Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 says,...Bible reading, week 2, day 5

​Today's verses are Ecclesiastes 4:13-16, which read,

A poor yet wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instructions.  For he has come out of prison to become king, even though he was born poor in his kingdom.  I have seen all the living under the sun throng to the side of the second lad who replaces him.  There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them, and even the ones who will come later will not he happy with him, for this too is vanity and striving after wind.​

It seems that we have two lads here.  The first lad is now the old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instructions.  This king has shut his ears off to his subjects and his God.  He has become a tyrant or so selfish that nothing matters to him but his own desires.  His decisions are a benefit to himself and his thought for his subjects well-being is a long forgotten campaign promise of years ago.  His once desire to serve others has been replaced by a service of self with the affluence of the desires of this world.  This lad who is an old and foolish king came to be king from a different place than the second lad.  He was in the royal family or had a privileged position with much influence in the "silver spoon" circles.

The second lad is physically poor.  The second lad has come out of prison and not from a palace.  The second lad is able to muster a "throng" of people to follow him and his message.  That "throng" puts him in the position of king only to later be unhappy with him.  Now the second lad is in the position of the first lad who had it all from the start.  No difference.  It is all vanity.  Maybe this is the picture of the politician who comes from your hometown and has grassroots support.  This person has a heart that is speaking the language of the people to see real reform or to seek answers to pending questions.  They get to Washington and everything changes.  They are more concerned about being re-elected than the issues at hand.  The person you once thought would make a real difference was now doing what the old king was doing by not listening to you or others anymore.  

The fulfillment is in the person or for the lad, the position and looking for that person or that position to bring ultimate joy and right-ness but it falters along the way.  Solomon is still in search of what brings meaning that lasts and the earthly king, however he got there, is not the answer.  Let us pray.

"Lord, what do we ultimately put our trust in?  Is it You or is it someone else or some position that they hold?  Help us to see that we are not big enough to fill only the position You can hold.  Help us to understand that you are a great God who we need to listen to and obey because You are God.  You are what we aren't and hold what no one or nothing else can supply.  Amen."

Pastor Adam