Jo’s Place

Ecclesiastes Chapter 6 There is another serious tragedy, which I have seen, under the sun, …and it weighs heavily, on humanity.  God gives, some people, great wealth and honor… and all that they could ever want, …but then, he doesn’t give them the chance, to enjoy these things.  They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth!  This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy. A man might have a hundred children, and live to be very old.  But, if he finds no satisfaction, in life, and doesn’t even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him, to be born dead.  His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended, in darkness.  He wouldn’t even have had a name, and he would never have seen the sun, or known of its existence.  Yet, he would have had more peace, than in growing up to be an unhappy man.  He might live a thousand years, twice over, but still not find contentment.  And, since he must die, just ...

  Ecclesiastes Chapter 5 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open, and your mouth shut.  It is evil, to make mindless offerings to God.  Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty, in bringing matters before God.  After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth.  So let your words be few. Too much activity gives you restless dreams; and too many words make you a fool. When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools.  Keep all the promises you make to him.  It is better to say nothing, than to make a promise… and not keep it.  Don’t let your mouth make you sin.  And don’t defend yourself, by telling the Temple messenger, that the promise you made was a mistake.  That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything that you have achieved. Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities.  Fear God instead. Don’t be surprised, if you see a poor per...

Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun.  I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them.  The oppressors have great power, and their victims are helpless.  So, I concluded that the dead are better off than the living.  But, most fortunate of all are… those who are not yet born.  For they have not seen …all the evil that is done under the sun. Then, I observed that most people are motivated to success, because they envy their neighbors.  But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. “Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin.” And yet, It is better to have one handful, with quietness, than two handfuls, with hard work and chasing the wind.” I observed yet another example, of something meaningless, under the sun.  This is the case of a man, who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard, to gain as much wealth as he can.  But then he asks himself,  “W...