Ecclesiastes 7:11-14

Ecclesiastes chapter 7 and verses 11 to 14 for our text and study this evening. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to their wisdom. them that have it. Consider the work of God, for who can make that straight which he hath made crooked. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider, God also has set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him. May God bless to us his sacred and holy. Holy Word this evening. Man was visiting New York City for the first time, but he got lost in the maze of streets and buildings and didn’t know where he was. So he took an elevator up to the observation deck of the Empire State Building, stayed up there and studied the layout, the key buildings, and the streets and so forth. And he said to his companion, Now I understand where we are and where we need to go. Then went back down on the street level and proceeded to go through the busy streets and didn’t get lost going where he needed to go. As we go through this life, many facets of it are maze-like, and we can be discouraged, perhaps lose our way and so forth. What we need to do is get a higher percentage. perspective. We need to look on things from above, or to put it in plain language from God’s point of view, and not just from man’s point of view down here under the sun. Sometimes we make wrong decisions. Sometimes we make wrong turns. And so we need a guy. And so it is essential, Solomon says, that you have wisdom. Now, he’s not talking about the wisdom of this world. He’s talking about divine wisdom, that we may guide and direct our lives according to it. We can’t get along without it. You’re never going to thread your way through the maze of this life unless God’s directing us as we go along each step of the way. So let me begin tonight by saying this wisdom provides you with a shelter. And he says this here in verses 11 and 12. Wisdom is your protection from the misuse of worldly possessions. Verse 11. Wisdom is good with an inheritance. By it, there is profit to them that see the sun. This is an indication that we need divine wisdom to properly manage our worldly assets. our worldly possessions in this life. An inheritance is not useful to us unless we have the wisdom to use it properly. And so we see here the need for wisdom even with an inheritance. Suppose you inherit a very large estate from a family member. Perhaps you have vast sums of money and you get real. estate and stocks and bonds and you’re set up for life because of this but if you don’t have wisdom to use it properly then you will simply waste it you’ll be like the prodigal son who got half his father’s inheritance but without wisdom he just blew it all on wine women and saw before you know it he had nothing like some of the lottery winners they have all this money and they think they’re set for life and the next thing you know within two years they don’t have any money left whether you get in risky investments or somebody swindles you or you’re wasteful and careless and your spending sprees or whatever the case may be next thing you know it’s all gone so solomon seems to indicate here that wisdom is not only good for the poor person it’s good for the for the rich person as well And without wisdom, your wealth may actually lead to your harm. And we talked about this in chapter 5. You could be a hoarder or a miser or something of this nature. Not use what you have wisely. And wisdom, along with wealth, makes you be able to benefit other people to use those gifts and possessions that you have. in a manner that will prosper and help others under the sun. Jesus taught us that it showed wisdom for his followers to use the mammon of unrighteousness, by that it means your money or your wealth, in order to help others, Luke’s after 16, in the steward, the parable of the unfaithful steward, he did that. He, you know, remember he reduced everybody’s debt to the owner. He was the steward because he was going to be held up, but, you know, the owner was going to check up on his stewardship. And he didn’t, you know, and so he thought, well, when I get kicked out of office here and I’m no longer a steward, they’ll welcome me because I’ll take good care of them. And so Jesus says, use the money, the wealth you’re having this life. life to prepare for you for the next you’ll be welcome in the next life with those that you helped out and benefited with the wealth that God has given you in the Old Testament remember that God sees the attention of Pharaoh and the Egyptians with those ten devastating plagues that he brought upon the land and the Egyptian reached the point where they feared the Israel They couldn’t wait to get the Israelites out of the land of Egypt. You know, let them go, get them out of here. But God didn’t want the Israelites to leave empty-handed. After all, you work for 400 years as slaves. I’m going to get you some pay for that. You go and ask the Egyptians for anything you want, gold, silver, precious clothing, whatever. And the Bible says they plundered the Egyptians. They took all kinds of stuff from them. Jewelry