Money is the Answer??

If only I had a little more money; then I could….

I am sure that you could easily complete the sentence. After all, who wouldn’t want a little extra money?

There’s that home project that keeps getting put off. More reliable transportation would be nice. Then, the unexpected...storm damage!

If you own it, you’ll have to repair it or replace it...a little more money would come in handy.

Kids. Did I mention kids? Kids cost a lot.

A little extra money would cover the braces, new clothes, activity fees, piano lessons, tutoring, cell phone, and so on.

• Car! College! Commencement!
• Repair! Replace! Retire!
• Health care, parental care, governmental care (taxes)...it never ends.

There are greedy people out there, but I’m not greedy. There are selfish people out there, but I’m not selfish. I’m keeping up with expenses, but I can’t seem to get ahead. A little more money really would solve a lot of problems. (Let’s be honest and strike the word little.)

Solomon agreed!

Men prepare a meal for enjoyment, and wine makes life merry, and money is the answer to everything. 

—Ecclesiastes 10:19

Did you know that Solomon wrote that? Did you know that statement is in the Bible!? It almost sounds like eat, drink and be merry with money is the answer tacked on for good measure. It may even seem to conflict with New Testament teachings about self-discipline and self-sacrifice.

If money can answer everything, why not live life in pursuit of money?

First, remember that Solomon’s statement about money was written in a book containing the results of his search for meaning. Limiting himself to the created universe, Solomon tried everything, yet nothing in the universe provided meaning. So, there is an exception to his money statement. Money does not provide the ultimate meaning in life. You must look beyond the physical universe for meaning.

Second, notice that Solomon simply laid before us an observation about money. He did not advise the pursuit of money.

Third, money is a neutral thing. It is not good or bad to possess it or use it. Yet, there are a few things in Scripture that provide cautionary wisdom when it comes to money.

Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, “Who is the Lord?” or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God. 

—Proverbs 30:8-9 (HCSB)

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. 

—Mark 10:25

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. 

—1 Timothy 6:10

The wealthy of this world seem to prove that money is the answer to everything. Yet, money does not generate faith in God, but rather, faith in money. So, is it true that money is the answer to everything? Sure, but only within the boundaries of the physical universe. Beyond that, money is meaningless.

Mark Stinnett

July 30, 2023

Grief in Wisdom??

In much wisdom there is much grief, 

and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.
—Ecclesiastes 1:18

Why would Solomon write such a thing? After all, the book of Proverbs is devoted to wisdom. Numerous sections of Proverbs encourage the reader to acquire wisdom. From the opening verses of Proverbs to the end, wisdom is to be highly valued. Life will be better with wisdom.

To understand Solomon’s statement about wisdom from Ecclesiastes the broader context must first be understood. He had just declared the purpose of the book and given a preliminary report of his findings.

Solomon was searching for meaning, but he was limited in his search. He was restricted to the physical universe. (See last week’s blog.) Within the limitations of the universe, he explained that he set out “to know wisdom and to know madness and folly.” (1:18) This is a broad description of the breadth of his exploration.

Wisdom includes all that is reasonable; things that make sense. In great contrast, madness and folly are those things that are irrational. The two can be distinguished further.

Madness is intentional irrational thinking and behavior. It is descriptive of David when he was being pursued by King Saul. He hid among the Philistines (Israel’s enemy) where Saul would not search, but he intentionally acted insane so the Philistines would leave him alone.

Folly is irrational thinking and behavior because of ignorance or stupidity. It is descriptive of those who go through life aimlessly. They live carefree following their instinctive nature.

All of Solomon’s exploration fits under the banner of either wisdom or madness & folly. After detailing some of his exploration, he said, “I realized that this also is striving after wind.” This is Solomon’s way of concluding that it was futile or empty.

After this conclusion he explained, “Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.” He could write this only if he grew in wisdom and knowledge. That is to say, Solomon knew what he was talking about.

There is no question but that Solomon valued wisdom. He wrote that “wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.” (2:13) Yet, wisdom brought him grief and knowledge brought him (mental/emotional) pain. Why?

His wisdom and knowledge brought him to the realization that life is full of inequities. In other words, life is not fair. There are many injustices.

In man’s search for meaning, he has always been concerned with justice. Yet, there are many things in life that are unjust:

• Children die young.
• Some who are wealthy hoard their wealth.
• Honorable people are treated with dishonor.
• Evil people succeed; good people fail.

So, one reason for the grief and pain from wisdom and knowledge is the brutal reality of life’s injustices. In his search for meaning, Solomon kept finding injustices. We live in a world where those without God in their life live by their own sense of justice. And yet, there can be no justice where there is ethical and moral subjectivity. There is no justice when man is making it up!

So, is there justice? Absolutely! Yes!

But you cannot find it within the limitations of the created universe.

Mark Stinnett

July 23, 2023

The Futility of Wisdom??

Observing that the wise man and the fool both die, Solomon presented his reason for the futility of wisdom: “For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool.” (2:16) In chapter nine Solomon reflected on a poor wise man who delivered a city by his wisdom. Yet, “no one remembered that poor man.”

Solomon noted that wisdom was better than folly, better than strength, better than being the fool. Yet, in the end it really didn’t matter because the wise man dies just like the fool and he is not remembered.

That kind of outlook toward life seems depressing and contrary to the hopeful message of grace in the New Testament. It seems contrary to the numerous passages of Scripture that encourage us to obtain and apply wisdom. How do we make sense of such statements?

It is easy to overlook Solomon’s purpose in writing the book of Ecclesiastes. He stated his purpose in the first chapter:

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. (v. 13)

Solomon was investigating life. He was exploring the world around him. Based on his early conclusions, it is apparent that Solomon was searching for meaning. So, Ecclesiastes was his final report based on his exploration.

It is important to see that his exploration was “concerning all that has been done under heaven.” In the Hebrew text the statement ends, “under the heavens.” Note the plural. This tells us the breadth of Solomon’s exploration.

“The heavens” refers to the two heavens above the earth. (The Bible only talks about three heavens.) The first heaven is the breathable atmosphere that supports living things. It starts just above the ground and extends into what we call the sky. Beyond the sky is space, the second heaven, where the sun, moon, stars, planets, and comets exist. So, Solomon said that his exploration included everything under the two heavens, so, the created universe.

It is easy to understand why Solomon limited his exploration to the created universe. As a part of the created universe himself, he could not explore anything beyond creation such as, the third heaven, God’s domain.

Come back to Solomon’s observation about the wise man and the fool. He was not writing as a Christian who enjoys the hope of eternal life. He was searching for meaning within the limitations of the created universe and then reporting his findings.

Solomon’s wisdom is invaluable in helping us to understand the world around us. If our frame of reference is merely the physical universe in which we live, then it changes our value system. If there is only the physical universe and we all die, then there is no real benefit to being wise or being a fool. So, what is there is this life that is of valuable?

The best thing that a person can do is to leave behind a legacy in hopes of being remembered. Yet, Solomon said that all will be forgotten.

We live in a world where those without God in their life are accurately described by Solomon. They have nothing more to live for than to be remembered after they are gone. In this, Solomon has explained hopelessness.

Does God offer hope? Absolutely! 

But you can’t find it within the boundaries of the created universe.


Mark Stinnett

July 16, 2023

Channels of Water

“God is in control.”

Those words can become cliché. It is not that any Christian would disagree. We accept this truth, but we have heard it over and over and over so that it can become unimpressive.

Solomon had a way of exposing this same truth, yet in a way that captivates the mind.

The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD;

He turns it wherever He wishes.

--Proverbs 21:1

Kings of the Earth:
Kings are powerful. In fact, the king has his way. He controls the army of his land. He decides to build or not build, to go to war or not go to war, to make an alliance or not. The people of the land depend on the king for security and protection; for the ability to conduct business, grow crops, keep livestock, and make a living; for laws that benefit the people and the land, and the just enforcement of those laws. The king has the power and authority to grant life or take life. At the his word or the motion of his hand, the king's will is done.

Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes as the result of his search for meaning (though limiting his search to the physical universe). He spoke of his search, and in doing so revealed the extent of the power and authority of a king.

All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure….

—Ecclesiastes 2:10

Though prideful, King Nebuchadnezzar possessed power and glory and majesty. He was indeed sovereign. (Daniel 4:30-31)

That is what it means to be a king of the earth!

Father God:
It is not mother nature but Father God who directs the streams of water on the earth. It is by His thought and by His authority and by His power that their course is set. With ease the Creator conducts the course of rivers and streams by His hand.

How great is our God who directs the channels of water on the earth!

God is in Control:
The One who directs the channels of water also turns the hearts of kings. It is not that kings are unable to choose, but God can overrule their decisions in order to accomplish his will. He can direct their hearts and influence their thoughts …and he does.

This is not a description of destiny or divine puppetry. Rather, God is in control.

• God discerns.
• God decides.
• God influences.
• God turns hearts.
• God carries out His divine will.

Politics, economics, social issues, conflict and war; these are all the affairs of men: God is in control.

The twinkling of the stars, the fury of the sun, the elliptical path of the earth, the orbit of the moon; the paths of channels of water, the presence of the mountains and caverns and shorelines; the breath of life: God is in control.

To the one who believes, this is rest.
To the one who scoffs, he will one day shudder.
To the one who comprehends…he cannot help but stand in awe!

Mark Stinnett

July 9, 2023

Superstition and Ancestors

Someone gave me a lucky rabbit’s foot when I was a kid. I lost it, but it was no great loss. After all, the bone that I could feel through the fur kind of grossed me out. I don’t have a lucky penny, or a lucky horseshoe over my doorway. I don’t even know how to make lucky things work. Do you?

I guess people usually think that lucky items simply bring good luck. But I saw someone in a movie rubbing her lucky charm when she was afraid. (It didn’t turn out good.)

Just for fun I jumped onto the Internet to solve my quandary. I read things about the lucky horseshoe that were amazing, confusing, and mysterious. Ha! The website was about a video game!

Now, doesn’t that sum it all up? Superstition is made up. It comes from the minds of people, like a video game; nothing real, no substance.

Is it really bad luck if a black cat runs in front of you? If you step on a crack, will it really break your mother’s back? While some superstitions are simply ridiculous, others have grown out of religious beliefs, yet with no basis in Scripture.

Superstition has been used to frighten children (and adults) into obedience. Superstition has been used to promise good things. But how? Where does superstition get its power?? Is it unharnessed power that you can possess with the right charm or potion or words? Why is the horseshoe lucky instead of bringing a curse?

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:

Instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.

—1 Timothy 1:3-4

Myths. Superstitions are myths.

“The administration of God” that Paul referred to is God’s management of His divine will. So, putting faith in empty, speculative superstition, works against the will of God. Superstition is a matter of misplaced faith. Avoid it!

_____________________

Perhaps you’re heard of those eastern religions that have ancestor worship. It’s a good thing we don’t do that kind of thing! It was a problem in ancient times. God warned the Israelites to avoid the occult practices of the pagan nations. One of their practices was attempting to call up the dead. (Deuteronomy 18:11)

In the New Testament Jesus told about a man who died and ended up in Hades, the place of the unrighteous dead. In torment he cried out for relief but received none. Only then did he cry out with concern for his living relatives. He asked that someone be sent back from the dead to his living brothers to warn them.

The response he received: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.”

God wants His people to listen to Him, not dead ancestors. I can assure you that your dead ancestors have no concern about their pets or your pets, your love life, or your career. They have no desire to send you warm, fuzzy messages from beyond, or status reports on other deceased loved ones. If they have any message at all would be a single unified message:

     If they are in the Paradise of God, they would tell you, “Follow Jesus.”

     If they are in the torment of Hades, they would tell you, “Follow Jesus.”

Anything else is superstition, just another idol.


Mark Stinnett

July 2, 2023