Originally NOT understanding this book - here we are, 1 hour in to the recording of 26 verses from Ecclesiastes, chapter 2!

All Glory to God for His revelation on this chapter 2, part 1. Unfortunately my NEW COMPUTER SHUTS DOWN at 48 minutes, therefore when I record, I cut the hour recording and from verse 16-26 in Part 2. I hope you continue to listen.

Part 3 will be available next week!

No, no, no.

2

I needed the light.

3

I'm getting used to my brand new laptop.

4

Oh my God.

5

Chill out.

6

Welcome back to another

episode of I Can He Can.

7

My name is Sai.

8

This is episode 36 where we are continuing

the Sound Mind series and we are reading

9

through the book of Ecclesiastes, which

I told you guys in episode 35 that I

10

had the hardest time understanding this.

11

I'm so sorry if you hear

all this background noise.

12

I'm not used to my brand new

computer that was gifted to me.

13

Oh, I'm feeling the joy of, of the Lord.

14

Someone wanted me to feel the joy of

the Lord, and as I'm feeling it right

15

now, I'm also on a bunch of medicine and

steroids because as I also mentioned, I

16

have been taking a step back from time

to time because of the relapse with MS

17

and all those things that I discussed

before the introduction of Ecclesiastes

18

last week for chapter one, which when

we discussed this, just to recap for

19

you guys before we run into chapter two

20

Oh and the introduction, the recap

of chapter one was about vanity.

21

And I told you that Solomon or so

the scholars think that Solomon did

22

not write the book of Ecclesiastes,

but I'm pretty sure that that he did,

23

especially because of the way of writing.

24

He's certainly not Paul.

25

Now that Paul is bad or he's

just very different and I

26

understood Paul much better.

27

However, today was the day and

rereading for the fourth time

28

Ecclesiastes that I actually

understood what the living word was.

29

I always understood it, but I

understood it much better today.

30

'cause again, how could you read

a book the same book two, three

31

times and not understand what

it is that you're looking at?

32

I understood that today,

and I understood that today.

33

Why?

34

Because just like Solomon,

35

oh, and I'm probably gonna say this again

for chapter three, but just like Solomon,

36

I was doing exactly what he was doing.

37

I was trying to

38

know the Lord's wisdom, God's wisdom, and

also have your foot in sin and want to do.

39

What the flesh wants to do and wants

to live by all the worldly things.

40

And if you stick with me how I said in

chapter one and the introduction, which

41

I hadn't read properly, the introduction

before I started reading Ecclesiastes,

42

it's like a little sad diary, which

is what the introduction says, not me.

43

However, it is like a sad diary of

Solomon's life and what he learned the

44

through the vanity of life and trying to

live in what he calls pursuit of wisdom.

45

'cause he was in the pursuit

of wisdom in chapter one.

46

And then as now we're gonna start

reading in chapter two again.

47

I'm sorry for all the noise.

48

I know I'm hitting my Bible in front

of me and the mic is picking it up.

49

Also my throat really does hurt

a little bit, so I apologize

50

if you hear some chewing.

51

Those are some colas that I have

here in my desk 'cause I am a

52

little wired up at the moment.

53

Um, before I crash, probably

gonna edit this out.

54

But anyway.

55

Um, all right.

56

So chapter two is very

different from chapter one.

57

Chapter one is basically just talking

about what he wanted to do in life.

58

He was expressing what vanity was in

general to him, everything that he

59

experienced from the moment that he

was born through what he went through,

60

through what then he had later in life.

61

However, then in chapter two, he

starts discussing the differences,

62

the differences between what

he learned in a young age.

63

As he grew older and he grew wiser.

64

But then also what he discovered that

he couldn't have done or learned, being

65

in sin and having his foot in that

vanity and that pleasure and um, what he

66

called it here, you'll see in verse one,

having to do with joy what we all want.

67

Which right now I have a different kind

of joy because my joy is 'cause of the

68

revelation I had today and also because of

the meds that I have flowing through me,

69

I powered off and also 'cause of the

meds that I have flowing through me.

70

He calls it a spiritual pleasure.

71

A spiritual pleasure.

72

So we're gonna jump into chapter two

and before we do that, 'cause I know

73

this has been quite the introduction.

74

For the episode that I should

have posted this morning.

