Ecclesiastes 7:19-29 New King James Version (NKJV) 19 Wisdom strengthens the wise More than ten rulers of the city. 20 For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin. 21 Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22 For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others. 23 All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise”; But it was far from me. 24 As for that which is far off and exceedingly deep, Who can find it out? 25 I applied my heart to know, To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, To know the wickedness of folly, Even of foolishness and madness. 26 And I find more bitter than death The woman whose heart is snares and nets, Whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, But the sinner shall be trapped by her. 27 Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher, “Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason, 28 Which my soul still seeks but I cannot find: One man among a thousand I have found, But a woman among all these I have not found. 29 Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes.” Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Nominees to the United States Supreme Court undergo rigorous scrutiny during the appointment process. Potential justices are nominated by the president and given thorough background checks. According to Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the Senate is required to provide “advice and consent” on the presidential nominees, which today usually takes the form of extensive Senate judicial committee hearings. Once confirmed, the justice holds his or her position for life. In today’s passage, Solomon talked about the value, and near impossibility, of finding a truly wise and righteous person. The value of this type of person is immense. As the Teacher stated in verse 19, such a person holds great power. Verse 20, however, reminds, us that no one can live up to God’s perfect standards. The verse is similar to Romans 3:10, often quoted in the gospel message: “There is no one righteous, not even one.” All of humanity falls short of God’s glory. No one measures up. A wise person avoids listening to gossip and to dissension. No one can please everyone all of the time—and following God’s calling may not lead to popularity. Solomon, who was granted divine wisdom, put this quality to the test. One of Solomon’s greatest failures involved women. Involvement in illicit relationships is compared to a “snare” and a “trap” (v. 26). The wise man avoids this sin. Solomon loved many foreign women (1 Kings 11:1), and his comments here reflect that experience. “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:4). As one commentator wrote, “Who knows how differently he would have stated his feelings if he had been blessed with just one wife who was loyal and wise? Apply the Word What is a snare in your life? For Solomon, it was women. For some, it is gossip, pride, or lack of self-control. Ask God to give you His wisdom and His strength to overcome the traps that so easily distract us. Write this specific request on a slip of paper and keep it as a reminder of your need for God’s control in your life.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 11:27:10 +0000
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