TEXT: ECCLESIASTES
2:4-11
Solomon was the richest king of his time, he was the
wisest king. His wisdom was great that people use to come from far and near to
listen to him. In his days; Gold were common like sand, he had thousands of
horses, chariots men and women servants, he could afford everything his eyes
saw. “ I undertook great projects , I built houses for myself and planted
vineyards, I made gardens and parks, and plant all kinds of fruit trees in
them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees; I bought male and
female slaves, and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also own more
herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and Gold
for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces, I acquired men and women
singers and a harem as well, the delights of the heart of man. I became greater
by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me” (Ecc 2:4-9).
All the wealth and wisdom that Solomon acquired were not
enough to give him peace of mind; they were not able to add joy and fulfilment
to his life. From his utterances in the book of Ecclesiastes, it could be said
that he was looking for a better way of having peace of mind, because his
wealth and wisdom failed to get him satisfaction. “The sleep of a labourer is
sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits
him no sleep” (Ecc 5:12). If you don’t have riches or wealth like others, but
if you have God and you are truly serving Him, you will have peace of mind and
your joy will be flowing like a river.
If you have all the wealth in the whole world and you
don’t have Christ, you may be struggling to have peace of mind despite your
riches. Peace and happiness can only be gotten from God and not from any
material things (John 14: 27) Solomon was rich and wise to the point that the
riches and wisdom became a problem for him. Though it took him time to know
that everything in the world is vanity, but he eventually realised and quickly
turned back to God. “Therefore stand in awe of God.” (Ecc: 5-7). To the man who
pleases Him God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner He
gives the task of gathering and storing up to hand over to the one who pleases
God” (Ecc 2: 26). This implies that if you continue struggling to acquire wealth and you leave God out of your plan, you may find it difficult to make it. while a person that is pleasing God in all his or her deeds, will make it more than you, because God will bless him more than his or her efforts.
Do not allow the treasures of this world to deprive you of
your eternal inheritance. What shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole
world and lose his life? Or what can a man give in exchange of his soul? (Mark
8: 36-37) After all he had toiled to achieve, Solomon said “Everything was
meaningless, a chasing after the wind, nothing was gained under the sun.” Lay
up your treasure in heaven, for treasures laid here on earth is meaningless.
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