The Preacher

Welcome to the new year and a brand new set of expectations.

It has become commonplace for the general populous to acknowledge that things in our world are… welp… just not quite right. Yet, with a closer examination, there may be unseen details that are valuable for ‘Good News’ people who are eternally committed to righteousness. What do you see when you look at the world around you, and what are we to do?

When you see the evil… the pain… the tyranny… the oppression… what happens inside of you?

It has become all too commonplace in our progressive world to become desensitized to what should draw our gaze. At the same time, what should be utterly ignored has our culture transfixed like a starving hawk on an injured field mouse. This is ‘designed opposition’ by the enemy of humanity explicitly to make the inhumanity of man normal. That old snake in the grass known for camouflaged activity is the original, sleazy pickpocket who has mastered the art of ‘look here!’ not ‘there’ while he steals something precious from us. “Look at the scary virus while we shut your church down and groom your children… Look at the newest trans influencer while we start a new war… Look at all the indictments of our political enemy while we arrest Pro-Life fathers for praying at abortion mills… Look at inflation while Disney normalizes deviant behaviors and identities in their movies!”

We are not going to be distracted from what is important, Beloved.

Ecclesiastes is one of those books I admittedly struggle with. But, not for the reasons that you may hear from others. Many struggle with it because it seems loathsome, or depressive in tone, and in a shallow glance that would seem to be the case. Yet, if one presses a bit past the emotionality of the language, there is a mosaic of wisdom that starts to form which verifies its rightful position in, “The Wisdom Literature,” category of the Bible. Its authorship is normally attributed to Solomon and the context revolves around his insatiable thirst for more of everything that eventually bankrupted his life, destiny, and kingdom. The lust for more will always leave you with less, as this Wisdom Book will annotate. There is a wealth of wisdom within these pages that the author could pen, but not effectively live. (Ever known anybody who can advise everyone else on what they need to do, but could not follow their own advice?) My struggle with the book is that it seems the author (Solomon) knew what the problems were, but instead of fixing himself and the issues in the nation, he just wrote about it. Let us learn the wisdom AND live the truths better than their failed author did.

Ecclesiastes 4:1 (BSB)
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.

The author of this Wisdom Book is internally referred to as, ‘the Preacher.’ That designation when used ‘back then’ does not carry the same connotation as today, but for our discussion let us use the term in modern speak. The Preacher gives us two applicable wisdom keys that I want to highlight. First, there is a godly virtue associated with having compassionate eyes. The pickpocket adversary today thrives in his thievery of humanity because our generation is immersed so deeply in self-centeredness that we are blind to the plight of our neighbor. There is a willful ignorance embraced today, justified by the emotional training that has made us truly believe that our lives and situations are the center of the universe. The Preacher is purposefully aware of his surroundings because he sees others instead of just a self-focused mirror.

If the Preacher was only a preacher, we could just move on, but this preacher is unique to the fact that he is also the king of Israel. As the rightful, lawful, and near supreme ruler of the people, he is observing there is no one better equipped to immediately and justly deal with the oppression his eyes behold. But, he does not. How typically modern of him relative to our time. We have an endless flow of whiners, complainers, ‘social activists,’ pundits, make-up-covered newscasters, plastic Hollywood puppets, and morbidly obese elites who bloviate incessantly about the woes of our time… billionaires with paid armies of employees and media followers who are as emasculated (and worthless) as an ‘inclusive’ Bud Light commercial spokes-man? woman? groomer? The Preacher who is the king COULD do something… but chooses not to. When we see the problems in the world around us, will we just repeat the hypocritical cycle of inaction or will we choose to be ‘Heroes Who Do The Hard Things’?

Verses 2-3
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive. 

But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Notice the negativity associated with that emotionally driven perspective of powerlessness. A person with proper perspective who recognizes they have a divine purpose and are empowered by grace would not be lamenting like this. They would take the anger from seeing the oppression and use it to incite change and repentance. This is classical depression that comes from the soul of a person who is disconnected from the joyous life that is IN Christ. God was fully and properly aware of the plight of humanity and His response was John 3:16. Here, the defeatist and depression-based viewpoint produced a lame-o despondency for humanity as a whole. God sees the pain and applies a divine solution… man sees the bad and complains about life. Be like God.

