Dive into the wisdom of Ecclesiastes with David Hawking as he explores the profound teachings on experiencing joy in our daily lives. Despite the complexities and injustices we often perceive, David illuminates how understanding our accountability to God can bring a profound sense of peace and happiness. Solomon’s teachings remind us to recognize each day as a gift from God and to find pleasure in the simple, everyday moments that often go unnoticed.
how to enjoy what you do, where you are, right now. That’s an issue. And God says it will always be well. It will always be good for those who truly fear God. There’s something inside of them that causes them to relax no matter what hassles are in life. Causes them to see the joy of the Lord that sustains them in times when everybody else is falling apart. God is the one who gives that. And God rewards it to those who fear him, who recognize their accountability to him.
SPEAKER 02 :
This is Hope for Today. Every day of life is filled with… ordinary things, our homes, our families, our meals, our routines, the simple rhythms that make up our days. And some days, those things feel like gifts. Other days, other days they feel heavy, don’t they? Solomon doesn’t ignore that tension. He acknowledges the confusion, the injustice, and the fact that life doesn’t always make sense. Yet in the midst of it all, God calls us to receive life, including our daily labor, as a gift from His hand. Today, Bible teacher David Hawking brings us day two of his message, How to Enjoy What You Do, from Ecclesiastes chapter 8, verses 10 through 17. God’s Word reminds us that joy is possible, not because life is easy or fair, but because everything we have comes from a faithful God. And we’ll be back in Ecclesiastes in just a moment. First, Matt, it is amazing how much the Word of God addresses the needs we have at every stage of life. And you have a letter there from Carolyn, and she talks about a very difficult season of her life and how the Bible teaching through Hope for Today touched her life. Talk about that. It’s amazing.
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This note just says, Dear Dr. David Hocking, January 1st, 2009 at 4.30 a.m., I was awake listening to your teaching in Joshua 3. Jesus was giving me word by word how to enter widowhood. Keep your eyes on Jesus for the ark of the covenant. Sanctify yourself. Be set aside for his purposes and work. Don’t get ahead of the ark or fall behind or out of sight of the ark. The whole half hour of your teaching was like hearing God the Father by the Holy Spirit speaking directly to me. both heart and spirit. Thank you, Pastor David, for your many years. It’s just amazing.
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We give God all the glory. Amen. Because he deserves all the glory for what happens when God’s word is faithfully taught through Hope for Today. Amen. We’re just vessels. We’re passionate about God’s word here because we know the impact it makes on hearts and lives. We’re passionate about the gospel because that is where new life for all eternity starts. Amen. If you have a comment to share with us, do get in touch. I’ll tell you just a bit later how to do that. Turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 8, verses 1 through 17 now. Let’s join David for day two of his message, How to Enjoy What You Do.
SPEAKER 01 :
When we talk about remembering our accountability to God, a most serious issue, there are a lot of things that cause us to back off of commitment. We know we should really commit our all to God. We know we should dedicate everything to the Lord. We know the Lord should be first in our lives. If you’ve been a Christian for long, you agree with everything I just said. You know all of that. But it’s these other issues that continue to come in and attack the soul and persuade us to think like the rest of the people around us. One of the hardest things is to stand alone as a believer in a secular world that you’ve got to live in. It’s hard. It’s hard to have character. Most of us are concerned more about reputation, which is just what people think we are. It’s not what God knows that we are. Character is what we are in the dark when no one else knows. It’s down deep in the soul, regardless of what anybody else is doing. Character is doing what is right because you fear God. If you’re a believer, you know all of that. But the trouble is when we look at how the wicked are treated, which was point one, We are confused. Why doesn’t God do something? And we know the presumption that hits our own hearts even, that somehow we can get away with sin without being judged. Why? Because we do see people who get away with sin. And they’re not judged. But coming to the position of the believer… before God and saying, regardless, though that sinner does things a thousand times, or as the text says, though he sins a hundred times, and though his days are prolonged, he lives to be 90 in his sin. I don’t care if he does all of that. I know one thing from the Bible, that it will be well with those who fear God. And not only in this life. Look at Mark 10, 28. Jesus answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospels who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions they do come and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last and the last first. You see, our judgments are not valid. They don’t see things from God’s point. Many of those who seem to be last and unimportant down here doing the work of God, not nearly prospering like wicked men do. God says, hey, don’t you worry about it. One day the judge of all the earth will settle all accounts. Everything. We must all stand before God, the Bible teaches, and give account of ourselves to God. Don’t worry about it. God’s going to settle all accounts. And those who commit themselves to live for God, to dedicate their all to Him, the Bible says it will be well with them. Certainly not only well in this life, but well forever. And both are true. So I must constantly remember the position of the believer when I look at all the injustices and the wickedness of life. But I think there’s a fourth issue. Back to Ecclesiastes again. There’s a fourth issue. Not simply the problem of how the wicked are treated, or the presumption that you can get away with sin without being judged, or remembering the position of the believer, which sometimes does help us in a time of trial and struggle. But it seems to me another issue is the punishment of the wicked. I think we many times get involved in a lot of serious sin in our life because we forget sin. what the Bible teaches about the punishment of the wicked. I read an article the other day by a Christian leader who said that we should not tell folks