and gold and so forth. Clothing and who knows what else they got. And they gave it to them because they thought, let’s just get rid of these people. Now, the Bible indicates that they left with this great abundance. They left with super abundance. By the way, you might wonder how the slaves had all these things that they could use for the tabernacle later. all the jewels and all that stuff? Well, this is probably where they got it. However, it wasn’t long after the people of God left Egypt that they fell into idolatry in the wilderness. And they used the gold that they had gotten from the Egyptians, and what did they do with it? They built a golden idol to worship against the law of God. There’s a Moses up on Mount Sinai before he even gets down there already violating the law. of God. This tragic experience highlights the problem of having possessions without wisdom. So they end up being used in a sinful, wasteful manner. So there are many things in the world you may enjoy, but material things pose a danger. We have to be concerned about that. We need some wisdom to handle that. So we’re free to utilize wealth, but you’re forbidden to idolize material possessions in this life. And that’s why wisdom is so necessary. So we’re not to become so enamored with the riches of Egypt, so to speak, that we grow complacent with regard to our duties to God and our fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. So wisdom is your protection from the misuse of worldly possessions. He also says here in verse 12, wisdom is your protection from trouble. For wisdom is a defense and money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. Wisdom is sort of like a shelter, a fortified place, if you would. Now money can shelter you. Money can provide many helps for you in this. life keeps you from the hunger and the cold and so forth maybe keep your foes at bay and so forth secure us for you many external earthly advantages in this life thus the rich men’s wealth is a strong city a castle a fortification scripture says but in a similar way wisdom is also a shelter shelter and it’s better one. Wisdom actually preserves the life of the possessor. A small amount of true spiritual wisdom grants eternal. Whosoever findeth me, wisdom, findeth life. Proverbs 835. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And Jesus Christ himself, is the wisdom. He’s the true wisdom that we need. This is eternal life that they might know thee, the only true God in Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 173. True wisdom comes from the Lord. James speaks about the wisdom that is from above, not earthly wisdom, that which is from God. And it equips you as a believer with resources to live a faith. full and God honoring life. And this is essential for us as we go through this life. And it’s a defense for us. Natural wisdom leaves you still blind and deaded your sins and alienated from God. The spiritual wisdom is life revealed to you and possessed by you. In her novel about Maine, the country of the pointed firs, Sarah Jewett, describes the activities of a woman writer. And at one point, the writer is ascending the pathway leading to the home of a retired sea captain, whose name was Elijah Tilly. And as she went up the steps to his house, she looked out over the yard, the property that he had, and she saw a number of these wooden stakes in the ground that were painted white, but they had a yellow stripe around them painted similar to what the house was painted. And they were scattered across the property. So when she got into the house and she got talking with the captain, she asked him, what is this all about? What does that mean? They explained that when he first plowed the ground, his plow got snagged on some very large rocks that were right underneath the soil. And so whenever he came to the ground, came across one of these large rocks that he couldn’t move himself. He put a stake up, painted it. So that meant to stay away from this area. And so he might have a large, a lot of large rocks in his yard because he had a lot of stakes set out in his yard that he had to bypass as I guess he plowed or whatever he had to do. They were marked very carefully. In a sense, that’s what God has done for us with his Ten Commandments. He’s marked out for us the trouble spots in life. Here’s what you’ve got to watch out for. Do not do this. Do this, but don’t do this. And that will keep you if you follow God’s markers from snagging your plow as you go through this life. And you can stay clear of violating God’s commandments, and there’s wisdom in that. There’s wisdom in that. It can be disastrous in life, internally destructive in your soul, if you do not. Spiritual wisdom then provides a shelter. It keeps you from falling into sin if we will follow it. So wisdom provides you with a shelter. Secondly, tonight, wisdom allows you to profit from all of life’s experiences. Versus 13 and 14. Now, wisdom allows you to see all of life’s experiences. things as the work of God’s providence. Verse 13, for consider the work of God. Now let me just stop there