Thought for February 20, 2024

  •  1792: US Postal Service created
  • 1816: Rossini's "Barber of Seville" premiers
  • 1865: MIT forms first architectural school in US
  • 1869: Tennessee Governor declares martial law because of the KKK
  • 1927: Golfers in South Carolina arrested for violating the Sabbath
  • 1935: Caroline Mikkelson is first woman to land on Antarctica
  • 1941: Polish Jews barred from public transportation
  • 1944: "Batman and Robin" comic strip premiers
  • 1953: August Busch buys the St. Louis Cardinals--$3.75 million
  • 1962: John Glenn is first American to orbit earth
  • Born: Ansel Adams, Gale Gordon, Gloria Vanderbilt, Sidney Portier, Amanda Blake [Miss Kitty, Gunsmoke], Bobby Unser, Nancy Wilson, Roger Penske, Mitch McConnell, Phil Esposito, Jennifer O'Neill, Patty Hearst, Charles Barkley, Cindy Crawford, Rihanna
  • Died: Frederick Douglas, Robert Peary, Chester Nimitz, Katherine Kuhlman, Dick York, Feruccio Lamborghini, Gene Siskel, Sandra Dee, Curt Gowdy
Thought:
A couple of weeks ago, Jeopardy had a question from Ecclesiastes--the answer was in chapter 3 where the Lord provided good song lyrics for the Byrds. This took me back to look at this book again. This morning I am just thinking about 1:1, a short and simple verse: "The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem." This book could be titled the Book of the Preacher. The Hebrew word for Preacher is "Qoheleth", but when translated into Greek it is 'Ekklesiastes." This is the same root from which we get "Ekklesia" or gathering which is sometimes used to refer to the assembled church. 

Look at how the Preacher is described and that in my translation the word "Preacher" is capitalized. Your translation may say "Teacher" [also capitalized]. The Preacher is the "son of David." This described Solomon, the second son of David and Bathsheba, but it also describes Jesus. At birth, Solomon was given the name Jedidiah [2 Samuel 12:25], "Beloved of the Lord." But we call him Solomon [Peaceable]. So the Peaceable Preacher is the son of David. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and son of David--the greatest teacher ever. He was king in Jerusalem. Solomon was the third and last king of the unified Israel. Jesus will reign as king in Jerusalem. While there are similarities between Solomon and Jesus, Jesus would not say "all is vanity." 

What would cause the king, the wisest man to ever live other than Jesus, to start his writing to the assembly with "all is vanity"? His kingdom was from the Euphrates to Egypt. It was a time of great prosperity. He was a prolific writer [Song of Solomon, several Proverbs, Psalms 72 and 127]. He built the Temple and the palace. He had it all [including 700 wives and 300 concubines]. 

I think about that and then look around. People who have position, power, wealth, but living lives of discontent, never satisfied, always striving but not getting satisfaction. Then I think of my own life---abundantly blessed, but sometimes asking what Peggy Lee asked, "is that all there is?" We have plenty but we either envy those that have more or fear that we will lose what we have.  Then the Lord says turn the pages over to 12:13---Solomon finally concludes--fear God and keep His commandments. That is where you will find peace, joy, love, hope, satisfaction, contentment. Solomon was a wise man--seems like he got it right.

Blessings
Larry

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