Isaiah30: repentance and rest

 

In Isaiah 30 we read about Judah buying protection or alliance from Egypt against Assyria.  The Lord didn't approve this: 

6-7 Egypt is all show, no substance.

    My name for her is Toothless Dragon.

Judah made a wrong decision because it didn't listen to the Lord:

8-11 A people unwilling to listen

    to anything God tells them.

They tell their spiritual leaders,

    “Don’t bother us with irrelevancies.”

They tell their preachers,

    “Don’t waste our time on impracticalities.

Tell us what makes us feel better.

    Don’t bore us with obsolete religion.

That stuff means nothing to us.

    Quit hounding us with The Holy of Israel.”

However, the Lord calls for repentance:

15-17 God, the Master, The Holy of Israel,

    has this solemn counsel:

“Your salvation requires you to turn back to me

    and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.

Your strength will come from settling down

    in complete dependence on me—

The very thing

    you’ve been unwilling to do.

You’ve said, ‘No way! We’ll rush off on horseback!’

    You’ll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!

You’ve said, ‘We’ll ride off on fast horses!’

    Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?

Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.

    Before a mere five you’ll all run off.

There’ll be nothing left of you—

    a flagpole on a hill with no flag,

    a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.”

18 But God’s not finished. He’s waiting around to be gracious to you.

    He’s gathering strength to show mercy to you.

God takes the time to do everything right—everything.

    Those who wait around for him are the lucky ones.

The Lord will deal with Assyria:

Oh yes, at God’s thunder

    Assyria will cower under the clubbing.

Every blow God lands on them with his club

    is in time to the music of drums and pipes,

God in all-out, two-fisted battle,

    fighting against them.

Topheth’s fierce fires are well prepared,

    ready for the Assyrian king.

The Topheth furnace is deep and wide,

    well stoked with hot-burning wood.

God’s breath, like a river of burning pitch,

    starts the fire.

Isaiah 29: a lament and a hope for Jerusalem

 In Isaiah 29 we read a lament for Ariel/Jerusalem:

1 Woe to Ariel,[a] Ariel,

the city where David camped!

4 You will be brought down;

you will speak from the ground,

and your words will come from low in the dust.

Your voice will be like that of a spirit from the ground;

your speech will whisper from the dust.

However, the Lord will free Jerusalem from his enemies:

7 All the many nations

going out to battle against Ariel—

all the attackers, the siege works against her,

and those who oppress her—

will then be like a dream, a vision in the night.

The Lord hides a better understanding of his Word :

13 The Lord said:

These people approach me with their speeches

to honor me with lip-service,[h]

yet their hearts are far from me,

and human rules direct their worship of me.[i]

14 Therefore, I will again confound these people

with wonder after wonder.

The wisdom of their wise will vanish,

and the perception of their perceptive will be hidden.

However, there will be a future day, when even the deafs will hear:

18 On that day the deaf will hear

the words of a document,

and out of a deep darkness

the eyes of the blind will see.

19 The humble will have joy

after joy in the Lord,

and the poor people will rejoice

in the Holy One of Israel.

20 For the ruthless one will vanish,

the scorner will disappear,

and all those who lie in wait with evil intent

will be killed—

21 those who, with their speech,

accuse a person of wrongdoing,

who set a trap for the one mediating at the city gate

and without cause deprive the righteous of justice.

23 For when he sees his children,

the work of my hands within his nation,

they will honor my name,

they will honor the Holy One of Jacob

and stand in awe of the God of Israel.

24 Those who are confused will gain understanding,

and those who grumble will accept instruction.

Isaiah 28: Ephraim and Judah

 In Isaiah 27 , in verses 1-6 talks about Ephraim which is compared to a withered flower. The Lord will act against Ephraim (2) but Yahweh Tsebaoth will be like a glorious crown for his few remaining people (5). In verses 6-29, the Lord talks to his people. He is against the priests and prophets who stagger from too much wine (7). They question the Lord: "To whom will they make the message understood?" (9). The Lord will answer by a strange language:

11 Yahweh will speak to these people.

    He will mock them by speaking in a foreign language. 

Isaiah must be refering to the Babylon captivity because Israel/Judah didn't rest in the promised land (12). 

Isaiah talks about Jesus in:

16 This is what Adonay Yahweh says:

I am going to lay a rock in Zion,

    a rock that has been tested,

    a precious cornerstone,

    a solid foundation.

        Whoever believes in him will not worry.

The Lord is against the agreement between Judah and Egypt (inferred):

18 Your treaty with death will be wiped away.

    Your agreement with the grave will not stand.

    When the overwhelming disaster passes by,

    you will be trampled by it.

Israel 27: The Lord takes care of his vineyard

 In Isaiah 27 we read about Israel, the Lord's vineyard:

2 On that day

sing about a desirable vineyard:

3 I, Yahweh, watch over it;

I water it regularly.

I guard it night and day

so that no one disturbs it.

Israel will be a blessing to the whole world:

6 In days to come, Jacob will take root.

Israel will blossom and bloom

and fill the whole world with fruit.

The Lord punished Israel:

8 He punished Israel by sending it away.

    He removed it with a fierce blast from the east winds.[b]

9 In this way the wrongdoings of the descendants of Jacob are covered up.

    This is the way they will turn from their sins—

    when they turn all the altar stones into powdered chalk

        and no poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah

            or incense altars are left standing.

The Lord will gather Israel again:

13 On that day a ram’s horn will be blown loudly.

    Those who are dying in Assyria

        and those who are banished to Egypt

            will come and worship Yahweh

                on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

Isaiah 26: Resurrection

 In Isaiah 26 we have two kinds of death people: some will live, and some will not live again. 

. Do not live:

14 The wicked are dead.

    They are no longer alive.

        The spirits of the dead won’t rise.

    You have punished them, destroyed them,

    and wiped out all memory of them.

. live:

19 Your dead will live.

    Their corpses will rise.

    Those who lie dead in the dust will wake up and shout for joy,

    because your dew is a refreshing dew,

        and the earth will revive the spirits of the dead.

Isaiah 25: the Lord will swallow up death forever

 In Isaiah 24, the Lord is praised for his right judgments:

3 Superpowers will see it and honor you,

    brutal oppressors bow in worshipful reverence.

They’ll see that you take care of the poor,

    that you take care of poor people in trouble,

Provide a warm, dry place in bad weather,

    provide a cool place when it’s hot.

The Lord will wellcome the faithful:

6 But here on this mountain, God-of-the-Angel-Armies

    will throw a feast for all the people of the world,

A feast of the finest foods, a feast with vintage wines,

    a feast of seven courses, a feast lavish with gourmet desserts.

The Lord will destroy Death:

8 He will swallow up death forever.

    Adonay Yahweh will wipe away tears from every face,

    and he will remove the disgrace of his people from the whole earth.

        Yahweh has spoken.

Isaiah 24: devastation and judgement

 Isaiah 24 tells about a devastation:

1-3 Danger ahead! God’s about to ravish the earth

    and leave it in ruins,

Rip everything out by the roots

    and send everyone scurrying

but some will remain:

14-16 But there are some who will break into glad song.

    Out of the west they’ll shout of God’s majesty.

Yes, from the east God’s glory will ascend.

    Every island of the sea

Will broadcast God’s fame,

    the fame of the God of Israel.

From the four winds and the seven seas we hear the singing:

    “All praise to the Righteous One!”

The Lord will judge the powers of this world (and of the skies):

21-23 That’s when God will call on the carpet

    rebel powers in the skies and

Rebel kings on earth.

    They’ll be rounded up like prisoners in a jail,

Corralled and locked up in a jail,

    and then sentenced and put to hard labor.

Shamefaced moon will cower, humiliated,

    red-faced sun will skulk, disgraced,

Because God-of-the-Angel-Armies will take over,

    ruling from Mount Zion and Jerusalem,

Splendid and glorious

    before all his leaders.

Isaiah 23: Tyre

 

In Isaiah 23, the Lord says what will happen to Tyre. The Lord will place the arrogant Tyre in its place:

8 Who has brought this disaster on Tyre, empire builder and top trader of the world? 9 The Commander of the armies of heaven has done it to destroy your pride and show his contempt for all the greatness of mankind. 

The fall of Tyre will cause problems to Tarshish in verse 1.

The Lord is against the arrogant man and the arrogant nation.

Isaiah 22: Shebna and Eliakim

 In Isaiah 22 we read about Shebna and Eliakim in their positions of treasures over the house, i.e., controller or governor of the palace in the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. Shebna was arrogant:

15-19 The Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, spoke: “Come. Go to this steward, Shebna, who is in charge of all the king’s affairs, and tell him: What’s going on here? You’re an outsider here and yet you act like you own the place, make a big, fancy tomb for yourself where everyone can see it, making sure everyone will think you’re important. God is about to sack you, to throw you to the dogs. He’ll grab you by the hair, swing you round and round dizzyingly, and then let you go, sailing through the air like a ball, until you’re out of sight. Where you’ll land, nobody knows. And there you’ll die, and all the stuff you’ve collected heaped on your grave. You’ve disgraced your master’s house! You’re fired—and good riddance!