for a moment. God would have us, and Solomon is telling us this, to look at what God is doing by his hand and all the events of life. Consider the work of God. What is God doing in this world? to silence our complaints. When events happen across our own plans, we need to consider the end that God has in bringing these events about. Here’s where wisdom comes into play. Because we will think about God’s purpose and look at not just the beginning of things, but the end of things as well. The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them they have pleasure they’re in, His work is honorable and glorious, Psalm 11, 2, and 3. The Christian seeks out what God is doing. Tries to contemplate what God’s purpose is as he sees the events unfold in this life. So, Psalm places the work of God’s providence before you, and he says, Consider it carefully, before you open your mouth and you rant and complain. Remember, all the circumstances of life are the result of God’s hand. Didn’t we study this earlier? In Ecclesiastes 3, there’s a time for everything under heaven. And who sets the time? It’s God who sets the time. And so, you know, there’s a time to be born and time to die. There’s time for good things, there’s time for bad things. God is the one who is behind it all. God’s in charge. He knows the end from the beginning. Nothing has escaped his sovereign determination. So without wisdom, we wouldn’t be able to consider what God is doing. We would just go through life, thinking that everything just happened to fall out the way it did. Well, we know better. God has taught us better in his word. And he gives us the wisdom that look after God and search out his works. think about it. What is God doing here? He has a purpose of what he’s doing. Let’s not miss what that is. Those, whosoever is wise, will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness the Lord. Psalm 107.43. We’ll observe what God is doing. We’ll realize that God is a loving kindness in all that he does, for the sake of his people. So wisdom allows you to see all things as the work of God’s providence. Wisdom also allows you to see God’s hands and the ups and downs of life. The second part of verse 13 says, For who can make straight, that which God hath made crooked? And Anne of Green Gables, she has a phrase, she uses when things aren’t going very good, I had a Jonah day, a Jonah chapter one day, where everything goes wrong. Years ago, I was going to a reform group meeting. It was about 20 or 25 reform pastors in Pittsburgh area would gather every Friday, once a month, every Friday on those Fridays and in the South Hills. And another man was picking me up. and then we were going to meet someone else at Eaton Park in Wexford, and then we would all drive together down in his car to the South Hills. So I was supposed to be a respondent to a paper that was being given on a biblical topic. I don’t remember exactly what the topic was at this point. So I got up early. I had breakfast. I had devotions. and I prepared. But I was having trouble with food reactions at the time, and I broke out with rashes over my arms and legs, and they were itchy. I’m thinking, boy, this is not a good start to the day. And so this could last for hours on end. So my friend showed up, and I got in the car, and we arrived at Eat and Part, and I really, I realized I forgot my response paper that it’s back at home. Well, he and his other friend were going to eat breakfast at Eden Park, but I had already eaten breakfast. So he loaned me his car, and I drove it all the way back to my house to get the response paper. And I got back in time when just they were finishing up, and I thought, okay, finally got that straight back. So we get down to the meeting place, and when we arrived there, I began to relax a little bit, until I realized that the man who was supposed to give the paper was absent. He didn’t show up. He couldn’t make it that day. Guess who had to present his paper and the response? Yes, yours truly. Now, I’m not the kind of person who likes to do things impromptu. I like to prepare things in advance, but I had to sort of wing it on what he had written, and and then give my response to it. But I did my best. And the discussion seemed to be going well between the gentlemen who were there. But about halfway through the matter, I realized my wallet was missing. It had fallen out of my pocket. And here I am trying to lead this discussion. In the meantime, I’m looking around, I can’t find it. Was it in the pastor’s car that we rode down in? Was it in the other pastor’s car that I drove to the Eat and Park in? Did I leave it in the parking lot of Eaton Park or at Eaton Park or at at home? Where is it? So I’m kind of discombobulated by all this and the discussion continues and a man that’s sitting next to me taps me on the shoulder and says, hey, is this your wallet? I found it on the floor underneath your chair and I said, yes, it’s my wallet. Needless to say, when I got home that day, I said, Rain, I’m not going out of this house tonight. This is it. I’m staying home. And that was a Jonah