The Vanity of Wealth **| Ecclesiastes 5:**8-6:12 | Dr. Randy White Download these notes here: https://humble-sidecar-837.notion.site/The-Vanity-of-Wealth-Ecclesiastes-5-8-6-12-Dr-Randy-White-221b35a87d6380cfabe5dd0cac25ff36?source=copy_link

Injustice Is Real, but God Is Watching (Ecclesiastes 5:8)

• Solomon realistically acknowledges the common presence of injustice and oppression.
• Despite human failures, God is attentive and will ultimately correct every wrong.
• Even when we feel powerless, hope remains because God sees clearly and judges rightly.

The Hunger for Wealth and Its Consequences (Ecclesiastes 5:9–17)

Fact 1: Everyone Has Dependence (v. 9)

• “Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.”
• All people, regardless of status, depend on the earth's productivity.
• Attempts to limit this fundamental source of wealth negatively impact society at every level.
• Historical examples from Western civilization affirm Solomon’s insight:
  • Classical economics identified natural resources as foundational for prosperity.
  • Western societies developed property rights and market systems to manage resources.
  • Prosperity depends fundamentally on the availability and wise use of natural resources.

Fact 2: There Is an Insatiable Desire for More (vv. 10–11)

• “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver…”
• Human desire for wealth can never be fully satisfied.
• Literary and philosophical examples illustrate this:
  • Aesop’s fables: dog and reflection, goose and golden eggs.
  • Epicurus: “to whom a little is not sufficient, nothing is sufficient.”
  • Socrates: “He who is not contented with what he has…”
  • Seneca: “It is not the man who has too little…but who craves more…”
  • Myth of King Midas and his ruinous greed.
• Increased wealth often attracts envy and anxiety rather than happiness.

Fact 3: Wealth Can Bring as Much or More Pain and Suffering as Poverty (vv. 12–17)

• “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet…but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep…”
• Wealth can cause anxiety, unrest, and suffering.
• Riches may vanish unexpectedly, leaving their owners empty-handed.
• Ultimately, all die empty-handed, leaving accumulated riches behind.
• Pursuit and maintenance of wealth often lead to a life filled with sorrow and frustration.

The Gift of Enjoyment (Ecclesiastes 5:18–20)

• Solomon celebrates the ability to find joy in life's simple pleasures:
  • Eating, drinking, and genuinely enjoying one's labor is a blessing.
  • The capacity to appreciate these pleasures is itself a gift from God, not simply a result of material wealth.
• Life passes swiftly and joyfully when experienced through God-given enjoyment rather than through constant dissatisfaction or regret.
• Gratitude and contentment transform ordinary experiences into genuine blessings.

The Case of the Unfulfilled Life (Ecclesiastes 6:1–6)

• Solomon describes a tragic yet common scenario: having abundant wealth but lacking the ability to enjoy it. (vv. 1-2)
• A hypothetical example illustrates this vividly (vv. 3–6).:
  • A man with 100 children, living 2,000 years yet never satisfied, is worse off than a stillborn child
  • The stillborn experiences more rest and peace than a prosperous yet unfulfilled person.
• The biblical account of King Ahab illustrates this clearly:
  • Ahab had immense riches but coveted Naboth’s vineyard.
  • His insatiable desire led to injustice and ultimately his dishonorable death without burial (1 Kings 21).
• Solomon's message is clear: without contentment and fulfillment, even abundant prosperity is meaningless.

The Unfilled Appetite: Desire Outpaces Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 6:7–9)

• “All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.”
• Human appetites are never fully satisfied, regardless of one's wisdom, folly, wealth, or poverty.
• Solomon advises finding satisfaction in immediate blessings rather than endlessly pursuing desires beyond reach.
• Chasing unattainable desires leads only to frustration and discontentment.
• True wisdom appreciates present blessings, not endless craving.

The Limits of Man Before God (Ecclesiastes 6:10–12)

• Verse 10 references Adam, illustrating humanity’s universal limitations before God.
• Verse 11 references Adam’s error in pursuing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, symbolizing vain pursuits.
• Verse 12 describes life after Eden as chasing shadows.