75

Had a lot going on this morning with the

doctor, the hospital, and all of that.

76

I'm going to read some very brief

notes from the introduction to

77

chapter two, and it says that

he decided to try the opposite.

78

Pure pleasure.

79

He being Solomon, not God.

80

No.

81

It was Solomon.

82

He tried to do the opposite of

chapter one, which was seeking wisdom.

83

He tried to seek pure pleasure and

pure, excuse me, pure, pure pleasure can

84

translate into what he called vanity.

85

Then the introduction goes on to

say that Solomon even insists,

86

and I have insists circled that he

pursued these things even as he was

87

seeking wisdom and you can find that.

88

Ecclesiastes chapter two, verse three.

89

So we'll get to that.

90

So he insisted on trying both ways,

which is why I was saying that I

91

feel that I wasn't understanding this

because I was also doing the same thing.

92

And when you try to seek the wisdom and

live by things of the world, you're not

93

going to understand really anything in

the Bible because you're being lukewarm.

94

You are not really trying to understand

the Lord and what he has in store for you.

95

So anyway, to finish with this little

summary of chapter two, before we

96

start reading the verse by verse, I

highlighted the section in the summary

97

that says, but earthly pleasures

are short lived, and that is true.

98

Life as a whole is short-lived,

whether it's a person who

99

lives 30 years, 33, like Jesus.

100

Lives 40 lives, 50 lives 60.

101

Everything is shortlived.

102

Everything like how it says

in chapter one is a vapor.

103

Life is a vapor.

104

We seem to forget that earthly pleasure

is just like life are shortlived.

105

They come and they go.

106

We're gonna read a little

bit more about that.

107

And temporary pleasures were and are

not central to human fulfillment.

108

It doesn't matter what you do.

109

And I know that I spoke about that

in last week's episode in of chapter

110

one, that it doesn't matter what we

do, all the work that we start any

111

endeavors, any businesses, any side

hustle, whatever you wanna call it, it

112

doesn't matter what we do, none of it

is going to fulfill us like the Lord.

113

So why are we going to continue doing

those things and seeking fulfillment?

114

From things that are part

of vanity and being vain and

115

things that are not of the Lord.

116

Why are we going to seek those

things instead of just accepting

117

that he is in control and allowing

him to do the work in your life?

118

Um, but that's it for my brief, very

actually eight minute introduction

119

to chapter two and reading the little

highlights of my summary as I was

120

trying to study the book again today.

121

So to continue and to begin,

Ecclesiastes chapter two,

122

am going to read

123

verse by verse, and we'll be stopping from

time to time to understand what to explain

124

to you guys what I was understanding as

I was reading today, not the first three

125

times that I didn't really grasp it.

126

I was grasping for the air.

127

Now I was actually grasping for what I

should have been, which was God's word.

128

God's purpose for me in understanding

why I'm reading this book.

129

So today I'm going to share what

I have highlighted and what I

130

have understood from chapter two,

Ecclesiastes chapter two, verse one.

131

Solomon says Here, I said in my heart,

come now, I will test you with mirth.

132

Therefore, enjoy pleasure, but surely.

133

This also was vanity.

134

Verse two, I said, of laughter, madness,

and of mirth, what does it accomplish?

135

Verse three, I searched in my heart

how to gratify my flesh with wine

136

while guiding my heart with wisdom

and how to lay hold on folly.

137

So I might see what was good for

the sons of men to do under heaven

138

all the days of their lives.

139

So verse one, Solomon starts with

saying, I said in my heart, again,

140

in his heart, not with the wisdom

he was seeking with his own heart.

141

He was saying to himself, come

now I will test you with Mirth.

142

So he's telling his heart that he's

going to test himself with mirth.

143

I've heard the word mirth before, and

I have it circled here because I had to

144

go back and understand what Mirth was.

145

If you just read past things

without actually understanding them,

146

they're going to miss the point.

147

And Murth is having to do with joy.

148

It's a spiritual kind of joy.

149

It's the superficial type of pleasure

that we get from earthly things.

150

So he said to his heart, come

now I will test you with Mirth.

151

So he was seeking wisdom.

152

But here in Ecclesiastes too,

he was also seeking to find

153

that sort of spiritual joy.

154

That was actually kind of superficial.

155

Honey.

156

Honey.