about sin, death, and hell. It’s very negative. I see that all the time. What are you talking about, not tell folks about sin, death, and hell? You see, the generation we live in does not want to hear about the consequences. Kids are growing up today, and they don’t want to hear about the consequences. And then they see a lot of people getting away with it. And they see that, hey, you can do some things and nothing will happen, man. You can do it and you can get away with it. But the Bible says all things are naked and open under the eyes of him with whom we have to deal. How can we get away with it when you’re talking about God? Ultimately, there will be judgment day, payday someday. It’s going to come. The punishment of the wicked is clearly taught here. Look, please, at verse 13. But it will not be well with the wicked. Looking at them, you see them praised, and you say, hey, what’s going on? Looking at them, you see them getting away with sin. You say, what’s going on? But God says, it will not be well with the wicked, nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, though he lives a hundred of them here. They’re just a shadow because he does not fear before God. The day is coming when God is going to judge the wicked. No one’s going to escape his judgment. All the days of the wicked, no matter what you say about them, God says are just like a shadow. What does he mean by that? That little phrase is talking about the insecurity of human life, the transitory nature of human life, the lack of substance to human life and busyness and activities that has no place for God, has no commitment connected to it. It’s just a shadow. Psalm 102.11, the psalmist said, My days are like a shadow that lengthens, and I wither away like grass. But a part of the real issue is the punishment of wickedness. God says, though he does all this stuff, it will not be well with the wicked. Payday someday. Let’s come to verse 14. We’re saying, how then can I enjoy what I do? How can I say, I’m going to eat with joy, I drink with joy, I’m going to enjoy my life today. How can I do that? One, remember your accountability to God. When you fear God, which is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge, when you love him, when you adore him, when you worship him in your heart and honor him in your life… God is the giver of joy. He’ll put it there. But there’s a second point that I think is really so practical, and that is that we must recognize in our lives the importance of today. Realize the importance of today. Look at verse 14. It says, there’s a vanity, another emptiness, which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. Another injustice. How is that possible? I said, this is vanity. It seems like the same things are happening to both. Let me put it to you in New Testament language. Jesus said, God reigns on the just as well as the unjust. What do we Christians think? That somehow it’ll all be sunshine around us while it is raining around the wicked? Now I’m looking at all of this and I’m saying, the Lord reigns on the righteous and the unrighteous. You know that? That’s what’s life. Wake up. You know that. I know that. And Solomon says, now wait a minute. If it is well with the righteous, then if you look at this problem, you say, that’s vanity too. Okay, you’re telling me it’s well with the righteous, but look at the whole thing. It’s happening to the wicked sometimes when what is happening should be what you do for the righteous. And what happens to the righteous sometimes, it seems to me, is what you should do to the wicked. And that’s just vanity. It’s emptiness. It’s a serious injustice in my mind. So how did you conclude this, Solomon? What did you decide to do? And here’s what he says, verse 15. I love this. So I commended enjoyment. Enjoyment. I commended it. I honored it. Because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry. Now, you’ve got to be careful here. Christians have read this verse for many years, and they have said, this is dangerous stuff, eat, drink, be merry. I mean, that’s got to be. So here’s how it goes, folks. You know we’ve had this problem straight through Ecclesiastes. I’m disagreeing with a lot of things that you’ve heard before. But here’s the way the argument goes. It all centered, believe it or not, on this verse. The way people have argued about Ecclesiastes all centers on that verse. There’s no verse in Ecclesiastes that troubles people any more than eat, drink, and be merry. Why? Because wasn’t that also the philosophy of the ancient Epicureans who said eat, drink, and be merry? What was the next phrase? Oh, for tomorrow we die. That is not it there, as you notice. As a matter of fact, what does follow this is, this will remain with him in his labor for the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun. Now, they were a little troubled about that, and they didn’t think that we should believe or teach to folks that we should eat, drink, and be married. So they said, well, what it means God gives to him is only a fact of recognizing what’s under the sun. So then they go back through all of Ecclesiastes and say, everything under the sun is the viewpoint of an unbeliever. What he’s talking about is your life on earth in contrast to whatever may be in the future. Everything under the sun. Hey, believers have to live under the sun. Believers have to face life under the sun. Solomon is telling us how to look at all of our life under the sun and how to live in the authority of God, recognizing his accountability. That’s the whole conclusion of the matter, fear God, and also how to know the joy of God. Who gives the joy? Who gives the enjoyment? Every time he tells us it is God, it comes from the hand of God. You think God is giving you something that you ought not to receive? No, as a matter of fact, what I think he is talking about is realizing the importance of today. If I’m looking at the ancient language of eat and drink and be merry, I’m not talking about an Epicurean philosophy. I’m talking about how people talked. That deals with today, what’s happening. It means sitting down at a meal. And enjoying yourself. You know, I almost, it cracked me up laughing when I thought of how many meal times in homes are tragedies and not joyful times. How they can be times of hassle and people not even want to be at the meal because of everything that’s going to happen at the table. Or sometimes in order to adjust to it, we just remain silent. The silent treatment or the newspaper routine or whatever we can come up with to somehow not have the joy of God in today. All he is saying, folks, is that if we really understand that it will be well with the righteous and that we are fearing God with all of our hearts, if we are truly