Eliakim will replace Shebna:

20-24 “On that Day I’ll replace Shebna. I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I’ll dress him in your robe. I’ll put your belt on him. I’ll give him your authority. He’ll be a father-leader to Jerusalem and the government of Judah. I’ll give him the key of the Davidic heritage. He’ll have the run of the place—open any door and keep it open, lock any door and keep it locked. I’ll pound him like a nail into a solid wall. He’ll secure the Davidic tradition. Everything will hang on him—not only the fate of Davidic descendants but also the detailed daily operations of the house, including cups and cutlery.

We are stawards of the Lord. It is bad when we beahve like Shebna.

Isaiah 21: Babylon, Edom, Arabia

 In Isaiah 21 we see again the fall of Babylon. In Isaiah 14, we saw that the Medes would destroy Babylon, but this time we read: "Elamites and Medes will take part in the siege". I didn´t understand the reaction of Isaiah due to the revelation: "4 My mind reels; my heart races; I am gripped by awful fear. All rest at night—so pleasant once—is gone; I lie awake, trembling.". Why would him be gripped by awful fear? We see a prophecy against Edom: "12 The watchman replies, “Your judgment day is dawning now. Turn again to God, so that I can give you better news. Seek for him, then come and ask again!” and against Arabia: 16 “But a long year from now,” says the Lord, “the great power of their enemy, the mighty tribe of Kedar, will end.

Isaiah 20: Egypt and Ethiopia will be conquered by Assyria

 In Isaiah 20 we read that a commander from Assyria came to a Philistian  city (Ashdod) and took it. In this year, the Lord said to Isaiah:

"Go, take off your clothes and sandals,"

Isaiah did it for three years. The Lord said that he did it "as a warning sign to Egypt and Ethiopia, so the king of Assyria is going to come and take the Egyptians as captives and the Ethiopians as exiles."

The Philistian are closed connected to Egyptians.

People who were protected by Egypt or Ethiopia will be perplexed when they see Egyptians and Ethiopians taken as captives:

‘Look at them! Naked and barefooted, shuffling off to exile! And we thought they were our best hope, that they’d rescue us from the king of Assyria. Now what’s going to happen to us? How are we going to get out of this?’”

Isaiah 19: a prophecy about Egypt

 In Isaiah 19, we read a prophecy about Egypt such as:

civil war:

2-4 God says, “I’ll make Egyptian fight Egyptian,

    brother fight brother, neighbor fight neighbor,

City fight city, kingdom fight kingdom—

    anarchy and chaos and killing!

lack of water:    

5 The River Nile will dry up,

    the riverbed baked dry in the sun.

The canals will become stagnant and stink,

    every stream touching the Nile dry up.

lack of brain:

11-15: There’s not a wise man or woman left in the country.

    If there were, one of them would tell you

    what God-of-the-Angel-Armies has in mind for Egypt.

Judah will overcome Egypt:

Little Judah will strike terror in Egyptians! Say “Judah” to an Egyptian and see panic. The word triggers fear of the God-of-the-Angel-Armies’ plan against Egypt.

18 On that Day, more than one city in Egypt will learn to speak the language of faith and promise to follow God-of-the-Angel-Armies. One of these cities will be honored with the title “City of the Sun.”

Egyptians will worship the Lord:

19-22 On that Day, there will be a place of worship to God in the center of Egypt and a monument to God at its border. 

Peace among nations:

23 On that Day, there will be a highway all the way from Egypt to Assyria: Assyrians will have free range in Egypt and Egyptians in Assyria. No longer rivals, they’ll worship together, Egyptians and Assyrians!

Israel will worship the Lord with now pagan nations:

24-25 On that Day, Israel will take its place alongside Egypt and Assyria, sharing the blessing from the center. God-of-the-Angel-Armies, who blessed Israel, will generously bless them all: “Blessed be Egypt, my people! . . . Blessed be Assyria, work of my hands! . . . Blessed be Israel, my heritage!”

Isaiah 18: prophecy against Cush/Ethiopia

 In Isaiah 18 we read a prophecy against Cush/Ethiopia. It will not be all lost for Ethiopia with people tall and smooth. We read:

7 In that time a present shall be brought to the Lord of Hosts

from a people tall and smooth,

    and from a people feared far and wide,

a nation strong and oppressive,

    whose land the rivers have divided,

to the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, even Mount Zion.

At the end, people of earth will have to surrender to the Lord. Those who don´t surrender will be erased; at least, this is what is happening to Ethiopia.

Isaiah 17: prophecy against Damascus and against Jacob (Judah, Israel).

 In Isaiah 17 we see a prophecy against Damascus:

1 Watch this: Damascus undone as a city,

    a pile of dust and rubble!

Her towns emptied of people.

    The sheep and goats will move in

And take over the towns

    as if they owned them—which they will!

I suppose that this Damascus is the same as today Damascus, but when I read "her towns", it seems to me that the prophecy talks against a nation called Damascus, but I am not sure.

In verses 4-9, we a day of judgement. Although the Lord will punish his people (Israel, Judah), few people will remain:

7-8 Yes, the Day is coming when people will notice The One Who Made Them, take a long hard look at The Holy of Israel. They’ll lose interest in all the stuff they’ve made—altars and monuments and rituals, their homemade, handmade religion—however impressive it is.

From verses 12-14, the Lord will silence the voice of nations that is compared to  the roar of a massive waterfall. In verse 14, we read:

14 At bedtime, terror fills the air.

    By morning it’s gone—not a sign of it anywhere!

This is what happens to those who would ruin us,

    this is the fate of those out to get us.

The Lord delivers his people, saves his people.

Isaiah 16: Isaiah laments for Moab

 In Isaiah 16 we see that Moab was very arrogant v6, but Moab had a change of mind v7 and asked Judah for help v1-3. Moab even asks for Judah to hide refugees. Isaiah prophecies about a new government of love according to David tradition v5. Isaiah cries for Moab:

I’ll mingle my tears with your tears!

The joyful shouting at harvest is gone.

    Instead of song and celebration, dead silence. 

Isaiah 15: Prophecy against Moab

 In Isaiah 15 we see a prophecy against Moab. Cities of Moab will be destroyed. People will be crying at the temple of Dibon (v2). Although Moab is idolatrous, Isaiah laments:

4 Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out,

Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz;

Therefore the [d]armed men of Moab cry aloud;

His soul trembles within him.

5 My heart cries out for Moab;

Isaiah has compassion of Moabe. The Lord says:

9 I will certainly bring added woes upon Dimon,

A lion upon the fugitives of Moab and the remnant of the land. 

Certainly the Lord wants me to have mercy of people suffering, not only Jews but even Muslims in the Israel/Hamas war.

Isaiah 14: prophecies against Babylon, Assyria and Philistia

 In Isaiah 14 we see prophecies against:

. Babylon : 1-23, 

13 But you said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God,

And I will sit on the mount of assembly

In the recesses of the north.

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

I will make myself like the Most High.’

15 Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol,

To the recesses of the pit.

16 Those who see you will stare at you,

They will [h]closely examine you, saying,

‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

Who shook kingdoms,

17 Who made the world like a wilderness

And overthrew its cities,

Who did not [i]allow his prisoners to go home?’

. Assyria : 24-27

24 Certainly, just as I have intended, so it has happened, and just as I have planned, so it will stand, 25 to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders.

. Philistia

29 “Do not rejoice, Philistia, all of you,

Because the rod that struck you is broken;

For from the serpent’s root a viper will come out,

And its fruit will be a winged serpent.

30 [n]Those who are most helpless will eat,

And the poor will lie down in security;

I will kill your root with famine,

And it will kill your survivors.

Isaiah 13: the fall of Babylon

 Was Isaiah 13 written after the fall of Assyria? If not, it is very interesting this prophecy against Babylon by the Medes (v 17). The Medes were called saints in the sense that they were separated to the Lord to carry out his anger (v 3). Although the destruction of Babylon will be made by men we read:

6 Cry loudly, for the day of Yahweh is near.

    It will come like destruction from Shadday.

This destruction will be very severe:

22 Hyenas will howl in Babylon’s strongholds,

    and jackals will howl in its luxurious palaces.

Isaiah 12: Praise the Holy One of Israel.

 Isaiah 12 continues talking about the future restoration of his people. His people will praise the Holy One of Israel (v6).