Verse 4
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

There is a twisting of language here that is a bit subtle. The word ‘success’ is used improperly if we are to have a Kingdom viewpoint. The world uses that term in connection with stuff-n-things that are the results of sweat and toil in their mammon system. The Preacher rightly determines this is a ‘futile’ pursuit, like trying to play tag with the wind. “He who has the most toys wins!” This is a national motto for church-i-anity peeps who just stuck a pinky-toe in the Jesus culture for an hour on Sunday, but have their whole existence in the ocean of Babylon. The authentic goal is not to keep up with the neighbors, but rather to conform to Christ in all things. He is the wind (Spirit) of God that is worthy of our pursuit. Note that his focus was on ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ instead of finding his accountability and responsibility from his God. Always a trap, Beloved.

Verse 5
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.

One of the most destructive forces upon people is lethargy and/or apathy. Sometimes, it is produced from the overwhelming collection of (what seems like) the weight of the whole world on our heads. This is a normal tactic of the enemy because it is so effective. It seems that problems always show up in packs like mocking, vicious hyenas. It is the sickness… and the spouse acting up… and the kids being ignorant… and the surprise financial problem… and the confusing attack by that friend who would never say such things. I have seen these scenarios cause even the strongest believers to wave the white flag of surrender. Just fold their hands in defeat and allow the circumstances to consume them like rust destroys the most beautiful hotrod. Like fire is unsatisfied until it consumes every possible source of fuel, so lethargy is not satisfied until it devours every part of a person’s life.

Verse 6
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.

We tend to greatly undervalue the preciousness of peace. The reason I can say that is because there is no such thing as peace without the ‘Prince of Peace,’ Jesus. This is an eternal truth. Therefore, anyone who is not making Jesus the most precious part of life is showing their undervalue of peace. There is no substitute for peace… it cannot be cloned in a lab, it cannot be conjured up through fake spirituality, plastic words from plastic people cannot manufacture it, and it does not come from temporal possessions or experiences. These words infuriate the prostitutes and pimps of culture who are effectively marketing their filth to tempt your heart into their trap. But, we need to know that not everything that advertises tranquil happiness can deliver real peace.

Verses 7-8
Again, I saw futility under the sun. 

There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile— a miserable task.

When a person matures in their mentality, there is nearly always this revelation of community. Loneliness is a decision and, ‘a miserable task.’ Interesting how it is called a ’task’ which implies there is purposeful effort involved. A person who self-describes as a ‘Christian’ should have a nature that will compel them in supernatural love towards people. It takes legitimate energy for that person to push away from the community when the Spirit is drawing them towards it. Koinonia (social intimacy), hospitality, fellowship, discipleship, congregating, covenantal relationships, and spiritual offspring are organic outflows of the non-futile life of a Jesus person. He was regularly ‘moved with compassion’ towards the people. Uncompassionate people are moved away from others. An isolated Christian is a defeated Christian… it is a miserable task for the soul.

Verses 9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. 

For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up! 

Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? 

And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Interestingly, these are not actually wedding verses, even though that is about the only time they are read. In context (we all know how important that is…), these verses are about the power of community to bring genuine peace over the futility of a self-focused and lonely life. Jesus told us (Matthew 16:18) that it was the Ekklesia (the church) that would offensively thrash the attempts of Hell toward God’s people… not the individual believer. Where two or three congregate in the nature and honor of Jesus… that is where you will find the powerful presence of God. Is there an importance of a personal relationship with Jesus? Infinite! This community principle is not an ‘either-or’ rather it is a ‘both-and’ thing. Without individual intimacy with Christ, our community gatherings would just be a mosh-pit of demonic brats under the influence of substance abuse producing all other abuses.

This world is a cold place (verse 11), and it is even colder when you are alone. The Preacher knows how beneficial and energizing the gathering together of the Saints can be. So do the New Testament preachers…

“And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 BSB

In this new year, going into this Great Awakening, we will need each other, Beloved. I totally get how annoying, aggravating, and difficult it is to do authentic community. I have had my own brokenness to face and journey through. But, there is no substitute… and to try to find one is futile. Resistance is futile if it is the truth that is being resisted.

Let us rescue the lonely together, Beloved.

Thank you for rescuing me,
Steve