WEBVTT - Ecclesiastes 1

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening

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<v Speaker 1>to the Chapter a Day Audio Bible. I'm John Stonge,

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<v Speaker 1>and today we're in Ecclesiastes chapter 1, and we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>reading from the New American Standard Bible. The Words of

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<v Speaker 1>the Preacher, the Son of David, King in Jerusalem Vanity

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<v Speaker 1>of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

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<v Speaker 1>What advantage does man have in all his work, which

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<v Speaker 1>he does under the sun? A generation goes and a

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<v Speaker 1>generation comes, but the earth remains forever. Also, the sun

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<v Speaker 1>rises and the sun sets, and hastening to its place

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<v Speaker 1>it rises there again. Blowing toward the south, then turning

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<v Speaker 1>toward the north, the wind continues swirling along, and on

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<v Speaker 1>its circular courses the wind returns. All the rivers flow

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<v Speaker 1>into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To

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<v Speaker 1>the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.

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<v Speaker 1>All things are wearisome. Man is not able to tell it.

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<v Speaker 1>The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor is the

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<v Speaker 1>ear filled with hearing. That which has been is that

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<v Speaker 1>which will be, and that which has been done is

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<v Speaker 1>that which will be done. So there is nothing new

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<v Speaker 1>under the sun. Is there anything of which one might say,

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<v Speaker 1>See this, it is new. Already it has existed for

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<v Speaker 1>ages which were before us. There is no remembrance of

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<v Speaker 1>earlier things, and also of the later things which will occur.

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<v Speaker 1>There will be for them no remembrance, among those who

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<v Speaker 1>will come later still. I, the preacher, have been king

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<v Speaker 1>over Israel in Jerusalem, and I set my mind to

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<v Speaker 1>seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been

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<v Speaker 1>done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God

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<v Speaker 1>has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

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<v Speaker 1>I have seen all the works which have been done

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<v Speaker 1>under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving

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<v Speaker 1>after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what

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<v Speaker 1>is lacking cannot be counted. I said to myself, Behold,

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<v Speaker 1>I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who

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<v Speaker 1>were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has observed

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<v Speaker 1>a wealth of wisdom and knowledge. And I set my

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<v Speaker 1>mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly.

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<v Speaker 1>I realize that this also is striving after wind, because

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<v Speaker 1>in much wisdom... There is much grief. And increasing knowledge

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<v Speaker 1>results in increasing pain. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you

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<v Speaker 1>for your word. And we thank you for the privilege

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<v Speaker 1>to be able to look at this portion of Scripture today.

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<v Speaker 1>And Lord, we know that ultimately wisdom is found in

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<v Speaker 1>your Son, Jesus Christ. And so we pray that through

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<v Speaker 1>faith in Jesus Christ, we would obtain the kind of

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<v Speaker 1>wisdom that you desire us to obtain. Because we know, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>that worldly wisdom is really not wisdom at all. In

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<v Speaker 1>many respects, it can become an exercise in futility. There's

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<v Speaker 1>a deeper form of wisdom that you want us to obtain.

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<v Speaker 1>And so, Lord, we pray that we would think and

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<v Speaker 1>perceive on that kind of a level. Lord, we're grateful

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<v Speaker 1>for the privilege to be able to meditate on your

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<v Speaker 1>word day in and day out. We're grateful that you

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<v Speaker 1>give us access to physical copies of your word and

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<v Speaker 1>digital copies and even audio copies. Lord, we're grateful to

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<v Speaker 1>be able to read and see and hear what your

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<v Speaker 1>word contains. But Lord, we know that your desire when

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<v Speaker 1>we interact with your word is that we apply it

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<v Speaker 1>to our lives. And by your grace, we seek to

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<v Speaker 1>do that very thing today. Lord, work in us, we pray.

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<v Speaker 1>Help us to be men and women after your own heart.

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<v Speaker 1>And we thank you, Lord, for your word. We thank

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<v Speaker 1>you for your presence with us as well. And we

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<v Speaker 1>pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.