Verse 1
The terrible pessimism of Ecclesiastes continues in this chapter with the mention of certain misfortunes that befall human beings. The things mentioned here are indeed tragic; but all of them and countless others are the result of our fallen human family's status as servants of Satan rather than servants of God. Solomon himself was part of the problem and no part of the solution. The value of his words lies in the fact that they do indeed carry a valid description of the life on earth by a race of men in rebellion against their Creator. Every man should ponder what is written here, and turn his heart to God who alone has the power to save mankind.
THE RICH MAN WHO CANNOT ENJOY HIS RICHES
"There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men: a man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not the power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease."
"So that he lacketh nothing for his soul" (Ecclesiastes 6:1). There is in this clause a terrible blindness on the part of the author, Solomon. That was his false notion that riches were capable of providing for the soul of a man, "all that he desireth." That was exactly the blindness of the rich man mentioned by Jesus who said, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry" (Luke 12:19). This is always the blindness of men who are, "not rich toward God" (Luke 12:21). They think that the true `soul food' is money and riches!
"God giveth him not the power to eat thereof" (Ecclesiastes 6:1). This might have been the result of all kinds of developments. An untimely death from disease, accident, murder, or a hundred other things could have robbed him of his power to enjoy what he had accumulated; but only one of them was mentioned here.
"An alien eateth it" (Ecclesiastes 6:2). How could that have happened? "The alien here could have been an invading army, a thief, or a dishonest business man who defrauded him."[1]
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