157

Honey.

158

Babe.

159

Babe, I I could hear you.

160

Huh?

161

I hear you breathing Well

the mic is picking you up.

162

Not me.

163

Well, I hear you too.

164

'cause they died.

165

But the mic is picking you up.

166

You're gonna have to breathe.

167

No, I'm just saying.

168

I didn't hear you before.

169

That's why I turned around.

170

What are you telling me?

171

Because if Mike is picking

you up, what gonna do?

172

I know.

173

I feel, 'cause you're falling asleep.

174

That's why I know I'm walking.

175

Oh.

176

Gimme something.

177

Breath.

178

Maybe

179

I was recording all that.

180

No, not funny.

181

Okay.

182

I thought it was funny.

183

I'll send you a message by the way.

184

Oh, I have it on d and D.

185

Okay.

186

Sorry for that brief pause.

187

So, as I was saying, mirth

188

is a type of joy and he was testing

his own heart with that mirth.

189

So let's reread verse one.

190

I said in my heart, come now,

I will test you with Mirth.

191

Therefore, enjoy pleasure.

192

So he's telling himself, enjoy

pleasure, but he continues to say,

193

but surely this also was vanity.

194

He already knew.

195

He already knew the wisdom that

he tried to gain in chapter one.

196

He already knew.

197

What was vanity?

198

What was not something that he

should be doing, but of course the

199

heart is deceiving and he wasn't

thinking with what he learned

200

with that wisdom, with that knowledge

that he had gained throughout the years.

201

He was thinking with his heart,

and he said, this also was vanity.

202

Verse two, I said, of

laughter, remember mirth.

203

So it's a spiritual joy.

204

It's a kind of, this is me talking,

I'm kind of just chiming in here.

205

He said, with, I said, with

laughter, madness, and of mirth.

206

There it goes again.

207

Verse two.

208

I said, does it accomplish?

209

So he's asking himself,

what does it accomplish?

210

What does mirth give you?

211

It brings madness.

212

It brings madness.

213

It brings things that are not of the Lord.

214

Does the Lord also bring

madness and tumultuous things?

215

Yes.

216

But.

217

The Lord brings those things

because of our decisions, because

218

it's after all the chances and

all the grace that he provides.

219

It's not.

220

It's not when we're doing

things in the correct way.

221

Madness comes after the mirth

madness, exclamation point.

222

If you read the new King James

version, Ecclesiastes two, verse

223

two, I said, of laughter, then it

says madness and exclamation and of

224

mirth madness, verse then the mirth.

225

What does it accomplish?

226

Absolutely nothing Good.

227

That's what I wrote there.

228

Verse three.

229

I searched in my heart how to

gratify my flesh with wine again.

230

He's searching his heart how to make

his heart and his flesh keyword.

231

My flesh, gra.

232

Feel gratified.

233

While guiding my heart with wisdom

234

continuing on and how to lay hold

on folly till I might see what was

235

good for the sons of men to do under

heaven all the days of their life.

236

So I have highlighted the second part of

the first part of the sentence, excuse me.

237

I searched in my heart how to

gratify my flesh with wine.

238

I have wine circled and I have wine list

circled there and with a little line over

239

it saying sin, because wine can be a sin

if you in overindulge in wine, it quite

240

certainly inebriates you and it becomes

something that can be sinful to the flesh.

241

And in this case, Solomon is

saying that he was trying to

242

gratify his flesh with wine.

243

And if you also think of wine when you're

younger, all you wanna do is drink.

244

All you wanna do is drink.

245

Why?

246

Because you can't do

it, at least nowadays.

247

You can't do it until you're 21.

248

So I'm not sure when this was written

by Solomon, how old he may have been.

249

But if he was young, he may have wanted

to also gratify the flesh with wine, even

250

though I know that wine wasn't used always

just to be inebriated, um, in that time

251

and to be drunk, you know, it was kind

of like something that they had to drink

252

because the water was making them sick.

253

However, if you overindulged in it, then

it could lead you to do other things.

254

Cin, in my eyes, I just

kind of thought of that now.

255

But anyway, he contin, he continues to, to

write while guiding my heart with wisdom.

256

Again, sin and wisdom cannot

coincide, cannot coexist, and

257

how to lay, hold on folly.

258

So he wanted.

