ECCLESIASTES......CHAPTER 2
"The foolishness of Pleasure-seeking"
"Eat, drink and be merry...and ignore what those wacky Christians say, they don't want you to have fun anyway..." - This seems to be the motto of America's corrupt celebrity culture and its "worshippers" who seek their fame and fortune and their own "reality show"! Never before in the history of mankind, have we had all kinds of infantile behavior from undisciplined teens and immature adults who make absolute fools of themselves.
The super availability of free social media has led to once privately held personal and/or intimate conduct which held shame and scorn, going viral on the internet and popping up on TMZ, Gawker or any of those that America's Most Clueless actively long to be on. Somehow, today, that kind of thing is laughed at and lifted up as some kind of virtue. These people have no concept of where they're headed and the accountability awaiting them for their pleasure seeking and drive to accumulate stuff- because this is how America defines success.
This is the focus of today's lesson from the book of Ecclesiastes - the foolishness and wasteland of seeking pleasure, chasing the latest gadget and auto or smartphone or...you name it...and the toll it will take on those who do that. Watch the less than 1/2 hour teaching on it then read the entire Chapter 2.
Ecclesiastes 2
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Futility of Pleasure and Possessions
2 I said [a]to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So [b]enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. 2 I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” 3 I explored with my [c]mind how tostimulate my body with wine while my [d]mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could seewhat good there is for the sons of men [e]to do under heaven the few [f]years of their lives.
4 I enlarged my works: Ibuilt houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and I had [g]homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myselfmale and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.
9 Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had [h]exerted, and behold all was [i]vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.4 I enlarged my works: Ibuilt houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6 I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves and I had [g]homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8 Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myselfmale and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines.
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