Verses 1-3:
"I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life."
*There is pleasure in sin for a season, and then it will vex your spirit, and you will feel guilt, and displeasure, and dissatisfaction. Walking the road with God is not an easy walk, and you may feel like you are "missing out" on all the worldly experiences, as I often have, but with walking the road with God, comes true joy, and peace, and true satisfaction. Is it wrong to have a good time and laugh? No, but look at what you are laughing at and having a good time doing, and ask yourself, "is this working together for the good of God's Kingdom?"
Verses 4-11:
"I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun."
*Work is good and needed! We need shelter, food, etc., and work is how we achieve getting those things. But that's just it, are we doing this so we can have more things and more riches? Or are we doing these things so that we can have our needs met so we can live to share the Gospel? Is your labour in vain or does it have a godly purpose?
Verses 12-16:
"And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. 13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 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. 15 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. 16 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."
*God says a lot about foolish men in the bible. They are the opposite of wise men. So this is a duh moment here, what business does a wise man have spending their time the same way as a foolish man, and in doing so, doesn't the wise man become a fool? No matter how much wisdom you have gained, you are but a foolish man if you engage in the foolish man's behavior.
Verses 17-21:
"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. 18 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. 19 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. 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21 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."
* Laboring in vain will cause bitterness and vexation and hatred for life. At the end of your life, what will happen to all this laboring in vain? All these things you have worked so hard to get? Will you be able to take it with you? Nope. You leave it for the people behind you, and chances are, you'll leave it to another foolish man to go through the same thing. If you work as a wise man to work for heavenly treasures, you will get to take those jewels to heaven with you to cast at the feet in appreciation to the Savior. And the things you leave behind will hopefully go to a wise man who will continue the work for God's kingdom on earth!
Verse 22-23:
"For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity."
*Often, men work so hard, they find it difficult to stop and rest, as they feel they have to keep working to get those earthly pleasures and treasures. Also, laboring in vain brings dissatisfaction and discontent, which makes it difficult to sleep at night and rest. Also, a lack of leaving everything to God, and walking with Him, causes you to lose peace and rest.
Verses 24-26:
"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. 25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? 26 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."
* God provides for those who work for His Kingdom's sakes. He gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, as well as the basic needs for carrying on His work. Also, all the work of the foolish man, in the end, goes to the good of God's kingdom, but the person who works so hard, gets nothing from it, no joy, no peace, no eternal treasure.
Hebrews 11:24-26
"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward."
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