Month: September 2025

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14
  2 Corinthians 8:1-15
  Psalm 49:1-20
  Proverbs 22:20-21

Ecclesiastes 10:1 — If you read about marketing, you’ll read about “brand consistency.” The thing that has always amazed me about “business books” is that most of the time they espouse principles that are based in Solomon’s words with illustrations from the author’s life.

Ecclesiastes 10:16-17 — In other words, elections matter!

Ecclesiastes 10:20 — Ever wonder where the expression “A little bird told me” came from?

Ecclesiastes 11:5 — Just within the last few decades we’ve been able to map the progress of the growth of the bones in the womb, but we’re still amazed by how God has it all coded in DNA. The 3.1 billion base pairs that make up the human chromosomes is truly amazing.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 — Solomon keeps bringing the point back to this – yes, you can enjoy life, but remember God will bring you into judgment! So, remember your Creator (Ecclesiastes 12:1)!

Ecclesiastes 12:6 — StackExchange.com seems to like Adam Clarke’s analysis:

The context is aging, approaching death, and the call to remember the creator acknowledged in your youth. Verses 3 – 6 compare the aging body to a house where the keepers are the hands that become paralytic and shaky; the strong men are legs that begin to bow and no longer hold up the body; the grinders are teeth that have decayed with age, and can no longer chew strong meat; the windows are the eyes that dim and can no longer see well; the doors being shut in the streets are the lips and mouth which can no longer swallow; and the sound of grinding low is the lost teeth, and inability to chew properly; rising up at the sound of a bird is the inability to sleep soundly being disturbed at the least sound; the daughters of music being brought low is the weak and feeble voice of old age.

The silver cord is the nervous system breaking; the golden bowl breaking representing the brain and loss of memory; the pitcher broken at the fountain and the wheel broken at the cistern is the heart slowing and failing to pump; which then results in the death of the body.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 — There are approximately 130 million books in the world as of 2010, and over 2 million new titles every year are published. Solomon was right! And much studying can be fatal. While I was in law school, this news clipping from the New York Times was passed around:

Ecclesiastes 12:13 — Yes, what is the conclusion of the matter? Fear God, and obey Him!

Ecclesiastes 12:14 — Because one day God will bring every secret thing into the open!

2 Corinthians 8:5 — Vic Eliason shared with me a story that a pastor told him. Elvis Presley was religious according to his pastor – Elvis recorded religious songs, attended church, and even gave generously into the offering. But while Presley gave of his money, he didn’t give his heart. His pastor told him, “Elvis, God doesn’t want your money – He wants your heart!” Yes, it is good to give, but unless you have given your heart to the LORD, giving all of your goods profits nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3).

2 Corinthians 8:14 — God did not give you an abundance to be hoarded, but so you could give to help others!

Psalm 49:6 — Speaking of money … you can’t buy salvation with it (Psalm 49:7). Souls are precious (Psalm 49:8). Use your earthly resources to lay up treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21)!

Psalm 49:16-17 — You can’t take it with you (1 Timothy 6:7). This may be the only picture ever taken of a hearse with a U-Haul behind it:

Hearse Pulling a U-haul²

Proverbs 22:21 — How can you know the truth? Read God’s Word!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

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Image¹ Credit: Photos of William Thornton “Billy” Parker Jr. -… 3 Jan. 1876, www.findagrave.com/memorial/36224729/william_thornton-parker/photo#view-photo=156354890.
Image² Credit: KGMom. No U-Haul Behind a Hearse. kgmom.blogspot.com/2009/01/no-u-haul-behind-hearse.html.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18
  2 Corinthians 7:8-16
  Psalm 48:1-14
  Proverbs 22:17-19

Ecclesiastes 7:15 — You can almost hear Job saying these words!

Ecclesiastes 7:20 — This theme echoes throughout the Bible:

• Genesis 6:11 – the earth also was corrupt before God
• 1 Kings 8:46 – there is no man that sinneth not
• Psalm 14:1 – there is none that doeth good
• Psalm 14:3 – there is none that doeth good, no, not one
• Psalm 53:1 – there is none that doeth good
• Psalm 53:3 – there is none that doeth good, no, not one
• Psalm 143:2 – in thy sight shall no man living be justified
• Romans 3:9 – both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin
• Romans 3:10 – there is none righteous, no not one
• Romans 3:23 – all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
• Galatians 3:22 – but the scripture hath concluded all under sin

Ecclesiastes 7:21 — Solomon is considering the words of his father in 2 Samuel 16:10.

Ecclesiastes 7:26 — Solomon has an extended discussion of this woman in Proverbs 7 (especially Proverbs 7:10-12).

Ecclesiastes 8:12 — In the midst of his depressed rant, he utters the truth of Job’s tale. It’s better to suffer for doing right than be rewarded for doing wrong.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 — Do the dead still exist? The Jehovah’s Witnesses say, “Therefore, when we die, we cease to exist. The dead can’t think, act, or feel anything.” The technical term for this is “annihilationism.” But what does the rest of Scripture say about the dead? GotQuestions.org discusses several problems including:

… Ecclesiastes 9:5 cannot contradict Ecclesiastes 4:2. There, Solomon states that the dead are “happier than the living.” However, when a person is dead, the opportunities to enjoy things on earth no longer exist.

4Witness.org discusses the passage as well:

Solomon, being a worldly person at this point in time, is speaking from his worldview which was limited to that of the present moment of his existence. This is opposed to a Christian outlook concerning life and death that gives one a proper perspective on how to understand the passage.

