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"A grave misfortune"

Text: Ecclesiastes 4:8

THE EXTREME OPPOSITE OF LAZINESS

The opposite of laziness is not being “hard-working”. To work hard is to be commended. The problem is taking the extreme opposite of laziness.

“Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:
There is one alone, without companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his labours,
Nor is his eye satisfied with riches.
But he never asks,
‘For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?’
This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.”
Ecclesiastes 4:7-8

1. “Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun”

a) Solomon has observed the fool who chooses laziness.

b) He looked at “the extreme opposite” now.

2. This is a description of one who seems to be obsessed with chasing wealth

a) “There is one alone”

i) He chooses to be alone.

ii) He is not willing to share.

b) “Without companion”

i) He does not want a companion.

ii) He chooses to be a loner.

c) “He has neither son nor brother”

i) He has no family.

ii) He does not wish to have a family.

d) “Yet there is no end to all his labours”

This is a very driven person! He keeps labouring!

e) “Nor is his eye satisfied with riches”

i) He is already wealthy.

ii) But he is not satisfied with the riches he has.

iii) He desires more for he is not content with what he owns.

f) “But he never asks, ‘For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?'”

i) An important question that was never raised up.

Who will benefit from all the riches gained?

ii) There is no family to leave the wealth with.

iii) There isn’t a close friend who could benefit.

g) “This also is vanity and a grave misfortune”

i) This is indeed “vanity”.

ii) The additional word: “A grave misfortune!”

iii) The individual may think he is now worth a fortune.

iv) In reality, his life is “a grave misfortune”.