259

Guide his heart with wisdom,

but also hold off on folly.

260

And I have highlighted here that folly is

one of the many extremely rare words that

261

are used only in the book of Ecclesiastes.

262

And the definition that the NKJB version

that I'm reading is giving, it says it

263

is translated as folly and foolishness.

264

So he wants to guide his heart

with wisdom by using wine while

265

also holding off on foolishness.

266

In today's day and age, we would

say make it make sense, honestly.

267

Like make that make sense.

268

And I can't make sense of it because

again, I was doing the same thing, trying

269

to understand with wisdom as I'm reading

this, but I still had foolishness going

270

on and trying to have my foot in wisdom.

271

So that's just not gonna work.

272

It cancels itself out.

273

To finish off verse three, good

for the sons of men to do under

274

heaven all the days of their lives.

275

So it's like he was almost kind of going

on a mission to figure out if you can

276

have wisdom and live that kind of life,

but also live with mirth that was earthly

277

and live with folly that was earthly.

278

So I'll just leave that right there.

279

Continuing on to verse four.

280

I'm sorry.

281

There was just a lot that I was

taking today from chapter two

282

and chapter three verse four.

283

I made my works great.

284

I built myself houses and

I planted myself vineyards.

285

Verse five.

286

I made myself gardens and

orchards, and I planted all

287

kinds of fruits, trees in them.

288

I made myself water pools from which to

water the growing trees of the grove.

289

Per seven.

290

I acquired male and female servants,

and I had servants born in my house.

291

Yes, I had greater possessions

of herds and flocks than all

292

who were in Jerusalem before me.

293

He was very powerful.

294

Verse eight, I said He was very powerful.

295

Well, he was, but I'm

sorry, I'm interjecting.

296

Verse eight.

297

I also gathered for myself silver and gold

and the special treasures of kings and of

298

the provinces I acquired male and female

singers, the delights of the sons of men

299

and musical instruments of all kinds.

300

So we'll stop right there for a second.

301

There's a lot going on in this

sentence, but if there's one thing that.

302

Really stood out for me is on verse four

when he said, I made my works great.

303

I built myself houses and

planted myself vineyards.

304

I was just saying that when you're young,

you want to do things that you can't do.

305

So now reading verse four, or when

I read verse four earlier today,

306

it sounded like an answer to me.

307

It sounded like Solomon was looking

back on his life and seeing that all

308

these superficial pleasures that he

was wanting to fulfill in verse one

309

through three did nothing for him yet.

310

Then answering later in verse four,

he said, I made, he did these things.

311

He made, excuse me.

312

He made his works great.

313

He built.

314

A house.

315

He planted himself vineyards

and he continues to say gardens,

316

orchards, all kind of fruit trees.

317

He had a grove.

318

He acquired male and female servants.

319

Servants that were born in his

in, in his house, male servants.

320

He continues to say that he had

possessions of herds and flocks.

321

Again, all very powerful and

things that not everyone had.

322

He was very powerful.

323

He even had silver and gold.

324

No one had silver and gold back

then unless they were very,

325

very powerful in that time.

326

But the key that really stood

out for me here is that he keeps

327

saying, I even being older, he

keeps saying, I, here I did this.

328

I made this great, I built this.

329

I built that.

330

So just keep that in mind

because we're very early on,

331

like I said in Ecclesiastes and

332

the full picture won't come to

mind until chapter 12, which is how

333

I mentioned in the introduction.

334

So please just stick with me.

335

He's realizing at a later age, at an

older age that he did all these things

336

being younger, but here in this moment

he was still using I for himself.

337

Then I also had a little side

note that says he had all the

338

riches and became wealthiest of

all, and yeah, it's very true.

339

He had all the means to do these things.

340

So that's from like the first

time I read the book, I think.

341

Um, 'cause I was very vague on my part.

342

But anyway, moving on to

chapter, excuse me, verse nine.

343

So I became great and excelled again.

344

There is, I.

345

I became great and excelled more than

all who were before me in Jerusalem.

346

This was the verse verse nine that

I talked about in the introduction

347

where some scholars say that that's

why he's the one that wrote this

348

book, um, because it's very verse

Ecclesiastes, chapter two, verse nine.

349

So I became great and excelled more than

all who were before me in Jerusalem.