Isaiah 11: Righteous Reign of the Branch

The descendants of David were, in general, bad kings, but there will be a new Branch from the stem of Jesse v1, a new descendant of David that will receive the Spirit of the Lord. He will reign with the spirit of wisdom and the fear of the Lord v2. He will defend with fairness the poor and the humble of the earth. Even animals such as wolves and lambs will get along, live in peace. The nations will all come to him. His headquarters will be glorious. v10. The Master for the second time will reach out to bring back what’s left of his scattered people. 

Isaiah 10: Assyria is an instrument of the Lord, but has wrong purposes.

In Isaiah 10 we read:

5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger

And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,

6 I send it against a godless nation

And commission it against the people of My fury

To capture spoils and to seize plunder,

And to trample them down like mud in the streets.

7 Yet it does not so intend,

Nor does it plan so in its heart,

But rather it is its purpose to destroy

And to eliminate many nations.

The sovereign Lord uses Assyria as his instrument: the rod of his anger; however Assyria don't see herself in this way. She is very arrogant. She relies in her officers and says:

Are not my officers all kings?

Her king says:

13 By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,

Because I have understanding;

And I removed the boundaries of the peoples

And plundered their treasures,

And like a powerful man I brought down [l]their inhabitants,

Assyria disdains of the other nations nations, inclusive of Jerusalem and Samaria v11. 

The Lord will punish Assyria:

16 Therefore the Lord, the God of armies, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors;

And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame.

The Lord loves Jacob. He promised:

20 Now on that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will no longer rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 9: a child will be born as the Prince of Peace

 Isaiah 9: a child will be born as the Prince of Peace

A child will be born as the Prince of Peace and Everlasting Father. Reading Isaiah only, it is not yet clear that Immanuel of chapter 7 is this child, but we Christians understand so: Jesus is Immanuel and the Price of Peace. We read a message against Israel in 8-21. The Lord is against the arrogant the people of Efraim who say: 

“Bricks have fallen,

    but we will rebuild with hand-cut stones.

        Fig trees have been cut down,

            but we will replace them with cedars.”

Efraim will be attacked by the Arameans and Philistines v12, however, his people will not return to the Lord. The Lord will cut from Israel both head (leaders) and tail v14.

Isaiah 8: The Lord shows that the coalition between Syria and Israel against Judah will fail

Isaiah has a child with a prophet and names him : "The Looting Will Come Quickly; the Prey Will Be Easy" because the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria. The Lord shows to Isaiah that the wealth of Damascus and the loot from Samaria will be carried away to the king of Assyria v5-10. Some in Jerusalem will search for help from the mediums and the fortunetellers, who whisper and mutter. The Lord says:

  Shouldn’t people ask their Elohim for help instead?

    Why should they ask the dead to help the living?

20 They should go to the teachings and to the written instructions.

    If people don’t speak these words,

        it is because it doesn’t dawn on them.

21 They will pass through the land when they are hard-pressed and hungry.

    When they are hungry, they will be furious.

        Then they will look up, cursing their king and Elohim.

22 They will look at the earth and see only distress and gloom.

    They will go in anguish and be forced into darkness.

Isaiah 7: A Virgin Will Bear a Son

The king  Ahaz of Judah is afraid of a coalition between the king Rezim of Aram (Siria) and king Pekah of Israel. 

Isaiah goes to the king Ahaz with a message:

Listen, calm down. Don’t be afraid. 

It won’t happen.

    Nothing will come of it

Because the capital of Aram is Damascus

    and the king of Damascus is a mere man, Rezin.

As for Ephraim, in sixty-five years

    it will be rubble, nothing left of it.

The capital of Ephraim is Samaria,

    and the king of Samaria is the mere son of Remaliah.

If you don’t take your stand in faith,

    you won’t have a leg to stand on.

Ask for a sign from your God. Ask anything. Be extravagant. Ask for the moon!

Isaiah demands that the king Ahaz stand in faith, otherwise, trouble will come. Isaiah demands that Ahaz asks for a sign (in order to believe, stand in faith), but Ahaz doesn't ask for anything. Thus, Isaiah prophesies:

A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She’ll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us). By the time the child is twelve years old, able to make moral decisions, the threat of war will be over. Relax, those two kings that have you so worried will be out of the picture. But also be warned: God will bring on you and your people and your government a judgment worse than anything since the time the kingdom split, when Ephraim left Judah. The king of Assyria is coming!

Isaiah 6 continues with prophecies about Judah's doom due to the king of Assyria.

 

we understand that this prophecy was fulfilled: when Jesus was child, the thread of this coalition was over.

Isaiah 6: Holy, Holy, Holy!

Isaiah have a vision of the Lord in his throne with angel-seraphs hovering above him saying to one another:

Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

    His bright glory fills the whole earth.

This vision was terrifying to Isaiah, a sinner, who should not be in the presence of the Lord. However, Isaiah is purified. He volunteered to be sent by the Lord, to send a message. One problem: the message is going to be heard, but not to be understood untill the cities were emptied out. There is hope:  there’s a holy seed in those stumps.

Isaiah 5: the Vineyard

 The Lord planted a vineyard (Israel) expecting good grapes but  it produced only sour, wild grapes. Poor (v11 - drunkers) and rich (v8) citzens of Israel will be condemned. Israel will go to exile (v13). The Lord will use a foreign nation to punish his people (v24-30)

Isaiah 4: the Branch of the Lord - the hope of Jerusalem.

After the chaos over Jerusalem, there will be hope.

The "Sprout of the Lord" will grow or (as we read in Jeremiah 23:5) a new King that descends from David will come. The remanescentes of Jerusalem will be called holy.

Isaiah 3: Jerusalem's doom

 In Isaiah 3, Jerusalem will be judged by the Lord. He says: 

“Jerusalem’s on its last legs.

    Judah is soon down for the count.

Everything people say and do

    is at cross-purposes with God,

    a slap in my face.

Brazen in their depravity,

    they flaunt their sins like degenerate Sodom.

Doom to their eternal souls! They’ve made their bed;

    now they’ll sleep in it."

The city will be in chaos:

People will be at each other’s throats,

    stabbing one another in the back:

Neighbor against neighbor, young against old,

    the no-account against the well-respected.

Isaiah 3 is prophecy against Jerusalem that felled due to its depravity. In a way, it is prophecy against the world of today which is falling due to its depravity.

Isaiah 2: the last days

 Isaiah 2 talks about the last days, more specifically about:

1. the glory of God's mountain: all nations will come to Jerusalem in order to learn and live according to the Lord's will.

2. the punishment of the Lord: the Lord alone is to receive glory and nont men or things made by men. 

It finishes with:

Quit scraping and fawning over mere humans,

    so full of themselves, so full of hot air!

    Can’t you see there’s nothing to them?

Isaiah 1: Jerusalem must repent

 Isaiah 1

Although the Lord has punished severely his people, they seem worse than animals because they don't recognize his Owner (v3). They pretend to worship the Lord by being very religious (v11-12), but in fact, they abhor the Lord who demands purity from his people (v16-17). The Lord is merciful and invites his people to repent from their sins: 

18-20 “Come. Sit down. Let’s argue this out.”

    This is God’s Message:

“If your sins are blood-red,

    they’ll be snow-white.

If they’re red like crimson,

    they’ll be like wool.

If you’ll willingly obey,

    you’ll feast like kings.

But if you’re willful and stubborn,

    you’ll die like dogs.”

That’s right. God says so.

The Lord loves Jerusalem although she is very dirt behaving like a whore (v21). The Lord decides to clean Jerusalem (v25): the Lord will save who repent but will destroy the rebels (v27-28). 

songs 1

 In Songs we read:

The Song—best of all songs—Solomon’s song!

The Woman

2-3 Kiss me—full on the mouth!

    Yes! For your love is better than wine,

    headier than your aromatic oils.

The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook.

    No wonder everyone loves to say your name!

4 Take me away with you! Let’s run off together!

    An elopement with my King-Lover!

We’ll celebrate, we’ll sing,

    we’ll make great music.

Yes! For your love is better than vintage wine.

    Everyone loves you—of course! And why not?

5-6 I am weathered but still elegant,

    oh, dear sisters in Jerusalem,

Weather-darkened like Kedar desert tents,

    time-softened like Solomon’s Temple hangings.

Don’t look down on me because I’m dark,

    darkened by the sun’s harsh rays.

My brothers ridiculed me and sent me to work in the fields.

    They made me care for the face of the earth,

    but I had no time to care for my own face.

7 Tell me where you’re working

    —I love you so much—

Tell me where you’re tending your flocks,

    where you let them rest at noontime.

Why should I be the one left out,

    outside the orbit of your tender care?

> woman: my King-Lover: kiss me, take me away with you, don't take look down on me. Where are you working, tending your flocks? ; It is not clear if the lover is the king or a shepherd,

The Man

8 If you can’t find me, loveliest of all women,

    it’s all right. Stay with your flocks.

Lead your lambs to good pasture.