dedicated to him, if the worship and adoration and love of our hearts is towards God, then we’ll even enjoy a meal. Yet Proverbs says, if there’s something wrong in your heart, you won’t even enjoy eating vegetables. Wise counsel. Same man wrote both of them. I think it’s important to realize the importance of today. One, by evaluating carefully what happens to both the righteous and the wicked. I see that. So I can’t get this kind of complex that says the righteous are always protected from any problems. Righteous people do not get flats on freeways or run into cars. No, they don’t. No, that’s not what the Bible teaches. In order for me to enjoy today, I must begin by evaluating carefully what happens to both the righteous and the wicked. And not getting super spiritual. No. In a wrong sense, if I’m truly Spirit-filled, I am thanking God for all things, even when it comes in category bad. Because I know that God does both to the righteous and to the wicked certain things because of His, what we call, common grace. Thank God for His special grace. So I must evaluate carefully. But secondly, the way I realize the importance of today is enjoying the common experiences of each day. And that’s the meaning of the phrase, eat, drink, and be merry. It is true that a lot of Christians leave the house and in a sense they have a wrong kind of dedication. They’re so anxious to serve God and so troubled about what’s in their life that they go out and they don’t smell the flowers. This is my father’s world. The Bible says that all my life should pour out in praise to him for some of the most simple things in life. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. To see God’s hand in everything, even in the common experiences of life. That’s why a lot of us don’t have any joy anymore. Because we’ve lost the sense of that. Many Christians, I find, live in the light of what’s coming tomorrow. Or even eternity. And eternity, if you really have it in your heart, friends, is going to affect how you live today. The joy of God will be here today because I’m not worried. God’s in control. I know how it all ends up. Enjoy today. And not only by enjoying the common experiences of each day, but it seems to me when I realize the importance of today, it’s also by exalting God who makes it all possible. Look at the end of verse 15 again. For this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life, which God gives him under the sun. Boy, exalting God who makes it all possible. Quickly turn back to chapter 2, and look at how often he said this. God makes it all possible. David said, riches and honor come from you. You reign over all. In your hand is power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 1 Chronicles 29. David said, all things come from you and of your own we have given you. 1 Corinthians 4 says, what do we have that we did not receive? Bible says, all things are from you and through you and shall be unto you. Everything comes from the hand of God. I think Ecclesiastes could have that as his general theme. Verse 24, there’s nothing better for a man than he should eat and drink. And that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw was from the hand of who? A lot of folks read that and think it’s from the hand of the devil. It’s from the hand of God. Chapter 2, verse 24. What a neat statement. Look, please, over at chapter 3, verse 10. I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Verse 12. I know there’s nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink. There it is again. And enjoy the good of all his labor. Why? It is the gift of God. Chapter 5, verse 18 and 19. Same thought. Here is what I’ve seen. It’s good and fitting for one to eat and drink and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him, for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor, this is… the gift of God. As you can see, that’s a constant theme, isn’t it? Straight through Ecclesiastes, it’s coming from the Lord. One final thing. We said, how do you enjoy what you do? One is that you remember your accountability to God. Fear God. It will be well with you. Two is that you realize the importance of today. The common experiences of the day are a part of what we are talking about and having the joy of God. You know it comes from his hand. But the third thing is to recognize that it’s impossible for you to know what is really happening. That the way to really have joy and be at peace and have a right relationship with God is to understand that you don’t know what’s happening. It’s like a paradox. What do you mean I don’t know what’s happening? You don’t. Look at chapter 8 again, verse 16. Now you’re talking about the wisest man who ever lived. He said, I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business as done on earth, even though one sees no sleep day or night. See, no matter how much time you have to study this, it’s still impossible for you to know. He said, then I saw all the work of God. I saw it all, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it. Moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it. I put down these three things that helped me. No matter how much time I have, no matter how much effort I put into it, no matter how much wisdom I gain in life, I will never know exactly what God is doing. You say, that’s frustrating. No. No. No, it’s really not. First of all, it’s amusing because I spend so much time trying to find out. But secondly, it causes me to relax. You know what this book is saying? Hey, God’s in control. Who do you think you are? Why don’t you just relax? Rest in the Lord. Delight thyself in the Lord. He’ll give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way unto the Lord and he’ll bring it to pass. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him. And that’s the tough time. Relax. Praise the Lord. Be anxious for nothing. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds to Christ. Isn’t that precious? If you just commit your life into the hands of God, say, Lord, you’re in charge. It seems to me what we all need right now is submission. We all need to break that proud, arrogant spirit that thinks we’re in charge, running everything. We can handle it all. And we just need to sit back and say, Lord, I love you. Everything comes from your hand. I’ve been designed to praise you, to bless you, to magnify you, to exalt you, to praise your holy name. I need to relax in your wonderful love and care. You who know the sparrow that falls from the tree and have all the hairs on my head numbered. God, you are in charge. I love you. I praise you. I want to just rest in you, Lord. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage. And he will strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.
