Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20030813.htm

ECCLESIASTES: PROVIDING A CORRECT WORLD VIEW FOR A LIFE OF MEANING
Part VI: Finding Lasting Fulfillment In View Of The Vanity Of Life's Circumstances
B. Handling The Seeming Futility Of Political Success
(Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 with 12:13-14)
  1. Introduction
    1. Besides being motivated to achieve success due to greed for possessions, we humans can be faced with the temptation of gaining political influence and fame in our efforts to achieve meaning in life.
    2. However, political influence and fame in this life, when viewed as an end in itself is an exercise in complete futility, and Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 with 12:13-14 reveals meaningful achievement in view of this:
  2. Handling The Seeming Futility Of Political Success, Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 with 12:13-14.
    1. Though the Hebrew text presents significant uncertainty for the translator regarding the number of individuals involved in the Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 passage, a sensible approach to take is to view the passage relating how a poor youth rises from poverty or prison due to his wisdom to become king, and then suffers political loss by becoming self-assured and foolishly impervious to instruction in his old age, cf. Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament, p. 987; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, footnote to Ecclesiastes 4:13-16.
    2. Accordingly, we view that passage's message with its lesson as follows:
      1. According to Solomon, due to a wise tendency to be teachable, a young, poor and possibly imprisoned youth once rose from obscurity in a realm to become king of his land, Ecclesiastes 4:13a, 14b.
      2. In the process, all the people of the land at one time came to follow this new king when he first came to the throne, Ecclesiastes 4:15-16a.
      3. However, obtaining fame and influence made the young king so self-assured that he lost his initial and wise appetite for instruction, so he became foolish in his old age as a king to his great political harm, Ecclesiastes 4:13b, 14a.
      4. Thus, a new generation of subjects arose wanting a new king, so the first man's climb from obscurity to power when considered empirically ("under the sun") was an exercise in futility, Ecclesiastes 4:16b.
      5. [Solomon used this account to relate the futility of even a "great" political career, Ibid., B.K.C., O.T.]
      6. So, in view of the futility of political fame and influence when viewed in this life alone by our senses, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 offers us a summary lesson (as follows):
        1. Solomon ended Ecclesiastes with a summary that applies to each segment of his book, 12:13-14.
        2. That lesson asserts that all aspects of this life, when considered only with man's senses reveal this life is but "a stage where all the men and women are merely actors," to paraphrase Shakespeare.
        3. In effect, we must look beyond man's five senses to learn the meaning of this life from Scripture especially in view of the seeming futility of temporal political fame and influence: (a) Scripture reveals political influence and fame in this life has meaning only as it fits God's will for us, a will that ultimately is to honor God, a matter for which we will give an account to God after this life is over, Eccles. 12:13-14 with 2 Cor. 5:10-11; 1 Cor. 3:10-15 for believers (Rev. 20:11-15 for the lost). (b) Thus, we must not make our own political fame and influence an end in itself, but use what fame and influence God assigns us (+) with the spiritual enabling God equips us (Romans 12:1-2, 3) to (+) disciple others for Christ (Matt. 28:19-20) through God's assignment for us in the local church (+) in the Spirit's power (Gal. 5:16-23), (+) for God's glory ALONE [In Acts 16:16-40, Paul revealed his humanly impressive Roman citizenship to his Philippian opponents only after they had illegally beaten him without a just trial: his revelation of citizenship was given not because Paul arrogantly wished to "pull rank" on his foes, but to correct the "shame" on the Gospel he preached, the shame that had come by his being unjustly beaten! Paul then upheld the fame of Christ by revealing his Roman citizenship to onlookers, typifying the right use of political power!]
Lesson: In terms of this life only, political power is futile, so we must USE it for GOD'S eternal glory!

Application: As political fame and influence in THIS life is ITSELF futile, and as we must give an account at the END of this life for HOW we used what fleeting political impact we were granted for GOD'S glory, may we use whatever political impact in THIS life for GOD'S GLORY ALONE!