    Stay with your shepherd neighbors.

9-11 You remind me of Pharaoh’s

    well-groomed and satiny mares.

Pendant earrings line the elegance of your cheeks;

    strands of jewels illumine the curve of your throat.

I’m making jewelry for you, gold and silver jewelry

    that will mark and accent your beauty.

> man: if you can't find me, stay with your flocks.

The Woman

12-14 When my King-Lover lay down beside me,

    my fragrance filled the room.

His head resting between my breasts—

    the head of my lover was a sachet of sweet myrrh.

My beloved is a bouquet of wildflowers

    picked just for me from the fields of En Gedi.

> woman: I have a great pleasure to lay down beside my king lover.

The Man

15 Oh, my dear friend! You’re so beautiful!

    And your eyes so beautiful—like doves!

> man: you are so beautiful to me.

The Woman

16-17 And you, my dear lover—you’re so handsome!

    And the bed we share is like a forest glen.

We enjoy a canopy of cedars

    enclosed by cypresses, fragrant and green.

> woman: you are so handsome

Ecclesiastes 12: getting older and have a focus in your life.

 In Ecclesiastes 12 we read:

1-2 Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young,

Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,

Before your vision dims and the world blurs

And the winter years keep you close to the fire.

> It is not so difficult that one thinks like this: "I want to do my will now that I am young. When I will get closer to death I will serve the Lord". The Thinker says the opposite: "Honor and enjoy your Creator when still young." It is really difficult that an old guy serve the Lord in old days because we mold our future everyday. Habits are very difficult to change. For example: the one who is used to save money, simply, can't waste money or be generous even when there's no reason not to do it.

3-5 In old age, your body no longer serves you so well.

Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen.

The shades are pulled down on the world.

You can’t come and go at will. Things grind to a halt.

The hum of the household fades away.

You are wakened now by bird-song.

Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past.

Even a stroll down the road has its terrors.

Your hair turns apple-blossom white,

Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body.

Yes, you’re well on your way to eternal rest,

While your friends make plans for your funeral.

> I can't avoid this fall. I am 60 years old and that's what expect me despite huge progress in medicine.

6-7 Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over.

Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends.

The body is put back in the same ground it came from.

The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.

8 It’s all smoke, nothing but smoke.

The Quester says that everything’s smoke.

> It seems like a waste of life: it is beautiful, but is soon over. It is like a smoke.

The Final Word

9-10 Besides being wise himself, the Quester also taught others knowledge. He weighed, examined, and arranged many proverbs. The Quester did his best to find the right words and write the plain truth.

11 The words of the wise prod us to live well.

They’re like nails hammered home, holding life together.

They are given by God, the one Shepherd.

12-13 But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else. The last and final word is this:

Fear God.

Do what he tells you.

14 And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.

> I want to read many books about religion, health, investments, etc.; however, it may be a great distraction. I have to focus on "fear God". I want to be friend of the Lord. I want to enjoy my Creator while I live.

Ecclesiastes 11: be generous, life is too short to hoard your goods.

 In Ecclesiastes 11 we read:

1 Be generous: Invest in acts of charity.

Charity yields high returns.

2 Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around.

Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.

> I have to learn to be generous. I have to always remember that the Lord has been kind to me, everyday.

3-4 When the clouds are full of water, it rains.

When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls.

Don’t sit there watching the wind. Do your own work.

Don’t stare at the clouds. Get on with your life.

> It is a blessing to contemplate the acts of God, but the Lord wants me to participate in his creation. 

5 Just as you’ll never understand

    the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman,

So you’ll never understand

    the mystery at work in all that God does.

6 Go to work in the morning

    and stick to it until evening without watching the clock.

You never know from moment to moment

    how your work will turn out in the end.

> When you work on the Lord's creation, remember that is the Lord who makes your work a success or a failure.

Before the Years Take Their Toll

7-8 Oh, how sweet the light of day,

And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!

Even if you live a long time, don’t take a single day for granted.

Take delight in each light-filled hour,

Remembering that there will also be many dark days

And that most of what comes your way is smoke.

9 You who are young, make the most of your youth.

Relish your youthful vigor.

Follow the impulses of your heart.

If something looks good to you, pursue it.

But know also that not just anything goes;

You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.

10 Live footloose and fancy-free—

You won’t be young forever.

Youth lasts about as long as smoke.

> I am getting old. I am studying some ways of dying: stroke, cancer, dementia, etc. It is really a blessing to be alive today and I am not so sure about tomorrow. Ecclesiastes tell me to "take delight in each hour" here on earth. It is a waste of time to think heavily about the past and its errors: Jesus took my sins away. 

Ecclesiastes 10: many provebs

 In Ecclesiastes 10 we read:

1 Dead flies in perfume make it stink,

And a little foolishness decomposes much wisdom.

2 Wise thinking leads to right living;

Stupid thinking leads to wrong living.

3 Fools on the road have no sense of direction.

The way they walk tells the story: “There goes the fool again!”

4 If a ruler loses his temper against you, don’t panic;

A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage.

> The wise must be consistently wise otherwise he will show no sense of direction. It is wise to be calm in front of authorities. It reminds me some investors that are taken as sages: they take good decisions consistently.

5-7 Here’s a piece of bad business I’ve seen on this earth,

An error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge:

Immaturity is given a place of prominence,

While maturity is made to take a backseat.

I’ve seen unproven upstarts riding in style,

While experienced veterans are put out to pasture.

> It is not so uncommon to see a company leader put some fool in charge of good people.

8 Caution: The trap you set might catch you.

Warning: Your accomplice in crime might double-cross you.

9 Safety first: Quarrying stones is dangerous.

Be alert: Felling trees is hazardous.

10 Remember: The duller the ax the harder the work;

Use your head: The more brains, the less muscle.

11 If the snake bites before it’s been charmed,

What’s the point in then sending for the charmer?

> Be diligent in your work. Prepare what you have to in advange. Have a plan.

12-13 The words of a wise person are gracious.

The talk of a fool self-destructs—

He starts out talking nonsense

And ends up spouting insanity and evil.

14 Fools talk way too much,

Chattering stuff they know nothing about.

15 A decent day’s work so fatigues fools

That they can’t find their way back to town.

> Perhaps I am a fool: I talk too much about stuff I know nothing about to be seen as a wise guy. I want to be wise and talk as a wise guy: in a gracious way.

16-17 Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup,

And whose princes party all night.

Lucky the land whose king is mature,

Where the princes behave themselves

And don’t drink themselves silly.

> How to spot good leaders before buying share of a company? Tip: see how the leaders behave, how they compensate themselves.

18 A shiftless man lives in a tumbledown shack;

A lazy woman ends up with a leaky roof.

19 Laughter and bread go together,

And wine gives sparkle to life—

But it’s money that makes the world go around.

20 Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath,

And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home.

Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around.

Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.

> The wise is humble and learns not to gossip.

Ecclesiastes 9: enjoy life; don't take things too seriously

 In Ecclesiastes 9 we read:

1-3 Well, I took all this in and thought it through, inside and out. Here’s what I understood: The good, the wise, and all that they do are in God’s hands—but, day by day, whether it’s love or hate they’re dealing with, they don’t know.

Anything’s possible. It’s one fate for everybody—righteous and wicked, good people, bad people, the nice and the nasty, worshipers and non-worshipers, committed and uncommitted. I find this outrageous—the worst thing about living on this earth—that everyone’s lumped together in one fate. Is it any wonder that so many people are obsessed with evil? Is it any wonder that people go crazy right and left? Life leads to death. That’s it.

> It seem very unfair (outrageous) that the good and the wicked share the same fate: both die. In fact, it is outrageous that both have the same death, because in life beyond death they face opposite fates.

Seize Life!

4-6 Still, anyone selected out for life has hope, for, as they say, “A living dog is better than a dead lion.” The living at least know something, even if it’s only that they’re going to die. But the dead know nothing and get nothing. They’re a minus that no one remembers. Their loves, their hates, yes, even their dreams, are long gone. There’s not a trace of them left in the affairs of this earth.

> It is a blessing to be alive because there is no hope to dead people.

7-10 Seize life! Eat bread with gusto,

Drink wine with a robust heart.

Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure!

Dress festively every morning.

Don’t skimp on colors and scarves.

Relish life with the spouse you love

Each and every day of your precarious life.

Each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get in exchange

For the hard work of staying alive.

Make the most of each one!

Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!

This is your last and only chance at it,

For there’s neither work to do nor thoughts to think

In the company of the dead, where you’re most certainly headed.

> Celebrate life! Each day is God's gift. Drink wine, eat bread with gusto.

11 I took another walk around the neighborhood and realized that on this earth as it is—

The race is not always to the swift,

Nor the battle to the strong,

Nor satisfaction to the wise,

Nor riches to the smart,

Nor grace to the learned.

Sooner or later bad luck hits us all.

