 3-12, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: The Gift of Life Despised? (10/13/2014); The Life That Endures (10/14/2014); Errors of King Solomon? (06/13/2013); Salvation for Atheists? (06/14/2013)
“Risa”, in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, doctrines, events, objects, persons, things, and traditions labeled vain lack divine spirit substance, therefore, they are ephemeral, fruitless, pointless, short-lived, temporary, transient, unable to provide salvation or satisfaction, unproductive, and a waste of time. A vanity may be an idol or man-made object that is worshiped as containing a god, or serving as its agent and representative. The phrase under the sun means throughout the earth, everywhere within the sphere of life for mankind, among the living. Despite what appears to be a rant from the King, Solomon is called “the Preacher” because, in addition to prophetically describing the human predicament—that apart from the Creator, the creation is finite, limited, and without eternal purpose—Solomon points out the brevity, injustice, and repeated frustration of mankind’s expectations generated by flesh (i.e., appetite, sensation, emotion/mental functions, mortality). Following are some Scriptures to consider for a complete Christian understanding of Ecclesiastes and other writings where the terms vain and vanity appear:
(1.) Deuteronomy 5: 11, KJV: 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
(2.) Deuteronomy 32: 45-47, KJV: 45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: 46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law. 47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
(3.) 1st Samuel 12: 20-22, KJV: 20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
(4.) Psalms 89: 46-48, KJV: 46 How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? 48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
(5.) 1st Corinthians 15: 12-15, KJV: 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
(6.) James 1: 25-27, KJV: 25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
There is far more that could be said, and that must be correctly understood and spiritually taken into account. (For example (7.) Jeremiah 10: 14-16, KJV: 14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. 16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Showing posts with label futility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label futility. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
(10/14/2014) The Life That Endures
More is shared in response to the complaint that life has no genuine substance, is pointless, and is vain. Like Job and Solomon, even anointed prophets such as Jeremiah and Elijah have struggled against the brevity of life, its futility and injustice, and what seems its arbitrary course of events. It is the truth that all human achievement now is subject to annihilation, corruption, decay, decline, reversal, and ruin. Nevertheless, through Jesus Christ, many created beings and living creatures will become known as acceptable works of GOD, and will endure as eternal, everlasting, immortal, and incorruptible.
THE BATTLE AXE: The Gift of Life Despised? (10/13/2014)—(4.) Many Christian believers entered into a relationship to acknowledge GOD seeking relief from their anguish, loss, pain and suffering. It was not because they understood all the preaching and teaching about GOD, or all the details of sacred law and Revelation. They reached a point where they confessed having a deep need within their own lives for the assurances, cleansing, new life, possibilities and power proclaimed by GOD through Jesus Christ. Like the account of Adam and Eve, the record of Lucifer and the angels of heaven who followed him are provided to show that failing to correctly value the gifts from GOD result in their being denied to you. There are many precious blessings with GOD that none may ever earn for themselves by begging or pleading, by hard work and worry, by weeping and crying. Included are covenant, faith, forgiveness, fellowship, healing, holiness, immortality, incorruption, divine law, love, prosperity, respect, the imparted Spirit (some say, breath of life, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth), trust, wisdom, and wrath against sin. See Micah 6: 8, Psalms 34: 7-8, Zechariah 8: 16-17, Matthew 7: 6-8 and 13-14, 1st Corinthians 2: 9-13 and 1st Peter 3: 10-12, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. 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. 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. Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 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. (Ecclesiastes 2: 14-26, KJV)
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. Ones experience of eternal life must begin as an acceptance of salvation through Christ within the present time frame, and is not merely to be thought of as a far off, future event. Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
THE BATTLE AXE: The Gift of Life Despised? (10/13/2014)—(4.) Many Christian believers entered into a relationship to acknowledge GOD seeking relief from their anguish, loss, pain and suffering. It was not because they understood all the preaching and teaching about GOD, or all the details of sacred law and Revelation. They reached a point where they confessed having a deep need within their own lives for the assurances, cleansing, new life, possibilities and power proclaimed by GOD through Jesus Christ. Like the account of Adam and Eve, the record of Lucifer and the angels of heaven who followed him are provided to show that failing to correctly value the gifts from GOD result in their being denied to you. There are many precious blessings with GOD that none may ever earn for themselves by begging or pleading, by hard work and worry, by weeping and crying. Included are covenant, faith, forgiveness, fellowship, healing, holiness, immortality, incorruption, divine law, love, prosperity, respect, the imparted Spirit (some say, breath of life, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth), trust, wisdom, and wrath against sin. See Micah 6: 8, Psalms 34: 7-8, Zechariah 8: 16-17, Matthew 7: 6-8 and 13-14, 1st Corinthians 2: 9-13 and 1st Peter 3: 10-12, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. 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. 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. Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 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. (Ecclesiastes 2: 14-26, KJV)
There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended. Ones experience of eternal life must begin as an acceptance of salvation through Christ within the present time frame, and is not merely to be thought of as a far off, future event. Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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