Ecclesiastes 6: 1-12

Hey guys I know this isn't in time for many of you, but I wanted to get this out for those of you who could use it and also encourage you to take sometime and study for yourselves. Please be thinking how you can lead your groups into a true understanding of what Solomon is trying to teach us. He is not saying that life is meaningless, he is saying that life apart from an understanding of God's sovereignty and providence is meaningless. Do you see the difference? Please take some time now to really dig into chapter 7. I don't think the sermon will be breaking down verse by verse, but I encourage you to do just that. I will try and send some stuff out from my studies this week that will be helpful for you and your groups. Think about using this blog for what it is called-a forum. We need your insights, questions, struggles, praises, needs so we can encourage and be encouraged.



Thanks, Eric



Ecclesiastes 6: 1-12

Vs. 2 –

Do we assume that material goods, things, or good events are blessings and the lack of things or adversity are not blessings?

What did we learn from James 1? How can we count it all joy?

We see in vs. 2 that God causes the man to have riches and causes the man not to enjoy those riches. How do we process that passage?

What is our understanding of God’s sovereignty and providence? Is it just His providence when the thing is perceived as good or could His providence also be done through something perceived as evil?

How is a biblical understanding of God’s providence put Solomon’s words in Ecclesiates in perspective?

Vs. 3-6 –

How do we define the word “satisfied”? How does the text break down our ideas of satisfaction? What examples does it use? (family, long-life)


Vs. 10-11 –

We cannot argue with God. If we argue with God what is that speaking of our understanding of His sovereignty and providence? Some of us don’t like God being sovereign because we think we have a better solution. But the fact is, God has already called out what is and disputing that is futility.

The more we talk about these issues with an attitude of doubt or dissatisfaction, the more futility increases.