Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 - Joy in the Present

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 - ²⁴ There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. ²⁵ For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? ²⁶ For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

Message: God is the giver of providence, wisdom, knowledge, and joy

Time: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.
 
What the Lord is Saying:

Man enjoys eating and drinking and being satisfied and a feeling of accomplishment from his labor. But Solomon reminds me in verse 24 that this is possible because of the hand of God. He provided the food and our enjoyment and so it must be with Him. Man does not necessarily see the fruit of his labor. But he does enjoy eating and drinking. 

There is enjoyment in life. We are to enjoy life and we can enjoy the things of life. We can experience God's creation in various ways. We are allowed to enjoy life though we must remain in the confines of what is right and wrong. 

TableTalk mentions that much of true Christian spirituality in history, up to the Protestant Reformation was about living life so as to be absent from worldly pleasures. Even when I was growing up in the church, there was an idea that certain things inherently corrupted man. It may be dancing, playing cards, certain types of music, drinking alcohol, watching movies, watching TV, sports, and doing anything that wasn't directly spiritual. This is how I think I was trained to a large degree in my life: to avoid certain things. I must say, it is hard to not be like this. 

He provides wisdom and knowledge and joy giving us good sight. Again, this is His hand of provide. I need to be reminded of his providence. It was in that water I drank and the cookies and apples I ate. I enjoyed it because he provided it. 

In verse 26, Solomon remarks that God has given the sinner the task of working (gathering, collecting) so as to provide to the Christian. This (??) is vanity and striving after wind.  These things are not permanent to our lives. Only God's love is permanent. Everything else is vanity and striving after the wind. This phrase "vanity and striving after the wind" I think is something I will define and learn as I move through this book. To me, it may mean that I am not to get too caught up in any one thing thinking that thing is the end all. I can be grateful and enjoy life and what it offer, but always remember it is God's provision and I am ultimately to enjoy Him first and foremost.


Promise: Enjoy life. God has provided all of it. I can enjoy it, but remember that God is the provider. Don't get distracted by it to the point that it takes my eyes off of God.