WEBVTT - Ecclesiastes 6

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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 6 and we'll be

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<v Speaker 1>reading from the New American Standard Bible. There is an

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<v Speaker 1>evil which I have seen under the sun, and it

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<v Speaker 1>is prevalent among men. A man to whom God has

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<v Speaker 1>given riches and wealth and honor, so that his soul

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<v Speaker 1>lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has

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<v Speaker 1>not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner

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<v Speaker 1>enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction. If

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<v Speaker 1>a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years,

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<v Speaker 1>however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied

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<v Speaker 1>with good things, and he does not even have a

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<v Speaker 1>proper burial, then I say, better the miscarriage than he,

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<v Speaker 1>for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity, and

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<v Speaker 1>its name is covered in obscurity. It never sees the sun,

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<v Speaker 1>and it never knows anything. It is better off than he.

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<v Speaker 1>Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice,

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<v Speaker 1>and does not enjoy good things, do not all go

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<v Speaker 1>to one place. All a man's labor is for his mouth,

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<v Speaker 1>and yet the appetite is not satisfied. For what advantage

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<v Speaker 1>does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage

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<v Speaker 1>does the poor man have knowing how to walk before

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<v Speaker 1>the living? What the eyes see is better than what

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<v Speaker 1>the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving

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<v Speaker 1>after wind. Whatever exists has already been named, and it

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<v Speaker 1>is known what man is, for he cannot dispute with

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<v Speaker 1>him who is stronger than he is. For there are

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<v Speaker 1>many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage

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<v Speaker 1>to a man? For who knows what is good for

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<v Speaker 1>a man during his lifetime, during the few years of

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<v Speaker 1>his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow.

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<v Speaker 1>For who can tell a man what will be after

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<v Speaker 1>him under the sun? Let's pray. Lord, we thank you

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

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<v Speaker 1>that you grant to us from your word as we

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<v Speaker 1>trust in your son, Jesus Christ. And Lord, we know

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<v Speaker 1>that Solomon, as he was writing these things, was at

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<v Speaker 1>a spot where he was looking at the things that

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<v Speaker 1>people tend to focus on in this world. And he

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<v Speaker 1>was realizing that the majority of people focus on things

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<v Speaker 1>that tend to be futile in nature. Lord, the human

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<v Speaker 1>mind at times becomes consumed with temporary things instead of

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<v Speaker 1>focusing on things that are eternal in nature. But Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>through faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have given

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<v Speaker 1>us new eyes and a new mind, and you allow

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<v Speaker 1>us to see beyond just our current circumstances. So Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we pray that that would be a blessing and a

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<v Speaker 1>perspective that we would continue to embrace throughout the course

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<v Speaker 1>of our lives as we seek to be men and

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<v Speaker 1>women after your own heart and people who think about

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<v Speaker 1>the things that matter most to you. Lord, we love

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<v Speaker 1>you and we're grateful for the privilege to be able

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<v Speaker 1>to study your word together. Likewise, Lord, we're grateful for

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<v Speaker 1>your presence with us in each and every context of

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<v Speaker 1>our lives. We commit this day to you, Lord, and

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for your presence with us in it.

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