350

So that helps kind of narrow down, um,

perhaps who and when this was written,

351

also, my wisdom remained with me.

352

Verse 10, whatever my eyes

desired, I did not keep from them.

353

So whatever his eyes wanted, he desired

and he did not keep it from them.

354

So just like us, we are so

horrible in resisting the flesh.

355

We see something in front

of us and immediately.

356

We don't think with the wisdom that we

have gained from all the things that we've

357

been through, from all the lessons that

we've been taught by the Lord, by God the

358

many times that he's spoken to us, no.

359

We just want whatever is in front of us.

360

That's exactly what he is saying here.

361

Verse 10.

362

Whatever my eyes desired,

I did not keep from them.

363

And I have a little side note that says

he had and did it all, and so do we.

364

Sometimes we have it all.

365

I know.

366

I have it all.

367

I have it all.

368

I have an amazing job, an

amazing family, an amazing house.

369

I have a brand new, amazing computer

that was just gifted to me by an

370

amazing man named David who saw the

need for me to replace my computer

371

because my computer was from 2017

and he gifted me a brand new one.

372

So all these things that.

373

Have been provided to us.

374

You know, we just, we want it all.

375

This laptop was provided to him

and he saw a need to use that for

376

me, and he provided that to me.

377

And then it's the same thing, like it's

just same thing for so many people.

378

Whatever our eyes desire,

we don't keep from them.

379

So verse 10 continued says, I did not

withhold my heart from any pleasure, from

380

my heart rejoiced in all my labor, and

this was my reward from all my labor.

381

So again, sometimes we have all

these amazing things, we overlook

382

it, but we don't actually see

why we have all of these things.

383

We take them for granted.

384

But then when we finally understand

and we withhold from the heart.

385

Of the pleasure that

these things are bringing.

386

We withhold it from the heart and

we come back down to Earth and we

387

understand this is from the Lord.

388

I didn't get this for myself, or

I didn't get this from myself.

389

I got this from him because he

is great and he is my provider.

390

How some people know him by,

by that name, Jehovah Gyra.

391

Um, then we truly understand

where these things come from.

392

That's not, that's not vanity because

we're, we're not associating anymore

393

with I, I, I, I did this, I did that.

394

No, that's from the Lord.

395

So you withhold those

things from your heart.

396

You don't see it as pleasure

anymore because you went out and

397

you bought it and gave you pleasure

to gift yourself something.

398

No.

399

You worked for it with the God-given

job that you have, and then you went

400

out and you were able to buy it.

401

Why?

402

Because it was provided to you.

403

So verse 10, one more time, whatever my

eyes desired, I did not keep from them.

404

I did not withhold my heart from

any pleasure for my heart rejoiced

405

in all my labor, and this was

my reward from all my labor.

406

Then I looked on all the works

that my hands had done, verse 11,

407

going back, I didn't say verse 11.

408

Then I looked on all the works

that my hands had done and on

409

the labor in which I had toiled.

410

And if you know, toiled is, has a little

bit of a negative con connotation.

411

You kind of grapple with something

and on all the labor in which

412

I had toiled and indeed all was

vanity and grasping for the wind.

413

I said in chapter one, imagine

your hands being stretched out and

414

you're trying to reach for the wind.

415

You can't reach for the wind.

416

You'll never touch the wind.

417

Verse 11 continues and ends with,

there was no prophet under the sun.

418

My little side note here says, or I wrote

in here, still found it was all fleeting.

419

Of course, after reading that, he

finally understood that when you

420

even with withhold pleasures and

things from your heart and you

421

try to rejoice, you, excuse me.

422

You don't try to rejoice in your labor

423

and you try to just understand that

everything you have is a reward

424

from God because of your labor that

he gave you that he provided you.

425

Then.

426

You can look at all your works, all of

the fruit, all of the gifts that you

427

are, that you are reaping from your

labor that your hands actually did.

428

Like he said in verse 11, you

won't have to grapple anymore.

429

You won't have to toil anymore.

430

With those things being vanity,

you will be grateful and you'll

431

understand that it was God given.

432

I am not gonna continue saying

that because I don't wanna give too

433

much of what I was understanding.

434

I didn't read to, I, I don't

want to ruin every single

435

thing that I've learned so far.