SPEAKER 02 :
Bible teacher and author David Hawking with some powerful encouragement from the Word of God here on Hope for Today. David will be back to close out today’s broadcast with a very special time of prayer, some encouragement for you coming up. So do stay tuned. Right now, David’s son, Matt’s here. Matt, let’s share more about our featured resource bundle.
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Jim, life is indeed worth living when it’s rooted in a reverent relationship with God and focused on our coming King.
SPEAKER 02 :
As the signs of the Lord’s return become clear. Folks, let’s be encouraged that life really is worth living. And let’s be prepared to share that biblical encouragement with those in our circle. Amen. Amen. So many around us are downbeaten, angry, and confused in today’s world. And the Hope for Today is Life Worth Living Ecclesiastes resource package is the perfect tool. This contains David’s book on Ecclesiastes titled, Is Life Worth Living? Plus… all of the audio messages in our current radio series through Ecclesiastes.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, the complete package is just $40 and you can purchase it online or you can give us a quick call. Please prayerfully consider standing with this ministry so that together we can watch, warn, and encourage believers to live faithfully, purposefully, and with quiet confidence.
SPEAKER 02 :
That’s David Hawking’s book, Is Life Worth Living? Plus all the audio for our current series in Ecclesiastes, the complete bundle, just $40. And also remember we have the study notes, David’s original sermon notes for this series. They’re available as a separate package for download or in print form for just $10. In fact, you can download them right now off our website, davidhawking.org, or get the print version by calling us at 875-BIBLE, that’s in the U.S., or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. Bible is 24253. Now, if you’ve been thinking about supporting this daily broadcast, let me tell you why your financial gift is so important. This program exists to help keep God’s Word clear and uncompromised in a world filled, filled with religious noise and confusion. You see it, and I see it, too. Every day, people turn on their radio looking for truth, looking for stability, looking for something solid to stand on. Hope for Today is about scripture, discipleship, and helping believers live with confidence and joy in the middle of real life. And it continues only because listeners like you step up and say, this matters. If God has used this broadcast in your life, would you prayerfully consider sending in your gift today? Write us in the U.S. at Hope for Today, Box 3927. Tustin, California, 92781. Or in Canada at Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO, Seven Oaks, Abbotsford, B.C., V2S 8P1. You can also call us at 875-BIBLE, again in the U.S., or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada, and give online securely at davidhawking.org. Let’s get back to David for that time of prayer.
SPEAKER 01 :
God, you know how great is our need. Some of us need to begin with a full commitment to you, Father. We’ve been wrestling and struggling with our commitment to you and your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose again from the dead that we might live forever. Some of us are still vacillating at that point. Just cause us to put our faith and trust in the God who cares, the God who loves, and the God who forgives. And I pray that some of us, Father, who know the Lord, who have been kind of struggling with some things lately, God, life is filled with so many pressures, so many hurts. We need this message today, Lord, to relax in your love. It will be well with our souls. You promised that. We thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, thank you, David. And if you’re a brand new believer or if you’re not yet a Christian, but you’d like to know more about what the Bible says about Christianity, we’d love to send you David’s booklet called What is Christianity? And a Bible study by mail. Absolutely free. You don’t have to sign up for anything to say you want it. We’ll send it. Call 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. Bible again by the numbers is 24253. Well, next time we continue verse by verse through Ecclesiastes. Join us then on Hope for Today.
