How does Ecclesiastes 2:26 define the rewards for those who please God?

Setting the Verse in Context

Ecclesiastes 2:26: “For to the one who pleases Him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He gives the task of gathering and collecting to give to the one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.”

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The Rewards Named by the Spirit

• Wisdom

• Knowledge

• Joy

• An eventual transfer of earthly gain from the ungodly to the godly

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Wisdom: Seeing Through God’s Eyes

• More than intellectual sharpness; it is the God-given ability to choose rightly (Proverbs 2:6; James 1:5).

• Empowers believers to navigate life’s complexities with eternal perspective (Ephesians 5:15–17).

• Guards against the emptiness that Solomon laments throughout Ecclesiastes.

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Knowledge: Understanding What Is True

• A Spirit-enabled grasp of reality as God defines it (Colossians 1:9-10).

• Steadies the heart against deception (2 Peter 1:2-3).

• Grows through Scripture, obedience, and prayerful dependence on God (John 17:17).

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Joy: Savoring God’s Gifts

• Not mere happiness, but deep delight rooted in God’s character (John 15:11; Nehemiah 8:10).

• Flourishes even in hardship because it rests in God’s sovereignty (Romans 5:3-5).

• Contrasts sharply with the frustration Solomon observes in those who live apart from God.

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A Stark Contrast: The Fate of the Unbelieving

• “The sinner” slaves at “gathering and collecting” yet never truly enjoys the fruit (Proverbs 13:22).

• God ultimately reallocates their accumulation to bless those who please Him (Job 27:16-17).

• Their labor, detached from God’s purposes, is “futile and a pursuit of the wind.”

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Living Today in the Light of Ecclesiastes 2:26

• Aim to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33); the promised rewards follow.

• Trust that God still grants wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who walk in obedient faith.

• Remember that apparent inequities are temporary; God’s justice ensures that what is gathered unrighteously will ultimately serve His people (Romans 8:28).