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  • MONICA on Ecclesiasticus 7 - 3 years ago
    It's my first time to read the bible and ECCLESIASTICUS has motivated me a lot......I'm just requesting if there is anyone who can help me understand chapter 7 :15
  • Chris - In Reply on Ecclesiasticus 7 - 3 years ago
    Monica, you said that you've just started reading the Bible. Wonderful! Though, I hope you have first been going through the other books, particularly the Gospels, Genesis, the Psalms, and the writings by the apostles of Jesus. If you're tackling Ecclesiastes as one of your first books, it will be 'heavy going'.

    The writing of Ecclesiastes has generally been ascribed to Solomon, who was renowned for his wisdom in his position as King of Israel. The whole gist of the book was his very literal look at life as we see it at 'ground level'. Matters such as life's seemingly aimless cycles & unexplainable paradoxes, may cause us to conclude that all is futile since there is no purpose in the order of events. However, life is to be enjoyed in its fullest as a gift from God; and the wise person will live his life in obedience to God, recognizing that one day God will judge all men.

    So, I write the above, just to give you a quick outline of the book & Solomon's understanding of life, so I hope it helps you. In the reference to 7:15: Solomon looks at another of life's unexplainable facts: "life appears so meaningless & vain, when one considers a good person's life can see an early end in spite of his righteous living, whereas the evil person's life is extended in spite of his bad lifestyle". And this is a question asked by many: why do the righteous suffer & the wicked get away with it?

    Looking at it from an earthly & limited perspective, that is a valid question; so often the wicked prosper & the good person receives evil - it happens all the time. Remembering that Solomon is writing purely from a humanistic viewpoint, we can then appreciate his correct & spiritual perspective. He intersperses his book with reminders that God is still in control & seeks our attention. Probably, Solomon's concluding verses (12:13,14) highlight one's true response to the futility of life: fear God, keep His commands, await His Judgement. Now we have Jesus Christ, our Hope & Life.



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