day. Everybody has them once in a while. Everything goes wrong. You know, you wish your life would be like a straight arrow. I’m sorry, but there are crooks in the lot. There are crooks in the lot of your life. And God does not always let you just, you know, mosey on down the road straight ahead. there are turns and twists in it that you have to take and deal with as you go along. We don’t always like that, but that’s the way it really is. Your path may appear very crooked at times. Things will cross your will, thwart your desire. Someone has said there’s a crook in every person’s lot, like a shepherd’s crooked. It has a big, bend in it. When all have those bends to throw us for a loop. We want to go one way and God’s providence leads us in a different direction. Who can change the nature of that? Can anybody undo God’s crooks that he has put in your lot? No. You’ve got to take them. You’ve got to deal with them. So if he places a thorn hedge on your path, who can go forward? He sends a desolating judgment. Who can put a stop to it. So the vital point here is that the purpose of God is being worked out both in the straight and the crooked ways of your life and the good things and the bad things that come into your life. And so we need wisdom to understand that and accept that fact. So wisdom always allows you to see God’s hand in the ups and downs of life. Wisdom allows you to learn from light’s good and bad moments. Verse 14. In the day of prosperity, be joyful. But in the day of adversity, consider, God also has set the one over against the other to the end that man should find nothing after him. God is dealing with you and he controls all the events of your life. And it follows when there are good times, you should be joyful. and enjoy the good things that God has provided for you. However, when problems arise, consider what God is doing. Realize that God is balancing things out in your life for a reason. and he tells us one of the reason is this. God would not have us so happy in this life that we wouldn’t long for the next. when he says here the day of adversity, And the day of prosperity are set one against another to the end that man should find nothing after him. The point I think he’s making is don’t be so enamored with this life. God wouldn’t have you enamored with this life. So he gives you good and the bad for the purpose of preparing you to say, Lord, take me home. I want to be with the Lord. I want to leave this life. and enjoy His eternal presence. Way everything God is doing in your life, we don’t always know what the future holds. So if we have good days, if you know that somewhere along the line, there’s going to be bad ones. But think about this. During the bad days, remember, there’ll be some good ones that will come along. But your task is to ponder what God is doing in all these things and discern God’s hand in these things. solemnly claim God as your refuge under your crook in life. No one cares for my soul, the psalmist said in Psalm 142 verses 4 and 5. He says, but I went to the Lord as my refuge. And that’s really our hope. I like what David did when the Amalekites had come and raided Ziegleg and they got the David and his men got back there and all their wives, their family, and their possessions were gone, and the men were talking about killing David, and things look pretty bleak there. There’s this phrase that we find there, I think in Psalm, or 1 Samuel 36, verse 6. David encouraged himself and the Lord is God. Isn’t that the secret to it all? I don’t know what God is doing, but I’m going to encourage myself on the Lord God. I know he did it, and he did it for a purpose. and we know it came out good in the end that he got everybody got everybody back nobody was lost no family members were lost or anything remember God is your Heavenly Father he brings these things into your life consider what he’s teaching you in these things maybe he’s correcting you maybe he is preventing an inadvisable action on your part maybe he’s deepening your self-awareness. Perhaps he’s molding your character to be more like Christ in some fashion. All these things God does in the events of life. He does all things well. His timing is always perfect. His goal is the highest possible good for your life. So the man who got his bearing straight by going up to the top floor at an observation deck of the Empire State Building is a good example. example in some ways of getting the higher perspective on things in life and that’s what we need. Life can be difficult we need God’s perspective on these things and that’s where spiritual wisdom helps us where the word of God is indeed what provides insight. Wisdom is a shelter for you wisdom allows you to profit from all life’s experiences most wonderfully divine wisdom makes you wise unto salvation. it brings you to a knowledge of the way of salvation in Jesus Christ and that is the most important thing. Once you know that, then your mind is open, your heart’s ready to go through the rest of life guided by the wisdom what God says in his word. But let us close with the word of prayer.