We've already looked at the first eight verses and we'll pick up in verse number nine and read our text and then we'll study it together. Solomon writes it like this, he said, moreover the profit of the earth is for all, the king himself is served by the field. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase, this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them, and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. There's a sore evil which I've seen under the sun, namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by evil travail, and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb naked, shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit hath he that hath laboreth for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. Behold that which I have seen. It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him, for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. Let's go to the Lord in prayer tonight. Our Father, Lord, as we approach this text tonight, I pray, Lord, that You please just open all of our hearts, Lord, to Your words, and Father, that we might gain the wisdom in our Eyes of understanding might be enlightened and might be opened. And Lord, we might walk out of this place tonight, Lord, closer to You than we've ever been before. Lord, I pray through the great mysterious work of God in all of our lives that, Lord, You would conform us more into the very image of Jesus Christ. And Lord, I know, Lord, that you're always working. I know, Lord, you're always busy in our lives, even though we may not even sense it at times. I know that our God is there on our behalf. Now, Lord, you please add your favor to us tonight as we gather ourselves around this blessed old Bible. And God, touch us all now, and we're thankful for everything that you'll do. And all of God's people said, amen and amen. Let's look at our sheets together tonight and consider these verses that we've already read. It has been said about people in general, they get bored with childhood, they rush to grow up and then long to be children again. They jeopardize and lose their health to make money, then lose their money to restore their health. They think carelessly about their future and they forget their present such that they live in neither the present nor the future. They live as if they will never die and die as though they had never lived. Many are the thoughts about life. Someone once said, while there isn't a single handbook to help you navigate life's ups and downs, wisdom passed down through the ages Sure helps, but we know that we do have a handbook. Whoever said that just didn't know God or His book. Leaders of various religious sects have commented about life. Confucius said, life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Socrates said, an unexamined life is not worth living. Other noted sayings about life are, Mark Twain said, the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. And then Jack London said, life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes playing a poor hand well. George Bernard Shaw said, life isn't about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself. And then Arthur Rubenstein said, I've found that if you love life, life will love you back. All thoughts about life and what they try to summarize it up in a little statement. Life is made up of so many variables, it does make one consider and assume thoughts about life and its meaning. For the Christian, we know that life is only found in Jesus Christ, and we do have His handbook, the Bible, to navigate us through each phase of life. And yet we struggle with certain aspects of life and we battle our way through to learn this amazing truth, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. To replace Christ with anything else is when we struggle with living and grope to find meaning. Our last study carried us into chapter 5, and we considered the promises in God's house and the perversion in God's land from the first eight verses. Continuing with the study of this chapter, we will look now at the prophet of God's creation, verses 9 through 12. It's written like this, says, "'Moreover, the profit of the earth is for all. The king himself is served by the field. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them. And what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?' The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep." Solomon now focused his attention on the earth and its relationship to all of humanity. He makes a startling discovery in that the earth and the profit that it supplies is for everyone. Even the king, which included Solomon, is served by the field. That is an amazing thought and statement in and of itself. The earth serves man. We have a movement today that believes that we are here to serve and protect the earth, but the word of God informs us that the earth serves us. Looking back at the original intent of the creator, we discover this truth from the beginning, the book of beginnings, Genesis. In Genesis 1 verses 27 through 30, The Word of God says this, So God created man in His own image, and the image of God created in him, male and female created in them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it. and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed. To you, it shall be for meat. And every beast of the earth, and every fowl of the earth, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I've given every green herb for meat, and it was so. When God created this earth and placed man and woman upon it, he proclaimed his purpose for this planet. It was created to sustain and provide for the needs of man. Within the Creator's infinite wisdom, the earth was to meet every need of man. God built into His creation the ability to maintain itself and reproduce itself, and that was through the means of the seed. In every living thing that God created, a seed was placed for the purpose of reproduction and continuance. God provided everything needful in His creation to sustain humanity throughout every generation. And the amazing thought is that it is still serving mankind today, just as God intended. We are still reaping the benefits of God's creation after, according to the Bible, almost 6,000 years of human history. According to some, we should not have anything because we've so abused this planet, and yet it is still producing and providing for us around the world. Someone is in control of our provisions, and His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. I got to thinking one time about this planet. And I considered all the things that's gone on over time and I got to thinking about all the bulldozers, planes. I got to thinking about all the asphalt and all the concrete that's been poured and the high rise buildings. I got to thinking about all this