12 No one can predict misfortune.

Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds in a trap,

So men and women are caught

By accidents evil and sudden.

> We can create models that predict the future with accuracy: the swift may loose a race, an athlete may die in a accident.

Wisdom Is Better than Muscle

13-15 One day as I was observing how wisdom fares on this earth, I saw something that made me sit up and take notice. There was a small town with only a few people in it. A strong king came and mounted an attack, building trenches and attack posts around it. There was a poor but wise man in that town whose wisdom saved the town, but he was promptly forgotten. (He was only a poor man, after all.)

16 All the same, I still say that wisdom is better than muscle, even though the wise poor man was treated with contempt and soon forgotten.

17 The quiet words of the wise are more effective  

Than the ranting of a king of fools.

18 Wisdom is better than warheads,

But one hothead can ruin the good earth.

> The poor wise man from the besieged city saved it. He was much better than the screams of the fools in charge. Despite everything, the poor wise man's words were forgotten. In conclusion, don't take life too seriously. Give yourself and others a discount. And how can we do this? Believing in Jesus, because in Jesus, God gives us this discount, this forgiveness and makes us live with more joy, more light.

Ecclesiastes 8: it is very difficult to understand what the Lord is doing here on earth.

 -

In Ecclesiastes 8 we read:

There’s nothing better than being wise,

Knowing how to interpret the meaning of life.

Wisdom puts light in the eyes,

And gives gentleness to words and manners.

> Wisdom gives gentleness to words and manners, it makes life colorful.

No One Can Control the Wind

2-7 Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don’t worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You’re serving his pleasure, not yours. The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, “What are you doing?” Carrying out orders won’t hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately. Yes, there’s a right time and way for everything, even though, unfortunately, we miss it for the most part. It’s true that no one knows what’s going to happen, or when. Who’s around to tell us?

> I am in service of my good King. 

8 No one can control the wind or lock it in a box.

No one has any say-so regarding the day of death.

No one can stop a battle in its tracks.

No one who does evil can be saved by evil.

> No one knows when the spirit/wind will be taken from our body and we die; however, we know that we can not be saved by evil.

9 All this I observed as I tried my best to understand all that’s going on in this world. As long as men and women have the power to hurt each other, this is the way it is.

One Fate for Everybody

10 One time I saw wicked men given a solemn burial in holy ground. When the people returned to the city, they delivered flowery eulogies—and in the very place where wicked acts were done by those very men! More smoke. Indeed.

11 Because the sentence against evil deeds is so long in coming, people in general think they can get by with murder.

> When justice takes a long time to be made, people forget to think about justice.

12-13 Even though a person sins and gets by with it hundreds of times throughout a long life, I’m still convinced that the good life is reserved for the person who fears God, who lives reverently in his presence, and that the evil person will not experience a “good” life. No matter how many days he lives, they’ll all be as flat and colorless as a shadow—because he doesn’t fear God.

14 Here’s something that happens all the time and makes no sense at all: Good people get what’s coming to the wicked, and bad people get what’s coming to the good. I tell you, this makes no sense. It’s smoke.

> The good life is reserved for the one who fears God; however it is not so clear. It is somehow common to see good things happening to the wicked and bad things to good people.

15 So, I’m all for just going ahead and having a good time—the best possible. The only earthly good men and women can look forward to is to eat and drink well and have a good time—compensation for the struggle for survival these few years God gives us on earth.

16-17 When I determined to load up on wisdom and examine everything taking place on earth, I realized that if you keep your eyes open day and night without even blinking, you’ll still never figure out the meaning of what God is doing on this earth. Search as hard as you like, you’re not going to make sense of it. No matter how smart you are, you won’t get to the bottom of it.

> If possible, it is very good to enjoy life; however it is very difficult to understand what the Lord is doing in this earth.

Ecclesiastes 7: "to be wise" is beyond me

 In Ecclesiastes 7 we read:

Don’t Take Anything for Granted

1 A good reputation is better than a fat bank account.

Your death date tells more than your birth date.

> Does a man end his life with a good reputation? Does a man end his life with a fat bank account? How a man dies reveals what he was. 

2 You learn more at a funeral than at a feast—

After all, that’s where we’ll end up. We might discover

    something from it.

3 Crying is better than laughing.

It blotches the face but it scours the heart.

4 Sages invest themselves in hurt and grieving.

Fools waste their lives in fun and games.

5 You’ll get more from the rebuke of a sage

Than from the song and dance of fools.

6 The giggles of fools are like the crackling of twigs

Under the cooking pot. And like smoke.

14 On a good day, enjoy yourself;

On a bad day, examine your conscience.

God arranges for both kinds of days

So that we won’t take anything for granted.

> It is wiser to think ahead in my death day, what way I am following, but I can´t forget of good days when I enjoy myself.

7 Brutality stupefies even the wise

And destroys the strongest heart.

8 Endings are better than beginnings.

Sticking to it is better than standing out.

9 Don’t be quick to fly off the handle.

Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head.

> Anger boomerangs and kindness too.

10 Don’t always be asking, “Where are the good old days?”

Wise folks don’t ask questions like that.

11-12 Wisdom is better when it’s paired with money,

Especially if you get both while you’re still living.

Double protection: wisdom and wealth!

Plus this bonus: Wisdom energizes its owner.

> It is a Lord'blessing to be wise and rich.

13 Take a good look at God’s work.

Who could simplify and reduce Creation’s curves and angles

To a plain straight line?

> Lord's creation is certainly much more complex and wise than I can see.

Stay in Touch with Both Sides

15-17 I’ve seen it all in my brief and pointless life—here a good person cut down in the middle of doing good, there a bad person living a long life of sheer evil. So don’t knock yourself out being good, and don’t go overboard being wise. Believe me, you won’t get anything out of it. But don’t press your luck by being bad, either. And don’t be reckless. Why die needlessly?

18 It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it.

19 Wisdom puts more strength in one wise person

Than ten strong men give to a city.

20 There’s not one totally good person on earth,

Not one who is truly pure and sinless.

> I have to learn everyday that I have a good Father that is much more gracious to me than I can understand. I am not tottaly good; however I must understand that the the Lord is guiding me, taking care of me even when I sin. I am quite sure that there are many sins that I don't recognize now. Perhaps I am much more greedy than I suppose to be. Whatever great sinner I am, I must trust in the Lord. Let the Lord's peace correct me.

21-22 Don’t eavesdrop on the conversation of others.

What if the gossip’s about you and you’d rather not hear it?

You’ve done that a few times, haven’t you—said things

Behind someone’s back you wouldn’t say to his face?

> I must improve the way I listen and talk to others. 

How to Interpret the Meaning of Life

23-25 I tested everything in my search for wisdom. I set out to be wise, but it was beyond me, far beyond me, and deep—oh so deep! Does anyone ever find it? I concentrated with all my might, studying and exploring and seeking wisdom—the meaning of life. I also wanted to identify evil and stupidity, foolishness and craziness.

> If it was difficult to understand wisdom to Salomon, it is difficult to me too. I would like to be wise, and I search for wisdom, but it comes from the Lord. The one who sees himself as wise or humble is very likely fool or arrogant.

26-29 One discovery: A woman can be a bitter pill to swallow, full of seductive scheming and grasping. The lucky escape her; the undiscerning get caught. At least this is my experience—what I, the Quester, have pieced together as I’ve tried to make sense of life. But the wisdom I’ve looked for I haven’t found. I didn’t find one man or woman in a thousand worth my while. Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.

> the Lord created Adam true and upright, but he made a mess of things.

Ecclesiastes 6: enjoy life and trust in the Lord.

 In Ecclesiastes 6 we read:

 1-2 I looked long and hard at what goes on around here, and let me tell you, things are bad. And people feel it. There are people, for instance, on whom God showers everything—money, property, reputation—all they ever wanted or dreamed of. And then God doesn’t let them enjoy it. Some stranger comes along and has all the fun. It’s more of what I’m calling smoke. A bad business.

3-5 Say a couple have scores of children and live a long, long life but never enjoy themselves—even though they end up with a big funeral! I’d say that a stillborn baby gets the better deal. It gets its start in a mist and ends up in the dark—unnamed. It sees nothing and knows nothing, but is better off by far than anyone living.

6 Even if someone lived a thousand years—make it two thousand!—but didn’t enjoy anything, what’s the point? Doesn’t everyone end up in the same place?

7 We work to feed our appetites;

Meanwhile our souls go hungry.

> Even though a person may work a lot (to feed his appetites), he is never satisfied. It is really a blessing of the Lord to enjoy life. Greedy disables to enjoy life. Sometimes a person has everything to be happy, but he is not. 

8-9 So what advantage has a sage over a fool, or over some poor wretch who barely gets by? Just grab whatever you can while you can; don’t assume something better might turn up by and by. All it amounts to anyway is smoke. And spitting into the wind.