Secondly, Solomon is not talking about the afterlife or an annihilation but is speaking about the physical corpses of those who have died and are “in the grave” (see Eccl. 9:10). Thus, contextually speaking, Dr. Norman Geisler remarks,

“The passages that say there is no knowledge or remembrance after death, are speaking of no memory in this world, not of no memory of this world.” — When Critics Ask, p.259

IsAnnihilationTrue.com compares Solomon’s phrasing to the phrasing Potiphar used in Genesis:

We read in verse 6 that “he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand.” Potiphar entrusted everything that he had to Joseph because whatever Joseph did, the LORD blessed it. Then we read about Potiphar, “he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat.” Does this mean that Potiphar did not know anything about what he had except for the bread that he ate? … Rather, the phrase “he knew not ought he had” means that Potiphar did not pay any attention to what he had, except that which he did eat. Joseph was doing such a good job in managing Potiphar’s possessions that Potiphar did not need to pay any attention to them.

John 5:9 identifies the dangers of those who die in sins and then await the resurrection of damnation.

Ecclesiastes 9:9 — I am enjoying doing this with the wife that the LORD has given me!

Ecclesiastes 9:10 — Work for the night is coming!

Ecclesiastes 9:12 — “For man also knoweth not his time …” Don’t put off until tomorrow talking to the person God has laid on your heart.

Ecclesiastes 9:15 — The poor wise man – necessary, successful, unrewarded. Many have preached on this over the years. John Gill identifies this man with Christ:

Christ, who is man, though not a mere man, but God as well as man; who was so in purpose, covenant, and promise, before his incarnation, since truly and really so; and “poor”, as it was foretold he should be, and who became so for the sake of his church and people, (Zechariah 9:9, 2 Corinthians 8:9) ; yet “wise”, even as man, being filled with wisdom, in which he increased, and gave such evident proofs of; on whom the spirit of wisdom rested, and in whom the treasures of it were hid, (Luke 2:40, Luke 2:46, Luke 2:47, Luke 2:52, Isaiah 11:2, Colossians 2:3); he was found here by God his Father, who exalted one chosen out of the people, and made him Head over the church, who is the firstborn among many brethren, (Psalms 89:19, Psalms 89:20); Or “and”, or “but he found in it”; that is, Satan, the great king, found him here, contrary to his expectation, and to his great regret.

2 Corinthians 7:10 — There is “sorry I got caught,” and then there is godly sorrow that leads to repentance which ultimately leads to salvation!

Psalm 48:1-2, 11-12, 14 — Sing along since the Psalms were meant to be sung!

Proverbs 22:17 — Another double dose of Solomon. Wisdom is trusting in the LORD!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12
  2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7
  Psalm 47:1-9
  Proverbs 22:16

Ecclesiastes 4:2 — What does the mindset “This is all there is in life!” lead to? Suicidal or even genocidal tendencies. If life has no meaning for humans, then perhaps humans are just keeping from the earth some other organism that has meaning.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 — Solomon shares more of his advice on marriage. Life is suffering/vanity/emptiness/a breath, but it’s better to be together than alone (excepting the examples Solomon shows us in Proverbs where in some cases it is better to dwell alone in the corner of a roof – Proverbs 21:9).

Ecclesiastes 4:13 — It’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks, we might say.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 — Note the back and forth between Solomon and Job. Solomon gives Job advice, albeit after the fact, and Job gives wisdom that develops into the Proverbs.

Ecclesiastes 5:15 — Here’s another example, expounding on Job 1:21.

Ecclesiastes 5:18 — Is Solomon teaching epicureanism? No, this isn’t hedonism being advocated, but rather a foreshadowing of 1 Corinthians 10:31.

2 Corinthians 6:14-7 — Many people today value unity at any cost. But Paul goes into an extended comparison, explaining that you cannot be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Speaking of the offerings to idols, he again brings up that you can’t belong to God’s temple and the idol’s temple at the same time. As my friend says, “If you work for Coke, you can’t drink Pepsi!” Yes, separation is painful, but it’s mandated. As John MacArthur says:

Not to be bound together with unbelievers is our greatest challenge. To live a separated life is a tremendous challenge, particularly in a culture which is bombarding us with all of the elements of paganism. It is not only our greatest challenge. It is our greatest source of joy and usefulness when we obey that command.

The pure and the polluted share nothing in common ultimately. And the people of God cannot form intimate relationships with those who don’t belong to God. All relationships like that are superficial. You cannot make a meaningful relationship with an enemy of the gospel.

2 Corinthians 6:18 — Why is separation important? Because if we abandon those wholly inadequate substitutes for our spiritual fathers, the LORD Almighty will be our Father. We’re not primarily separating FROM unbelievers, we’re separating TO the LORD.

Psalm 47:2 — The KJV uses the word “terrible.” Unfortunately, today we’ve corrupted the English language so much that we use “terrible” as hyperbole for “bad.” But as we rewind the English language, we can see from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary that at one time the meaning of the word was:

Adapted to impress dread, terror or solemn awe and reverence.

The LORD works terrors that should create the response of “the fear of the LORD.” He is not some lowly bureaucrat that we have to endure, He is a Great King over all the earth!

Proverbs 22:16 — What is a system today that oppresses the poor, takes money from those who have little, offers but empty dreams in return, and in many places subsidizes the rich? The lottery. $70 billion will be spent this year on the lottery. And it is the poor who are disproportionately the victims.

From The Journalist’s Resource:

Those in the lowest fifth in terms of socioeconomic status (SES) had the “highest rate of lottery gambling (61%) and the highest mean level of days gambled in the past year (26.1 days).” Moreover, there were “very few observed differences in lottery gambling for those in the three upper SES groups — 42–43% gambled on the lottery and the three upper groups averaged about 10 days of gambling on the lottery in the past year.

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.