addition to the planet that we've placed here and built here. And I got to thinking, man, this planet weighs a lot more now than it did when it was first created. Then I said, whoa, I'm thinking this wrong. Everything we have made came out of this earth. It ain't a bit, it don't weigh more than it did in the original creation. Everything that we've got, God provided it for us to have, to build. To build bulldozers, it came from the earth. to build planes, it came from the earth. This earth is here to serve man. And it does a good job of it. And because God created it that way, not because we've been good stewards over it and we've protected it. God made it that way. And think about all the water. I mean all these thousands of years and we still walk to a faucet and turn it on and drink a cool glass of water. God's provisions. Just God letting this earth provide for us. The world did not develop itself as the evolutionists teach, but rather God created it and his creation is still providing for us today. Food does not come from Kroger, Ingalls, Publix, or any other market. It comes from God. The animals on land and in the sea, the vegetables, the fruits, and all other food sources is provided for all by the Lord. The field is a precious commodity throughout the history of man. Over the course of our existence, farmers have worked and tolled the field in an effort to plant seeds into the ground, and God has provided the miracle of life through every seed that has sprung from the ground. If evolution were true, why does a pumpkin seed still produce pumpkins? It should produce an evolution of fruit over time, yet pumpkin seeds still produce pumpkins. God created it that way. This Thanksgiving, Americans will observe a time of reflection, which was started by our founding fathers, is when we are reminded, or should be, that God has provided the food and blessings of our life. Next, Solomon considers something else that comes from the earth, and that is silver. He states that anyone who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver. This truth can be applied to anything materialistic that we love. A person who loves silver will never be satisfied with silver in their possession because they will always want more. If we substitute the word silver with any other pursuit of life, we come to the same conclusion, there is no satisfaction in things. Solomon qualifies his thought by including the word abundance in his statement. Someone who loves, just fill in the blank. Someone who loves whatever it is will never be satisfied with that thing because they will always want more. They have what they have and yet they want more. The problem with this mentality is that when we subscribe to this thinking, we are concentrating on what we don't have and showing ingratitude for what we do have. It has been said that someone who is not thankful for what they do have will not be thankful for what they get. If we concentrate on what we don't have, we will never have enough. Then Solomon caps his thought concerning abundance with the statement that simplifies it all. And what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? When a person gets what they want in abundance, then their reward is sitting around looking at what they have. The Bible describes for us the man who has abundance in life in the Gospel of Luke 12, verses 16 through 19. And Jesus spake this parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do? Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said, this will I do. I will pull down my barns and build greater. And there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, so thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Notice the personal pronouns used in his thinking. It was all about himself and what he had. In his estimation, he had everything needful and he could enjoy his abundance for many years to come. Then God showed up and revealed the reality of his life to him. In verses 20 and 21, but God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. Then who shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Leaving God out of the equation of your life is to live a foolish life. This man lived without any thought of dying and meeting God. God provided for him abundantly, yet he failed to realize where his blessings came from. He considered himself a self-made man, and everything was his for the keeping. The sad reality is the self-made people in life become what they are without recognizing God's hand of blessing in their life. He sends the rain upon the just and the unjust, The prophet of the earth is for all to enjoy. Blessed is the man who understands and realizes where his blessings come from. In Matthew chapter five, verses 45, it says, for he maketh his son to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Do you realize the other day when we got all the rain that God supplied us with, it fell on the land of those who were saved and those who were lost? And God just providing again for the field to supply our needs. He's a God like that. And when someone fails to realize that little jingle in their pocket, came from God. That food on that table came from God. That roof over our head came from the Lord. Everything that we have is someone's, but I went to school and I've got an education and that's why I make the money that I do. If God had not allowed it, you wouldn't have had enough sense to have the education you got. God allows us what he does, and he blesses us. Our blessings totally come from him. Can I get a witness right there? The perishing of riches, verses 13 through 17. There's a sore evil, Solomon said, which I've seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof, watch it, to their hurt. But those riches perish, but evil prevail, and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. For what profit hath he, whereof he laboreth for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness." The text now turns our attention to the individual who has riches, and his wealth does not profit him, rather they hurt him. There are many today who strive for riches in life, obtain them, and the wealth they procure ruins their character. They use their money not for any good, but for their evil purposes. The power that accompanies wealth has ruined many people in life. Their greed for money and influence cause them to injure anyone who gets in their way. The evil they cause with their riches is described as a sore evil. The word sore literally means to cause pain, to rub and wear away, to be sick. The person who lives in this manner is a very sick individual, and they also cause much pain and sickness to others. Dictators are notorious for causing pain upon the people they rule over. They themselves are wealthy and powerful, but the people of their domain strive to live in poverty. While such an individual may live in luxury while on earth, the end of their life will yield an empty hand. As they came into the world, they will leave this world. 