10 Whatever happens, happens. Its destiny is fixed.

You can’t argue with fate.

> Enjoy today, this day. Don't make plans to be happy in the future. Be happy now. The Lord reigns. Be greateful.

11-12 The more words that are spoken, the more smoke there is in the air. And who is any better off? And who knows what’s best for us as we live out our meager smoke-and-shadow lives? And who can tell any of us the next chapter of our lives?

> Who can tell my next chapter of my life? Who knows what's best for me? The Lord knows; let Him guide me.

Ecclesiastes 5: don't be greedy - understand that the Lord is good.

 we read in Ecclesiastes 5:

God’s in Charge, Not You

1 Watch your step when you enter God’s house.

    Enter to learn. That’s far better than mindlessly offering

        a sacrifice,

    Doing more harm than good.

2 Don’t shoot off your mouth, or speak before you think.

Don’t be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear.

God’s in charge, not you—the less you speak, the better.

3 Overwork makes for restless sleep.

Overtalk shows you up as a fool.

4-5 When you tell God you’ll do something, do it—now.

God takes no pleasure in foolish drivel. Vow it, then do it.

Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up.

6 Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you.

When called to account, you won’t get by with

    “Sorry, I didn’t mean it.”

Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation?

7 But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk

There’s always this rock foundation: Fear God!

> The Lord reigns but we always forget it. He is with me in the church. It is not so important what I talk, but it is very important that I learn in the church. The Lord is in control, so I have to fear the Lord.

A Salary of Smoke

8-9 Don’t be too upset when you see the poor kicked around, and justice and right violated all over the place. Exploitation filters down from one petty official to another. There’s no end to it, and nothing can be done about it. But the good earth doesn’t cheat anyone—even a bad king is honestly served by a field.

10 The one who loves money is never satisfied with money,

Nor the one who loves wealth with big profits. More smoke.

11 The more loot you get, the more looters show up.

And what fun is that—to be robbed in broad daylight?

12 Hard and honest work earns a good night’s sleep,

Whether supper is beans or steak.

But a rich man’s belly gives him insomnia.

13-17 Here’s a piece of bad luck I’ve seen happen:

A man hoards far more wealth than is good for him

And then loses it all in a bad business deal.

He fathered a child but hasn’t a cent left to give him.

He arrived naked from the womb of his mother;

He’ll leave in the same condition—with nothing.

This is bad luck, for sure—naked he came, naked he went.

So what was the point of working for a salary of smoke?

All for a miserable life spent in the dark?

> A greedy person (that loves money, that is never satisfied with money) harms himself by overworking. He may have problems with robbers and insomnia, besides, he may oppress the poor. 

Make the Most of What God Gives

18-20 After looking at the way things are on this earth, here’s what I’ve decided is the best way to live: Take care of yourself, have a good time, and make the most of whatever job you have for as long as God gives you life. And that’s about it. That’s the human lot. Yes, we should make the most of what God gives, both the bounty and the capacity to enjoy it, accepting what’s given and delighting in the work. It’s God’s gift! God deals out joy in the present, the now. It’s useless to brood over how long we might live.

> It is a blessing to understand that the Lord is gracious and He wants us to enjoy what he provides us.

Ecclesiastes 4 : why do you work? be wise to work not too much and too less.

 In Ecclesiastes 4 we read:

Slow Suicide

1-3 Next I turned my attention to all the outrageous violence that takes place on this planet—the tears of the victims, no one to comfort them; the iron grip of oppressors, no one to rescue the victims from them. So I congratulated the dead who are already dead instead of the living who are still alive. But luckier than the dead or the living is the person who has never even been, who has never seen the bad business that takes place on this earth.

4 Then I observed all the work and ambition motivated by envy. What a waste! Smoke. And spitting into the wind.

5 The fool sits back and takes it easy,

His sloth is slow suicide.

6 One handful of peaceful repose

Is better than two fistfuls of worried work—

More spitting into the wind.

> Envy motivates a lot of work and ambition that generates nothing. By other side, a sloth person is not wiser: he commits suicide. Wisdom is in the midle: not too much work by envy and not too little by sloth.

Why Am I Working Like a Dog?

7-8 I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, “Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?” More smoke. A bad business.

> This solitary man is not solth, but he is greedy. He works so hard to have more and more but he will certanly leave his possessions to a stranger.

9-10 It’s better to have a partner than go it alone.

Share the work, share the wealth.

And if one falls down, the other helps,

But if there’s no one to help, tough!

11 Two in a bed warm each other.

Alone, you shiver all night.

12 By yourself you’re unprotected.

With a friend you can face the worst.

Can you round up a third?

A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.

> Instead of alone, t is better to be married, to haver a partner, etc. It is good to share the work and share the wealth with another person. 

13-16 A poor child with some wisdom is better off than an old but foolish king who doesn’t know which end is up. I saw a youth just like this start with nothing and go from rags to riches, and I saw everyone rally to the rule of this young successor to the king. Even so, the excitement died quickly, the throngs of people soon lost interest. Can’t you see it’s only smoke? And spitting into the wind?

> If you have to choose between wisdom or riches, choose wisdom; but don´t expect to be honored by people.

Ecclesiastes3: are we like animals?

 In Ecclesiastes 3 we read:

There’s a Right Time for Everything

3 There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

2-8 A right time for birth and another for death,

A right time to plant and another to reap,

A right time to kill and another to heal,

A right time to destroy and another to construct,

A right time to cry and another to laugh,

A right time to lament and another to cheer,

A right time to make love and another to abstain,

A right time to embrace and another to part,

A right time to search and another to count your losses,

A right time to hold on and another to let go,

A right time to rip out and another to mend,

A right time to shut up and another to speak up,

A right time to love and another to hate,

A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

9-13 But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.

> I agree on "there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift.". I have some problem to understand that the Lord is good and He wants me to enjoy the food, drink and trips that He provides me. 

14 I’ve also concluded that whatever God does, that’s the way it’s going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God’s done it and that’s it. That’s so we’ll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.

> It is difficult to accept certain things in life but the Lord is in control: "God’s done it and that’s it.". 

15 Whatever was, is.

Whatever will be, is.

That’s how it always is with God.

God’s Testing Us

16-18 I took another good look at what’s going on: The very place of judgment—corrupt! The place of righteousness—corrupt! I said to myself, “God will judge righteous and wicked.” There’s a right time for every thing, every deed—and there’s no getting around it. I said to myself regarding the human race, “God’s testing the lot of us, showing us up as nothing but animals.”

19-22 Humans and animals come to the same end—humans die, animals die. We all breathe the same air. So there’s really no advantage in being human. None. Everything’s smoke. We all end up in the same place—we all came from dust, we all end up as dust. Nobody knows for sure that the human spirit rises to heaven or that the animal spirit sinks into the earth. So I made up my mind that there’s nothing better for us men and women than to have a good time in whatever we do—that’s our lot. Who knows if there’s anything else to life?

> If humans and animals die without judgement then where is justice? There's a ritght time to the justice of the Lord.

Ecclesiastes2: divine fate

 We read in Ecclesiastes 2:

2 1-3 I said to myself, “Let’s go for it—experiment with pleasure, have a good time!” But there was nothing to it, nothing but smoke.

What do I think of the fun-filled life? Insane! Inane!

    My verdict on the pursuit of happiness? Who needs it?

With the help of a bottle of wine

    and all the wisdom I could muster,

I tried my level best

    to penetrate the absurdity of life.

I wanted to get a handle on anything useful we mortals might do

    during the years we spend on this earth.

> The "thinker" is asking "what for do I live?", "what is the meaning of life?", "what can bring me happiness?". He searched for the answers in doing things.

I Never Said No to Myself

4-8 Oh, I did great things:

    built houses,

    planted vineyards,

    designed gardens and parks

        and planted a variety of fruit trees in them,

    made pools of water

        to irrigate the groves of trees.

I bought slaves, male and female,

        who had children, giving me even more slaves;

    then I acquired large herds and flocks,

        larger than any before me in Jerusalem.

I piled up silver and gold,

        loot from kings and kingdoms.

I gathered a chorus of singers to entertain me with song,

    and—most exquisite of all pleasures—

    voluptuous maidens for my bed.

9-10 Oh, how I prospered! I left all my predecessors in Jerusalem far behind, left them behind in the dust. What’s more, I kept a clear head through it all. Everything I wanted I took—I never said no to myself. I gave in to every impulse, held back nothing. I sucked the marrow of pleasure out of every task—my reward to myself for a hard day’s work!

I Hate Life

11 Then I took a good look at everything I’d done, looked at all the sweat and hard work. But when I looked, I saw nothing but smoke. Smoke and spitting into the wind. There was nothing to any of it. Nothing.

