For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Eccles 4:1-6

1Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed –
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors –
    and they have no comforter.
2 And I declared that the dead,
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.
3 But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.

4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

5 Fools fold their hands
    and ruin themselves.
6 Better one handful with tranquillity
    than two handfuls with toil
    and chasing after the wind.

A. Find out :  

1. What did he see? v.1a
2. What was the problem? v.1b
3. What did he conclude? v.2,3
4. From what did all work spring? v.4
5. What does the fool do? v.5
6. So what did he conclude? v.6

B. Think:

1. What did Solomon find distressing in the world?
2. What wrong assessment of work did he make?
3. What did he say was most important?

C. Comment:

It is strange that this man with such wisdom arrives at such limited conclusions, but that simply reinforces the thought that every person’s thinking is corrupted and foolish in some way.

First he says that wherever he looks he sees oppression (v.1) and for the oppressed it would be better to be dead (v.2) or even it would have been better if they had never been born (v.3). But to say this means that it would be better if every person had not been born, for that is God’s only alternative, to remove free will and remove mankind as it is.

But then he looks at work and says that all work and achievement springs from envy (v.4). Such a statement is clearly untrue for many people in the world are working to stay alive, not to compete, and of course there are many other reasons why people have to work. He looks at the lazy fool and says avoid his ruinous end (v.5), and concludes that a life of peace without stress is far better than much striving (v.6). In that at least he is correct, and comes with a message for our times.

The lessons that must come to us from Solomon’s words today must be: a) don’t accept people’s viewpoints uncritically and b) look for good in the midst of the evil of the world, for it is there!

D. Application?

1. Satan seeks to depress us with the woes of this world but we must keep a right perspective.
2. God is at work even in the midst of darkest circumstances.

Passage: Eccles 4:7-16

7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:

8 there was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked,
    ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’
This too is meaningless –
    a miserable business!

9 Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labour:
10 if either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

13 Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. 14 The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. 15 I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. 16 There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

A. Find out :   

1. What was the woe of the childless? v.8
2. What is the first advantage of two? v.9
3. What is the second advantage? v.10
4. What is the third advantage? v.11
5. What is the fourth advantage? v.12
6. Why is kingship not always a blessing? v.16

B. Think:

1. What is Solomon assuming in v.8?
2. How would you summarise v.9-12
3. How would you summarise v.13-13

C. Comment:

As Solomon continues listing the things he sees in life as being meaningless, he comes to the apparent plight of the childless man who simply has to work with no one to leave it to (v.8). In this he assumes that the only purpose of working and achieving things is to leave it to others, but that is a very limited viewpoint. The childless man can bless his wife and his friends and the needy with what he makes through his work, and all of that brings much joy and fulfilment.

But then he moves to the benefits of being with another, a friend, possibly a wife. Yes, it is good to have company but even that company can turn from blessing and become a bane unless Jesus Christ is in the relationship and makes it a “threefold cord” (v.12). Two can achieve more together than two apart (v.9), two can support each other (v.10), two can warm each other (v.11), and two can defend each other (v.12).

But what of the single person? Well in this context there is nothing to stop them having close friends and receiving these advantages. The apostle Paul commented on the benefits of being single in 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 and the threefold cord can include friendship.

Finally Solomon, with echoes of v.8 in mind, considers how pointless it can be being a king whose successor may be just a youth (v.13,14) who the people may gladly follow to the sorrow of the elderly king (v.15). Yes, even pride and position can spell sorrow (v.16).

D. Application?

1. God has made us not to be alone.
2. Security in a relationship only comes by the Lord.