By Mike Dawson
Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia

Focal Passage: Ecclesiastes 4:13-5:7 

Some older readers may remember “Hey There,” a popular song in the 50’s. It’s about a young lady in love, trying to talk herself into making wise decisions. She says, “Will you take this advice I hand you, like a mother? Or, am I not seeing things too clear? Are you just too far gone to hear? Is it all goin’ in one ear — and out the other?”

Our focal passage, Ecclesiastes 4:13-5:7, seems to reveal King Solomon in a very similar conversation with himself. He had reached a goin’-in-one-ear-and-out-the-other stage. He describes himself as “an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more” (Ecc. 4:13).

Composing the book of Proverbs earlier in his life, Solomon gathered hundreds of wise sayings. One of his most-used words was ‘better.’ For example, “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred.” (Proverbs 15:17) I have a message from that text about marriage and family; I call it “When a Salad is Better than a Steak.” Solomon wrote that and many other ‘betters’ when he was younger and wiser.  [Read more…]

By Mike Dawson
Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia

Focal Passage: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 

A Jewish rabbi was once asked by an inquirer, “Why do Jewish teachers always seem to answer a question with a question?” The rabbi replied, “Why not?” Of course that was originally told as a joke, but it’s actually quite true; the greatest Rabbi ever, Jesus Himself, often answered questions with questions. 

Each of our studies in the book of Ecclesiastes starts with a question; the first one (last week) was “What’s the Use?” (Ecc. 1-2). The second one is today, “What Time Is it?” (Ecc. 3), and is followed by “Why Listen?” from chapters 4 and 5. After that, we’re to study in chapter 7, “Where Is the Balance?” Our next-to-the-last question, found in Ecclesiastes 9, will be “Facing Death?” And our final study, from Ecclesiastes 12, will ask “What is Life About?” 

Some of these profound questions are answered by even more questions from the now old and cynical author of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon.   [Read more…]

By Mike Dawson
Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Columbia

Focal Passage: Ecclesiastes 1:12-15; 2:18-26 

Remember your (or your child’s) first chocolate ‘Easter’ bunny? Maybe it was huge, and you could hardly wait to enjoy its chocolaty sweetness. So you took a big bite into one of those long ears, only to find the bunny rabbit was — hollow. Many people around us have been disappointed like that. That’s why the book of Ecclesiastes, although written nearly 3,000 years ago by King Solomon, is so relevant; it speaks of an emptiness, hollowness and void which multitudes these days are feeling. 

The Old Testament contains three main divisions: the Historical books (Genesis through Esther), the Poetical books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon), and Prophetical books (Isaiah through Malachi). Our study this quarter involves two of the five Poetical books; we completed Job last week; we begin today in Ecclesiastes. 

‘Ecclesiastes’ refers to someone who speaks to the assembly (ecclesia) — ‘a preacher’ or ‘a philosopher.’ Dr. J. Vernon McGee says that he prefers ‘philosopher’ because it’s less likely to be misunderstood. Solomon had come to a different point in his life than when he wrote Proverbs. Earlier he wrote under the Spirit, now he’s writing “under the sun” — a phrase he puts in his book 29 times. He had used his God-given (heavenly) wisdom at first, now he’s using man-made (earthly) wisdom. Solomon was walking with God in Proverbs; here in Ecclesiastes he has walked away from God. Yes, one of the wisest of men has become one of the biggest fools!  [Read more…]