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Daily Devotions

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 
Day 
Day 26

"God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy"

Text: Ecclesiastes 2:26

ASTUTE OBSERVATIONS

Solomon’s observations of life often offer astute judgment. These reflect deep and wise thoughts.

“For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy
to a man who is good in His sight;
but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting,
that he may give to him who is good before God.
This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 2:26

1. “God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy”

a) The source of blessings is to be traced back to God Himself.
b) Three special blessings were highlighted:
i) Wisdom
ii) Knowledge
iii) Joy
c) These are not common blessings.
i) They are to be treasured as special blessings.
ii) They are not to be taken for granted.

2. “To a man who is good in His sight”

a) These blessings are not easily obtained.
b) They cannot actually be earned.
c) These may be described as “rewards”.
d) To a person who is good in God’s sight.
i) God looks at the heart.
ii) The word “good” does not mean sinlessness.
iii) The idea of being “good” is contrasted clearly in the latter part of this verse.

3. “But to the sinner”

a) This is the contrast of the “good (person)”.
b) The sinner is one who:
i) Remains unrepentant in sin.
ii) Indulges in wicked thoughts and deed.

4. “He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God”

a) The sinner works hard
i) Gathering
ii) Collecting
b) But all too soon he perishes:
i) The fruit of his labour will go to one God esteems as “good”.
ii) This is a humbling and astute observation.

5. “This also is vanity and grasping for the wind”

a) This is a perplexing observation.
b) The wicked would certainly not desire this outcome.
c) The good would not be expecting any reward “from the wicked”.
d) This was something that Solomon observed.
i) He was puzzled.
ii) To him this is also vanity and a grasping of the wind.
iii) He has probably observed this happening and this unusual event escaped his reasoning.