Text: Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
There are so many plans and schemes to make money these days. I’ve noticed that the folks who make money and write books about making money don’t talk like Solomon. They say things like if you’re not selling, you’re not successful. If you don’t eat, sleep, and breathe income, then you need what I have. If what you own isn’t generating cash, it’s a liability. Now, I take those things and consider what Solomon said. Solomon isn’t selling anything. He doesn’t have a product he needs you to buy. But he does have money and plenty of it. And he does have experience, and plenty of that too.
Blindspots in power (vss 8-9)
- The oppressor trusts his wealth and power. These things are his defense and confidence. But no matter how high and how much influence someone has in this world, they must answer to God above.
- Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
- The seats of authority are delegated by God and therefore all answerable to God.
- The tyrant’s ignorance of who he is really accountable to makes him put trust in things that aren’t trustworthy, like wealth.
- The second part of this is about what is under the oppressor’s feet. No matter how far removed the king is from the source of his food, he still gets his food from the ground. So not only is he answerable to God above, but he is also answerable to the field below his feet.
- As much as he thinks he controls because of his wealth, if the crop dies, if the harvest is ruined, he won’t eat. The very things he takes for granted, but absolutely needs are controlled by someone higher than him.
- The Great Leap Forward – In 1958 Mao Zedong implemented a policy of industrial progress. At least that was what it was supposed to be. The communist party in China led by Mao wanted to turn the agrarian Chinese culture into an industrialized communist nation. The policies made private farming impossible. Much of the farming equipment was melted down in an attempt to build war machines. As you can guess, when you destroy the source of your food, the farm, everybody starves. By 1962 countless tens of millions of people died and the plan had to be abandoned. The communists at that time learned that even the king is fed by the field. No matter how far removed he is from his food source if you destroy the field, you destroy your nation.
- Because the oppressor doesn’t regard God above or the field where his food comes from, he makes tyrannical decisions about the people under his influence. That’s a matter of fact. Solomon says your response is to not be confused by this oppression. Solomon says Marvel not.
Money is the most trusted thing instead of God, but here are several weaknesses
- You’ll never be satisfied loving wealth (vs 10)
- How much is enough? Just a little more.
- Paul would take it further and say that the love of money not only doesn’t satisfy but becomes the basis for every evil done in this world.
- 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
- More money means more consumers around you (vs 11)
- The number of consumers is generally proportional to the amount of cash flow.
- If your only goal is to get more, you can’t be satisfied. Furthermore, you miss the blessing of generosity.
- Money can buy a bed, but it can’t by rest (vs 12)
- I’ll never forget as a 19 year old getting a job as a roughneck on a Nabors rig. It was the best money I’d ever seen. But I earned it. I’d drive from Corpus to Toledo Bend Louisiana where the rig was. I’d work a week on and a week off. That first week I lost 15 lbs, but I was much smaller then and didn’t have as much to lose. We’d spend 12 hours a day throwing iron around, working 84 hours a week. 40 hours regular time and 44 hours overtime. That’s 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. That first week everything on my body was sore. I remember the feeling of even the meat between the joints on my fingers was sore. One thing about those weeks, after work, I could literally sleep anywhere.
- An increase in wealth that brings evil into the owner’s life (vss 13-14)
- In the documentary, Broke, 60% of NBA athletes are broke and in debt within five years of leaving the NBA.
- 78% of NFL athletes are broke and in debt within 3 years. They’re stalked by freeloaders, pursued by ignorant investments, and plagued with health problems.
- Making money isn’t evil, but if you think MORE is the solution to your life’s problems then you’re going to be sorely disappointed and probably end up in worse shape than you started.
- You can’t take wealth with you (vss 15-17)
- Wealth is consumed in poor health and cannot eliminate death (vs 17)
- As he gets older and his health deteriorates, that person becomes more and more like when he entered this world at birth until finally he leaves the way he came.
- Death is the enemy that is much more powerful than your bank account.
Enjoy good of his labor (vss 18-20)
- Solomon also says that because wealth has so many points of weakness, once again, the best thing a man can do is learn to enjoy what he’s able to enjoy. Wealth cannot buy the enjoyment of life.
- Philippians 4:11-13 says this as well. Solomon said he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor (2:24)
- And if he’s able to have financial success without encountering some of these weaknesses, he better count that as a gift of God.
- God’s answer is joy. I can’t go back in the past and rejoice then. I can’t jump into the future to enjoy it then. But I can enjoy things now.
- Jesus’ instruction about financial wisdom on how to enjoy your labor
- Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
- Your life is the expression of what you find valuable. But the Lord has to shine light on what APPEARS to be valuable versus what is actually valuable.
- Treasure is anything valuable to you. Matthew 19:16-22 possessions actually do come between the Lord and sinners. You can’t serve God and money.
- Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… The principle is that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
- The Lord is after your heart. He knows the treasure is where the heart is.
- Riches profit not in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivereth from death.
