To all members of PaRD.
Grace and peace to you from CPK001. Tonight is the second of the five series of the book of Ecclesiastes that we are studying at Church. I have been taking notes and I am going to try and portray what I heard at Church onto here.
When we think of the book of Ecclesiastes what do we think it is about? "Vanity of vanities/everything is meaningless". We shall look into this book and ask: What's the point of PLEASURE?
For this part of the series we will be looking at the first part of Ecclesiastes Chapter 2.
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 ESVThe Vanity of Self-Indulgence2 I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
Are Christians anti-pleasure?This is the Modern Secular view of Society
- No God
- No Heaven and no Hell
- Pleasure = good, pain = bad
This is known as Hedonism - the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence. Yet Hedonism isn't new. Remember Ecclesiastes 1:10?
Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?It has been already
in the ages before us.
'Jeremy Bentham asserted both psychological and ethical hedonism with the first two sentences of his book An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation: “Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain, and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do”.'
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hedonism/The writer of Ecclesiastes is going to test this very thing.
Ecclesiastes 2:1
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity.
It's important to note that the writer is testing himself which means while partaking in pleasure he will also be standing to one side and evaluating it all.
Ecclesiastes 2:2
I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?”
What does pleasure accomplish? Where is a good place to start? I know, let's start with a party.
Ecclesiastes 2:3
I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with
wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.
How meaningful was the party?Alcohol? What happens to the people who drink a lot and pass out? They don't even get to see the end of the party. Let's say you made it through the night. Then the next day you are back at work toiling at your job, the party is over. Maybe you don't have work the next day but what about 24 hours after the party? What now?
The party was great and delightful in the moment, it was fun while it lasted, but what about looking to the party for meaning? Once the party is over then it's back to business.
Let's try something else, what about accumulating wealth and having all the toys?
What about gaining wealth?Ecclesiastes 2:4-9
4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
Let's take key notes with what the writer has accomplished.
1. Built great and beautiful houses.
2. Made beautiful gardens.
3. Made great pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.
4. Massive shopping spree of slaves (servants), herds and flocks, silver and gold, singers and many concubines.
Suffice to say this guy is #1, at the very top. Unequaled in wealth.
Ecclesiastes 2:10
10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.
Not only did he have all the wealth but he was able to indulge in all the pleasure his heart desired. He is at the very top of the highest mountain. There is nobody who has even come close to what he has. He has essentially fulfilled the ultimate dream of pleasure. What is his conclusion?
Writer's ConclusionEcclesiastes 2:11
11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold,
all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.Everything is meaningless. Parties are forgotten, buildings will break down in time, toys will break or are forgotten. Life and chores will still need to be done the next Morning. I want to consider this in my own lifestyle. Are these words true? The toys I played as a child, I don't play with them anymore. They either broke, were thrown away or given away. Games I used to play in the early 90's, I don't play anymore. I've seen the TV shows, I'm not watching them again. The parties are great but once I leave I then need to think about the next day and the party beforehand has no impact on the next day -- unless I stayed late. Every few years the phone I have becomes obsolete, I used to have a Nokia and a Blackberry. In time the same thing will happen to the phone I have now.
Are Christians anti-pleasure?Finding meaning in pleasure is the same as putting high value in something that is ultimately empty. The view of pleasure = good, pain = bad is setting the bar really low for life.
This doesn't mean that Christians are anti-pleasure. Quite the contrary, the writer does say to enjoy these things.
Ecclesiastes 9:7-9
Enjoy Life with the One You Love7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
By all means, go and enjoy that party, go and enjoy the beautiful house and all you gain. Yet do not strive to find meaning in them.
Where are we to find meaningful pleasure?Psalm 37:4
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Delight and pleasure is found in the LORD.
Philippians 3:7-8
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
I will quote 2 lines from the song: Lead Me to the Cross, by Hillsong.
"Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost"
Matthew 13:44-46
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
The kingdom of heaven is described as the hidden treasure. The treasure is so valuable that it's worth selling all that you have in order to attain such treasure. That is finding meaningful pleasure.
Find pleasure in the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Is it worth Desiring God?Have you ever read or heard of the book: Desiring God by John Piper? Here is how John describes the Christian pursuit for pleasure.
"Desiring God is about the noble and mysterious art of Christian Hedonism. Piper defines it as, “the conviction that God’s ultimate goal in the world (his glory) and our deepest desire (to be happy) are one and the same, because God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” In this book, Piper explains in detail what Christian Hedonism is, what the Bible says about it, and how we can become Christian hedonists."
https://www.wordsoffaithhopelove.com/desiring-god-book-review/#:~:text=Piper%20defines%20it%20as%2C%20%E2%80%9Cthe,Bible%20says%20about%20it%2C%20andConclusionBy all means, enjoy the party and the riches you have been blessed with. Yet look to the LORD to be your treasure and pleasure, you will find your yearning has meaning and you will be satisfied.
Next week we will explore and ask: What's the point of WORK?
This post was edited by CPK001 on Jun 11 2023 04:42am