436

Um, I really hope you guys are reading

this on your own, but, and indeed all

437

was vanity and grasping for the wind.

438

There was no profit under the sun.

439

There was, again, he's talking past

tense, makes me feel as if he's older

440

here and still after being older.

441

He's saying that in the things that

he did when he was a young age, he

442

realizes now that there's no profit,

there's nothing that you can collect.

443

There's nothing that you can

reap that is under the sun

444

if it's not from God.

445

And where is God?

446

Where is the Lord?

447

They are, they're not under the sun.

448

Go back to Genesis and read where

the sun came from, what the sun

449

does, where, what the sun provides.

450

Go back and read where that came

from and who is associated with

451

the sun and what the sun provides.

452

And by sun, I right now as I'm

reading in verse 11, I am, I mean,

453

sun as an SUN, not capital SON.

454

So just to clarify that,

go back and read that.

455

To finish off in chapter two, verse 12.

456

Then I turned myself to consider

wisdom and madness and folly.

457

Oh gosh, I missed that part today,

and I'm understanding that now.

458

Going back to verse one.

459

Wow.

460

So verse 12 correlates with verse one.

461

Then I turned myself to consider.

462

He stopped himself to think about

wisdom and again, about madness

463

and folly, the three things

that he was trying to mix for.

464

What can the man do who succeeds

the king and the king is all

465

lowercases, not referring to God.

466

Then I turn myself to consider wisdom

and manness and folly for what can

467

the man do who succeeds the king?

468

Continues to say in verse 11

only what he has already done.

469

That's the only thing that you can

go back and ponder and think about.

470

There is no one higher than the

king with capital K with God.

471

The only one

472

who can succeed him is, is, is himself.

473

Like there's no way that we

will ever understand or do

474

anything that can succeed him.

475

Why?

476

Because again, how Solomon understood

in verses 10 through 11, he already

477

knew at an older age that it

doesn't matter what you do, it's

478

not from yourself, it's from God.

479

So he was toiling with that, and

here he is saying in verse 12, then

480

I turn to myself to consider wisdom

and Manus and fali for what can

481

the man do who succeeds the king?

482

Man can do nothing, man, woman,

child can do nothing that succeeds

483

the king or another person.

484

There's no one higher only

what he has already done.

485

We could only succeed

what we do right now.

486

So if we set the bar very low for

ourselves and we don't try to do better,

487

we just continue with things of the world

and that's all that we are going to do.

488

But we also need to listen or

in turn consider, as Solomon is

489

saying here, I need to consider

what it is that we're doing.

490

Verse 13, and I have this entire verse

circled with, I put the aha moment.

491

So he asks the question in verse 12,

and then he answers in verse 13, which

492

I'm very grateful with how I am studying

now on Wednesdays the Bible because.

493

In context, everything

makes so much more sense.

494

But when you read out of context,

and it's very easily to read

495

Ecclesiastes out of context.

496

Um, like I mentioned in my introduction of

chapter one, um, you will not understand.

497

So verse 13, his aha moment in my eyes

says, then I saw that wisdom excels folly.

498

Folly again.

499

It only appears in Ecclesiastes and

Folly is translated according to my,

500

um, notes here from the NKJV Bible.

501

My version that I have, it derives

from a verb that usually carries

502

a moral or spiritual sense, and

folly translates to foolishness.

503

So let's just refreshing our memories.

504

Verse 13, then I saw that wisdom.

505

Wisdom excels folly as

light excels darkness.

506

That's the aha moment, and I didn't

realize that earlier when I wrote that.

507

That was his aha moment because in verse

11, as I was saying at the very last part

508

of verse 11, there was no prophet under

the sun, and what does he say in verse 13?

509

Then I saw that wisdom

excels folly as light that is

510

underlined light excels darkness.

511

You can take that verse at face value.

512

You can read a little bit ahead,

which I'm going to do obviously, or

513

you can understand that the sun gives

light and light will always excel

514

darkness because whatever is in the

darkness, the light is going to expose.

515

So again, go back.

516

Read where the sun came from

in Genesis, read what the sun

517

does, what it may represent.

518

Just try to understand that and

you'll kind of see where my brain

519

is spiraling to as I'm reading this.

520

Continuing on verse 14, and

I'm going to read 12 through 14

521

altogether after this, but 14 says

the wise man's eyes are in his head.

