I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man.
So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.
That pretty much sums up today’s world and what men are trying to do in life. They are trying to accumulate and build their own kingdoms. The words of Solomon helps us understand the futility of the bumper sticker that says, “He who dies with the most toys, wins!” When we drive through the neighborhoods of life, we see the above words in real time and in tangible ways. The weekends are full of these ideas. The countless box stores feed this mentality. The shopping delivery services to our doors exemplifies the words of Solomon. He was able to obtain all this and still maintain his wisdom (that God gave him). His summary? All was vanity and striving after the wind and there is nothing to be gained under the sun! Jesus said it this way in a parable to the people who sat to hear him preach:
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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