1 Timothy 6, 7, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Solomon ends his observation concerning individuals who live for money and power by saying, all his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. Even though they may live under the bright lights of chandeliers, their world is full of darkness. Also they are miserable and full of wrath and hatred. Their sickness will be their ultimate ruin. The Bible makes a bold statement concerning money. It says in 1 Timothy 6 verse 9 and 10, but watch how the Word of God phrases this. It's very important to understand. This is somebody that all they're living for is to be rich. But they that will be rich, all they can think about is money, money, money. They want money. They want to gain riches. But they that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Those who live to be rich will be ensnared by their own lust and love for money. Loving money will lead to evil, sorrows, temptations, and many foolish and hurtful lusts. What they thought would bring them happiness turns their lives into tormented luxury. Many are the sorrows of those who desire the riches of this world. Riches do not exempt anyone from sorrow upon sorrow. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy and bring joy to a person's life. In Proverbs 10, verse 22, the Word of God writes it like this, The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it. Then in Matthew 6, verse 31, we've heard these verses all our lives. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed? Verse 33, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things that we worry about and fret over shall be added unto you. Then the portion of man's life, at the end of verses 18 through 20, And Solomon said this, he said, Behold that which I've seen, it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink and enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion and rejoice in his labor, this is the gift of God. For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God answereth him in the joy of his heart. Solomon is sitting upon his throne. He has riches untold, power over a vast domain, and yet his wisdom does not diminish nor dim. As a matter of fact, his wisdom increases as he increases in wealth, power, and age. That is very unusual for anyone in Solomon's position. Usually, the longer a person lives in wealth and power, the more insulated they become to the reality of life. What we see demonstrated before us in America is that wealth and power normally destroys common sense and morality. Anyone who can live in abundant prosperity without losing themselves is a blessed person. That is what Solomon concludes at the end of this chapter. Anyone who can eat and drink and enjoy their days throughout their life, all the days of his life, is a blessed man. They realize where their blessings have flowed from, and they have enjoyed their riches and their wealth. They enjoy what they do in life, and life has purpose and meaning to them. What they have is realized as the blessings of God, and they honor Him with their life. Our days are uncertain and we should learn a great lesson from Solomon, which is this, enjoy the day you have and be thankful for the provision God has given you today. Don't let the love of other things cause you to lose sight of the God who has provided for you all through your life. Give your life to him, live for him and enjoy his provisions. I remember here a little while back, I watched just briefly, I didn't get to watch the whole thing, but I watched briefly an interview of Donald Trump's daughter. What's her name? Ivanka. Yeah, they were interviewing her and they were being very personal with her and they asked her, said, How do you and your family do it? All of them are working for free. None of them are taking any salary from the government. And they're doing what they're doing just because they want to." And they said, keep going and keep focused and with all the negativity. And it is, it's 24-7. Every day is just, they can't do nothing right. And so they asked, Ivanka said, how do you do what you do and stay focused? And she made a statement. And I was thinking when she said it, I thought in my mind and I carried it a little further. She said, you know, she said, my dad and us, we're a blessed family. And she said, America, this is what she said, America has been good to us. and said, we're doing this for America because America has been good to us. And she said, that's how we keep our focus and all the negativity, we just let it go on. We realize that's going to be there. But we're doing this because we love America. And I got to thinking, I thought, you know, that's the heart that we should all have about our Savior. Our Savior has been good to us all. We should do this. There's going to be negative things said about any of us. All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall serve for persecution. We're all going to see the sorrows of this world come and go. But God's been good to us. He'd been mighty good just to save our souls. I heard somebody say the other day, I don't know why this just came to me, said, if you're going to put somebody down, put them down on your prayer list. I thought, man, that's good. That's the right kind of focus and the right kind of attitude to have. Finishing up our study. God wants us to enjoy and be thankful for the life He has given us. Each life has its sorrows, but through it all, God is good all the time and all the time. God is good. There's an old song entitled, I'd Rather Have Jesus, and below are His words. I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold. I'd rather be His than have riches untold. I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands. I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hand than to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sin's dread sway. I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today." George Beverly Shea used to sing that a lot at Billy Graham's, and I didn't know that George Beverly Shea was one of those who helped write this song, I'd rather have Jesus. Line two says, I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause. I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause. I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame. I'd rather be true to His holy name. He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom. He's sweeter than honey out of the coon. He's all that my hungering spirit needs. I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead. Amen. Amen. Solomon's a wise man. Written some great words of wisdom for us to keep focused and keep in the reality of life.