> The "thinker" had money and intelligence to try whatever he desired, from building things to sex (v8). He saw that all was smoke and spitting into the wind. We always want to build a "name" to ourselves but but in the end, sadly, we conclude that we built nothing. 

12-14 And then I took a hard look at what’s smart and what’s stupid. What’s left to do after you’ve been king? That’s a hard act to follow. You just do what you can, and that’s it. But I did see that it’s better to be smart than stupid, just as light is better than darkness. Even so, though the smart ones see where they’re going and the stupid ones grope in the dark, they’re all the same in the end. One fate for all—and that’s it.

15-16 When I realized that my fate’s the same as the fool’s, I had to ask myself, “So why bother being wise?” It’s all smoke, nothing but smoke. The smart and the stupid both disappear out of sight. In a day or two they’re both forgotten. Yes, both the smart and the stupid die, and that’s it.

> If there is nothing more beyond our death, then there is no "correct way to live" because at the end, the wise/smart and the fool will end up in the same place: both will die and be forgotten. 

17 I hate life. As far as I can see, what happens on earth is a bad business. It’s smoke—and spitting into the wind.

18-19 And I hated everything I’d accomplished and accumulated on this earth. I can’t take it with me—no, I have to leave it to whoever comes after me. Whether they’re worthy or worthless—and who’s to tell?—they’ll take over the earthly results of my intense thinking and hard work. Smoke.

20-23 That’s when I called it quits, gave up on anything that could be hoped for on this earth. What’s the point of working your fingers to the bone if you hand over what you worked for to someone who never lifted a finger for it? Smoke, that’s what it is. A bad business from start to finish. So what do you get from a life of hard labor? Pain and grief from dawn to dusk. Never a decent night’s rest. Nothing but smoke.

24-26 The best you can do with your life is have a good time and get by the best you can. The way I see it, that’s it—divine fate. Whether we feast or fast, it’s up to God. God may give wisdom and knowledge and joy to his favorites, but sinners are assigned a life of hard labor, and end up turning their wages over to God’s favorites. Nothing but smoke—and spitting into the wind.

> The "thinker" advises to have a good time and be glad with the job. The Lord has his favorites and treats them assigning them wisdom and knowledge whereas he assigns a life of hard labor, without rest, to others.

Ecclesiastes1: it’s all smoke

 In Ecclesiastes 1 we read:

1 These are the words of the Quester, David’s son and king in Jerusalem:

2-11 Smoke, nothing but smoke. [That’s what the Quester says.]

    There’s nothing to anything—it’s all smoke.

What’s there to show for a lifetime of work,

    a lifetime of working your fingers to the bone?

One generation goes its way, the next one arrives,

    but nothing changes—it’s business as usual for old planet earth.

The sun comes up and the sun goes down,

    then does it again, and again—the same old round.

The wind blows south, the wind blows north.

    Around and around and around it blows,

    blowing this way, then that—the whirling, erratic wind.

All the rivers flow into the sea,

    but the sea never fills up.

The rivers keep flowing to the same old place,

    and then start all over and do it again.

Everything’s boring, utterly boring—

    no one can find any meaning in it.

Boring to the eye,

    boring to the ear.

What was will be again,

    what happened will happen again.

There’s nothing new on this earth.

    Year after year it’s the same old thing.

Does someone call out, “Hey, this is new”?

    Don’t get excited—it’s the same old story.

Nobody remembers what happened yesterday.

    And the things that will happen tomorrow?

Nobody’ll remember them either.

    Don’t count on being remembered.

> Does the sun or the wind work? They do the same thing again and again. Does a man work? What can he show after a lifetime of work? I am retired. I daresay I can't show much thing after a working life. In a way, it is very easy to agree with the Quester and at the same time, a Christian see the world in a different way. The Sun and the stars are full of misteries that scientists are trying to uncover.

I’ve Seen It All

12-14 Call me “the Quester.” I’ve been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I looked most carefully into everything, searched out all that is done on this earth. And let me tell you, there’s not much to write home about. God hasn’t made it easy for us. I’ve seen it all and it’s nothing but smoke—smoke, and spitting into the wind.

15 Life’s a corkscrew that can’t be straightened,

A minus that won’t add up.

16-17 I said to myself, “I know more and I’m wiser than anyone before me in Jerusalem. I’ve stockpiled wisdom and knowledge.” What I’ve finally concluded is that so-called wisdom and knowledge are mindless and witless—nothing but spitting into the wind.

18 Much learning earns you much trouble.

The more you know, the more you hurt.

> It is easier for a thinker to go into depression than someone who doesn't think so much. Trying to find the meaning of (repetitive) things without connecting to the Lord is distressing.

Proverbs 31: a woman to king Lemuel

 in Proverbs 31

1 The words of King Lemuel,

    the strong advice his mother gave him:

2-3 “Oh, son of mine, what can you be thinking of!

    Child whom I bore! The son I dedicated to God!

Don’t dilute your strength on fortune-hunting women,

    promiscuous women who shipwreck leaders.

4-7 “Leaders can’t afford to make fools of themselves,

    gulping wine and swilling beer,

Lest, hung over, they don’t know right from wrong,

    and the people who depend on them are hurt.

Use wine and beer only as sedatives,

    to kill the pain and dull the ache

Of the terminally ill,

    for whom life is a living death.

> Will a drunker fight for the oppressed? Use wine as a sedative to kill the pain when really necessary. 

8-9 “Speak up for the people who have no voice,

    for the rights of all the misfits.

Speak out for justice!

    Stand up for the poor and destitute!”

Hymn to a Good Wife

10-31 A good woman is hard to find,

    and worth far more than diamonds.

Her husband trusts her without reserve,

    and never has reason to regret it.

Never spiteful, she treats him generously

    all her life long.

She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,

    and enjoys knitting and sewing.

She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places

    and brings back exotic surprises.

She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast

    for her family and organizing her day.

She looks over a field and buys it,

    then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.

First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,

    rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.

She senses the worth of her work,

    is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.

She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,

    diligent in homemaking.

She’s quick to assist anyone in need,

    reaches out to help the poor.

She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;

    their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.

She makes her own clothing,

    and dresses in colorful linens and silks.

Her husband is greatly respected

    when he deliberates with the city fathers.

She designs gowns and sells them,

    brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.

Her clothes are well-made and elegant,

    and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.

When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,

    and she always says it kindly.

She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,

    and keeps them all busy and productive.

Her children respect and bless her;

    her husband joins in with words of praise:

“Many women have done wonderful things,

    but you’ve outclassed them all!”

Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.

    The woman to be admired and praised

    is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.

Give her everything she deserves!

    Adorn her life with praises!

> This woman executes many things. A person like that is generally compared to a tractor that pass over people with no compassion. For instance, the one who buys a field at a good price and then makes the field productive, generally, treats the workers as slaves. However, this woman is not spiteful and lives in the Fear-of-God. If Lemuel found a woman like that, he is blessed indeed.

proverbs 30: words of Agur

 Agur Speaks about God

[To God]

    This man’s declaration:

    “I’m weary, O El.

    I’m weary and worn out, O El.

2 I’m more like a dumb animal than a human being.

    I don’t even have human understanding.

3 I haven’t learned wisdom.

    I don’t have knowledge of the Holy One.[a]

[To the audience]

4 “Who has gone up to heaven and come down?

    Who has gathered the wind in the palm of his hand?

    Who has wrapped water in a garment?

    Who has set up the earth from one end to the other?

    What is his name or the name of his son?

    Certainly, you must know!

5 “Every word of Eloah has proven to be true.

    He is a Magen to those who come to him for protection.

6 Do not add to his words,

    or he will reprimand you, and you will be found to be a liar.

> Agur prays declaring that he is weary and his lack of wisdom. He makes a lot of questions to show things that he doesn't understand. It seems that he is asking the Lord to reveal Jesus. 

A Prayer

[To God]

7 “I’ve asked you for two things.

    Don’t keep them from me before I die:

8 Keep vanity and lies far away from me.

    Don’t give me either poverty or riches.

        Feed me only the food I need,

9 or I may feel satisfied and deny you

    and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’

        or I may become poor and steal

            and give the name of my Elohim a bad reputation.

> Agur asks two things to the Lord: to focus on what is important and to be satisfied with the food that is necessary to him (not too much, not too little).

Against Slander

[To the audience]

10 “Do not slander a slave to his master.

    The slave will curse you,

        and you will be found guilty.”

> In the MSG we read: Don’t blow the whistle on your fellow workers behind their backs; They’ll accuse you of being underhanded,  and then you’ll be the guilty one!

Four Kinds of People

11 A certain kind of person curses his father

    and does not bless his mother.

12 A certain kind of person thinks he is pure

    but is not washed from his own feces.[b]

13 A certain kind of person looks around arrogantly

    and is conceited.

