STEVE WEBB - 0:00  
Well, that's almost more than he can bear.

INTRO S12E295 - 0:09  
Coming to you from Riverside, California, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, and podcasting since 2004, I'm your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today is Poetry Thursday, and we're going to begin the book of Ecclesiastes with the reading of chapters one and two. Before we begin the book, I'll have a short introduction for you, and then after we read the chapters, I've got some comments. I'm calling today's episode, “Catch the Wind”. The show notes page for today is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e295. My email address is steve@lifespringmedia.com. Let's begin. 

INTRO TO ECCLESIASTES - 0:48  
Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, the same King Solomon who wrote the book of Proverbs, and like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes is classified as a book of poetry. Sometimes it's called a book of wisdom. But you'll very quickly see that Solomon's approach is much different here. I don't want to give away too much right now. But I do want to say that it's important to stick with this book right up to the end. Don't bail early and don't draw conclusions early. This is a book that requires patience on the part of the reader. 

ECCLESIASTES 1 (ERV) - 1:22
Ecclesiastes, chapter one.

(1) These are the words from the Teacher, a son of David and king of Jerusalem.

(2) Everything is so meaningless. The Teacher says that it is all a waste of time! (3) Do people really gain anything from all the hard work they do in this life?

(4) People live and people die, but the earth continues forever. (5) The sun rises and the sun goes down, and then it hurries to rise again in the same place.

(6) The wind blows to the south, and the wind blows to the north. The wind blows around and around. Then it turns and blows back to the place it began.

(7) All rivers flow again and again to the same place. They all flow to the sea, but the sea never becomes full.

(8) Words cannot fully explain things, but people continue speaking. Words come again and again to our ears, but our ears don’t become full. And our eyes don’t become full of what we see.

(9) All things continue the way they have been since the beginning. The same things will be done that have always been done. There is nothing new in this life.

(10) Someone might say, “Look, this is new,” but that thing has always been here. It was here before we were.

(11) People don’t remember what happened long ago. In the future, they will not remember what is happening now. And later, other people will not remember what the people before them did.

(12) I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. (13) I decided to study and to use my wisdom to learn about everything that is done in this life. I learned that it is a very hard thing that God has given us to do. (14) I looked at everything done on earth, and I saw that it is all a waste of time. It is like trying to catch the wind. (15) If something is crooked, you cannot say it is straight. And if something is missing, you cannot say it is there.

(16) I said to myself, “I am very wise. I am wiser than all the kings who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are.”

(17) I decided to learn how wisdom and knowledge are better than thinking foolish thoughts. But I learned that trying to become wise is like trying to catch the wind. (18) With much wisdom comes frustration. The one who gains more wisdom also gains more sorrow. 

ECCLESIASTES 2 (ERV) - 3:46  
Ecclesiastes, chapter two.

(1) I said to myself, “I should have fun—I should enjoy everything as much as I can.” But I learned that this is also useless. (2) It is foolish to laugh all the time. Having fun does not do any good.

(3) So I decided to fill my body with wine while I filled my mind with wisdom. I tried this foolishness because I wanted to find a way to be happy. I wanted to see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.

(4) Then I began doing great things. I built houses, and I planted vineyards for myself. (5) I planted gardens, and I made parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees. (6) I made pools of water for myself, and I used them to water my growing trees. (7) I bought men and women slaves, and there were slaves born in my house. I owned many great things. I had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. I owned more things than any other person in Jerusalem did.

(8) I also gathered silver and gold for myself. I took treasures from kings and their nations. I had men and women singing for me. I had everything any man could want.

(9) I became very rich and famous. I was greater than anyone who lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom was always there to help me. (10) Anything my eyes saw and wanted, I got for myself. My mind was pleased with everything I did. And this happiness was the reward for all my hard work.

(11) But then I looked at everything I had done and the wealth I had gained. I decided it was all a waste of time! It was like trying to catch the wind. There is nothing to gain from anything we do in this life.

(12) Then I decided to think about what it means to be wise or to be foolish or to do crazy things. And I thought about the one who will be the next king. The new king will do the same as the kings before him. (13) I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness in the same way that light is better than darkness. (14) Wise people use their minds like eyes to see where they are going. But for fools, it is as if they are walking in the dark.

I also saw that fools and wise people both end the same way. (15) I thought to myself, “The same thing that happens to a fool will also happen to me. So why have I tried so hard to become wise?” I said to myself, “Being wise is also useless.” (16) Whether people are wise or foolish, they will still die, and no one will remember either one of them forever. In the future, people will forget everything both of them did. So the two really are the same.

(17) This made me hate life. It was depressing to think that everything in this life is useless, like trying to catch the wind.

(18) I began to hate all the hard work I had done, because I saw that the people who live after me would get the things that I worked for. I will not be able to take them with me. (19) Some other person will control everything I worked and studied for. And I don’t know if that person will be wise or foolish. This is also senseless.