522

Yes, yes they are.

523

The wise man's eyes are in his head,

but the fool walks in darkness.

524

So the wise man has the eyes

that are in his head because

525

he's not thinking with his heart.

526

He's actually thinking with his

head, but the fool walks in darkness.

527

I wonder why the fools walk in

darkness because they're thinking

528

with what clearly not with their head.

529

14 continues and says,

yet I myself perceived.

530

Perceived does not mean that you find out

something that is true, perceive as your

531

perception, the way that you see things.

532

And again, going back to the beginning

of verse 14, the wise man's eyes are in

533

his head, but the fool walks in darkness.

534

Yet I myself perceived

meaning he didn't see it.

535

He thought it.

536

He thought about it.

537

That's just what it appeared to be.

538

That doesn't mean that he

actually saw it with his eyes.

539

Yet I myself perceived that the

same event happens to them all.

540

So let's read 12, 13, 14.

541

Then I turned myself to consider

wisdom and madness and folly for what

542

can the man do who succeeds the king?

543

Only what he has already done.

544

Verse 13.

545

Then I saw the wisdom excels.

546

Folly as light excels in darkness.

547

Verse 14, the wise man's eyes are in his

head, but the fool walks in darkness.

548

Yet I myself perceived that the

same event happens to them all.

549

So again, that last part, I had no

notes on that last sentence, that

550

same event happens to them all.

551

But I am honestly thinking right now that

Solomon meant to say the same event or the

552

same sins, the same pleasures that really

just turn out to be very superficial and

553

fleeting, and a vapor and of absolutely

nothing good that comes from them.

554

Happens to them all.

555

But all is who all are the fools,

the people that are walking in

556

darkness, the people that are

choosing folly and mirth over.

557

The wisdom and trying to not be

holy and sinful at the same time.

558

That is the same event that happens

over and over and over again to those

559

men, and not just men, but to us all.

560

Verse 15.

561

So I said in my heart against Almon,

talking past tense, talking about

562

perhaps when he was younger, but

he's also saying, again, in my heart.

563

So I said in my heart, as it happens

to the fool, it also happens to me.

564

Of course.

565

'cause you're thinking

with your heart, your fool.

566

Sorry, Solomon.

567

Oh gosh.

568

So I said in my heart, as it happens

to the fool, it also happens to me.

569

And why was I then more wise?

570

Hmm.

571

Well, if you read more of the Bible,

this is me veering off a little bit.

572

If you read more of the Bible,

you will see why he was more

573

wise, where he came from.

574

This tells me where he came from, this

one sentence, but that's for another day.

575

I'm not gonna get into all of that.

576

Verse 15.

577

So I said in my heart, as it happens

to the full, it also happens to me.

578

It could happen to anyone.

579

Anyone.

580

We all fall down this rabbit hole.

581

Why?

582

Because we live on this cursed earth.

583

We live on this sinful earth, which is

why it's important to resist your flesh

584

and listen to what the Lord has for us.

585

'cause everything is from him.

586

Everything is from him, not not from us.

587

So let's continue.

588

Then I said in my heart,

this is also vanity.

589

I'm glad he finally understood.

590

Verse 16, for there is no more remembrance

of the wise than of the fool forever.

591

Since all the now is.

592

Since all that now is will be

forgotten in the days to come.

593

And now does a wise man die?

594

Hmm.

595

As the full exclamation point.

596

I'm gonna reread that one more time

because I have it underlined and I was

597

thinking, I was like, man, I read this

the first time and I didn't really get

598

it, but I really understand it now.

599

Verse 16 says, for there is no

more remembrance of the wise

600

man than of the fool forever.

601

Since all that now is will be forgotten

in the days to come, the days to come.

602

Very prophetic if you ask me, and

how does a wise man die as the fool?

603

So I think.

604

I think when this was written,

this was very prophetic because

605

there is no more remembrance of

the wise man of the fool forever.

606

No, we know what happens after Jesus

was crucified and this is something

607

that I've also toiled with and

grappled with condemnation for my

608

sin because at the second we're born

and we can breathe and our hearts

609

start beating, we are already, we're

already sinful, we're already sinners

610

and for there is no more remembrance

of the wise than of the fool forever.

611

Since all that now is will be

forgotten in the days to come.

612

Again.

613

When this was written, this was the Old

Testament, this was not the New Testament.

614

Jesus was not born.

615

I'm only saying this because this is

just how I'm interpreting this since

616

all that is now is will be forgotten.

617

And the days to come and the days to come.

618

When Jesus was crucified, he

took that all away for everyone.

619

He took all of our mirth, all of our

folly, and everything that we've toiled

620

with all of the vanity, all of our sin.

621

He took that with the cross.

622

Therefore, in my mind that I'm

trying to use more, not my heart.

623

I'm understanding that for there is no

more remembrance of our condemnation,

624

of our sin, because the wise man,

625

because the wise than of the fool

forever, since all that now is, will

626

be forgotten in the days to come.

627

Sorry, I interjected

there just a little bit.

628

Um, I just had to, had to say that.

629

And now does the wise man die as the fool?

630

Solomon, perhaps in this time would

think that he was going to die A fool.

631

Why?

632

Because.

633

He was still sinful, and he

didn't live in a time where

634

Jesus took away everyone's sin.

635

No, Jesus did not exist.

636

Only God, only the Father existed.

637

So therefore, that's why he

had that mindset, or that's why

638

he must have had that mindset.

639

So how does a wise man die as the fool?

640

Well, not anymore.

641

Not anymore.

642

We don't have to be that fool.

643

We have to resist the flesh.

644

We have to listen and to understand

that all these things that are

645

superficial pleasures and vanity,

646

we're all gonna leave that behind.

647

But because we have

Jesus, now we have Jesus.

648

Now, if you accept him and you

declare him as a Lord is your Lord,

649

then you're not gonna die a fool.

650

Because you are actually the, A wise

man who says and believes and knows

651

what he did for us on that cross.

652

So there is no more remembrance

or condemnation for your sins, for

653

all the things that you have done

like Solomon toiling and trying to

654

decide if you can be sinful and,

and if you can be wise all in one.

655

No, there was only one man who knew

both one man who was perfect and holy

656

and then understood the sin of the

world because he took it all for us.

657

He took it all for us.

658

And therefore there is no

more remembrance of that.

659

So we won't die fools.

660

We will only die once.

661

We will only die once on this cursed earth

and we will live with him and with the

662

Father in glory and in a perfect body.

663

Not in a vessel.

664

And not in flesh.

665

Solomon didn't know that.

666

Verse 16 says, for there is

no more remembrance of the

667

wise than of the fool forever.

668

Since all that now is will be

forgotten in the days to come.

669

The days to come are here right now, 2026.

670

This is the days to come that

he was talking about when this

671

was, when this was written.

672

And now does a wise man die as the fool?

673

Do not be a fool.

674

The time is now.

675

The time is now to stop messing around.

676

Like in chapter one,

Ecclesiastes one, do not be old.

677

Solomon, who is writing down his

very crazy and tumultuous life,

678

explaining what he was trying to gain

from vanity and from pleasure and

679

from things of the world and from

superficial pleasures that were giving

680

him that joy or what he thought was joy.

681

But what came from that joy madness?

682

And what did he learn then as an old

man that he didn't understand because

683

he didn't have Jesus at the time.

684

He still thought he was gonna die.

685

So what was it worth to him?

686

Well, he tried, but why did he try?

687

Because God the father chose him,

688

chose him as the vessel here on earth

to experience all of those things so

689

that he can then as an old man, however

old he was, maybe not even that old.

690

Honestly, I am not sure,

and I apologize for that,

691

but he was chosen by God.

692

That was his purpose.

693

To pen this and to put this on paper to

leave it for us so that we understood

694

that you can't mix wisdom with holy.

695

You can't, you absolutely cannot.

696

Excuse me, wisdom with sin.

697

Sorry, I'm backtracking that.

698

But at the same time, we, we can be

wise, but we can't be holy because

699

the only holy person is Jesus and God.

700

So I wanna make my point there too.

701

I I hope that you guys have enjoyed

this very long podcast on Ecclesiastes

702

chapter two, which is only 26 verses,

I hope that you have followed along,

703

that you continue to read on your own.

704

and I cannot wait to share what

I, what I learned from episode 36

705

Ecclesiastes chapter two, I hope

you stick around for part two.

706

Until next time, my friends take care.