14 A certain kind of person,

    whose teeth are like swords

        and whose jaws are like knives,

            devours oppressed people from the earth

                and people from among humanity.

> Four kinds of people that displeases the Lord. It is very difficult that a person who sees himself as pure but full of his own feces will come closer to the Lord, but the Lord may change his heart.

Human Bloodsuckers

15 The bloodsucking leech has two daughters—“Give!” and “Give!”

Four Things That Are Never Satisfied

    Three things are never satisfied.

    Four never say, “Enough!”:

16 the grave,

    a barren womb,

    a land that never gets enough water,

    a fire that does not say, “Enough!”

> It is impossible that a sinner finds satisfaction in his sins.

Disrespectful Children—Their Punishment

17 The eye that makes fun of a father and hates to obey a mother

    will be plucked out by ravens in the valley and eaten by young vultures.

Four Things of Intrigue

18 Three things are too amazing to me,

    even four that I cannot understand:

19 an eagle making its way through the sky,

    a snake making its way over a rock,

    a ship making its way through high seas,

    a man making his way with a virgin.

About the Woman Who Commits Adultery

20 This is the way of a woman who commits adultery:

    She eats, wipes her mouth,

        and says, “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Four Things That Are Intolerable

21 Three things cause the earth to tremble,

    even four it cannot bear up under:

22 a slave when he becomes king,

    a godless fool when he is filled with food,

23 a woman who is unloved when she gets married,

    a maid when she replaces her mistress.

Four Things That Are Small—Yet Smart and Strong

24 Four things on earth are small,

    yet they are very wise:

25 Ants are not a strong species,

    yet they store their food in summer.

26 Rock badgers are not a mighty species,

    yet they make their home in the rocks.

27 Locusts have no king,

    yet all of them divide into swarms by instinct.

28 A lizard you can hold in your hands,

    yet it can even be found in royal palaces.

Four Things That Move with Dignity

29 There are three things that walk with dignity,

    even four that march with dignity:

30 a lion, mightiest among animals, which turns away from nothing,

31 a strutting rooster,[c]

    a male goat,

    a king at the head of his army.[d]

> Agur is observing the Lord's creation. He notices many interesting things. He sees some wisdom even in a small ant and he notices foolishness in a woman who commits adultery.

Keep Calm and Quiet

32 If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself,

    or if you scheme,

        you had better put your hand over your mouth.

33 As churning milk produces butter

    and punching a nose produces blood,

        so stirring up anger[e] produces a fight.

> Agur invites the reader that is behaving as a godless fool to be quiet  

Proverbs 29: the wicked can’t stand the sight of well-chosen goodness

 in Proverbs 29 we read:

7 The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor;

    the hardhearted haven’t the faintest idea.

> Good-hearted people have empathy for others.

8 A gang of cynics can upset a whole city;

    a group of sages can calm everyone down.

> Cynics don't have faith and hope.

9 A sage trying to work things out with a fool

    gets only scorn and sarcasm for his trouble.

> It is great problem to work with a fool: instead of helping, he destroys a good job.

11 A fool lets it all hang out;

    a sage quietly mulls it over.

> We are prone to let it all happens, to let it go, but a sage medidates on what is happening and takes the proper action. 

12 When a leader listens to malicious gossip,

    all the workers get infected with evil.

16 When degenerates take charge, crime runs wild,

    but the righteous will eventually observe their collapse.

> A leader has great influence on the company, church, country, etc. Does he pay too much attention to the "market"? If so, he is not a good leader. Does the leader have energy to do what is right? If not, his company will collapse.

13 The poor and their abusers have at least something in common:

    they can both see—their sight, God’s gift!

14 Leadership gains authority and respect

    when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.

> Proverbs says that a lazy guy will end up poor and at the same time, Proverbs encourages us to help them - because we are all God's creatures.

15 Wise discipline imparts wisdom;

    spoiled adolescents embarrass their parents.

17 Discipline your children; you’ll be glad you did—

    they’ll turn out delightful to live with.

18 If people can’t see what God is doing,

    they stumble all over themselves;

But when they attend to what he reveals,

    they are most blessed.

> The fear of the Lord enables us to see what God is doing. 

19 It takes more than talk to keep workers in line;

    mere words go in one ear and out the other.

20 Observe the people who always talk before they think—

    even simpletons are better off than they are.

> Some people don't listen their authorities, some people don't think before saying anything.

21 If you let people treat you like a doormat,

    you’ll be quite forgotten in the end.

> This verse is very different from other translations. A more normal translation is: He who pampers his slave from childhood Will find him to be a son in the end. Eugene Peterson saw something like: a slave must talk to his superior with respect, and the superior must impose this respect. It is very common nowadays to see parents that let their children addressing to them with no respect.

24 Befriend an outlaw

    and become an enemy to yourself.

When the victims cry out,

    you’ll be included in their curses

    if you’re a coward to their cause in court.

> How fool is the friend of an outlaw!

25 The fear of human opinion disables;

    trusting in God protects you from that.

> The fear of the Lord gives us courage and enables us to do great things.

26 Everyone tries to get help from the leader,

    but only God will give us justice.

> Justice comes from the Lord.

27 Good people can’t stand the sight of deliberate evil;

    the wicked can’t stand the sight of well-chosen goodness.

> The wicked is very upset by the sight of goodness because it condemns him.

proverbs 28: be humble and learn wisdom

 In proverbs 28 we read:

If You Desert God’s Law

1 The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off

    even when no one’s after them;

Honest people are relaxed and confident,

    bold as lions.

> The Lord's people are bold, relaxed and confident because they have nothing to be afraid.

4 If you desert God’s law, you’re free to embrace depravity;

    if you love God’s law, you fight for it tooth and nail.

> People are separated by God's law: the are pro or against it.

5 Justice makes no sense to the evilminded;

    those who seek God know it inside and out.

> Those who seek God know the concept of Justice; however, the evilminded doesn't care about justice.

7 Practice God’s law — get a reputation for wisdom;

    hang out with a loose crowd—embarrass your family.

> A person is taken as good or bad depending on how he practices God's law or by what kind of people he joins.

9 God has no use for the prayers

    of the people who won’t listen to him.

> The Lord listens to prayers of people that are eager to listen to Him.

12 When good people are promoted, everything is great,

    but when the bad are in charge, watch out!

> If bad people are promoted in a company, it is time to sell their shares.

13 You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it;

    you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.

18 Walk straight—live well and be saved;

    a devious life is a doomed life.

> "Repent!": you have to admit your sins and leave them to find mercy.

19 Work your garden—you’ll end up with plenty of food;

    play and party—you’ll end up with an empty plate.

20 Committed and persistent work pays off;

    get-rich-quick schemes are ripoffs.

> Do first things first.

21 Playing favorites is always a bad thing;

    you can do great harm in seemingly harmless ways.

28 When corruption takes over, good people go underground,

    but when the crooks are thrown out, it’s safe to come out.

> A judge must be impartial. He does a great harm when he accepts bribery. It is far better for good people to live in a corruption free country.

23 In the end, serious reprimand is appreciated

    far more than bootlicking flattery.

> The one who is brave and tells the truth, even if it hurts, becomes appreciated.

25 A grasping person stirs up trouble,

    but trust in God brings a sense of well-being.

> A grasping person thinks that he is lord of himself, that he must conquer what he deserves. The who trust in God gets peace.

26 If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure;

    real survivors learn wisdom from others.

> Be humble, learn wisdom from others.

Proverbs 27: become wise and make me happy!

 In Proverbs 27 we read:

1 Don’t brashly announce what you’re going to do tomorrow;

    you don’t know the first thing about tomorrow.

2 Don’t call attention to yourself;

    let others do that for you.

> I was very happy when I retired, but I have always to keep in mind that my future and my rest is in the Lord's hand. In fact, I will only enjoy my retirement if the Lord provides me health.

7 When you’ve stuffed yourself, you refuse dessert;

    when you’re starved, you could eat a horse.

> This happens when investing money: the one who is satisfied with his earnings may act much more cautiously (refusing other investments, jobs, etc.) than the one who is in bad position. 

    

8 People who won’t settle down, wandering hither and yon,

    are like restless birds, flitting to and fro.

> A person who stays for a long time far from his home can´t preserve relationships. 

11 Become wise, dear child, and make me happy;

    then nothing the world throws my way will upset me.

> The Lord asks me, his child, to be wise. He is happy when I make wise decisions.

23-27 Know your sheep by name;

    carefully attend to your flocks;

(Don’t take them for granted;

    possessions don’t last forever, you know.)

And then, when the crops are in

    and the harvest is stored in the barns,

You can knit sweaters from lambs’ wool,

    and sell your goats for a profit;

There will be plenty of milk and meat

    to last your family through the winter.

> The good Shepherd knows his sheep by name. He also wants us to take care of our sheep (children, employees, students) individually. This will bring prosperity.