As we talked about in Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon spent time reexamining each of his four arguments: the monotony of life, the vanity of wisdom, the futility of wealth, and the certainty of death. 

As he re-thinks matters, he discovered four factors that must be considered before you can say that life is monotonous and meaningless. The first three we talked about in the last chapter, and the fourth we will uncover this week. Here's how Warren Wiersbe organizes the four factors, and it's helpful for me to remember them this way. 

1. Solomon saw something above man (a God who was in control of time).

2. Solomon saw something within man (eternity was in man's heart). 

3. Solomon saw something ahead of man (death comes to all).

4. This week, we'll learn that Solomon saw something around man (the problems and burdens of life). 

Look up, look within, look ahead, and look around! Notice it doesn't say look down. Right now, we're working with our third son, Ezra, on not dropping his chin when he's sad, angry, upset, or hasn't gotten his way. 

He gets to feel those emotions (and they are strong at the age of 5!), but we cannot get in the practice of looking down when life throws us a curveball. Chins up! We must face whatever circumstance or emotion is ahead with the strength of Christ. 

Alright, it's time to dig into chapter 4 (good news, it's short!) as we study the fourth factor and what it means to look around. 

1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

• Part 1 of your homework this week is to watch the movie Just Mercy. It will bring these passages to life in a way and help you understand modern-day oppression if you haven't directly experienced it yourself. If you have children at home, it can serve as an opportunity to bring a Biblical perspective on social injustice into the family conversation. 

• Solomon was a wise and just king (1 Kings 3:16-28). However, even the most righteous earthly king can have power-hungry leaders in the ranks. As long as sin exists in mankind, there will be oppression, political corruption, and sorrow of innocent people. Life isn't fair on this earth.

• This doesn't mean we are to sit apathetically as believers. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 provides us with a direction in terms of politics, systems, and the like:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

TIME AND REFLECTION

• There is a great deal of oppression, social injustices, and corruption in today's world. As a believer, how does your life need to look more like 1 Timothy 2:1-6 and less like CNN, Fox News, NPR, Glenn Beck, Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, masked, or un-masked?

• As you clean your house, do laundry, drive to work, or spend some time in the Word, listen to this recent YouTube video from Jon Courson about a new way to think about “taking sides” v. allowing God to “taking over.” It’s Part 2 of your homework since it’s a short study this week. :-)

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.

6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, "For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

• That verse 4 is why advertisement works. As Nancy Wilson talks about in her book, Learning Contentment, "So much of discontent is made up of not wanting what we do have, and wanting what we don't have. Contentment eliminates both these problems. We are satisfied with all that we have, and we do not daydream and long for things we don't have, especially those things that already belong to someone else." 

• I have to be careful about what magazines and books I buy to peruse, the shows and movies I watch, and other "intakes" of life. When I fail to guard my heart (Proverbs 4:23), it causes my heart to have "the wants." I begin desiring or daydreaming of something else instead of practicing contentment in the present moment. 

"All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have." 

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

TIME AND REFLECTION

• Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "I have heard of some good old woman in a cottage, who had nothing but a piece of bread and a little water. Lifting up her hands, she said as a blessing, 'What! All this, and Christ too?'" 

• Allow the Lord to search your heart in a quiet moment. Where is dissatisfaction rooted? Invite Christ's sanctifying work through the Spirit's planting, to uproot the unhappiness and plant what is excellent and perfect. Then, think about the things listed in Philippians 4:8.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

• Partnership, companionship, friendship = good. This isn't a passage about how you should be married (Paul would say it's actually better if you aren't!). Still, it is a passage about not trying to traverse this unfair world alone. Loneliness is an epidemic in our culture today. I recently read an article about how social isolation can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Now, you may or may not believe that stat, but it makes you think. If you know someone who struggles with loneliness consistently, then it's not too far fetched. 

• Solomon understood from looking around that community was necessary. Two are better than one, whether it's in working, walking, warmth, or watchcare. 

• Togetherness, according to Solomon, is better with godliness weaved in. That's why he talks about a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. It's commonly understood that the third cord is God Himself. I can attest to this because as I've matured in life, and God has become more integrated into my marriage and friendships, I have become stronger. What a beautiful picture of unity!

13 Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. 14 For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king' s place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

• This last "better" statement of Solomon is fascinating. First, he spoke of a wise young man and a foolish old king. It's best to be wise, for wisdom isn't always found in age. 

• Secondly, Solomon tells of a "rags to riches" story. The problem with this story was that the wise young man took the throne due to popularity. After the new wore off, the crowd rejected him. 

• As we bring it back to Warren Wiersbe's original thought of "looking," we've now witnessed how Solomon looked up, and God was in control. He looked within and saw that man was made for eternity, and God would make all things right. He looked ahead and saw death. He looked around and understood the complexity of life, the oppression of people, and how nothing is easy. 

• So, where does that leave us as believers? That leaves you with the best perspective of all: a hope giver. 

"Do not trust to the cheering, for those persons would shout as much if you and I were going to be hanged."

Oliver Cromwell

TIME AND REFLECTION

• Let us not forget that we serve the "God of all comforts." Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. Think about the oppression, affliction, unfairness, struggles, bitterness, and betrayal you have experienced in life. Spend some time in God's presence, being reminded that you have the privilege of sharing in the sufferings of Christ. 

• How can you be an encouragement and a hope to someone today?