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Ecclesiastes 5_8-6_12 Sermon 10.pdf

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Injustice Is Real, but God Is Watching (Ecclesiastes 5:8)

• Solomon realistically acknowledges the common presence of injustice and oppression.
• Despite human failures, God is attentive and will ultimately correct every wrong.
• Even when we feel powerless, hope remains because God sees clearly and judges rightly.

The Hunger for Wealth and Its Consequences (Ecclesiastes 5:9–17)

Fact 1: Everyone Has Dependence (v. 9)

• “Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.”
• All people, regardless of status, depend on the earth's productivity.
• Attempts to limit this fundamental source of wealth negatively impact society at every level.
• Historical examples from Western civilization affirm Solomon’s insight:
  • Classical economics identified natural resources as foundational for prosperity.
  • Western societies developed property rights and market systems to manage resources.
  • Prosperity depends fundamentally on the availability and wise use of natural resources.

Fact 2: There Is an Insatiable Desire for More (vv. 10–11)

• “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver…”
• Human desire for wealth can never be fully satisfied.
• Literary and philosophical examples illustrate this:
  • Aesop’s fables: dog and reflection, goose and golden eggs.
  • Epicurus: “to whom a little is not sufficient, nothing is sufficient.”
  • Socrates: “He who is not contented with what he has…”
  • Seneca: “It is not the man who has too little…but who craves more…”
  • Myth of King Midas and his ruinous greed.
• Increased wealth often attracts envy and anxiety rather than happiness.

Fact 3: Wealth Can Bring as Much or More Pain and Suffering as Poverty (vv. 12–17)

• “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet…but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep…”
• Wealth can cause anxiety, unrest, and suffering.
• Riches may vanish unexpectedly, leaving their owners empty-handed.