(20) So I became sad about all the work I had done. (21) People can work hard using all their wisdom and knowledge and skill. But they will die and other people will get the things they worked for. They did not do the work, but they will get everything. That makes me very sad. It is also not fair and is senseless.

(22) What do people really have after all their work and struggling in this life? (23) Throughout their life, they have pain, frustrations, and hard work. Even at night, a person’s mind does not rest. This also is senseless.

(24-25) There is no one who has tried to enjoy life more than I have. And this is what I learned: The best thing people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy the work they must do. I also saw that this comes from God. (26) If people do good and please God, he will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But those who sin will only get the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind. 

COMMENTS - 8:15  
Well, after reading the first few chapters, what do you think? Solomon sounds pretty jaded and world weary, doesn't he? Almost makes you want to just give up, right? Well, no bail on him just yet. There's a reason that Ecclesiastes is in the Bible. But it takes a little while to discover what that reason is. It's not a long book, there's only 12 chapters.

Now for those that don't know Solomon was the son of King David. That's the David of the David and Goliath story. And after David slew Goliath, he grew up to become king of Israel. Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes became king after David died in his old age. Now, when Solomon became king, he asked God not for military might or great wealth, but wisdom in order to rule Israel well. And God was so pleased with this prayer that he not only made Solomon the wisest man that had ever lived, but also the richest with every other gift that could be desired.

Now, as he writes this book, he's well along in years, and he's seen it all. And with all of his wisdom and all of his wealth and possession, he's found that life is empty. Money, fame and power have not brought him happiness. Beautiful homes, good wine, the ability to have anything that his heart desired, have only made him angry and sad. The thought of working his entire life to achieve these things, only to have to leave it all behind for someone else who didn't work for them, well, that's almost more than he can bear.

And so he sums it up by saying that it's all useless or meaningless. Something tells me that Solomon would probably not be invited as a keynote speaker to many places.

Well, as I said, hang around to see how this progresses. And please don't let Solomon depress you, God is still on the throne. He still loves you and Jesus is still the savior of men's and women's souls.

You have a comment? Let me know. Go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e295. Tell me what you're thinking. Tomorrow is Prophecy Friday and we'll read the book of Habakkuk.

Boost!

ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY - 10:28  
On this date in church history, June 23, 1683, English Quaker colonizer, William Penn signs the famous treaty with the Native Americans of Pennsylvania.

And on this date, June 23, 1738, Samuel Medley was born he was the English Baptist clergyman and author of the hymns "Oh Could I Speak The Matchless Worth" and "I Know That My Redeemer Lives."

PRAYER REQEST - 11:02  
Beloved, before we pray today, I've got a prayer request. The Davis family needs prayer. The grandson of one of my dear friends was shot and killed in front of his father's house yesterday. I don't know any of the details other than he was in his late 30s.

The grandfather, my friend, his name is Al, was one of the people that my father-in-law, Rip Collins brought to the Lord many, many years ago. It's actually quite a story how Rip and Al became friends. Maybe someday I'll tell you about it. But Al eventually became the Director of Chaplains, (I'm not sure the exact title), but he was the Director of Chaplains at the Chino prison for men here in Southern California. He's a wonderful man who truly does love the Lord. He's a sweetheart, I love him. He and his wife had five kids of which one is Tony, who was the father of Bryan, the one who was shot and killed. Well, Tony and his siblings were in the church youth group with the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and her siblings. I'm just giving you some context here, how I know Al and how I know the Davis family.

So whatever the circumstances of the shooting, I'm sure that the Davis family is hurting, and they need our prayers.

CLOSING PRAYER – 12:13
So let's pray. Our heavenly Father of all the things that people strive for, wealth, fame, power, or anything else, the only thing that really matters, the only thing that lasts and brings a deep and abiding joy, is having a relationship with you. We know that because your Word tells us and I've learned it from my own experience. So Lord, I pray that our relationship with you would continue to grow closer and closer each and every day. And right now Lord, we pray for the Davis family. Hold them close, Father, during this time of loss. May they feel your presence and your love and may they look to you.

Be with the Lifespring family today Lord bless each one and I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.

If you have a prayer request or a praise, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. Give me whatever information you want me to know. Tell me your name. But if you want to remain anonymous on the show, let me know in your comments there. There's an easy way to let me know to keep you anonymous. When you send in that prayer request or praise, I’ll praise with you or pray with you in my private prayer time. And we’ll pray and praise together on the show.

OUTRO S12E295 - 13:29  
Comment on the show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e295. Send me an email at steve@lifespringmedia.com. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. And thank you for inviting me into your life today.

Support the show, if you would, at lifespringmedia.com/support. If you receive any value from the show, if you believe that the Lifespring Family Audio Bible is filling a need, if you're glad it's here, lifespringmedia.com/support.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Pray for the Davises.

Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai