What was meant by the author of Ecclesiastes 7:15-18?
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LIFE IS NOT FAIR
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
STRIVING FOR SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WORLDLY WISDOM IS USELESS
16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
SOME DIE BEFORE THEIR TIME BECAUSE OF THEIR WICKEDNESS
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
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I believe 18 responds well to the question.....continue, and read before and after all text with a question on your part.
If you are not given the understanding by the Holy Spirit, hold it in your heart, as did Mary many times, until it is given you......if not given to you, it is nnot for you to know at this time....
All is answered in the Gospel from our Lord's mouth in the Word.
If you are not given the understanding by the Holy Spirit, hold it in your heart, as did Mary many times, until it is given you......if not given to you, it is nnot for you to know at this time....
All is answered in the Gospel from our Lord's mouth in the Word.
Lay persons like myself and other members of any Christian forum unless otherwise noted are only giving our personal insight.
It is a blessing that learned persons are available so easily now on the Net. "Commentary" , at most Biblical scripture search sites are invaluable for Apologetic and Exegesis study.
This is one example. Ecclesiastes 7
It is a blessing that learned persons are available so easily now on the Net. "Commentary" , at most Biblical scripture search sites are invaluable for Apologetic and Exegesis study.
This is one example. Ecclesiastes 7
That's one way to look at it below is other ways
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
God's judgment is beyond finding out in respect to things seen .
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Don't think ignoring the word of God is not foolish God can take believer home early.
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
He that fears God properly knowing who could stand before his holy presence and receive grace. If God would even take into account one wrong that he suffered to pay the eternal wage of in full .We fear him because with him there is forgiveness .
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
God's judgment is beyond finding out in respect to things seen .
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
Don't think ignoring the word of God is not foolish God can take believer home early.
18 It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
He that fears God properly knowing who could stand before his holy presence and receive grace. If God would even take into account one wrong that he suffered to pay the eternal wage of in full .We fear him because with him there is forgiveness .
Solomon was the author of Ecclesiastes, which he applied himself to enjoying wickedness, with many women, and money, and material things, and animals, and gardens, and whatever they enjoyed back then, but then said it is all vanity, which is why he spoke much of it is all vanity, for the only purpose, and profit, that truly profits a person, is to obey God, and follow His commandments, for that is the whole duty of people, for God will bring in to judgment every work that people do, which is his closing statement of the book.
The same as Jesus said what does a person profit if they gain the whole world and lose their own soul.
Ecc 7:15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward(for they give glory to themselves).
Joh 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Everybody gets a reward, and some have it on this earth, and some have it in the next earth.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Ecc 8:15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
It does not matter whether wicked or righteous everybody gets to enjoy the good of this earth, and death can come at any time for either of them whether young or old, for being righteous does not necessarily mean a long life, and being wicked does not necessarily mean a short life, but this world is to enjoy for all people.
Mal 3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Mal 3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Mal 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Psa 73:1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psa 73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
Psa 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Psa 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Psa 73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Psa 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Psa 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Psa 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
Psa 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psa 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
Psa 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
But the wicked gets their reward on earth and they shall proceed no further, but the reward of the righteous shall go on forever, so God is a good God to all, and even the wicked get a reward but it is according to this earth.
Ecc 7:16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Jas 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Isa 40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.
It seems like it is saying do not get self absorbed in to thinking you are greater than what God says you are, for then it is self exaltation, and God said we are less then nothing to show how insignificant we are in the greatness department compared to God, and God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.
To think higher of yourself than you should is to exalt your thinking against the knowledge of God.
Ecc 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
We will all sin, and have all sinned, but maybe this is saying do not exaggerate sin by being exceedingly sinful above what is common among mankind on a normal level of sin, for not all want to be like Hitler, and not all want to be exceedingly rich and neglect the poor, and we look at society and for the most part it is kept to common minor sins, that is until the beast kingdom then the wicked will be exceedingly wicked that has never been on earth before, even worse than the days of Noah before the flood.
And in the Old Testament God said why perish in your sins, but do that which is good and live, and they could not have the Spirit in the Old Testament so they could not completely beat sin, and were of the flesh, which those of the flesh cannot please God spiritually, which is why the physical ordinances, so it must mean do not be exceedingly wicked.
The same as Jesus said what does a person profit if they gain the whole world and lose their own soul.
Ecc 7:15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward(for they give glory to themselves).
Joh 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Everybody gets a reward, and some have it on this earth, and some have it in the next earth.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Ecc 8:15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
It does not matter whether wicked or righteous everybody gets to enjoy the good of this earth, and death can come at any time for either of them whether young or old, for being righteous does not necessarily mean a long life, and being wicked does not necessarily mean a short life, but this world is to enjoy for all people.
Mal 3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Mal 3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Mal 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Psa 73:1 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Psa 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
Psa 73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
Psa 73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
Psa 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Psa 73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
Psa 73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Psa 73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
Psa 73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
Psa 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
Psa 73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
Psa 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
Psa 73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
Psa 73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
Psa 73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
Psa 73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
Psa 73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
But the wicked gets their reward on earth and they shall proceed no further, but the reward of the righteous shall go on forever, so God is a good God to all, and even the wicked get a reward but it is according to this earth.
Ecc 7:16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Jas 4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Isa 40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God.
It seems like it is saying do not get self absorbed in to thinking you are greater than what God says you are, for then it is self exaltation, and God said we are less then nothing to show how insignificant we are in the greatness department compared to God, and God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble.
To think higher of yourself than you should is to exalt your thinking against the knowledge of God.
Ecc 7:17 Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
We will all sin, and have all sinned, but maybe this is saying do not exaggerate sin by being exceedingly sinful above what is common among mankind on a normal level of sin, for not all want to be like Hitler, and not all want to be exceedingly rich and neglect the poor, and we look at society and for the most part it is kept to common minor sins, that is until the beast kingdom then the wicked will be exceedingly wicked that has never been on earth before, even worse than the days of Noah before the flood.
And in the Old Testament God said why perish in your sins, but do that which is good and live, and they could not have the Spirit in the Old Testament so they could not completely beat sin, and were of the flesh, which those of the flesh cannot please God spiritually, which is why the physical ordinances, so it must mean do not be exceedingly wicked.
Let's see, the author of the Book of the Preacher, also known as Ecclesiastes was ... (See Heb 12:2)
- The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Eccl 1:1
- I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. Eccl 1:12